cosmiclvex

[cosmiclvex]

"You'll get hypothermia," Loki said as his husband walked into their bathroom — in English. Not the Asgardian he'd been using to argue with his mother for the past half hour. Still, there'd hadn't been much heat behind his words then and there wasn't any left in him now as Edward approached. Instead, he just wordlessly rested his head against him when he sat on the edge of the tub. Loki was silent for a moment, before saying, voice quieter, "I don't need you saying the exact same thing she told me." He sighed, "I know." // @hcvrtbrcvk

[cosmiclvex]

Rafael wasn't sure if there was a time difference between Asgard and New York, but he was sure he felt jet lagged as hell. With a coffee in one hand and his phone in the other, he stepped off the elevator scrolling through the dozens of emails he'd missed since before Christmas. He only glanced up when he saw his oldest brother outside his office. "I thought you were on your way back to LA," he commented, putting his phone back in his pocket. And then he stopped, raising that hand to stop him. "Nevermind, spare me." Rafael unlocked his door and walked inside. "All three of us need extensive therapy. He's also fine, before you ask." He set his cup down on his desk and moved around it to sit down. "He's usually paired with His Majesty -- don't question it, I didn't approve it. Sometimes they act like two halves of one braincell if we're lucky. But in his defense, the new guy he was sent out with is dumb as rocks."

// @hcvrtbrcvk

[cosmiclvex]

"Good morning, sweetheart," she replied warmly, having sensed his arrival moments before he announced himself. Frigga expected her son-in-law to seek her out. Her gaze drifted back to where her son stood, also unsurprised to find, as Edward spoke, that Loki was also the reason for his concern. She sighed, letting her hand fall from the flowers she’d been tending to, more out of habit than on purpose. "I know." She quietly cast a spell around them to silence their conversation to anyone else—just in case. “But Odin’s twisted his mind so much, I doubt he’ll even listen to me. I’ll try, though. This can’t be good for the baby either.” Frigga continued walking, nodding for Edward to follow her. “If it gets much worse, you could always coax him into an ice bath,” she suggested. “I used to do that when he little and not feeling well. It usually forced the glamor off, but that's when the spell was mine. I'm sure he does it different now. It might not work."

"I knew I'd find you here," Edward spoke softly, not wanting to startle and distract the queen. He walked through the garden to approach her and then glanced in the direction of his husband talking with some of the palace officials. He sighed because as much as Loki tried to hide it, he wasn't feeling well at all and it killed Ed seeing him like this. "This is going to kill him," he shook his head and looked back at his mother-in-law. "He won't change back even when we're alone and it's safe to do so, and he's getting weaker with any passing hour. I have no idea how to get through to him other than to drag him down the rainbow bridge and force Heimdall to get us back to New York. Though, I'm sure I won't need to convince him twice to let us go," Edward shook his head. "Any chance you could try to talk to him? I think you're the only one he might listen to." @cosmiclvex

[cosmiclvex]

Tony locked eyes with his son the moment he turned around and caught on. His brow lifted as he watched the color drain from Johnny’s face just as the doors slid shut. He glanced at the other man, already knowing what he was thinking, and wordlessly pressed the button for the penthouse. When they arrived, Tony gestured for Mateo to step out first—holding back the obvious remark that he should already know his way around by now. “Don’t worry,” Tony said, following him inside. “This’ll only take a minute. Drink?” He headed straight to the bar, grabbing two glasses without waiting for a response. Silence lingered until the glasses were filled. “It’s better if I have this conversation with you. My husband… might not be as stable,” Tony added, pulling a face as he handed over the glass. “For lack of a better word.” He paused, swirling the drink in his own glass. “But I’m gonna ignore the obvious.” The obvious being Hill wasn’t much younger than him—definitely a lot older than Johnny. And that maybe he should have stuck his kid in therapy at some point. “Because I don’t know how to go there. Or if I even want to. Honestly, it’s still weirding me out.” He leaned against the bar, meeting Mateo’s gaze. “I don’t know how much Johnny’s told you—and he’ll hate me for saying this—but his ex was an abusive asshole. The fact that he’s still alive is a miracle. So yeah, the age thing freaks me out and I won't lie and say I'll ever be okay with that. But mostly? We’re worried he’s going to get hurt again.”

After saying goodbye to his brothers, Mateo was glad to be coming back home. As much as he loved their family, they, especially recently, were a lot. Plus, he really needed to go back to his restaurant. He pushed the button to close the elevator door, pushing it even harder when he saw who was approaching it but Tony was annoyingly quicker. Mateo just shrugged in response, hoping they would ignore the elephant in the room but he let out a breath when the said elephant just did a 180 degree turn when he saw his stepdad in the lift. And he knew that Tony saw that. The silence between them was deafening and Mateo only wished the elevator would go faster or better yet, crash and stop this madness. "So," he clicked his tongue. "What did you want to talk about?"

[cosmiclvex]

Tony huffed a laugh, tilting his glass toward Thor in a mock toast. “There it is. The I do care, but not too much.” He took a sip, letting the silence hang between them for a moment. “Honestly,” Tony eventually continued, looking at the other man. “That’s about as good as it gets. You try too hard to be him, you’ll drive yourself nuts. If you don’t try at all, well, then you’re Loki. And you eventually crack under the pressure and go nuts.” He teased, but then his smirk softened. “That’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately, though. If Johnny does end up taking over the company one day, I want to make sure people aren’t holding him up next to me or Bruce. Let him screw up in his own way, not because he’s stuck fixing whatever legacy we leave behind. I know what that weight feels like and I don’t want that for him. But speaking from experience, I know he won't outrun the comparisons. And you won't to Odin. People love to measure you against ghosts, even the ones still breathing. Eventually, hopefully, they'll stop looking for Odin in you and start seeing Thor. And I personally think you and your brother have done a damn good job trying to separate yourself from whatever the fuck he’s doing up there.” Leaning back, Tony draped one arm casually over the chair beside him. “And hey, worst-case scenario? At least you're hot and have both of your eyes.”

He took a sip of his drink, though his thoughts lingered on Tony's words. After a moment, he turned toward Tony, eyes softening as he listened intently. “I appreciate your insight, Tony. I think… I think part of me fears I will always be living in Odin's shadow, no matter what I do.” He looked at his drink, swirling it absently. “I mean, we’ve made our mistakes, and Asgard, well... it’s been through a lot. I want to protect it, but I can’t help but feel like no matter what we do, we’re always going to be compared to Odin, and that’s... a heavy burden.” He took another drink, then looked over at Tony, a slight smirk pulling at his lips. “But then again, maybe we’re already on the right path if we’re not trying to be Odin, right?” He leaned back, tapping his fingers on the table thoughtfully. “You’re right. I guess I shouldn’t be so quick to assume I’m destined to fail just because I’m not him. Maybe the fact that I care... or seem to care, at least," he added as an afterthought, knowing Odin, in his own strange way, also cared for their home realm, "Maybe that means I’m already doing better.”

[cosmiclvex]

“A candle,” she repeated. “I mean… it’s not bad. But if it’s too nice, he’ll think I’m trying too hard. If it’s too basic, it’ll look like I forgot until the last second and panic-bought something next to the checkout.” She looked at her, pouting slightly, "It could be cute, though. It fits the vibe," Wanda said, before explaining, "He had a whole candlelit dinner to say thank you for my being there for him."

Darcy raised an eyebrow, a knowing grin spreading across her face. “Hypothetically, huh? Sounds like you’re talking about someone very specific. Care to share more details?" She had no intentions of prying, but she had to admit. Her curiosity was getting the better of her though; she hadn't heard Wanda mention any type of mystery man and she desperately wanted to know everything.

She tapped her chin thoughtfully, glancing around the crowded mall. “Okay, okay, we’ll figure this out. First, rule number one: nothing too personal. Keep it casual, but not too casual, like you grabbed it on a whim, but it has a touch of... thoughtful.” Darcy bit her lip, eyeing the shelves around them as they moved through the store. "How about... a candle?"

[cosmiclvex]

"Ah, yes. Complicated. The middle ground between pretending not to care and walking around all dark and brooding. And you do seem to excel at that part as of late. But if you do start reciting poetry under the stars, I demand to be informed immediately. I wouldn’t miss that for the world," he teased, though the playful tone from earlier had softened, his expression gentler now. Loki let a moment pass between them before he added, "Don’t let complicated be the reason you push it away. Whatever it is." He leaned back against the wall behind him. "You always put everyone and everything else above you. You were so worried about Jane and before Jane it's always been me." Loki tilted his head to the side, "It’s been a while since I’ve seen you want something for yourself."

Thor let out a low, amused chuckle at Loki’s words, a small part of him thankful that his brother had decided to let go of the teasing—for now. But of course, Loki wasn’t one to hold back for long, and Thor knew the next jibe was coming. "I said it wasn’t a date," Thor repeated, though this time his tone was lighter, more resigned. "And I mean it. Just because there were candles and wine doesn’t mean it was anything beyond that." He rolled his eyes, but there was warmth in his expression now.

Thor’s smile faltered slightly at Loki's softened tone. He wasn’t sure how to respond to that kind of openness, not with everything still weighing on him. The truth was, he was trying to move on—trying to navigate the mess of emotions that came with losing Jane and figuring out where he stood with Wanda. The last thing he wanted was to give Loki the satisfaction of seeing him struggle with something more personal.

"It’s just… complicated," Thor said after a moment, his voice quiet as he glanced at his brother. "I never intended for it to be a date. Wanda said we’re just seeing where things go, and I’m trying to respect that. But I'll admit, it's hard. I've never felt this connected to someone. Not since... well, you know."

[cosmiclvex]

Wanda felt her heart ease at his words. She lifted her glass, smile forming at her lips as she met his gaze. “To new beginnings,” she echoed. Their glasses clinked softly, and as she set her drink down, her fingers brushed against his once more, but the touch lingering just a little longer this time. “I think I like the sound of that,” she added, feeling that this new beginning could hold something worth holding on to.

Thor’s lips curved into a smile, a genuine warmth lighting his face. Her words settled in his chest like a steady drumbeat, grounding him in the moment. “That,” he said, his voice low but laced with sincerity, “is something I can promise you, Wanda. I’ll be here—however you need me, for as long as you’ll let me.” His eyes never left hers, as if silently reassuring her that he understood the delicate balance they were navigating. He picked up a glass from the table, raising it slightly in her direction. “To new beginnings,” he said, his grin softening. “And wherever they may lead us.”

[cosmiclvex]

“What can I say? It’s part of my charm," he deadpanned, giving her a look. "They were fire resistant. FYI. Like, I sent a massive fireball to them," Johnny said, like that explained everything. "And other dude was just standing there. So, I'm not sure what I was supposed to do," he added, slightly louder, in case the man his dad was stupid enough to marry was still around the corner. Turning his attention back on Natasha, he continued, "If I'm gonna die, I'm not gonna die by just standing there. I'm gonna die trying to take out a robot army." He pulled a face when she swatted his hand away from the bruise. But herealized instantly that was stupid, because the motional made it feel like he'd been hit in the face again. "Ow." Johnny finally got up and went to the freezer to get ice. "I really do appreciate the concern for my face, though. And I'm taking that as confirmation you've finally realized its perfection. That's all I've ever wanted in life." But the feigned cockiness was muted by the frozen pea bag on his cheekbone. He blindly reached for his phone and managed to open the camera app so he could look at the forming bruse. "God, this is gonna be so ugly..."

Natasha crossed her arms and leaned against the counter, watching him with an expression that was equal parts exasperation and amusement. “I wouldn't even know where to begin with one even if I wanted to, trust me.” Her tone was calm, but the sharp edge of sarcasm was unmistakable. “But let’s just unpack this for a second: you dove into a robot army. Not just one or two, but a whole army. Because apparently, self-preservation isn’t something you’re familiar with.” She arched an eyebrow, slapping his hand away from his bruise with slight scoff. “You know, for someone with a face like that, you’re awfully careless about keeping it intact."

[cosmiclvex]

Peggy’s gaze softened at his words. “No, I suppose normal was never really in the cards for us.” She reached up, resting her hand over his where it lingered on her cheek, keeping it there for a moment longer. Leaning into it, Peggy added, “Not that I mind. I like our brand of strange.” She then took that hand in hers, giving it a gentle squeeze, before letting them drop to their sides. “And you’re right—second chances are rare. I’m glad we got one.” She paused for a moment, before adding, “I’m glad Bucky did too.” Her voice dropped just a little, but stopped those thoughts from going anywhere else and smiled at Steve, turning back to the tree. "So, what does your idea of not normal look like for us now?"

Steve’s expression softened, a quiet smile tugging at his lips as he looked down at her. “Strange? Yeah, maybe a little. But then again, nothing about our story has ever been normal, has it?” He reached up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear, his thumb brushing lightly against her cheek. “I wouldn’t trade it, though. Not a second of it. We’ve got a second chance—not everyone gets that.”

[cosmiclvex]

“You mean be your annoying little brother?” he offered, brow raised. “Yes. I do.” Loki was ready to argue as Thor denied the date again, but then he caught the slight twitch of his lips. A smile Thor was clearly fighting back. So Loki let it go—for all of five seconds. "A friend thanking another friend with a romantic picnic spread and candles. Right." He tilted his head to the side, as if contemplating that. "I've never thanked someone else with a romantic picnic and candles. And if you're about to say that's because I've never thanked anyone, that is also correct." Loki smirked, before shaking his head, tone softening somewhat as he continued, "You know it wouldn't be the worst thing in the universe if it was a date, though. It's nice not seeing you mope around and be depressing."

Thor groaned, rolling his eyes as he stopped a few paces ahead of Loki. "Must you always be so... you?" he asked, though his tone was more exasperated than truly annoyed. He crossed his arms over his chest, attempting a stern look, but the corners of his mouth betrayed him with the slightest twitch of a smile. "But if you must know, it was nothing beyond that. A pleasant evening, nothing more. Just a friend thanking another friend for helping them through a rough patch."

[cosmiclvex]

“Before you start, I didn’t think it was that stupid.” He grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl and started tossing it in the air like he didn't almost just get killed a half hour ago. "Maybe diving headfirst into a robot army wasn't my best idea, but it was either that or let the new guy take the hit and I don't know if you noticed, but the guy looks like he'd snap like a twig." He caught the apple. "But you don't have to lecture me. I already got one that was heavy on the 'what were you thinking' disappointed dad energy." He gestured in the general direction a very pissed off Tony had just walked, before he reached up and started poking at the bruise forming under his eye. "And I'm totally content pretending I didn't almost just get vaporized." // @bunchofjackassesx

[cosmiclvex]

Peggy huffed a quiet laugh, resting her chin on his chest as she looked up at him. “It’s not boring, Steve. It’s responsible.” She smirked. “And let’s be honest—out of the two of us, you were always more likely to play the ‘eat-your-vegetables’ role.” She looked back at him, tugging him just a little closer. “Besides, I happen to like you being the responsible one. Gives me the freedom to be the fun one.” Her fingers traced absent circles along the fabric of his shirt. “But it’s a little strange, isn’t it? Playing Morgan's stand-in grandparents looking the same age as Tony.” Especially when she'd essentially raised him after Howard and Maria died. "I wouldn't have it any other way of course," she shook her head. "But it's not exactly where I thought we'd end up."

Steve laughed, wrapping his arms around Peggy in return, his hands resting at the small of her back. “Oh, great. I get to be the boring one.” He tilted his head, mock-pouting for a moment before his grin returned. “But that’s fine. Someone’s gotta be the voice of reason in that crowd. Between Tony, Bucky, and now Morgan, someone’s gotta make sure there’s at least a little structure.”

He leaned down slightly, pressing a quick kiss to her forehead. “Though, between you and me, I think she’s already figured out how to work the system. That smile of hers? Trouble waiting to happen. Pretty sure I’m outmatched.”

[cosmiclvex]

Wanda snatched the list again with a dramatic sigh. “Mr. Schmidt definitely needs a new vibe at his front door. ‘Go Away’ is bold, but not exactly festive.” She flicked her eyes up at Darcy, a the smirk falling from her face. “Uh… I might have one person left. But it’s tricky. I can’t go overboard. I can’t make it weird, and it has to look like I put zero thought into it while secretly overthinking it for three weeks straight.” Wanda waved her hand dismissively. “And, hypothetically speaking, he might be royalty."

Darcy handed over the crumpled list, her grin widening. “First of all, it’s not suffering—it’s tradition. Second, as for the list…” Darcy tapped her chin, mock-serious. “We’ve got my coworker Janet, who’s impossible to shop for because she just buys whatever she wants, so it’s a challenge to find something she didn’t already think of. Then there’s my cousin Kara, who said she didn’t want anything but will definitely give me a guilt trip if I don’t at least get her a cute scarf or something. And my landlord Mr. Schmidt… maybe a fancy coffee sampler or a new doormat, because the current one says ‘Go Away,’ and I don’t think it’s doing him any favors.”

She glanced sideways at Wanda, lowering her voice dramatically. “And, of course, you’re on the list, but don’t even think about peeking or I’ll invoke mall law and make you stand in line for me.” Darcy winked, before adding with a playful shrug, “So what about you, Maximoff? Have you checked everyone off your list, or are you secretly the queen of last-minute shopping?”

[cosmiclvex]

Peggy rolled her eyes, though her smile gave her away. “A shiny new toy with a lot of history,” she replied, watching as he placed Morgan’s creation in its rightful spot on their tree. “But you're right. I wouldn't let it go to your head, Rogers. She’s five. Give it a few years, and she’ll be all about Tony’s gadgets or Bucky's robot arm." She gave him a teasing look and abandoned the tree to slide her arms around him, "You’ll just be the guy who doesn’t let her have dessert before dinner.”

Steve chuckled, shaking his head as he carefully placed the ornament higher up on the tree. "You really think Fury’s going to let me off that easy? He’d have me back in the field before I could even hang up the uniform." He shot her a playful grin before glancing at the glitter-covered shield in her hand. Taking it gently, he turned it over, inspecting Morgan’s handiwork. “Well, I’d say this is a masterpiece. But don’t feel too bad. You know she only made this because she couldn’t figure out how to really celebrate you. I was a chunk of ice for a big part of her life, so really, I'm just a shiny new toy. You're her real favorite."

[cosmiclvex]

MJ shook her head, biting back a grin as she took the lights from him. “Suffering and perseverance, my ass,” she said, her tone dripping with mock disdain. “This is what happens when you refuse to admit defeat.” Mary Jane took one end of the tangled lights and handed him the other, assessing the damage. "See. You made this a million times worse than it was before."

Peter looked up from his tangled masterpiece of frustration, a sheepish grin spreading across his face. "Pre-lit trees are cheating, MJ," he teased, holding up the mess of lights like a trophy. "This is what real holiday spirit looks like—suffering and perseverance." He tilted his head, giving her his best puppy-dog eyes as he handed the tangled mess over. "I'm warning you now, it's harder than it looks."

[cosmiclvex]

“Your battlefield is an overcrowded mall with screaming children and holiday jingles on repeat?” she asked, her tone dripping with mock disbelief. “I’m starting to think you just like suffering.” She glanced at Darcy with a smirk. “And for the record, poofing a drink into existence isn’t cheating—it’s efficient. But I've never actually figured out how to do that without it tasting weird and your boss won't tell me." She huffed out a breath. "Alright. Stick together, dodge the chaos, and let you panic-buy while I provide moral support. Just don’t expect me to carry your bags.” She reached over for her list with grabby hands. "Who do we have left?"

Darcy laughed, the sound light despite the chaos around them. “Hey, you have your battlefield. This is mine,” she said with a grin. “Okay, fine, I might be doing a bit of panic-buying, but I mean, that's just part of the whole experience. You know?” Darcy nudged her, winking. "And as for the plan, simple. We stick together, avoid the overly aggressive salespeople, and find something thoughtful for everyone. I’ll even buy you a warm drink afterward if we survive this. I know you can just poof one for yourself, but that's just cheating."