#[waving at the other dr thor from the distance]

[sweet-beezus]

Thor

A young man with a fairly sturdy head on his shoulders and broad views on many of the rules of the universe. While meaning well with many of his actions, his devotion to heroism gets him into a lot of trouble, sometimes even causing more harm than good.

[daddysfangirls-marvel]

Scars (26)

Chapter 26 - Going Back

warning: swearing, angst,

The Avengers were down in the conference room with stacks and stacks of boxes and files. Dr. Cho and Rhodey had left, Cho to her lab and Rhodey to warn the government about the situation and new threat. After her shower, Alice came down to help everyone who already started.

"Wait, I know that guy" she heard her father say she walked over and looked over his shoulder "Back in the day he worked off the African coast black market" The man in the picture looked very much like the poster child for smuggling and trafficking.

"There were conventions I never sold anything" Tony rushed to defined himself once he says the judgmental stares. " last I saw him he was talking about a game changer"

"What's this" Thor pointed to the man in the photo

"Tattoo though-"

"No," Alice says looking stepping inbetween her father and Thor to get a better look at the photo. She didn't even notice how close she was " A tatto wouldn't rise like that. It's a branding. It means thieve in Wakandian. it's an af...african... country"" Alice saw everyones eyes on her and began to back away slightly trying to get out from everyones eyes.

"The guy got some goods out of there."

"I don't understand I though your father got all of it" Steve turned to Tony

"wait what comes out of Wakanda" Bruce asked. Steve and Tony dramatically turn to his shield

"The Strongest metal on earth"

"it's not just metal" Alice whispered under her breath no one was listening to her though. She knew they won't, her father never did.

"I think I might know what he's doing or where he is" Loki suddenly appeared behind Alice. She squealed and jumped back " Sorry Darling" he apologized. She blushed at being called darling and waved him off moving to the furthest corner of the room.

"What is it, brother?"

"It's a bit complicated he seems to be everywhere. African, South Korea, and mostly in Slovakia. I'm not entirely sure what he's doing. I have some theories. But I do know that he's no longer in the hung of metal he flew out in. He built himself a body and he could be building another one or more. I'm betting on The flesh body seeing as what he said before he was shut up. It's possible he could be building an army."

Everyone just looked at him with expressionless faces for a moment.

"He might be right," Steve said "about the army thing. The base he crashed was a manufacturing and engineering base. If he fly's back he could use it to build an army"

"Or body" Alice whispered from her corner only Loki heard her.

"Right now he's heading to African," Loki said.

It was decided the team would go to Africa.

"Alice go pack," Tony said as the others were getting ready

Alice looked at the clearly confused she knew her father was most definelty not taking her with them but ... why else would she be packing.

"Pack so you can go back"

"Back?" she asked again confused. Where would she go back to? Did she had somewhere to go back to?

"You know where. Now go pack we don't have all day" It dawned on her where he wanted to send her. Where she was packing to go.

"Why" Tony stopped tinkering with his mask.

"Because I said so. Now GO"

"I don't... I don't want to... no"

It was as if he got smacked in he face suddenly he looked surprised before his face furrowed up into a look of 'what the fuck'.

Not really understand the severity of the situation was Clint and Natasha were silently laughing at Tony's parenting skills. Steve was minding his own business it was a family matter, but also keeping an eye on the situation in case. Bruce was keeping an ear out just in case but also keeping his distance Thor was watching confused and Loki the only one who sensed the tension between the two and actually knew how serious this situation was sat behind Alice pretending to read. He would step in if the situation called for it.

"No?" Tony questioned looked around as if it were directed at someone else then pointed to himself "no?" . In two long steps, he was in front of her. He took her chin in hand and spoke low but everyone heard. " No is not apart of your god damn vocabulary. You better erase that shit real quick. Go to your room and pack your shit."

It was like she was already back there under the watchful eye of her father restrained by his steel thumb. Her Anxiety rose and the walls closed in and his grip got tighter. Everyone was watching.

Go to your room, please. I'll be there in a moment A voice echoed in her head she recognized it to be Loki and she listened. As soon as Tony let go of her chin she quickly went to the elevator not looking back or saying anything. Everyone watched as she made her dispatcher. Before turning to Tony.

"What," He said

"Maybe you shouldn't yell and manhandle your daughter she's fragile Tony" Bruce said

"You need apologize" Loki said

"On Asgard, that kind of behavior would immediately get you 10 lashes or imprisonment," Thor said looking very clearly disappointed.

"Well, this isn't Asgard this is earth-"

"And your past alone would have Cps riding your ass and -"

"It was uncalled for Tony. And Loki's right you need to apologize" Steve interrupted Clint taking Loki's side shocking Loki and just about everything else.

"...Just suit up"

-

Alice sat in her tub with Loki's blanket wrapped around her frame tightly, sobbing quietly. She didn't want to go back she feared what would happen if she went back. Would it be temporary, or would it be forever? Would her father come back for her, or would she be left alone? Would they forget her? And Jarvis, Jarvis was gone, which meant she'd be left in silence by herself. Sure, she didn't always like him, but he was a voice that never left her she had known him all her life.

She couldn't do that she couldn't go back to that life. She had experienced so much and so little she wouldn't experience anymore if she went back. She'd been isolated and alone again, and she didn't want any of that.

Alice sobbed as she felt arms wrap around her " I-I don't want to go, please. I d-don't want to be alone, please, please."

He pulled her closer, letting her cry into his shoulder" I'm sorry, Alice, but you do need to go," she began to wail as she tried to pull away from him " Listen to me, please listen to me. We are going to fight we are leaving the tower, and no one else is going to be here. You'll be alone with nobody to protect you. And this Ultron has shown how easily he can take control of things here. This is not a safe place.

Go to the compound, stay there, and be safe until this is all over. I promise you this is not forever, just until all is safe. " Taking a hold of her face, he looked her in the eyes "I'll come find you when this is all over if I have to. I'll bring you back myself if I have to. Darling, everything is going to be okay"

Alice stopped sobbing and was quietly sniffling. She held his arms around her as she leaned into his chest. She knew he was right, she was not safe here no one was. The compound would be the safest place for her.

Instead of saying anything, she stood up in the tub and got out, going to her room to begin packing, Loki helped. Alice did not pack much hoping that having so little would deter her father from leaving her there for too long or permanently.

Loki pulled her into his arms she wrapped her arms around his neck. Their lips touched in a gentle kiss while their sadness didn't disappear it was soothed. She pulled him forward more, making them both fall on the bed and knocking her suitcase off. Loki pulled back as she wrapped her legs around his waist.

"What are you up to?" he teased as he kissed her jawline and down her neck.

"Keeping you from leaving me." Her mind was in a much more innocent place than his. He chuckled

"I will most definitely come back because you've got this" he pointed to her chest " and I need this"

"My breast?" she sits up confused on her elbows " they're not good for anything. They're small and don't even produce milk and-

"You're heart. I'm talking about you're heart, Love."

"Oh," she says, running her fingers through his hair " Then it's yours"

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[shreddedparchment]

A Wife for Thor Pt.20

Changes

03/21/2021

Pairing: King!Thor x Reader          Word Count: 6,206

Warnings: ANGST up the whazoo! Like seriously, angst. Language, more angst, talks of pregnancy, relationship troubles

A/N: Oof, this one is pretty bad. First of all, I’m sorry. I hope you can forgive me. But anyone who knows me and my storytelling, I always ramp up the angst around here. Anywho, I hope you enjoy this chapter to the best of your ability! If you happen to reblog, thanks so much for helping me spread my work! xoxo

It’s nearly nightfall when Thor lands on the drive in front of your house.

His honeymoon haven, as he thinks of it often.

There’s hardly any impact from his descent, but what little there is kicks up a puff of dust despite the heavy gravel.

It crunches beneath his feet as he makes his way towards the front door. His boots fall heavy on the aged wood and before he can knock you’re there, pulling the door open.

You’re the most wonderful sight he’s ever had the pleasure of laying his eyes on. You’re perfection. Even tired as you look, eyes bloodshot, lips slightly off color, no glow in your cheeks or brightness in your gaze. You’re still the most beautiful creature in all of the universe.

He smiles at you but you stare at him stoically, then step aside to allow Dr. Wilson passage.

“Dr. Wilson,” Thor suddenly remembers sending her to be with you.

He smiles at her and she gives him one in return, albeit small and tight and it doesn’t reach her eyes.

“Your Majesty,” she curtsies quickly before turning to you and placing her hand on your arm. “If you need anything, you have my number.”

“Thank you, Dr. Wilson, I’ll use it if I have to. Which something tells me I will.”

“Are you not better yet, cherub?” Thor asks, worry creasing his forehead.

You don’t meet his eyes and he notices the way Dr. Wilson steals a quick glance at him before she gives you a curtsy too then moves around him towards the drive to a shiny silver car.

You step out to the edge of your porch, waving at the Doctor until she’s gone.

As you turn back to him, Thor breathes in deep, almost taking a step towards you to wrap his arms around you and kiss you and quench this thirst for you that has been growing larger and more demanding every day that the two of you have been apart.

Before he can, you point towards the doorway and move past him, “You better come inside. It’s supposed to storm tonight.”

“Storm?” Thor asks incredulously. “Shall I chase it away for us?”

You don’t answer him and instead walk into the kitchen, disappearing from his sight as you move around the counter towards the sink.

Thor hesitates, his heart dropping for the first time since he arrived. At first he merely thought you exhausted from your illness, but now he’s wondering if there might not be something more going on.

Are you angry at him that it took him so long to come and see you?

As he shuts the door then steps towards your coat rack, he hangs his hammer carefully before moving towards the kitchen no longer in uniform but in a plain gray t-shirt and dark blue jeans.

“Are you not well at all yet, cherub? Will you need more time away from home?” he stops by the edge of the island, his hand reaching over to poke at the smooth wooden counter nervously.

The longer you take to answer him, the more he thinks something must be wrong, beyond your falling ill.

There’s no possible way that you might have found out about-It’s almost too unbearable to think of but as you keep your back to him, hands calmly but with purpose filling your kettle with water and dropping tea bags into a pot, his stomach begins to churn.

“Y/N, if something is wrong, I-”

“I’m pregnant, Thor. I’ve known for a week. Since the day in your war room when you were telling Loki that you wanted to get an annulment so that you could marry Jane.”

Thor’s heart stops. Outside the storm grows nearer faster.

Any light left from the setting sun is snuffed out by the black clouds of thunder and rain that Thor’s panic pulls from the atmosphere.

“I was coming to tell you, but you left your door open. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop but then you said Jane was pregnant and for a moment I was hoping that maybe she was pregnant with someone else’s baby, but it didn’t sound like that’s what you were thinking so, I listened.

“My mind, at that moment, was a little foggy. You know? It took me a second to really think about what we could do. Because for me, I knew that even with this new hurdle, I wanted to overcome it with you. At your side.”

Thor watches as you step to the stove and light the burner, placing your kettle over it to boil.

His limbs are fuzzy, his mind a hive of buzzing bees and crackling electricity. His heart is still not beating but he can feel it breaking. Every fissure, every tear, he feels it from end to end. His mouth will not open and even if he had something to say, even if he could think enough to say it, you don’t sound finished and he will not interrupt you.

You move to pull two cups out from a cupboard and place one in front of the nearest stool to him, then the other on the island in front of the sink where you’ve been standing. You move the teapot over to the island too, then place both hands on the edge to lean all your weight against it.

Somehow, having you look at him is worse. He can see the heartbreak in your eyes, the betrayal. He can feel the anger surging beneath this calm exterior you’ve pasted on.

He’d rather have you rage at him, throw things at him, than see you keep your composure and think about this rationally. Because what can that mean? Have you given up on him? What does this mood of yours mean for your marriage?

“One of the first things I thought was that we should get Jane a room, or maybe a proper house where she and the baby could live because I could never keep you from your child. Not when they would be the rightful heir to the throne. And even if they weren’t going to be the heir, that baby would be your baby. Your child. So how can I ever keep them from you?

“I wasn’t exactly happy that Jane would be in our lives forever seeing as she is so openly…” you tut, looking up at the light fixture above as you search for the right word. “...not hostile. But she doesn’t like me. I could see it the moment she arrived but you seemed, I don’t know, oblivious of it? I’m not sure if that’s because it’s Jane or not, or if you seriously just didn’t notice?

“Every time we were alone, she always made sure to keep her distance. She never talked to me unless she absolutely had to, but as soon as you'd come into  the room she was all politeness and sociable,” you laugh without humor. “I still have no idea how you didn’t notice.

“It was sad, honestly. It made me sad, a lot. But I kept my mouth shut because you trusted her so wholeheartedly even though I could feel the snake she was. Maybe I shouldn’t be saying this, especially since she’ll be part of our lives now, but-”

“She won’t.”

You stop talking, fixing your piercing gaze upon Thor and all he can do is shake his head in rebuttal of what you just said.

“She won’t be part of our lives,” he continues, explaining himself as quickly as he can.

Now that he’s got a word in, he’s eager to tell you how silly all of this has been. How stupid and unnecessarily taxing the stress was.

“She’s not pregnant,” Thor smiles, and he is glad to see your relief.

It’s brief and subdued, but it’s a small sigh and a relaxing of your shoulders.

After a moment you take several steps back to lean against the sink.

“So we have nothing to worry about,” Thor continues, hoping to latch onto his spark of hope.

He rounds the island with godly dexterity but you take a step back, looking up at him with narrowed eyes.

Your anger is less hidden now, and he can see the outrage in your face.

He stops his pursuit to give you space.

“Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

Your demand confuses him. Doesn’t it make you feel better? It makes him feel loads, tons, millions of times better.

“I-” he begins confused.

“You were willing to leave me...to end our marriage, for a baby that hadn’t even been confirmed yet. You think telling me that Jane not being pregnant so now you don't have to erase our marriage as if it never existed is gonna make this better?!”

Thor is speechless, trying desperately to understand the problem, the confusion. Why are you still angry?

“Y-yes, my cherub. No baby, no Jane, no need to figure anything out,” he insists.

“YOU CALL AN ANNULMENT FIGURING SHIT OUT?!”

Thor winces, never having heard you this angry before. You’re livid and that scream is directed directly at him. It takes him a moment to regain some composure but when he does, he sputters to get his story out.

“I-I admit that perhaps the moment of my finding out about Jane was not my finest. I just learned that the once woman I loved was having my child and the scandal that would bring upon my people-”

You scoff and turn away from him, moving back towards the stove as a small stream of steam begins to rise. It’s not hot enough yet though.

Thor doesn’t understand. You know how life works. You’ve been there daily, watching him say and do things that he wouldn’t normally do. He’s being forced just as much as you are to deal with things, only his opportunities are much richer in variation.

“You’re angry with me?” Thor knows this, but something about saying it out loud hits him with a harsh sense of injustice. “What choice would you have had me make?”

You stiffen at his new tone. He can see the shift in your body, and he instantly regrets the momentary anger that boiled his blood.

The way your shoulders slump has his heart beating wildly with new panic. How does he fix this? How can he make this up to you? How can the two of you find some common ground?

“Not this,” you say, quietly.

Thor almost doesn’t hear you but only almost..

“Y/N…” his voice is softer, negotiating in an attempt to calm you.

The placating tone has the opposite effect on you.

“The one thing I asked you to do is to be honest with me. I asked you not to make a fool of me and you did it anyway. You lied to me-”

“I didn’t lie-” Thor begins, but he knows that omitting the truth is almost as good as. His voice trails off.

“Not only did you lie to me but-but when we took our vows, I thought-”

Thor clenches his fists, watching you struggle to overcome some emotion that he can’t see because you’re still facing away from him.

“I feel so stupid,” you gasp, and as your voice hitches, Thor realizes that you’re crying.

He rounds the island but you turn to look at him, throwing your arm out towards him, “No!”

He freezes, breathing labored as his stomach aches. His heart tears again, searing pain ripping at his chest.

It only feels worse as he gets a good look at your face, tears streaming down along your cheeks as despair washes over you.

“Don’t touch me,” you beg of him and Thor can’t believe you mean it.

You can’t mean it.

“The only thing I’ve ever wanted was to have a family of my own,” your words aren’t weak or stuttering now.

Your voice is strong and sure, the week of uncertainty having firmed your resolve.

What have I done?

“When you married me, when you accepted me as part of your house, I thought that I’d finally found that. Not just in you but in Loki and Hilde and Heimdall and the rest of our people. And in three seconds, you took that away from me.

“You abandoned me,” you declare and Thor can’t stay silent anymore.

“No! No, Y/N, I have not abandoned you. I’m here. I’m right here. I came for you. To take you home!”

“BUT YOU THOUGHT ABOUT IT!”

Thor can see the frustration in you, the utter befuddlement you must have felt, the betrayal. There’s disappointment and fear but most of all there’s loss. You’ve lost something this week, and even though he doesn’t know what it is for sure, he can guess.

“You gave the thought a presence and you meant it. You would have left me!”

“No!” Thor protests, an anguished cry of his own sorrow. A refusal of your conclusions.

“That’s what I was coming to tell you today. I woke up with the firm belief that Jane was still with child and as soon as it was confirmed, I was going to come and tell you that even with her carrying my child, you are my Queen.

“Nothing could ever change that and the only life I can imagine living is one with you at my side.”

You’re already shaking your head in protest, already disbelieving him. Thor attempts to step closer but you renew your extended arm.

“No,” you tell him firmly, voice low and quiet with resentment. “I need you to stay away from me.”

“You want me to go?!” Thor asks in pained disbelief.

You keep shaking your head, not answering his question.

The silence in the kitchen is heavy and to Thor, it feels endless.

Too few mornings flash through his mind of you waking beside him to turn and recount your plans for the day, your hopes for your lives together. You’ve always wanted to talk to him. You’ve always wanted to be with him.

His touch has never been unwelcome even in the first days of your courtship.

Your eyes are still flooding over, lips trembling, chest rising and falling with the effort of your crying.

His own body is still. This is the lowest he’s ever felt and he’s not sure what moving will do to him.

The quiet is ripped apart by the slow build up of your kettle’s whistle, but you don’t move to take it off the heat.

“Should I leave, cherub?” Thor asks again, his deep voice weak with emotion at the very idea that you’ll tell him to go.

You reach up to wipe at your cheeks, fingertips sweeping new tears away from the edges of your eyes as more rush to replace them.

You reach over and take hold of your elbow.

You’re thinking about it. You’re actually thinking about whether he should leave.

“No,” you finally whisper, unable to say it any louder he guesses.

It probably goes against every instinct in your body to allow him to stay.

Because he needs something to do, because he can’t stand there and just watch you hate him, he turns around and goes back around the island so that he can go to the stove behind you and move the kettle.

Thor watches you follow him with your eyes as he moves then take a step away from him when he slides behind you to get to the stove.

You move to take your seat at the island and Thor pours the heated water into your teapot.

He places the lid on top, the clink of the ceramic loud in your silence.

Your shaking hands give him worry and he moves towards the small pantry to pull a tin of cookies you’d bought in New York during your honeymoon.

You’d gone on and on about how much you enjoyed them and now that memory feels like a lifetime ago.

A happier one.

He moves around the kitchen taking a large plate and loading it up with your cookies. He grabs the milk from the fridge and pulls the artificial sweetener from the far end of the island to move it closer to you.

He’s aware of your eyes on him still, watching his every move with a gaze to rival Heimdall’s. He doesn’t try to dress his actions up as anything other than what they are; concern.

He places your cup closer to you, fills it with tea, milk, and your sweetener. Once done, he moves back around to his side of the island and takes his seat once more.

~~~~~~~~~~

You’re almost angry enough to be petty. You almost want to take your tea and pour it out. Just to show him how much things aren’t okay.

The way he’d walked in here, brazen and as if he hadn’t attempted to take the only true family you’ve ever known and erase it...you can’t.

More because you need to relax, in fear of the little life growing inside you, you take the tea and take a sip.

Thor knows just how you like it.

He’s watching you, staring. He's full of self-loathing and what you'd once thought was love for you. Concern emanates off of him.

He reaches out, and for a moment you think he might take your hand.

You flinch, pulling both your hands onto your lap, but Thor’s hand only meets the edge of the plate of swedish dream cookies you’d bought on your honeymoon. 

He pushes it towards you, and your heart aches painfully. This agony is unbearable.

Your lip quivers again, unable to contain the sorrow of what your marriage is now facing. You know just as he does that you're at an impasse. Tonight things between you will change.

For the better? For worse?

Thor loves you. You can see that. You saw it the moment he showed up, smiling and so happy to see you that his electric blue eye was beaming.

It was that love that made you so angry. It’s why you shouted when you’d promised yourself that when he came, you wouldn’t raise your voice.

Heimdall had been nice enough to give you warning this morning that Thor would be coming today and that nothing would deter him from seeing you.

You’d been so angry when you’d gotten the call, but you’d talked to Dr. Wilson about staying calm and she'd pointed out that having all of these unresolved feelings would do the baby more harm than good.

While deciding to resolve this today, choosing to stay calm had failed dramatically.

“Please, love, eat something,” Thor begs. "You're shaking. I know you've eaten nothing all day."

How the hell can he tell?! Was Dr. Wilson spying for him?

Even she'd been unable to force more than a few bites of a sandwich into your stomach. You've been dreading this confrontation all day.

Now that it’s here, it's worse than you imagined.

You hate how much hearing the pain in his voice also hurts you. You don’t want to feel any kind of sympathy for him right now. After what he said…

You eat because you’re worried about the baby. Not because Thor is asking.

One cookie is enough to help your queasy stomach feel better, a sip of tea settles your frayed nerves.

You relax a little, the tension in your body partially gone.

Neither you nor Thor say anything for a while and you’re grateful for the silence. You need lots of time to think.

While you think, you eat.

Cookie after cookie as your stomach groans in relief of finally being fed. Not exactly nutritious but it's something.

Despite your body's reaction to the unexpected junk food, the revelation that Jane isn’t pregnant after all is the only thing that you can really focus on.

You'd know she would try something. Not this though. You'd expected a pass at Thor. You'd expected her to try and get him back and you'd been so sure about his feelings for you that you'd been sure nothing would happen.

You hadn't expected her to find a way to reach in and pull it all up by its roots.

Finally, Thor clears his throat. There's and eager shine to his eye now, curiosity needing answers. In this moment you realize that his mind is filled with something else. Something much happier to think about that while it does bring you joy, you can’t share in that joy with Thor yet. Not after everything.

“Is it true?” he asks, the corners of his lips curved and the set of his brow eager. He can't help it. “Are you really pregnant?”

You meet his gaze and reach up to wipe the last of your tears away.

“I’m about three months? A little over. It would have happened during our honeymoon.”

Your explanation brings a smile to his face and he’s so beautiful you find yourself hardening again in defense.

"Your Asgardian blood was making it difficult for my doctors to confirm the pregnancy. The first was negative. The second, inconclusive, but then negative. The third was also inconclusive but this one didn't change to negative so they tried some other things and it finally showed positive.

"They tested my blood over and over. It’s real."

This is what both of you have been wanting since before you were married. You’d wanted to give him an heir and he’d wanted one. You’d wanted to start a family and he’d been desperate for the same.

This is the moment the two of you have been dreaming of and now that it’s here, it’s nothing like you’d pictured.

The joy you’d felt on your trip to the war room to give him the news is lost on you now. Tainted.

“Are-are you not happy?”

“How can you ask me that?” you frown, hostile resentment tainting your features.

He deflates at your tone and you almost regret letting how you feel show so openly.

Almost.

Thor’s face pales and he looks down at the island, his own cup still empty.

Because you do feel bad, though you don’t regret letting him know how angry you are, you get up and pull a beer from the fridge.

Placing it in front of him, you take your seat again.

Thor’s face floods with hope.

"The only reason you're here is because Heimdall knew you'd come. He saw that you were decided and would stop at nothing to come here but if he hadn't given me the warning, you'd be standing outside on the porch banging on the door asking me to let you in. You need to know that.."

Even though the hope in his eyes had made you so angry just a moment ago, as it disappears, you feel a surge of grief.

"I don't understand," Thor begins softly, both hands reaching across the island towards yours wrapped securely around your tea cup. "Why are you so angry, cherub?"

He's not putting it together? Does he seriously not see how what he did is a problem?

"I've told you that Jane is not pregnant so there will be no child and even before I'd found out, I had made my choice to stay with you. These are good things, aren't they?"

The wonder in his voice is real. The agony of his confusion is real.

Somehow you need to make him understand.

You scoff, trying hard not to be cynical after the blow you've taken to your pride.

"Do you remember the day we got married?"

"Vividly," Thor nods and attempts a smile.

A quick stern glare from you settles him down.

"Do you remember welcoming me into your house? Do you have any idea what becoming a member of your family has meant to me?

"I have lived my life alone, Thor. I had no one. From the day my parents died to the moment I agreed to marry you, there was not a single person who I belonged to who also belonged to me.

"Marrying you gave me a home. It gave me people to call my own. It gave me a kingdom full of loving and loyal subjects.

"Marrying you took my loneliness and destroyed it. I had a brothers, sisters, and a husband who I thought loved me as one of his own. I thought you had accepted me as part of your family until the day I died."

You sigh, voice tight and always on the verge of breaking into tears.

"I have, cherub. You are my everything!" Thor’s interruption doesn't phase you this time.

You keep talking as if he'd said nothing.

"And when I've finally done it, when we've finally got what we wanted, you throw me away."

"No!" Thor rises and moves around the island towards you.

This time you don't stop him because nothing he says or does will change your mind. Nothing will fix this.

He sweeps you into his arms, pulling you close so that you have to look up at his face from your spot in your seat. His massive hands caress the sides of your face as his pleasant warmth chases away the horrible nightmares you’ve had all week.

But his arms, his touch, can’t chase away the break in your heart. It can’t fix the pain that feels etched into your veins. Your sinew is rewritten with the agony of his fleeting choice to leave you. Nothing will ever be the same.

“I didn’t throw you away, I was confused. I didn’t know what to do or what the best course of action was. I should have come to you. I should have told you about Jane and I should have consulted with you, my wife, my Queen before making any rash decisions.

“I know that I did wrong, but believe me when I tell you that I love you more than my own life. I can’t imagine my life without you, cherub. I’m sorry that I have caused you such distress. I am sorry that I made you think, even for one second, that I could make my way through this existence without you.

“I love you. And I am never letting you go.”

Your heart is unmoved. Even as he stares down at you with his eye clear and sure. The set of his jaw is firm, and his hands keep stroking your cheeks, temples, and scalp as you watch the fire in him fade.

Slowly, he realizes that the damage is done.

It takes him a long time. His body falls, shoulders slumping, arms not so tight around you, hands a little more gentle. It’s the set of his lips that tells you when he’s accepted it. That he’s broken you and your marriage and there is no repair here.

Not now.

“What will you do?” he asks, hands gliding down along the sides of your neck, shoulders, arms, and elbows where he finally lets go and moves back around the island to take his seat again, throwing himself down in defeat as his hand wraps around his beer.

“I’m still your wife, Thor,” you sigh, turning to look at your cup of tea. “I am still Queen of New Asgard. I’ll do my job as best as I can, from here.”

“Here?” he asks, shocked.

“I can’t go back to the palace. Not right away. I need...I meant it when I said that I needed a break.”

“From me?” Thor guesses, and you can see his heartbreaking.

“From us, yes.”

“How long?”

“I don’t know,” you shrug. “A few weeks? Months? Years?”

He looks more devastated the longer you speak.

“I don’t know how long it will take me to trust you again. When you told Loki that you’d get an annulment and make me out to be the problem by my not giving you any kids, you took any faith and confidence I had in us and your love for me and flushed it down the toilet.

“I can’t just pretend that didn’t happen. Even though we have nothing to worry about now, I can’t just forget the way I felt. I’m gonna need time.”

The war raging within Thor right now is painful to watch. You can safely assume that he’s almost refusing to go another day without you, much less weeks, months, or years. 

You can also see the regret he’s feeling. The anger. It passes quickly though, and Thor takes another long drink from his beer, draining the bottle before he sets it aside.

He reaches up to wipe at his fuzzy lips, his beard scratchy as he breathes in deeply.

He meets your gaze and nods, “I will give you whatever you need. I will send you a guard. I don’t want you here alone.”

You’re not about to oppose the protection. Not with the baby on the way.

“You should probably make the announcement of the baby. And give some excuse about me staying away. Our people deserve to know. They’ve been waiting too.”

“Mm.” Thor agrees. “What shall I tell the others?”

“Loki already knows. He’s known since I came here.”

“What?!”

“Hey, no!” you frown at him, anger tinging your words. “You can’t be angry at Loki for doing as I asked. I’ve been alone up here waiting to know whether you’re going to leave me or not. He only did what I needed.”

Thor’s anger passes through him in phases. In seconds, he’s calm again, but still breathing through flared nostrils.

“Why did you not tell me? If you’d told me sooner-”

“If I’d told you sooner then I wouldn’t know if you were with me because you love me or because the baby was finally coming. I didn’t want to live the rest of my life never knowing whether your sticking by me in this marriage is because I was finally having our kid. That’s not the kind of life that I want for myself.

“I’m not sorry that I didn’t tell you, Thor. Because even if I can’t trust you, at least I know whether you’d decided not to leave me before you knew I was pregnant.”

Thor’s face is full of sorrow. He’s coming to terms with everything as quickly as he can since you’re not giving him much choice. Are you wrong to put some distance between the two of you?

Should you forgive and forget?

Part of you, the part that loves the man you married, wants to reach out and touch his cheek. You want to tell him that you love him and that nothing will ever change that. You want to celebrate the future you have growing inside you and revel in the fact that Jane’s lie is over and move on with your lives.

The bigger part of you can’t trust his words. Can’t trust his touch. In a few moments, Thor had torn apart the truths of every caress and declaration that he’d made since you got married.

The bigger part of you knows that you can’t trust him. The bigger part of you knows that he could hurt you again. He might very well rip your heart in two for good the next time, and what kind of life can you have like that?

No. As much as your heart loves him, your brain is telling you to play this cautiously from here on out.

“I’ll come to any functions I need to. I’ll make sure I’m there on your arm. But don’t expect things to be the same between us Thor.”

He nods in defeat, “Can I fix this? Is there anything I might do to prove to you that my love is real?”

“It’s not a question of me not believing that you love me,” you explain, sighing lightly as you come to these realizations yourself as Thor makes you face the inevitabilities you’ve been avoiding all week.

You’ve tried hard to keep from pondering the future with or without him. Now that he’s asking, you can’t avoid it anymore.

“I know that you can’t put me before your throne. I know that your people have to come first. I’ve known that since I married you and when I talked to Loki and David about what happened they both told me what I already know.

“You have responsibilities to our people first and foremost and any choices, whether you want to make them or not, are made for them. I can never be first for you. I know that. My mind knows that. It’s honorable that you will always do right by your people.

“But my heart can’t accept that,” you’ve been trying to keep from crying again but as you admit your insecurity aloud, your heart clenches painfully drawing from your eyes a welling of tears. “Because I’ve fallen in love with you completely, Thor. I never knew that loving someone could be this terrifying and painful. Just the thought that you’d decided to make our marriage disappear as if it had never happened ripped me to pieces and I don’t know how to come back from that.”

You sob and Thor leans over the island to take your hand. You don’t pull away this time. You let him give you this small bit of comfort because you need it. Your heart, the fact that he wants to touch you, needs it.

“Even if it was only for a moment, you left me. I want to be first for you. I want to be the only thing that matters. And I can’t be. And I know that. Which makes me feel like such shit because I shouldn’t be asking you for this. I know that you can’t give it to me.

“It’s why Jane told you no. Along with her job, I know that it’s the reason that she couldn’t marry you. She knew that for you, she would always come second to New Asgard.

“I knew that too. When I agreed to marry you, I knew that you’d have to do things for them first. But I love you so much and I-it sucks that I know now if you have to choose between me or your people, you’ll choose your people.

“It’s right. You should. But it fucking sucks and it hurts too much.”

You’re full on crying now and Thor gets up, but you raise your hand to stop him. With a shake of your head he sits back down.

“So…” you sniffle. “What you can do for me is give me the distance I need to work through this. I need to come to terms with the fact that after our baby is born, I’ll be third. I need to just learn and accept that no matter how much you say you love me, you can never choose me.

“Can you give me that? Can you give me space?”

As you meet his gaze, his intense unrelenting stare, you can see him warring with himself. You can see the confusion and the indecision. You can see the agony of what you’re asking of him but somehow he manages to nod.

His own eye waters and after a second nod, his tears spill over to trail across his cheek and lose themselves in his beard.

“I’m sorry, cherub,” he grieves. “I never meant to hurt you like this.”

“I know that, Thor. But I have to find out how much of myself I can invest in our marriage. Because if loving you like this means I have to feel this kind of pain over and over again, I don’t think I can keep loving you. Not like this.”

Your words hurt him and you regret them, but you can’t take them back because they’re truth. You need to guard yourself and you aren’t going to apologize for putting yourself first when no one else in your life will.

The silence is never ending.

The two of you sit sniffling at the island for what feels like hours. Finally, your stomach rumbles loudly and Thor springs up from his seat to the fridge.

He starts pulling out an array of ingredients that you don’t pay too much mind to.

He fills the house with the smells of chicken, paprika, rosemary, lemon, and some other spices you can’t pick out. It makes your stomach growl more loudly and at least with his mind and hands busy making your dinner, he stops crying and that at least gives you a little bit of a break from the horror you’ve been feeling at causing him so much pain with your choice to distance yourself from him.

“Might I stay the night?” he checks, surprising you a bit by the question.

“On the couch,” you whisper, unable to speak any louder.

The idea of him sleeping in the same space but not next to you is unbearable, but somehow you find a way to deal.

His hand stutters over the pan but after a moment he goes back to cooking.

“The couch is fine,” he agrees. “Whatever you need, love.”

And even though his words tell you he’s fine, you know him well enough to recognize the depression in his stoic gaze.

[anagentinwriting]

Lifeline - Part 9

Summary: (First Responders!AU) Moving to Los Angeles and living with your brother, Thor, was never part of your plan nor was being a 9-1-1 dispatcher, but plans change when you are faced with your own emergencies. In your case, it was leaving behind a relationship that wasn’t as perfect as it seemed. Will this be the fresh start you were hoping for or will your past find a way to catch up with you?

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Odinson!Sister Reader

Word Count: 5800+

Warnings: Arson, major angst, fluff, drugs, Domestic violence, relationship abuse, mental/physical abuse (Please be cautious reading this part if you have any of these triggers. This chapter may be dark, distributing, uncomfortable, and/or upsetting to some.)

Lifeline Masterlist / Main Masterlist

AN: Flashbacks in Italics

Someone knocking on the door makes you jump and stare wide-eyed at it. You sniffled, wiping the tears from your eyes, and slowly stood up. The knocking continued to get louder, sending a dull ringing in your ears. You went to the hall closet to grab the wooden baseball bat and went over to answer the door. This is when you wish the door had a peephole or that there were windows by the door, so you could see who it was, but there was nothing to see who was on the other side. You let out a deep breath, opening the door, and swung the bat, but find Steve ducking out of the way before it hit him.  

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry.” You dropped the bat as it clattered to the ground and covered your mouth. “Steve...I thought...I thought you were…” Your voice stumbled as you felt more tears run down your cheeks.  “I’m so sorry, Steve. I could’ve really hurt you. I don’t…”

“Hey, it’s okay. I’m fine.” Steve reassured, placing his hands on your upper arms. You tensed up, taking in a sharp breath, and he dropped his hands back to his sides. “Are you okay, YN?” You stared at him as if you didn’t know what to say. Your mouth was opening and closing, but the words weren’t coming to you. “Let’s get inside.” You nodded, turning back around. You walked in and watched him close the door behind him and place the bat from the ground beside it. 

“I thought...I thought you were him. He called me, and I thought he was at the door because he found me. And then he wasn’t, and I...I don’t know...” You went over to the couch to sit down, putting your head in your hands as tears continued to fall down your cheeks.

“Do you want me to call Thor?”

“No,” you sniffled, wiping the tears from your eyes. “He’ll just make it another reason why I shouldn’t have my own place.” You glanced over at Steve, and he was shifting back and forth on his feet with his hands in his pockets like he was unsure about what to do next. 

The room remained silent, the only noise being your sniffles and shaky breathing. “Who did you think was at the door?” Steve asked, breaking the silence.

“Excuse me?”

“You said you thought I was him at the door.” Steve's eyes traveled to the front door and then back to you. “Are you in some kind of danger?”

You bit your lip, hearing his threat ringing in your ears, staring hard at the floor. “It’s a long story.”

“I got nowhere else to be,” he stated, making you look up at him. 

You nodded, sliding over on the couch so he could sit beside you. You let out a shaky breath, not sure where to start this story. “Sorry, do…did you want anything to drink?”

“No, I’m okay, thanks though.” He shot you a warm smile, sitting down next to you but still keeping some distance between you. 

You cleared your throat, biting your lip. “Where to start...I was in my junior year of nursing school when I met him at a bar called The 9….

“Hottie, five o’clock,” Wanda whispered in your ear. You glanced over your shoulder to your five o’clock, and Wanda was right; he was handsome. His hair was cut short on the sides, but the top was the perfect length to run your fingers through, and he had just the right amount of stubble.  

“Hey, guess who walked through the door,” Sharon teased, tilting her head to the door. You looked over to find Vis. “Wanda, your man crush is here. Go talk to him.”

“Not unless YN goes and talks to the five o’clock hottie, which we all know will never happen.” Wanda shrugged, and Sharon shot you a knowing look. 

“Fine, I’ll do it.” You downed the rest of your drink and slammed it on the table. “Watch and learn, ladies.” You turned around and started walking over to him with a smirk on your face, but at the last minute, you turned left and headed to the restroom. You never could flirt on a full bladder. When you walked back out, you could see Sharon shaking her head at you, and you gestured for her to calm down with her hands. You looked at your now ten o’clock to see him still sitting there with a drink in his hand and scrolling through his phone. You let out a deep breath and went over to him.

“Hi, I was asked to come over here and talk to the 5 o’clock hottie in the hopes that one of my friends will finally get the courage to talk to the guy she has been crushing on for the last year.”

“Really? Do you think it will work?” He asked with a contagious smile on his face.

You glanced over to see Sharon pushing Wanda over to talk to Vis until she finally gave in. Vis smiled once he noticed her and motioned for her to take the seat across from him.“Yeah, it seems to be working. She’s in the red leather jacket talking to the blonde with the glasses.”

“Oh, yeah, I see them,” he chuckled, pointing at them. “Billy Russo, studying criminology at John Jay College, but you know me as the 5 o’clock hottie.” He stood up and held out his hand.

“YN Odinson, nursing student at NYU.” You shook his hand with a huge smile on your face. “It’s nice to meet you, Billy.”

“After I got to know him and meet some of his friends. I found out his friends called him Billy the Beaut.” You shake your head at the nickname, glancing in Steve’s direction. “At the start, he was the perfect gentleman. He was smart, kind, and loving for someone who was an orphan.”

“He was an orphan?”

“His mom was a meth addict, and his dad left when he was young. He ended up jumping from foster home to foster home until he was old enough to decide what he wanted to do with his life,” you sighed, wringing your hands together. “I looked up to him while I was in nursing school; I knew if he believed in me, I could do anything. My family loved him when I first bought him home. Thor was happy to have someone he could rough house with and talk sports. And my mom and dad were happy I found someone that made me happy. But, Loki, right away--” you let out a deep breath, shaking your head “--didn’t like him. It was kind of weird to see because everyone who met Billy liked him. He had this charming charisma and the good looks that made it easy for people to like him. I think it really bothered Billy that Loki never liked him, but it’s not like he was the first person.” 

“Maybe Loki picked up on something no one else did.”

“It’s possible--” you shrugged “--but after graduation, my friends and I decided to go out and celebrate….

“How do you think you did on Dr. Coulson’s final?” Wanda asked, taking a sip of her martini. 

“I thought it was pretty easy, but I studied my ass off for his final. It even frustrated Billy because I wasn’t giving him any attention his past week,” you joked.

Wanda let out a worried chuckle. “How have you two been doing? I feel like we haven’t hung out in forever.”

“I know, Billy keeps me busy. When I’m not with Billy, I’m either working or doing homework. This semester has been crazy.”

“I agree with that.”

“Ladies, are we done talking about school? We have taken finals and are pending graduation; it’s time to drink and forget everything we learned,” Sharon shouted, following it with a woooo.

“Yeah, no, I am not a woo girl, and don’t make me one,” you joked with a smile on your face. 

“Let’s take a group selfie together.” You all smiled for the first one but then took a serious one and then a fun one. You sent the fun one to Billy, and he replied with, be safe. 

“Excuse me, ladies, but these drinks are from the gentleman at the far table over there.”

“Aww, that is so nice of them, but I have a boyfriend,” Wanda stated matter of fact. 

“Thanks to me,” you added, forcing her to roll her eyes. “I would’ve rather got some food.”

“Stop complaining and enjoy the free drinks,” Sharon smiled, waving at the guys who sent them over.

Many drinks later and pictures taken, you were on the dance floor with the one they called Killmonger. He knew how to move, and you were struggling to keep up with him; Odinsons weren’t built to dance like this. He smiled, making you stop, and told you to follow his movements. It took you a while to get the moves down, but once you did, it turned out to be a lot fun. 

Someone from behind you grabbed your hand and turned you around. You smiled once you saw it was Billy, and you put your arms around him. “Killmonger, this is my boyfriend, Billy. I told you about him.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Billy.” He held out his hand to him.

“Yeah, pleasure,” he shook his hand, glaring at him. ”YN, I’m going to take you home, so go get your things.”

“Okay.” You walked back to the table to say goodbye to Wanda and Sharon and grab your purse and jacket. “Hey, I’m heading out, it looks like Billy surprised me and wants to take me home.” You smiled at them, but their eyes remained focused on the dance floor. You turned around to see what they were looking at, Killmonger and Billy were in each other's faces. You ran back out to the dance floor and got in the middle of them. “NO, BILLY STOP. He didn’t do anything; we were just dancing.”

“He should keep his hands to himself and not try to get with another man’s girlfriend.”

“Dude, I wasn’t. Like she said, we were just dancing.”

“Billy, forget about it. Let’s turn around and get out of here.” You pushed his chest, and he backed away with his hands up. You saw something unsettling dark in his brown eyes, and it made you nervous.

“Okay, fine.” He turned around and grabbed your hand, squeezing it hard. You looked back at Killmonger and mouth sorry, and he held up his hands like it was all good.

When you got out of his car, he pushed you against the side of it, grabbing both of your wrists. “Tell me you won’t do that again.”

“Do what? Dance?” You asked, and he squeezed his hands around your wrists, making you wince. “Billy, stop, you’re hurting me.”

“Well, watching you dance with another guy hurt me, so don’t you think you should know what that feels like.” He squeezed harder, and you tried to break his grip, but he continued to squeeze. 

“Billy, stop.” Your eyes started to fill with tears. 

“Not until you apologize for hurting me.” You didn’t think he could squeeze any harder but he did. 

“Okay, I’m sorry,” you cried, and he let go. He wrapped his arms around you, hugging you as you cried into his shirt, and held you close. 

“I’m sorry, too.”

“On the drive back, he told me how he hated my friends and how they were a bad influence on me. I told him we were celebrating and having fun, and he needed to get over it. Then, he punched me, but like before, he apologized right away and comforted me.

A few months later, he proposed, and I said yes. Everyone was happy for me, but Loki. He was the only one who told me I was making a horrible mistake. I should’ve listened to him because it only got worse.” You paused, shaking your head at the terrible memories. “After we got engaged, I started to notice how he would make offhand remarks about how I dressed and about my friends. It wasn’t so much physical as it was mental, but after a while, it changed...

  You were at the kitchen sink, washing dishes from the other night when Billy came home with a big smile on his face.

“Hey hon, guess what happened at work?”

“You got the promotion?”

“I got the promotion,” he smiled, coming over and wrapping his arms around your waist, kissing your neck. 

“Congratulations,” you smiled, turning around in his arms and kissing him on the lips.

“I think we should celebrate with the wine and the glasses your parents got us for our engagement.”

“I thought we were going to wait until our wedding day.”

“Why wait, when this is huge news.” 

“Okay,” you agreed, forcing a small smile as you patted his chest, and he leaned down to kiss you again. 

He reached into the top cabinet and pulled out two wine glasses with the date of our soon-to-be wedding on them and a bottle of wine. He grabbed the corkscrew opener out of the drawer, slammed it shut, making you jump, and he popped the cork out. He poured two even glasses of wine and handed you one. 

“To the better days ahead of us,” he toasted with a smile, and you hit your glass with his. When the wine hit your lips it tasted divine, and you wish you would’ve waited until the wedding, but you understood how hard he worked to get this promotion, and he deserved this. “Let’s forget the dishes and go out onto the patio and finish off this bottle of wine; what do you say?”

“No excuse, coming from me,” you smiled, following him out with the glass in your hand. 

“Wait,” he came to an abrupt stop, and you ran into his back, forcing the glass to slip through your fingers and smash onto the floor into tiny little pieces. Your hand quickly covered your mouth when he turned around. 

“Hon, this is why we can’t have nice things. I try to be spontaneous and romantic, and you ruin it with your clumsiness. Do you want us to have a broken marriage because right now, that’s what it looks like you want.”

“No, I don’t; I’m sorry,” you whimpered, backing away from him. “It’s just you...you stopped really quick, and I bumped into you, and it fell out of my hands.”

“Oh, so this is my fault.” His eyes darkened, standing over you, and you gulped. He set the bottle of wine and his glass on the table beside you.

“No, I didn’t say that.”

“It’s like you never learn,” he sighed with his hands on his hips. “How many times are we going to have to go through this until you finally get it?” He shook his head, slapping you across the face. 

“After he hit me, I left him and went to Loki. I told him what’s been happening, and he wanted me to end the engagement. I never did because Billy did what he always did after he hit me, he showed up being all caring and apologetic, and I would fall for it and go back to him. This happened a few times throughout our engagement, and then I made my second mistake; I married him.” You reached for your wine glass on the coffee table and took a long tentative sip. “Are you sure you don’t need anything to drink?”

“No, I’m okay.” Steve nodded, keeping a close eye on you.

You finished off the glass and resituated yourself on the couch. You bit your lip, feeling Steve’s eyes on you. When you peeked up at him, he looked worried, almost scared for you. You returned your eyes back to the couch cushion. “I think I only married him because he made my family happy...while besides Loki.  Everyone got along with him so well, and I don’t think I wanted to take that away from them.” You shrugged, rubbing your forehead. “Loki was disappointed in me and told me he wouldn’t help me anymore if Billy hurt me again. Billy did, but then I went to Thor…

“Thor, why don’t you believe me? Billy hit me. How else would I have gotten a busted lip and bruises on my arm?”

“I don’t know, YN, you have gotten clumsy over the years, so maybe you fell and hit your head and don’t remember.”

“Then where is the bump on my head.”

“Look, it was probably an accident; he cares about you way too much to hit you on purpose.”

“Really? I can’t...I can’t believe you,” you shake your head, feeling tears build up in your eyes.

“I am going to call Billy and tell him to come get you, you can talk it out here, but then you both have to go. I have company coming over,” he chuckled with a child-like smile.

You sat there listening to Thor talk to Billy on the phone. Why didn’t he believe you? Oh, because Thor is a selfish, stubborn prick that chose to believe your husband over his own sister. Why you chose to run to him instead of Loki was a mistake you would never make again. 

“YN,” Billy said in a calm voice. “What’s wrong? What happened to your lip?” You stared at the floor, not wanting to look at him, not wanting to be near him, not wanting to have anything to do with him. He came closer to you and put his hand on your back, making you flinch away from him. Out of the corner of your eye, you watched Billy nod over his shoulder. “YN, I’m sorry. I don’t know why I took work out on you. I’m trying to change. I’ll go talk to someone. I’ll try to be a better man for you, and I promise I am going to make it up to you. I don’t know what I’m going to do, but I will think of something great, and you’ll love it. We’ll go away for the weekend, go hiking, see a movie, whatever you want. Please, forgive me for being an asshole. You’re the only one who understands the real me, and I promise, I won’t make you feel this way again.” 

You stared into his brown eyes and saw how much pain he was in. It hurt you to know he was feeling this way, and you wanted to make him feel better. You reached over to cup his cheek, and he leaned into your touch. Your lip twitched up into a small smile, and he leaned over, placing a soft kiss on your lips.

“I love you,” he whispered, kissing you again.

“Me too,” you smiled, leaning into this touch to hug him. “I forgive you, and I’m sorry, too.”

“And just like that, I forgave him. Why did I always forgive him? I don’t know. He always had these puppy dog eyes he would pull and make me feel sorry for him. But, every time he hit me, I would forgive him and apologize for making him feel that way. It was like a trigger in my head forcing me to tell him I’m sorry when I did nothing wrong.” You shrugged, running your hand through your hair. 

“What happened after?” Steve leaned forward, trying to catch your eye to get you out of your head. 

“Thor moved here and decided to become a firefighter. I thought he was joking, but surprise, he wasn’t.” You wring your hands together, chewing on your bottom lip. “Looking back, I remember seeing these women come into the hospital regularly saying they fell down the stairs, dropped something on their face, making excuses for someone that was hurting them. I didn’t understand why they didn’t just leave; I mean, it’s not that hard. Why would you want to stay with someone who continues to hurt you? But, here I was living the same way they were, making up excuses for him and believing that one day he would change.”

“Did your parents ever suspect something was going on?”

You nodded. “My mother, Frigga, sensed something was happening, and Loki may have even told her about it. She did ask me about it once before she died...

“YN, darling, how are you and Billy doing?”

“We’re happy,” you replied, forcing a tight smile.

“That’s a lying smile if I’d ever seen one,” she smiled, putting her hand under your chin so you would look up at her. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, we’re fine,” you stated with a scratchy voice. 

She placed her hand over yours, and your eyes flashed to her. “Sweetheart, me and your father, want you to be happy, and if that’s not with Billy, then it’s okay. The only reason we took to him so fast was because we have never seen you so happy, but it feels like something has changed between you two.”

“It’s nothing. Billy still makes me happy, but sometimes he gets angry, and I can’t bring him back.” 

“I know, sweetie, but I want you to know you’re always welcome home at any time.” She gave your hand a reassuring squeeze. “If it’s to get away for a while or take some time for yourself. ”

“I know, mom. Thank you.”

“Looking back now, I realized she wanted me out of the relationship as much as Loki did.” You shake your head. “Loki told me after she passed away that she knew what was going on. She wanted to help me, but all I did was push her away, and I did the same thing to my dad before he passed away. I think the only reason I didn’t ask for help was because I was scared of what Billy would do to those who wanted to protect me.” 

“What made you finally want to leave him?” 

“I don’t know because it wasn’t one fight that triggered it, but we did fight the night before I left, but that’s beside the point. It was just exhausting being his wife and trying to be the perfect couple. Every event I went with him to, I had to smile for every picture, stand by his side, and be a proud wife for all he accomplished. If I wasn’t perfect while you can just imagine what he would do,” you gulped, noticing Steve clench his jaw.

“And I was tired of fighting and walking on eggshells around him. Trying not to say or do the wrong thing that would set him off. He started to get more controlling, and he always wanted to know where I was when I wasn’t home or at work. He never let me go out with my friends, which forced me to lose a few friendships I cherished.” You shake your head as you let out a sigh.

“I didn’t drop everything and leave on a whim; I made a plan. It took me four months, but it worked. I saved up enough cash, told my boss why I had to quit, and she was happy for me; I got this anti-tracker app for my phone, told Loki the plan, took one of his cars here, and showed up on Thor’s front step. He finally believed me, and I think the bruised ribs and black eye helped bring him to that conclusion... 

You rang the doorbell, not knowing if Thor was home or at work at one of the many fire stations in this city. You fiddled with the loose strand of fabric on your sweatshirt as you waited. No one was home, but you didn’t have anywhere else to go, so you sat on the steps with your luggage beside you and waited. You needed to get out of your head, but you couldn’t. All that came to your mind was the fear of what will happen when he finds you. What is he gonna do to you? Your eyes remained focused on the uncut grass in front of you as you pulled your cap closer to your eyes. Every car that drove past made your heart speed up, thinking it was him. Your eye throbbed like it had its own heartbeat, and every deep breath you took felt like a stabbing pain. 

“YN, what are you doing here?” Thor asked, making you jump and place your hand over your heart. Your eyes connected with his, and his expression went from joy to concern. “What happened? Are you okay?”

You shook your head when the tears you were holding in started to fall. You wiped the tears away with your sleeve and looked at him. “I couldn’t do it anymore,” you sniffled.

“YN, who did this to you?” Thor sat down next to you and placed a tentative hand on your shoulder, causing you to tense up before you relaxed. 

“Are you gonna believe me this time?”

He removed his hand from you and let out a deep breath. “Billy. He did this to you?” He asked more so than making a statement.

“Not the first time either,” your voice cracked, feeling a lump in your throat. 

“I’m the worst brother ever,” he sighed beside you. “I don’t…I’m sorry for not believing you. I was an arrogant, selfish moron.” He slid closer to you and took a deep breath. “I thought...I thought you were happy and I didn’t have to worry about you. I trusted him to take care of you, not fucking hurt you.”

“Me too,” you cried, leaning over to rest your head on his shoulder. 

“Does Loki know?”

“Loki’s known the longest.” 

He nodded. “I’ll call Loki to tell him you made it here.” 

“Thank you.” You leaned over and hugged him.

“You’re welcome.” He rubbed your back. “And I promise you, Billy won’t get anywhere near you; I know a lot of cops,” he stated with slight humor and anger in his voice.  

“What happened to your long hair?” You hugged him close, noticing how short his hair was. 

“Oh ah…some old man chopped it off,” Thor replied, letting out a defeated sigh.

“How is your brother doing with everything now?”

“He’s a lot more protective, sometimes a little too protective,” You breathed a chuckle, forcing Steve to crack a smile. “I was only going to stay for a month or so, but he convinced me to stay and start over. Even got me a job, and looking back, I realized it was the best decision I have made for myself in a long time.”

“Doesn’t Billy know where you are?” 

“The thing about Billy is--” you sighed, meeting Steve’s eye “--is he never asked a lot of questions. The only time he took an interest in my life was when it was beneficial to him. As strange as it sounds since we were married for six years, Billy has no idea where Thor lives or that he’s a firefighter.” You bit your lip, shrugging your shoulders. “But I know it’s only a matter of time before he figures it out and finds me.”

“Don’t you mean if he finds you?” Steve narrowed his eyes as if he was trying to figure out the answer himself.

“No. Finding people is part of his job. Figuring out their habits, retracing their steps, and so on. He’s quiet, sneaky, and might already know where I am and is waiting for the right time to strike.” Your eyes flickered to the front door and then back to Steve. 

“Don’t think like that.”

“How can I not?” You shrugged. “I mean, I already feel like someone is watching me. I am constantly looking over my shoulder. I barely sleep; hell, I almost hit you with a bat.”

“But you didn’t,” Steve reassured, scooting closer to you. “Besides, you have way too many people that care about you, and they won't let anything happen to you.”

“I know, but you don't know him.” You shake your head, running your hand through your hair. “You don't know what he’s capable of.” Your voice cracked, staring down at your shaky hands. Steve reached over and hesitantly placed his hand over yours, and you looked up at him. 

“I can say everything is going to be okay like everyone has been telling you, but you’re right, I don’t know what he is capable of, and I don’t know what the future brings,” he breathed, giving your hands a soft squeeze. It sent a warmth coursing through your body, easing your body to relax. “In these moments, life is tricky, but if you continue to hide and live in the past, it tells him he won. But if you break down barriers, and dare to move on and live in the present, then you won. It’s hard to move on, trust me, I know, but it gets easier with time.” 

You scoffed. “It’s always about time.” 

“It is, and no one ever gives you a direct answer of how long it will take,” he said, narrowing his brows together. “I’m happy for you, though. You got out, and that is always the hardest part. I’m sure there were moments when the idea of getting out felt impossible, but you’re here now. You trusted yourself and got out, and look how far you’ve come.” He gave your hands one more reassuring squeeze before he brought his hands back to his lap. 

You let out a deep breath, your racing mind coming to a stop. “Thanks, Steve.” 

He nodded, shooting you a small smirk. “You mentioned finding people was part of his job; what does he do for a living?”

“He helps run a private detective agency called Anvil.”

“Anvil.” He furrowed his brows together, leaning back against the couch. “Why does that name sound so familiar?”

“They helped solve a lot of big cases.”

“Didn’t they assist the FBI with the Arson Artist case like a year or so ago?” He asked, peeking over at you.

“Yeah, that one sounds familiar.” You bit your lip, trying to remember who he was. “Wasn’t he the guy targeting first responder's families because they kept putting out his works of art he created through arson.”

“I think the word he used was destroying them,” Steve sighed, clenching his jaw.

“What was his name again?”

“Alrich Killian.” Steve sat up with his elbows on his knees, rubbing his hands together, and glanced over at you.

“Yeah, that’s it; how did you know that?” You questioned him, but then you answered your own question. “Oh, wait, you used to live in Brooklyn.”

“Yes, but I did talk to Anvil when I was brought in for questioning.”

“Really? Why were you brought in?”

“I know a few people who lost someone in those attacks,” he answered, staring down at the floor and letting out a deep breath. 

“I’m so sorry, Steve. That’s awful.” You reached out and placed a comforting hand on his forearm. 

“Yeah, it was. It was tough watching my colleagues go through it.” He nodded, staring wide-eyed at the coffee table before they traveled to your hand on his forearm. He placed a hand over yours as his eyes met yours. “It had to be hard saying goodbye to someone before you left for work, not realizing that would be the last time.” The look in his eyes was all too familiar to you. It was one you have seen one too many times in the mirror yourself; it was pain. You gulped, squeezing his forearm once more as you pulled your hand back to your lap.

“I can’t even imagine.” You rubbed your lips together, not knowing what to say.

“And with it being such a traumatic event, all of us were advised to talk with our department therapist, and many of us did. I think it helped all of us, and it makes me happy that I chose a profession that is willing to take care of their employees.”

“Yeah, that’s awesome. It’s the same at my job.” You nodded with a warm smile. “If I’m being honest, you’re one of a few I’ve talked to about Billy since I got here.”

“Wait, really? Why?”

“It’s not something I want to talk about, and I don’t know how to talk about it.”

“I get it. It’s hard to talk about the past because you can’t erase it, it sticks with you, and the only thing you can do is forgive yourself for what happened and grow from it. Trust me, it’s hard reliving those memories you would rather forget, but it helps to talk about them instead of bottling it up and leaving it for another day.” 

“Spoken like a true professional,” you joked, earning a soft chuckle from him.

“Trust me; it will help.”

“I do trust you,” you confirmed, making his smile spread a little wider. “Maybe, I’ll give it a chance.”

“Is that the time--” he pointed to your clock on the wall and whistles “--I should get going. I have a shift in five hours.” 

“I’m so sorry this is my fault.” Your smile turned into a frown, running a hand through your hair. “I was going on and on about my…”

“Hey, hey,” he interrupted you, holding up his hands. “Don’t apologize. You didn’t do anything wrong. It happens, we lost track of time.” You nodded with a tight smile.

“I’ll show you out.” You went and opened the front door when he stopped and turned around to face you. He was close enough that you could see he had little specks of green in the blue of his eyes you hadn’t noticed before. 

“Oh, the reason I stopped by was I wanted to give you a housewarming present.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a billiard number 8 ball on a keychain. 

“Is this because I beat you,” you smiled as he placed it in your hand.

“You caught me on an off day,” he joked, putting his hands in his pockets, walking the short distance to the stairs connected to the small porch. 

“Keep telling yourself that punk, but thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” He stopped and turned around. “Are you going to be okay after I leave? I could call your brother on my way home.”

“I’ll be okay, but I appreciate it. If you didn’t show up, I don’t know what would’ve happened.”

“Happy to help, and if you ever need to talk, my ear is always open,” he smiled, stepping down the stairs. “Have a good morning, YN.” 

“You too, and have a safe shift,” you waved, closing and locking your door behind him. You looked down at his gift, and it brought a smile to your face. It was a silly gift, but the memory behind it made it more meaningful.

________

AN: Thanks for reading Part 9! We finally got to learn about her tragic past, and I hope some of you got answers. We also got to learn who her husband was, and for those of you who don't know who Billy Russo is, he is the beaut off The Punisher. Was anyone surprised? I thought putting him in the part made more sense because Brock Rumlow would be too obvious, and I felt like he didn't fit the part as well as Russo did. And what about Thor coming to the realization of what was happening to his sister when she showed up on his steps? Do you still think he still regrets not noticing it sooner? And Steve, could the reason he left Brooklyn be because of what happened to his friends during the Arson Artist mess, or was it something else? All these questions, so little answers! Haha! Hope you all are still enjoying it after this deep part. Remember likes, reblogs, and comments are always welcome. Thanks for reading!

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

After

Warnings: noncon sex and some violence; blood.

This is dark!Thor and explicit. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.

Summary: After the world fell into desolation, the Avengers split into factions. You are a medic in Thor’s settlement and find yourself called on to tend to a prisoner.

Note: This is pretty brutal so that’s a heads up right there in case you missed the warning above. Remember y’all, be safe, be healthy, take care of yourselves first. I’m always here for you, even if we never or rarely talk.

Hope you enjoy it. Thank you. Love you guys!

Please leave some feedback, like and reblog <3

You weren’t supposed to be up on the third floor. Half the ceiling was on the floor and a tree branch littered the floor along with a scatter of debris. It was like a microcosm of what the world had become; broken and bleak.

From there you could see the gate but not much further. You watched the lookouts as they roused from their listless vigils and called to each other. The party was back and they were in a hurry. Trouble.

The Prince, the second-in-command, had been gone for two weeks. Scavenging, they said, but the settlement already had a stockpile of most of the goods to be found in the area. And the fields were healthy; much better than last year’s harvest. 

No one ever commented how the ‘scavengers’ returned with more weapons than they left with and a piece of two of clothing that didn’t belong to them. No one said anything because those who did ended up on the other side of the gates. It was better to live among the wolves than to be a part of the herd preyed upon.

You sighed and backed away from the gaping hole in the side of the medical center. You’d have to go back down, there would be work to do. You stopped as the gates opened. Something was different.

You stepped back up to the open wall and squinted across the distance. There were only three jeeps that drove through; they’d left with four. 

The Prince, Loki, climbed out. He was the only clean-shaven man in the settlement. He spoke briefly with the guard, Isaiah, then got back in the jeep stiffly. The trio of cars rumbled on and you backed away. Wounded, likely. You could tell easily by the way he moved.

You retreated and tramped heavily down the stairs. Doctor Coleman was still in surgery with Corette. A young girl had been rushed in with a bursting appendix. The other staff waded in and out of rooms with patients for the usual daily complaints; nothing too serious.

“Aleisha,” You stopped the head nurse of your fleet. Some had been nurses before and others had learned after out of necessity. Five years felt like more. “The prince has returned.”

“And?”

“Two weeks gone,” You said. “They will be coming here.”

“Alright,” She nodded and walked away. 

You shook your head at her and went to the front doors. You propped them open as Owen bent over the desk that acted as triage and jotted in a folder.

“Any updates on Dr. Coleman?” You asked as you crossed your arms and kept an ear to the doors.

“We’re low on anesthetic. They gave the girl whiskey. She woke up.” Owen grumbled. “It might take all day.”

“Shit,” You huffed as you heard motors on the next street. “Well, get ready.”

“Where’s Aleisha?” He asked.

“Another smoke break? Maybe just running away from all this,” You shrugged. “Can’t really blame her but there isn’t enough tobacco around to form an addiction.”

The first jeep pulled up, the second, and the third barely puttered at the rear. The trunk of the last was thrown open and two men ambled out with bloody rags around their arms. They helped another who was barely conscious and you waved to Owen.

“Front doors!” He yelled down the hall before he rushed out past you.

You went to follow him and the passenger side of the first jeep opened. You glanced back as several nurses appeared and the second car began to unload.

“Your doctor,” The prince held onto the door as he kept it open only a few inches.

“In surgery,” You said. “We can deal with this.”

“I don’t care about this,” He hissed as he rolled his eyes. “I need him to come with me.”

“It will be at least a couple hours.” You tried to step past him and he shot his foot out to trip you up. You stopped just before your feet tangled with his leg. “If it’s nothing serious--”

“Fine, you.” He said impatiently. “So long as you know how to use a needle, I suppose it’ll do.”

“Me, I… Aleisha is our--”

“Come on, I haven’t all day,” He growled. “Get in the back.” You stared at him dumbly. “Now.”

“I’ll need a kit,” You said.

“Don’t bother,” He sneered. “Get in.”

You looked around at the chaos of bodies and reached for the door. The Prince slammed the front one and you pulled the back open. You got in and closed the door.

You didn’t like it. Coleman was the only medical personnel permitted to see the king and his brother. The doctor said it was for the good of everyone.

You winced as you looked over to the passenger beside you. A man, barely, maybe eighteen or nineteen. He was thin and his reddish brown hair clung to his forehead. He was bound and slumped against the door. A stained cloth filled his mouth and a gash ran across his shoulder blade. You blanched and reached over to touch the dry blood.

“What happened to him?” You asked.

“His own fault,” The Prince said. “No more questions.”

You exhaled and drew away from the boy. You had nothing to help him but a pen in your front pocket and the knife clipped at your waist.

The jeep pulled up to the building they called the Palace. It used to be a bank and was one of the only buildings left untouched. You climbed out as the rest did and the man in the driver’s seat pulled the boy out with a grunt.

You were ushered to the doors and searched by the guards, ever-present on their watch. They took your knife but left you your pen. You followed behind Loki, his companion, and the injured boy. The latter was slung over the driver’s shoulder as you ascended the stairs and his pained groans echoed around you.

The door fell heavy behind you and you were led to a room. Loki muttered as he entered and directed his companion to set the boy down. You stood by the door.

“Go get my brother,” Loki ordered. “You,” He pointed at you, “See to the boy.”

“With what?” You asked as the other man left and the door snapped shut behind him.

Loki turned and opened a tall cabinet. He winced as he turned back with a tin chest in his hands. He dropped it beside the chair the boy slumped on. You neared as he traipsed away and knelt to open the kit.

“What’s your name?” You asked the wounded boy.

He stared at you a moment and reached to his shoulder. “Peter,” He grunted.

“No talking,” Loki fell onto the couch heavily and held in a groan. “Just sew him up.”

You pulled on a pair of gloves from the bottom of the chest and stood. You nudged the boy so that he sat forward and pulled apart his shirt, ripping it to expose his shoulder entirely. You bent to grab some gauze and the bottle of peroxide.

“How did this happen?” You asked quietly.

“What did I say about talking?” Loki snarled.

“I need to know if I should be looking for shrapnel,” You rebuffed.

He glanced over at your sharply and waved you away.

“I fell. Caught it on the edge of a wooden platform.” The boy explained as his hands formed fists.

“I’ll have to make sure there aren’t any slivers,” You warned as you wiped away the dried blood.

“Do what you gotta,” He kept his head down. “Doesn’t matter much.”

You were quiet at that. You knew what he wasn’t saying. It didn’t matter if he wasn’t going to leave here alive. The door opened as you tossed away a square of gauze and grabbed another.

“Brother!” The King, Thor, entered with a theatrical swish of his crimson cape. The swath of red was the reason for his nickname, well, aside from his insistence. “I was certain you’d lost yourself out there.”

The door shut loudly behind him as Loki shifted on the couch. He touched his hip as he struggled to sit straight. The King combed back his thick blond hair as the beads in his beard gave a subtle jangle as the brushed together.

“Lost? No, no, I found something… someone most valuable,” Loki smirked and peered over at Peter. 

Thor turned and you kept your eyes on your work. He looked over the boy and hovered at the edge of your vision.

“You ran into Stark’s men?” Thor said grimly.

“Some of them. They were getting awfully friendly with the Rogers clan.” Loki replied. “A precarious but dangerous alliance, wouldn’t you say?”

There was silence as you fished for your tweezers to dislodged a long sliver of wood. Peter yiped as you poked the metal into his torn flesh. You apologized under your breath and he nodded as he clamped his lips shut.

“I am sorry it has come to this,” Thor neared and pulled up another chair. He sat just on the other side of you as you tended to Peter. “I always did favour you.”

“Sure,” Peter scoffed. “You know, it’s not so easy to pretend to be decent these days.”

“Mercy is a form of decency,” Thor said coolly. “My brother did spare you.”

“And killed the rest. If I was anyone else, I’d be dead.”

“But you’re not,” Thor insisted.

You threaded the curved needle as you tried to fade into the tense air. You stood and focused on aligning it’s point. You pressed it to Peter’s flesh and he inhaled as if to acknowledge you. You pushed the metal through his skin and he gripped his knee.

“Or I could send the medic away. Let that rot,” Thor ventured. “I could do worse than this.”

“Like you did to Clint?” Peter rasped and slapped his leg as you continued. 

“The only mistake there was that Clint could not tell you all why I did it,” Thor sneered. “I am not cruel without reason.”

“Heh, sure. Whatever helps you look in the mirror.” Peter grumbled.

You tied up the last stitch and wiped the needle clean. You placed a patch of cotton over the cut and taped it down carefully. You packed up slowly. You thought of the limited supplies at the medical centre. You doubted this was the only treasure chest at the Palace.

You took off your gloves as you stood, the chest still open. You looked at Loki expectantly.

“Well, what do you want?” He snarled. “If you’re done, go.”

“Am I?” You asked calmly.

“What- You--”

“Your lower back. Or that’s what seems to be bothering you.” You said.

“Might be the perpetual stick up his ass,” Thor chuckled.

Loki inhaled deeply and winced. He shook his head and slid forward on the couch.

“Since you’re here.” He curled his fingers in a gesture for you to approach. “Be quick about it.”

You bent and lifted the chest. It was heavy. You set it by the couch and sat on the edge as he turned away from you. You lifted his thick jacket and the shirt beneath. A clean slice; it shouldn’t be causing too much pain, especially for him.

“Hmm,” You cleaned the cut and grabbed the largest band-aid from the smaller box. “Should heal on its own.”

“Told you.” Thor stood. “Stick. Ass. You don’t happen to know how to get it out?”

“Oh, quiet, you arse,” Loki hissed. 

You shoved the wrapper in your pocket as you clasped the chest shut  and stood.

“Castor oil is a natural laxative,” You offered. “But there’s not much to be had these days.”

Thor boomed with laughter and Loki straightened up with a pained breath.

“Just go,” Loki said.

“I’ll show you out,” Thor backed away and turned to open the door.

“Heimdall can--” Loki began.

“Nonsense, he’s busy.” Thor held the door and motioned you through. “I won’t be long. I am certain you can handle the boy on your own.”

You stepped out into the hall, eager to be away from both brothers. It wasn’t any secret that they had their differences, even with the state of things. Thor pulled the door closed behind him and nodded you along. He came up beside you, close enough that his cape swept against your shoulder.

“You work down at the medical center?” He asked.

“Mhmm,” You answered. It was more than obvious.

“You like it?” He peeked over at you out of the corner of his eye.

“People don’t really do what they like these days,” You said. “It’s gotta be done so I do it.”

“True, not all of us have the luxury of indulging in our desires,” He spun and stepped in front of you as you reached the door to the stairwell. “But some of us get to.”

You frowned as the air caught in your chest. He couldn’t mean…

“I have to get back. They’ll need me--”

“They can spare you for a while,” He leaned back against the door and crossed his arms. “How’d you end up here?”

“What?” You blinked.

“Stark, Rogers, Romanoff…” He said. “How did you end up in this camp?”

“Most of us didn’t choose.” You shrugged. “Before this was a camp, I was just trying to help injured people and that’s all I do now.”

“I like watching those hands of yours. So deft, quick,” He pushed himself away from the door and pulled his cape straight. “I’ve an ailment myself I’ve been seeking relief for but you see, Doctor Coleman hasn’t the cure.”

You narrowed your eyes and took a step back. His blue eyes seemed to light up as he advanced.

“Okay…” You uttered as you continued your slow retreat.

“You see, this world is lonely and I’ve yet to find any comfort for that. Anything… effective.” His footsteps kept a steady pace as he closed in. “You think you could help me--”

You turned and raced back down the hall. There was another stairwell at the opposite end, if you could reach it, you might just--

He caught you swiftly. He grabbed the back of your shirt and wrenched you back so that you nearly fell on your ass. He turned and flung you so that you hit the wall. The impact knocked the wind out of you. 

You wheezed and struggled to stay upright as you turned back to him. You kicked out and he caught your foot. He pulled it up so that your other leg flew out from under you and your back hit the wall as you fell to the floor.

You coughed and turned onto your stomach as you lifted yourself onto your elbows. You crawled away from him, gasping for air, searching for the strength to stand.

His boot came down between your shoulder blades and he pushed you down onto your chest. The man who’d driven with Loki emerged from a door at the end of the hall. You looked up at him desperately.

“Loki is in his chamber,” Thor said gruffly as he leaned his weight on you. “Tell him I won’t be long.”

The man disappeared and Thor pushed down until you slapped the floor desperately. 

“You know,” He moved his foot so that his boots were on either side of you. “I’ve had women offer themselves for a loaf of bread and often nothing at all. Boring.”

You tried to lift yourself and he lowered himself to his knees to straddle you. He grabbed your shoulders and forced you entirely to your stomach.

“You come here a little later and these halls are… rampant with women. Money, that’s nothing. There are new commodities to be traded; fuel, food, flesh.”

“Stop, please,” You begged. “Please, I didn’t--”

“Oh, I know you didn’t do anything. Wouldn’t even look at me.” He rubbed your back as he wiggled his pelvis against you. “And when you did, there was no desperation, no hunger, no… reverence.”

His hands left your back and the red cape swept in front of you and piled on the floor. His fingers stretched over your hips and he squeezed.

“These women offer themselves because they know they owe me. For their safety, their lives. I had these walls built, I keep the generators going, and I keep worse fiends from sinking their fangs into you puny Midgardians.”

“I--I… Please.” You clawed at the floor.

“They’re so eager, so malleable, so… pathetic,” You wriggled beneath him as you kicked your legs. “And here you are, trapped, and you still try to get away. From what? I could give you a life easier than blood and bile.”

“Get… off!” You exclaimed as you tried to squirm out from beneath him.

“This is how this world works,” He lowered his voice as he leaned over you. He placed an arm across your shoulders as his other hand fumbled along the front of his pants. “You don’t ask, you take. And if you can’t take, you’re taken from.”

He sighed and his fingers hooked in the waist of your jeans. He tore them down, the button falling loose as he did. He ripped your panties down just as roughly and you felt his arousal rub against your ass.

“You can struggle, scream if you like but… if anyone hears you,” He guided his cock down your ass and rubbed against your cunt. “They’ll pretend they don’t.”

He forced himself inside of you and you cried out in pain. He impaled you to his limit and you gritted your teeth as his thick arm crushed your shoulders. He thrust so that your entire body jerked and your fingers buried in the heap of crimson fabric.

He sat back and planted a hand between your shoulders. He rocked atop you, groaning and growling as he did. You closed your eyes as the whimpers slipped from your lips. Every tilt of his hips was harder than the last. The clap of his flesh echoed down the hall and in your ears.

“I was wondering…” He panted in between ruts. “What that weaselly little doctor was hiding… from me.”

He pounded into you without pause. Your hips hit the hard floor painfully and you curled your arm around your head to hide your face. Your hot breath filled the space and mingled with the shame nestled in your cheeks.

His purrs rose to a growl and you felt as if your body would shatter. He lifted your hips as he plunged into you over and over. Your walls clenched around him and a warm gush flooded you.

Your head shot up as you tried once more to escape him.

“No…” You gasped.

“Shhh,” He jolted into you as he slowed. He stroked the back of your head and pushed it down to the floor. He bent over you and inhaled your scent. “It will be a king’s child.”

He slipped out of you and his cum leaked down your folds. He stood and let out a satisfied sigh.

“I have not given my seed to the others.” He said as he nudged you with his toe. “Clean yourself up, pet. My men have even less restraint than I.”

[iam93percentstardust]

These look like they might work together! #25 "You're the only person I care about in this room" and #43 "I'm not jealous! Okay fine, maybe a little" - Stony, pretty please. Thank you, 😊.

Ooh I love these two prompts! Took a little bit of liberty with the first sentence but I think it still works.

“You’re the only person I care about in this room” & “I’m not jealous! Okay fine, maybe a little”

Steve knows Tony’s taken other lovers, knows that he has flirted and dated, kissed and been kissed...fucked and been fucked. For the most part, it doesn’t bother him. Tony is with him now and he’s fairly certain Tony would rather stop being Iron Man before he cheated on Steve. 

But there’s something about Christine Everhart.

He thinks maybe it’s because she’s indelibly tied to Iron Man, more so than almost all of Tony’s exes. She had been the last person in Tony’s bed before he left for Afghanistan. She had made him see the bad parts lurking in his company and godfather. She had challenged him to be better, goaded him into announcing that he was Iron Man. She had been a part of Tony’s life - this Tony, not the playboy he used to be - long before Steve even came out of the ice. When Tony thinks about the early days of becoming a superhero, he must, inevitably, think about Christine Everhart.

And Steve’s still not jealous per se but that time created a bond between Tony and Christine that still exists. When Tony needs someone to challenge his privilege, it’s Christine that he calls. He is her first choice when she calls to ask for an interview with one of the Avengers. They’re not friends exactly but they’re both on speed dial in each other’s phones.

So when they’re at a gala and Tony has spent most of the night talking with her in a corner instead of mingling with the other guests or, he doesn’t know, spending time with Steve, he can’t help but feel - still not jealous, Captain America doesn’t get jealous - but neglected maybe.

“You’re gonna crush that glass if you hold onto it any tighter,” Sam mutters.

Christine’s hand lands on Tony’s arm - perfectly friendly but it’s still there - and the glass shatters.

“And there we go,” Sam says, waving at the mess of glass and whiskey.

“Huh?” Steve asks distractedly, watching the way Tony laughs. He doesn’t think it’s the same way Tony laughs around him but it’s hard to be sure from this distance. He should get closer. 

“You’re not even listening to me, are you?”

“Yeah, you tell that guy, Nat,” Steve says absently, setting the remains of the broken glass down on the bar and wandering off toward Tony’s back corner.

Tony lights up as soon as he sees him. “Steve! You should hear what Christine’s been telling me. She’s got - what did you do to your hand?” he suddenly exclaims, staring in horror at Steve’s side.

“What?” He looks down as well to see that his clenched fist is dripping blood. “Oh - I...” He doesn’t remember what he did.

“Never mind,” Tony says, undoing his very expensive silk tie so he can wrap it around Steve’s hand, cutting off the blood. “Christine, we’ll talk later. Give Pep a call. I’m sure she’d love to discuss what you’re doing.”

He tugs Steve off toward the bathroom and Steve is so relieved to be away from Christine that he doesn’t protest even a little bit at being led like a toddler. Stark Tower stocks first aid kits in every single bathroom - hazards of housing a team of superheroes - and Tony gets one down as soon as he locks the door behind them.

“Sit,” he says, gesturing toward the toilet lid. Steve sits.

“Are you drugged?” Tony asks, getting out a roll of bandages.

“Why would you think that?”

“I can’t imagine why else you didn’t notice your hand was bleeding.”

Steve shakes his head. “I wasn’t drugged. I just didn’t-”

“Are you sure?” Tony kneels on the cold, dirty floor next to him, not even sparing a thought for his pants. He pulls Steve’s hand into his lap and unwraps the tie. His hand is still bleeding though it’s starting to slow.

“Yes, I’m sure,” he says, throwing up his free hand in exasperation. “Surprised you even noticed I was bleeding though.”

Tony stills where he’s wiping Steve’s hand with disinfectant. “What’s that supposed to mean?” he asks quietly.

“What do you think it means, Tony?”

“I think it means that you’re jealous. Though you shouldn’t be and I’m not sure what I’ve done to make you think you should.”

“I’m not jealous!” he protests. Tony gives him a look that plainly says oh really and resumes cleaning his hand. Steve bites his lip. “Okay fine, maybe a little. But can you blame me? You’ve spent all night talking to her.”

“She spent the last month in Latveria, supposedly interviewing Dr. Doom for a journal article. She wanted to know who to give her information to.”

Oh.

Oh.

Steve’s messed up; that much is obvious. “Tony-”

“You’re the only person I care about in this entire building,” Tony says softly. “At the beginning of the night, you spent almost an hour talking to Thor until Nat asked you to dance with her. You danced with her three times before you joined Sam at the bar and you’ve been there this whole time. I thought you were talking to Sam but apparently you’ve been focused on me instead. I’m sorry. If I’d known you were so worried, I would have joined you in a heartbeat.”

“Tony, no,” he says dismayed. “This is me, my insecurities. I should have trusted you. Don’t blame yourself for my insecurities.”

“It’s my fault you were feeling insecure, isn’t it?”

Steve’s hand cups Tony’s cheek, turning him to look at him. “Never,” he vows, heart breaking just a little when he sees how hurt Tony looks. “I was jealous that she had a piece of you, a piece of Iron Man, that I would never get to have because I was in the ice. You can’t do anything about that and I wouldn’t want you to because you wouldn’t be the same Tony that I know and love. I’m sorry, honey.”

Tony nods and Steve isn’t entirely certain if he’s taken what Steve said to heart but he isn’t going to argue especially after Tony asks, “Can we go upstairs? I think you need to be held and I want to hold you.”

“Yeah,” Steve says, holding out his good hand for Tony to take. “That sounds nice.”

[gingerwritess]

I FEEL LIKE DRUNK PRE-DATING IDIOTS WOULD BE INTERESTING?????? 🥴 I LOVE THEM

this certainly is going to be interesting…happy reading ;) 

part 16 warnings: include drinking and drunkenness, plus the general life changing stupidity that comes along with it. major development alert.

Loki can still feel your fingertips, still ghosting along his shoulder blade.

It burns.

He takes another swig from the flask, wincing as it goes down.

Forgetting your touch calls for Asgardian liquor - something that’ll burn even worse.

In the dark office, Loki slumps against the far wall. The floor is mostly empty, a couple janitors milling around, since it’s well after work hours. Saying a silent prayer that no one walks in, Loki lets Laing fade into nothing in the locked office and closes his eyes - focus on healing.

Nothing else.

Your fingers are back on his skin, along his jaw and tracing his mouth, hesitant and horrified.

“Damn it.”

He flicks the cap off the flask again and chugs as much as he can, until his throat’s on fire and he chokes, head throbbing.

He’d let your touch linger for too long, the other day. Stupid, stupid, stupid - now you’ve seen him, felt him, pitied him.

The pain from the cuts couples with the burn of your skin and he downs the rest of the liquor in one gulp.

It’s quick to set in, numbing the pain and graciously blurring his thoughts, and he closes his eyes again to try and get himself to focus, focus.

Heal. Find your strength.

A commotion near the elevator breaks his concentration; a small group of his, ah, coworkers pile out of the car, wrought with laughter and clearly under some kind of influence.

“I said aaaall the way,” someone slurs, followed by more fading laughter as they move away. “This…this ain’t the top.”

Blinking fuzzy spots from his vision, Loki laughs to himself - apparently drinking through the pain is running rampant in the corporation tonight.

The split second thought of you at the party a few floors down, all by yourself at the bar, flits through his head.

Numbly finding no reason not to, he lets out a shrill snort of laughter into the empty office - you wouldn’t be by yourself. Marcus, or whatever his name was, he must be with you.

Loki pulls himself to his feet, the empty flask falling out of his lap.

“Mm…damnit.”

Head spinning, his eyes squeeze shut and he grips the edge of the desk.

Maybe it was a little much. But norns, it’s been ages since he felt this good.

“The doctor will - heh - will see you now,” he laughs to himself, luckily still finding the sense to faze back into Dr. Laing before stepping out of the office. “She…she can’t touch me.”

And he stumbles his way towards the elevator, injuries seemingly painless.

Down a few floors, you’re not doing much better - though definitely not as bad.

Just a pleasant buzz, enough to make you happy to see Robert Laing working his way towards you through the crowds.

You’re about to call his name - but stop to double check. Not Loki, Robert.

That’s the one.

“Robert! You came!”

His eyes narrow and he flops into the seat next to you, absolutely reeking of alcohol.

“You,” he loudly says, “can’t touch me like that.”

“I didn’ touch you, mister.” Raising your glass, you shoot him a grin and take another long drink.

“You did touch me,” he argues, a finger coming up to point in your face. “I didn’t like it, you’re really warm.”

“I didn’ touch you!”

“Yeah, you did!” Already frustrated, he grabs your free hand and presses it to his bare forearm. “See? You lie. Now stop it.”

“Ohhh. Yeah, recall, good sir.”

Your hand stays on his arm.

Loki glares at it.

“Apologise,” he demands.

You just burst out laughing. “For what?”

“You gave me an emotion, and I don’t like emotion.”

Leaning in closer, patronisingly close, your voice drops to a theatrical whisper. “What emotion did I give you, loverboy?”

“Oh. Laing.”

Someone sets two glasses behind you with a loud thunk.

“Loverboy,” you croon, grinning at Loki’s sour expression, “this is Marcus. He’s great, and he protects me from…bad guys.”

Loki - Laing - extends a hand with a lovely fake smile, only to retract it immediately when Marcus reaches to shake it.

“Pleasure.”

“Didn’t think you were coming,” he retorts, leaning next to you.

“Surpriiiise,” Loki sings in reply.

To your almost drunken mind, that is the funniest thing you’ve ever heard and you explode into laughter yet again.

Loki grins - laughing sounds easy right now, with the amount of liquor in his body. Nothing hurts. Nothing could possibly faze him.

He tests it out.

A slow laugh, more of a quick exhale through the nose, an audible grin. That feels completely foreign, it’s been so long, but good.

“Of course he’s coming,” you snort at Marcus, still holding his forearm. “We’re dating, y’know. He’s my boyfriend.”

“Yeah. I know.” Marcus sips his drink, clearly unamused.

The uncomfortable look on Marcus’s face makes Loki laugh harder - actually laugh. Out loud, Laing laughs, and it’s a clear, hesitant but quite definite “eheheh” that makes you stop in your tracks and stare.

“You can laugh.”

“You’ve been dating for how long, and you didn’t know he could laugh??”

“Shush,” you toss at Marcus, gaze still trained on the tilt to Loki’s lips. “C’mere, Laing.”

Hand still holding tight to his forearm, you hop off your barstool and drag Loki after you to one of the less crowded walls. 

He laughed. This is progress.

“Did you do something?” You ask excitedly, still hugely encouraged by an actual smile on Loki’s facade. “Did you talk to Thor? Tony? Did you go to the hospital? Are you heal—”

“Pshh, no,” Loki grimaces with a shake of his head. “No healer could make me feel this good.”

“But you feel better! You actually listened to me, didn’t you? See, and now you’re getting somewhere—”

“Oh, please, like Hel I listened to you.” With a flick of his hand he summons another flask, this one full and a fair size bigger. He tips his head toward you, raising the flask. “I prescribe my own medication, darling.”

Then he flicks the cap away and chugs it - again.

Shocked, you shove him on the chest and he chokes, stumbling backwards and spilling some of the liquor down his chin.

“You’re going to kill yourself!” You screech and grab the flask out of his hand. “Damn it, Loki, you’re going to die!!”

Loki blinks at you.

“I think I know what my body can handle.”

In the both of your stupors, neither of you notice the fact that you just called him Loki - nor the fact that Colonel James Rhodes overheard while he was chatting it up with Steve, eyeing the two of you suspiciously.

“You clearly don’t know,” you snap, waving the flask in his face. “You’re already half dead, I’ve seen you without all this–this fake stuff, drinking isn’t going to fix anything!”

“Oh, you think you know me so well,” Loki jeers, a sick little smirk on his face. “Touch me once and we’re practically married—”

“Eww, you’re so special, nobody can touch me! ‘I’m Loki and everyone hates me, my daddy doesn’t like me so—’”

“How dare you,” he gasps. “You have no idea what I’ve been through, you mewling quim, give me my drink back!”

“Then tell me!”

Struck by a sudden bolt of tipsy genius, you stick out your tongue with a loud ppfffft and shove the flask down the front of your shirt.

“Hah.”

Loki stares.

“That was mature.”

Reaching for it would be inappropriate, right?

“You can’t have it back ‘til you either talk t’ me or talk t’ someone else,” you firmly tell him, crossing your arms over your chest to keep the flask from falling. “You’re a stupidhead and drinking isn’t gonna help shit.”

A few feet away, Steve gives Rhodey a light shove in the shoulder to push him towards you and Laing, both of them still laughing at the entire very mature interaction that just took place.

“Just tell them to kindly shut up or take it outside,” Steve laughs, more than happy to keep a safe distance from your little quarrel. 

How Rhodey ended up being the one tasked with handling complaints about your rather noisy argument, he doesn’t know - but, still confused about why you called your boyfriend “Loki,” he wouldn’t mind if you took it outside, either.

Rhodey clears his throat to hopefully get your attention. “Stupidhead might’ve taken it too far, ouch.”

He’s greeted with a blank stare from you and absolutely nothing from Laing.

“Sorry. Don’t mean to interrupt, but you two are just being a little loud…”

Laing spins on his heel with a scoff. “What??”

“Just sayin’.” The colonel raises his hands in defense. “Sorry, go on ahead, but there are balconies where you can scream at each other to your hearts content.”

Your jaw drops with a mostly drunk, offended little gasp.

“Excuse me, sir, this is my…my boyfriend,” you cry indignantly—without thinking, you reach behind you and grab a hold of Loki’s tie. “Doctor Robert Lok…aing…”

Whoops.

Loki laughs nervously behind you as Rhodey squints at you in confusion—this dating act tonight has been the exact opposite of convincing.

Might be better if you just…stop talking.

You need some way to get your story back on track, now.

All it takes is one falsely confident decision, swallowing your pride, and one good yank—and Dr. Laing’s lips are on yours.

“Oh - okay, okay.”

You hope Rhodey turns away, leaving you two to “make out” in peace, but your eyes squeeze shut and you’re still kissing him.

Laing. Or Loki. You don’t know, it’s complicated.

In all honesty, it’s not a kiss. You’re simply pressing your lips to his, and he’s not doing anything.

Actually…yeah, he’s kind of frozen.

Not that you expect anything else. It’s not like you’re trying to kiss him, I mean, it’s all a facade. Just another illusion.

Your free hand has a mind of it’s own and tangles in short, strawberry blond curls before you can stop it.

Pull away.

Break it off!

Mm, but he smells good. Feels good. Your lips move ever so slightly against his, just enough to catch a sigh between the two of you and you melt, arms winding around his neck as you kiss him.

It’s all for show, you remind yourself, a shiver running down your spine when his hands find your waist. All for show, just an illusion…

The world has gone silent around the two of you, and if Laing would only kiss you back, this might be a part you’d be willing to play for a while longer.

All for show, you silently repeat. All for show.

The room is quiet. Too quiet.

His eyes finally fluttering closed, a brush of Laing’s eyelashes wakes you from a daze against his lips and you pry your eyes open, figuring that was long enough of a kiss to convince anyone of your relations.

Loki doesn’t move. Hands stuck gripping onto your waist like a lifeline, eyes shut and lips still barely open against yours—Loki.

Not Laing.

Your hand is still lost in his hair: dark, long hair, hair that you’ve brushed before, hair that was never supposed to be shown to anyone.

And worse than that, your lips are still locked.

“Mmmf!”

Ripping your mouth from his, you shove him into the wall, and he blinks himself back to the present.

“What the hell??”

Someone yells his name—not Laing’s, his.

Slammed into reality, he can’t bring himself to speak, to reach out and apologise, to run, fight, to try to explain himself. Loki just stands there, stunned and speechless and struggling to catch his breath.

That was never part of the plan.

Gaze still locked with yours, his eyes glisten, but every wound he tried to hide from you flares brighter and you retch, horrified.

For Loki, time slows. People are shouting, muffled around him and you sit down with a thud, a hand over your mouth as you stare at him; someone jumps him from behind, an arm around his neck and pushing him to the ground.

The alcohol that had dulled the pain churns in his stomach and he can’t find the will to fight back.

Everything is starting to hurt again, but this time, his lips burn the worst.

He’s dragged off by a shouting, armoured mob in chains, silent, defeated, and without a single illusion to keep himself standing.

Turns out he was weaker than he thought—and apparently just as weak as you thought.

Damn it.

―   ―   ―   ―

fuel the writer?

~ masterlist link in my bio ~

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@toozmanykids​

[justthehiddleswrites]

Destiny Has Other Plans | Loki x OFC (Alexis Randall) | Chapter 3

Pairing: Loki x OFC

MASTERLIST IS HERE

Summary: When Loki goes to ask his father for permission to marry, he is shocked to discover his destiny has already been made for him.  He is already betrothed to Sjofn, the daughter of the King of Vanaheim.  An arranged marriage to bring the two kingdoms closer together and strengthen the bond.  Never mind that Sjofn and Loki can’t stand each other.  

After The Battle of New York, Loki is sent to live at Avengers Tower as punishment for his misdeeds.  But it doesn’t mean he has to like it.   A year later, he has adjusted to life on Midgard but has avoided any romantic or emotional entanglements, still bitter over his lost love.  Dr. Alexis Randall is skilled at helping others fix their relationships as a couple therapist, but can’t help her own love life.  A chance encounter with Loki in a dive bar has life altering consequences for both of them.  Now, Alexis and Loki must figure out a way to co-habit without killing each other in the process, plus navigating impending parenthood and other roadblocks along the way.

This Chapter:   Now that Alexis is definitely pregnant, Loki insists that she stays with him in the Tower. And the Avengers find out about the whole thing. Loki and Alexis must now navigate a most unusual relationship.

Warnings: Arranged Marriage, Forced Marriage, Pregnancy, Unplanned Pregnancy, Smut, Angst,  Semi-Public Sex, Mentions of law enforcement, Oral Sex, Cursing, Vaginal Sex

Taglists are Open, please let me know if you wish to be added.

-

“No fucking way!” Alexis screamed at the top of her lungs as the two of them made their way back to Loki’s quarters.

“Can you keep your voice down, please?” Loki hissed as he did a poor job of ushering her towards his quarters.

She sidestepped Loki’s arm. “WHY!? Are you embarrassed for your friends to see me?”

Loki’s eyes darted around the room to see if any of the Avengers come out of the woodwork. So far nothing, but that wouldn’t last long if Alexis kept it up.

“That’s not it. Now if you follow me to my room, we can discuss this like calm and rational adults.” Loki tugged on her arm, but she pulled away.

“But I’m not calm and rational, am I? I’m a hysterical pregnant woman you want to lock away like your crazy uncle who thinks he can talk to Elvis through his toaster!!”

Doors opened as the sound of the two of them reached down the corridor. Tony appeared first, slipping off to side, soon joined by Steve and then Bruce.

“What the hell—” Steve started.

“—lover’s spat. Saw her with Horny earlier today.” Tony sipped from his coffee mug.

“Did I hear that she’s pregnant? How does that even—” Bruce asked.

“YES YOU HEARD RIGHT!” Alexis stomped towards the three men. “Is there a fucking problem here? I thought the Avengers had better things to do than stare mouths open like wide mouthed bass at a pregnant woman having a mental breakdown?”

Loki had never seen those three men move faster than they did in that moment, not even when being chased by HYDRA agents. Had he not been fearful for his own well-being, Loki would have been impressed by the short order in which Alexis handled them.

“Good luck, man.” Steve clapped his shoulder as he hustled out of sight.

Satisfied, Alexis stomped off to collect her things from Loki’s apartment.

Loki rubbed his temples. “What have I got myself into?”

“It would seem you have got that young woman pregnant with your offspring. But how you anger her so is a mystery. Not that I blame her, you seem to bring the rage out in others, Brother.” Thor sat up from where he was lying on the couch, eating Pop-Tarts, unfazed by the outburst earlier.

“Have you been there the entire time and said nothing?”

“Yes.” Thor bit into the manufactured pastry, crumbs and frosting catching in his facial hair. “Why would I make my presence known and incur the wrath of Lady… what is her name?”

“Alexis.”

“Lady Alexis. So what exactly did you do to receive such a tongue lashing?” Thor smiled smugly at his brother.

Loki took a deep breath. “I suggested she stay here with me for the duration of her pregnancy.” Loki squared his shoulders. “For her own protection.”

“Suggested or demanded?” Loki threw a withering gaze at his brother. “Well, that explains it. You’re lucky to still have your head.”

Loki fisted his hands. “Do you not realize that enemies of the throne would love to get their hands on Odin’s only grandchild? She needs protection.”

Thor finished up his snack and rose to join his brother. “On the contrary, I realize all too well the threats that hang over both our heads and those we hold dear. But strong-arming her is not the answer.”

“Then what do you suggest?” He overheard a door slamming in distance.

Thor held up his hands. “Let me speak to her.”

Alexis stormed into the room, stopping in front of them. “Don’t stop me from leaving.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it, Lady Alexis.” Thor stepped in front of Loki, who rolled his eyes.

“My brother, Thor.”

“Pleasure.” She extended her hand. “Dr. Alexis Randall, would be prisoner.” She threw daggers at Loki.

“A doctor?” Thor glanced over his shoulder. “Loki, you never mentioned the mother of your child was a doctor.”

“She never told me.” Loki muttered.

“You never asked!” Alexis responded, lunging at Loki, who ducked back behind Thor. “You’ve been too busy either accusing me of lying or trying to lock me away.”

“My brother is only concerned for your safety, as am I.”

Alexis rolled her eyes. “There are enemies who would seek to do me harm, blah, blah, blah.”

“I’m afraid that in this instance my brother does not exaggerate, and as you carry Odin’s only grandchild, you would be a valuable bargaining chip to any enemy of the throne. Not to mention whatever other enemies Loki has picked up along the way.”

“He was serious?” Alexis leaned against the back of the sofa. She assumed Loki was lying to trick her into staying.

Loki leaned beside her, arms crossed. “I don’t wish to disrupt your life, but it the only way I can assure your safety.” He took her hand and squeezed. A slight gesture of sympathy. “Please stay. If anything were to happen to you or this child…”

Alexis sighed and squeezed Loki’s hand back. “I guess I could stay.” Loki beamed. “On a trial basis.” Even as she said the words, she knew there was no trial basis. But lying to herself comforted her.

Loki nodded. “Absolutely.”

Alexis pointed a finger in Loki’s face. “And be nice. And don’t be one of those overbearing fathers to be. I am not some porcelain doll.”

Loki held up three fingers. “Scout’s honor.”

Alexis cocked her head. “Do they even have scouts on Asgard?”

-

Tony insisted on moving them to another apartment on the same floor, but tucked away from the rest of the team.

“Away from prying eyes.” He commented when Loki informed him of the new living arrangements.

The new apartment had two master suites with a door connecting them. “I get the impression the two of you might need some space. And if not, nursery!” Tony threw his hands up and grinned.

“Thank you, Mr. Stark. For everything.”

Tony waved her off. “It was nothing. Anything for this horny little devil. And call me Tony, you’re basically family now.” He gestured at Loki, who scowled in return.

“Now to get used to the commute to my office.” she commented more to herself than anything.

“There is no way you are traveling across town five days a week.” Loki scoffed.

“But my clients…” she protested.

“… can travel here.” Tony interjected. With a few phone calls, Tony arranged for her entire practice to move into one of the offices in the Tower and never even left the room. Alexis handed over the keys reluctantly to both her apartment and office to Tony. He said the movers would be here with boxes from both places by the afternoon.

“Looks like you met your match, Trickster.” Tony whispered once Alexis left the room.

“What does that mean?” Loki scowled at Tony.

“I’m just saying I sense a bit of a connection between the two of you.” Tony wiggled his shoulders back and forth.

“You’re mistaken, Stark. Our only connection is the fact she is carrying my child. Anything else is the machinations of your overactive imagination.”

Tony shrugged. “Suit yourself.” Alexis stepped back in the room. “Alexis, it was lovely to meet you and I will have someone call when your stuff arrives.”

“Thank you, Mr... uh Tony.”

Tony threw a knowing glance at Loki before leaving the two of them alone.

“What is that you even do?” Loki asked, crossing the room to settle into one of the leather club chairs he had brought over from his place down the hall.

“I’m a couple’s therapist.”

“Ironic.”

“How is that?” Her voice grew more tight.

“You help others to salvage their relationships, yet you can’t manage to keep on of your own.”

“You and I are not in a relationship.”

Loki chuckled as Alexis sighed and flopped onto the couch.

“I was speaking about whatever mouth-breather you broke up with that night in the Whiskey Front Room. Come to think of it, it is his fault we are in this predicament.”

“The mouth-breather’s name is Eric, and he broke up with me.”

“Even worse.”

Alexis stared around the empty apartment. “So this is my cell for the next nine months. There are worse places to be trapped.” Her voice sad. The tears brimming in her eyes.

Loki fiddled with his bracelet. A constant reminder of his past misdeeds. A debt he could never repay. “I felt much how you did when I first arrived. My brother advised me to make the best of things. If I thought it would bring you comfort, I would do the same.”

Alexis chuckled as tears fell. “It wouldn’t.” Her finger flicked his bracelet. “What’s that?”

“A tracking device. My prison cell. I’m not here voluntarily. After my failed attempt to gain power and overthrow my father, he sent me here. To repay my debts.” He sneered.

“I’m sorry.” She stood and walked over to grab his hand and squeeze.

Loki moved to leave. “It is a prison of my own making. I expect you have people you need to contact about your move. I will leave you to it.”

“Not really. My parents died when I was little in a car crash. My aunt raised me. She lives in Florida now. Hannah is my only friend. I struggle with relationships.”

“Says the couple therapist.”

“It is like you said. I can help others, just not myself.”

Loki rose and extended his hand. “Then help me find some lunch.”

Alexis smiled and took his hand.

-

When the boxes arrived from Alexis’s apartment, Loki refused to allow her to help, ushering her to a chair.

“What did I say about being overbearing?”

Loki stopped mid-lift. “Not to be.”

“And what are you doing?” Alexis tapped her foot.

“Being helpful?” He smiled hopefully.

She grabbed the box and tugged. Loki held tight. “Things will go much smoother if you don’t treat me as though I will break in a strong breeze. I got along just fine before you and I will after you’re gone.”

Loki would have dropped the box had Alexis not been holding it.

“Am I going somewhere?”

Her lips curled in a slight smile as she pulled books out of the box and placed them on the bookshelf in her new bedroom.

“Loki, come on, who are we kidding? This is no love match. We bicker as it is. Adding a child to the mix will not make that better. Probably make it worse. I see it all the time, having a child to save a relationship.”

“It is my child and I will do everything in my power to make sure it and its mother are cared for and protected.”

“Which does not require us to be in a relationship. Or even living together, technically.” she mused. Loki opened his mouth to protest. Alexis sighed. “I am more than willing to stay during this pregnancy if it eases your mind, but I do not expect you to change your life for me. And I would hope you grant me the same courtesy.” She turned her back to finish unpacking the box. Loki’s hands lighted on her shoulders, timid.

“If that is what you wish.”

“Thank you, Loki.” She twisted to smile at him. “Now I am famished and the kitchen is empty. I am going to grab a snack.”

“We just ate lunch.”

Alexis rubbed her stomach. “Blame him. Or her. Think you can unpack these boxes without me?”

“I believe I can manage. Will you bring some food for me as well?”

“Sweet or savory?” She asked, heading for the door.

“Sweet. Pop-Tarts and chocolate of some sort.”

“I’ll see what I can do.”

Loki turned his attention to the boxes.

-

Alexis rummaged through the pantry when Natasha snuck up behind her. The perks of being an assassin.

“If you are looking for Pop-Tarts, they are on the third shelf on the left, behind the granola.” Nat commented, leaning against the counter.

Alexis reached up and pushed the canister away to reveal several boxes. “Jackpot!” Alexis cleaned out the pantry of Pop-Tarts, grabbing a bag from one cabinet to hold everything. She added a couple of chocolate bars, a jar of creamy peanut butter, and then some chips and cookies for good measure.

“No problem. My name’s Natasha.”

“Alexis Randall.”

Nat smirked. “So you’re Loki’s girl.”

Alexis dropped the bag onto the counter. “I’m not… Is that what people are calling me?” She reached over Natasha to grab a few apples to add to the bag.

“What would you prefer we call you?”

“Alexis. What should I call you? Natasha? Nat? Black Widow?” Alexis rummaged through the fridge for a few Diet Cokes, tossing them into the bag.

“Nat.” Alexis went for the bag, but Nat got to it first.

“I’m capable of carrying my own bag.”

“I know you are. It’s an excuse to keep talking to you.” She glanced around the room suspiciously with narrow eyes. “I don’t know if you realized, but this place is testosterone city. Another woman on the floor is a breath of fresh air.”

The two women giggled while they walked down the hallway. A loud metallic thud echoed above.

“What the hell was that?”

Nat laughed. “Barton. Clint. He prefers the vents. But don’t worry, he sticks to the common areas. Says he thinks better up high.”

Alexis swallowed hard and nodded. Eyes darted up to the ceiling as she started walking again.

“Any morning sickness?”

“Not yet. But I am getting some cravings.”

Nat shook the bag. “I can feel. Is there anything left for the rest of us?”

“Some of it is for Loki.”

“The ultimate sweet tooth.” Nat nudged her shoulder. “Hide your candy stash from that one.”

Alexis chuckled nervously, tucking her hair behind her ears. “Good to know.”

“So how did you exactly meet? I haven’t seen you at any of Tony’s parties.”

Alexis flushed. How to explain all of this is a one-night stand, not even that, a fuck in a bathroom, gone horribly awry?

“Well, it’s an interesting story…” They reached the door, and she grabbed the bag from Nat. “… for another time. Got to go, can’t leave Loki waiting, Bye!” She opened the door and slammed it in Nat’s face, Alexis leaned against the door still holding the bag.

Loki peeked around the corner, holding a pair of high heels.

“Should I keep these in their boxes or—” Loki dropped the shoes and rushed to Alexis’s side when he spied her panting. “Are you hurt? Who did this to you?” Loki clenched his fist.

“I’m fine. I’m fine. Stand down, Tiger.” Alexis held out a hand as she moved to the kitchen. “It was just Natasha.”

Loki frowned. “What did she do?”

Alexis sighed. “She didn’t do anything. She asked how we met.”

His expression softened. “What did you tell her?”

“I didn’t. I ran like hell.”

“Why?”

“Because I didn’t think the truth sounded great, and I panicked. What would you have me say? I was depressed at getting dumped, so I let a stranger fuck me in a bathroom stall of a bar?”

“When you say it like that…” Loki commented before moving to help her unload the bag. “Perhaps we should agree upon a plausible story?”

“I would appreciate that.” Alexis fished out a box of Pop-Tarts and threw them at Loki. “Think fast.”

Loki caught the box mid-air and placed it on the counter.

“You said you wanted Pop-Tarts.”

“I can’t stand the things, processed pastry? Why, when fresh baked is better?” Loki wrinkled his nose, rooting around in the bag and extracting a large chocolate bar.

“Then, wh—”

“They are Thor’s favorite. I hope you grabbed all the boxes.”

“You lied to me! I trusted you!”

Loki popped a cookie into his mouth and grinned. “Your first mistake.” And he walked away.

-

The rest of the Avengers grew accustomed to Alexis and Loki arguing with each other about anything and everything. Tony only added fuel to the fire by providing Loki a copy of What To Expect When You Are Expecting. Anonymously, Tony didn’t have a death wish. Loki took the book less as an informational book, more of aspirational goals, much to Alexis’s chagrin.

“You can have my bodega deli sandwich, Loki, or my Diet Coke, but you can’t have both!” Alexis screamed as they passed through the common area one evening.

“But the book says…” Loki grabbed his already dog-eared book from a pocket dimension. Alexis snatched the book and hurled it across the room, narrowly missing Clint’s head.

“I am fucking sick of that goddamn book! If I find out who gave that to you…” She shot daggers at everyone in the room. “… they will pay.”

“I want the best for my… our child.”

Alexis narrowed her eyes at Loki. Steve, who had been moving to intercede, stopped in his tracks and backed away. “Then I would think you want the mother of your child to be happy! Do I look happy, Loki?”

Loki raked his eyes up and down Alexis’s body. “Decidedly not. If anything, I would say you look a little bloated. The book—”

Alexis lunged for Loki’s throat, only to be pulled back by Tony, who stepped between the two.

“Hey, hey, Killer.” He gestured to Alexis. “Don’t kill him now. I just had the carpets cleaned.” He whipped around to point at Loki. “And you… It’s not exactly Manners 101 that you never say that a pregnant woman looks anything other than glowing. Even I know that!” Tony spun around to grin at Alexis. “Have I mentioned you are glowing?” Alexis rolled her eyes through the tears.

Loki huffed and leaned around Tony to see Alexis, sniffling. “I am sorry. I will try harder to be more considerate of your feelings.”

Tony leaned in and whispered in Loki’s ear. “Invite her to dinner.”

“What?” he hissed. Tony elbowed him. “Will you accompany me to dinner tonight? As an apology.”

Alexis wiped her nose. “It would be a start.”

“Is that a yes?” Tony interjected.

“Yes.”

“Great. You two lovebirds head home to get ready and I will make all the arrangements!” He clapped the two of them on the shoulders and gave a shove towards the hallway.

Once they were out of earshot, Steve snapped at Tony.

“What the hell are you playing at, Tony?”

Tony gestured in the air. “A bit of matchmaking, nothing more.”

“What matchmaking? They hate each other.”

Tony scoffed. “No, they don’t. Pepper and I used to argue like that all the time and look at us now.”

“Still arguing like that all the time.” Natasha piped in.

“Et tu, Romanoff? Trust me guys, I’ve got everything under control.”

[penpatronuswhump]

WHUMPTOBER 2020

No. 19

Fandom: Avengers

Whumpees: Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, Clint Barton, Bruce Banner, Thor

Caregiver: Steve Rogers 

Title: We’re the Avengers

By: PenPatronus // PenPatronusAooO 

Author’s Note: I cried THE ENTIRE TIME I wrote this.

It happened in slow motion, as such things do.

 Maybe it was fate, or maybe it was luck that they all got to the same place on the battlefield at the same time. Or maybe it was because they were all keeping track of Thanos and of each other, hard as that was with the entire universe fighting around them. It was habit, really. How many battles had they been in? They knew where the others were at all times. They recognized the hitches of breaths over the coms that meant that other man needed backup. They recognized when punches got a bit slower or arrows shot slightly askew or lightning went a bit sideways. They recognized when a shield was thrown with less gusto or a roar was less enthusiastic. And they knew the sound Tony made when he was in pain.

 Tony was in pain.

 The Infinity stones synched up with the Iron Man gauntlet, and the greatest power in the entire universe shot through the suit. For half a second – less than one – the suit absorbed and dissipated some of the energy. It pushed it through Tony’s knees and into the ground where it branched like tree roots. But then the remaining energy ricocheted, and erupted in Tony’s body. It enveloped the gauntlet and transformed every cell in his body into fire.

 Someone grabbed Tony’s empty left hand. Tony saw Steve in his peripheral. Their fingers interlaced, and purple and blue energy skittered across their connection and into Steve’s body. Together, wordless, the two friends stood up to face Thanos together.

 Movement on the right. Thor landed beside Tony and put a hand on his brother’s shoulder. Red and yellow energy flowed into his body. Thor faltered for a moment, like he might kneel, but he called on all his strength and remained up.

 Rumbling. Bruce dropped into the scene right beside Thor. Without hesitation, he took the god’s hand. He roared when the energy again went into his injured right arm.

 Clint had never run so fast in his life. He dropped his sword, dropped his bow, dropped his arrows, just so he could get to his teammates a quarter of a second faster. He made it, taking Steve’s hand and standing beside him. The blast of energy nearly knocked Clint backward, but Steve held him aloft.

 Together, as one team, the five Avengers faced the Titan.

 And Clint could swear he felt Natasha’s hand in his…

 “I am inevitable,” Thanos said.

 Tony summoned that precious Stark smirk. He raised his hand. He flexed his numb fingers. “And we’re,” he said, “the… AVENGERS.”

 SNAP.

 Within a minute, Thanos and all his ships and minions and philosophies across the entire universe, turned to ash and disappeared. Everyone left standing on the battlefield turned to look at the Avengers.

 The explosion of power had blasted the Avengers out of one another’s grips. Steve lost consciousness for a minute, then woke up on his stomach, gasping, having the wind knocked out of him. His right hand felt like it was on fire, and he pushed it into the dirt as if flames needed put out. He tasted blood in his mouth, and spat out a clump of it. The right side of his body felt like one giant bruise. Clint lay on his left. “Barton!” Steve coughed. “Clint!”

 Clint’s eyes were closed, but he waved his fingers in Cap’s direction. “’m ok,” Clint mumbled. “’s Tony?”

 “Come on.” Steve crawled over and the pair helped each other stand up. Clint nearly toppled over. Blessed, he was not, with super soldier serum, he had to be held up by Steve’s strength. Bleeding wounds crisscrossed his skin like Lichtenberg figures.

 Thor and Banner were on their feet. Bruce’s left arm wasn’t nearly as damaged as his right, but it was smoking in places. Thor was limping. Both his eyes and his nose were bleeding.

 The four Avengers made their way back to the middle, back to Tony.

 He’d always been the center.

 Stark was standing. He took two steps to his right, three steps to his left, and then collapsed to the ground with his back up against a pile of debris. Thor knelt beside him and yanked the gauntlet, and the Infinity Stones, off Tony’s arm. Tony’s right hand looked like raw meat. They saw bone.

 Steve helped Clint sit down against the same pile of debris. Wanda ran over. “Oh my god,” she squealed, “are you ok?” She fell into Clint’s arms and the pair hugged. “Clint, where is she? Where’s Nat?”

 Steve’s attention was on Tony. He took off his cowl and used it to put out the small remaining fires in the Iron Man suit. Then he started ripping up parts of his dirty uniform and pressing them against the bleeders on Tony’s neck and collarbone. The right side of Stark’s face and head was sliced and seared. His ear was gone. But his eyes were open and alert and following Steve’s hands as they worked. His breathing was quick, but consistent. Steve put his fingers against the pulse point in Tony’s neck and found his heart beating strong.

 Tony didn’t say anything. He just watched Cap work. Tears built up in Steve’s eyes and they wiped away the dirt on his face when they fell. “You did it,” he whispered. “You saved the universe.”

 Tony coughed and cleared his throat. He tried to speak, but only managed a whisper. “We did it. If you guys hadn’t… I’d be dead by now.”

 “That was the most incredible…” Steve shook his head. “You’re incredible.”

 Rhodey landed. The spider kid dropped in. Steve had to hold him back from hugging Tony so that he wouldn’t hurt him. Pepper took Steve’s spot. She smiled at her husband, then gently kissed his cheek, followed by his chapped lips. “My hero,” she told him, eyes watering.

 Firetrucks and ambulances wailed in the distance.

 More people crowded in. Everyone wanted to see the five men who saved the universe. Bucky and Sam ran over and hugged Steve so hard they lifted him off the ground. T’Challa shook each of their hands. Drax, Scott, Quill, Dr. Strange, Rocket – they all poured in.

 Nobody knew who started the clapping, but clap they did. Everyone on the battlefield either clapped or bowed or saluted the Avengers – the men who saved the universe.

 ----------

 Thanks to Steve, Thor, Clint, and Bruce, Tony got another three weeks of life.

 His organs got fried. The ones that could be replaced, were, but there was just too much damage to his brain, heart, and lungs. He returned to his bed in their cabin on the lake, knowing he’d never leave there. It was only a matter of time. And during that time, Rhodey, Happy, Steve, Peter, Clint, Thor, and Bruce all but moved in with Pepper and Morgan. They all wanted to be there, to take shifts to be with Tony, to provide any comfort they could, to divide their grief between friends just like the energy of the Stones.

 And one morning, around 2am, Tony’s breathing changed. Steve was keeping vigil beside his bed. Tony turned his head and looked at him. “Hey, Cap.”

 “Hey.” Steve put his book down and stood. He gave Tony a long look, then knelt, and took his friend’s hand. He turned both of his lips inward and bit down on them. “Hey, you.”

 “I think… I think…” Tony was struggling with breathing, but there was no fear in his eyes.

 Steve’s nostrils flared. He squeezed Tony’s pale, cold hand. “Should I get Pepper?”

 “Yeah.” He looked so brave. “Yeah, I think so.”

 “All right.” Steve couldn’t help it – the tears rose and overflowed in barely two seconds. His heart ached with a grief he’d never known. He nodded his head at Tony, put on the bravest smile he could, and whispered, “I’ll see you soon.”

 Tony called Steve’s name right before he went through the door. Cap sniffed and turned around and looked at his friend for the last time. With what very, very little strength he had left, Tony raised his hand, and saluted.

 After he retrieved Pepper from Morgan’s room, and watched her close the door to their bedroom, Steve walked slowly downstairs. Half of the boys were passed out in their sleeping bags, but Bruce and Clint were teaching Thor how to play poker at the dining room table. All three put their cards down and stared at Steve. Cap collapsed on the bottom step, put his arms on his knees, and wept. It was Thor who approached him, who put his hand on Steve’s shoulder, who squeezed Steve back when he stood and went in for an embrace. Steve waved the other two in, and the four remaining Avengers hugged.

 The End

[shortforstark]

ThunderIronHulk professor au (part 2):

“So, you must be the new professor.” Tony jumps, startled by the man who seems to have appeared in his doorway out of nowhere.

“Uhh, yeah,” he stammers, “Who- Who are you?”

“Loki Laufeyson,” the man introduces himself. He enters Tony’s office, striding forward with all the grace and poise of a queer-coded cartoon villain. He looks it too, with his jet-black hair and pale skin and eyes that are just a bit too green.

“Uh. I’m Tony. Tony Stark.”

“You seem to have settled in nicely.” Loki glances around the (mostly) unpacked office with an approving eye.

“Thanks?”

“I take it you haven’t met the rest of the faculty?”

“Not yet. Should I know who you are?”

“Oh, I don’t work here.” Tony stares at him. Loki’s smirk widens into a full grin.

“Loki!!” someone bellows from down the hall. Thundering footsteps sound from a distance.

“Ah, that would be my brother,” Loki confides, still grinning. “He’ll never think to look for me in here.”

“What does he teach?” Tony wonders.

“Thor?” Loki scoffs. “That oaf couldn’t teach a fish to swim.” Tony stares again.

“Do you actually know anyone here, or am I about to get murdered?”

“Is murder usually your first assumption?” Loki raises an eyebrow at that. Tony fidgets, uncomfortable.

“It’s a recent concern,” he admits. Loki frowns.

Before Tony can offer an explanation, Loki turns abruptly and leaves. He returns mere seconds later with a large muscly blonde in tow.

“You must be Professor Stark,” the giant golden retriever of a man beams at him. “It’s nice to officially make your acquaintance.”

“Uhh... Just Tony is fine,” Tony manages to respond.

“I am Thor Odinson. I see you’ve met my brother Loki.”

“Norse,” Tony says stupidly.

“Indeed,” Thor nods. “Though we haven’t been back to visit in some time.”

“So, uh, why are you here?” Tony blurts out. “I mean, at the school? Loki says you don’t teach? Shit. I’m usually less of a disaster.”

“We run the local theatre,” Thor explains. “I’m here to collect my husband for lunch. You should join us.”

“I’d hate to intrude.”

“Nonsense! Loki will be joining us, as will some other friends.”

“Okay, sure. I could use some new friends.” Tony suddenly finds himself enveloped in a big bear hug.

“Wonderful!” Thor exclaims. Loki just smirks when Tony squeaks in reply.

——-

“Is there an option to participate remotely?” Bruce asks, “Flying isn’t an option for me at the moment.”

“I can certainly ask,” Dr Helen Cho offers. “You’re not the first to suggest a virtual component. It would allow us to expand and diversify the conference.”

“Let me know if that’s the case. I’d definitely be interested then.”

“Certainly, Dr Banner.”

“Thanks.”

Bruce hangs up with a sigh.

“Any luck?” Thor pokes his head in the office.

“Maybe. You catch Loki?” The little shit had glitter bombed his stack of syllabi. Again.

“Indeed. And we have made a friend.” Thor always makes friends.

Of course, those friends aren’t usually extremely attractive men with big Bambi eyes and a perfect ass. So this must be Professor Stark.

“Hi,” the man in question waves awkwardly, “I’m Tony.” He looks small, sandwiched between Thor and Loki, but he’s clearly in shape.

“Bruce Banner.”

“Oh! I read your paper on anti-electron collisions! Ground breaking stuff!” Tony lights up as he talks science. His expression falters as he notices the green glitter all over Bruce’s desk and hands. “Is there some kind of holiday I don’t know about?”

“Loki,” Bruce replies. That’s usually enough of an explanation. Tony glances at Loki, whose smug grin confirms his involvement. Tony shifts a little closer to Thor. Smart man.

“Are you ready for lunch?” Thor asks. “Tony has agreed to join us.”

“Yeah,” Bruce nods. “Let me just wash up.” He waves his glitter-covered hands at them. Tony giggles, though he quickly tries to cover his reaction. Thor glances at Bruce with an expression better suited to asking if he can keep a stray kitten. Bruce nods to Thor, then offers Tony a grin. He walks past the trio to go wash his hands, but not before smearing some of the glitter on Loki. Loki’s outraged squawk is its own reward, but Tony’s startled laughter makes it even better. He’s definitely a keeper.

[voicemailsfrompeterparker]

—————————————————————

Voicemail #52

To: Tony Stark

From: Peter Parker

Hi, Mr. Stark. Today was your… 

Your funeral. 

So I thought I’d call. It was a very nice funeral, although I’m not the best judge of funeral quality since I’ve been to, like, two. You would have liked it. I mean, if it weren’t your funeral, you would have liked it, but then not really because it’s a funeral. What I’m trying to say is, well, everyone really came together to say goodbye. I know you always had a rocky relationship with people around you- I mean, the day I met you, you convinced me to fight half of the Avengers. Back then, I figured you guys weren’t the best of friends if you were so willing to kick each other's asses in a German airport. But today, I realized how wrong I was. They really did love you. All of them. I listened to Captain America tell stories about how you’d convinced the team to go for shawarma after the Battle of New York and to Dr. Banner talk about what a great science partner you were and to Thor- heckin’ Thor- said you were one of the few he met during all his years that he knew was truly good man. All of a sudden, I realized how many people’s lives you changed for the better- not just mine. 

About half way through the memorial service, Happy came out of the cabin with an announcement. “As you all know, Tony always liked to have the last word so, of course, he left a message,” he said. “Pepper wants to invite those closest to him to join her and Morgan in watching the hologram.”

“A holographic message?” The raccoon- because apparently during the five years I was gone, talking raccoons became a thing- asked. “Damn, that must be some expensive tech. Bet ya wouldn’t mind if I snagged a couple parts after ya guys are done weeping over it.” 

Happy glared at the raccoon then continued, “Like I was saying, we’d appreciate if only those close to Tony would make their way to the living room.”

“That includes me, right?” the raccoon asked. The man next to him- Quill?- kicked the talking raccoon with his boot. “What? I was close with, uh, Timothy?”

A hologram. That’s smart, Mr. Stark. A great way to say goodbye. But I didn’t watch it. After hearing Happy’s whole spiel about how the hologram was for those closest to you, I took a step back. Because, listening to everyone talk about you, like they knew you for years and years, got me thinking about how I didn’t know you for that long anyway. I didn’t have the chance. 

So I sat by the lake and watched your flowers drift into the distance. I don’t really know how long I sat there but, eventually, she sat down next to me.

“You must be Peter,” Ms. Potts said as she dangled legs off the dock next to mine.

“Yeah,” I said, quietly. “I, uh. I’m sorry for your loss,” I added, because that’s what people say at funerals. 

“And I’m sorry for yours,” she replied. It took me a moment to realize what she meant. “Where were you?” she continued after a moment. 

And I was like, “Where.. was I?”. Because if she was asking where I was any time during the last five years, I was busy being… well, dust.

“You missed his message,” Ms. Potts said and I understood what she meant.

I don’t know why I felt guilty but I did. “I didn’t think I was- well, I mean-” I tried to defend myself, I guess. “I feel like everyone knew him- really knew him. I was just some kid.”

Ms. Potts looked at me for a second then stood up. “Come with me, okay?” she said, then walked back into the house. I kinda stood there for a moment, ‘cause I didn’t really know if I, like, said something wrong. But Ms. Potts walked to the porch, only stopping to turn around and wave me over again, before disappearing into the house. I hurried after her, weaving though the people crowding the halls. I ended up in the kitchen, where Ms. Potts was staring at a shelf full of photographs. 

They were nice photographs, Mr. Stark. And looking at them, well, I felt like I was seeing your life. There was a picture of the view outside the cabin, one of you and Ms. Potts in wedding attire, and you and your daughter in Star Wars Halloween costumes. But the photograph that caught my eye was the one right in front of me. The one of us. Me and you at the Stark Internship. 

“That’s my photo,” I said. “The one that was in my room.”

“He went to your place,” Ms. Potts told me. “One of the first things he did when he got back. Brought the photograph home and it’s been there ever since.” She gestured to the rest of the photos, the ones of the last five years. “We had a life, kid. A good one too.” She smiled, and there was this sadness behind her eyes, but also happiness, y’know? “But there was always something keeping him up at night, keeping him from smiling too big. Someone.” Ms. Potts put her hand on my shoulder and told me, “You weren’t just some kid. Without you, he wouldn’t have saved the world.”

I wiped my eyes really aggressively then, and tried not to think how embarrassing it was to cry in front of Pepper freaking Potts. But she wiped her eyes too, and gave me a hug, and said ‘Don’t be a stranger, kiddo’ and you know what? For some reason, I felt happy.

—————————————————————

[swanky-batman]

Marvel’s Bachelors Part 12

Avengers x Reader, Sam Wilson x Reader, Steve Rogers x Reader, Bucky Barnes x Reader, Thor x Reader, Peter Parker x Reader

Warnings: maybe some language, swearing, drinking, some adult type situations, overall maybe just mature audience?

Part 12! Continues immediately after part 11 and continuing on the speed dates for the beach. Reader gets some time with the final trio.

I really appreciate that you guys are so patient! I wanted to post everything I wrote so you guys had some time to decide who should be leaving next round! It’s based on who you guys want so please let me know :)

Masterlist || Ko-Fi

Beginning- Previous

---------------------------------

You walked out and into the lobby, finding Sam waiting for you.

“Hey,” He greeted, smiling brightly towards you and nodding to Steve who waved and walked off.

“Hey!” You greeted back, the few drinks you had taking the edge off the night. You both stopped by the bar for another drink before him throwing you a coverup for your bathing suit and leading you out of the front door.

“Where are we going?” You asked as he led you down one of the paths.

“Well not to push but it’s kind of an endurance naturalist thing.” He winked, showing you part of the path. You both moved off the first stage and started climbing, testing you physically, having Sam right there next to you when you needed him.

You both spoke a bit in between all of it, mentioning things you saw on the path and stopping for a minute to catch your breath. Finally, a good fifteen minutes later and a slight increase and he led you to a bench off the beaten path.

You gasped, “It’s beautiful!” You breathed in, a large amount of fresh air hitting you.

“There are a lot of beautiful things here then.” He purposely set his eyes on you and you blushed, trying to turn away. You could hear him chuckling, “I thought this would be a nice spot to sit down and relax for a few minutes. You have a lot to do that I don’t think people realize.” He sat down first, patting next to him.

You nodded, “You realize it, Sam. Thank you again for helping me with everything.” You sat next to him, his arm immediately stretching out behind you on the bench and he smirked when you looked over at him. You chuckled to him, “You’re a really nice guy.”

“Keep it down, I don’t need my reputation getting tarnished.” He grinned over to you, winking. 

You both sat there for a minute, just taking in the scene and clearing your mind, although you could sense the heat from his arm right behind you and it made you feel strangely safe.

He checked his watch for a quick second and he sighed, looking over at you again.

“You got better things to do?” You teased.

“No but this girl I really like does.” He teased back, standing up and offering his hand out to you. “We have about five minutes left and I have one last surprise.”

“Another one?” You stood, getting pulled into him and him putting his arm around you, leading you a little ways off. You blushed but didn’t pull out of it, he stopped in front of someone with two braces. “What is this?” You asked, slightly afraid of what the answer would be.

“Gotta keep you on your toes, give you some relaxation and then speed that heartbeat back up.” He leaned in, helping you get in the harness, getting in one right behind you. 

“Sam,” You spoke, slightly scared and looking back at him with bulging eyes.

“I got you, don’t worry.” He grinned, leaning in and steadying you, calming you for a few seconds. Then he leaned in and kissed you, holding your face for a few seconds before pushing off and hugging you with him.

“Sam!” You shrieked, the slight sudden drop and movement making your stomach flip. He yelled behind you excitedly and you opened your eyes, seeing everything move past you in a blur. It was beautiful and unexpected, but a ton of fun, you even raised your fists in victory and shouted down the rest of the way. You could hear Sam laughing and shouting behind you before the whoosh of the momentum came to a stop and you got to the end, Sam helping you out of your harness.

“That was amazing!” You laughed, turning to him afterwards.

“It’s a rush, right?” He grinned, seeing your face light up. “Forgive me?”

You shrugged, “Maybe. A little more warning next time?” You laughed and he chuckled and shrugged back.

“My apologies for interrupting-” Came a loud voice over a speaker, “It’s time for the next portion of your night Y/N.”

He sighs, walking back towards the resort with you, “Man, a guy can’t catch a break.”

“Sorry, Sam.” You chuckled, “But I’ll see you tomorrow, right?”

“Couldn’t get rid of me if you tried.” He smirked, waving and heading towards his room once you both spotted Bucky.

“Hey,” Bucky smirked, his face lighting up once he caught sight of you.

“Hey!” You greet, a little worn out but excited to see him.

“You hungry?”

“Starving.”

“Great! Let’s head out.” He pulls a pair of sunglasses down over his face and leads you out, walking with you a short distance to a taco shack sitting right on the beach with a deck- you both grabbing a seat outside.

“This place looks great!” You smile, looking around, “How did you find it?”

“I can do recon if I put my mind to it.” He smiled, “I’m glad it worked.”

Talking over dinner and some drinks, he looked over you closely.

“You look tired.” He mentioned lightly, gazing over your face.

You grew pink, “Always saying what women want to hear.” You smirked, teasing in his direction, making him smirk back.

“You know that isn’t what I meant.” The waitress came by to pick up your plates and Bucky didn’t even break eye contact.

You blushed a little deeper, thanking the waitress before slowly turning back to him, finishing up your drink. “Wanna go for a walk on the beach?” You asked, the evening growing slightly darker.

“Sure.” He answered after another minute, you both walked on the beach for a little bit in silence, the sounds of the water and the voices of others in passing a nice background noise. After a few more minutes, the crowds of people seem to die down quite a bit and Bucky quietly took your hand. You looked up at him, seeing his cheeks blush. 

You found a nice place that had a bench on the sand and sat down, letting the calm of the waves and slight breeze calm you. 

“I’m sorry Tony has kinda made this even more stressful for you. We wish he’d lay off a bit, it’s alright a lot to process.” He bit his lip.

“We?” You giggled lightly, “Everyone talking about me?” You asked, gazing out on the water.

“The guys are worried about you. I could fix a bit of your stress I think.”

“Oh yeah? What does Dr. Bucky prescribe?” You grinned, facing towards him and realizing his face was much closer than you figured.

“Well, there are a couple of things.” His eyebrow raised and he blushed slightly before looking down, “But the most selfish one is I wish I could be the only guy you have to worry about.”

You cleared your throat after a few seconds, a blush formed on your cheeks, “Did you try that one with Tony?” You both chuckled, him shaking his head.

“Somehow I don’t think he’ll go for it.”

“You never know unless you try, right?” You chuckled again, looking over at him and he leaned towards you.

“I guess you’re right.” He smiled softly, lips lingering before you for a few seconds giving you time to realize what he was about to do before meeting your lips. Softly once, twice, he pulled back slightly, “I’m sorry, was that okay?”

“You already know that answer.” You spoke in a whisper, his face still just in front of yours.

“Y/N, I know we haven’t know each other that long but I really like you.” He looked down.

“I really like you too, Bucky.” You leaned away slightly, looking back towards the water, “I like being a part of the team. I like being around all of you guys. It’s made it really hard on me but it has to be hard on you guys too.”

He took your hand, giving you a tight smile when you finally met his eyes, “It kind of feels like a third party is picking for us. In the beginning it made it easy, it’s terrifying to know who’s next. I mean, the god of thunder was out.” He made a scared face before breaking and chuckling.

“My apologies for interrupting-” Came a loud voice over a speaker, “It is the end of your night, Y/N.”

You sighed after getting startled by the noise, “Guess we should head back.” You gave him a smirk.

“Let’s go.” He stood, offering his hand out to you and pulling you up once you took it. It was a fairly quiet walk back to the hotel, you just held his hand and walked with a relaxing breeze surrounding you.

“Hey!” A voice shouted when you guys got closer, Steve and Sam waving you guys down. 

“You done for the night or do you want to hang out on the dock in the back?” Steve asked lightly.

“They have fishing poles, lounge chairs, a bar and a volleyball court.” Sam grinned, “I challenge you to a match.” Sam pointed to Bucky.

“He’s just sore because he lost to me.” Steve smirked, looking at you, “We completely understand if you don’t feel like it though.”

“No, it sounds like fun!” You exclaimed, I could use a drink and lounge while the match goes on.

“Alright, Sam you’re on.” Bucky grinned, all four of you walking towards the back. It seemed pretty cleared out.

“There aren’t many people staying here at the moment, are there?” You chuckled, looking around.

“Looks like Tony gave us some room.” Sam nodded, looking around as well.

“I’m not complaining.” Bucky smirked and Steve agreed.

There was a bartender at the bar and that was it, no one in the lounge chairs, no one playing on the volleyball court, no one fishing near the docks. Music drifted through some speakers near the bar and you all went and grabbed a round of drinks. You and Steve sat on some lounge chairs that you brought closer to the court and watched Sam and Bucky play an aggressive set.

“Ha!” Sam shouted, doing a little dance.

“He clearly let you win.” Steve smirked, looking at Bucky who had already picked the ball up and tossed it towards you. You hit it back to him and he winked.

“No way, Cap!” Sam exclaimed, “I won fair and square. Right, Barnes?”

Bucky smiled a tight smile, shrugging, “Sure.” Sam frowned immediately in response, looking to you for help.

You held your hands up in defense, “Hey I’m not good enough at the game to see if someone was throwing it. I kept up with who was scoring.” They smiled to you, Steve going and grabbing another round for you and him.

“Wow, I guess the winner will go get his own.” Sam threw his hands up in mock sarcasm, shooting you a wink and smirk before heading to grab a drink.

You guys all picked up a friendly team game of volleyball before fishing slightly and ended with everyone inside in the pool at the end of the night. It was nice to hang out with them without any pressure or cameras on you, at least that any of you assumed. You found a lot out about all three from each other, they knew so much and teased the others. They didn’t make anything really awkward and they all seemed to be relaxed.

The walk back was the most awkward part of the whole night, they all walked you to your room and you blushed. “This is me. Thank you guys for an amazing and fun filled day.” You paused, before adding, “Goodnight!”

“Goodnight, Y/N!” Sam waved back and winked to you when you met his eyes, turning and walking further down the hall.

“Night, Y/N.” Bucky smiled, walking off down the hall as well.

Steve paused for a moment longer, giving you a soft smile and staring straight at you.

“Steve?” You tilted your head.

“Sorry, I just really want to soak every second with you in.” He smirked, “I’ll let you get some sleep. Goodnight, Y/N.” He turned after another second and walked further down the hall.

You opened your door and flicked your light on, giving a slight sigh. Today was amazing and fun filled but also overwhelming and exhausting. Who knew what Tony had in store for tomorrow? Your heart hurt for the results to come in, you almost wished that none of them would go but at the same time you needed this show to get finished. You were not used to all of this attention and you would be more than happy when that part came back to you. You weren’t sure which one would not be in the next round but it hurt to know that the guys were going to think they weren’t enough.

 You blew off sleep for a little longer to prepare something for all of them the next day, excited to be able to do something to show them you cared about them.

----------

end part 12

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[imagine-loki]

Return

TITLE: Return CHAPTER NO./ONE SHOT: Chapter Four AUTHOR: theterrifyingtermite ORIGINAL IMAGINE: Imagine that, at the end of Endgame, Loki comes back. Only one problem: this isn’t your Loki… RATING: T NOTES/WARNINGS: Trigger warning: There’s a mention of Loki’s suicide attempt halfway through the third section. (also, I hate dialogue. bear with me…)

Chapter Four:

There was a voice off in the distance somewhere, muttering about something. Another voice answered, and then a third shushed them both.

It was the first thing she was aware of as she came back to herself, and she allowed herself to listen to them; not to hear them, but to allow the murmur to help pull her out of the secure recess of her mind.

The second thing she noticed, upon further evaluation, was that she was blessedly, “Warm.”

Her sigh brought about silence.

And reality.

Now she would have to explain some things.

Barely able to hold back a groan, she blinked up at the concerned face of Christine, a stern one she easily identified as the former-doctor-sorcerer Doctor – Strange indeed – and a third, Oriental-looking man whose expression fell somewhere in the middle of the former two.

“Come on up,” Doctor Strange commanded, slipping an arm under her shoulders to help raise her into a sitting position and situate her back into the corner, supported by a pillow Christine stuffed behind her.

Once she had nodded that she was alright and rubbed at her eyes, the other presumed sorcerer sat down next to her, absentmindedly patting one of her feet she had tucked up on the cushion.

“Now then!” With a wave of his hand, a chair was conjured  “The Chinese Michelin man to your right is Wong. Wong, say hello.”

“Hello,” was the solemn, demanded intonation, which was followed by another pat at her nod and a sour glance towards the other man.

His greeting, however, was nearly steamrolled over. “I must say, I am very impressed with your ability to track down information that you want. Is that something you do for a living? Do you work for the government?”

She faltered immediately, “Uh, no, I-“

“Did you specialize in espionage? Do you work for a foreign government? You-“

“I-“

“Stephen!” Christine, having pulled over another chair, shoved his arm roughly, and shook her head at the cringing woman. “Don’t answer any of that.”

At Stephen’s sigh, she finally forced something out. “I don’t work anywhere right now. I’m on medical leave because of the baby. I blipped pregnant, and when that was found out, everyone got pretty hysterical.”

“Ah.” He nodded, leaning back in his seat and steepling his fingers under his chin. “I take it you’re not seeing any doctors at the moment. Not with the state we found you in.”

A wince, and she shook her head in the negative. “Once it started happening, I stopped going to appointments. I managed enough of a lie and redirection to get away with it. I wasn’t the only pregnant Blipped person in their office. Just the earliest.”

“Go back. Define ‘it’ for us’.”

With a sigh, she began to relate the issues she had been having the past several weeks. The outbursts of magic that had sucked her life away, bit by bit; the fainting spells that lasted for hours; the torturous drop in body heat, cold, always cold; and how-

“What triggered all of this? Was is random, start gradually, or was there a cause?”

More foot patting, and very soft hmms from her right.

“I ran into his father,” was the whisper that was finally breathed into the silence. “He…wasn’t happy about something, and we argued, and it’s like the baby fought back. After that, it was every once in a while…Then I saw the father a second time; we argued again, and then it got worse.”

Another “Hmm,” was all she heard back.

He stared at her for another moment, then exchanged a cautious look with Wong. Christine, who had disappeared back into another room, returned with a mug of tea to press into her hand.

“So,” Wong started off slowly, waiting until her gaze had turned towards him. “Care to explain why we had to work a spell around the baby to maintain his temperature while simultaneously regulating one for the rest of your body?”

“It will adapt with you and your environment, for the record,” came the interruption from Stephen. “But the baby’s will stay the same.”

A hesitant nod, and a very interesting cup of tea at which she could look and hopefully drown herself. At this point, Wong’s hand rested on her ankle, squeezing gently, as the other man continued brusquely.

“Identifying the type of magic used is vital. In order to cast the spells that you need to sustain the ones we have already woven, care to tell us who the father is?”

___

In the time before, when Loki was alive, and they were together and happy, he showed her the truth.

He allowed her to see the memories and feel the terror he had known at the most devastating moment, when he had looked at himself and seen his true identity.

And when she had opened her eyes, his skin was shaded blue, and his eyes were the softest red she had ever seen.

She had stared at him for an uncertain length of time; as if she were to blink, then he might vanish away.

When she lifted a hand towards his face, he flinched.

A pause; her hand still in the air.

When he had eventually nodded, she traced the markings on his face, fingers gliding gently.

After a few minutes, his breathing evened out, and she tugged up his sleeves – turning his arms this way and that, tracing every line that she found.

He even permitted her to slowly unbutton his shirt; not to fully remove it, but to push the sides away to see the continuation of the geometrics embedded into his skin.

And then she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him against her as tightly as she could, considering they were sitting cross-legged on her rug.

And then he exhaled, returning her embrace, and slowly allowing himself to relax against her.

They stayed that way for a moment longer, and then his coloring faded to the everyday pale, and he helped her to her feet.

___

For several heartbeats – five, to be exact, as her heart was thudding so strongly, she could easily count – there was silence.

It was only after she dared to look back at them, expression as hard and exact as the truth, that there was any reaction.

“Do you have any idea what this means?” came from the man in front; the Doctor in whose hands she had placed their two lives.

His eyes were drilling into her, no doubt reflecting some internal, murderous wish.

The hand on her foot, from the quirky, comforting Wong, was pulled away, and he sighed heavily as the rage continued.

“Do you even know what he did?”

She set her jaw firmly, knowing her face was taking on ‘the look,’ as the god in question used to call it. Even though he would tease her, he knew better than to push too far.

“Compared to how stupid you think I am, I do live in New York,” she muttered, eyebrows drawing together.

“Dear heart, one look like that, and stone would melt away.”

“I know what happened, but that was years ago.”

Even as Stephen continued to rant on, and on, and on, and Wong would occasionally interject another point, she kept half an eye on Christine. The other woman, while looking startled at first, had slowly fallen down into concern.

There was a pity in Christine’s look that made her want to retaliate, while simultaneously logically realizing that could prove to be helpful.

“-he was an absolute, megalomaniac who-“

She wondered what Loki would say to this. Nothing, probably. Or not anything useful and everything antagonistic. It would depend on if he were in a mood of sullenness or regret.

She, however, was neither of those, and feeling more like a normal human than she had in months.

“-not to mention all the trouble he caused on-“

“Fine then, Dr. Strange,” was the interruption, snapped indignantly as she set her tea down, stood abruptly, and glared down at him. “I have something to show you.”

His tirade broken; his status leaving him unused to being overwhelmed, Stephen fell silent.

Spotting her bag slung off to the side, no doubt due to her rather dramatic entrance earlier, she stepped to it quickly, pulling out a manila folder.

And then she turned back, sliding a printed picture out and pushing it into his hands.

“This was taken at the Shield facility he infiltrated back in 2012. It’s not the best picture, but it’s clear enough. Look at his face. His eyes.

“He was a Frost Giant,” was her continuation, hands beginning to tremble as the readily anger bled away to hurt and rising exhaustion. “What do you think would be the best way to torture someone from an ice realm?”

There was no answer.

Not that she needed one.

“What Thor decided to keep to himself, for whatever reason, is that Loki,” she swallowed hard, demanding the tears keep at bay, “tried to kill himself. He let himself fall off the Bifrost Bridge. Thanos ‘saved’ him, tortured him, and tried to use Loki in his plan to decimate half the universe.”

She wondered if they could see her tears; see the pain she remembered from him reflected on her face.

When silence remained, she pulled out the next picture, a rough screenshot of Loki doubled over, and hands reaching out to keep the god steady.

“He told me that was the first time he was let out of Thanos’ sight, and with a staff that enabled mind control.” A breathless laugh rose unbidden. “Do you think that was just for everyone else? Once the Avengers took it from him, his was finally able to think normally again.”

Her eyes moved between the three people. Wong’s shoulders had slumped, Stephen appeared to be sulking, and Christine –

Christine was studying the first picture.

As if she felt her eyes on her, Christine glanced up at her, then over at Stephen.

Then a soft answer. “It looks like heat stroke.”

The men both turned towards her and were met with a shrug. “That’s what I would diagnose at first sight. Wouldn’t you, Stephen?”

Stephen, incoherently muttering to himself, eventually nodded in sullen acquiescence.

She sighed, dropping back onto the couch. “For the last few years, or-”

A stumble, as the reality of the Blip flashed through her mind.

“At least, the last few years before the Blip, Loki was masquerading as the King of Asgard-”

“That I knew,” came the interjection from Stephen. “He and Thor came to Earth a few weeks before the Blip to pick up Odin. He tried to stab me,” was the ending mumble.

Oh, her heart.

A small smile flitted across her face.

“Remember, Odin said he chose to stay,” Wong was now lounging, holding a cup of some steaming liquid, sipping at it casually as if it had not been conjured up from nothing.

“What does that have to do with it?” Stephen was sulking.

“Well, if it was so terrible on Asgard, why wouldn’t he want to go fix it?”

The two men, falling silent as they engaged in another unheard conversation, turned in unison to look at her.

Sighing, she picked up her mug, tea now cold, and mimicked the Chinese sorcerer’s position. Peering over the brim of it at her lesser favorite of the two men, she offered a solution.

“Why don’t you ask Thor what the people thought of Loki’s reign?”

___

It had been spring.

Cool, but not enough to dampen her delight at seeing him.

They had been walking that day, wandering through a park, when he had burst out about the home he had stumbled upon while adventuring disguised one day.

While it sounded absolutely luxurious to her ‘Midgardian mindset’ – as he often enjoyed reminding her – it did not seem to be satisfactory to him.

Not in the way it should be.

Not when there was a young, dark haired child playing alone on the doorstep.

He was upset.

When he fell silent, body tense after his outburst, she tugged him to a stop.

Was he the king of Asgard or not? was her quiet answer, coupled with a gentle hand on his arm. Why didn’t he just do something about it?

His step paused, and his head tilted towards her.

Well, perhaps he would then, was his agreement, shoulders relaxing.

A smirk lifting the corner of his mouth.

Then a hand encircled her waist, rotating her body towards his; pulling her up on her toes as he leaned down to meet her halfway.

___

[littlesliceofmarvel]

Back To The Future

Request/Synopsis: Tony and the reader have been friends forever, and the reader is related to Peggy Carter. Something goes wrong in the lab one day and the two of them are sent back to the 40s, and they run into a couple familiar faces. Along the way to get back home, they discover their feelings for each other.

Warnings: Swearing (ofc)

Pairings: Tony x Reader

A/N: As always, Gif isn’t mine. I know that originally the request was to have help from Howard Stark, but I changed it slightly. Also, I have no idea when this takes place in the timeline of the MCU, but oh well. I also don’t remember much about the first Captain America and the timeline of that, so ignore any mistakes I’ve made. Enjoy! xx

Being one of Shield’s scientists came with major responsibility and unpredictability. One second you could be doing an upgrade on Thor’s phone, which to him was rocket science, or you could be doing actual rocket science. You worked with NASA for countless years, and when they teamed up for a task with Shield five years ago, Fury was captivated by your skills and got you on board right away. You took the job without a second of hesitation.

You got used to the insanity of this job fairly quickly with the help of Tony Stark, who happens to have become one of your best friends. He was there to help you when it came to stuff you didn’t fully understand, like most extraterrestrial technology that came through the lab. You had become one of Shield’s most trusted scientists, and you were always the go-to person when Stark was out of town. You did love your job, and working with some of the toughest people in the world really helped motivate you to be the best at everything you did.

“(Y/N),” your thoughts were cut off by Fury’s voice, booming over the conference room, “Do you think you can handle this?”

Unfortunately, you had been paying no attention to what Fury had been saying, and you wanted nothing more than to sink back into the big black leather chair when everyone’s eyes faced you. 

“Of course,” you gave Fury a forced smile, to which he nodded, telling the team you had it covered. Your face flushed as you felt the humiliation settling in of not paying attention to Fury and getting yourself roped into something.

“It’s settled,” Fury clapped his hands together, “Dr. (Y/L/N) will handle the Infinity Stones.”

Oh, boy. You were screwed.

-

After accidentally agreeing to be the one to dissect the Infinity Stones, you found yourself in the lab, facing three glowing gems. One green, one purple, and one red. You were told they were the time stone, power stone, and reality stone. You were supposed to look into them to see what they possessed, what they could do, and how they worked. It was something you never expected to be doing. You had heard of the Infinity Stones in the past, having dealt with the tesseract and Loki’s scepter during his 2012 attack, but you wanted nothing to do with them.

“Ouch, son of a bitch,” you let out a small yelp when you lifted the time stone, a small burn mark left on your fingers. You turned around and grabbed a pair of gloves before turning back to the green gem. You placed it on a small stand, picking up a giant magnifying glass and letting it sit in front of your face as the gem showed up on the large screen. 

“THE TIME STONE, ONE OF SIX INFINITY STONES” the file read as you zoomed in on the image of the stone, analyzing its structure. There was a microscopic bead of light on the outside of the stone that caught your attention, and you zoomed in on it to see what it was. A small hole on the side of the stone led straight to the middle, the natural light it was producing leaking out of the tiny hole.

“How’s it going in here?” You jumped, facing a grinning Tony Stark who was munching away on a bag of raisins. You shot him a death glare for scaring you, turning back to face the green item.

“Not as bad as you’d think,” you grinned, showing Tony the screen that sat in front of you, a close up shot of the Time Stone catching his attention.

“What’s that?” he pointed towards the small hole that caught had your attention, offering you a raisin as he did so. One thing you couldn’t understand was how often this guy ate, and in the lab.

“Why are you eating in my space?” You crossed your arms, facing him.

He gave you a sassy look, placing his hand on his hip, “You’re actually in my space.”

You rose an eyebrow, “Ok, Mister Boss Man, whatever you say.” Tony gave you a glare and pointed to the stone once again.

“What is that, though?” he closed up the bag and placed it on the desk behind you, eyes not coming off of the screen as you picked up a tiny pair of tweezers, pointing to the Stone.

“Don’t ask me, I don’t know,” you shrugged, slowly moving to pick up the Stone with the tweezers. Tony turned his attention to what you were doing, watching as you carefully picked up the stone with the tweezers, and before you knew it, everything went green, and then black.

-

You woke up, your head pounding out of your skull. Your eyes felt swollen shut, but once you forced them awake, you were greeted by sunlight. You could feel grass between your fingers and on the back of your neck, indicating that you were laying down. It took you a few seconds to adjust to the brightness, your mind swirling with what just happened.

The Stone.

You jumped up, looking around for where you were, trying to find the lab and the stone. You remembered Tony, and your eyes immediately scanned around to find him. You looked around for indications of what happened and where you were, finding nothing but an empty field, a dirt road going through the trees.

“What the hell?” You mumbled, breathing heavily as panic started to set in, realizing what might be happening. The Stone, the Time Stone. Time travel. 

Shit. Shit. Shit.

“Tony!?” You called out, brushing your hair out of your face as you started speed-walking towards the dirt road, “Tony Stark, where are you?!” 

“(Y/N)?” A quiet groan came from the long grass and you rushed over to where it came from, your heart nearly exploding when you saw Tony Stark laying in the grass, struggling to open his eyes, reaching his hand out so you could help him up.

“Where are we?” He asked, voice coarse from the passing out of sorts. You looked around, hoping to find some sort of a clue. And that’s exactly what you got. A vehicle passed on the road, a small Buick passing by on the road and turning into the trees, both of your eyes locked on it before you both exchanged a knowing look. It was a 40′s model.

“Shit, please tell me we didn’t go back in time,” you mumbled, grabbing Tony’s arm and looking in his eyes.

He kept his eyes on the road which the car disappeared on, “Oh, you want me to lie. No, we haven’t gone back in time.”

You let out a frustrated groan, throwing your head back and running your hands through your hair, tugging aggressively. How could this have happened? It was all your fault. How did the Stone send you back in time without you having done anything? And why to the 40′s?

“Tony, what the hell do we do?” You asked, eyes almost watering at how panicked you were. Tony turned his attention back to you and placed his hands on your shoulders, steadying you.

“Ok, first of all, stressing out isn’t going to help.”

You pushed him off of you, “Sorry, but we’re currently in the 40′s! Tell me what part of this I should be calm about,”

He rolled his eyes at you, “You know what? Be lucky we got thrown back to the 40s, we know people here.”

You furrowed your eyebrows, waving your arms, “Sorry, who the hell do we know here?”

“My dad, Howard Stark, pre-pubescent Steve is probably running around here somewhere, and your aunt, the one Steve loved what’s her name again?” Tony put his hands to his temple and everything clicked in your head.

“Peggy!” You shouted, a smile on your face, “Of course, this all makes sense.”

“Sorry, what part of this makes sense to you?”

You smiled at him, “Ok, the stone can connect to DNA, right? When you come in contact with it, you feel it as much as it feels you. So, when I somehow triggered a reaction from it, it threw us into time, in general. It connected the two of us to DNA from here, of course!” The Time Stone was one of the only Stones that could feel human connection, and it only made sense that once you touched it and opened a portal of time, you and Tony’s DNA got jumbled and matched it to your relatives in the 40s, Howard Stark and Margaret Carter. 

“I’m not following,” Tony gave you a blank stare, “but cut the enthusiasm, we still need to get back to where we came from.”

“Do you think they would know a way?” You asked, and Tony nodded at you, pulling your hand and dragging you down the road. 

After a long, long walk, the two of you pulled up to a small gate, and behind it looked like a military boot camp. You heard drill calls and groups of men running and you immediately thought that this is probably where Steve trained. There was a small circular looking building near the back, which clearly led to underground.

“So, this is the base where they’re all at, huh?” You asked as Tony used FRIDAY to hack into the card ID holder, letting the gate open wide.

You looked around, taking in the sights. Men walked around in old military gear, which to them was modern. Talks of German attack forces and the attack on Pearl Harbour two years ago would make this 1943. Your head swirled at the idea of wanting to take in as much history as you could, but you knew you needed to get back home. In the distance, you could see the faint outline of the old New York City, the Stark Tower obviously not being there made the seriousness of this situation feel so much more real.

You turned around to look for Tony, but a small body came crashing into yours, almost knocking you over. You looked down to face a familiar face, your heart getting caught in your throat.

“Rogers?” You asked, Steve’s blue eyes looking into yours questioningly. He looked like a child, his head almost looking too big for his body. You knew that Steve used to be smaller, but this was more than you had expected. Seeing him like this, knowing he didn’t know you at this moment made your eyes water.

“Do.. Do I know you?” He asked, his helmet falling into his face, practically making it disappear. You wanted to tell him, but you couldn’t. This was all too much for you. You had no idea what to do.

“C’mon, punk,” another voice came up from beside you, “You’re falling behind, it’s embarrassing.”

You turned to see Bucky standing next to you, smiling down at Steve whose cheeks turned slightly pink. You knew Barnes was a Sergeant, but something about seeing him here caught you off guard, as the only times you had come in contact with him was when he was the Winter Soldier. From the corner of your eye, you could see Tony’s mouth hanging open, taking out his phone to quietly take a picture of little Steve. 

Steve nodded at Bucky and turned away from you as your heart shattered. 

“Tony, we need to get out of here, now,” you spoke shakily, looking back to Bucky and Steve, who seemed lost in their own conversation. You couldn’t process everything that was going on, you just wanted to wake up and have this all be a dream. Tony pulled you in for a hug, soothing you, and somehow, it pulled you away from the chaos around you, and you found yourself sinking into his arms, your heart rate slowing down.

He pulled away and looked into your eyes, “Hey, I promise I’ll get you home safe.” You nodded, feeling the impact of his words hit you harder than anything this man has ever said to you. 

“Let’s go home,” you whispered, staring right into his warm brown eyes.

“Let’s get to my dad, then.”

-

Tony led you through long hallways, flashing a card that said M.I.T VISITORS to grant us access into certain spaces. The two of you checked all the doors to find the one that belonged to Howard Stark, and you figured Tony had found it when you came crashing into his back, notifying you he stopped dead in his tracks.

“Tony, what the hell, move your feet,” you groaned, regaining your balance.

You turned to see what had caught his attention and you were right, a large glass door with the words HOWARD STARK stood in front of him, making your mouth drop slightly.

“I can go in if you don’t want to face him,” your soft voice broke Tony out of his trance as he turned to face you, a little paler than he was a minute ago.

He shook his head, “No, no, it’ll be ok, maybe I’ll ask him for sushi or something.”

“Tony-”

“It’s fine,” he cut you off, turning back to face the door, knocking loudly. You didn’t think twice before looking over to him and sliding your hand into his, interlocking your fingers together, giving his hand a small squeeze, to which you saw him visibly calm down. He took a deep breath as a figure walked over to the frosty glass door and swung it open, and before you stood Howard Stark.

Tony’s hand went limp in yours as you took in the man in front of you. He had groomed brown hair pushed out of his face, a moustache of the same colour sitting right above his lip. If you didn’t know he was Tony’s dad, you would have very easily deciphered it. The two looked quite similar, although oddly enough, Tony looked older than his father. Which technically at the moment, he was. But he also wasn’t born yet in the moment. 

“How may I help you two?” Howard’s voice asked kindly, yet firmly, confirming his position of authority. You looked over to Tony who looked too gob-smacked to speak, so you took over.

“Hello, Mr Stark,” you smiled, sticking out your hand to which he shook, “We’re from M.I.T, and we needed more credits so we were told to come speak to you, actually. If you’re not too busy.”

He looked between the two of you and nodded slowly, moving out of the way to let the two of you in. His office was quaint, a large wooden desk sat in the middle with chairs lining the sides, a large window looking over the field where boot camp was installed.

“Take a seat, do you want coffee or anything?” He asked, and you shook your head, Tony still not fully being able to speak.

“So, what are we supposed to talk about, exactly?” Howard pointed to the chairs in front of his desk to which you and Tony took, as he sat in the seat facing the two of you, arms on his desk. This almost felt like an interrogation.

“Sushi,” Tony muttered, causing you to roll your eyes.

“Sorry, he’s a little slow, he didn’t eat lunch,” you gave a fake laugh and kicked Tony’s foot lightly under the table as to say ‘smarten up or he’ll get suspicious.’ You understood this was overwhelming for him, having tragically lost his parents when he was much younger, but right now, the two of you needed information from Howard.

“We actually are doing a presentation at the moment about time travel,” you smiled kindly, leaning forwards slightly, “Do you believe in such a thing?”

Howard squinted before leaning back in his chair, “I do.”

Both of your eyes widened, giving each other a knowing look.

“That’s - That’s great, why do you believe in it?” Tony regained his brain and tried to get the information you guys needed.

Howard smiled slightly, “Is this going in your presentation? It’s kind of top secret.”

You shook your head, “Of course not, Mr. Stark, we don’t want to reveal your secrets.”

“What she means is ‘please tell us,” Tony stated bluntly, causing you to snap your head in his direction. Howard chuckled, looking between the two of you.

“What are your names?” 

Tony took a deep breath, “I’m, uh, Tony St- Tony (Y/L/N), and this is my wife, (Y/N) (Y/L/N).” You thanked God that he caught himself before he let Stark slip out of his mouth.

“Well, Mr and Mrs (Y/L/N), I believe in time travel because I’ve seen some wild things in my life, this isn’t some ordinary United States military camp,” he gave you two a knowing smirk, causing you to look at Tony, who held a smile on his face.

“Can you show us? Or, tell us I mean?” Tony asked, shaking his head to show that he made a mistake in the first question, but I knew he wanted to see what he meant, it could lead us back to home.

“I can’t, guys, I’m sorry, that’s way past confidential,” he gave you a sad smile and you exhaled a deep breath, wanting nothing more than to find out what he was talking about. 

Tony dropped his head, “Alright, thank you, da- I mean, Mr. Stark.”

Howard asked if you guys needed anything more, and when you both said no, he let out out of his office, and once the door was closed, Tony let out a deep breath he had been holding, clutching the wall.

“Tony, are you alright?” You placed a hand on his shoulder, steadying him as he struggled to breathe. He shook his head and you placed your hands on either side of his face, causing him to look straight into your eyes.

“I know, that was a lot, I’m proud of you for being able to do it, Tony,” you gave him a sincere smile, your heart picking up speed at how intensely he looked into your eyes, “We’re going to get through this together, I promise you, okay? We just need to find-” You were cut off by the sound of yelling behind you, and when you turned around, two men came running down the hall in your direction, gunshots firing.

“Change of plans,” Tony grabbed your arm and pulled you down the hall and down a long staircase, the sound of the men following you close behind. Tony continued leading the two of you down at least five flights of stairs, the footsteps becoming louder, signalling that there were probably more people chasing the two of you. As you reached the bottom of the stairs, the door was locked. 

“Really? Every other fucking door was practically calling us in but this one’s locked?” Tony cursed, wrapping his arms around you as the sounds of the footsteps got closer. You knew they had weapons, so you shoved your face into Tony’s chest, his heart beating against your ear.

“Any chance you can become Iron Man?” you mumbled into his shirt.

“Sorry, sweetheart, left the tech at home,” he placed his face in your hair, silently placing his head in the crook of you neck, making your breath hitch.

“I got em!” A voice shouted and you heard a gunshot go off, making you jump and squint your eyes leaning further into Tony’s chest as you braced for impact. Why they had been ordered to shoot you, you couldn’t say, but you knew the two of you seemed suspicious from the get-go. Maybe asking Howard Stark some pretty invasive questions set off some sort of alarm, raising attention to the two of you being here. 

You didn’t hear anymore gunshots go off and your heart stopped, fear that they had gotten Tony made a tear slip down your eyes as you continued holding him tightly, your breath picking up. No more bullets came, and the silence was taken over by a small chuckle.

“Send them back in time and they become one person,” a familiar voice said, causing one of your eyes to open. You pulled away from Tony, your eyes scanning the all-too-familiar surroundings. The Time Stone sat in front of you, along with Natasha, Steve, Bruce and Rhodey, who looked at the two of you in confusion.

“Oh, my god,” you choked out, relief flooding through your entire body. To say your mind was jumbled was an understatement, but seeing that you were back home sent your body into a wave of comfort and your shoulders relaxed instantly.

“Tony, we’re back,” you pulled away from him slightly, noticing his eyes were still shut. He opened them and his face instantly relaxed, realizing that the two of you were safe and back home. 

“It’s about damn time you guys noticed we were gone,” Tony scoffed at the team, “I mean, honestly, we were stuck there long enough. After I saw your pre-serum body, Steve, I was ready to run back to the future.”

Steve rolled his eyes, “Shut up, Tony.”

“How did you guys bring us back?” You asked, looking between the four Avengers. If you had been totally honest, although you had made a terrible mistake with the stone, you had been infinitely grateful to have Tony there, and you felt a special connection with him now, having shared this together.

“Well, after the stone sent you guys back, a flash of green went off and we knew something had gone wrong,” Natasha explained, “So, Bruce rushed in here and managed to figure out a way to reverse what it had just done.”

You let out an exasperated sigh and leaned your body over the table, laughing slightly when Tony’s bag of raisins caught your eye. What a day it had been. You pinched yourself repeatedly to see if it was real. You couldn’t believe the things you saw today. Steve, Bucky, Howard, it was a lot. You had secretly wished to see your aunt Peggy, but something told you that she would have suspected a lot more out of you than Howard did. 

“Well,” you started, “All I can take from today is that I’m now craving sushi,” you winked at Tony who gave you a smirk.

“How bout you and I go get a nice sushi dinner?” Tony approached you, “What do you say, sweetheart? I think we deserve it.”

You felt heat rise to your cheeks when you remembered the rest of the people in the room, but you nodded up at him and his face broke out into a massive smile, and you felt more relaxed than you had been in a long time.

Maybe going back in time wasn’t so bad. After all, now you have a date with Tony Stark.

[gods-own-xman]

A Worthy Heart - chapter 3

A Thororo Fic

Unbeknownst to Thor there was a second spell casted on Mjolnir. Soon he and the X-Men’s Storm are shocked to find out what it is and what it means for them.

Warnings: Language, subject matter and smut to come. Word Count: 1,839

Please comment/reblog. I’d appreciate it! If you’d like to be tagged for future chapters lmk!

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Once they returned to the palace from her tour Ororo was shown to her suite for the stay. It was spacious, and extravagant as to be expected. What was unexpected was a wardrobe filled with new gowns, or the steaming bath with flowery sweet, soothing oils awaiting her. She took this as her hint to ready herself for dinner, sure to be feasting with Thor's family.

Stripping down Storm sunk into the deep tub, gently sighing as she felt the heat of the water engulfing her. She supposed after learning such alarming news this was a splendid way to try to center herself. She soon found herself shutting her eyes closed in relaxation, even enjoying the chirp of a bird on a branch nearby outside her window. But if only Ororo had opened her eyes then she'd see that ravens did not tweet, nor had green eyes.

Dread filled Thor. Though his time with Ororo was pleasing thus far that did not change the fact of his mother's meddling with magic to play matchmaker for him. Dinner with Ororo and his parents placed a great unease over Thor. His fear of his father offending Ororo, and his mother embarrassing him with anecdotes of his adolescence was strong enough for him to chug two goblets full of mead back to back as if it were water. He had a third for good measure in hopes that his younger brother, Loki would be absent and in preparation in case he wasn't.

With that he then went on to collect Ororo for supper. Knocking on her door, Thor was surprised to find Ororo stepping out looking so… marvelous. Yes, he found her to be beautiful previously but now as she stood before him with her natural waves of snow-white hair framing her face, calling attention to her sepia skin and sky-blue eyes it was enough to make Thor pause, momentarily caught off guard by her radiance.

"I must say Lady Ororo, your beauty is beyond expectations."

"Oh? What did you expect?"

Thor gave Storm a boyish smile. "That's the conundrum, Ororo. I already expected you to be beautiful." He then offered her his arm, escorting her to the dining room.

His mother and father were already at the heads of the table as was to be expected. So far there was no sign of his troublesome younger brother, Loki. He didn't need the trickster prince complicating matters with him, Ororo and Mjolnir.

With effortless grace she bowed before Odin and Frigga before going to take her seat. Thor pulled out her chair then took his own. Just as Thor had settled into his seat the doors to the dining hall opened wide. With his undeniable cocky swagger Loki strutted into the room.

"Please pardon my tardiness. However, I rushed over as soon as I heard we had a guest." He made his way to each member of his family to greet them then stopped before Ororo.

"Loki, this is Lady Ororo, also known as Storm on Midgard," Thor introduced. "She's a teammate of mine on the Avengers. She can manipulate the elements on her own accord and-"

"And she can lift Mjolnir," Loki finished, flashing her a grin and then his bother.

"Aye," Thor agreed in a gruffer tone. "I see you have heard." He was unsure how Loki could know without someone informing him of the news, but his shifty little brother had his ways. Thor eyed the master deceiver suspiciously as he continued, "Lady Ororo, this is my younger brother, Loki."

Ororo smiled politely to the magic maker and bowed her head. "Your reputation exceeds you, Prince Loki. It is an honor to at last place a face to the tales."

The opal haired prince then turned his attention back to Storm, taking her hand in his as he brought it to his lips, placing a delicate kiss on the ridge of her knuckles. "Lady Ororo, I am afraid to admit the same cannot be said, but I plan to learn as much about you as I can with time permitting." He gave her a wolfish grin before peering back to his brother. "After all, you are to join the family soon."

"Loki," Frigga firmly, yet evenly called out, glancing over to her adopted son as if to silently warn him against his taunting. "Your brother and his guest have traveled quite a far distance. I'm sure they are famished. Perhaps once supper has been served we can converse."

But as soon as Frigga's suggestion was made it was just as quickly forgotten, the King already asking questions in between mouthfuls of succulent food. "My son says you can manifest the weather to whatever your liking. I was unaware Midgrad now had their own gods. Tell me, how many worshippers have you?"

Thor attempted to explain. "Father, Lady Ororo is a mutant. She does not-"

"Actually, Itechnically have a village of devotees in my homeland," she corrected, hiding the hint of a humored, mildly smug smirk. "But Thor is right. I am what is known on Midgard as a mutant, a further extension of humans' evolution."

With sympathetic eyes Thor added, "Many who do not comprehend fear her and others like her." His eyes then took on an admiring gaze as he continued, "Yet, Lady Ororo has dedicated her life to protecting and aiding both those similar to her and those who despise her. Quite a humbling act for someone of her prestige."

Ororo was a bit taken back by Thor's complimentary words. She looked over to him and smiled, "Thank you, Prince Thor. That is very kind of you to say."

"You can create any weather on a whim without the aid of a tool-" Loki noted pointedly as he glanced in Thor's direction to try and get a rile out of his brother. "And yet those dimwitted Midgardians hate you? Absurd." He snorted over the rim of his chalice then took a swallow.

"Aye," Thor actually agreed with his brother, eyes returning to Ororo. "Your villagers are wise people. They recognize a goddess before them when they see her."

Ororo fought a coy smile, wrangling it into a smirk despite Loki across the table from her rolling his eyes dramatically with disgust. Queen Frigga gave her husband a knowing smirk as they exchanged glances.

Ororo took a sip of mead as if to cool the burning of her cheeks she tried to fend it off. "Thank you. And here I thought your brother was the one with the silver tongue."

Loki smirked to Ororo impishly as he leaned forward. "I can show you how silver my tongue is-"

The muffled snarl that left Thor was enough to cause Loki to straighten in his chair though his smirk never left. "Calm thyself, Brother. I'm merely trying to entertain our dear guest," he claimed. He refilled his chalice with more mead then went on, "Lady Ororo is already leagues more interesting than the last Midgardian you had a fixation with. She was bit dull, dare I say, even mousy. What was her name again? Something boring. Jean? No." Loki shook his head, knowing it was incorrect yet continued his theatrics with listing more purposely inaccurate names. "Jan? Joan?"

"Jane," Thor answered in a mutter, stabbing his roast with his fork.

"Jane! That's it!" Loki exclaimed, as if suddenly being able to recall. "Jane. Plain Jane."

Thor rebutted in a growl, "Dr. Foster is a brilliant mind, and beautiful woman both inside and out. I will not hear any more of your slander towards her."

"Why'd she break up with you, again?" Loki inquired with inquisitive, furrowed brows like he was genuinely curious and not trying to embarrass his older brother.

"She did not break up with me. It was a mutual conclusion we came to. An equal breaking off of things on both parts," Thor attempted to assert as confidently as possible. But judging by the faces that looked back to him a bit awkwardly around the table it was clear they were not convinced. He then turned to Storm, as if trying to at least persuade her as he repeated, "She didn't break up with me." Thor then chugged his chalice down, gulping as he did before adding more mead. 'Vahalla have mercy.'

Now it would seem that it was their guest of honor's turn to squirm with unease as Frigga asked Ororo why she as no longer a queen.

The X-Man automatically reached for her chalice, fingers gripping around the rim like it was for dear life despite Ororo keeping her calm demeanor outwardly. "Because my former husband annulled our marriage," she responded honestly, yet vaguely. Such line of probing was to be expected from her possible in-laws, however, she couldn't help but notice how she was now the one giving answers instead of the other way around.

"And why did he annul it?" Frigga followed up.

Now this was a much more complicated answer, one that Ororo wasn't sure how to explain. They were a complexed couple. In retrospect, there were many warning signs that Ororo chose to ignore, too caught up in the dream of no longer being lonely, of having a partner for life. It was not to say she and T'Challa hadn't loved each other. They made memories that were magical. But there had been times where she felt no more than a trophy for him, her voice muted whenever it became an inconvenience for him, especially on matters regarding mutants. She remembered the fight that proceeded prior to T'Challa announcing the annulment- the rage, the wonderings and regrets. The ache that lingered long after the love had left…

Ororo took a sip of her mead, as if to help swallow down the painful lump that began to form in her throat before speaking again. "I had put my people before my marriage and title. Some may say such is not the place of a queen, that it is not the role she should serve."

The ancient, bearded king reclined in his chair with chalice in hand as he scrutinized Ororo, as if sizing her up. "Then why did you not serve your king?"

The inquiry had even intrigued the Thunderer, who found himself subtly shifting in his seat to silently study Ororo as she gave her answers.

Though she remained respectful there was almost the faintest hint of defiance in the Wind Rider's tone as she retorted, "Because if a queen cannot serve her people and do what she deems justice then she should serve no one."

The mutant took another healthy swig of mead, afraid she may have offended her hosts. She was surprised when she heard Thor speak up beside her. Blue eyes meeting hers he concurred, "As an honorable queen should. If a king wishes to have a wife serve him then he ought to wed a hound."

Ororo snickered some, flashing Thor a smile as Loki rolled his eyes once more, downing what was left in his chalice.

[gingerwritess]

In response to your pre-dating idiots call!!!! PLEASE expand on what Loki said in "so there's this girl" about pretending to hate reader!!! I'm in a very angsty mood!!! Also good luck with ur studying

here’s a long ol fic for some predating idiots developments! lots of foreshadowing and implications, oooo…

part 14, masterlist (Loki’s happy ending) in bio :)

―   ―   ―   ―

There’s really nothing left to like about Loki.

He’s mean, he’s cold, he’s vindictive, manipulative, calculating, blackmailing you for your generousity.

Luckily, he’s leaving you alone.

Sometimes you’ll wonder if Loki thinks he has your memories of him, that he successfully ripped himself out of your mind—you find yourself checking, every once in a while.

Eyes closed, you’ll lean back. Focus.

Jagged cuts, barely scabbed lashings, pale skin stained red…Loki flinching away from your touch with such a wince of pain you may as well have sliced him open again.

The memory is definitely still yours. 

It’s stayed on through the weeks, in your new office and devoid of any fake-boyfriends and blackmail threats—which makes for a fairly quiet work life.

Since the discovery of Loki’s double, security in Stark towers has tripled. Now you can’t go anywhere without an escort, you’ve been gifted a new taser, and you can call yourself personally aquatinted with the Avengers—though that might be your least favourite parts of the day.

They’re nice, you guess, but trying to keep up your story when Tony Stark and the Black Widow are grilling you with questions only gets harder by the minute.

To make matters worse, they’ve been asking about your little faux-boyfriend, too. You had to settle on a backstory, how you met, what he did before Stark Industries (which you vaguely remember him mentioning shield), all without speaking a word to the god in question for the past three weeks.

As far as you’re concerned, you fake-broke up. But like, for real.

You don’t want to see him. You don’t want to talk about Laing, or Loki, or anything that’s ever happened between the two of you, but they bring up the day you met and almost killed him, they ask you if he threatened revenge, if he hinted a second attack, and you say no.

Over and over, you say no.

At this point, though, you are pretty certain that revenge isn’t Loki’s motive. You’re not quite sure what could be taking its place, but bloodlust or pure “evilness” aren’t options anymore. If they were, he wouldn’t still be treating his patients as Dr. Laing, and he certainly wouldn’t have just stopped and knelt next to the thin woman sitting in front of the Tower, hugging a small boy to her chest.

Yourself on your way to work, too, you immediately duck back around the building on the corner, not wanting him to know you’re watching. Whatever he’s doing, this is all Loki…well, Laing. Not trying to keep up another cover or impress anybody, right?

He speaks too quietly for you to hear from your distance, but the mother, you guess, has tears in her eyes as she cradles the coughing boy and pleads with Dr. Laing.

Loki stands, and your heart twists. Of course he’s leaving her there, her and her child all alone. You curse yourself for being surprised.

You’re about to march out there yourself and demand that Loki take them in, threaten to rat him out if he doesn’t, but before you can, Loki’s back by her side, holding out a hand to help her to her feet.

Your jaw drops.

Loki—Laing, or whoever the hell possessed him—carefully takes the little boy from her arms, laying a hand over his forehead and saying something to the mother with a soft smile.

A smile you’ve never seen on either of his faces.

Still quietly talking to the mother, he takes them to the elevator, casting a wary eye around the fairly empty lobby as you hurry to keep up with them. With a split second to make your decision, you run through the doors after them.

Loki gives you a tired, incredulous look. 

“What floor?”

“Same as you,” you reply with an all-too-cheery smile.

He doesn’t seem too happy to have gained your company.

The elevator ride goes by in an uncomfortable silence, the wanted criminal holding a sick child and offering his mother a few strained smiles while you watch on, trying to comprehend what the hell is going on. 

Luckily it’s over soon, and you quickly turn the opposite way from the strange little trio, pretending to go the other way before turning around and sneaking after them to Laing’s office. 

If you’re not careful, your assigned guards are going to come looking for you. Technically they were supposed to meet up with you the moment you arrived on premise, but today, you’d rather see what Loki’s up to on your own.

The strange little trio is already in the room, the little boy laying on the examination table while Laing looks over him. That’s strange, but the strangest part is the fact that he’s still smiling—at the mother.

She’s slowly breaking down, you can tell. 

You can’t look away, peeking through the window to the exam room as Loki sits the boy up, trying to console the mother as she drops her head to her hands, shoulders shaking.

Loki steps away from her and looks right at you.

“Come in here.”

Startled, you jump away from the window and hurry to the door. “Need any help, uh, Doctor?”

He just grabs you around the arm and drags you outside.

“Let go of me—”

 “I need you to distract her,” he whispers, and surprisingly lets go. “The boy is sick, I can’t help him without a bit of my own help, but she can’t see.”

“O-okay.” You blink at him in shock. “That’s it? No scheming, you’re just helping them?”

Loki sighs, rubbing a hand over his face. “They can’t pay. I’m not going to let her child die when all it would take it a wave of the hand. Will you help me?”

You try not to let the shock—and blatant disbelief—show on your face. 

“Sure…”

“Just comfort her,” he tells you, ushering you back to the room. “Keep her distracted and please, please stop her crying.”

The woman looks up when you enter the room, her eyes bloodshot and tear-brimmed. 

“Thank you,” she whispers, and Loki quickly returns to the boy’s bedside.

You plaster on a friendly smile and sit down next to her, drawing her attention towards yourself. 

“Is this your son? Lo-Laing will help him, don’t worry.” 

She nods, and you see Loki moving out of the corner of your eye to cover what he’s doing. “He’s been getting worse and worse, and no one will see us,” she explains quietly. “Dr. Laing is the first person to help us, y-you’re very lucky to be with him.”

“Oh, no, no,” you laugh, wishing Loki would hurry up. “No, we’re not together, I just work with him.”

“Still.” She smiles, wiping her nose with the back of her hand. “I can’t thank you enough.”

You’re quite sure what to say to that. Of course, she has no clue who she’s really dealing with, and for a split second, you nearly forget, too.

No murderous sociopath would be handing a freshly-healed little kid a lollipop, right?

He certainly looks the part, smiling and ruffling a hand through the kid’s hair, standing there in his lab coat with a stethoscope around his neck, lifting the little boy off the table to run back to his mother.

“Get him something to eat,” he tells her with a smile, a fake, phony little smile, and you can’t help but stare when he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a handful of bills. “Here. He needs food and rest, as do you, and if anything else seems off, you know where to find me.”

By the time Loki has escorted them back down to the lobby, you’re left alone in the exam room, trying to make sense of what just happened and trying to decide what on earth to do with this information.

That was…helpful.

That was unlike Loki, that’s for sure.

When he eventually returns to the room, you’re still sitting there, waiting.

“Did you want a candy, too?”

You don’t respond, staring as he trudges around the room, prepping it for the next patient. 

“I assume you haven’t forgiven me.” He casts a quick glance over to you, getting nothing in return. “I don’t blame you. I wouldn’t forgive something that went into my mind to play games, either.”

“You didn’t do anything to me,” you remind him stiffly. “I still remember everything I saw. Someone hurt you, you have scars to prove it, and I still know that.”

“You compromised my cover.”

Shaking your head, you can’t help but laugh. “I didn’t compromise you, you blew your own cover. You’re weak, aren’t you?”

“What does that matter to you?”

“I’m trying to understand what’s going on, because as far as I can tell, you’re not who you’re pretending to be. Can’t you just explain what happened to Thor? He’s your brother, I’m sure he—”

“I am not hiding from your little heroes,” Loki snaps, slamming the cabinet he was rifling through shut. “They are the least of my concerns, and I’d much appreciate if you would leave them out of our interactions completely.”

You give a small huff of annoyance, crossing your arms with a pointed glare. “I don’t believe it, sorry. If you were really some crazy serial killer, you wouldn’t have just helped that lady and her kid.”

“Maybe,” Loki/Laing sneers, “I was luring them into my trap. Maybe that’s what I’m doing to you, hm? You certainly can’t seem to get enough of me.”

“No, I think you’re scared of something.”

“I think it’s time for you to leave,” Laing smiles back, holding the door open with a sweep of his arm.

“You’re running from something, you’re hiding from something,” you continue, a small smile of your own playing at your lips. “Aren’t you?”

Backed into the hallway but trying to stay one step ahead of him, you stare at him expectantly as he furrows his brow, no doubt annoyed beyond belief that you keep pressing the subject.

Maybe he was about to answer you, but now you’ll never know—one of your guards comes running to your side.

“You’re supposed to tell us when you’re coming in early,” he huffs, hastily pushing back the visor on his helmet. “I can’t read your mind, okay? You’ve gotta work with me here.”

Loki straightens up, an unamused glaze passing over his visage.

“Sorry,” you tell your guard, eyes never leaving Laing’s. “I sure wish I didn’t have to be escorted everywhere, thanks to some emotionally constipated god.”

He quirks an eyebrow. “Maybe it’s for the best.”

“Maybe he should go to therapy,” you reply smoothly. “Let someone help him for once, tell someone the truth.”

“Maybe you should stay away from him,” Laing growls—your guard, Marcus, steps a little closer as Laing advances towards you, voice dropping. “Maybe he’s unstable, and maybe he has a target on his back that could level your planet, and maybe he’s nothing more than a monster that needs to be disposed of before anything worse happens.”

You blink.

That came out of nowhere.

Laing sighs, slipping back into his office. “Stay with your, ah, guards. Don’t ask anymore questions.”

“You can’t tell me—mmf!”

Laing just smiles, and you catch a glimpse of Loki in his sad eyes as you involuntarily spin on your heel and hurry away, leaving Marcus scrambling to catch up.

This isn’t the first time that he’s had to watch you walk away; it’s a sight all too familiar to him.

Even from the distance now between the two of you, he catches a glimpse of the taser hanging from your belt, the gun strapped to your guards back, the one in his hands, and when you reach the elevator, unable to stop walking, two more guards join the group.

Good, he reminds himself, good, good.

You glare back at him in the doorway, mouth stopped and feet moving by Loki’s hand, and a wave of relief crashes over him.

You look annoyed.

Disgusted with him.

Angry.

―   ―   ―   ―

“Tell me a bit about your father.”

“Which one?”

Loki rolls over on the crisp, white bed, a grin on his gaunt face. 

“Whichever you feel more connected to,” the therapist replies. 

A pen clicks and clicks again, and Loki sighs.

“He’s a horrid man. He hates me, I hate him. It’s simple enough, doctor, he never loved me.”

Thor points at the screen. “I believed that.”

I might, too, you decide.

“Do you blame your father for some things that have gone wrong in your life?”

“Yes.”

It’s a quick, short answer that needed no thought.

“Can you elaborate?”

Loki crosses his ankles, stretching to lay his hands behind his head with a content little hum. “Well, if he had paid more attention to me, I wouldn’t have attacked this poor town, that’s for certain.”

The therapist seems stunned by the sudden confession.

“Wasn’t it obvious?” Loki continues, eyes fluttering closed. “I did this for him. I want him to see that I am the worthy son, I can conquer worlds and be a greater king than he, and he will hold nothing in his heart but respect for who I am.”

“I believed that one, too,” Thor says again. “That one made sense, but only if I assumed the worst.”

“Do you think anything from these sessions is true? Anything that his clone said?” Mind spinning, you stop the video player and remove the hard drive, unsure if watching Loki’s therapy tapes had helped in any way or not.

Currently, the scales are tipping towards not.

“It is unlikely,” Thor sighs. “My brother is a skilled liar, he twists your words and manipulates the truth to bend to his will…most of the time, you never know if you are even truly speaking to him, or just another illusion. Just as this now shows us”

“Do you believe any of that?” 

“I want to,” he answers truthfully. “It is simple. It makes it easier to take him back to the Allfather for punishment, if we could only find the serpent.”

“I don’t,” you mumble under your breath, then stop, unsure if you should really let those words actually leave your mouth. 

Thor gives you a sideways glance and you curse yourself for saying anything.

“Do you find him attractive?”

You drop the hard drive to the floor with a loud clatter. 

“What?! No! No,” you laugh, quickly stooping to pick it back up. “Of course not, why would you say that?”

“You seem to have faith in him,” Thor carefully replies, still eyeing you suspiciously. “Or at least an acute interest. Why do you want to help him?”

“I’m…” you pause, needing to think for a moment.

To an extent, you suppose he’s right - you want to have faith in him. You made a judgement call when you first met him and tried to kill him, only to accidentally find yourself tangled further in his webbed plan than you’d care to be. 

Some days, Loki makes you think you made the wrong judgement, that maybe it wasn’t him, that maybe he’s suffering in a different way than most assume, that maybe he’s more than he lets on.

That maybe he’s been forced into playing the villain in his brother’s story. 

“Curious,” you finally answer. “I’m curious. He’s weird, a-and gods are still kinda new to our world, so…I’m curious if he’s really who he lets on to be.”

Thor nods, brow furrowed and deep in thought. 

“Though it’s pretty tough to find anything out about him when he’s missing,” you quickly add, remembering that you really shouldn’t have as much access to the god as you do.

“I understand.” Thor gives you a small smile, a mild comfort. “Be wary of him, won’t you? I fear he uses people to his advantage, mistakes their kindness for strategy.”  

A flood of memories to support that cloud your mind, and the rest of your walk back to your office finishes in silence.

You are curious. There’s something off about this Loki character. Just from the small bits of him you’ve seen, the way he pushes you away, the clear evidence he keeps hiding, something about him screams out to anyone who will listen.

Screaming for help, you’re nearly certain.

“He is dangerous,” Thor says once you’ve reached your office again. “He is powerful. And I fear we’ve hurt him past the point of repair.”

“I doubt it,” you smile, giving the god a reassuring squeeze on the arm. “He’ll come back. He’s your family, right?”

Thor just smiles, wishes you a good day, and walks away.

―   ―   ―   ―

fuel the writer?

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