#Dr Selvig

[braveclementine]

Battle of New York

Warnings: None

Copyright: I do not own any Marvel characters or locations. However, I do own my OC Elizabeth Lightwood. I do not condone any copying of this.

You had cleaned Coulson's trading cards and put them in the side pocket of your Agent outfit. You would give them to Maria later, knowing that she would want them. But at the moment, you needed to prepare for the fight that was coming.

You shoved the knives into your boots, putting your pistols in your holster. You let out one shaky breath, before sliding on the leather gloves Tony had made for you when you first fought with him- just new and improved.

You followed Barton, Nat, and Steve out to where the Jet was waiting, a technicion already in it.

"You got everything?" Barton asked, just as you knew he would. He had been the one to train you in combat and readiness.

Him and Coulson.

"Of course." You answered steadily, before you saw a flash of yellow and saw that Elizabeth was racing across the platform towards the rest of you.

"Elizabeth." You greeted her. "How's the side."

She made a grumbling noise which could've meant anything, but she seemed fine.

The five of you stepped inside of the jet.

"Hey, you guys aren't authorized to be in here." The technie said nervously.

"Son, just don't." Steve said in a hard voice.

The techie left quickly and Barton was soon getting the jet up and ready to go. Tony was flying alongside the ship, and soon he was taking off faster than the rest of you.

You could see his flight pattern was off though and you knew that his suit had to go through some major repairs. You quickly touched your com, "Tony, are you alright? The flight looks wonky. How's the suit?"

"It'll last." Tony answered.

Tony reached the tower much faster than the rest of you and you grew anxious, getting up from your seat to start pacing. Elizabeth was also anxious, her ears and tail flicking over and over in uncomfort.

"I can't see him anymore." You muttered, almost to himself as you saw Tony disappear from view.

"He'll be fine. He's a Stark." Nat said calmly.

You nodded, but you couldn't relax yet.

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Tony's heart was pounding, going with plan B. He let the Iron man suit come off his body much like he did on the opening day of Stark tower. He was fairly pissed that Loki was using his tower as a calling beacon for aliens, because he knew that there was going to be a fair amount of damage.

Loki followed him on the opposite side and so when Tony reached the same room that he'd had champagne with Y/N, Pepper, and Coulson only. . . what? A day? Two days ago? Him and Loki were opposite. Tony at least, had the high ground.

"Please tell me you're going to appeal to my humanity." Loki spoke first, prowling into the room.

"Uh, actually, I'm planning to threaten you." Tony responded.

Loki left out the breath of a laugh, "You should have left your armor on for that."

"Yeah." Tony said in a causal voice, making his way down the stairs now. "It's seen a bit of mileage, and you've got the uh, glow stick of destiny. Would you like a drink?"

"Stalling me won't change anything." Loki shifted the scepter over to his other hand.

"No, no no. Threatening." Tony corrected, going over to where his glasses were to get himself a drink. "No drink? Are you sure? I'm having one."

He saw Loki walk over to the windows and said, "The Chitauri are coming. Nothing will change that. What have I to fear?"

"The Avengers." Tony said casually, pulling the plug on his new square jar of whiskey. He paused and then made a shrugging, awkward motion, "That's what we call ourselves. We're sort of like a team. Earth's mightiest heroes type of thing."

"Yes, I've met them." Loki sneered.

"Yeah." Tony laughed too. "It takes us a while to get any traction, I'll give you that one. But let's do a head count, here. Your brother, the demigod. A super soldier, a living legend who kind of lives up to legend." Now he slipped his hands under the counter was Loki turned his back, putting the bracelets on his wrists carefully. "A man with breathtaking anger-management issues, a couple of master assassins, a very sexy Agent if I don't mind saying so myself, and your beautiful soulmate who has a nasty bite. And you, big fella, you've managed to piss off every single one of them."

"That was the plan." Loki said with a smirk.

"Not a great plan." Tony disagreed. Tony started to walk forward, hoping the Mark 7 prototype would work, drink in hand. "When they come, and they will, they'll come for you."

"I have an army."

"We have a Hulk."

"Oh I thought the beast had wandered off."

"You're missing the point. There is no throne. There is no version of this where you come out on top. Maybe your army comes and maybe it's too much for us, but it's all on you. Because if we can't protect the Earth, you can be damn well sure we'll avenge it."

He sipped his whiskey while Loki stalked towards him like a great beast. Tony knew now why Elizabeth had been the one to change. Loki was definitely far more dominant, and far more dangerous.

"How will your friends have time for me when they're so busy fighting you?" Loki hissed, raising the scepter to Tony's heart. It clanged against metal and the power went out a little. Loki did it a second time and then said in such a sincere, confused voice that Tony almost laughed, "This usually works."

"Well, performance issues, it's not uncommon. One out of five." He grunted then as Loki caught him around the throat, tossing him to the floor. "Jarvis, anytime now." He groaned, pushing himself back to his feet. Loki caught him around the throat before he had finished straightening up.

"You will all fall before me." Loki hissed.

"Deploy!" Tony shouted. "Deploy!" He was shoved out the glass window and started to fall towards the streets of New York.

'Well Fuck. Y/N is going to kill me.' Tony thought.

And then, his plan had worked, the suit connected around his body and he quickly stopped himself before he crashed into the citizens on the street, and sent himself flying straight back up.

"And there's one other person you pissed off." Tony said, hovering outside the window in front of the God. "His name was Phil."

And then he shot the God of mischief in the chest with his blaster.

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It took some time for the jet to fly over New York and by the time you grew close to the Stark Tower, you could already see great explosions in the sky as Tony weaved in and out of the aliens, making them explode.

You couldn't wait any longer to get to the ground. You rushed over to where the parachutes were and started to unpack one.

"No." Steve put his hand on yours. "As a team."

"My husband-"

"Stark, we're on your three, headed northeast." Natasha spoke through the coms in the front.

"What? Did you stop for drive-through?" The quirky response from your husband came through the intercom and you stopped fighting Steve off. He was still himself, he was alright. "Swing up Park. I'm gonna lay them out for you."

You got out of your seat to look through the front windshield, watching as a fast comet streak past Town hall, followed by aliens. Natasha lowered the gun, shooting the aliens that were chasing your husband.

Natasha flew the plane higher into the air and you saw Thor had come- so he had survived! He was fighting Loki on top of Stark Tower and you bit your lip in worry. It looked as though Loki had the upper hand at the moment.

Elizabeth growled beside you as Loki tossed Thor to the side, before pointing the scepter at the plane. A blast of blue light shot from the weapon and the jet went spinning.

You were tossed off your feet, sliding past Steve who had grabbed the handles on the ceiling to steady himself. You crashed harshly into the jet doors and were only glad that they held shut. Elizabeth dug her nails into the jet to steady herself, spreading her four paws out, back bent.

"Y/N!" Steve exclaimed, as the jet pitched forward and you nearly flew towards the front windshield. His arm caught you around the middle and you quickly righted yourself inches from Steve's face to grab the bars yourself.

"Thanks." You breathed out shakily and then shut your eyes in nausea as the plane went spinning. You let go as the jet hit the ground, jolting to hard to keep a hold on, falling onto your knees and hands.

The plane had barely settled before Natasha and Clint were unstrapping themselves from the front of the plane and Steve had grabbed your arm to lift you.

Elizabeth was already running out, was already disappearing into the dust. You wondered for a moment as you drew your pistols, if she was going to be joining Loki's side against Thor.

Or she was going to get hurt, trying to stop the fight between the two of them, just like she had attempted to with Coulson.

But you couldn't think about it anymore, with Steve leading the way out of the jet, with you taking up the rear behind Barton.

"We gotta get back up there." Steve shouted as the four you started to run back through the street. People were screaming and animals were making various noises as human and animal soulmates alike ran through the city. There was already plenty of rubble around, dust filling the air and making it harder to breathe. Luckily, it was open air so there were parts that weren't quite dusty yet.

Suddenly, the four of you came to a stop in front of town hall, looking up at the great portal in the sky as it made a low growling noise. Blue mist swirled around it, as though it was attempting to spit something out of it.

And then it did. A huge, very long centipede looking creature. It looked both robotic, yet also fleshy, as though it were made of both metal and flesh. Before realizing that it was probably wearing armor.

It went past the four of you and as you looked, you watched as alien creatures started to leap from its body, grappling onto nearby skyscraper walls. The nails raked down the sides of the building as they started to make their way down.

"Stark, are you seeing this?" Steve asked.

"Do I look blind?" You retorted, before realizing that he was speaking to your husband and you gave him an apologetic look.

"Seeing." Tony's voice came through coms, sounding a little uncertain, "Still working on believing. Where's Banner? Has he shown up yet?"

Was Banner even alive?

"Banner?" Rogers sounded as perplexed as you felt.

"Just keep me posted." Tony said.

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"Look at this!" Thor shouted, hammer to Loki's throat. "Look around you! You think this madness will end with your rule?"

No. Loki wanted to say. Not his rule. Ronans. And ultimately- Thanos. He couldn't stop it. He was to weak, for all that he boasted to be, to fight the mind control. He'd even hurt his own soulmate because they had wanted it. His soulmate! The one and only person he had thought he could never possibly hurt because of the bond between the two of them.

He knew she understood. He could feel that in their connection. He could feel that she knew he wasn't in the right mindset. He could feel her, even now, feel her presence coming closer, as though she were at the bottom of the tower.

"It's too late." He hissed. "It's too late to stop it."

"No. We can. Together." Thor said.

Always the optimist. Loki wasn't even entirely sure that if he had done this of his own free will, that he would have let Thor help even then. Even now, under the mind control, there was a reluctance to let his 'brother' help him. And the mind control fed upon that reluctance.

His arm reached forward, stabbing his brother under the coat of armor. "Sentiment." He whispered as Thor fell to one knee, grabbing the weapon that was imbedded in his skin.

And then Thor charged forward, grabbing Loki and kicking him through the glass. It shattered easily under his weight. Thor lifted him up, dropping him to the ground with no mercy and he grunted. He rolled off the tower just as Fuli came running to the top of the tower, coming to a stop. Her amber eyes held him for just one second, before she disappeared from sight.

He fell only a few feet, before one of the alien vehicles caught him and he grabbed on, narrowing his eyes at the destruction before him.

He didn't look back. If he did, those eyes might command him. He knew that, and so the side controlling him knew that.

He didn't look back.

But he wanted to.

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You, Steve, Nat, and Clint were all hiding behind the same Taxi.

"We've got civilians trapped up here." Clint pointed out. You looked up, watching the alien bikes whiz by. The entire city was on fire and chaos ensued every which way that you looked.

"Loki." Steve said, overlooking the bridge. "They're fish in a barrel down there."

You ducked as you were shot at, before Natasha returned fire and Clint ran to another Taxi. You lifted your own gun, watching the Chitauri in front of you.

"We got this. It's good. Go. You too Stark." Natasha said to Steve and you.

"Do you think you can hold them off?" Steve asked, motioning to you to stay put for another second longer as you moved to go.

"Captain, it would be my genuine pleasure." Clint smirked.

And that was when he turned to fire over the Taxi.

Steve turned as Natasha joined Clint and he ran, jumping off the ledge onto the bus below. You followed suit, not entirely sure if you were going to land as pleasantly as he did. They were already firing and you could feel the flames behind you. Steve grabbed your arm, yanking you onto his back while your eyes widened in surprise. You had not time to object as the bus was nearly blown up underneath you.

He leapt to another car, which tilted forward from the explosion and he leapt far, his arms waving. You were tempted to close your eyes, but decided to focus more on not accidentally pulling the triggers of your pistols while they were both pointed at his throat.

Steve barely landed on the gravel without getting hit, the two of you tumbling forwards. You quickly rolled out of the way, letting him drag you along once more before you could completely get your bearings.

You quickly started running on your own though, while also conscious of the thing behind you still focused on killing the two of you.

You and Steve started running through the street very differently. Where he used cars and his super strength to propel himself, jumping from car to car, you dashed around them heaving for breath and wondering if you could get some of his agility from somewhere.

You could see the police up ahead, shooting at the aliens. You felt a pride building up inside of yourself that these brave men hadn't scattered. They were performing their civic, American duty, even though they didn't know what was going on or if they were even going to go home to their families.

Steve was already giving the police orders when you got there, feeling winded and hot in your agent outfit. You were going to have a talk with Fury and possibly Tony about getting some sort of air conditioning feature in these outfits.

"Why the hell should I take orders from you?" The police officer retorted, looking even more confused at the sight of Steve before him.

Suddenly, Chitauri landed around you. You lifted your gun, blasting his face off with one bullet while Steve took out the two on top of the car that he had been kneeling upon. The minute Steve had finished them off, the police officer in charge immediately turned and started relaying the same orders that Steve had given him.

"Well we got its attention." Tony suddenly spoke in your coms, "What the hell was step two?"

You and Steve ran back to where Clint and Natasha were fighting. You shot into the aliens while Steve leapt forward, bashing them in the heads with his shield. As you dropped the alien, you grabbed its weapon, replacing it with one of your guns. You'd save the rest of your ammo for desperate measure.

Suddenly, the rest of the Chitauri were struck down with fierce lightning and Thor flew down from the sky, landing in front of the rest of you.

"What's the story upstairs?" Steve asked immediately.

"The power surrounding the Cube is impenetrable."

"Thor's right. We got to deal with these guys." Tony said.

"How do we do this?" Natasha asked.

"As a team." Steve said.

"I have unfinished business with Loki." Thor said.

Clint was cleaning his arrows as he responded, "Yeah? Get in line."

"Save it." Steve and you snapped at the same time. Steve then continued, saying, "Loki's going to keep this fight focused on us, and that's what we need. Without him, these things could run wild. We got Stark up top. He's going to need us to-"

Steve cut off as the sound of a motorcycle sounded behind him. All of you except for Tony quickly joined Banner who was riding a very puny, dirty motorcycle. "So, this all seems horrible." He said and you raised a skeptical eyebrow.

"I've seen worse." Natasha said and now both eyebrows were raised in skepticism.

"Sorry." Banner replied.

"No, we could use a little worse." Natasha protested and you realized she was talking about the Hulk.

"Stark, we got him." Steve said.

"Banner?" Tony asked in the coms and that reminded you to pull out an extra com to hand to Bruce. He waved it away.

"Probably won't need it soon." He explained and you nodded in understanding.

"Just like you said." Steve replied to Tony.

"Then tell him to suit up. I'm brining the party to you."

Tony flew around the corner and brought the large centipede looking thing with him. Thor snarled and Natasha sighed, "I don't see how that's a party."

"Dr Banner." Steve said urgently as Bruce started to walk towards the very large creature that was coming towards the rest of you. "Now might be a really good time for you to get angry."

"That's my secret Captain." Bruce responded. "I'm always angry-"

You watched him turn green within less than a second before your eyes, and then he punched the huge centipede in its face.

Now that the centipede was folding upwards, threatening to fall and crush the rest of you, you realized that you had been correct before: it was partly made out of metal.

"Hold on!" Tony shouted.

Steve grabbed you and Nat, blocking the two of you with both his body and his shield as the creature above you exploded. You could still feel the heat, even with the protection and knew it had been a pretty big explosion.

Suddenly, the air was filled with screeching and snarling from the other aliens that had been looking to the larger one as their champion. The Hulk joined in with their roars as Tony started to hover above the rest of you.

You looked upwards as the others decided to put on heroic poses and saw that there were two more coming through the portal.

"Um, Tony?" You asked in a small voice.

"Guys." Natasha said in a warning one.

"Call it, Captain." Tony said, coming over to your side. You looked up at him and he looked down at you. Neither of you touched or said anything. You didn't have to.

"All right, listen up." Steve said. "Until we can close that portal, our priority is containment. Barton, I want you on that roof. Eyes on everything. Call out patterns and strays. Stark, you got the perimeter. Anything gets more than three blocks out, you turn it back or you turn it to ash. "

"Can you give me a lift?" Clint asked.

Tony looked away from you. "Right. Better clench up, Legolas."

The two of them flew off and you turned your attention back to the fight.

"Thor, you got to try and bottleneck that portal. Slow them down. You got the lightning. Light the bastards up."

Thor swung his hammer around and then took off, leaving you and Nat with Steve.

"The three of us, we stay here on the ground. We keep the fighting here. Y/N, you've got long range with the alien weapon. Keep out of touch. And Hulk. . . Smash."

The three of you watched for a moment or two as he leapt up towards the aliens on the building, before leaping from building to building.

Turned out, the alien weapon was a lot better than expected. Not only could you blast them before them even reached out, but on the off chance that they did reach you, you had an excellent weapon to sweep them off their feet and parry their own blocks.

You started working out combos with your knifes when they got to close and didn't even realize how long you had been fighting until you were no longer being attacked, and you had a pile of thirty or forty dead aliens in a circle around your feet.

You looked around, seeing Natasha looked exhausted as she leaned against an overturned car, Steve having just jumped back up from wherever he had been. Nat has blood trickling from her hairline, but Steve looked fine. You had no idea about yourself. Your body ached, but nothing hurt and you couldn't find any blood.

"Captain, none of this is going to mean a damn thing if we don't close that portal." Natasha sighed, looking up at the sky.

"Our biggest guns couldn't touch it." Steve sighed as well.

"Well, maybe it's not about guns." Nat said and you looked over at her.

"If you want to get up there, you're going to need a ride." Steve said as more Chitauri jumped down from flying overheard vehicles.

"I got a ride." Nat said, tossing aside the alien weapon she had been using. "I could use a boost though." She looked over her shoulder at Steve.

"Are you sure about this?" Steve asked, backing up to the complete opposite wall that she was standing at.

"Yeah. It's gonna be fun." Nat said in a hardly convincing tone. You rolled your eyes and decided to use the aliens across from you as target practice since they were at long range.

More aliens came however, and soon you were using the alien weapon and your knife again, more than you were blowing them up. It was fun, fighting alongside Steve, who looked like he was doing gymnastics or something as he did flips and turns in midair as he kicked off aliens.

Tony came flying down, landing on the ground and blasting other aliens backwards so that the two of you were pretty much fighting back to back. But soon he was taking off for the skies once more to laser off aliens that were still climbing the buildings.

Suddenly, you were shoved forwards and you grunted, catching yourself on your knees, rolling over just in time to avoid the stab that ended up in the concrete instead.

You turned your own weapon in time to catch the next blow, before reaching for your pistol and blowing a hole through the aliens face, rolling over, pushing yourself to your feet.

You weren't on them for long, a slippery arm wrapping around your throat and you hit the concrete so hard you saw stars. You reached up, grabbing the handle of the weapon that was threatening to go straight through your stomach. It came lower, inch by inch. You could hear Clint telling something to Tony and you were struck with the sudden notion that you should say something to Tony.

And then the alien was missing a head and Steve was pulling you to your feet. "You alright?"

"Head hurts." You managed to say.

"It's bleeding." Steve admitted. "You need to stay on your feet."

You nodded, blinking to clear your head. You wanted to touch the back of your head, see how much blood was there, but didn't want to.

Suddenly, a flash of yellow came tearing down the street, leaping on aliens and biting their heads off.

Elizabeth.

She came to a stop before you and as you bent down to talk to her, she walked around you and you winced as she started to lick the back of your head.

"That might stop the bleeding." Steve admitted, looking curious. "Keep her safe, I've gotta go."

You let Elizabeth take care of you until she sat back on her haunches, looking agitated.

"Loki is a terrible soulmate." You finally said.

She snorted and started to lick her paw.

You smiled a little and then heard Steve cry out and you watched as he was thrown from a building window by a blast of blue light.

"Steve?" You rushed to his side, followed by Elizabeth.

"I'm fine." Steve grunted. You saw that he had lost his mask, his pale face was dirty and drawn. His hair looked my black than blond at the moment. Elizabeth licked his face right then and there and he almost smiled.

"Are you a dog?" You muttered quietly in amusement. She just growled.

The Chitauri didn't stop. Elizabeth launched herself at one and you quickly got back into the fight. But it was different now. You lacked the energy to put in the swift moments and you were getting hurt.

You watched Steve fight as you picked yourself up again. Thor too.

You looked out at New York. This was your home. You were an American. And no one was going to come into your country and take your freedom. Destroy what you had built.

You dropped your pistols which were empty of ammo, drawing your knives. You ducked and slashed.

And then Tony was inside your ear.

"Y/N?"

"Tony?" You asked, ducking another swing of the weapon, stabbing up through the ribs, ripping right up till the throat.

"I-I put us on a private line."

Your heart nearly stopped and in that moment, you were swept off your feet and you groaned as you crashed into another car. Your head tilted back for just a moment and Thor tossed the alien that came towards you.

"Why? What's happening?"

"A nuke."

You swallowed. You knew what that meant. It was over. You were all going to go down with the aliens.

You. Tony. Steve. Thor. Clint. Nat. Elizabeth. Loki.

Your unborn child.

You watched Steve get shot at the moment and it pushed you to your feet.

Suddenly, Nat interrupted whatever else Tony wanted to say to you. "I can shut the portal down. Anybody copy! I can shut it down!"

"Do it." Steve commanded.

"No. Wait. I got a nuke coming in." Tony said quickly. "It's gonna blow in less than a minute. And I know just where to put it."

You relaxed. Tony would position the nuke upwards so it went into the portal. Nat would close the portal. Bada-boom, Bada- bang.

"Stark, you know that's a one-way trip." Steve said suddenly, turning to look at you and you felt weak in that moment.

"Save the rest for the turn, J." Stark said.

"Tony!" You shouted in your com, already feeling the waterworks flowing. You turned away from Steve and Thor, unable to face them.

"Y/N, it's gonna be okay." Tony said.

"No, no, Tony, don't. You can't. . ."

"You'll be alright." Tony whispered. You closed your eyes, looking up at the sky to watch him streak by, the white bomb above his suit.

He was already past, already going up towards the portal.

Your knees gave out from under you, wanting to look down at the city, but also unable to look away as he grew closer.

"I love you Y/N."

You knew you couldn't change his mind. You couldn't rant and rave and hurt him. Not now. Not in his last moments. You could only give him what you could.

"You were right." You whispered so softly you didn't know if the com would carry over. "She's a little Y/N."

And you ripped your ear piece out so you didn't have to hear Tony's sob on the other side.

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Tony's heart pounded as he grew closer and closer to the edge of the portal. He was going to have a little girl. He had known it all along, but you couldn't help but feel a little superior.

And yet, a little melancholy. How could it be that he had almost had everything he wanted. Everything he actually wanted. And now it was going to be gone. Because he was going to make a choice.

He let out a shaky breath.

"First or middle." He said softly. He had heard her com go dark, but he knew the others were listening. "Everleigh."

And then he pierced the blue.

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So he was gone.

Steve came over, dropping the shield to kneel in front of you. Elizabeth padded over as well.

"He said her first or middle name should be Everleigh." Steve whispered.

You just nodded numbly, tears pricking your eyes again. "He. . . he always said she would be a girl. I didn't believe him."

You didn't understand why they were still staring at the portal, as though he was going to come back. The aliens around you were dropping as though they were robots that were powering down. Tony wasn't alive. The nuke had clearly gone off.

"Close it." Steve said suddenly, giving you a pitying look.

And you realized they had hoped more than you had. They had waited for as long as they could. They had to close it now.

You couldn't hesitate. It was only you that you would be trying to save, waiting and waiting for Tony. And more aliens could come. You nodded once, hating yourself for it.

And then the portal was closing, the jet of light that was attached to Stark tower. . . Stark tower. . . was shooting back up towards the sky. The portal was closing up. And then, a very small figure escaped.

"Son of a gun." Steve said and then turned back to you. He shook your shoulder gently. "Y/N, he's okay."

But you wouldn't believe it. Yes, he was back here. But the nuke. . . he could be blind. Or radiated. Or. . . dead.

"He's not slowing down." Thor said suddenly, spinning his hammer.

But it was the Hulk that jumped from nowhere, catching Tony in his suit and landing on the car.

Thor ran over and Steve brought you to your feet. You stumbled after them, trying to beat down the hope that was trying to bloom in your heart. If you hoped, you could potentially be disappointed. Better not to hope in the first place.

Elizabeth was quickly by your side.

"Is he breathing?" Steve asked as you, Steve, and Thor knelt down around him and Thor flipped him onto his back.

Thor tore the plate from his face.

Steve leaned over to listen and then sat back, putting his hand where the glow of the arc reactor was missing, before he stopped touching him.

You knew you had hoped, because it all came crashing down on you again.

Elizabeth started to lick his face, cleaning away the dirt that somehow managed to be there. She whined softly.

Suddenly, the Hulk roared loudly and Tony jerked and shouted.

"What the hell?" Tony gasped as the Hulk continued to roar and you let out a sob at hearing his voice. "What just happened? Please tell me nobody kissed me."

You couldn't breathe, wanting to both laugh and burst into fresh tears from his normal attitude.

"We won." Steve said.

"All right, yay! Hurray. Good job guys. Let's just not come in tomorrow. Let's just take a day. Have you ever tried shawarma? There's a shawarma joint about two blocks from here. I don't know what it is, but I want to try it."

You couldn't help the laughter that pealed through your lips and Tony immediately sat up. "Y/N."

Your laughter turned to sobs as you fell into his arms, letting his metal amor wrap itself around you. He kissed you right then and there and your sobs were stifled. "I love you bunny."

You hiccupped, resting your forehead against his. "Don't do that again."

"You have my word." 

[hjbirthdaywishes]

June 13, 2024

Happy 73 Birthday to Stellan Skarsgård.

[therighthandofvengeance]

Sinclair: I need your help.

Garibaldi: It’s nice to be needed.

Sinclair: It’s dangerous.

Garibaldi: I’d be disappointed if it wasn’t.

[americasass81]

Bloody hell, this is so good. I'm just totally loving the build up so far and the vibe ... I mean what is Thor's problem? This can't simply be just a slight over our reader's attitude to Jane's work, right? No, he definitely seems unhinged and I can't wait to see where that leads.

But what about our reader? I can't quite put my finger on it but there's definitely something I like about her. Maybe it's the I'll wear what I want despite the dress code attitude. Maybe it's the passive aggressive, daddy issues problem. Or just maybe, it's that temper simmering just beneath the surface. Can't wait to see if catch some more glimpses of that.😄. Either way this already has me hooked.

rasa

Dark! Doctor Thor x Female Reader

Warnings: World building, eventually dead dove (do not eat), bullying, stalking, language.

Summary | After a devastating break up, your job is the only thing that keeps you focused until your boss' acquaintance seems to know more about your personal life than you ever realized.

On second thought, it probably was a bad idea to come straight from the lab to the most coveted members-only social club, the one and only Tempest, where the introductory fee is more than half your yearly salary.

Fleeting but judgmental stares confirm your insecurity with your choice of outfit: a pair of wide-leg black gaucho pants, black Doc Martens and a black and white striped shirt loudly advertises that you don’t follow the dress code.

Not that it matters, considering Dr. Selvig is a member of this club and has been since his college days. Membership was practically a birthright in his family.

Which is precisely why the man at the door greets you with a tight-lipped smile when he opens the door, saying nothing with a look of steely disdain. If you cared enough, it probably would have spurred you to change clothes, but you’ve been dedicated to your latest project and the good doctor would not take no for an answer, reminding you that you were his plus one for social hour.

The importance of this invitation was not overlooked. Not when his prized associate Dr. Jane Foster was back from her residency in Barcelona, the guest of honor to whom Dr. Selvig was celebrating.

Feeling a faint wash of guilt at your tardiness, you’re aware of how this could be perceived as a slight, climbing up the steps two at a time to make up for lost time. While most would chalk it up to jealousy with your lateness if they had been so inclined to read your thesis, your argument against Dr. Jane Foster’s idea of the interstellar medium could go much deeper than prior realization with your stellar evolution work. Defending your thesis had not been easy but Dr. Selvig had taken note and taken you under his wing once Darcy Lewis had vacated the role to be Jane’s assistant.

Your name rolls off a slurred tongue somewhere in the crowded space, loud enough for you to hear but lost in the sea of faces before you see Dr. Selvig wave you over to the table. Treated like you’re invisible by the throngs of people who refuse to give you space, moving through the crowd is almost an impossible feat, nearly having to push your way through, all manners out of the window for the time being until you arrive at your destination.

Jane Foster gives you a polite smile, sipping her glass of wine when Dr. Selvig clamps a hand down on your shoulder, giving it a small squeeze in his own fatherly way of approval. Jane looks effortlessly chic in a little black dress and heels, the outfit carefully tailored to fit her body. She looks expensive, the glint of her tennis bracelet twinkling under the lights.

Slight embarrassment ripples through you at how you must look in contrast to the well put together doctor, the immediate agitation cooling after reminding yourself that you are present because of Dr. Selvig.

“Took you long enough,” Dr. Selvig says with a happy grin. “Jane, this is my research assistant I was telling you all about.”

Jane extends her hand, your gaze pulling away from her momentarily at the man at her side. 

He’s tall, blond haired, bright blue eyes under glasses adorning his handsome face. You feel as if you’ve seen him before. Perhaps in some magazine or some other place, his statuesque form is on display under a navy sports coat, khaki pants and white shirt, showing a hint of tanned skin from the two top undone buttons on his linen shirt. 

“Pleasure to meet you,” you reply, shaking her hand, seeing Jane smile up at Thor. 

“And this is my boyfriend -”

“Doctor Thor Odinson,” the man interrupts, not extending his hand, simply nodding in your direction.

It feels dismissive, the way he finishes his drink, looking away from you to wave to somewhere else across the room. This is a playground for the wealthy and famous, something of which you are neither.

Jane is called over by a small group of women huddled at a table, profusely apologizing before disappearing, leaving you with Dr. Selvig and Dr. Odinson.

“So,” Dr. Odinson begins, placing his drink down. “I have to ask, Erik. Where do you find your research assistants?”

“Where I find all of them,” Dr. Selvig replies, taking another swig of his beer, giving you a kind smile to ease your mounting anxiety. “In the libraries, hard at work, ready to discover the world and beyond.”

“Does that include writing a thesis that tears down a world-renowned scientist for her work?” he asks Dr Selvig, a look of confusion coloring his rapidly reddening face at Dr. Odinson’s question. “Or the avant garde dress code that she’s imposed on us?”

His comment, spoken so casually, makes you strain to hear him under the loud jazz music to make sure you understand what he is saying. You’re aware of the words he spoke, hoping he’ll repeat them so that you can put him in his place, doctor or not.

“My thesis?” you question, Dr. Odinson still not sparing you a glance.

“That’s putting it lightly,” he continues, his focus on Selvig, who downs the last of his beer. “I suppose anything will pass for a thesis these days, am I right?”

“I thought her thesis was sound,” Dr. Selvig responds, his jaw tightening at the slight. “She presented her arguments without malice, only facts. Jane agreed it was a strong, compelling argument.”

“We must have read two very different versions. Some of those citations were interesting.”

“Stellar evolution was the basis of my thesis, adding onto Dr. Foster’s work that interstellar medium gives way to more conversation on how stellar evolution comes to pass,” you argue, Dr. Selvig shooting you a careful glance, as if to try to soothe your impending temper.

“As I mentioned, Erik,” Dr. Odinson says, ignoring your glare. “I have a few names I could pass along when you inevitably become disappointed.”

“He isn’t disappointed with my work.”

The denial comes out much more passionate than you mean it to, unsure of why this man is getting under your skin. It could be a number of ways. The way he doesn’t give you the respect of looking in your direction, how he casually sips his drink while insulting you and actively ignoring the way you are trying to defend yourself.

Of course, it’s done in the usual way you are used to – being invisible and visible at the same time, a nuisance that is only temporary, not worth the effort or energy, like an insect bite that only is a cause for an itch if noticed.

“You may not have liked my thesis, but I stand by my work and so does Dr. Selvig. I’m sorry that you can’t indulge in a conversation like a civil human being. Have a good night, Dr. Selvig, I’ll see you tomorrow morning,” you say in farewell, adjusting your thin black purse over your shoulder, turning on your heels to leave.

Out of earshot, Dr Selvig narrows his eyes at Thor.

“I’m going to get another beer,” he says coldly. “Perhaps you can keep Jane company for the rest of the night. Maybe her manners will rub off on you..”

Thor downs the last of his drink, rolling his shoulders before taking his leave, Jane in his sights.

“Have a good night, Dr. Selvig. Enjoy the rest of your night.”

-

The lights in your apartment go out one by one, Thor looking up from the open window of the idling car. His driver knows better than to ask questions, his eyes studying the building for a moment.

Not bad on a research assistant’s salary.

Jane had been adamant that she hadn’t taken your thesis the wrong way, both her and Selvig coming to your defense once you had unceremoniously exited the upscale member’s only club, probably your first and last visit to such an establishment.

There is something about you, something that sparked a nonsensical thought to spark and grow roots in his mind to follow you. Mouthy little thing as you were, there was a sense of towing the line of when you were trying to control your temper that you almost went over, your bravado tempered by Erik’s gaze, a father figure in a sense to keep you on the straight and narrow.

Burning curiosity simmers under the surface of Thor’s famed calm and collected persona, to extinguish whatever little spark you had ignited in front of Selvig and him. He pauses for a moment, looking up at the darkened windows.

You have no idea he could diminish your fire to the rest of the world, cover and keep it for his own amusement as his preferred choice. He particularly liked the way your eyes had darkened when he had spoken to Selvig and not even looked at you. Your professional demeanor had dissolved when your boundary had been crossed. It urges him to want to push and pull, snap the elasticity of your attitude to see how quickly you could bounce back.

If at all.

With a simple click of a button, the lowered window begins to rise, effectively ending his detour. The thick voice gets his attention, so deep in his thoughts of what you could be dreaming about that he hadn’t heard his driver trying to talk to him.

“Where to, Sir?”

“To Jane,” Thor answers through the intercom. “Thank you, Volstagg.”

-

It’s unfortunate that you don’t do a better job of hiding your social media, Thor thinks with a sarcastic smile, focusing on your profile picture. It isn’t that you’re trying to hide it, this much he is aware but there’s something naïve about putting in intimate details of your life that anyone can have access to. The little details that you didn’t think would track you down leads him to your alma mater, your LinkedIn, a bevy of photos of you during college by your friends who have their profiles public, open for anyone to see.

A few more clicks and he knows your parents, their names, where they work and what cities they live in. He knew you were a long way from home but to find the exact city was easier than he thought. He had suspected the daddy issues, of course, clicking through your profile to find only cheerful mentions of Mother’s Day to your mother and a passive aggressive meme posted on Father’s Day.

Inconsequential things of course, nothing that would ever hold you back from pursuing an illustrious career. Still, Thor focuses on a picture of you that you carefully posted, bedroom eyes and a slight mischievous smile. He can’t get your gaze out of his head for a moment, clicking to the next picture, one with your family cat, placing an innocent kiss on the top of its head, the next picture of you and your mother, taken recently with Erik at the lab, no doubt showing off your work.

The next picture makes his eyes narrow.

A simple red heart as a caption, sitting atop a man’s lap who has his arm around your waist. He hums in disapproval, opening another tab to search the name that comes to mind.

Tristan Laurent, the only son from a prominent barrister family, namely the exalted son of Martin Laurent. 

Undoubtedly the biggest donor to Selvig and Jane’s work.

“Smart girl, hitching yourself to such a strong family,” Thor murmurs to himself. 

“Thor?”

Jane’s sleepy voice causes him to move his work to the center of the screen, hiding his research from her as Jane’s arms wrap around his shoulder, her mouth grazing against the top of his head, lingering enough so that he can still smell the hint of her body wash.

“It’s so late,” she reminds him. “Come to bed, okay?”

“Almost done. Give me five minutes.”

Giving him a sleepy smile, she heads back into their shared bedroom, Thor minimizing the browser until there is a picture of you posing for the camera in a black cut out one piece.

He’ll delete it later when he feels compelled to. For now, the rest of his browsing will have to wait.

Not that he isn’t in a hurry, you haven’t changed your passwords in years.

[mrsbuckybarnes1917]

7: SPRING FLING

Previous chapter < MASTERLIST > Next chapter

You try and get over Bucky with a sexual intervention.

Word count 3.2k

Warnings: jealous Bucky Barnes, original character (please feel free to imagine Alexander Skarsgård when reading the character of Erik), some Russian spoken between Bucky and Nat, Nat being the best bestie

“You know what you need?” Wanda shouted over the loud music, looking directly at you.

“What’s that?” You answered, equally as loudly, taking a sip from the cocktail in your hand.

“To get laid.”

The way that you choked on your drink was undignified and most unlady-like.

You glared at Wanda and at Natasha who was sitting on a barstool opposite you smirking. Wanda patted your back, sympathetically. They had convinced you to come out with them to the local club, where the music was pounding and the lights were dimmed and you didn’t have to think about your emotional problems. Surprisingly, the thumping music vibrated through your body, calming your mind. The alcohol also helped!

“Was this your idea?” You demanded from the red-head who merely shrugged in response.

“Cricket, honey, your aura needs a good cleansing.” Wanda fanned the space around you, trying to pick off the gremlins that only she had the ability to see.

“Yeah, maybe having some good D will help you get over these ridiculous feelings.” Nat may have spoken quietly, but you caught every word.

“Fine, make a suggestion.”

That got Wanda and Nat’s attention, their eyes lit up like two little girls who had been promised ponies for their tenth birthdays. Immediately they started conspiring and assessing the options so you wouldn't have a chance to change your mind.

You glanced around the joint, it was filled with people you recognized, if not by name, then at least you'd seen their faces in passing or at briefings. The compound wasn't so far away from the city but the location was remote enough that the traffic on the roads was mostly caused by commuting members of the S.H.I.E.L.D. organization. Unlike most of the Avengers, they weren't offered automatic room and board. But it did mean that a large number of people congregated in the local watering holes to let off steam.

You let Wanda and Nat drag you onto the dance floor, where the bass thumped in time with your heart. You let yourself get lost in the music, letting go of your worries and inhibitions. The alcohol had loosened you up, and you found yourself dancing with a stranger, their hands on your hips as you moved together in perfect sync.

As the night wore on, you found yourself laughing and chatting with different people, enjoying the attention and the thrill of the unknown. It wasn’t something you normally did, preferring the comforts of home and the company of your inner circle. But everything changes and sometimes you are forced to change to adapt to the direction life is taking you. Wanda and Nat watched from the sidelines, nodding in approval as you let yourself be swept away by the moment.

Just as you were starting to feel a little dizzy from the drinks and the dancing, you felt a tap on your shoulder. You turned around to see a face that made your heart skip a beat. He was handsome in the most boring, traditional way… at first. His tall stature and toned figure towered over you in a way that made you feel small, but his eyes provided a sort of balm over the rest, endearing you to open up to him.

“Hey,” he said, his voice barely audible over the music. "I've been wanting to talk to you ever since you walked in here with your friends. Can we go somewhere quieter?"

You nodded, feeling a rush of excitement and nerves as he led you away from the crowd and into a quieter corner of the club.

“I’m Erik.”

“I’m-”

“Oh I know exactly who you are. My father talks about the Avengers a lot,” he laughed, mirth spreading across his handsome features. “You guys saved him from a number of mishaps.”

“Your father?”

“Erik Selvig? I’m Erik Jr.”

“Wait, you’re Dr Selvig’s son?”

“Guilty!” he shrugged. “Hope that doesn’t affect your opinion of me.”

“Are you kidding? Your father’s a genius! I have so much respect for him.

Erik smiled, relieved by your positive reaction to his father's reputation. The two of you continued to chat, finding common ground in your shared admiration for science and the work of the Avengers. You discovered that he was in town for the next few weeks relaying his father’s research to S.H.I.E.L.D.. You found yourself opening up to Erik in a way you hadn't expected. His easy charm and genuine interest in getting to know you made you feel comfortable and put you at ease. You weren’t one for falling for a man so quickly, but for some reason Erik Jr seemed to have cast a spell on you and you were letting it weave its mystic ways around you. And as you talked and laughed and got to know each other better, you realized that maybe Wanda and Nat were right. Maybe all you needed was a different connection to heal your heart and lift your spirits.

As the night wore on, the club started to empty out, leaving just a few stragglers on the dance floor.

“Do you want to get out of here?” Erik asked, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

“Did you have somewhere specific in mind?”

“I’m actually staying in the guest quarters at the compound.”

“Perfect, because my friends seemed to have disappeared on me.” This was in fact a white lie, Wanda and Nat had simply made their way back to the car you'd driven in and texted you to say they would wait until you had a plan.

Erik chuckled, pulling out his car keys, “Well let them know that I'm happy to get you home safe and sound. But I suspect that their vanishing act was probably a very intentional maneuver.”

A smirk crossed your lips, somehow turned on by his intuitiveness. “I'll text them and let them know,” you answered, sliding into the passenger side of his dark BMW. 

The ride home was spent discussing Norse myths and legends, stories you’d both been told or learned as children and how they compared to the things you had learned from Thor. The laughter and banter exchanged was stimulating but had an underlying tone of seduction that was undeniable. Erik’s hand on your knee confirmed his intentions. You couldn't stop thinking about the immediate connection you had felt with him. It was a feeling you hadn't experienced in a long time, and it left you eager to see where things could go with Erik.

As Erik pulled up and parked outside the large complex where he was staying, he turned to you, his tongue sliding over his lips and his eyes roaming over you for a moment. “So, Y/N. Do you mind if I walk you home?”

Your name rolled off his tongue beautifully, and that’s when you decided to give in. If you could hear your name leave his lips even one more time tonight, you’d be one happy girl.

“So this is me,” you smiled, suddenly feeling a little shy as you stopped outside your bedroom door.

“Wow, looks so… normal.” Erik joked, trying to get past the obvious tension you felt.

“Would you like to come inside?” You bit your lip, looking up at the handsome, giant Norwegian. 

Erik’s eyes lit up at the invitation, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. “I would love to,” he replied, his voice low and husky.

You led him inside, feeling a rush of excitement and nerves as you opened the door to your room. It was a simple space, decorated with a few personal touches that reflected your personality. Erik looked around, taking in the details with interest.

“This is nice,” he commented, his gaze lingering on you. “Very cozy.”

You smiled, feeling a warmth spread through you at his words. “Thanks. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s home.” 

Erik stepped closer, his hand reaching out to gently brush a strand of hair away from your face. “You’re beautiful,” he whispered, his eyes locked on yours.

Your heart skipped a beat at his words, the intensity of his gaze sending shivers down your spine. Without another word, he closed the distance between you, his lips capturing yours in a soft, lingering kiss.

The world seemed to fade away as you lost yourself in the moment, the connection between you and Erik growing stronger with each passing second. It was as if you had found something you didn't even know you were looking for, a spark that ignited a fire within you.

Erik broke this kiss with a reluctant sigh. “Look, I have a confession to make.”

Your heart sank, everything seemed too good to be true.

“I want to be honest with you before we go any further.”

“Go ahead.”

“I'm not going to be in New York for long. I travel a lot and I'm not looking for a long term relationship.”

You contemplated the proposition. For a moment you heard Bucky's voice in your head, calling you a slut. But Nat's voice was there to play devil's advocate on your behalf. ‘Girl, be as slutty as you like. Your happiness doesn’t depend on one person. Do this for you and your own pleasure, no one gets to judge you for it!’

You were your own judge, and your verdict was simple; have sex with the gorgeous man in front of you.

* 

Little did you realize that your return home was witnessed by your best friend. Bucky was a little perturbed to see you enter your room with this handsome stranger. He stood in a shadowy corner, watching as you and Erik, laughed and talked. Bucky couldn't help but feel consumed by envy. As you closed the door, he strode back to his room, slamming his own door shut, almost as though additional physical barriers might block out the mental image of the two of you from his mind.

Unfortunately, the physical barriers did nothing to mute his hearing.

“Where do you want me?” He heard your sweet voice.

“Sitting on my face sounds like a good start.”

“What?”

“You heard me. Spread your legs and show me what’s mine.”

Bucky couldn’t believe the sounds coming from your room. They were unmistakable, as they cut through him like a knife. He felt his heart shattering into a million pieces, unable to bear the thought of you being with someone else. As the night wore on, Bucky paced back and forth, struggling to sleep, his mind filled with thoughts of you and Erik. He couldn't shake his feeling of betrayal, images of you invading his mind, filling him with an ache in his chest that grew greater with every passing moment until he thought he would explode.

How could you do this to him? How could you be so careless with his feelings?

But as he listened to the sounds of your passion through the thin walls, a different emotion began to bubble up inside him. Jealousy turned to longing, and longing turned to desire. He couldn't deny the fact that hearing you with another man stirred something deep within him.

Bucky knew he had to confront you about what he had heard. He couldn't keep his feelings bottled up any longer. He knocked on your door, his heart pounding in his chest. When you opened the door, a look of surprise crossed your face.

"Bucky, what are you doing here?" you asked, confusion evident in your voice.

"I heard you," he said simply, his eyes searching yours for some kind of explanation.

You looked down, a blush creeping up your cheeks. "I...I'm sorry, Bucky. I didn't mean for you to hear that."

He took a step closer to you, his gaze intense. "Do you have feelings for him?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

You hesitated, unsure of how to answer. But before you could say anything, Bucky took matters into his own hands. He leaned in and captured your lips in a searing kiss, his hands tangling in your hair.

With a gasp, Bucky sat up in his bed, taking short shaky breaths as he tried to drag his consciousness away from dreamland. As soon as his heart stopped pounding in his ears, he listened for other sounds around him, but there was only silence. He lay in bed, staring at the ceiling until sunrise filled the room.

*

The next morning, you emerged from your room, a smile on your face as you said goodbye to Erik. Bucky lurked in the shadows as you walked with him to the main doors. The scowl that graced his features was worthy of the Chitauri race. If looks could kill, Erik would have dropped dead on the spot.

Natasha, always one step ahead, hissed in Bucky’s ear. «Даже не думай.» (“Don’t even think about it?”) He felt the sharp pain of her pinching the skin on the back of his neck.

Bucky was taken aback. «Чё за хрень, Романов?» (“What the hell, Romanoff?”)

«Я знаю что у тебя на уме,» (“I know what you’re thinking,”) she whispered, her tone sharp.

«Что?» (“What?”) Bucky asked, confused.

«Не испорть это для неё.» ("Don't ruin this for her.”) She was gone as surreptitiously as she had arrived.

Natasha’s words echoed in Bucky’s mind as he watched you and Erik exchange a lingering goodbye. He felt a surge of anger and jealousy, but he knew he had no right to feel that way. You were free to do as you pleased, and he had no claim over you. Bucky was so lost in his own thoughts that he didn’t notice you walking back towards him.

“Hey, Buck. Are you ok?” you asked, concern lacing your voice. He seemed dazed and you suddenly felt worried that he had seen you with Erik. It wasn’t that you wanted to hide things from him, but a small part of you didn’t want to permanently close the door on the possibility of something more. 

Bucky forced a smile, masking his true emotions. “I’m fine, just tired. Don’t worry about me.”

“Are you sure?” you asked, but you could see through his facade, the pain in his eyes mirrored the pain you had felt when he had told you about Priya.

“Who was that guy?” Bucky asked, throwing caution to the wind. Curiosity eating him from the inside out.

“Umm, that’s Erik. He’s Dr Selvig’s son.” You could sense the tension between you two, and it made your heart ache. You wondered what he was thinking, but you didn’t want Bucky to think you were trying to hide anything from him. So you found yourself blurting out every tidbit of information. “I met him last night.”

Bucky nodded, uncomfortably.

“Well, I’d better go… get started on those reports I’ve been putting off. I’ll see you later?”

“Yeah sure.” Bucky returned your wave with a half hearted one of his down. As you walked away, Bucky couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret. He knew he shouldn’t be upset, but seeing you with someone else made everything worse. He knew he needed to come to terms with the fact that you were moving on with your life, he just wished he could find a way to do the same. Despite being with Priya, his thoughts always came back to you.

*

It was a festive dinner with the team as they gathered to bid farewell to Erik, who was leaving New York the next day. You had enjoyed three uninterrupted weeks of Earth shattering sex and you were sad to see him leave. He was attentive and intuitive and certainly knew how to show you a good time. But Erik seemed to form an immediate connection with anyone he met and if there wasn't an expiry date on your relationship, you would worry about the depth of your connection. But as things stood, you were having a good time and didn't have time to wallow in Buckya and Priya’s relationship. 

Thor had been invited to join Erik's farewell fête as a gift to the guest, and the evening started off with a lively atmosphere. Erik and Thor were having a whale of a time, sharing stories and laughing loudly, while the rest of the team tried to keep up with their energy.

However, on the other end of the table, Bucky was sulking, his mood visibly dark. Steve, sitting next to him, tried to comfort him, but Bucky seemed lost in his own thoughts. He couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that had settled in his chest ever since Erik had arrived.

As the night went on, Bucky found himself in the kitchen with Erik, who had come out to grab a drink. Erik looked at Bucky and said, "You don't seem to like me very much."

Bucky, taken aback by the directness of the statement, replied, "I don't know you well enough to like you."

Erik raised an eyebrow and continued, “For someone who doesn't know me enough to like me, you sure were staring at me a lot during dinner. Or... were you staring at Y/N?”

Bucky's eyes widened in surprise at the mention of your name. He felt a wave of embarrassment at the realization that his feelings for you had not gone unnoticed. He cleared his throat and muttered, “Her name’s Cricket.”

Erik smiled knowingly and said, "If you like her, just tell her. Life's too short for regrets."

Bucky just glowered at him, unable to form a coherent response. He knew Erik was right, but the fear of rejection held him back.

As the night came to an end and the team dispersed, having bid Erik his goodbyes, you were left alone with the tall blonde.

“I guess this is it,” you said softly, breaking the heavy silence that hung between you.

"I guess it is," Erik said, looking at you with a hint of sadness in his eyes.

"Yeah, time to say goodbye," you replied, trying to keep your emotions in check.

"I just want to thank you for the last three weeks. It's been... amazing," Erik said, his voice trailing off slightly.

You smiled, feeling a mix of emotions. "Thank you too, Erik. I had a really great time with you."

There was a moment of silence as you both stood there, unsure of what to say next.

“Well, I guess this is goodbye then,” Erik said, reaching out to give you a hug.

You hugged him back, feeling a sense of finality in the embrace. He pressed one last kiss against your lips before releasing you.

“Goodbye, Y/N.” He gave you one last smile before turning and walking away.

“Bye Erik,” you said softly.

As you watched him go, you couldn’t help but feel a sense of loneliness. Deep down, you knew it was time to move on, and as you walked back towards your room, you felt a sense of closure and gratitude for the time you had shared with Erik. He had stopped you wallowing in ‘what ifs’ and ‘might have beens’. You had been left with a sense of hope for the future, that maybe there was the potential for you to find a connection with someone special.

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[mydaddywiki]

Stellan Skarsgård

Physique: Average Build Height: 6’ 3" (1.91 m)

Stellan John Skarsgård (born 13 June 1951) is a Swedish actor. He is known for his collaborations with director Lars von Trier, appearing in Breaking the Waves (1996), Dancer in the Dark (2000), Dogville (2003), Melancholia (2011), and Nymphomaniac (2013). Skarsgård has since starred in various blockbusters such as Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006) and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007). He also starred in Mamma Mia! (2008), Angels and Demons (2009), and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2011). He played Dr. Erik Selvig in five Marvel Cinematic Universe films, starting with Thor (2011), and portrayed Baron Harkonnen in Denis Villeneuve's two-part Dune adaptation, Dune (2021) and Dune: Part Two (2024).

You’d think I’d already be into Stellan with how many things I’ve seen him naked in and there's a lot. And surprisingly the one that put him over the edge with is a movie where he didn’t appear naked in, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Wait, was it Thor: The Dark World? Well it was one of those two.

Skarsgård was born in Gothenburg, he moved often in his childhood and lived, amongst other places, in Helsingborg, Totebo, Kalmar, Marielund, and Uppsala. Skarsgård started his acting career early; and, by the age of 21, his experience in film, TV and stage was considerable. Most of his early roles were in Swedish television (such as Bombi Bitt) and films.

Twice married, with his first wife, they had six children together. Alexander, Gustaf, Bill, and Valter are also actors, while Eija was a model for a few years. His second marriage to Irish screenwriter and producer Megan Everett in January 2009 produced two sons. Because of this, Skarsgård had a vasectomy because he felt that eight children was enough. Well Mr. Skarsgård… if you were fucking me, you wouldn't have that problem.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Good Will Hunting (1997) Nymphomaniac: Vol. I (2013) Nymphomaniac: Vol. II (2013) Amistad (1997)

[simplyholl]

The Villain’s Weapon Pt. 1

Summary: When you hit your head and lose your memory, you fall into Loki’s clutches.

Warnings: Eventual smut. Memory loss. Villain Loki. Thanos.

The battle was never ending. You and the other Avengers were never going to defeat Loki. He had taken Clint and Dr. Selvig using them against you as he took the Tesseract. It didn’t help that he would only show up every now and then to taunt the team. Otherwise you couldn’t locate him.

Loki fought against you. “We have to stop meeting like this, little one.” Loki teased. You used your magic, a cloud of blue surrounding you as you fought back. You underestimated the power you put behind it, the aftershock throwing you back against a boulder. You hit your head with a loud thud as your vision went black.

When you came to, a large man towered over you. You studied his face trying to place him. You couldn’t remember where you were or what you were doing outside. You didn’t even know who you are. “There you are. I’ve been looking for you, little one.” Little one. That was familiar. You obviously knew this strangely dressed man. You look down at your own apparel. You were wearing a leather catsuit, so you couldn’t say anything about him.

You hear fighting all around you. You sit up, suddenly scared of your surroundings. What was happening? Pain surges through your head, you place a hand on it. You were bleeding. Your suit was torn like you had been fighting too. You stand up, feeling a little dizzy. You grab the man before you, pulling him in for a hug. You don’t know why, but you trust him.

He said he was looking for you after all. The term of endearment he used rang a bell. If you were fighting, you must be on his side. He looks down at you like you have lost your mind. Maybe you haven’t hugged before and this was out of character for you. You quickly pull away.

“I’m so sorry. I think I must have hit my head too hard. I can’t remember anything. But you seem familiar. You said you were looking for me, so I just assumed.” He looks at you incredulously. “You really don’t remember who you are or what you are doing out here?” You look around again, not recognizing anyone or anything, but him.

“There seems to be a battle. I assume I’m on your side?” You look into his bright blue eyes as a smile appears on his lips. “Yes, that is correct. Those people over there are the Avengers. They are trying to stop me - erm - us. I’ll tell you more about it once we get back to our lair.”

Loki couldn’t believe his luck. He was waiting for you to come to after the nasty fall you had taken when your magic threw you back. You were powerful, but you didn’t have complete control over your power. With his help, you would be unstoppable. And now, you were on his side.

“She’s dangerous.” Thanos told Loki. “Right now, she isn’t. She doesn’t even know she has powers.” Loki argued. “This is perfect. I will train her, we will use her to fight the Avengers.” Thanos shook his head. “What if her memory comes back? It’s too big of a risk.” Loki paces the floor, “Trust me, she won’t. She took a nasty fall. Just let me try this out before we send the Chitauri.” “You have two months.” Thanos stated as he cut communication.

Loki set up a room for you. He conjured clothes for your closet, shoes in your size, everything you might need in order to convince you that you actually lived here. He found you on the bed, looking out the window. “I’ve come to dress your wounds.” You nod, turning toward him. He examined the cut on your head, green flowing from his hands as he healed it. He explained that he could use magic and apparently so could you. He was going to start retraining you tomorrow.

“The other cuts aren’t as severe so I will clean them myself.” He explained. You slid the strap of your tank top down your shoulder to give him better access to the wound. You gasp when the alcohol wipe touches your skin, causing the area to sting. You watch him intently, long pale fingers working diligently to patch every scratch on you.

“Lay back.” He commands, reaching for the hem of your tank top. You had a large cut just under your breasts. You do as your told, he rolls the fabric up just under your nipples. You hold your breath. Your skin prickles, turning into goosebumps everywhere he touches. Your nipples harden as he patches you up.

Loki notices how you are physically reacting to his touch. How your nipples hardened when he placed his hands on your stomach. How your breath hitched when he pulled your shirt up. The worst part was he could feel his pants growing tighter. He wasn’t surprised that you had that kind of reaction toward him. He was a god after all. But he never expected you to have that effect on him. His hands grew shaky as he finished bandaging you. “Good as new.” He murmured, yanking your shirt down to cover you.

“Loki?” He stopped his retreat from your room, freezing in your doorway. “Thank you for everything. I don’t know what I would have done without you.” You get off the bed, walking toward him, pulling him in for another embrace. He reluctantly pulls you closer to him. You can tell he isn’t a hugger. His large hand smooths the back of your hair. “You’re welcome. I’m glad I was there too.” You bury your face into his chest, breathing him in. He looks down at you, expression unreadable. This is going to be a long two months.

Part Two

Tags

@fictive-sl0th @lokisgoodgirl @lokidbadguy @ozymdias @cindylynn @cakesandtom @eleniblue @marygoddessofmischief @coldnique @mochie85 @goblingirlsarah @lokisninerealms @wheredafandomat @peaches1958 @freegardenbanananeck @chantsdemarins @lokidokieokie @l0ki3000 @anukulee @multifandom-worlds @alexakeyloveloki @ladymischief11 @kats72 @mischief2sarawr @lamentis-10 @loz-3 @litaloni @lulubelle814 @iamlokisgloriouspurpose @avengersfan25 @silver-tongue-taken-to-bed @xorpsbane @mybugabomlb @bunny24sstuff @luthien-elvenia-asher @gruftiela @itsybitchylittlewitchy

[youwannaplaygames]

Loki: *betrays his father and brother, causes an alien invasion that almost demolishes New York City, brainwashes Hawkeye and Dr. Selvig, throws Tony out a window, kills 80 people in two days*

Loki like two weeks later: haha I was just in a silly goofy mood

[gunsandspaceships]

MCU Timeline: The Avengers

All events of the movie take place in May 2012.

April 2012 - Steve Rogers wakes up after nearly 70 years in ice.

May 1st:

Early morning - Loki's arrival on Earth. Avengers Assemble.

Hill reports the situation to the World Security Council.

Day in the USA/Night in Russia - Natasha interrogates the Russian mafia. Coulson calls her from the Helicarrier and sends her to India to get Bruce.

Fury's meeting with the WSC.

May 2nd:

Natasha recruits Bruce in Kolkata.

Fury briefs Rogers on the situation.

Evening - Coulson informs Tony and gives him Dr. Selvig's documents on the Tesseract.

Night - Pepper goes to Washington, Coulson - to pick up Steve.

Tony spends the night studying the information provided by S.H.I.E.L.D.

May 3rd:

Pepper in DC ("working on the zoning for the next three buildings").

S.H.I.E.L.D. evacuates Jane Foster to Norway.

Rogers, Coulson, Banner and Romanoff arrive at the Helicarrier (Atlantic Ocean).

9:40 pm (local time) - Loki in Stuttgart. Rogers, Romanoff, and Tony appear shortly after his arrival. Tony arrests Loki.

Why May 3rd: the exhibition "Conquests and Sacrifice" is open from May 4 to Oct 21, as we can see on the banners. The event Loki is attending is a private opening ceremony, a vernissage, which usually takes place the day before the opening to the public.

Soon after - Thor arrives on Earth. The fight in the forest.

Night - Everyone is back on the Helicarrier.

May 4th:

Early morning - Thor and Coulson talk.

Morning - Natasha interrogates Loki. The team argues in the lab. Science Bros find out that the Tesseract is in NYC. Barton attacks the Helicarrier (over NJ). Hulk and Thor fall. Tony saves the Helicarrier. Natasha knocks Clint out. Loki escapes after killing Coulson.

Soon after (in 30-90 min) - Fury's "There was an idea" pep talk. Bruce wakes up in a warehouse in New Jersey. Clint is back to himself. Tony figures out Loki's plan. Everyone heads to Manhattan.

Afternoon - The Battle of New York. While Doctor Strange performs surgery, the Avengers and the Ancient One battle Loki and Thanos' Chitauri army. Tony saves the world. Thanos' Chitauri army is destroyed, Loki is captured by the Avengers.

Soon after the battle - STRIKE (HYDRA) takes the Scepter to deliver it to Dr. List. The Hulk is not allowed to enter the elevator and he takes the stairs. Tony and Thor somehow manage to keep the Tesseract and Loki out of HYDRA's hands. The team eats shawarma.

May 5-6:

People all over the world celebrate the victory. Some people (especially politicians) debate whether their saviors are a threat. Some continue to consider them and the aliens a hoax.

Thor, Loki and the Tesseract depart to Asgard. Avengers Disassembled. Bruce stays with Tony in NYC.

May 6th - Hill and Fury are interrogated by the World Security Council.

The First week after the Battle - Tony remodels Stark Tower into Avengers Tower with rooms for each member of the team.

5-12 days after the battle (May 9-16) - "Item 47" events.

Second half of May - Department of Damage Control is formed. After cases of civilians appropriating alien weapons and technology and committing crimes with them, the federal government restricts private contractors' access to clean up the aftermath of the Battle. Adrian Toomes starts his own alien weapons smuggling business.

Iron Man (2008) Timeline

The Incredible Hulk (2008) Timeline

Iron Man 2 (2010) Timeline

Thor (2011) Timeline

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) Timeline

[nessieart]

The Way Back. V

WC: 7.5k (its super long im so sorry!)

eventual bucky x reader. maybe steve x reader. im still deciding dontshootme

Summary: These powers were meant to help people. Help The Avengers, your family. It felt like every time you used them, something bad always happened. Maybe someone has the answers, somewhere.

An: I've had half of this done already, and wasn't sure where to put it. So here we are! Enjoy!

Masterlist

Previously:

"I bet you say that to all the girls, Bucky," you tease, placing a hand on his chest. You push him away slightly so you can order a drink for yourself, but Bucky steps back into your space, holding your hand to his chest.

He looks over your shoulder for a moment, then down at you as he lowers his face next to your ear.

"Maybe, but I'm here with the prettiest dame in Brooklyn tonight. And there's nowhere else I'd rather be."

Oh, he's good. You bring a hand over your mouth to stifle the laugh that wants to bubble out.

"Alright, soldier, buy a gal a drink first," you chuckle. It earns you a bright smile, and Bucky turns to get the bartenders attention.

As you gaze around the bar, you see a familiar head of blonde hair, then realize he's leaving. You turn to Bucky, "why is Steve leaving?" Bucky stiffens next to you. He looks at you from the corner of his eye.

2011

New Mexico was oddly cold this time of year. You still haven't gotten used to it after moving back here for 3 years. After leaving California, packing up your whole life from your small apartment, you decided going home might do you some good. Helping out the family business wasn't what you had in mind, but you had no other options. It wasn't permanent, that's what you kept telling yourself. Your mom just needed a little help, that's all.

Dr. Jane Foster sat in your section of the tourist-fueled diner in the middle of Roswell. Small green alien decor with a retro ‘50s vibe was all the rage - at least it was in the ‘90s.

“Look, I get it, sure,” you shrugged, placing the plates of toast and waffles (in the shape of little green men) on the table, “it's all hilarious to poke fun at the failed Astrophysics major - in green antenna - but I left all those theories back west. Sorry, Doc.”

“I read your graduating thesis,” she bursts out, hands clamped tight around the coffee mug on the table. “Your theory on Parallel Existences and Space-Time Resonance was,” she huffed out a breath of disbelief, “was truly amazing! It was inspiring! I want you to come work with me, er us. With us. please?” The sentence was rushed, and she hardly took a moment to breathe, but you understood.

There was another huff across from her, the girl in glasses and a beanie rolling her eyes and putting more waffles in her mouth than she should.

“Lay off, Jane,” Darcy, you think her name is, says around a mouthful of waffles and syrup, “she obviously would rather work her minimum wage, shit job, where she has to dress like that,” she points her fork up and down at your outfit, “-than see the hunky space dude you hit with the van.” 

Your eye twitches, and you place your hands on your hips. Dr Foster shoots her companion a glare and mutters something about it was an accident, and you're too focused on their banter to hear the bell above the door, and the man approaching the table of your current customers.

“Well, what's the verdict, my dear?” An accented voice pulls your thoughts away.  And you're looking at one of your idols.

“D-Doctor Sel- Selvig,” it's a whisper, and you're staring wide-eyed at the man, mouth gaping like a fish as you fumble about what to say. It's all stuttered syllables, and you promise you're more verbally inclined than this very moment. You have a PhD for crying out loud. Well, almost a PhD, but who's keeping track?

Dr Selvig chuckles, placing a hand on your shoulder, “I'm assuming that's a ‘yes'?” Your frantic nodding is all you could muster.

Your brows are furrowed, arms crossed at your chest and head tilted to the side. Surely, this space hunk, that Darcy calls him (probably derogatory, not affectionate), can't be from, well, space. Could he?

You read Jane's readings she gathered from the other night as she drove back to her ‘lab’. She talked a mile a minute and hardly paid attention to the road as she pointed out certain scans and readings on the paper in your hands. Her hands articulated wildly, and your hand on the wheel of the van to keep it between the lines on the road.

The blond Adonis in a too tight shirt smirks down at you, mimicking your stance with a twinkle in his electric blue eyes.

You narrow your eyes at him, “you're from space.” It's not a question, and the man - a God he had said - nods once.

“From a planet called-”

“Realm,” he corrects.

“Uh huh,” your head tilts the other way.  “Asgard.” He grins, big and bright, and then claps his hands together so loud it sounds like thunder. 

“You were far easier to convince than the rest of your friends,” he claps a hand on your shoulder, and you're sure the force of it sends you into the floor beneath you. A quiet ow leaving your lips.

His voice is accented and deep, and dare you say…old timey? Like going to Medieval Times or something.

He puts on a show, voice loud and booming with purpose as he describes his home. There's a fond smile on his lips and a far-off look in his eyes. 

You roll your shoulder to ease the sting, “With Dr Fosters findings on the Einstein-Rosen-”

“Bifrost,” Thor corrects you again.

“Uh huh, bifrost. With her data on the Bifrost, it would only conclude to lead somewhere else. Somewhere far away that we could never hope to discover in our lifetime. Multiple lifetimes.” You've paced away from Thor's grip and around the room. “Imagine if you could travel anywhere, any place conceivable to the known universe…it’s. It’s extraordinary.”

There was a repetitive loud banging on the glass door behind you. It made you squeak in surprise. Four large people stood on the other side, all wearing…well, odd clothing. Three men and a woman.

“My friends!” Thor’s thundering voice shouted.

—

It was still hard to believe, even though you watched them all disappear. 

A beam of bright, radiant rainbow light appeared from the heavens, engulfed Thor and his friends, and then they were gone. A large glyph seared into the desert sands was the only thing left of their time on earth. 

After that, things happened so fast. Working with Dr. Selvig, being recruited by SHIELD. Doing something you loved and missed.

And then the explosion happened. 

Everything was fine one minute, and then the next, the readings were off the charts. SHIELD started evacuating all personnel on the upper floors. You insisted on staying with Selvig to try and tame the Tesseract, but it’s been hours, and you have nothing to show for progress.

Nick Fury is an intimidating man. You've  only been in his vicinity a handful of times. You're pretty positive he only has one emotion; serious.

It all happened so fast. Fury was shouting, and so was Selvig. The only thing you could hear was the ringing in your ears, then a pain so searing hot and ice cold, shot through your chest it almost made you pass out. It felt like you were on fire. Every breath and subtle movement was painful. A groan leaves your lips, and it takes considerable effort to open your eyes.

You could hear voices call your name. Maybe it was your name. Who were you? 

How did you end up on the floor? It was all a blur.

“Now then, who are you?” A lilting accented voice above you asked. When your eyes meet the striking bright blues of the stranger - or did you know him - he smirks at you.

“I- I don't-” was that your voice? It sounds so far away. 

There’s a lot of loud noises across the open room - guns, yeah, probably guns - the ringing is slowly subsiding as you sit up. The burning sensation is all but gone now. There's a man knelt down beside you, a hand gripping your bicep and tugging you up to your feet.

“C’mon, kid, we gotta go,” he says in your ear. It feels like eternity as you drag your eyes from your hands to his face. 

“You - you have an eyepatch. Are you a pirate?” 

The man shakes you a little, “Snap out of it, Agent. Get that brain goin’,” he - Fury! How could you forget - pulls you along with him, a briefcase in his other hand.

“Please don’t,” the quiet voice seems to carry far in the wide open space. “I still need that.”

“This doesn’t have to get any messier,” Fury says, slightly turning back to the mystery man clad in green.

Fury slowly steps in front of you, shielding your body with his. You’re vaguely aware of more conversation being had in the room, but the ringing is slowly taking over again the longer you stare at the scepter in the stranger's white knuckled grip.

There’s a loud shot that rings out, and Fury is at your feet with a bullet hole in his shoulder. You yelp in surprise and kneel down next to him.  There’s a rush of footsteps toward you, and when a pair of hands try to pull you along, they phase right through you.

You stare up at the stranger, both of your eyes wide in surprise. His eyes were eerily blue.

“What in the Nine Realms are you?” There’s wonder in his voice, and then he doubles over in pain, a bodyguard, and Agent Barton pull him along in a hurry, along with the large silver briefcase.

There’s a groan below you, and Nick Fury is sitting up, yanking the bullet from his vest.

Everything goes blurry and dark around the edges of your vision as Fury all but drags you out of the building and into a helicopter.

—

It was hard to remember how you got here, in a bed, in an off-white room with monitors and an IV connected to your hand.

Your mind is still trying to catch up. The events of the last day and a half are still fuzzy and catching up with your sluggish brain. The hiss of the door opening pulls your eyes up from your lap, Agent Coulson stands in the doorway.

“How - ?” 

He raises a hand as he steps closer, “you've been out for most of the day. I was starting to worry.  We brought you on the helicarrier,” someone is there to remove your IV, and Coulson helps you out into the hallway.

He places a comforting hand on your shoulder, waiting for you to get your bearings.

“I remember-,” your eyebrows scrunch up, and you shake your head, “I remember the Tesseract acting up. Dr Selvig was trying to stabilize her, but she wouldn't respond.”

Coulson led you down the hall and onto the bridge. Director Fury and Agent Hill were conversing when they noticed you entered.

“The energy release opened a portal,” your hand comes up to your chest (whether you realize it or not). There's a slight burning sensation when you do. “It went right through me.  Didn't it?”

You peer around the room, Coulson and Hill look worried, and Fury is as serious as ever. His large footfalls echo in the open space. You feel like Fury is stalking towards his prey, and you're it.

“That beam went right through you, Agent,” he stops a few inches from you, single eye peering down his nose at you. “Saw it myself. Are there any side effects I need to know about?” You shake your head.

Fury tugs on the black tank top resting on your collarbone. When you look down, there's a very noticeable bright blue glow coming from your chest.

Pulling it down just far enough to not flash the whole room, there's a palm sized blue crystal seared to the flesh of your chest. 6 inches long, below your clavicle and ending between your breasts.

The skin around it is scared and puckered with healed over burn marks. You touch it, and it's solid, glowing brighter when your finger runs along the edge.

“What the hell?” You look up at Fury with wide eyes, tears gathering and blurring the edge of your vision. “Can it come off? How did it - what - ? Take it off-” 

Your mind is running a mile a minute, heart rate also kicking up. You're pretty sure your breathing is ragged and sporadic. 

Oh, so it's definitely a panic attack. 

You're gasping for breath when a comforting hand runs up your back, Coulson is talking softly in your ear to bring you back down.

Am I on the floor?

“Yes, it's ok. Breathe, follow along. Do what I do,” a soft voice says to you. Your hand is placed on their chest, and you can feel the beat of their heart and the rise and fall of a chest. The purple cotton shirt is soft under your fingertips.

In, out. Breathe. In, and out.

“You're doing great,” the man says. You look up to his face. He's quietly calm. The uptick of a smile pulls at his lips when you mimic his breathing again.

“Great,” you exhale a long breath. “I just had a panic attack in front of Dr Banner. Good going, y/n. Smooth.”

Banner chuckles, squeezing your hand he still holds to his chest, “don't worry about it,” his smile is polite, and he helps you stand.

Behind you, Fury calls your name, “Agent, why don’t you help Dr. Banner with locating the Tesseract? I’m sure your…abilities could prove useful.”

“Um, sure.”

--

Bruce (he’s asked you on multiple occasions in the last half hour to call him Bruce) removes his glasses from his face. There’s a slight flush on his face after he examines the crystalline scar on your chest. It sits flush against your skin, but hard has a rock when touched.

You sat on top of the table, and the black sports bra didn't cover any of the crystalline on your sternum. It was easier for Bruce to examine it this way.

“So, what's the verdict?” You put the tank top back on. At least it covered a majority of the blue glowing rock.

Bruce sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he did. “I'd need to x-ray the area, just to be 100% sure, but I think it might be fused with you. Your sternum, maybe a few ribs.”

“So in other words, it's a part of me,” you slid off the table and stood, “whatever this is, it's not going anywhere.”

Bruce gives you a sullen look, shaking his head a little. There was a commotion outside the lab, a bunch of armed SHIELD agents filling the hallway. They were escorting a prisoner. The man from New Mexico is tall, pale, and mysterious.

“What's going on?” You edge closer to the window as they pass, the mystery man staring at Bruce and giving him an all-knowing smirk. Then his eyes shift to you, and the smirk drops, his brows furrow, and the same look of awe crosses his features that he gave you back in the basement of Project PEGASUS. And then he's out of sight.

“C'mon, they should be back by now,” Bruce says. You follow him out of the room and down a different hallway when you enter the bridge.

“Who should be back? Bruce-” 

The monitors flick on around the room, projecting a live feed from a chamber. The green clad man is encased in a large glass prison. Your eyes scan the room, finding Natasha Romanoff seated at the large table in the middle of the room.

There's also a video playing in front of her, too. You come up behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder, and she turns to you to give you a hug.

You met Nat after you joined SHIELD, being assigned to the New Mexico base along with Clint Barton. Nat had come and gone a few times, and you two got along well enough that you considered her a friend.

“I'm sorry I couldn't do anything to help Clint,” you whisper to her. She pulls back from the hug and gives you a serious look.

Nat looks down at your chest briefly, “don't be, I saw the footage.” She squeezes your bicep and returns to her chair. A sigh leaves you, letting go of some of the stress on your shoulders.

Looking up when you hear a few pairs of boots enter, you jolt in surprise. 

“Thor?” You're already making your way towards him. He has a huge grin on his face as his arms open wide. He lifts you into a crushing hug, a big deep chuckle of your name rumbling in his chest as your arms wind around his neck.

“What are you doing here? I never thought I'd see you again,” you pull back to look at him, and he sets you down.

“Truth be told, I never thought I would be back on Midgard so soon,” his face somber, and he leaves a hand on your shoulder. “Not after the Bifrost was destroyed. This disastrous mess with Loki, I fear, is all my fault.”

You tilt your head, “Loki, your brother?”

As if on queue, the TV screens and monitors around the room pick up sound, Fury's and the stranger's voice echoing around the room.

You walk closer to Natasha, peering over her shoulder at the video that plays.

“In case it's unclear. You try to escape, you so much as scratch that glass,” Fury turns and presses a button. It opens a large hatch door on the floor below the glass chamber Loki stands in. “Thirty thousand feet, straight down in a steel trap. You get how that works?” 

The hatch doors close a second later, and Fury points towards the man in the cell, “Ant,” then points to the control panel, “Boot.” 

More words are exchanged between them, and then you're suddenly aware of someone staring a hole into the side of your head.  When you look, there's a man in a red white and blue leotard all but glaring a hole through you. 

You go to open your mouth, but he quickly snaps out of it and focuses back on the monitor in front of him. You look around to see if anyone notices, but everyone else is focused on other things. 

“-to have the Tesseract, to have power. Unlimited power. And for what?” Loki stares at the camera with a mischievous grin, “A warm light for all mankind to share. And then be reminded what real power is.” 

“He really grows on you, doesn't he?” Bruce jokes.

“Loki's gonna drag this out. So, Thor, what's his play?” The man in blue speaks up. He briefly makes eye contact with you and then turns his gaze to Thor.

Thor shakes his head like he zoned out a little, “he has an army called the Chitauri. They are not of Asgard or any known world. He means to lead them against your people. They will win him the earth. In return, I suspect, for the Tesseract.”

Every time someone has mentioned that glowing blue cube, the crystal scar on your chest pulses a little. Maybe from phantom pain from a few days ago, but it burns again when you bring your hand to it. 

“Selvig?” Thor's question of your mentor's name snaps you out of the pain in your chest. 

“He's an astrophysicist,” Bruce says.

“He's a friend,” you and Thor share a concerned look for Erik. You pace back towards Thor and put a hand on his overly large forearm, trying to comfort him. His hand dwarfs yours when he covers it.

“I don't think we should be focusing on Loki,” Bruce says. He begins to pace around, his eyes seeking a solution to a problem. “that guy's brain is a bag full of cats. You can smell crazy on him.”

You stifle a snort when Thor goes rigid, “Have care how you speak. Loki is beyond reason, but he is of Asgard, and he is my brother.” You give a gentle squeeze of your hand, and Thor gives you a small nod.

“He killed 80 people in two days,” Nat simpers.

“He's adopted,” Thor supplies quietly. 

“I think it's about the mechanics.  Iridium, what did they need the iridium for?”

“It's a stabilizing agent,” you say. Another voice behind you also saying it at the same time.

“Means the portal won't collapse on itself, like it did at SHIELD.” Tony Stark. Of course. You met him once before, for the internship at Stark Industries, years ago, another lifetime ago.

Stark walks along the room, patting Thor on his bicep as he walks by, “no hard feelings, Point Break, you gotta mean swing.” He notices you, a stutter in his step and the brief furrow of his brow, then continues walking.

“The only major component he still needs is a power source,” Stark continues.

“Something of high energy density,” you cross your arms, nodding.

“Something to kick start the cube,” Stark finishes.

“When did you become an expert in thermonuclear Astrophysics?” Agent Hill asks Stark.

“Last night. The packet. Selvig’s notes-”

“the extraction theory papers?” you asked. “I - I uh, helped him with those,” you say quieter, a heat rising to your cheeks when the eyes around the table turn to you.

“Does Loki need any particular kind of power source?” You can see the star on his chest now. How could you miss it? Phil hasn't stopped talking about him for almost a year. Captain America himself. You blame the slip in memory due to the accident. You're sure no one else notices your memory slip.

“He's got to heat the cube to-” 

“-to a hundred and twenty million Kelvin-,” you cut off Bruce.

And in turn he finishes your sentence,“-to break through the Coulomb barrier.”

Stark continues both your train of thought, “unless, Selvig figured out how to stabilize the quantum tunneling effect.” 

“Well, if he could do that he could achieve Heavy Ion Fusion at any reactor on the planet,” Bruce surmises. It's a lot to take in. 

“Finally, people that speak English,” Stark says, he walks up to Bruce and shakes his hand, complimenting him on his research and how he turns into the Hulk.

Bruce gives a shy smile and thanks him. Bruce beckons you over as they turn to leave the room, and you follow behind, sharing one last glance at Thor. You give him a small wave when he nods at you.

-+

Steve never considered himself a jealous person. Bucky had always made sure to include him in everything he did. Steve never felt left out with Bucky around.

So he wasn't sure what this feeling was, deep in his chest. It ached, it felt heavy, and it made his heart thud painfully behind his rib cage. He subconsciously wasn’t sure if it had to do with his heart murmur or the bruises on his sternum from the fight he got in the other day.

Steve had met you a few days ago. It was like you fell out of the sky, quite literally, in front of him. You gave him the most dazzling smile. He thought he was going blind. He had enough medical problems, and going blind wouldn't have surprised him.

So why were you here now? Talking and flirting with Bucky, of all people. Steve thought you liked him. You even said as much.

I like you like this, Steve. You even placed your hand on his cheek. His face turned hot under your touch.

Bucky caught Steve's eye over your shoulder and gave Steve a wink. He leaned in real close to your ear and said something. The breath from Bucky's lips fanning across your cheek and moving your hair.

Your hand came up to your mouth, and you laughed. Steve could see your shoulders shake, and then your hand landed on Bucky's chest.

Steve's nostrils flared, and he balled his fists so tight he thought the skin would split. And when he met Bucky's eyes again, his chest went warm. He turned on his heels and walked out of that bar so fast the soles of his shoes could catch fire.

=

“You ok, Cap?” Fury's voice snaps Steve out of his memory, eyes refocusing in the room. He had watched you follow Bruce and Tony down the hall to the lab, he assumes.

He was so surprised to see you standing there, embracing Thor like you were old friends. Hell, maybe you were. But then your eyes found his, and for a brief moment, hope flickered to life in Steve for the first time since coming out of the ice. But the light of recognition never triggered in your eyes, and they just continued to scan the room and back to Thor.

As you left, you tossed another glance behind you, small recognition in your eyes when you looked at him. Maybe you did remember. And then your gaze shifted to Thor again and gave a small reassuring wave.

Maybe it wasn't you he met 70 odd years ago. Maybe it was a relative. That's what he likes to think, anyway. That's what he keeps telling himself. 

Steve stands, hands spread wide on the table in front of him as he looks at Director Fury. “Why is Charlie here?”

Fury looks confused for a brief moment, single eye squinting in question. “Who the hell is Charlie?”

==

Bruce tried and failed to hide the smile on his face, “and all I packed was a toothbrush.”

A small chuckle left your lips from the other side of the lab. You were trying to focus on the readings on the tablet in your hands and also adjusting the parameters of the search for the tesseract on the monitor in front of you. Display readings fluctuate as you expand the search to South America.

Bruce lets out a sharp ow when you hear the small spark of an electrical prod go off. you squeak in surprise as Captain America comes barging in at the same time.

“Hey!” His broad frame appears in front of you, blocking your other companions from view. “Are you nuts?”

“Jury's still out,” you can hear the shrug and smug smirk in Tony’s voice. “You're tiptoeing big man, you need to strut!”

“And you need to focus on the problem, Mr. Stark,” the Captain argues back. 

There's a ringing in your ears the longer they disagree and argue. A blue light flashes in your periphery, a sharp pain in your chest. You're vaguely aware of something shattering at your feet as you hunch in on yourself. The pain in your chest is unbearable, and the tearing at your throat is getting harsher by the second; pain in your vocal chords like you've been screaming for hours.

The searing pain suddenly stops, and when you can feel other sensations other than the agony in your chest, you open your eyes.

There's audible sighs of relief when your vision focuses after a few rapid blinks. Above you stand Tony, Bruce, and one very concerned Steve Rogers.

“Wha-” your throat was hoarse and dry, and you cough a few times to try and clear it. A gentle hand on your back tries to soothe away the ache.

“You ok, kid?” 

“Give her some space.”

“Charlie, you with us?”

Your brow scrunch tight as your eyes cut to Captain America, “who the hell is Charlie?” He helps you stand and takes a step back, his hand coming up to run through his golden hair and then rub at the back of his neck.

Tony eyes the Star-Spangled man, eyes squinting in curiosity. 

“I'm sorry, you look like someone I used to know. You know, before,” Rogers shrugs sheepishly. “Maybe a relativ-”

There's a beep from across the lab, and Tony perks up, an audible ah ha! as he makes his way to the monitor. He deflates when it was just a false alarm. Mumbling something about JARVIS taking his sweet old time.

Steve lets out a loud huff, turning to leave but stopping in the doorway, “just hurry and find the cube,” and then he swiftly exits.

Bruce is still crowded in your space, trying to make sure you're ok, a tentative hand on your shoulder to ground you.

“You alright over there, Nightlight?” Tony asks.

You snort softly,”Y-you're one to talk. I don-don’t know what happened,” you put your head in your hands. “At least the pain is gone.”

Bruce makes a startled noise, and when you look up, Tony is in your face, and you try not to jump in surprise.

Tony taps your chest with the end of the small prod, it clinks on contact, and he hums. “I'm sure it's fine,” he shrugs.

“Tony I don't-” Bruce starts but cuts himself off when you turn and leave.

Answers. You need answers, and the only one who you think might have them is currently locked up in a cell made for the Hulk.

--

You peered through the glass window just to make sure no one else was in the room. Natasha was exiting, and as her door closed with a woosh, yours opened.

Loki had his back to you, hands clasped behind his back. When he sensed another entering the large empty space, he turned his head to glare over his shoulder.

His back straightened when he caught sight of you, though. Turning to face you head on and stalk to the glass as you took hesitant steps forward.

“Well, well,” his voice echoed in the room, a smirk pulling up one side of his lips, “ if it isn't the little mortal. Tell me, do the others know about what the Tesseract has done to you? Your little magic trick?”

You shake your head. The phantom pain from earlier was crawling up your body, and you brought a hand to your chest as a shudder went through you. Loki arched an eyebrow at you when you stepped closer.

“I don't know what's happening to me,” Your throat felt tight, and you pulled the shirt collar down to show him the crystalline scar on your chest. 

“My, you are full of surprises, little mortal,” his smirk was anything but teasing. Glittering blue eyes stared down his nose in condescending fashion.

“Can you remove it?” You gave a hopeful look, “you can do magic, right?  Please.” You stepped closer to the glass, breath fogging up the outside of it as you stared up at Loki. 

A sneer pulled at his lips as his shoulders squared tight, “I am not a magician.” 

You both studied each other for a moment, and then a sly grin spread across his face.

An explosion rocked the helicarrier so hard you lost your footing and stumbled back, grabbing onto a railing. Just as you're about to get your bearings and stand, another explosion goes off, and you fall, hitting your head on the railing as you go down.

“ow,” you mumble, rolling over on your side. “Phil…” Looking up, you see a very large gun in his hands.

He spares you a small glance, then focuses in front of him, “Move away, please.” 

You use the railing to sit up, kneeling on your knees as you wait for your head to stop spinning.

Loki has his hands up as he moves away from the control panel. A voice calls your name, and you see Thor in the glass case.

“Thor,” you rasp, and grasp along the railing as you make your way to him.  “Are you ok?” You ask when you get close. He nods, and he looks over your shoulder at Loki and Coulson. 

“Even I don't know what it does. Wanna find out?” Phil smirks.

One minute, you're looking at Loki near the console, and then there's another behind Coulson. Spear in hand.

Time seems to slow as Loki double pierces Phil in the back and sticks out his chest. The audible gasp that leaves his lips seems to echo in your mind.

You hear Thor yell, and you scramble forward to get to Coulson as he collapses to the ground.

“Phil, no. No, no, look at me. Hey,” your hands are frantic as you press them to the wound, pouring blood into his white shirt. 

He says your name, coughing a little, and blood leaks from his lips to spill down his chin.

“I-its's - it's ok. Do-don’t worry,” there's a thumb pressed to your cheek to wipe the tears from your face. You didn't even realize you started crying. 

You feel the sudden onslaught of wind as the hatch opens behind you, but you can't bring yourself to look away from Coulson. The release of hydraulics is loud in your ears and then the release of locks. And you know Thor is gone.

The hatch closes, and it's quiet again. Only your sniffles and the ragged breathing of Phil can be heard.

He turns his head to the side, “you're gonna lose,” his voice is weak, and you look behind you to Loki. His face is impassive as he looks down at you and Phil.

“Am I?”

Phil takes a labored deep breath, “it's in your nature.” his hand grabs yours and holds on loosely.

Loki scoffs, “your heroes are scattered, your floating fortress falls from the sky. Where is my disadvantage?”

“you lack conviction,” you say, and you and Phil fire the massive weapon at Loki. He goes flying back through a window as debris falls on him.

“so, that's what it does.” his eyes come back to you, and he blinks slowly.

You take the earpiece from his ear and put it in your own, “Agent Coulson is down, I need medical assistance in detention bay 2. Repeat Agen-”

“I'm on my way,” you hear Fury grunt. 

“Sir,” you choke out, trying to keep Phil awake. He smiles weakly up at you.

“Nightlight, you alright up there?” Tony's voice comes through the comm in your ear.

“Yeah, just. I'm fine,” you give Coulson a light slap on the cheek. “Stay with me, don't close those eyes, mister.” 

Coulson gives you an affirming hum.

There's a rush of footfalls coming behind you, and you turn with a relieved sigh, hoping it's Fury and the medics.

“Hey! Get off me! No!” Rough hands grip your arms and haul you up and away from Phil, and all he can do is plead with silent eyes. “Phil!” 

“What's happening, Agent?”

“Nightlight! Talk to us!”

“Get off m- ah!” There's a sharp pain to the back of your head, and your vision starts to go black. The last thing you see is Phil as you pass out.

**

It's opening night at the Stark Expo, and you can't stop fidgeting nervously backstage. Howard notices and places a comforting hand on your shoulder. He had asked you for help in the 'secret SSR lab', your powers made the heavy lifting easy, your knowledge of 'future tech' - Howard likes to call it - helped him finalize the last few projects before the Expo takes off.

Howard managed to convince you to wear a dress tonight. At least it was practical, it has pockets. The blouse was green plaid, and the skirt was a pale beige. He wanted you both to match, but he'd take it. Before you could change your mind, Howard had rushed you out of the house at record speed.

"Relax, kid," he fixes his tie a little, "everything's gonna be fine. You're gonna do great. I'll be there the whole time."

You fidget again, running your hands down the front of your dress, then the bracelet around your wrist Howard gave you before arriving at the Expo. The single jewel adorning it was the same color as the crystal scar on your chest. You nearly broke down into tears when he presented it to you.

"You're the sister I never knew I wanted - or needed - it's just a small thanks," he said it so nonchalantly, like it was an everyday thing. You shoved him and then pulled him in for a bone crushing hug. Howard was definitely the brother you never knew you needed as well. And you hope he knew that, too.

"Why can't you just get one of the girls to introduce you? Isn't that what they're getting paid for?" You gripe. Crowds were not your thing. Public speaking was certainly not your thing.

"I feel like I'm gonna pass out."

Howard rolled his eyes, grumbling about you being overly dramatic. He shoved the speech in your hands for last-minute prep.

You can feel your palms begin to sweat just thinking about giving the opening speech for the Stark Expo. A few hundred people would be out there. Watching you.

"Oh, God." You can't do this. What were you thinking? You didn't thrive in the limelight like Howard. You didn't have Tony's charisma with the media. You can't go out there and talk about the Expo and the things Howard and the other brilliant minds of this age hope to achieve by being here.

Howard knocked your chin with his knuckles, placing his top hat on his head, "Don't stress about it, kid. Just let me do all the talking," he gave you a wink.

You could hear the music flare off and end, the girls on stage finishing their routine, one calling and introducing Howard.

He raised his eyebrow at you in a 'See? I took care of it' kind of way. You let out a huge sigh of relief. The weight of the last few hours stress falling away and off your shoulders. There were cheers and applause so loud you could barely hear anything else from backstage, so you pear out the curtain just in time for Howard to smooch one of the girls on stage.

When he pulls away, he give her a sly wink, then sees you roll your eyes at him on the side stage. He was a natural on stage, he speaks about the flying car Stark Industries was hoping to manufacture for the future. You had some input, having worked with Tony on his Iron Man repulsors, but left out some core details about it.

Howard may have grumbled about you withholding information, but eventually let it go.

There definitely weren't any flying cars in your future. Just as fast as the car on stage started hovering, and gasps of awe could be heard in the crowd, the repulsors short circuited, and it came crashing down.

"Well, I did say a few years, didn't I?" Howard tries laughing it off, but you see the tick in his jaw. There was still applause and cheers, Howard smiled and waved.

"Before we move on and you fine folks get to see the rest of the Expo," he continued, he glanced your way, giving you a soft smile. "I'd love to introduce you to the other brains in the family. The woman who is responsible for over half the things you'll see here."

Your heart leaps, hands wringing together as Howard looks back at you again, hand held out and arm stretched toward you.

"Please give a wonderful welcome to my baby sister. You might know her, God knows I love her: Charlotte Stark!" There were more cheers and whistles, Howard's bright pleading eyes begged you on stage. And how could you say no now?

With one deep breath, you walked on stage, the bright lights not as blinding as you thought they might be. You focus on Howard, his smile wide as you make your way over to him. He takes your hand, and as soon as he has a grip on you, he twirls you around. And when you stop on the other side of him, laughter bubbles up before you can stop it. Howard laughs with you, and for a moment, you forget about the crowd of people and why you were terrified to begin with. He squeezes your fingers before letting go and resting his elbow on your shoulder. His other hand holding the microphone between you both.

"Charlie, say something nice to the people of New York," the mic points at you, and you gaze out into the crowd. Your cheeks hurt from smiling so wide.

You laugh lightly, head titling to the side, "Somethin' nice," Howard groans, a quiet 'smart ass', you elbow him in the ribs. "Hello, everyone. I'm not very good at public speaking. Howie got all the charm and charisma in the family. But I did get the good looks, so I suppose I won in that deal."

Howard lets out an offended 'Hey!' and you giggle. It wasn't so bad, not with Howard by your side. The two of you work well together on stage. Playing off small banter and getting hollers from the crowd of people felt good. Natural.

After explaining a short summary of what people could expect from the Expo, you and HOward took your leave of the stage, whistles, catcalls, and applause following your exit.

"That was -" grinning ear to ear, slightly breathless.

"Pretty amazing, right? You're a natural kid."

Howard wrapped his arm around your shoulders, and the two of you walked around the surrounding vendors for a few minutes.

"-While men are layin' down their lives? I can do as well as them, and I got no right to do any less." Your heart does a leap against your ribs. That sounded like Steve. Your Steve. As you pull away from Howard to get closer, you see him and Bucky. Disagreeing, or arguing, either one most likely.

"that's the thing you don't get, Bucky. It's not about me."

"Right, 'cause you have nothing to prove," Bucky doesn't miss a beat.

Howard nudges you. You followed his line of sight to see Dr. Erskine a few feet from Steve and Bucky. This must be it, you think. The tipping point. The deciding factor that changes Steves life forever.

"Charlie?" A surprise call of your name flows from Steve. You give him a smile and wave, making your way over to the pair.

"Steve, James," you greet them. "staying out of trouble, I hope?" You eye them.

"'Course, dollface," Bucky says. The hat on top of his head is lopsided, his flirty smirk he gives you go well together. "Can't say the same about Steve, thought," he cuts Steve a glare.

You hum, "I gathered as much." You motion to the faint bruise on Steve's cheek. Poorly covered up with makeup.

He shrugs in response, "He had it coming," you hum again.

"You both look dashing," you say, Steve's clothes are a little too big for him, but they still look nice. Bucky's wearing his army greens. He's very handsome, you have to admit. "Sergeant, huh?" You flick the medals adorning his breast pocket.

"My last night, doll," he responds. There's a flash of something behind his eyes. "You should come out dancin' with us."

"Hey, Sarge! We gettin' sodas or what?" you all turn to see two girls waving at BUcky. His cheeks turn red.

He clears his throat, "Yeah, we are," he begins to walk away. Before he gets too far, he turns back to Steve, "Promise me you won't do anything stupid before i get back?"

"How can I? You're taking all the stupid with you."

Bucky signs and closes the distance between them, They hug each other tight. "You're a punk."

"You're a jerk."

It seems too intimate for you, not meant for your eyes. But they part. Bucky looks to your arms spread wide. You step up into his embrace, arms wrapping around his neck as his circle your waist.

"Thanks for that dance, Sarge," you whisper in his ear. When he pulls away, you kiss his cheek. "Be safe over there, y'hear me?" You try not to choke on the words, knowing his future and what's in store for James Buchanan Barnes, almost makes you want to tell him.

Tell him it only gets worse from here. War changes people. This war changes two best friends for the foreseeable future. Fate twists and takes them and makes these two best friends completely different people on the other side of the century.

"Anything for you, dollface," Bucky says in the space between you.

"Don't win the war until i get there," Steve tells him. You loop your arm with Steve's as Bucky backs away. His hand comes up to his hat, and he gives a flirty salute. Then he's turning and joining the girls that were waiting for him. You think one asks if he was really friends with Howard Stark's sister.

"So, what now, Tough Guy?" You ask Steve, the both of you still staring off at Bucky's retreating form.

"I've got something I need to do first," he begins to walk further into the recruitment office.

"I'll wait for you out here, okay?"

Steve shakes his head, "You don't have to do that, Charlie, really. I'm sure you have better things to do than spend your time with me."

You scoff, "No offense, Steve, but shut up." His eyes go wide. "I like hangin' out with you, dummy. We may not have known each other very long, but you're my friend. Whether you like it or not. Got it?"

Steve stares at you for a good minute, blinking slowly. He smiles small and then nods. "Yeah, okay." As soon as Steve is out of sight, you search for Dr. Erskine. You find him around the corner.

"Doctor," you greet him, he turns to you, surprised, "I know about your plan. Let me join the SSR. Please. I feel like I need to do this."

"My dear," he gives you a knowing smile, "It's not up to me. Why not talk to your brother about this? Surely, he could just bring you along like before. Mr. Stark hardly takes no for an answer. Which I'm sure you are well aware of, yes?"

You laugh, "Of course. I'll uh - leave you to it, then."

**

[bulkyphrase]

Identity Porn Rec List

Some of my favorite fics that deal with the difficulties and complications of having a secret identity.

Identity porn is a mainstay of Stony fic, but there are also some gems from Stucky, SamSteve, and whatever the ship name for Steve/Matt Murdock is.

given you a number, taken away your name by janonny (@awesomelifechoices) (Stony, General Audiences, 4,520 words)

Summary: As Tony behaves more erratically, S.H.I.E.L.D. sends in Steve as an undercover agent in S.I. to be Natasha’s back-up. Except Steve is really, really not cut out for this undercover business. - Before the lift’s doors closed, Stark suddenly grinned and said, “Call me Tony. Have a better rest of the day, big guy.” Awkwardly, Steve lifted his free hand and waved as the doors slid shut between them. What...what was he doing? Why was he waving? Steve hurriedly put his hand down and turned around sharply.

How to Woo the Winter Soldier by writeonclara (@writeonclara) (Stucky, General Audiences, 21,570 words)

Summary: “I think I’m ready to date again,” Steve said. “What,” Natasha said. “What?” Clint said, lowering his binoculars. He blinked at the dumbstruck look on the Captain’s face, then followed his gaze to where he was staring dopily at—at the Winter fucking Soldier. “Steve, no,” Clint groaned. Or: Steve courts the Winter Soldier. Also available as a podfic read by Akaihyou (@akaihyou)

I (created from fantasies) exist solely for you by Mizzy (@mizzy2k) (Stony, Teen And Up Audiences, 62,917 words)

Summary: Six years ago, without the Avengers Initiative there to save the day, scientist Dr. Eric Selvig sacrificed himself to save the world, the almighty demi-god Thor was lost to a terrible storm, and vigilante Iron Man – spotted with a nuclear weapon trying to take advantage of the situation – was forever labelled an enemy of SHIELD. This is a comic book office AU, where Steve is defrosted a year too late, Thor has forgotten who he is, and no one knows Tony is Iron Man. Also includes: office pranks, inappropriate post-it notes, and superheroes who like pina coladas and getting caught in the rain. Also available as a podfic read by badfinch (@read-by-badfinch)

More below the cut!

Love Is A Masquerade by Mizzy (@mizzy2k) (Stony, Mature, 12,010 words)

Summary: *loudspeaker noise* Please present your tickets here for your trip on the Steve/Tony Fantasy Trope Land express. On your left we have Masquerade Balls and Identity Porn; on the right we have Steve's Thirst for Iron Man's Thighs and Dramatic Balcony Kissing. Please keep your arms and legs within the ride at all times, thank you. Also featuring Classic Iron Man armor, Identity-Porn-Without-Porn, and Boys-In-Tights. You will need to leave your expectations for plot at the entrance to the fic; be kind and please pick up your trash before you go. Look, it's unrepentant fluff and crack, don't look at me like that, you're the one still reading this summary. [aka] When the Avengers are invited to attend Tony Stark's Annual Masquerade Ball, Steve's hoping Iron Man will be there--after all, he can wear a mask and keep his identity secret. So when Steve recognizes Iron Man's distinctive thighs, Steve is SO sure he's found Iron Man's pilot... He's right, but not in a way Steve would ever have guessed... Also available as a podfic read by paraka (@paraka)

Masked and Anonymous by panickyintheuk (@shiningredandgold) (Stony, Explicit, 4,236 words)

Summary: "When Mr. Stark opened the door, he had his shirt untucked, and no shoes on. It was evening, and it was his own apartment, and Steve was dropping by unannounced, so that was all really fair enough, but it was also the least put-together Steve had ever seen him." Steve drops in on Avengers benefactor Mr. Stark, but it seems that Mr. Stark was expecting him.

Not Just Anybody (Help) by kototyph (Samsteve, Teen And Up Audiences, 9,349 words)

Summary: Sam meets a homeless veteran with a famous name.

Straight on till Morning by Sineala (@sineala) (Stony, Explicit, 109,848 words)

Summary: Tony Stark resigned his commission in Starfleet five years ago, after a disastrous away mission, and he swore he'd never go back. He just wants to be left alone to build warp engines in peace. But the universe has more in store for him than that, as he discovers when Admiral Fury comes to him with an offer he could never have expected and cannot possibly refuse: first officer and chief engineer aboard the all-new USS Avenger, a starship of Tony's own design. What's more, the Avenger's captain is Steve Rogers, hero of the Earth-Romulan War. Believed dead for over a century, Steve is miraculously alive... and very, very attractive. But nothing is ever easy for Tony. As he wrestles with his secret desire for his new captain and his not-so-dormant fears, another mission starts to go wrong, and Tony becomes aware that Steve has secrets of his own -- and the truth could change everything. Also available as a podfic read by M_Samro (@msamro)

Super Villain Dating Tips - Or How Steve Won Over Tony Through The Art of Kidnapping by forgetmenotjimmy (Stony, General Audiences, 46,265 words)

Summary: Steve isn't evil, he's just trying to do the right thing whilst hiding from an insane General who's out for his blood - literally - but when he is forced to kidnap Tony to help him escape the cops, his plans to take down the Secret Division that experimented on him, well, they get put on the back burner. How does a villain date a hero? More kidnapping of course!

The Blind Leading by SkyisGray (Stucky, Explicit, 43,034 words)

Summary: Steve is specifically told not to fraternize with the independently contracted Winter Soldier.

The Corruption of Captain America by the Villain Tony Stark by ladililn (@ladililn) (Stony, Explicit, 50,344 words (WIP))

Summary: Iron Man paused. “Oh my god. You thought I was a robot.” “No, I—” Steve felt his face flushing. “I…considered the possibility,” he admitted. “You thought I was a robot who’s been hitting on you.” “Is that really so crazy?” Steve felt an inexplicable need to defend himself. “In the forties, I fought a Nazi with a skull for a head.”

Think of This as Solving Problems (That Should Never Have Occurred) by Sineala (@sineala) (Stony, Teen And Up Audiences, 35,216 words)

Summary: No one knows Tony is Iron Man. Then Tony gets amnesia, and literally no one knows Tony is Iron Man.

To Make Much of Time by Sineala (@sineala) (Stony, Teen And Up Audiences, 16,114 words)

Summary: When Iron Man rejects Steve's romantic advances, Steve is disappointed, but of course he understands -- Iron Man's secret identity is important. But when a portal opens and Tony Stark crashes into their midst from twelve years in the future, Steve starts to suspect that there are more secrets here than he can even begin to comprehend, and neither Iron Man nor Tony are providing any answers. Also available as a podfic read by paraka (@paraka)

What Lies Behind by kdm103020, xinsomniac1101x (@kdm103020, with art by @xinsomniac1101x) (Stony, Teen And Up Audiences, 63,364 words)

Summary: Four months after the Battle of New York, Steve Rogers still hasn't managed to find his footing. The new century is strange and upsetting, and he appears to have no purpose in it. But when SHIELD sends him to liaise with the director of Stark Industries, his life starts to change in ways he could never imagine. Or, the MCU-rooted AU, in which Steve and Tony both still maintain their secret identities.

with liberty and justice for all by ria_green (Matt Murdock/Steve Rogers, Teen And Up Audiences, 14,020 words)

Summary: Steve and Matt's relationship is basically a romantic comedy. Except for one minor complication - they're both hiding their superhero/vigilante identities from each other.

[hjbirthdaywishes]

June 13, 2023

Happy 72 Birthday to Stellan Skarsgård.

[lemonnsss]

Moral of the Story: Chapter 9

A/N: Sorry I took so long posting this, a family friend got diagnosed with terminal cancer and my grandpa died soooo… coping with humor right now.

Feedback is always appreciated!

MotS Masterlist

Taglist: @vicmc624 , @mostlymarvelgirl,@yvonneeeee, @beetlejuicesupremacy , @moonlightreader649 , @whattheduckisupkyle , @chrisevans-realwife , @nekoannie-chan , @mrsbarnes32557038 , @imyourbratzdoll , @weallhaveadestiny, @oldsoulmagic

Word Count: 2.3k

Steve and I walked onto the bridge. Three people stood out, with no sign of Tony.

"I see you found the runaway," the red-haired woman spoke.

"They weren't too far off. Only the other side of the plane." Steve replied, an air of laughter in his voice

"Well, it wasn't intentional," I said, perhaps a bit too defensively.

"At least I'm not the only one getting lost." A brunette man commented.

"Guess not. Oh- I'm Mr. Stark's secretary, Mx. Eirsson, Kyrie Eirsson."

"Eir? So you are a healer, no?" The tall blonde said expectantly.

"No, not really." I'm starting this off with a lie, lovely.

"Ledan Eirsson, I am Thor, son of Odin, Prince of Asgard." He extended his hand, a warm smile on his face.

"Prince...?" I worriedly glanced at Steve.

I looked back when Prince Sunshine over there started laughing, "Yes, although I would prefer if you called me Thor, just Thor."

"Pleasure to meet you, Thor."

Steve placed a hand on my shoulder, "That's Natasha," he gestured to the redhead which she promptly responded to with a curt smile, "she doesn't talk much."

And then there was one. He didn't notice until Natasha nudged him in the side.

"Oh, um. I'm Dr. Banner."

"Pleasure to meet'cha, Doc." A sound came from under the table, Steve quickly found a tablet with what seemed to be live footage from Loki's cage.

By the time I heard the first comprehendible piece of what Fury was saying my attention was grabbed by the hatch underneath Loki's cage being opened.

"Thirty-thousand feet down in a steel trap. You get how that works?" Fury closes the hatch with a press of a button on the control panel.

Fury outstretched his arm, gesturing to Loki, "Ant," then pointing to the control panel, "boot."

Loki smirked, "It's an impressive cage." he looked into the camera, "Not built, I think, for me."

"Built for something a lot stronger than you."

"Oh, I've heard."

The doctor seemed very tense, for what reason- I didn't know.

"The mindless beast, makes play he's still a man." Loki sauntered towards the camera, "How desperate are you that you call upon such lost creatures to defend you?"

“How desperate am I?” Fury set a hand on his hip, agitation growing in his voice, “You threaten my world with war. You steal a force you can’t hope to control. You talk about peace and you kill ‘cause it’s fun. You have made me very desperate. You might not be glad that you did.”

“Ooh. It burns you to come so close.” Loki began taunting Fury, “To have the Tesseract, to have power, unlimited power.” Loki smirked into the camera, “And for what? A warm light for all mankind to share, and then to be reminded what real power is.”

Fury forced a smile, “Well, let me know if ‘Real Power’ wants a magazine or something.”

Our room falls into an uncomfortable silence.

Fury walked away saying, “Well, let me know if ‘Real Power’ wants a magazine or something.”

“He really grows on you, doesn’t he?”

"Loki's gonna drag this out. So, Thor, what’s his play?”

Thor seemed distant as he responded, “He has an army called the Chitauri. They are not of Asgard or of any world known.” The Prince walked back to the table, “He means to lead them against your people. They will win him the earth. In return, I suspect for the Tesseract.”

“An army? From outer space?” Steve seemed to question what the fuck he’d been dragged into.

“He’s building another portal. That’s what he needs Erik Selvig for.”

Erik who?

“Selvig?” Why does Thor recognize this guy's name?

“He’s an astrophysicist.” The doctor explained.

“He’s a friend.” Thor asserted.

“Loki has him under some kind of spell, ”Natasha looked away, “along with one of ours.”

She really does speak. More importantly, she’s familiar with the agent Loki brainwashed.

“I wanna know why Loki let us take him.”

“I don't think we should be focusing on Loki. That guy's brain is a bag full of cats, you could smell crazy on him.” Banner was pushing it.

“Have care how you speak.” Thor said, anger rising in his voice, “Loki is beyond reason, but he is of Asgard, and he's my brother.”

So the Prince is a himbo with a temper, good to know.

“He killed eighty people in two days.” Oh.

“...He's adopted.” Ah, yes. That changes everything.

“Does he pose any threat? Just because he’s in a cage doesn’t mean he’s harmless.” I didn’t know if I’d just asked a dumbass question but it’s better to ask than have that as an unknown variable.

“No. There’s no way out from the inside, besides that, it’s built to withstand more than he can throw at it.” Natasha answered, seemingly knowing more than the rest.

“Iridium, what did they need Iridium for?”

Tony walked in, “It’s a stabilizing agent. Oh, Kyrie, been lookin’ for ‘ya.”

“Hey, Tony. Coulson?!” I got up and walked over to them, a beaming smile plastered on my face, “I had no idea you’d be here!”

Phil placed a hand on my shoulder, “I would have let you know if I had a way to contact you.”

“Guess I’m chopped liver.” Tony feigned hurt, before whispering the next bit, “Anyways, I’ll fly you there. Keep the love alive.” He spoke at full volume again, “Means the portal won't collapse on itself, like it did at SHIELD. No hard feelings, Point Break. You've got a mean swing. Also, it means the portal can open as wide, and stay open as long, as Loki wants.”

Tony walked over to what I can assume is Fury’s position on the Bridge, “Uh, raise the mid-mast, ship the topsails.” The crew looked at Tony like he’d grown a second head, “That man is playing GALAGA! Thought we wouldn't notice. But we did.” Tony covered one eye and looked around, “How does Fury do this?”

“He turns.” A female agent responded.

I looked at Phil, a light whisper escaping my lips, “Who is she?”

He leaned in, “That’s Agent Hill, sh’s Fury’s right hand.”

“Mhm… thank you.” I gave him a small smile.

Coulson grinned in response, “Never a problem.”

“Well, that sounds exhausting,” Tony said in the most annoying voice he could get away with. “Agent Barton can get his hands on pretty much easily. Only major component he still needs is a power source. A high energy density, something to kick start the cube.”

Agent Hill spoke again, “When did you become an expert in thermonuclear astrophysics?”

“Last night.” That I could attest to, “The packet, Selvig's notes, the Extraction Theory papers.” It’s always funny when Tony speaks seriously, most of the time I forget he’s a genius, “Am I the only one who did the reading?”

“No, you made me read them too.” I said with a pointed tone.

“Anyone else?” Tony said practically ignoring my comment.

“Does Loki need any particular kind of power source?”

“He's got to heat the cube to a hundred and twenty million Kelvin just to break through the Coulomb barrier.“

Ah, yes, words.

“Unless, Selvig has figured out how to stabilize the quantum tunneling effect.”

“Well, if he could do that he could achieve Heavy Ion Fusion at any reactor on the planet.”

Wow, those two were made for each other.

“Finally, someone who speaks English.”

Steve looked around, “Is that what happened?”

Tony and the doctor shook hands, “It's good to meet you, Dr. Banner. Your work on anti-electron collisions is unparalleled. And I'm a huge fan of the way you lose control and turn into an enormous green rage monster.”

Banner looked down, “Thanks.”

“Dr. Banner is only here to track the cube. I was hoping you might join him.” Fury says as he walks in.

“Let's start with that stick of his. It may be magical, but it works an awful lot like a HYDRA weapon.” Steve had an obvious bias and curiosity.

“I don't know about that, but it is powered by the cube. And I'd like to know how Loki used it to turn two of the sharpest men I know into his personal flying monkeys.”

“Monkeys? I do not understand-”

“-I do. I understood that reference.” Thor was cut off by Steve, obviously excited by the fact he understood some of our jargon.

“Shall we play, Doctor?” Tony asked.

“Let’s play some.” Banner responded.

After I waved to Phil I followed Tony and the doctor out of the bridge, hoping to not get lost again.

I had been sitting in a spare chair in the “Science Bro’s” lab for what felt like an eternity. Man, I regret not taking advanced science courses in uni.

“The gamma readings are definitely consistent with Selvig's reports on the Tesseract. But it's gonna take weeks to process.” Bruce, as I had learned, said.

“If we bypass their mainframe and direct a reroute to the Homer cluster, we can clock this around six hundred teraflops.” Tony replied.

The two of them had gotten into a groove. The sounds of the machines whirring in the background made great background noise, so I couldn’t really complain.

“All I packed was a toothbrush.”

“You know, you should come by Stark Towers sometime. Top ten floors, all R&D. You'd love it, it's candy land.”

“Thanks, but the last time I was in New York I kind of broke...Harlem.”

“Well, I promise a stress-free environment. No tension. No surprises.” Tony said as he poked Bruce with a mini-taser.

“OW!!”

Tony studied Bruce for a reaction, “Nothing?”

Steve walked in, “Hey! Are you nuts?”

Tony ignored Steve,” You really have got a lid on it, haven't you? What's your secret? Mellow jazz? Bongo drums? Huge bag of weed?”

“Is everything a joke to you?”

“Funny things are.”

“Threatening the safety of everyone on this ship isn't funny.” OH, HE DID NOT, “No offense, doctor.”

“No, it's alright. I wouldn't have come aboard if I couldn't handle pointy things.” God bless Dr. Bruce Banner.

“You're tiptoeing, big man. You need to strut.”

“As someone who used to work with far more dangerous people, and teach them too. I concur.”

“Kyrie?” Steve sounded surprised, “And you need to focus on the problem, Mr. Stark.”

“You think I'm not?” Tony pulled out a bag of blueberries from god knows where. “Why did Fury call us and why now? Why not before? What isn't he telling us? I can't do the equation unless I have all the variables.”

“You think Fury's hiding something?”

“He's a spy. Captain, he's the spy. His secrets have secrets. It's bugging him too, isn't it?”

“Can’t argue with Tony this time.”

“Uh...I just wanna finish my work here and…” Bruce fell silent.

“Doctor?”

“‘A warm light for all mankind’ Loki’s jab at Fury about the cube.”

“I heard it.”

“Well, I think that was meant for you. Even if Barton didn't post that all over the news.”

“The Stark Tower? That big ugly,” Tony shoots Steve a glare, “...building in New York?”

“It's powered by Stark Reactors, a self-sustaining energy source. That building will run itself for what, a year?” Bruce turned to Tony.

“That's just the prototype. I'm kind of the only name in clean energy right now.”

Bruce looked back at Steve while pointing to Tony, “So, why didn't SHIELD bring him in on the Tesseract project? I mean, what are they doing in the energy business in the first place?”

“I should probably look into that once my decryption programmer finishes breaking into all of SHIELD's secure files,” Tony mentions offhandedly.

Steve looked shocked, “I'm sorry, did you say...?”

I let out a breathy laugh, “Yup, it’s at least a weekly occurrence.”

“Jarvis has been running it since I hit the bridge. In a few hours we'll know every dirty secret SHIELD has ever tried to hide. Blueberry?”

“Yet you're confused about why they didn't want you around?”

“Oh, no. He’s fully aware, he just finds it funny.”

“An intelligence organization that fears intelligence? Historically, not awesome.”

“I think Loki's trying to wind us up. This is a man who means to start a war, and if don't stay focused, he'll succeed. We have orders, we should follow them.”

“Following is not really my style.” Tony ate a mouthful of blueberries.

“And you're all about style, aren't you?” Steve said, smiling.

“Of the people in this room, which one is; A. wearing a spangly outfit, and B. not of use?” Tony retorted.

“Steve, tell me none of this smells a little funky to you?” Banner tried to push Steve to think.

“Just find the cube.” Steve said before he walked out.

“Well, that went splendidly.” I laughed from my seat. The benefits of being a third party.

“That's the guy my dad never shut up about? Wondering if they shouldn't have kept him on ice.” Tony looked over at me only to be met with a glare.

“The guy's not wrong about Loki. He does have the jump on us.”

“What he’s got is an ACME dynamite kit. It's gonna blow up in his face, and I'm gonna be there when it does.”

“And I’ll read all about it.”

“Uh-uh. You’ll be suiting up like the rest of us.”

“Ah, see. I don't get a suit of armor. I'm exposed, like a nerve. It's a nightmare.”

“You know, I've got a cluster of shrapnel, trying every second to crawl its way into my heart.”

“And I knew a kid who could turn himself into a nuke.” Both of the men in the room looked at me, confusion written all over their faces.

“O-kay? Moving on. But you can control it.”

“Because I learned how.”

“It's different.”

“It doesn’t have to be. Not forever at least.” I tried to add, though they seemed to be stuck in their own world again.

“Hey, I've read all about your accident. That much gamma exposure should have killed you.”

“So you're saying that the Hulk... the other guy... saved my life? That's nice. It's a nice sentiment. Saved it for what?”

A moment passed, “I guess we’ll find out.”

“You might not like that.” Banner sounded scared, scared of himself and scared of whoever the ‘other guy’ was.

“You just might.” I trained Tony well.

[ncisfranchise-source]

“Tiva” is stepping up to the mic.

TVLine has learned exclusively that Cote de Pablo and Michael Weatherly — NCIS vets and stars of the upcoming NCIS: Tony & Ziva spinoff — are launching a Spotify video podcast titled Off Duty: An NCIS Rewatch.

In each weekly episode of Off Duty: An NCIS Rewatch, de Pablo and Weatherly will invite a special guest to join them as they rewatch iconic NCIS episodes.

Watch the Off Duty trailer below:

Present and past cast and guest stars making appearances include Sean Murray (who since Season 1, Episode 7 has played Special Agent Tim McGee), Brian Dietzen (Dr. Jimmy Palmer since late Season 1), Sasha Alexander (Special Agent Caitlin Todd in Seasons 1 and 2), Eric Christian Olsen and Daniela Ruah (NCIS: Los Angeles‘ Marty Deeks and Special Agent Kensi Blye), Season 13 NCIS guest star Jon Cryer and others, each of whom will join the hosts to reminisce about the long-running and well-watched procedural’s impact on television and pop culture, and reveal exclusive behind-the-scenes moments from making the TV series.

Premiering Tuesday, June 4 (soon!), the Spotify video podcast will also feature recurring and interactive segments that will further connect fans and NCIS loyalists.

Weatherly starred as NCIS‘ Special Agent Tony DiNozzo from the series’ backdoor pilot (as a JAG double episode) through the end of Season 13, and made a surprise cameo in the most recent season’s second episode.

De Pablo played Special Agent Ziva David from Season 3 through 10, surprised viewers with her own cameo in the Season 16 finale, and then appeared in multiple Season 17 episodes.

De Pablo and Weatherly are heading to Budapest this summer to begin filming Paramount+’s Europe-set NCIS: Tony & Ziva series, which finds the title characters “trying to raise their tween daughter and save the world.” John McNamara, whose past TV credits include co-creating Profit  Fastlane and The Magicians, penned the spinoff’s premiere and will serve as showrunner.

Off Duty: An NCIS Rewatch is produced by Spotify Studios in partnership with Rabbit Grin Productions, with Jeph Porter and Rob Holysz as executive producers. Natalie Holysz, Kasper Selvig and Derek Johnson also serve as producers.

[americasass81]

Once again delighted for another chapter, but what is Thor playing at? I mean okay sure he's a doctor and he took an oath and all that goes with it, but saving Tristan? Is it really just his professional manners kicking in or is there something more at play? Does he simply want to watch him suffer more emotionally later on? I gotta say I'm really excited to see what he has planned.

As for our reader well I think we can all agree from what we've seen so far that both these guys are beneath her notice but she still shows her kind heart by visiting that waste of space in hospital. What it means going forward though is going to be the real interesting point here I think. Can't wait.

Synth as always any update from you is always a treat. Thank you.

rasa - three

Dark! Doctor Thor x Female Reader

Warnings: World building, eventually dead dove (do not eat), bullying, stalking, language, insults, references to past cheating, drug overdoses, stealing.

Summary | After a devastating break up, your job is the only thing that keeps you focused until your boss' acquaintance seems to know more about your personal life than you ever realized.

He creeps up on you before you know it, the familiar voice inquiring if you know what time it is. That simple question sends you flying upright, your chair toppling over with a loud clatter, your pens spilling over the table in a commotion that is much louder than you expected in this echo chamber of a laboratory that has been your solace for the past week.

“I heard the news,” Dr. Selvig says, crouching down to help you pick up your pens. “You’re better off if you ask me.”

“Yeah, well,” you trail off, feeling the familiar sting of tears again that blur your vision. “It is what it is, right?”

“No,” he simply says, placing the pens back on the desk. “He’s an asshole and you deserved better. I’ve always told you that.”

You remember how many times Dr. Selvig has told that verbatim, keeping his thoughts to himself until you would be cancelled on right before you were finished with work, left to make up some silly excuse as to why you didn’t need to rush home anymore.

“Sort of sucks knowing that I had an inkling that he would be a jerk before this happened,” you mention bitterly, placing your chair upright. “I had a feeling, I just… ignored it.”

“Always go with your gut.”

He stands behind you, watching you roll a pen through your fingers. It’s a comfort to have him here, even if you know that it’s because he probably felt compelled to check on you after you had left him on read when he’d messaged you about going home in a timely manner.

“How did you find out?”

“Jane,” he replies.

You scoff, shaking your head in disbelief.

“Unbelievable.”

Somehow, it’s more humiliating that Jane Foster knows about your embarrassing night out, especially after knowing that her boyfriend probably took great care in retelling the story.

It’s silent for a moment, the ease of the words slipping off your tongue, knowing it’s a safe space to confess your sin.

“I don’t like him.”

Sitting on the chair across from you, Dr. Selvig only nods. Still, it’s a silence, not for judgment but for contemplation before he finally speaks.

“He’s a complicated man.”

“He’s an awful man.”

“Some would agree. Some want to be him, others want to befriend him and others, like yourself, want nothing to do with him. An enigma, really. Brilliant doctor, very intelligent but his interactions definitely sometimes leave something to be desired.”

You hide a smile, understanding how hard it is for your boss to describe the man.

“You’re doing well not insulting him.”

“I’m failing,” Dr. Selvig laughs. “Truthfully, Thor is… well, Thor. People get a glimpse of him and they think he’s this man who stepped out of an ad and they don’t take him seriously. It doesn’t help that his family is very wealthy, and they come from a lineage of nobility. Silver spoon and all that. Of course, that is a whole other conversation to be had but I think he’s proved himself worthy as a psychiatrist. Money can buy the best schools but he’s had to fight at every turn for people to take him seriously. Even Jane had her reservations at first. I imagine that it could possibly make one a little bit jaded at the world that Thor may fit in certain circles but not always to the academic eye.”

Dr. Selvig winks at you as your shoulders slump down in defeat. To a certain extent, you know he’s not off base with his comments – you’ve done your own research and Thor has made himself out to be much more than the son of from a ridiculously wealthy family. You’ve seen Dr. Selvig read his articles while in the lab, discussing the various treatments for mental disorders that were on the cutting edge of technology.

Still, you know how he made you feel and no amount of award winning think pieces will change that.

“I think he’s rude.”

“Then you remind him of manners. Don’t take his insults. For as long as I’ve known you, you’ve never backed down to anyone. Don’t let him be the first.”

Stifling back a yawn, you nod, Dr. Selvig standing up as he stretches.

“Now, try to get some sleep? Use the couch if you must but I warn you, it’s not that comfortable.”

-

The sound of music is muffled when Thor is walked through the private entrance, reserved for high profile people who don’t want to be seen coming in or out of Suite. A quick phone call was all it took to slip Hogun, Volstagg and Fandral into the upscale, luxe club that boasts an invite only guest list.

This isn’t his scene, the music blaringly loud when the host pushes the door open to the second floor of the club, Hogun’s wide smile appearing when he sees the half-naked women on stage and others sitting on laps in the main audience. It isn’t anything Thor hasn’t seen before, his days of partying already out of his system due to his once wild ways.

This celebration, as he calls it, is for Hogun. One more night of debauchery before sending him back to the States and Thor found it almost kismet by the way things fell into place once he had confirmation that Claudia would be performing.

He hones in Tristan, surrounded by two of his close friends, hangers-on by the looks of them with their imposter fashion house labels and gaudy printed shirts. He hasn’t removed a single picture of you from his social media, giving a false narrative that he’s still in a happy and healthy relationship with you, despite Thor knowing the truth. 

Jane has been exceptionally generous with her opinions of Tristan, especially when she returns home after working with Dr. Selvig, who shares his thoughts on your breakup. Jane likens it to a holding pattern, waiting for him to retrieve his things before you can fully call it quits.

The lack of pictures of you both and him alone have disappeared from your social media profiles, suggesting otherwise.

Tristan, by the looks of the pretty voluptuous blond on his lap, seems to be enjoying his newfound freedom, his hand slipping between her thighs as Volstagg looks on from above. It’s a night out for his chauffeur and closest friend

“I wouldn’t recommend it,” Thor tells the three of them over the music. “Consent is expensive and greedy hands can still throw you into a jail cell, even with the ironclad NDA.”

“I wouldn’t,” Volstagg says quickly, shaking his head. “I wouldn’t dare.”

“That goes for you, Hogun. A lapdance doesn’t hurt but there are rooms on the third floor for a little more privacy. The girls are discreet but the clientele, not so much.”

“I think I’m in love,” Hogun murmurs, nearly falling back into his seat as the first round of drinks are served.

“Tonight is for Hogun,” Thor says, raising his drink. “To a safe passage back home but with a little fun along the way.”

As their glasses clink, Thor spies Claudia finding her set, the pretty blond on Tristan’s lap all but pushed off as he stands and makes his way toward the back.

-

After rebuffing several attempts of the performers to perform privately for him, Thor excuses himself from the private lounge, letting the others indulge while he takes the stairs up to the third floor.

He feels a hand on his shoulder, turning around to see a visibly drunken Tristan, grinning at him. Not an ounce of remorse, not that Thor would ever think he had it in him. 

“I remember you now,” Tristan draws out, trying to level his gaze with Thor’s. “The Thor Odinson. I should have known better, my apologies.”

He bows dramatically, Thor crossing his arms at the spectacle.

“Did you think she would leave me? I’m fucking Tristan Laurent!” Tristan laughs loudly, passersby cautiously looking at him. “She would be lost without me. I pay for that apartment and she follows me around like a sad little puppy.”

Tristan scoffs at the thought, nodding his head toward the closed door.

“You know, you were right. I have a wandering eye, sue me. She’s the one I’ll marry though, don’t you worry about that,” Tristan informs Thor, poking him squarely in the chest. “She’s not a Jane Foster. She’s a good girl. A boring girl but mine just the same. No amount of dropping hints that I’ve been having a little fun will change that.”

Thor remove Tristan’s hand away from him, looking down at him for a moment before he smiles politely, pushing his glasses up his nose.

“I can see you’re inebriated, Tristan. Knowing your background, I would hope that you’re sticking to one vice and not three,” Thor responds. “Can’t imagine all the drugs you no doubt have in your possession will mix well with all that alcohol.”

“Don’t worry about my vices, Odinson. We’re rich bastards, remember?” Tristan fires back, popping a bright green pill in his mouth, sticking his tongue out as it begins to slowly dissolve on his tongue. “We take only the best.”

Thor steps forward at the sight of the pill. He’s only seen it twice, this new designer drug that has been making the rounds in certain circles.

“Where did you get that?”

“You want one? I found it,” Tristan answers with a chuckle. “Only the best.”

The door to the right opens, Claudia leaning against the doorframe, wearing only a pair of see through black panties, her fingers cupping her surgically perfected breasts.

“Enough small talk,” Claudia tells Tristan. “You’re missing out.”

Thor says nothing, simply looking on as Tristan pops a white pill in his mouth, handing Claudia one.

Tristan turns to slam the door shut in Thor’s direction, Thor continuing his walk as he hears Claudia’s laughter.

-

It doesn’t take long for a scream to erupt when he’s back on the second floor, halfway back to his private lounge when Claudia yells at the top of her lungs. At the sound of his name, he turns around, Claudia nearly flying toward him in a barely there robe, her eyes filled with tears.

“I… I need your help! Please!”

Her red rimmed eyes are glazed over, her sharp fingernails biting into his bare forearms while she tries to pull him away.

“He took something! I don’t know what it was but you need to help! Now!”

Instinctively he knows that Tristan is overdosing, no doubt on that green pill that he had placed into his mouth and potentially more.

Time is of the essence, even if he wouldn’t mind seeing Tristan’s demise, Thor ordering Claudia to call for assistance when he spies Tristan on the floor, half naked as he lies motionless.

“You fucking prick,” Thor mutters, checking his vitals quickly, reaching into his pocket at the amount of pills that litter the carpet. “Just had to prove a point.”

Tristan’s chest rises slowly, enough for Thor to get a weak pulse.

“Tristan! Tristan, can you hear me?” Thor bellows, tapping Tristan roughly as he doesn’t react. “Tristan!”

He can hear the whispers of people standing in the doorway, ignoring them when he presses his hand down on Tristan’s cool skin, pressing down on his sternum with his knucks, yelling his name again to no response.

“You really are an idiot,” Thor mutters, pulling the naxolone out of his pocket and administering the dose.

Checking his vitals again, Thor can hear the sound of sirens, Tristan’s breathing evening out as Thor spies his cell phone, your text notification popping up.

“Tristan,” Thor continues, tapping his cheek, Tristan’s eyes slightly opening. “Wake up.”

Tristan’s lips move but barely, Thor continuing to check his pulse as he pockets the phone.

“Where did you get the drug?”

Tristan gurgles, Thor turning him on his side as he coughs.

“What did you take?”

Tristan swallows, head lolling to the side.

“Si…gi…”

“Sigil? Is that what you took? Where did you get it?”

Thor leans down, unsure of what he hears when he answers.

“Are you sure?”

Tristan’s head nods before he closes his eyes.

The emergency responders burst in, Thor letting them take over as Claudia watches from a distance.

“He took Sigil,” Thor informs the medics. “Pulse is steady, one dose of naxolone administered.”

One of the medics looks at Tristan’s face.

“Tristan Laurent,” he says with a knowing nod to another medic. “This isn’t his first time.”

“And the drug?” Thor questions.

“New on the market. Not readily available from what we’ve seen. Thanks, Doctor, we’ll get him settled.”

Thor watches Tristan be placed on a stretcher, Claudia’s tearful gaze sweeping from Thor to him. Despite a tight NDA to visit this club, it’ll get out like he knows it already has.

A quick text to his friends that he isn’t returning to the lounge means he has more time to look through his newest find and do a little research.

Sigil isn’t available to a large market, from the medic himself. Thor hails a cab, still wondering about the drug that nearly killed Tristan.

Brand new and not easily obtainable.

So then how did you get it?

-

Jane kisses Thor on the cheek before she sits, picking up her menu as he tightens his jaw at the time.

“I know,” Jane apologizes sheepishly, her brown eyes looking over the menu. “I didn’t mean to be late. There was a crisis at the lab.”

Thor peruses the menu, pretending that he doesn’t know what she’s talking about. He’s used to her tardiness but this is later than he originally had allowed. Staying silent, he sees Jane shift in her seat, Thor sipping his wine before she places the menu down.

“Can you believe he cheated on her? Almost died from an overdose?” Jane grouses, her eyebrows furrowed in disgust. “It’s unthinkable. The gall of him pretending that he was still in a committed relationship!”

“An overdose?” Thor questions, feigning shock. “Are you sure?”

“Erik told me she got a call from his father, begging her to visit him in the hospital. Apparently he’s distraught.”

“Did she go?”

“She did,” Jane sighs dejectedly. “The man treats her like absolute shit and she goes running back.”

“A near death experience may change things,” Thor counters, Jane’s head snapping up to glare at him.

“So she’s supposed to forgive him because he cheated and took a bunch of drugs? Is that what it takes for a year of betrayal?”

Thor has always liked Jane’s fire, so passionate in her opinions and way of thinking. Despite his irritation that you went to see your former boyfriend gives him pause, Jane’s eyes boring into his as she waits for an answer.

“I’m not saying that,” Thor reminds Jane, his voice low. “But I am suggesting that it may be a factor, regardless of if it’s a smart move on her part.”

Jane says nothing, taking a long sip of wine before going back to the menu. It’s an uncomfortable quiet, Jane’s frown still on display. She’s still on edge, no doubt by the conversation she and Dr Selvig must have had. For a moment he wonders about you and his thoughts go to Tristan’s father.

“What about Martin?” Thor presses.

“What about him?” 

“He’s yours and Erik’s biggest donor still, isn’t he? Will he continue to support your work with his son being incapacitated? I imagine his interest may be elsewhere.”

“I don’t know,” Jane says after a moment. “It didn’t cross my mind.”

“Hmm,” Thor replies, still looking at the menu. “Should I do chicken or fish?”

-

It’s easy to get into Tristan’s phone, the password his birthdate that allows Thor access to everything in his phone. Multitudes of pictures of women and men, barely clothed to full on spread poses doesn’t surprise him, Thor thumbing through the pictures until he settles on a gallery with your name on it. When he clicks the folder, pictures of you pop up on the screen. Some clothed and some not, selfies taken in various stages of undress.

Your naked body on display, picture after picture, seductive and yet innocent. Photos that he knows were taken for Tristan’s eyes only, the way your coy smile hints that you’re looking for approval. His gaze lingers on your breasts for a moment, the slope of your back and to your fingers that cover your pussy that nearly makes him shudder with want.

Thor finds himself getting hard, willing away the thought by air dropping the photos to his phone when his phone goes off.

“Got some information you might find interesting,” Volstagg informs him. “Turns out that Sigil is a Class A drug, still in the early stages.”

That gets Thor’s attention, leaning back in his chair at the news. The authorities will be all over it once it gets out and judging by the silence, Tristan’s father is working overtime to keep this little accident a secret.

“Early stages?”

“Trial and error from what I’ve heard. One of Laurent’s friends is a supplier.”

Thor can’t hide his smile. He’d known something was up with Tristan’s friends, a term he’d used loosely when they’d exchanged glances.

“The one at the club? Blond, oversized shirt?”

“That’s the one.”

“Brand new product and already has buyers,” Thor remarks. “Interesting. I don’t think he’ll be in business long.”

When Volstagg hangs up, Thor places his phone down to pick up Tristan’s again, looking through the messages.

If you offered the drug to Tristan, it’s nowhere in your angry texts, your heart on your sleeve when you ask him why you aren’t enough, something Thor scoffs at before powering down the phone and placing it into an envelope. He’ll mail to Martin, the pictures of Claudia and his other indiscretions on a flash drive.

But your pictures, he’s made sure to save to his own private gallery.

[serenastark-writes]

Chapter 11: The Final Showdown

The Avengers were locked in a desperate battle against Ultron’s seemingly endless army of drones, each of them knowing that the fate of the world hung in the balance. The city of Sokovia had been lifted into the sky, a doomsday device that threatened to annihilate all life on Earth if Ultron's plan succeeded.

Tony Stark, alongside his daughter Serena, fought furiously. Serena’s focus was unwavering as she blasted through the drones with precision. Thor was at the center of the fray, wielding Mjolnir with godly might, while Steve Rogers led the ground forces, his shield a blur of motion as he deflected attacks and took down enemies with brutal efficiency.

As they fought, Nick Fury arrived in a Helicarrier, accompanied by Maria Hill, James Rhodes, and S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, providing much-needed reinforcements. The Helicarrier descended from the clouds, and S.H.I.E.L.D. agents swiftly began evacuating civilians trapped in the floating city. Rhodes, in his War Machine armor, joined the battle, adding his firepower to the Avengers’ efforts.

Amidst the chaos, Pietro Maximoff sped through the battlefield, moving faster than the eye could see. But when he noticed Clint Barton in danger, caught in the line of fire with a child in his arms, Pietro acted without hesitation. In a split second, he placed himself between Barton and the bullets, taking the full brunt of the attack. As Pietro fell to the ground, his life slipping away, Clint knelt beside him, the weight of the sacrifice heavy on his heart.

Daniella, who had been fighting near the front lines, suddenly froze as she felt the life leave Pietro. She had known the Maximoff twins since their captivity by Hydra, but it was Pietro who had captured her heart. Her grief overwhelmed her, and with a cry of anguish, she abandoned her post and rushed toward the place where Ultron’s primary body was operating. Ignoring everything around her, Daniella unleashed the full extent of her power on Ultron, tearing him apart in a frenzy of revenge. But in her grief, she inadvertently left the machine vulnerable, allowing one of Ultron’s remaining drones to activate it.

As the landmass began to plummet toward the Earth, Tony and Serena knew they had only seconds to prevent disaster. Working in tandem with Thor, they overloaded the machine, causing the city to shatter into thousands of pieces before it could cause catastrophic damage. The pieces rained down, but their quick thinking had saved countless lives.

In the aftermath of the battle, the Avengers gathered their wounded, tended to the civilians, and began to take stock of the situation. The victory was bittersweet. Daniella was inconsolable, cradling Pietro’s lifeless body in her arms, tears streaming down her face. Serena watched from a distance, her heart aching for her friend, but there was nothing she could do to ease Daniella’s pain.

The Hulk, who had fought valiantly alongside his teammates, made a quiet decision to leave. Unwilling to endanger Natasha Romanoff, the woman he cared for, he departed in a Quinjet, disappearing from the radar as he sought solitude. Natasha watched him go, her expression a mixture of sorrow and understanding.

Elsewhere, the Vision confronted Ultron’s last remaining body, the two of them locked in a brief but intense exchange before the Vision destroyed him. The threat of Ultron was finally over, but the cost had been high.

Later, at the newly established Avengers base in upstate New York, the team gathered to regroup. Nick Fury, Maria Hill, Dr. Helen Cho, and Dr. Erik Selvig worked to ensure the base was fully operational. Fury spoke with Natasha, assuring her that Bruce Banner likely survived the crash of the Quinjet, though his whereabouts remained unknown.

Thor, believing the Mind Gem was safe with the Vision, prepared to return to Asgard. He had seen visions of the Infinity Stones and sensed a greater force at play. Before he left, he gave Tony a look that spoke of mutual respect, despite their earlier disagreements.

Tony Stark and Clint Barton, weary from the battle and the toll it had taken on them, decided to retire from active duty. Serena stayed by her father’s side, offering quiet support as he struggled with the weight of his decisions. 

Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff prepared to train the new Avengers—Rhodes, Wanda Maximoff, the Vision, and Sam Wilson—readying them for whatever challenges lay ahead. The team was smaller, and the losses were fresh, but they would continue to fight, together.

As the sun set on the horizon, the Avengers, old and new, stood united. They had survived the battle against Ultron, but they knew the war was far from over. The future was uncertain, but they would face it head-on, as they always had—together.