#Thena has her reservations

[softquietsteadylove]

HI!!!

it’s been a long time since the last doctor au. Can we get something new, please?

Thena eyes the woman chatting up her Gilgamesh. He's making friendly conversation, she knows. But the woman is obviously aiming for more than just friendly, the way she keeps laughing and smiling and putting her hand on his arm.

She has no one to blame but herself, Thena knows. The hospital fundraiser has been scheduled for months, and she's the one insisting their relationship remain secret from their coworkers. And of course Gil agreed, because it's Gil.

But watching women be all over him all night has been one hell of a just desserts. She takes a sip of her drink. Gil catches her eye and makes a bit of a face. He shrugs, which fits into the woman's story enough that she doesn't notice. But he's apologising to her - Thena - for it.

But she has no one to blame but herself.

Maybe the secrecy is overrated. She looks over to the dance floor, where Sersi is happily tucked into her husband's embrace as they sway to the music. They seem to make it work. Thena doesn't know how someone as sweet as Sersi is with someone as bullheaded as the orthopaedic specialist himself. But maybe the same could be said of her and Gil.

Thena tosses back the last of her champagne and walks straight towards Gil's table. This is why people don't like her socially--she's overly direct, chilly, has no bedside manner when it comes to her colleagues. She stares at them, "mind if I cut in?"

"Uh, yeah?"

"Not at all," Gil smiles though, and it's all the assurance she needs. He even pulls out the chair next to him for her.

His visitor visibly and audibly scoffs and rolls her eyes. Thena thinks she recognises her from HR or accounting or some other level of administration. She gets up in a huff anyway. Thena seats herself, tugging her dress around without a thought to the delicacy of the material.

But Gil sorts out the skirt of it more nicely. He even lets his hand brush the side of her leg where the slit allows him to. He sneaks his eyes up to hers, "you look beautiful."

She's glad that woman got up in a huff as she feels her face warm up several degrees. "Nothing you haven't seen before."

Because he helped her get ready, after they'd had a few good rounds in her bed, and before arriving in separate cars. Still, he compliments her, because of course he does. He swirls his own champagne, looking quite smart in his dark green suit.

All the doctors are in tuxes, but she likes how this colour brings out his eyes.

"Are you making any good connections?" he asks, like any of their colleagues would. It's as much a night for them to have off as it is for them to schmooze wealthy benefactors into donating to the hospital.

"None," she deadpans, and he laughs from his belly in response. She loves his laugh. "You?"

He snorts and throws back the last of his flute. "No one even knows us."

"That's not true," she nudges his arm as she leans back in her chair in a very unladylike way. She gestures, "Kingo knows how to work a crowd."

True, the man of the hour is in the centre of a circle of people listening to his stories. She's quite sure he's trying to convince someone to write a medical drama about his stories as an EMT.

"Well, I'm no Kingo," Gil shakes his head at his partner, not that they would have him any other way.

Thena spares a furtive glance around them, although most have moved on from the tables to search for more finger food or hit the dance floor. She risks brushing her hand over his casually, "you're better."

Gil matches her energy, though, letting his hand cup hers for just as brief a moment, "you're in a good mood tonight."

She can say it's the booze, but she's only had the one glass. It's not to her taste, but it's part of the atmosphere. "When was the last time we got a night off to do this?"

He gives her a grin that's a little mischievous on the tail end. "Our first date?"

She looks away again, because sometimes these little moments still make her feel like she's liking him from afar again. "That was a good night."

"Our only date, in some ways," he corrects, although there's no malice or ill will behind it. Even though he would love to have more proper dates to their name as a couple.

Thena sighs, though, because he deserves that. He deserves to go wild to his romantic heart's desire, no matter how overwhelmed it makes her feel. She leans forward against the table, "Gil-"

"Oh, Gil!" a shrill voice singsongs over the music.

Thena scowls as her whole body knots up. His friend is back, and she's brought company. "Eros."

"Thena, darling, looking ravishing as always," the self-proclaimed 'god of love' himself grins at her. He is one of the doctors in a full blown tuxedo. "Gotten any donations?"

"No, no one donates to an emergency room unless it guarantees benefits to them personally." The two newcomers look at her uncomfortably but it's true; no one ever donates to the emergency room because it's for the public, not for the highest insured patients.

"Well, what if I make a donation?" Eros grandstands, putting on his most winsome smile and even reaching into his suit jacket pocket. Does he really have his checkbook just...in there?

Thena points, "admin will take it."

The woman gets tired of playing this game. She sidesteps Eros to put her hands on Gil's shoulders. "Oh, enough business! It's time for you two to take to the floor."

Gil just stares. Just because he's big doesn't mean he likes getting climbed on like a children's jungle gym. He shakes his head faintly at her; he's asking what to do.

Thena sighs. That's why she brought Eros with her; he's a distraction to keep her from stealing Gil's attention again. Stealing attention from her own partner is an amusing thought. But she hasn't had enough to drink for it to be thoroughly entertaining.

The woman backs up as she stands. She and Eros watch as Thena grasps Gil's tie, pulling it out from his suit jacket and using it to turn his head and drag his lips to hers. She even makes a dramatic little moan just for them.

Gil is happy to oblige. He responds, sliding his hands up her body in the way that's familiar to them. They were doing exactly this a few short hours ago. When they part he doesn't even look to see if their audience has stuck around. "Thought you'd never ask, honey."

Thena keeps her hold on Gil's tie as she moves towards the dance floor, abandoning her clutch on the table. There's nothing in it but her phone and, well, a few contraceptives (in case Gil got ahead of himself on the way home).

"Y'know, sweetie, I have no complaints," Gil voices as he closes the distance and fixes his tie again. "But you could just ask."

She sighs as they turn towards each other to dance properly. He pulls her against him as her temper simmers itself dry. "I got the feeling she wasn't going to take no for an answer."

"Well, she would have had to," he assures her, even as they begin swaying to the music. She doesn't really know how to dance, but he takes the lead, holding her hip and her hand out in his. "Although watching my girlfriend grab me like that will probably haunt her for a while."

"Good," Thena mutters darkly, still off-put by the memory of her latching onto Gil's shoulders (like she has any right).

"Are you sure?" he whispers, still holding his head up if she wants more discretion. "If she doesn't have everyone knowing before we leave for the night then Eros certainly will. I wouldn't be surprised if he's crying to HR right now."

She does laugh faintly at the mental image of Eros snotting and whining like the little boy he is. "We're technically in different departments."

Gil chuckles, "guess you're right. But I'm asking you."

He's asking if she really wants to go public, or if she wants to deny their claims to the very end. Because he'll be with her, if she does, because of course he will.

Gil is receptive as she leans up to kiss him again. Maybe she can - somewhat! - understand what people see in the romance of it all. Swaying to music, Gil's arms around her, kissing him without a care in the world. There is something that makes the pleasure centres in her brain explode with euphoria.

"I'll take that as a yes," he smiles at her, even swaying a little more in his elation.

She tries to keep her head held high instead of shrinking away from the people observing them during their own dances. She clears her throat, pretending she can't feel how hot the tips of her ears are. "If it keeps her off of you, then yes."

He bends his head down, kissing the side of her neck. But it's not any invitation to mischief or show of dominance. He emerges again and kisses her on the forehead. "Can I tell those orderlies that check you out all the time that you're my girlfriend, now?"

She smiles, because it's Gil, and their relationship is no different now than it's been for the past several months. "You don't tell them I'm your wife?"

"Oh, I do," he answers instantly, and now she laughs. And sometimes when she laughs, she catches him looking at her in a way that makes all of her insides feel like jello. "But everyone knows you're my wife. Not everyone knows you're my girlfriend."

That is true. They were long ago anointed work husband and work wife. People are used to it, and it somewhat muddies the waters on what their relationship to each other actually is. And Thena will not be un-muddying them any time soon.

She moves Gil's arm more around her for herself, tucking herself into his chest in a way that makes moving more awkward instead of easier. But he folds around her comfortingly, happy to shift from foot to foot rather than really dance. "Then all the world can know I'm your partner."

She sighs as he presses a kiss to the top of her head, "I like the sound of that."

There's no going back from this. She always says that their personal lives have no place in the hospital. But she can't think about any of that, drowning in the endorphins this one man overtakes her brain with every time he smiles. And she has no one to blame but herself.

[oneshotnewbie]

Athena and f reader. They've worked together for a year, both harboring feelings for the other. Reader takes a bullet for Athena, and as she Lays in her arms, waiting for the paramedics, she loos into Athenas eyes and admits how she feels.

A/n: hope you like it, anon ♥

It was a gunshot and Athena´s scream that filled and echoed through the deserted and silent streets, slowly dying in the darkness of the night. The flickering blue beacons of the police car behind you gave off the faintest light for the brunette to deduce that a rapidly enlarging blood-red smudge was spreading across your chest.

"Y/n.." she watched you intently, with that look on her face that was unlikely for her. Her eyes were wide open, pupils extremely dilated as her body was tensed and restless, almost trembling with fear.

Your gaze dropped to the spot where your uniform was beginning to soak up your blood and slowly, you dragged yourself forward to your best friend. The view in front of your eyes was disturbed by tiny black spots, which became more persistent and mixed with the slowly developing dizziness to an uncomfortable and unsafe feeling.

You felt your reserves of strength disappearing and leaving you and you were brought to your knees by this quickly occurring weakness. Before your body could reach the cold ground, two hands quickly slipped under your arms and caught you. "I´ve got you."

Gently, almost in slow motion, she pulled your increasingly heavier body onto the sidewalk and, as carefully as she could be, attempted to sit on it so that you came to rest on top of her. Laying in the arms of Athena, who pressed a hand to your chest to desperately stop the bleeding, you watched her screaming for help over the radio. "OFFICER DOWN! I NEED A BUS! NOW!"

"-thena." you said hollowly; your body shaking uncontrollably as your eyelids began to grow heavier with each second that passed. A small puddle formed on the floor beneath you, one of your own blood. "Don´t talk. Save your energy, sweetheart."

Even if no sound of complaint had passed your lips, the brunette only knew from the fine beads of sweat on your forehead that your injury was causing you the deepest and most severe pain. Still, she was pressing even harder on the gunshot wound, making you gasp while your body flinched on top of her- watching the warm blood slip through her fingers.

Too much blood.

She, too, felt shaky and uncomfortable in such a situation. Not only because such a wound was a matter of life and death, but also because it was you who stood in front of her to protect her and save her life.

As Athena bent her head down to you, she clasped your now limp hand tightly in her free one and wiped the tears from her eyes; leaving streaks of your blood clinging to her skin. "Help is on the way, stay awake okay?" she spoke positively and already heard the sirens of the approaching ambulance in the far distance.

She wanted to play the strong one, didn´t want to cry in front of you and make you feel like your story should end here and now- in her arms. But when all that you love in life was about to be ripped away from you, then what could she possibly do?

Nothing helped, no matter how hard you tried to fight the constant and growing tiredness, the immense loss of blood that has taken place in the meantime had only made your body weaker. "It doesn´t hurt anymore." you said above a whisper and Athena´s eyes flickered back to you.

"Hold on, please. I need you." You felt her hold tighten on you and her soft lips pressed against your temple. Your eyes, almost drained of life, turned once more to hers and met a completely destroyed and never before seen facial expression that had been overwhelmed with salty tears.

"I love you, ´thena."

Her heart broke at that statement.

Suddenly, all the anger against the shooter dissipated and only sadness and longing remained.

Your body grew heavy and limp in her hold and the small smile on your lips slowly faded. And then it went black around you; the cold and darkness tore you to your bitter death.

"I love you too, Y/n. I always did."

[hakuryuu]

uno reverses all the [people] emoji @ you for noonday :333

yessss

😊 (SMILING FACE WITH SMILING EYES — what are your oc's career/general life desires? what do they want to get the most out of life?): noonday is living her dream life i think!! her original plan of owning a tea shop with an upstairs apartment/magic and herbal workshop was already really ideal for her. there were some bits in the middle when they were ""hiding from the church"" and ""exiled from torredaga"" that were less than ideal, and she didn't necessarily enjoy her time in helios, but her core maxim has always been 'fun comes first' and she's chased that more or less unwaveringly

😖 (CONFOUNDED FACE — is your oc an introvert, an extrovert, or an ambivert? do they let people in easily, or are they more reserved?): she's an ambivert and lets people in VERY easily sgfjfjjdhf. memorable moments include summoning the ghost of a woman who was just murdered and instantly making friends with her and congratulating her on her engagement before remembering she was dead. she's got a very open and friendly personality and when she's interested in you she will Become Your Friend. thena tried to kill her several times when they first met and noonday was like woah your god powers are cool and kept going back for more. they're married now

🤔 (THINKING FACE — what are some of your oc's quirks/mannerisms?): she talks Very Much with her hands, and she's always tinkering with something. ever since she got her god markings she refuses to wear anything that will hide them (see-through or gauzy materials are acceptable but on thin ice). also she hates shoes and wears them as little as possible

🧐 (FACE WITH MONOCLE — is your oc more logical or emotional?): EMOTIONAL 1000000% noonday has never made a logical decision in her LIFE when an emotional one will do

🤓 (SMILING FACE WITH GLASSES — is your oc chatty or quiet? are they at ease in social situations, or are they more shy?): CHATTY AND AT EASE, to the point of semi-blasphemous casual conversations with multiple gods, trying to make friends with the weird glowing figure that is trying to kill her, and becoming best friends with caoimhe, the worlds most tsundere bitch (affectionate)

🤩 (FACE WITH STARRY EYES — is your oc a planner, or are they more spontaneous in their actions?): she's very very spontaneous (fun comes first!) and has gotten the squad into (and out of) trouble multiple times because of it. she'll go along with any plan that one of the others comes up with, and make suggestions, but there is essentially no way to stop her from improvising in moments of impulse

😥 (SAD BUT RELIEVED FACE — is your oc prone to getting stressed out, or is it easy for them to keep their cool?): she takes everything with such ease that she keeps her cool through most stressful situations, especially since most of the time she's just interested to see what comes next, but when there's danger to her friends she can get really serious and focused. she tends to get mad before she gets stressed out though

😓 (DOWNCAST FACE WITH SWEAT — is your oc open-minded or stubborn? are they inquisitive or do they prefer to keep to their bubble of knowledge?): VERY open minded and inquisitive lol. she's learned a lot of stuff during her time in torredaga just because she's constantly getting interested in stuff and exploring it. that's how she started in on ghost magic in the first place

😞 (DISAPPOINTED FACE — does your oc attract others, or do they tend to be left alone?): definitely more of an attractive personality, although she's weird enough that there's definitely people that go out of their way to avoid her

🤒 (FACE WITH THERMOMETER — does your oc get sick easily?): you know what they say about fools and colds! she came from a much colder climate than torredaga so she's always walking around barefoot in a skirt and a halter top. despite doing this living on a combination of random interesting drugs + homemade teas + takeaway she can count the number of times she's gotten sick on one hand

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 (FAMILY WITH MOTHER, FATHER, SON AND DAUGHTER — how many people are in your oc's immediate family? how many people are in your oc's extended family? do they have aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, etc? who in their family are they closest with? are they close with their birth family, or do they have a found family?): immediate family are her mother, her father, and her cousin (familiarity-breeds-contempt) (fun reminder that noonday's full name is fortune-favors-the-bold and that noonday is a nickname) but she has an enooooooormous extended family across both torredaga and the pelisian isles. they're all part of a big art syndicate/mafia-type situation, and noonday was set to inherit the torredaga branch of the art forgery market before she walked out and got written out of the will. in her family she's probably closest to her dad (she doesn't get along with her mom) and her [semi-distanrt] cousin roz (a-rose-by-any-other-name). she's definitely WAY closer to her found family, which consists of caoimhe, al, erdan, ermax, thena, The Kidz, and several ghosts

[themculibrary]

Ikaris And Sersi (Ikersi) Masterlist

chip chrome & the mono-tones (ao3) - dannydays sersi/dane, ikaris/sersi T, 11k

Summary: “Welcome to Highton.”

“It’s a shithole,” Druig said, affectionately.

Sersi said, “We’re happy to have you.”

(human au. dane moves to a new estate and meets the eternals. shenanigans ensue.)

cursed and drunk on love || its not your fault (ao3) - Azurame_Neve N/R, 5k

Summary: They said that love is the most twisted curse in the world.

In which Sersi, the worse of humanity bleeds into her far more easily than expected and she started to plan the end of the world.

Fragment Mapping (ao3) - silver_penny sersi/dane, ikaris/sersi T, 6k

Summary: Sersi swallows. “I’ve got a job,” she says. “Teaching. Nice apartment, down in the city.” She worries at her hem. “A boyfriend.”

From out of the corner of her eye she can see Druig visibly startle. “A…another boyfriend?” he asks, tentatively.

It still blindsides Sersi when it happens to her.

i'll spend forever wonderin' if you knew (i was enchanted to meet you) (ao3) - notquitegucci (AllieKitaguchi) druig/makkari, thena/gilgamesh, ikaris/sersi N/R, 7k

Summary: How the Eternals discovered that Druig and Makkari were in love.

Some of them were a little slower than others.

I take the risk to feel your heart beating (ao3) - anachronistique (924inlegend) T, 57k

Summary: During the Deviants' attack in the Amazon, things take a turn when Ikaris is targeted for his powers during the battle. He is almost killed until Sersi steps in.

Life in the Margins (ao3) - Jupiter77 druig/makkari, gilgamesh/thena, ikaris/sersi T, 98k

Summary: In one of the reviews of Eternals, the film critic commented that Makkari and Druig had a romance in the margins of the movie. This story explores the margins.

Light My Love (ao3) - Redheadclover sersi/dane, ikaris/sersi T, 95k

Summary: Soteri always second guessed herself, even in the very beginning when she was born an Eternal on the Domos. Although the rest of the Eternals can see potential in her, Soteri tries to find her way while protecting the planet with her family.

Perhaps she was too gentle and kind, or that she was too reserve to fully expose herself because of her force field and teleportation ability, but that never stopped her from finding hope and love with her family members, including a brooding mind controller. Her courage and her thirst for protecting those around Soteri has pushed her over and over as time went on. However, once the Eternals broke away from one another, Soteri felt lost without her family.

Without her home.

Now Deviants are appearing once more, her fearless leader is gone, and Soteri has to find her strength to defend and protect her family like she did before. Is she willing to have the old wounds of her fragile and reserved heart be reopened again for the sake of humanity?

Love Me At The Ungodly Hour (ao3) - StarlightInTheNight E, 9k

Summary: She thought she'd learn to live without Ikaris but here she is, moth to flame, closing the distance between them as if it hadn't been a year since he left her and broke her heart.

She's still weak for that smile.

Now That I Saw You (ao3) - lodgedinmythoughts M, 4k

Summary: After all the things he's seen, his gaze will always fall back to her.

5 times Ikaris can't take his eyes off Sersi, and 1 time she can't take hers off him.

oràil (ao3) - delphiniumblooms T, 3k

Summary: " A nighean oràil, " Ikaris says, our golden girl. He takes a little hand into his and counts the fingers. "She's perfect."

set after the events of the movie, which i have no knowledge of. ikarsi have a baby!

spit the blood back, spit the blood back, baby (ao3) - pullapartheart sersi/dane, ikaris/sersi N/R, 1k

Summary: The fall of Ikaris.

teenage headache dreams. (i want to be free). (ao3) - proud_papaya M, 56k

Summary: - non canon compliant eternals (2021) -

there were millennia that they had been the only sense of normalcy for each other, and then, one night, ikarus flew into the clouds, and never came back down to her. then thanos snapped, and any normalcy was gone, as well as dane. he needed to come back.

TLDR: writing various areas of ikarus' and sersi's past, both during endgame and before, and then writing the entirety of the eternals movie, except i'm not killing ikarus off, because that really made me sad, and i bet i'm not the only one. possibly going into after that, as well. enjoy <3 requests are welcome, as well.

The storm bursts or fades! it is not the end of the world. (ao3) - berations N/R, 1k

Summary: Ikaris doesn't think he deserves a second chance. But he gets one anyway.

Visiting Rites (ao3) - qodarkness druig/makkari, ikaris/sersi T, 4k

Summary: Sprite was the first to visit.

Or

How Druig knows all the gossip about what's going on with the Eternals despite living in the Peruvian Amazon with no phone reception for five hundred years.

Water & Stone (ao3) - lodgedinmythoughts T, 2k

Summary: Ikaris being hopelessly in love. And then, the conversation I imagine might've happened between him and Sersi after he arrives in London.

we will make a home someday, one full of love and light (ao3) - delphiniumblooms T, 1k

Summary: Sersi and Ikaris pay Phastos’ family a visit.

[healingagoddess]

Suspicious mind

Request: Jealous smut with ajak? Ajak gets jealous of reader talking to another eternal or avenger? Thank you! :)

Warnings: English is not my first language. Smut. NSFW.

Pairing: Ajak/F!Reader

Note: It took me forever to write this. Forgive any mistakes, I got really frustrated near the end and kept deleting everything. And I also got carried away. I hope you like it. 

_ ✽ _

The rest of the eternals have been staying with Ajak for the past two days as Phastos fixes the domo. You have met them, but you have kept to yourself since you can’t really match Kingo and Sprite’s enthusiasm ­— so you’ve been observing. Sitting at the end of the sofa with a drink in your hand you admire them individually. Thena is quiet, reserved and distant for obvious reasons — and Gilgamesh is always by her side. Everyone seems to get along and joke around, even the sulking boy with strong opinions that sits with Makkari, Druig. You intend to form an alliance with Ben and Dane, but for now you just watch in silence.

It’s been half an hour of intense daring and challenges from Kingo, Druig and Sprite. They literally don’t do anything else other than bicker and it’s quite amusing to watch. Although they do seem like a very close family. It makes you wonder how you fit in since Ajak is very much like their mother figure. You are very conscious about that thought — and you know they’ll start asking questions soon — so you get up to find Ajak. You walk towars the porch knowing she went into that direction, and you find her deep in conversation with Ikaris. You don’t want to interrupt, but you feel very conscious of your presence no matter where you go.

You do go stand by her side with a soft smile and a polite ‘hello’ and a nod of your head. Casually Ajak wraps an arm around your waist and pulls you closer to rest her chin on your shoulder as Ikaris continues with whatever he is talking about. You don’t fit in this conversation. The energy going on here is completely different. Ajak treats him like he is her most precious son; the golden boy, and it is very awkward to witness. You don’t know what to do, but you take your empty glass as an excuse to leave.

You can’t get the look on their faces off your mind as you leave. It was traumatizing to see — her eyes were sparkling with pride, love and something else you can’t describe. And his eyes were of total devotion. As you enter the kitchen for another margarita you find Sersi with her boyfriend. They share a smile, and you feel so much better. Their smile is so soothing and welcome — it feels natural to be around them — but now you are being the third wheel. As you reach for the blender you do notice that you are out of tequila, and there’s only one glass left forgotten. You reach out for it and notice Sersi get closer.

“Please don’t tell me we are out of Tequila.”

You turn to look at her with raised brows to pay more attention to her and process what she said.

“Ah, yes. Last glass.” You wiggle it a little in your hand. “If you’d like it’s all yours.”

“No need to worry about that with me.” And you swear, she has a comfort aura. Something about her smile and eyes is really soothing. She is so warm to be around.

“Yeah, she can turn water into anything like Jesus.” Dane jokes and Sersi smacks him playfully.

You rise your brows once again, but this time intrigued. You are about to say something when someone calls out Dane’s name; you think it was Sprite. Dane excuses himself and leaves. As he does so Sersi gets closer to the blending machine contemplating whether to make more margaritas or not.

“Seriously, if you’d like you can take the last one.” You offer once again.

And Sersi turns to look at you, but her gaze falls elsewhere outside and it stays there. Curious you look her way and notice she is staring at Ajak and Ikaris. More like Ikaris, you know what happened to them because Ajak told you before when he visted once. Immediately you hand Sersi the drink as you tear your gaze away from them to check on the eternal beside you. She looks down at the drink you shoved into her space and contemplates for a few seconds.

“Would you mind if we share this drink?” She asks with a soft but fun smile. Like, she is that friend that would totally be very close to you just for the sake that you are friends. You’ve had friends like that before and they are the best. “It would be like a secret thing of ours that we became the best of friends. It would freak them out. They are totally terrified of you.” She explains playfully as she reaches out for two straws. And you know she likes to party.

You give out a smile that is more like you. And you know this is the first glimpse any eternal will have of who you are — and you nod. You both make your way back to the living room since you know Sersi wants to be close to Dane. She takes a seat and you take the place beside her. Sprite is teasing the poor guy so bad; he doesn’t stand a chance. Sersi takes a sip of the margarita and then puts it on your field of vision. You both share a secret smile before you take a sip too. And you notice Kingo noticed since he looked around like ‘did everyone see that?’, but he was the only one to notice.

The glass is not that big — so you’ll run out of it pretty soon — but you do keep yourself busy with whatever they have to say. You come to find that Gilgamesh is hilarious and such a gentle person at the same time. You’d love to get to know him more. And then, Sersi taps you on the shoulder, and you turn to look at her.

“It’s the last of it; let’s drink it together.” She says never losing that smile of hers.

You playfully roll your eyes and lean in to your straw as she follows to reach for hers. You both drink the last of it with blushing cheeks from trying to keep from laughing.

“Oh, Sersi gets to keep the step-mother first!” Kingo finally declares. You pull away before you spit out the margarita on Sersi’s face, shocked with that comment. And then, you feel a soft hand on your shoulder as laughter echoes through the room. Ajak is standing right behind you with Ikaris on her side, he is standing right behind Sersi. You offer her a smile, but she doesn’t smile. She just keeps staring at you and tilts her head to the side with a raise of her brows. You put your hand on top of hers on your shoulder and she finally smiles before looking away to the other eternals in her living room.

“Since when are you two the best of friends?” Kingo asks offended.

“Well, since before you, so I get best friend rights from now on.” Sersi replies, she is clearly teasing him.

“Kingo is afraid of you.” Sprite spills Kingo’s deepest secret. You raise your brows and look at Ajak —  she looks right back at you and she shakes her head with a soft smile.

“He should be.” You finally speak staring directly at him without blinking. Everyone burst out laughing at Kingo as he stays seated in shock and terror.

The rest of the evening passes by with everyone minding their own business and not attacking you with questions even if Kingo really wants to ask something — only Sersi gets best friend benefits. By night they have a fire outside and everyone sits there laughing and chatting. They truly missed each other. Then, Sersi comes over to hand you a marshmallow, she kneels in front of you and crosses your arms like a couple — and makes you eat it making sure Kingo gets full display. He just sits there shocked and annoyed. After that, Sersi grabs you by the arm and pulls you up to your feet along with Makkari and takes you to the side of the house to take selfies.

We are having so much fun teasing Kingo. Makkari signs, a toothy grin on her face.

“It’s been so much fun to play the evil step mother today.” You laugh with them.

“Let’s do something else. Maybe Makkari should also join in the best friends.” Sersi suggests.

I think we should hold hands to send a message to Kingo.

And so you do, you both return holding hands with Sersi trailing behind looking at the selfies on her phone.

“They are forming an alliance!” Kingo shouts making everyone look at the three of you.

Jealous? Makkari signs

“So sad you can’t join, Kingo.” Sprite is so cool for spicing things up.

“Prove you are the bestest of friends.” He replies with a serious tone.

“Well, we will have a secret handshake of course, since we are so close.” Sersi replies, as you just stare at Kingo to scare him a little.

“How close?” He asks in the same serious tone.

This close. Makkari pulls both of you close and blows kisses into the air. And you both do the same blowing kisses in an exaggerated way to make him uncomfortable —  like teenagers being extra at school with fake affection display.

A few seconds later Ajak exits the house, she was at the kitchen helping Gil with dinner. She has a frown on her face and grabs your arm before pulling firmly.

“Help me in the kitchen.” She demands, nobody seems to notice her tone nor demeanor.

You nod and excuse yourself. “I’ll see you later, besties.” You say goodbye to them in a fake tone to tease Kingo some more.

“Oh, baby girl! We’ll see you later for the sleepover.” Sersi whines in the same tone.

Makkari pouts. We’ll miss you, bestie. And she fakes giving you a friendly peck to shock the audience.

Kingo might pass out, instead you just leave him with his mouth agape staring at you. And once you get inside you realize that Ajak was the one to drag you from the others, and she is aiming for the stairs instead of the kitchen with a strong grip on your arm.

“Where are we going?” You ask with excitement still in your voice.

She doesn’t reply, and suddenly, you feel a heavy ambiance falling upon you like cold water. Your heart starts racing and Ajak has not even looked at you yet. You don’t understand, but then you remember Ajak was watching you from inside the kitchen, and to her it looked like you were making out with Sersi and Makkari when you were first annoying Kingo.

She takes you to the bedroom you both share; the lights are off with only the light from outside peeking through the window. She doesn’t give you a moment to say something because as soon as you both enter the room she turns around so fast and strong that confirms she is pissed.

“Ajak.” You say softly waiting for an explanation.

“Cierra la puerta. (close the door)” Her voice is firm and strong with such a passion. There is fire running through her entire being right now.

And you obey closing the door.

“Did I do something wrong?” You ask; knowing damn well you did without meaning to.

“No lo sé. Tu dimelo. (I don’t know. You tell me)” The look in her face is something you’ve never seen before. She has a deep frown, but her entire face has turned somber and her golden eyes look like a void. She has one hand on her hip and the other rests on the foot of the frame of the bed.

“Ajak, we were just joking.” You reply being serious to let her know your honesty. “We wanted to scare Kingo.” You feel terrible saying the last part.

These eternals are like her children, and you just participated in a childish game that hurts one of them. It still feels weird to think of it like that. But you totally feel like a child right now thinking that you should have known better.

“Since when making out with someone is used to scare other people?” She asks with more anger evident. “Unless you are trying to hurt me… then you got it.” Her breathing quickens a little bit.

“Ajak…” You say almost close to tears. You never wanted to hurt Ajak that was the last thought on your mind through all of this. “We never did anything like that, it was all pretend to shock Kingo.” You try to explain. “I am so sorry.”

Ajak closes her eyes, and slowly, she throws her had back trying to even her breath. “I just can’t deal with the thought of seeing you with someone else. I know they are my family and I love them… but I had never seen you behave like this. I guess I was more confused and scared than Kingo.”

You reach out for her.

“Whenever you think again about letting someone else touch you the way I do… think again.” She points a hand at you and presses it against your chest making you take a step back. “Nadie puede tenerte como yo te tengo. (Nobody can have you the way I do.)” She spits every word out rolling her ‘r´s’ so deliciously. She pushes you again, and you hit the back of the bed. You hadn’t even noticed the moment she circled you and cornered you to the bed. “You are the most precious thing I have.”

“Ajak… are you… jealous?” You ask not believing it yet.

She doesn’t say another word and presses against your chest to make you lay down and then she hovers on top of you. “You make me feel things that no one else has ever been able to make me feel; things only you can bring out in me.” Her husky voice is something you love the most about her. That voice that makes you feel the heat travel your body. “I am jealous of my own family because of you. Because you keep me on alert of your every move. Always wanting more of you.”

“Ajak.”

She hushes you and tilts your head to the side before kissing your neck. She fully straddles you and pins your hands to the sides of your head. She bites you slightly before ushering you out of your top. She breathes in your scent as she makes her way down and only pauses to look at you before hooking her fingers on your bottoms. She looks for signs to stop, and when she finds none she pulls them down. Your cheeks are burning with heat.

She is quick to disregard you of your clothes, and you feel aware of her every touch. There is urgency in the way she movies, the way she massages your skin and her void like eyes. And then you realize: it is lust. You think she’ll take you quick and fast, and you get ready to welcome her touch. But then… then she turns you around and holds your hands down against your back with one hand, with the other she rubs your backside.

Confused you turn to look at her, and then she asks.

“Who do you belong to?”

And you frown, she has never done anything like this. Your silence is loud, but louder is the sound of her hand slamming against your bum. The sound that leaves your mouth is inhuman, and the pleasure that rips through your body is enough to set you on fire.

“Answer.” She replies.

You are still trying to recover from what just happened and utter a moan.

“What was that?” Smack, the sound is loud and the stinging is so deliciously building something within your core.

“Ajak…” You shout out.

“Yes?” And you squirm around trying to free your hands, but she just leans her weight down to hold you in place before letting her hand fall on your behind once again. And you want to scream.

“Hush. They can hear you.” She whispers in your ear, her breath hot.

You blush violently, she continues to spank you as you squirm around with soft whimpers.

“Who do you belong to?” She sounds so calm in contrast with the storm she’s created inside of you.

“You! I belong to you!” You finally cry out, and she presses you further into the mattress.

“Good girl.”

“Ajak, that was-“

“Foreplay.” Her hands massage your pain in soothing circular motions.

And without warning she inserts two digits inside you. Her pace is quick; she has places to go. You know she wants to finish you hard and fast. And you are a whimpering mess, squirming around as she lets go of your hands to wrap her arm around your waist to hold you in place. The speed on her fingers make you feel on edge, hotter and desperate for release. You are soaking and the room is filled with wet sounds as she fingers you. You grasp onto the pillows trying to suffocate your moans.

Then you feel that tight knot on your inside explode into different directions with hot waves of electricity. You see stars behind your eyes. And a loud moan is silenced by the pillow you’ve been holding onto for dear life. She leads a hot trail of kisses from the side of you back and up to your shoulder. You take a moment to turn around and once you do you find her staring right back at you. You smile at her, and she brings her fingers to her lips and inside her mouth to clean them off. You whimper softly before she pulls you close.

She kisses you softly as you recover from and even your breath. After a few minutes of just lying there as she holds you — and kisses your lips, your nose and your forehead —  you cup her face to get her attention.

“You don’t have to be jealous.”

“I know.” She smirks. “But it was fun.” And with that being said she gets up leaving you there naked. She turns to give you one last smile and disappears through the door. You take a quick shower knowing everyone will know what happened. And when you are ready to leave you open the door to find Kingo, Sersi, Makkari and Druig waiting for you.

“Oh, fuck.” You throw your head back embarrassed and annoyed.

“Oh, fuck, that’s right.” Kingo says, and Sersi smacks him. “We are traumatized just so you know.”

“We wanted to make sure you are okay.” Sersi says.

“Yeah, we heard some stuff.” Druig chuckles, and Makkari hits him.

We were wondering if you’d like to join us for dinner. We wanted to introduce you to Thena. Makkari signs trying to distract you from your embarrassment.

You nod just to get them to leave, but you do follow them downstairs. And you know, that everybody knows. And you want to die when you take a sit at the table with a very noticeable wince. Kingo snorts, and you look at Ajak mortified. She is so fresh like nothing happened, minding her own business and serving the food. She gives you a soft peck before sitting next to you. That is enough to make everyone stop staring at you. And you are both mortified and strangely pleased, and luckily for you nobody mentions anything. But lesson learned: make Ajak jealous more often.

[moonlit-imagines]

Keeping Things Interesting

Thena x Eternal!reader

warnings:

a/n:

prompt: @sheridans-dynamos: “For sure I can send more details for the Thena one shot! So reader is an eternal and has always been in love with Thena but doesn't think it's reciprocated, but all the others know it is, and kingo decides to do something to push them together? He could do something like start to intensely flirt with reader, to push Thena to do something because she's getting more and more jealous each time, and some of the others could join in too, to really drive her crazy and make her go for it”

How had you gone so long harboring your love for Thena? Especially without mentioning it to her or leaving even the slightest clue. You just never thought she’d be able to return your feelings, it had already been a thousand years of friendship, she treated you just as she did any other Eternals. Or were you just blind to the truth?

The others were well aware of your feelings and hers. She was reserved when expressing them, but Thena definitely shared the same love for you, she just wasn’t ready to face it and she didn’t feel like she was running out of time. Why rush it?

Kingo is why. Oh, Kingo was getting sick of tge pining, the silent sulking, and the waiting. He and the rest of your Eternals were desperate to see how this would play out. They’ve even started betting thanks to Makkari.

“Why, hello there, sweet y/n.” Kingo announced once he saw you in the crowded room of Eternals, almost all of which were struggling to contain their laughter. It certainly gained Thena’s attention, too. You stared at him with pure confusion, trying to laugh it off.

“Uh, hi Kingo?” You leaned back against the table and crossed your arms. “What’s going on?” You turned around to see Druig translating your words to Makkari and got rightfully suspicious of these theatrics.

“Oh, not much.” He answered with a pursed bottom lip, shrugging and turning his gaze to Thena to check the status of his plan. “It’s just…I never realized how absolutely stunning you are.” He was quite forward, especially when he took your hand and kissed your knuckles.

“Well, thank you?” You chuckled and tried to play along, wanting to know what it was he was getting at because this certainly couldn’t be real. “You are, too, Kingo.” Thena was growing quite agitated, clutching the piece of fruit in her hand much harder than she should have.

“I think that, well, I think I’d like to ask you on a date.” Kingo suggested with a smirk. “That is, with the blessing of our friends. What do you all say?” There was a chorus of agreement, clapping, and cheers as they channeled their laughter into smiles and screams. “Oh! That’s great news!”

“I didn’t know they all felt this way.” You awkwardly remarked and looked over at your longtime crush, Thena, who was silent and still as stone.

“And you, Thena?” Kingo smugly paced over to her. “Do you give your blessing for me to take our dear friend, y/n, on a date?” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Who knows? Maybe y/n and I are meant to be. I think we’ll have ourselves a big, extravagant wedding. Live happily for thousands of years. Share many…intimate moments.” Kingo sat beside her and leaned his elbow on the table. “But you should approve, yes? So there’s nothing standing in the way of our love?” Suddenly, the fruit in Thena’s grasp burst, sending pieces flying each way just before she stomped out of the room. It was certainly concerning for you and the others, but they had to laugh at the fact that she’d grown so jealous of Kingo.

“What was that all about?” You finally ask once their character was broken and Gilgamesh took the liberty of explaining.

“Thena has been harboring some feelings for you for many years.” He pat you on the shoulder, then grabbing it and shaking you roughly. “Just as you have for her, my friend. Now you know, so go to her!” You nodded and jogged from the room, chasing after a fuming woman who’s flames of love just joined those of anger.

“Thena!” You ran to her as you finally caught sight of her heading toward a more sullen place to calm down. “Thena, hold on!”

“Kingo, huh? You two will make a wonderful couple.” She seethed and you tried to laugh it off.

“I was just as surprised as you are, Thena. It was a joke, they were trying to get us to admit our feelings for one another.” You explained to her, causing her to freeze in place and giving you a chance to stand before her.

“Our feelings?” Thena cocked an eyebrow and you nodded.

“I had no idea you felt the same as me.” You reached out for her hand and squeezed in gently, turning her angry red hue into a blushing one. “Everything Kingo said, maybe that’ll apply to us one day.” You tried to make light of their antics.

“That’d be quite nice.” She chuckled and pulled you closer to her, bringing you in for a hug just moments before she opted for a first kiss, too. A perfect setting, alone and content with one another’s company. “But…” Her lips parted from yours by just an inch or two. “We are so getting them back for this.”

“Oh, undoubtedly.”

taglist: @alwaysananglophile // @rorybutnotgilmore // @locke-writes // @sweetheartlizzie07 // @queen-destenie // @natasha-danvers // @johnmurphyisqueer // @pappydaddy // @captainshazamerica // @freya-xo // @ravenmoore14 // @canarypoint // @zoeyserpentluck // @randomawesomeperson102 // @brutal-out-here // @wonderful-writer // @of-a-chaotic-mind // @resplendentlady // @procrastinatingsapphictrash // @lxncelot // @swanimagines // @randomfandomimagine // @petersgroupie // @dindjarinsspouse // @werewolf-himbo // @lost-fantasy // @moobrvoobl-moobmoob-oobmpoobroom // @summersimmerus // @cipheress-to-k-pop // @augustvandyne // @spoodermans // @the-did-i-ask // @glxwingrxse // @scarthefangirl // @cyanide-mustard // @druigmybelovedone // @beth-gallagher22 // @bad4amficideas // @magnificentzombiebasement //

[delphiniumblooms]

Speculation on the Eternals team dynamics:

Sersi the Kind. the heart of the team, the peacemaker, the caretaker. everyone loves her and she loves everyone

Ikaris the Bold (Ikaris the Brave). the strongest fighter they have, the one who leads the charge into battle every time, with no sense of self-preservation whatsoever.

Ajak, the Healing Hands. the team leader and main decision maker, the mother, the one who patches everyone up after they come home from a fight, who soothes their hurts and calls them 'my dear' and 'cariño'/'mi querida'

Phastos the Builder. the dad figure to all the younger Eternals. the one they go to whenever they need a magical device constructed, or a hug and some life (love?) advice. long-suffering but cares about every member of the team so much

Gilgamesh the Strong. the giant who's the team's strength and protection, who can be so gentle when he chooses to.

Thena, the Goddess of War, Thena the Wise. the reserved strategist and the maker of weapons. together with Gilgamesh, form the brawn of the team. they have an old married couple dynamic that comes of having been friends for millennia, and have excellent cohesion and teamwork in battle.

Sprite the Nimble. nimble in body - dainty little spells and charms, and delicate and slight in figure. nimble in mind - she's the snarky little sibling of the team, always coming up with quippy remarks and witty clapbacks. ikaris has a soft spot for her, and he's secretly her favourite older brother. she pretends to hate it when he talks to her like a kid sister and calls her 'little fairy' (cause, you know, a sprite) but actually loves it

Makkari Light-Foot. the speedster. together with Sprite, she keeps the atmosphere light and diffuses tensions, with her comedy mostly being conveyed through facial expressions and suggestive hand gestures. has terrible taste in men but everyone tries hard to respect that until her boyfriend goes around mind-controlling people. fiercely loyal and protective of her teammates.

Druig the Sullen. doesn't approve of the Eternals' methods, only sticks around for Makkari. loves her very much but hates that she stands by the others. hates Kingo and doesn't get along well with Ikaris. later has immense conflict with the others, leading to them having to capture him to stop his mind controlling rampage

Kingo the Charismatic. resident narcissist and fashion icon. ever the celebrity, always concerned about his image and appearance. will tell anyone who is willing to listen about his entire acting career and the things he's worn to the Met Galas over the years

have i spent way too much time thinking about this team instead of studying? fuck yeah and im not gonna stop!!

what do you guys think? let me know in the notes, or make an addition!

[agent-sapphire]

Possible MAJOR spoilers for Eternals.

The more think about it, the more I come to realize that Druig is most definitely not reserved or a brooding character. He’s not exactly lively like Kingo or Makkari, nor is he bright like Sersi. But he is kind, gentle, compassionate and quite frank about his thoughts and expressive.

He snaps at Ajak and questions why Thena should trust Ajak because he recognizes their mission is flawed and Thena shouldn’t be suffering in having her memories erased. To him, it’s unfair.

He’s the first leave the group because he has so much love for humans and wish them peace. He was crying, he was disgusted by the violence, sick of sitting back and watch a genocide unravel before his eyes.

His tongue is sharp when they return because the truth upset him and he’s stubborn.

But he’s so open about his feelings. He talks to Sersi after Gilgemash dies. He doesn’t turn away, he never did. He loves his family, he loves humanity, he loves humans.

He’s very cooperative and even willing to bear such a huge responsibility, which is putting a whole Celestial to sleep. He is snarky and he can be stern but that doesn’t equal him to being an asshole or brooding.

He flirts and teases Makkari. He comforts Sersi. He helps Sersi to her feet. He goes to embrace Makkari. He pulls Phastos into a hug.

[softquietsteadylove]

Hey. Had this idea of Thena being a billionaire and Gil being her private chef on her private little beach house in the Hamptons!

Maybe you can do something with that? 😊

Gil smiled as he plated the perfect omelette, gleaming yellow, nice loose scramble in the middle with a pristine outside. He sprinkled on some green onion for garnish; Thena acted like she didn't care about presentation but he knew she liked it when her food looked nice.

Thena was...interesting. She could be hard to read, maybe. He had been in the private cooking business for a while, and he'd had a variety of clients. But no one like Thena.

Thena had this old family house, basically a castle, way out here in the Hamptons--as antisocial as possible. She was in charge of her family's generational wealth, he was pretty sure they did business with historical...stuff. Or something.

Thena didn't talk much. The first time he interviewed for the position with her in the room he wasn't even sure if she spoke English. But her assistant - a very sweet man named Karun - assured him that 'the Madame' was perfectly nice. Just not to bother her.

But Karun was right: Thena was nice. Sure, she didn't exactly make small talk with him while she was eating or anything. But she had a nice smile, she was prompt with money, both for his pay and for any of the ingredients he needed. He always had transportation home, or he had a room ready for him if he was staying for a whole weekend.

Gil put the plate on a place mat at the opposite counter top. Thena liked eating in the kitchen instead of the cavernous dining room. She ate a a French style omelette, or if she was feeling adventurous, maybe a frittata, or he had even prepared omurice for her once. She liked fresh pressed grapefruit juice with a little natural sweetener in it. And berries picked from the gardens.

And he liked to add a little flower if there were any blooming on the strawberry plants while he was out picking.

Thena came in through the patio. She had already done her morning routine, then. A light workout, a shower, maybe a sauna. Her phone was in her hand but she famously didn't accept anyone speaking to her before 9 in the morning. She smiled and nodded to him as she took her seat.

She was in a good mood.

Gil turned around, carefully transporting the gold rimmed cup with his best cappuccino yet. He had even looked up how to make latte art to make a heart design in it.

Thena blinked, surprised as it slid into her view. She looked up at him.

He just nodded, encouraging her to take a sip.

She raised an eyebrow but did so. Usually he waited for her to ask for a specific coffee, since it could vary largely depending on the morning.

He shrugged; something about how beautiful the sunrise was had told him she would want something fun. It wasn't sunday, so she wouldn't want something as filling as a latte. But she only drank black coffee when she was already in a bad mood. Actually, now that he thought about it he ought to get more vanilla soy milk.

Thena sighed at her first sip, her shoulders lowering as she let the hot beverage soak into her. She really was in a good mood.

Gil just chuckled, keeping his comments to himself. He had come to respect the serenity Thena created for herself in the early mornings. He turned again to clear his dishes and fill the dishwasher.

He had to get soy milk, and a few other general weekend groceries. And he needed to get ingredients for a recipe he saw online, essentially a lemon cake tiramisu. Thena liked zingy, fresh flavours, and she enjoyed having something sweet on hand for if a craving hit her out of nowhere or after a hard day.

"It's perfect."

He tried to conceal the surprise he was feeling. But he couldn't help it; Thena had almost never commented on anything he made her, unless it was a brief line attached in an email. He turned, "y-yeah?"

She nodded.

He pursed his lips faintly. Back to silence--okay, sure. He peeked in the fridge to examine what else they had and what he needed. When he had asked Karun what Thena liked to keep on hand, he had merely stated that Thena was so bad at cooking, and so selective about food, that if left to her own devices she would probably just eat raw fruit forever.

"How did you know?"

He grinned. So, he was making progress! He had tried more actively in the beginning to get her to warm up to him. But he had come to accept that Thena didn't withhold her words deliberately. Still, he liked it when she did talk. "Just thought you'd be in the mood for it."

She raised her eyebrows at him from behind the cup being tipped up to her lips again.

He closed the fridge and moved back to the counter. "It's nice and mild out this morning, so I think you should have slept well. Stocks are looking good and you don't have to travel this weekend, right? I figured you would want something a little fun."

Thena smiled through his explanation. Maybe some of his observations of her would be a little much to some. But she nodded, looking down into her cappuccino, one leg bent and resting on her cushioned stool. "I assumed you would prefer when I travel?"

Gil blinked.

She set the mug down, as if this were a very important business meeting. "If I'm here, you don't get the weekend off. Or at the very least, you have plenty of work to do before hand."

"I don't mind," he shrugged easily. It was part of the job, and as far as clients went, Thena really wasn't all that demanding. She wasn't even that high maintenance, all things considered.

Food was easy to procure, either grown here or paid for out of her pocket. The only real stipulations of what he made was that she had to eat it. Karun was kind of like a worrisome father in that way. He had added specifically that she needed more vegetables, and that meant it was up to Gil to make them in such a way that Thena would actually like them.

"Do you ever think you may be too agreeable?"

"Hm," Gil ran his hand over his chin (he needed to shave). "I think it's more like...part of the job, y'know?"

"Hm."

Gil blinked at the new tone of the sound. She looked back at her breakfast. She sounded almost...disappointed. Disheartened, and now poking at her omelette like a dejected little kid. Gil leaned off the further counter and moved closer to her. "I just...wanted to do something kind of special for you."

She peeked up at him. She was awfully cute for some zillionaire old money type. Her hair was nice and soft from being gently blow dried, she didn't have any makeup on, fresh from the shower. Maybe all rich people were really, really pretty.

"You're not contractually obligated to be thoughtful," she smiled as she said it, but he got the impression that she didn't fully believe in her own joke.

He shrugged again, pushing the little flower closer to her, "call it my signature, then. Every chef has their own style--I like being a little sweet."

Thena smiled at the little white strawberry flower. She even reached out to it, but just barely let her fingers brush its soft petals, as if she would make it burst into flame. "Quite."

Gil inhaled, feeling better now that she was smiling again. She looked up at him, the sun behind her, making her hair glow. He blushed.

"Thank you, Gilgamesh."

He laughed faintly, feeling shy as she turned those siren eyes on him. He leaned back from the counter, sticking his hands in his apron pockets. "Hey, it's my pleasure, really."

"If you have shopping to do, Karun will call for a car for you," she added as he started slowly slipping - stumbling - out of the kitchen.

"Th-Thanks!" Gil squeaked out before reaching the hallway. He pulled his apron off and gripped it on his way to take it to the laundry room.

"You require transport, sir!"

Gil jumped at the sudden appearance of the man in question. "God, man, can't you walk a little louder!"

"My apologies, sir," Karun just chuckled. "The Madame walks lightly--as do I."

Thena walked around like a cat. She was silent, graceful, long legs...

"Sir?"

Fuck. Gil nodded, twisting his apron in his hands. He tilted his head as Karun shuffled closer, even waving him down so he could share something secretive.

"Excellent choice with the cappuccino, sir," he disclosed with glee. "The Madame has been trying to strike up a conversation with you for some time. I believe this was the perfect-"

"Karun!"

"I must go," he waved to Gilgamesh before dashing off to see to Thena's needs.

Gil felt a little stunned. It sounded like Karun was telling him that Thena had been wanting to talk with him. But that didn't seem right. Of all the times he had tried to chat with her, she had never bit, even once. And he didn't really think of her as the shy type.

He sighed, shrugging it off. He had groceries to get, anyway. Maybe he would try talking with her again, later.

[hermesmoly]

Headcanons for four daughters of Aglaia?

anything for Hephaestus' family💗

1. EUKLEIA🌺

- nicknamed "Klea"

- firstborn of Hephaestus and Aglaia

- goddess of good repute and glory

- her main color is pink

- Hephaestus and Aglaia hid her a bit because they wanted some private time and some peace after the scandal

- but eventually all hell broke loose and now everyone knows

- As a baby when Hephaestus let Hera hold Klea she would cling on her granma fast

- Hera loves her A LOT (she's her favorite!! Don't tell the others🤫)

- Mostly attends to Hera along with Thena

- As a kid, she would watch Aunt Athena and Nike train daily and she looked up to them

- She and Nike (goddess of victory) become close like sisters

- Most Responsible^TM

- Best Older Sister^TM

- Can balance books on her head like a pro

- Pretty much has a calm personality, but steal any of her dresses you dead

- In the shower she sings "Edge of Glory" by Lady Gaga

2. EUTHENIA 🍀

- nicknamed "Euthie"

- second born, only two years younger than Klea

- goddess of prosperity and plenty

- her main color is green

- she was kind of unplanned, but nonetheless Hep and Aggie are pro parents

- LOUD BABY

- Most social of the Graces, even at a young age

- pretty much the opposite of her dad

- Not the creative type too (she can't sculpt to save her life)

- But she and her dad are close, and if you say something bad about him u doomed (honestly with the whole family u doomed, but she'll get to you first)

- Has her mom's blue eyes

- If you need to duplicate or multiply something, she will, somehow, make that happen

- ABSOLUTE KNACK AT ECONOMICS

- Euthie wins at monopoly everytime (one time Aggie would think late at night on how her 10 year old kid stole all her property)

- Mostly Hera's attendant with Klea

- Close with her parents, Hermes and Ploutos

- If Hephaestus had a troublemaker, it would be her

3. EUPHEME🌹

- Nicknamed "Euphie"

- thirdborn, one year younger than Euthie, three years younger Klea

- goddess of being well-spoken

- her main color is red

- quiet baby

- the family poet^TM

- "mY naMe Is eUpHIE, i aM A PoEt. I wROTE tHiS PoEM JUsT To ShoW It." - Euphie at 9 years old

- Apollo's her favorite uncle

- And also the first child of Aggie and Heph that Aphrodite and Ares met

- Also good at debate, singing, monologuing, acting, or anything to do with words

- Most reserved of the Graces

- Has her dad's hazel eyes

- Can modulate her voice like a pro

- Mama's girl

- loves musicals (she sings Hamilton with Aglaia)

- loves hanging out with Uncle Dio, although she hates wine

- Mostly attends to Aphrodite with Phili

4. PHILOPHROSYNE🌼

- Nicknamed "Phili"

- youngest, 3 years younger than Eupheme

- goddess of friendliness and welcome

- her main color is orange

- THE BABY OF THE FAMILY

- Cutest Grace^TM

- Grew up with Hebe as her best friend/aunt

- Literal Ball of Sunshine

- Took after her father with good sculpting skills

- the time she made a mini figure of Hep and her out of clay Hephaestus cried like crazy

- Loves to be on her mama's lap as a baby

- she's super lovable

- to everyone

- Including Ares you may ask?

- ESPECIALLY ARES I REPLY

- Phili makes Uncle Ares smile with her antics even at the worst times

- Mostly attends to Aphrodite with Euphie

- Favorite cartoon is My Little Pony

- Hating her? Illegal. Hephaestus, Aglaia, her sisters, her uncles, her aunts, her cousins and her grandparents will hunt you down and kill you for sport

- regular hug giver

[littlefankingdom]

Eternals rant because why not?

I had a LOT going on in my life, so I'm finally able to catch up with the MCU. I also wasn't excited for Eternals, but I refuse to not see the movies and shows in order, so I had to force myself to sit through it, while doing something else. But, yeah, it wasn't that bad, just not my type.

/!\ Beware, spoilers incoming /!\

As an aspiring anthropologist, I study history and archaeology and I deeply hate the trope "Humans were able to evolve because of an interaction with a more "evolved" being", which this movie was presented as. Even if the Eternals do not speed up the process, they do create inventions, which I hate because it undermines humans' intelligence during Prehistory, something that is way too common to do. Also, the movie began with a flashback from 5000 B.C. and it would have been fine if it hadn't portrayed humans as less evolved as they were at the time! I studied the Neolithic just last semester, when humans started farming, with plants and animals, but no signs of that in Mesopotamia in the movie, but it's the region where it started in 9000 B.C., and well advanced in the 5000 B.C.. Anyway, I'm going to stop myself before I start to rant about the buildings being wrong...

By the way, I didn't need to know Ikaris and Sersi had sex, thank you very much, pretty useless information. (Tony Stark shown to have sex shows his playboy personality. Here, it's useless) Also, this guy is yet another generic white cismen and we have enough. How can I distinguish them from each other's if we're still getting more (Literally took me a while and the credits to recognize Harris Style as Eros). Happy to see Ikaris being the bad guy because I had enough of everyone praising him when Sersi was chosen has the new leader. I did have a heart attack at the end of their fight, because she really was going to forgive him for killing and trying to kill the others, just because she dated him for way too long, but he k*ll himself by flying to the sun (they made TWO references to the myth with him being the "closest" to and literally flying to the sun. I would have liked it if it wasn't one of the most known myths, and so way too easy. Do it with the others characters) And Ikaris is so bland, he has little personality, but everyone is fighting over him? Thena could also be seen as bland, but she seems just reserved and she shows a lot of love for Gilgamesh, when I just believe Ikaris "love" Sersi because he told us so. The guy is empty.

I do sound like I hated the movie, but it's not the case. It was okay, I loved the secondary characters like Kingo, Gilgamesh, Mikkari, but they didn't have a lot of focus on them. I would have loved to have a point of view of Thena and her traumatic deaths coming back to her. But that's the problem when you have that much characters in your group, you can't focus equally on them, even if they do seem to have tried. The characters with values to the plot (Ikaris, Sersi, Thena, Sprite...) don't have their personality explores much. Also loved Phastos having a husband and a son, it made my day.

Anyway, I'm going to be an annoying marvel fan on this one and ask where the f*ck is everyone? The Shield? I mean, it could be explained in the following stuffs, so I will see...

Favorite character: Gilgamesh. I was "if you kill him, I hate this movie", and then he died. What a shame, he was so caring and nice, the most attractive one of the group because of his personality. I also love Kingo, his Bollywood acting career and his "you don't betray your family" thing, but then he still side with Ikaris and left the team, so... Gilgamesh.

Least favorite character: F*cking Sprite. What a little b*tch. There are a ton of generic white cismen, don't betray your family to follow one into a murderous rampage. She was so jealous of Sersi that she stabbed her and tried to kill her, but she was "so sowwy", so everyone is okay with that. Sersi need to grow a backbone because you cannot let someone WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE A FAMILY MEMBER TO YOU betray you like that and forgive them because they cried...

Expiration date: One time is enough, could still watch again if I had to, but not because I love it.

~

~

This is only my opinion, pls, don't try to start a debate

[r-manoff]

After rewatching Eternals once and then rewatching all my favorite scenes again, here are my final thoughts

Thena is my favorite Eternal, mostly because… Angelina Jolie, but also bc Jolie’s delivery of all the lines is so perfect. You can clearly see when she’s the reserved and cool Thena that everyone knows as the warrior, but when she’s affected by Mahd Wy’ry… man, that scene in the cave with the powered Deviant using Gilgamesh’s voice… “st-stay here” hits me so hard

All the scenes between her and Gilgamesh are beautiful and not enough, I want more of them

Makkari’s action scenes are the coolest. I love that they didn’t show slowmotion shots of her speed, she was just always rUNNING and I love that for her

Her beating up Ikaris is one of the most satisfying things I’ve ever witnessed in my life

Sersi’s powers are my favorite. I want them. I’ve always found them fascinating. The concept of changing literally any material or liquid or whatever is so interesting and I think that even though they seem like pretty ‘soft’ powers, you can do some serious damage with them. For example, Sersi literally changed a whole Deviant INTO A TREE (one of my favorite moments btw)

If Ikaris evil, why hot? Richard Madden has been having me on my knees since I first saw Game of Thrones and that is never gonna change. His introduction in the movie (the London scene) still makes me absolutely lose my mind

But on a more important note, he was also the most interesting Eternal imo. In the end he couldn’t kill Sersi because he loved her too much but also couldn’t live himself after what he’d done to the others. His line to Sersi before he betrays everyone (My only wish is that I get to remember you, or smth among those lines) shows that he too had his doubts about this. What is living another 7000 years if you can’t get to remember anything? That’s what I love about this movie so much. It’s about celebrating life, enjoying it.

There was this thing I wrote after I watched the movie for the first time in theaters. “I would rather die one day while still having lived a life that could’ve ended at any second than have the reassurance that tomorrow is a given. I don’t want that luxury, for it is a curse to know you can waste a day not living.” And I stand by that. It’s why Sprite’s speech about hating humans hits so deep, it’s why the words “I am” at the end are so sad and relieving at the same time. This movie is about the beauty of life and humanity. There is some in both, it’s not all bad even though it may seem so. Druig said it himself, “without their flaws they wouldn’t be human.” Ajak made it clear that the events surrounding Thanos are what changed her mind. People have hope, even if it’s the smallest bit of hope you’ve ever seen, it’ll one day grow into something big if you share it with others. When we have hope, we come together, we stand strong.

Phastos is a clear example that just because you were made to think doesn’t mean that you can’t be fucking badass. The way he held down Ikaris??? Nah, buddy had it GOING for him

Still pressed Kingo wasn’t in the final battle

Ramin Djawadi 🧎🏻‍♀️🧎🏻‍♀️🧎🏻‍♀️🧎🏻‍♀️ my favorite soundtracks are Celestials, Remember (the very beginning specifically), and A Wish. Beautiful. Had not expected any less, this man always delivers

People who still hate this movie, that’s sad. You could’ve learned a thing or two from it

Also, in terms of the mcu, are the Eternals among the beings that forgot who Peter was? If they even get back to earth after Arishem’s done with them lol. I’m curious as to when we’ll see them again

[themculibrary]

The Eternals Masterlist 2

part one

a love like ours turns even the darkest coldest realm into the happiest of homes (ao3) - OceanSpray5 druig/makkari G, 42k

Summary: Humans know the myth of Hades and Persephone. What varies is what they know and how it differs from how it happened. But the truth is not a far stretch from what they see. And the love the humans describe, the love two Eternals share, retains every bit of its essence immortalized in the myth as the fable of true love itself.

Of Hades, who is only a man. Of Persephone, with wind in her hair.

And they sang it la la la la la la la…

Or, how Druig and Makkari come to be immortalized as Greek mythology's most faithful couple: Hades and Persephone.

built to fall apart (then fall back together) (ao3) - agents_cxrter druig/makkari T, 20k

Summary: My name is Makkari, she tells him, spelling each letter then offering her name sign.

“Makkari?” He repeats, name sign effortlessly rolling through his fingers.

The pleased smile she gives him feels better than any spark of remembrance he’s ever experienced.

or; in a world inspired by the comic run where the Eternals minds are wiped, Druig and Makkari bump into each other (literally).

chip chrome & the mono-tones (ao3) - dannydays sersi/dane, ikaris/sersi T, 11k

Summary: “Welcome to Highton.”

“It’s a shithole,” Druig said, affectionately.

Sersi said, “We’re happy to have you.”

(human au. dane moves to a new estate and meets the eternals. shenanigans ensue.)

Come Home, Unbeliever (ao3) - un_familiar makkari/sersi G, 3k

Summary: Because, after all this time, born anew, she remembers what it was like to share a mind with a Celestial, even for a moment. It was overwhelming space, pinpricks of light coming into being simply by will.

-

Re-imagining Eternals: Celestia but this time I get to talk about religious trauma metaphors. Also Makkari and Sersi are dating (Gaiman's Eternals and Eternals: Celestia SPOILERS)

Eternity Together (ao3) - certifiedglutenfree druig/makkari M, 15k

Summary: Druig hates the idea of soulmates. He especially hates that he doesn't have one, because that means his crush on the girl in the library won't work out. But the universe does seem to work in mysterious ways and maybe just once in his life the universe will be on his side.

Forgiveness (ao3) - Wundersmidget sersi/dane T, 1k

Summary: After the Emergence, Sprite ponders her relationship with the other Eternals and especially Sersi.

i'll spend forever wonderin' if you knew (i was enchanted to meet you) (ao3) - notquitegucci (AllieKitaguchi) druig/makkari, thena/gilgamesh, ikaris/sersi N/R, 7k

Summary: How the Eternals discovered that Druig and Makkari were in love.

Some of them were a little slower than others.

In Paper Rings, In Picture Frames (Oh, You're The One I Want) (ao3) - OceanSpray5 druig/makkari G, 14k

Summary: Or, Druig and Makkari get married and wait for the rest of their oblivious family to figure it out.

I take the risk to feel your heart beating (ao3) - anachronistique (924inlegend) ikaris/sersi T, 57k

Summary: During the Deviants' attack in the Amazon, things take a turn when Ikaris is targeted for his powers during the battle. He is almost killed until Sersi steps in.

Light My Love (ao3) - Redheadclover sersi/dane, ikaris/sersi T, 95k

Summary: Soteri always second guessed herself, even in the very beginning when she was born an Eternal on the Domos. Although the rest of the Eternals can see potential in her, Soteri tries to find her way while protecting the planet with her family.

Perhaps she was too gentle and kind, or that she was too reserve to fully expose herself because of her force field and teleportation ability, but that never stopped her from finding hope and love with her family members, including a brooding mind controller. Her courage and her thirst for protecting those around Soteri has pushed her over and over as time went on. However, once the Eternals broke away from one another, Soteri felt lost without her family.

Without her home.

Now Deviants are appearing once more, her fearless leader is gone, and Soteri has to find her strength to defend and protect her family like she did before. Is she willing to have the old wounds of her fragile and reserved heart be reopened again for the sake of humanity?

Missing you is like missing a part of myself (ao3) - Mimisempai phastos/ben G, 1k

Summary: As Ben receives a message from Phastos announcing his return, he thinks about how much he had missed Phastos.

No Such Beauty as Where You Belong (ao3) - Ilyann ikaris/sersi, druig/makkari G, 21k

Summary: Druig and Makkari through the ages.

on a wednesday, in a cafe (ao3) - TaraLy gilgamesh/thena T, 111k

Summary: Thenamesh Coffee Shop AU. No angst, no plot, only love (and food).

oràil (ao3) - delphiniumblooms T, 3k

Summary: “ A nighean oràil, ” Ikaris says, our golden girl. He takes a little hand into his and counts the fingers. “She’s perfect.”

set after the events of the movie, which i have no knowledge of. ikarsi have a baby!

teach me to love (ao3) - iamjustabird gilgamesh/thena, phastos/ben G, 49k

Summary: Thena has just moved next door to her old friend Phastos with her young son Druig in tow. She’s worried about how he’s going to adjust to the move and to his new school, but Phastos assures her that his friend and neighbour Gilgamesh is the best teacher a kid could ask for. She’ll see about that.

teenage headache dreams. (i want to be free). (ao3) - proud_papaya druig/makkari M, 56k

Summary: - non canon compliant eternals (2021) -

there were millennia that they had been the only sense of normalcy for each other, and then, one night, ikarus flew into the clouds, and never came back down to her. then thanos snapped, and any normalcy was gone, as well as dane. he needed to come back.

TLDR: writing various areas of ikarus' and sersi's past, both during endgame and before, and then writing the entirety of the eternals movie, except i'm not killing ikarus off, because that really made me sad, and i bet i'm not the only one. possibly going into after that, as well. enjoy <3 requests are welcome, as well.

the blues and then purple pink skies (ao3) - TaraLy gilgamesh/thena G, 4k

Summary: It’s been a month since their first conversation on the bus, how are Thena and Gilgamesh doing?

The Eternals: Prelude (ao3) - EchoVdV makkari/sersi T, 25k

Summary: A loosely interpreted collection of stories recounting the endeavors of the Eternals to reclaim Earth from the Deviants. Due to many of these characters having a major lack of personality, in the books and especially in the movies, many characters are radically reimagined, especially if you're expecting them to be similar to the movie versions.

Visiting Rites (ao3) - qodarkness druig/makkari, ikaris/sersi T, 4k

Summary: Sprite was the first to visit.

Or

How Druig knows all the gossip about what's going on with the Eternals despite living in the Peruvian Amazon with no phone reception for five hundred years.

we will make a home someday, one full of love and light (ao3) - delphiniumblooms sersi/ikaris, phastos/ben T, 1k

Summary: Sersi and Ikaris pay Phastos’ family a visit.

[twnpnewsdotcom]

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[softquietsteadylove]

Could we get a little something something from My Kingdom for a Heart fic that’s on ao3? Idc if it’s fluff or angst I’ll literally take anything you give out bc it’s just that good!!

Sersi was spinning around the floor with Ikaris, her veil whirling around her, sparkling silver against her emerald green gown. She always had a certain joy to her, of course. But even Thena had not seen her beaming so fully in all their lives together. It was exactly the kind of free, unburdened smile she had always wished for her sister.

To marry without obligation was the best gift Thena could pass on to her sister, and that included abdicating the throne as the eldest and making Sersi the acting queen. Thena had some reservations about the marriage in question being to Ikaris, but she had to admit, he was not so villainous. Annoying, perhaps, but that was a lesser of evils.

He was her brother now, and while she felt she was truly understanding the petulance a brother could bring to her life, their families - and kingdoms - were becoming one. Unfortunately, he still liked to argue with some of the advice she had to offer (as the royal advisor). But Sersi was always quick to hear out her sister, and that usually managed to pull her new husband along with her.

"It is a beautiful ball, your Grace."

Much to her disappointment, it was not the one she was expecting, but rather some lord or another. She did not know why he was saying so to her. She had not planned it alone, nor was she truly participating in it, past being the one who had walked Sersi down the aisle to her groom. "It is."

"Congratulations, to you and to the happy couple."

"Indeed," she muttered. She was no longer the princess and regent, she was merely Sersi's second in line, and that came after her job as advisor, as far as Thena was concerned.

"You look splendid as well, of course."

He was wearing on her patience, of course.

"I should almost think it possible for you to steal the attention away from the bride herself."

"My Lord," Thena drawled, keeping her eyes on her sister, "I should think that you would rather not insult my dearest sister in the process of attempting to compliment me."

"I-I-" he stammered, "I would never-"

Thena moved away from him. She no longer held the power to send people away with the flick of her wrist--truly the only part of her position she truly mourned. The crowd cheered for the guests of honour, concluding another of many dances this evening. Thena smiled.

"Your Grace!"

Was tonight destined to be a gauntlet through which she was to battle?

"Congratulations on your sister's happy marriage, your Grace," another lord bowed to her formally at least. "The kingdom could not be happier for the Prince and his bride."

Sersi would make a wonderful queen. "I shall tell them."

"It does free you, does it not?" he continued, perhaps not catching onto her locked tight posture and cold eyes. "Without expectation to marry the Prince, you are more able to select a husband of your choosing. Perhaps even a love match?"

Thena looked at the brazen lord speaking to her without end. He was younger than she had expected, his hair sitting atop his head with as much arrogance as he exuded in his smile. "Do you have a matter that concerns you, my Lord?"

"Perhaps," he grinned at her, and it made her want to take a long step back from him. He held out his hand to her, "if you would do me the honour-"

"Forgive me, my Lord, but her Grace has other obligations."

Thena's eyes rose, and she failed to contain her pleasure at the sight of her rescuer. "Captain, if you would be so kind as to escort me."

"Of course, your Grace," he smiled back at her as a gentleman would. He even removed his leather glove before offering his hand to her. He stood between her and the man asking to dance with her, turning his back - unthinkably rude! - on him in the process.

"Thank you," Thena murmured as they made their escape, descending the steps closer to the thrones and skirting around the crowd. "I can no longer decline such invitations without good reason."

"I would think that not wanting to listen to him preen himself is reason enough."

Thena attempted to keep her laughter contained, but a faint puff of air escaped her. She held the skirt of her dress in the hand that was not perched in Gil's. "You have rescued me yet again, Captain."

"It is part of my job," he stated, although the royal advisor was not technically part of his obligations as royal guard. He winked at her, "Thena."

She smiled down at the lush carpet beneath their feet. If her hands were free they would be wringing around themselves again and again. The Captain continued to have such effect on her, and her poor, suffering heart. "I keep telling you, it is not."

"And I keep telling you: you will always be Princess, to me."

How was she to think clearly when she had such poetry over her shoulder, no less whispering in her ear?

"Would you like to?"

"To what?" she looked up at him.

He nodded his head towards where Ikaris was claiming another dance with his bride, even wrapping his arms around her and lifting her off the ground in their shared glee. "Dance?"

Her hand flinched in his, while the one holding her dress began squeezing it for her life. Her throat dried. "I'm afraid I have not nearly the grace my sister does, Captain."

"Come on," he whispered to her, even coming to a stop at a small gap in the crowd's observation of the bride and groom. "I thought we had a deal."

Thena's eyes darted up to him and then forward again. Her heart flitted and fluttered in her chest as she sighed, "Gil."

He stood straight, his hand behind his back and the other holding hers aloft. "It is a celebration, y'know. No one would think twice about you having a little fun at your own sister's wedding."

She could feel how warm he was next to her, even with his light chest plate over his formal uniform. Her fingers trembled faintly, but he held her steadily. "I suppose your gallantry should not go unrewarded."

She winced at herself, and her need to make the simple act of a dance something obligatory. Why could she not simply say that she did wish to dance with him?

Because that would be far too damning an admission, and far too revealing for one simple dance.

But Gilgamesh just smiled at her as he always did. He moved slowly, grasping her hand as he took the first step out from the edge of the crowd, "I'm honoured."

Thena forced herself to look up at him as he swept her onto the dance floor. It wasn't that moving with him was unfamiliar, or even awkward. It felt like when he had helped her from the wagon by lifting her delicately by the waist.

If anything, it felt too familiar, and perhaps even too...nice. He was warm, and gentle, and if he were not wearing the pauldron of his armour, she had half a mind to slip her hand up to his shoulder. His hand grasped hers out from them, the other on her back in a proper and appropriate position.

"So, have you thought about it?"

"Hm?" she blinked, betrayed by her mind wandering away from her actions and instead meandering along the subject of her dance partner.

"Marriage."

The royal advisor's cheeks took on a lively rouge as he spun them around with ease. This was not the first time they had discussed such a topic, either. And remembering the last time they had never failed to send her heart into a frenzy.

Somewhere behind them, Sersi also spun past amidst her dance with her husband. Her sister's giggling reached her ears, worsening Thena's feeling of fluster. Sersi knew very well that the subject of marriage - when it involved the Captain - always left her feeling stymied.

"I," Thena started and then paused immediately. Her mastery of language was slipping from her mind. Her eyes slid down his chestplate to the crest of the kingdom sitting right in the centre. Her hand twitched in his again, "I have...considered it."

At her own insistence, her marriage simply had to wait. As soon as she had abdicated, there was little time until Sersi's coronation and the wedding happening right on top of each other. And she and Gilgamesh were at their busiest when Sersi and Ikaris were.

There was no time to consider Gilgamesh's proposal of a proposal, as it were. And a man of his word, he had not brought it up amidst all the chaos of things. But he was asking now. As she had told him, he was asking if he could ask her again.

"And?" he prompted her gently--sweetly. He ducked his head closer to hers, moving closer in their dance to a proximity one could consider salacious. "If I were to ask you, would you say yes?"

Thena tried to keep her breathing even. She felt as if she were drowning in him, and she did not fully want to emerge from it. But she forced herself to keep her face from burying itself against his neck. "Your timing could be improved, Captain."

"Oh?" he chuckled, still in good spirits as she dodged his approach to marrying her yet again. "And how is that?"

Thena closed her eyes, trying to concentrate, and unable to do so while she thought people might be observing them acting so improperly. All she needed do was turn her head for her lips to graze his cheek or perhaps even his ear (indecent!). She gulped. "It is my sister's wedding day, Gil. This is no time for you to be asking for my hand."

"I daresay she would approve."

Sersi would be the first to jump for joy. She would also point right at Thena and say that she had said so long beforehand.

"I will not become engaged on the day of my sister's wedding," Thena resolved with a bit of a huff. "Have you no sense of propriety?"

On the contrary, it was mortifyingly she who was breaths away from pressing her forehead under his jaw just to feel the warmth of his skin.

"Forgive me, your Grace." She knew he was smirking--she just knew it. "Shall I ask again tomorrow, then?"

Thena's heart pounded. He hadn't asked in the exact words, but her whole body felt flush with warmth and thrill all the same. The warmth did not drain from her cheeks as she gripped his hand purposefully with her fingers. "I will be at the garden pond at first light. I expect you will not keep me waiting."

As she had done to him.

His hand squeezed hers, and he even dared to weave their fingers together (the absolute audacity). He tilted his head, disguising the way he touched his cheek to the top of her head, no longer weighed down by a golden circlet. "I wouldn't dream of it, Thena."

[softquietsteadylove]

Have you ever thought about writing Thena as the antagonist in combination with Mahd Wy'ry? What if the sickness not only makes her go crazy and additionally turns her evil?

The Goddess of War: the fiercest Warrior the galaxy would ever know.

She was the stuff of legend, but not in reverence. She had felled entire cities, laid waste to armies of humans, destroyed once great empires.

And she had no idea.

In truth, even her own family no longer knew when she was Thena and when she was not. The episodes of Mahd Wy'ry had grown so long and so close together and some had come to wonder if she was ever free of its grasp before she left them completely.

Now, she was only the Mahdness.

They fought her time and time again, through the course of history. Every battle made them glad that they had only been fighting her a mere few hundred years, instead of the thousands they had spent together. Every fight was hard.

"Any sign?" Ikaris asked more gently than usual.

Kingo shook his head. The Fighters had to be on constant guard--more than they ever had to for Deviants. She wasn't some lumbering beast or a monster that could fly, but once she was in sight, destruction was sure to follow.

"Kingo," Ikaris said quietly, nodding his head to bring his brother closer. "You know what we have to do."

"We can't," Kingo argued, far from the first time, "and you know it."

"We have to," Ikaris insisted, hissing through his teeth. "You know there is no end to this. Not unless we-"

"You better not be saying what I think you're saying."

Kingo had some guilt to show for it as he leaned back. But Ikaris looked at Gilgamesh head on, "Gil, I'm just-"

"I won't let you."

Yes, that was clear. For every time they fought the Goddess of War, there was always one factor that neither helped nor hindered: Gilgamesh. He fought to protect humans, which he always reminded them was their actual mission purpose. They had the strengths and abilities they did, not to fight but to protect.

And he did an awful lot of protecting when it came to the Goddess of War.

"Gil," Kingo warbled out, his arms crossed around him. He didn't have any taste for violence, even as one of the Fighters. He didn't like having to fight his own sister any more than they did.

Gil glared at him, "you agreed to this?"

"I don't want to, Gil," he insisted, not that Gil really bought into it. "But Ikaris is right that there has to be a better solution than just...waiting around for her."

Gilgamesh just looked out into the expanse of the night, crossing his arms. "You should have let me go with her."

"She could kill you, Gil," Kingo argued, "at any moment! She's not... "

None of them could say it--even uttering the name opened a wound that was constantly getting salted.

"Thena," Gil enunciated, making his brothers flinch, "could never."

"She could," Ikaris argued more harshly than Kingo. He had no reservations and calling their once comrade - their once sister - the enemy. "How many times have we fought her now? How many lives has she taken?"

Gil turned away from the horizon to look at them, still not particularly kindly. "How many tears does she shed?"

"What?"

"How much do you think she cries when she learns what happens?"

Ikaris' feet left the ground, only slightly, just enough for him to look down at Gil, "tears don't bring those people back, Gilgamesh. Should I tell their grieving families that the Godess' tears will water their flowers?"

Gil turned away from him. He wasn't here for a fight, and he certainly wasn't up for dignifying Ikaris' temper tantrums. "Would you be able to kill Sersi?"

Kingo held Ikaris back. "Gil!"

"I won't let you," he repeated. This wasn't a challenge issued to them. He wasn't saying it to defy them. It was just the truth. Even if he tried, he wouldn't be able to let them.

Every time he got his fist raised above her, ready to bring it down, he couldn't. His tears would spill onto those perfect cheeks of hers. Cheeks he had held as he said soft words to her. Cheeks he would kiss when they stole moments under the moonlight. Cheeks where he could lay his head at night.

He looked at his brothers with only honesty as his tears welled up in his eyes. He shook his head, "I can't. And I can't let you, either."

Kingo and Ikaris both looked away. The battles weren't the worst part. This was.

"She's still my Thena," Gilgamesh choked out. Even if they did somehow capture her and reset her. Even if they had to live the rest of Eternity paying penance for the lives she had taken. Even if he had to endure the rest of his life without her, she would never be just the Goddess of War to him.

"Gil," Ikaris cleared his throat. The rift between them was greater than with anyone else, with no attempts to rectify it from either side. Ikaris turned away, "I'm relegating you."

"What?"

"If you can't help us fight, then all you're doing is holding us back," he spoke as a commander--as the leader of the Fighters.

Which he only was because the other half equipped to challenge him was no longer here.

"I won't have you involved," Ikaris continued. "You can help Sersi and Ajak focus on protecting the people. But you're only aiding in the destruction when you're with us."

Gilgamesh didn't even deny it. When he did fight Thena, a lot of it was spent keeping Ikaris and Kingo from working together to land a killing blow. And he had no denial nor defense for it. "Do what you have to."

He wasn't agreeing to it.

"Gil," Ikaris pleaded, with what little heart he had remaining, "you can't protect her. Not like this. It isn't Thena."

"You're wrong."

"Gilgamesh!" Ikaris barked, but Gil was leaving the top of the watch tower. "Gil!"

They were right, in some ways. But it was Thena, and he had seen for himself the cracks in the armour Mahd Wy'ry afforded her. The brief glimpses at a Thena who was still there, still trapped, still horrified at the grief she was causing.

Thena was the Warrior Eternal, built for war and destruction like no other. But she wasn't built for hurting people. She wasn't made for causing grief. She hated seeing people suffer.

He had seen her--his Thena. He had seen glimpses during battles, when she would be poised above him with her spear and unable to drive it into his chest. Her hand would tremble and he would see tears escaping from blank white eyes.

He had seen his Thena in there, and if that was the only way to ever see her again, then so be it.