#and then the common response now is why would Loki work with the Avengers against Thanos

[worstloki]

Love seeing fics from 2012 that make Loki a vindicated blorbo and Thanos the main villain for the Avengers. They were correct

[alwida10]

Men as victims - what makes the reactions to the Loki show so telling

Recently, I noticed something concerning on Twitter. There are several categories of people who liked and support the Loki show (2021), varying from casual fans who knew nothing about Loki before, over fans of the general MCU who perceived Loki mainly as a villain in The Avengers (2012), to rabid show fans who generally call everyone a misogynist who dares to admit they didn’t enjoy the show. Now, while I normally find some kind of common ground with people who are part of the first two groups, the last one belongs to a special kind of people. I noticed their habit to turn to verbal abuse quite fast (like so many others), but now there is something more they have in common: most of them believe and support Amber Heard.

The thing with supporters of Amber Heard is that many of them support her just because she‘s a woman and they claim all women should be believed in general, obviously regardless of all evidence.

There are people on Twitter who love the show (by loving Sylvie as a proxy) to a degree it becomes meaningless to them if they thus support torture, abuse, and other crimes that are framed as morally acceptable. And they treat the Heart vs Depp trial just the same, attacking both Depp and people who believe him. They do so by utilizing ad hominem attacks, like calling people misogynists, social rights warriors, or men’s rights warriors, abusers, and toxic. They are trying to refute rather by character defamation instead of arguments. A frequently used move is to switch the abuser/victim dynamic and call everyone speaking up for Loki or Depp a victim blamer. To support their claims they apply other manipulative tactics, such as twisting facts.

Here is one example: after the show aired many fans of Loki (the character, not the show) pointed out that the relationship resembled autogynephilia, a harmful hypothesis that claimed trans women would want to adapt their gender because they were attracted by the idea of themselves, but as women. The pro-series fans claim to point out this would be actually transphobic (reversing the accusation), citing an article written by Julia Serrano (a famous trans-women who works in science). But if you check what she actually said about the matter, the article does not support the claim. She argued a dislike of the relationship could be caused by subconscious transphobia because people might perceive Sylvie as trans since she is the only female Loki variant. When genderfluid fans pointed out to her on Twitter that they did not feel comfortable with the Loki show, Serrano herself cited a tweet where she points out the flaws of the genderfluid representation herself. In conclusion, 1) fantasies about one’s own body but of another gender are normal, not limited to trans-people and not to be looked down upon! 2) presenting the relationship in the show in a way it will inspire discrimination against non-binary people because it reminds us of the harmful claims some “scientists” have made in the past is not a good representation. 3) pointing out this fact is in support of GF fans, and certainly not transphobic.

At the same time, men face much greater problems being believed when they get abused by women than the other way ‘round. Still, those people close their eyes from the abuse and support the abusers and in case of the Loki series, the framing of torture and abuse as being just. (While I am not a fan of Sylvie, since Loki was mainly disparaged to make her look superior, she is not mainly responsible for his abuse. That would be Mobius doing the death threats and the gaslighting, and ordering the groin kicking.)

Now why is this important? I think there is a social current happening we should be aware of. Women who hate men just because of their gender, who fight for increased discrimination under the guise of feminism and even pretending to act to protect trans-people. This is just as bad as patriarchy.

So, if you ever happened to be in a situation you were discriminated against and wanted the support of someone who would be believed where you wouldn’t you should fight this social current. I recommend doing so by asking if they liked the show. If they do, explain the torture, the transphobic representation, and the disparaging, and ask again. If they still stand behind it, that’s a bad sign.

On a side note: 1) those people are giving both feminism and LGBTQIA+ supporters a bad name, and I am getting annoyed by that. 2) I agree that the public defamation of Heard is not ok, and needs to stop. For one thing we should be over lynching in 2022, and secondly, it only contributes to the hardening of the fronts. Instead, we need to think about how we see people who have been convicted and that it is still a crime to abuse them.

[just-another-blog-of-fluff]

Can't Keep a Secret

Word count: 4300

Warnings: tickling, fluff, reader with an inability to keep secrets, reader with a crush on a certain god of mischief

I'm so excited for 100 followers!! I didn't expect so many people to actually be interested in my writing when I started posting 🥰

This one is based on @atlas-of-the-universe's request here for a fic where Loki tickles the reader to get information of some kind 😉 I hope this is what you were looking for!

This one also has a little more crushing/romantic fluff than some of my other fics at the end, so if you're not into that just skip that part. As always, completely SFW!

* * *

No one ever seemed to do anything nice for Loki. So, when Thor approached you to ask if you���d help him and the others plan a surprise birthday party for his brother, you wholeheartedly agreed to assist. As the Avengers’ best party planner, you jumped at the chance to start brainstorming ideas to make this party the best Loki had ever experienced – including on Asgard. And, if it meant he’d pay a little extra attention to you, well… that was an added bonus.

The only problem was – you were terrible at keeping secrets.

It wasn’t as if you went around spilling the details when someone asked you not to tell the others about something. You knew enough not to just blurt out the fact that you were planning a party. Unfortunately, though, you had a tendency to let your feelings show in your facial expressions. Trying to keep secrets made you anxious, knowing you’d been the one to accidentally say just a little bit too much in the past and ruined other surprises.

The fact that you were the worst secret keeper was no… secret, for lack of a better word. Your teammates frequently exploited this fact when they wanted to know what you were hiding from them. Tony, especially, loved to talk circles around you until he could get you to trip up and give some detail away. On the other hand, they also tried not to let you in on too many details when they were planning a surprise for one of the other team members.

This time, you were determined not to give anything away. You were thrilled that the team was finally going to do something special for Loki, and you were NOT going to ruin it by spilling the beans to the trickster. Thor was probably one of the more trusting members of the Avengers, and he assured you when he asked you to help with the party that he had faith you wouldn’t screw up (quite literally in those words).

You started researching online to get some ideas. This party had to live up to the standards of an Asgardian prince, so you couldn’t just order a few pizzas and beer and call it a party. Plus, Tony had offered to pay for the whole thing (you suspected he felt guilty for having accidentally blasted Loki through a wall in the training room with his new Ironman suit the week prior) so your funds were basically limitless.

Inevitably, though, you were bound to run into situations where you had to spend time with the raven-haired god without allowing yourself to let any details slip.

The moment Loki first started to suspect you were hiding something was when he walked in on a conversation you were having with Thor in the kitchen. You had been asking him about the Asgardian mead his brother loved so much and wanted to know if he could manage to get some here on Midgard for the party.

“What is it about the Asgardian mead that you like so much better than standard alcohol?” you inquired curiously.

“Ha! That is a very funny question, Lady Y/N,” Thor laughed heartily. “As if any Midgardian liquor could so much as hold a candle to the spirits we drink on Asgard.”

“Hey! I enjoy my tequila! Margaritas are arguably a delicious alcoholic beverage,” you bantered.

“You truly believe this ‘margarita’ as you call it could compare to the smooth, sophisticated taste of an Asgardian mead?” Thor countered.

“I must agree with my brother on this one – I have seen this ‘margarita’ drink you speak of, and it is highly unlikely to be superior to Asgardian spirits.”

You gasped involuntarily when you heard Loki’s voice in the doorway, spinning around to face him with a look of bewilderment on your face. He cocked his head to the side, raising an eyebrow as he scrutinized your expression.

“Oh, hey Loki! Didn’t see you there,” you greeted, trying to lean casually against the counter you were standing beside.

“Yes… it appears you didn’t. You look as if you’ve seen a ghost.” Loki folded his arms across his chest, eyeing you intently. “What was it that brought you to the subject of Asgardian liquor?”

“Oh, that? Well…”

“I was just informing Lady Y/N that I have been feeling a bit nostalgic thinking about the celebrations we had on Asgard, when we would drink heartily with Lady Sif and the Warriors Three,” Thor cut in, quickly interrupting you mid-sentence. “Brother, you must recall the time you had a bit too much while drinking with us and…”

“I believe that’s quite enough nostalgia for one evening, dear brother,” Loki cut in, appearing almost frantic as he glanced quickly at you before turning back to glare at the elder Asgardian. “Stark asked me to inform you he requires your assistance in the laboratory. You’ll need to continue this conversation another time.”

“Ah, yes, alright then. Another time,” Thor agreed, winking at you before he exited the kitchen. Loki followed close behind, but not before giving you one last calculating glance before he crossed through the doorway and out of sight. You let out a breath of relief, hoping he hadn’t thought much of the conversation.

You noticed, though, that Loki started conveniently popping up around you more often after that incident. Maybe he didn’t want Thor to have the opportunity to tell you about whatever embarrassing story had occurred when they were younger, you thought. Regardless, it meant that you had to be extremely cautious about doing any planning for the party in any of the common areas.

The second time you nearly let something slip was during a hushed conversation in the training room with Peter after one of your sparring matches. He had pulled you aside after training to ask your opinion about whether he should ask his friend MJ to attend the party with him. He’d had a crush on the girl for quite some time, and now that she knew his secret identity he thought it might be time to introduce her to his Avengers family.

“I’m nervous she might not want to come, but I think it would be a great chance for her to meet everyone when the focus would be on someone else,” he explained. You hiked your backpack up onto your shoulder with your training gear and made your way toward the door to the training room with Peter by your side.

“Why wouldn’t she want to come? From what you’ve told me, she seems to be more of a social butterfly than you are, even,” you asked.

“Yeah… you’re right, I’m probably overthinking this, aren’t I?” he chuckled. “I just don’t want to screw things up!”

“What are you screwing up this time, spiderling?”

You stopped short as you heard Loki’s voice from behind you, making your heart leap into your throat. You turned around, trying not to look startled.

“Oh, Peter wants his friend MJ to attend… a training session with us!” you fibbed, trying to think quickly. “You know, so he can show her his Spider-Man moves!”

“Yeah! That’s right,” Peter agreed, nodding vigorously. “I’m going to go call her right now, thanks Y/N!” Peter scurried off down the hallway, leaving you standing with a somewhat skeptical looking god of mischief.

“Why was Peter asking you about inviting a friend to his training? Would he not have asked Stark?” Loki inquired. You shrugged in a non-committal way.

“Who knows? Anyway, uh, it was nice talking to you, but I’ve got to get going… big assignment to finish up tonight, can’t really stop and chat. See you later!” you blurted, not waiting for a response as you hurried toward your room. Phew, that was close, you thought to yourself, hoping he hadn’t been standing behind you for too long.

Later that week, you found yourself alone in the common room while watching television. You pulled out your laptop during one of the commercials and started searching the internet for caterers, hoping to find something fancy enough to appeal to an Asgardian god. You had thought that everyone else was out for the day, so you weren’t overly concerned about anyone seeing what you were doing.

“What mindless reality television show are you watching today?” The smooth, baritone voice caused you to jerk your head up from your laptop screen and instinctively slam it shut. He hadn’t even been standing behind you to see what you were searching – it was purely on reflex that you closed the computer. Loki raised his eyebrows at you. “I see you aren’t really watching anything, are you? What is it you were viewing on your computer?”

“Nothing! I mean, nothing exciting, really. Just some old photos that I was trying to sort through,” you stammered, standing up with the laptop clutched to your chest. “You can have the TV if you want, though. I have to go… work on that assignment some more. I was just taking a break. It’s almost done!” Loki opened his mouth as if to say something, but you didn’t wait around to let him ask any more questions that might make you give away something you shouldn’t. You spent the rest of the evening in your room, avoiding the trickster at all costs.

The next morning, after getting ready for the day, you grabbed some breakfast before heading back to your room to continue to do some additional party planning research where Loki wouldn’t walk in on you unexpectedly. You shoved the last bite of one of Thor’s pop-tarts that you’d stolen into your mouth as you approached your door, opening it and walking toward your desk where your laptop sat. You always left the door slightly ajar when you were in your room, and so you were quite surprised when you heard the door thump shut behind you, the lock clicking into place.

“You’ve been hiding something from me.”

You stopped dead in your tracks, your heart pounding in your chest. You turned around slowly, staring wide-eyed at the god of mischief now standing in your bedroom between you and your only exit. His hands were clasped behind his back, his blue-green eyes gleaming ominously as he stared you down.

“Oh, hey Loki! What brings you to my room?” you asked, trying to sound casual.

“Let’s end this little charade, hmm?” He took a few slow paces forward into the room, closing the distance between the two of you. “It’s become clear to me over the last week that you have knowledge of some information that you do not want me to become aware of. I’d like you to tell me what it is.” His tone was calm; low, but dangerous. You swallowed hard.

“Loki, I-I’m not sure what you mean. I don’t have any secrets.” You took a step back from the advancing Asgardian, your back meeting the cold, hard wood of your desk behind you.

“We can do this the easy way or the hard way. The choice is up to you,” he threatened, stepping even closer so he was only a foot away from where you stood trapped against your desk. “Tell me what it is you’re hiding, or I will… coerce you into talking.”

“Coerce me? Heh, what’s that supposed to mean?” you asked nervously, your hands gripping the desk behind you.

“I have my ways. I am the god of mischief, after all.” Loki stood in front of you unmoving, a barrier holding you hostage against your desk.

“Even if I did have something to hide, you wouldn’t hurt me. Your brother would kill you,” you warned.

“I never suggested I would hurt you, darling. I would never do such a thing.” He took the slightest step closer. “You seem tense. Am I making you nervous?”

“Very.”

“Good.” A smirk tugged at the corners of his lips. “Have you decided, then? Will we be doing this the easy way or the hard way?”

“I told you, I have nothing to hide,” you insisted.

“Very well then. We’ll do this the hard way.” Quickly, you darted around Loki toward the door, trying to make your escape. He was faster, though, catching you with an arm around your waist and dragging you back so your back was against his chest. “Tell me, darling…” he growled in your ear, making you shiver, “… are you… ticklish?”

“Wha-“ you opened your mouth to protest but stopped speaking as you felt gentle scratching on your side. You shook your head quickly, suppressing the giggles that were threatening to rise out of your throat. If you stood still long enough, maybe he would give up.

“Do you think you’re fooling me by not allowing yourself to laugh? I felt you tense up immediately the moment I touched you.” He tightened his grip, wrapping both arms around your waist and digging his fingers into your sides. You snorted at the sudden sensation, doubling over to try to fight your way out of his grasp. “As I suspected. You are extraordinarily ticklish.”

“S-shut up, Loki!” you demanded, your muscles relaxing as his fingers stilled against your sides. He released you, allowing you to turn and face him but still standing in between you and the door.

“Now then – are you going to tell me what it is you’re hiding? Or do I need to tickle you until you are begging for mercy?”

You felt your face flush with heat. You’d been tickled before, certainly, but only for a few seconds at a time, and never as a means to pry information from you. Truthfully, though, you were enjoying this playful side of Loki. You were also determined not to tell him about the party – it would be so much more fun if it were a surprise, and he deserved to have fun. You braced yourself, folding your arms defiantly across your chest.

“There’s nothing to tell.”

Before you could react, Loki had tackled you, and you found yourself flat on the floor with your wrists pinned over your head. Your heart hammered against your ribcage as the dark-haired Asgardian loomed over you, his smirk growing wider.

“I see you’ve made your choice, then. But I should warn you – I don’t do mercy.” The fingertips of his free hand connected with your belly, lightly tracing the soft skin through your shirt. You turned your head so you wouldn’t have to look at him, his knowing stare making it more difficult to prevent yourself from laughing. Slowly, he applied more pressure until he was clawing at your belly with all five fingers, varying between the center and sides and analyzing your expression to evaluate your response.

“I-I’m telling y-you, t-there’s nothing to t-tell,” you insisted, jolting a little each time his fingers found a particularly sensitive spot.

“Unfortunately, I don’t believe you.” He shifted his attack to your side, his fingers spidering gradually up your ribcage. Your nerves were alight with ticklish shocks, helpless giggles now bubbling out of your chest.

“W-whyhyhy don’t you believe mehehe?” you asked, your tone starting to sound more desperate.

“You’re not exactly subtle. It’s rather obvious when you’re trying to keep a secret.” Loki was now scratching in between your upper ribs, and your giggles were evolving into desperate laughter. “I see this is becoming more challenging for you. I wonder – should I try to identify all of your weak spots? Surely one of them will get you talking.”

“NOHOHO LOKI!” you pleaded, thrashing to try to free your wrists from his grasp.

“You’ll need to provide me some information, then. What was it you were really discussing with my brother the other night?”

“HE TOHOHOLD YOU!!” You shrieked as Loki’s fingers found purchase under one of your arms, your feet pounding against the floor in desperation.

“Honestly, Y/N, I didn’t believe a word either of you said.” His fingertips grazed the underside of your upper arm, tracing from your elbow down to your underarm and back up again. You hadn’t realized how ticklish the soft skin of your arm could be, but his maddeningly light touch had you writhing to try to evade his fingers.

“STAHAHAP THAT!” you begged, yanking at your restrained wrists to try to lower your arms. Even before you were in this weakened state, the god of mischief was stronger than you.

“Then talk.”

“NEVER!”

“Aha!” he exclaimed suddenly, lifting his fingers away from your arm. You sucked in air desperately, letting out the residual giggles as he allowed you a moment to recover. “You ARE hiding something! You’ve given yourself away.”

“I… but… no I didn’t!” you pouted. He chuckled, a genuine grin spreading across his face at your adorable, disappointed frown.

“It’s too late now. You may as well tell me your secret.”

“I won’t tell! I’ll never tell!” you barked, a sudden surge of bravery rushing through you.

“I’m afraid I must continue, then,” he stated, feigning pity. “Why don’t you tell me where else you are ticklish instead?”

“What? No! I won’t tell you that either!”

“Fine. It’s much more amusing for me to locate your weak spots myself anyway.” Loki released your wrists and in the same motion reached behind him to squeeze above your knees with both hands. You yelped at the unexpected touch, trying with difficulty to sit up now that your arms were free. You reached toward Loki’s sides to try to retaliate but he was too perceptive, grabbing a wrist in each hand using his cat-like reflexes. “You don’t want to do that, darling,” he warned.

“Oh, but I think I do,” you argued, trying your hardest to break free of his grip. He wrestled with you for a moment, successfully forcing you onto your stomach so you could no longer sit up and try to counterattack.

“Now then – where were we?” he huffed as he sat himself down on the back of your legs, pinning you in place. You lifted your upper body up onto your elbows and turned to look at him, keeping a close eye on his hands. “Ah, that’s right. You were about to tell me what you were discussing with the spiderling the other day.”

“No I was-“ your retort died in your mouth as Loki’s fingertips touched down on the backs of your knees. “L-Loki, hold on, don’t you even think about it.”

“Why? Too sensitive?” he teased, tracing one finger along the tendon in the back of your knee. You let out a squeal, only egging him on as he began to flutter his fingers against the thin skin there.

“LOKI I WILL KIHIHILL YOHOHOU!”

“You hardly sound threatening when you’re giggling like a child,” he taunted, tracing along the skin on the inner sides of your knees. You reached back desperately with one hand while holding yourself up with the other elbow, trying to grab hold of his tickling fingers. He snickered at your feeble attempts, reaching up quickly to slide his fingers under your arm so your elbow would buckle beneath your torso before returning his attention to your knees. “This could all stop if you’d just tell me what your secret is.”

At this point, you’d come to the embarrassing realization that you were actually having fun, despite your abdominal muscles aching from laughing so hard. You were also still determined to keep the party a secret, if not for you then for Loki’s own good. You picked yourself back up onto your elbows so you could turn and look back at him defiantly.

“No!” you declared.

“No? I see I must not be trying hard enough, then. Let’s try somewhere else, shall we?” Loki shifted his weight so he could pin your legs down with his shin, his gaze turning down toward your socked feet.

“Don’t… you… dare!” you warned, noticing where his line of sight was directed. He placed his fingertips teasingly against the soles of your feet, maintaining eye contact with you, eyes glowing with mischief.

“I’ll give you one final chance. Spill,” he ordered. You merely smirked back at him.

“Make me.”

Without another word, Loki sprang back into action, his torturous fingertips skimming along the soles of your feet. Frantic giggles spilled from your lips as you tried jerking your feet away from his touch without success.

“I’d wager you’re regretting what you said now, aren’t you?” he goaded, scratching under your toes with one finger on each foot. Your giggles pitched up as you curled your toes to prevent him from reaching the sensitive skin. “Are you prepared to talk now?”

“NEHEHEVER!!” you screeched, still determined to win. Eventually he’d get tired of this and give up, right?

“Then I’m afraid you leave me no choice.” You practically screamed in ticklish agony as his fingers once again connected with your ribs, darting rapidly up and down your sides and under your arms, scribbling into the small of your back, fluttering against the sides of your neck and behind your ears, never staying in one place long enough to grow accustomed to the sensation. Your laughter fell silent as you tapped your hand hard on the floor, signaling you were giving up. Seeing your signal, Loki’s fingers stilled against you, still pressed gently into your sides as a warning that he could start right back up again at any moment. “Talk.”

“I will… alright… just… just give me a sec,” you huffed, your chest heaving with exertion. Your mind was racing, trying to come up with a plausible lie that would satisfy the god of lies. Your heart sank as you realized you couldn’t possibly come up with something in the next ten seconds that would fool him. It had to be the truth. “I’ll tell you, but you have to swear to me you won’t tell your brother that I told you.”

“That depends on what it is you’re about to tell me,” Loki bantered.

“No, I’m serious!” Loki shifted so his weight was no longer pressed on your legs, and you turned over into a seated position on the floor. “Promise me you won’t tell.”

“Fine. I promise. Now tell me.” You took a deep breath.

“We’re planning a party. For you. It was supposed to be a surprise.”

Loki was silent for a moment, his expression unreadable. His blue-green eyes searched yours as if trying to find any hint of a lie in your face. His face softened a bit as he began to realize you were actually telling the truth.

“What for?” he asked, his tone flat.

“For your birthday.”

“We don’t celebrate birthdays on Asgard, we have far too many of them to be excited for them.”

“Ugh, Loki, don’t you get it? Thor wanted to do something nice for you! I wanted to do something nice for you!” You held his gaze, trying to prove to him you still weren’t lying.

“You wanted to do something for me?” His voice was low, but there was something different about his tone; something you hadn’t heard before. Hope? Excitement? You averted your gaze down to the floor, poking at the fibers in the carpet with your finger.

“Yeah, I did. You deserve something nice. You’ve come a long way since New York. And you’re… a good friend.” You felt heat rush to your face. You’d nearly revealed another secret, one you had no intention of telling him today. Or ever. Unfortunately, Loki was perceptive.

“That sounded like another lie, Y/N,” he stated ominously. You risked a glance up at him, seeing a smirk slowly spreading across his face.

“What?! No, it’s not!” you argued, the warmth in your face spreading to your ears.

“Haven’t you learned not to lie to me by now?” Loki suddenly grabbed hold of your waist, dragging you closer to him. “Or do I need to repeat the lesson?” His fingers latched onto your ribcage, squeezing and kneading with maddening precision. Still exhausted from the previous attack, you immediately caved.

“ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT! I like you, ok??” Loki stopped tickling you, not yet releasing you from his grasp. You covered your flushed face with your hands. “Happy now?”

Loki pried your hands gently away from your face, tilting your chin up with his finger. His eyes were softer than you’d ever seen them before as he gazed at you, a small smile on his face. With a surge of confidence, you closed the gap between your faces, pressing your lips to his. He kissed you back, gently but passionately all at once. When he finally pulled away, he grinned at you.

“Yes, I am happy,” he said simply. You smiled shyly back at him.

“Good.” You hardened your expression a bit, although admittedly it was hard to wipe the smile off your face. “You still have to act surprised. I can’t have people thinking I can’t keep a secret.” Loki laughed at that, his voice rumbling in his chest.

“But you can’t, darling.” He gave you one last poke in the side, eliciting a whine from you. “I’ll do my best to act surprised. I am the god of lies, after all. I should be able to put on a convincing display.”

“Good.” You allowed him to help you to your feet before shooing him out the door. “Now, get out of my room. I still have planning to do.”

“Alright, alright,” he chuckled, stopping in the doorway to look at you. “I’ll go, but only if you’ll have dinner with me tonight.”

“Only if you don’t tickle me,” you countered.

“Sorry, love, but I can’t make any promises,” he replied, winking. You sighed, smiling at him.

“I guess I’ll take my chances then.”

[ageofgeek]

Thoughts about Endgame’s time travel and what it could mean for Loki

So I know a million and a half YouTubers and fans have already tread this ground before me, but I haven’t really read too many theories/explanations about time travel in the MCU (according to Endgame), and having just rewatched it, I wanted to jot down a few of my own thoughts about it.  Strap in, guys - this is gonna be a long one.

The main time travel rule that Endgame seems to establish is this:

You cannot change your own past.  Changing your past will not change your own present or future.

Okay, so this is a fair rule for time travel. If you travel to the past and change something, it will (presumably***) create an alternate timeline, but it will NOT change your own timeline.

However, things get...complicated from there.

1. The Ancient One’s explanation of time travel intersects with the infinity stones (i.e. the infinity stones are special)

When the Ancient One is explaining her view of time travel to Bruce, she says:

The Infinity Stones create what you experience as the flow of time.  Remove one of the stones, and that flow splits. 

Now, this may benefit your reality, but my new one, not so much.  In this new branch reality, without our chief weapon against the forces of darkness, our world would be overrun.

She illustrates it with a very interesting visual:

Now, to be fair, this sort of timeline is pretty common for visualizing time travel (that scene in Back to the Future 2 comes to mind), BUT I just think it’s interesting that it looks very similar to a visual we’ve seen in the Loki trailers at the TVA:

This is the first mention that Endgame makes of alternate/branching realities, which is intriguing.  Because I just assumed that even though you couldn’t change the past in the MCU’s version of time travel, any change to the past would create an alternate reality.

This explanation, however, seems to imply that you can only create an alternate timeline by messing with the infinity stones in that timeline.

Bruce’s response supports that theory:

We can erase [the alternate timeline].  Because once we’re done with the stones, we can return each one to its own timeline, at the moment it was taken.  So, chronologically, in that reality, it never left.

Again, Bruce only talks about their removal of the infinity stones here - not any other changes they make to the timeline (which they’ve clearly already made).

So, my interpretation of this is twofold:

Messing with infinity stones in the past creates an alternate/branching timeline, because it disrupts the flow of time created by the infinity stones.

Messing with anything in the past that is not an infinity stone does not create an alternate timeline.  Either 1) it doesn’t change anything at all (i.e. when the time travel “ends,” the past gets “reset” to how it always was); 2) the changes somehow “merge” with the main timeline; or 3) the “changes” were actually a closed loop - it had always been this way, and we (the audience) just didn’t know it.

2. 2012!Loki escaping with the Tesseract

Now we get to our favorite God of Mischief, Loki, and his escape with the Space Stone in 2012.

By escaping with the Tesseract in 2012 (when he obviously did not do that in the OG Timeline), Loki specifically displaced an infinity stone from its proper place in the timeline.

Now, let’s look at how Mobius, in the second Loki trailer, seems to frame Loki’s actions (remember that this is a trailer clip and the lines could’ve been edited):

[The TVA] protects the proper flow of time.  You picked up the Tesseract, breaking reality.  I want you to help us fix it.

This seems to support the theory that Loki displacing the Tesseract created alternate realities and disrupted the “proper flow of time” (i.e. the OG Timeline).  The phrase “breaking reality” is very interesting as well, implying that Loki’s actions didn’t just create alternate timelines, but specifically created bad ones.

3. 2014!Thanos, Nebula, and Gamora being displaced in 2023

So, now we come to the next big timeline screw-up: the fact that Thanos’ army from 2014 - including Thanos himself, Nebula, Gamora, and the Black Order - are all displaced from 2014 to 2023.

Everyone from 2014 except Gamora dies in the final battle.  Now, it seems crazy that this wouldn’t create an alternate timeline.  If there’s no more Thanos in 2014, then there wouldn’t be a Thanos to collect all of the infinity stones and Snap in 2018, right?

But if we’re going by the Ancient One’s rules, then it shouldn’t create an alternate timeline because it didn’t involve an infinity stone in 2014.  Instead, there are 3 possibilities:

The time travel didn’t change the past at all.  The way this would play out is that Thanos and Co. would leave 2014 and rejoin the timeline in 2023.  But the moment that the time travel “ended” (i.e. the moment that Thanos’ army was through the Quantum Realm), the past timeline reset back to what it had been originally.  So even though past versions of Thanos and Co. fought the Avengers in 2023, if someone (for example, Steve Rogers) were to return to 2014, they would still find Thanos and Co. in 2014, alive and kicking.  I think that this is the most likely scenario.

The changes made through time travel merge with the main timeline.  Now, I can see this happening with minor changes (for example, Steve and Tony stealing Pym particles from the 1970s), but huge ones like Thanos and Co. just not being alive?  I don’t know how that would “merge” with the main timeline.  So, IMO, this is probably not a likely possibility.

The “changes” were actually a closed loop - the past was always this way.  This clearly doesn’t work for 2014 Thanos and Co., unless there is some power like the TVA intervening to fix changes to the timeline which aren’t caused by infinity stones, in order to prevent alternate timelines from being created.  Under this scenario, Thanos and Co. were always meant to time travel from 2014 to 2023, and they did do that in the OG Timeline.  But unbeknownst to us (the audience), the TVA stepped in and “replaced” the missing Thanos and Co. members in 2014 with alternate versions of them, preserving the timeline.  In my opinion, if we’re going by the rule that changes to the past not related to infinity stones don’t create alternate timelines, then this possibility also doesn’t make much sense (in most scenarios - stay tuned).

4. Steve returning the stones

At the end of Endgame, Steve travels in time to (presumably) fulfill Bruce’s promise to the Ancient One - to return each infinity stone to the moment it was taken, thus erasing any alternate timeline that may have been created.

BRUCE: Remember, you have to return the stones to the exact moment you got them, or you’re gonna open up a bunch of nasty alternative realities.

STEVE: Don’t worry, Bruce.  Clip all the branches.

However, there is one wrinkle to this: the Tesseract that they lost to Loki in 2012.  This is the singular infinity stone-related screw-up that Steve isn’t able to fix.  The one branch he isn’t able to clip.  Presumably, this is why the TVA arrest and detain Loki and not the Avengers - because Steve’s replacement of the stones worked, and erased all of the other alternate timelines except for one.

Again, this is why I think the infinity stone distinction re: time travel makes the most sense.  Because why else would the TVA only be focused on Loki’s disruption of the timeline when, to the outside observer, the Avengers messed up the timeline a lot more?  Well, the answer is that distinction: all of the ways that the Avengers interfered with the past which weren’t infinity stone-related didn’t create alternate realities, and the Avengers then corrected/erased any alternate realities they did create by returning the stones to the moment they were taken.  Except the Tesseract in 2012.

5. What is up with Old!Steve?

Here is where things get annoying and contradictory.  Now, I can’t remember exactly what explanations for Old!Steve that the Russos and M&M gave, but I know that they conflict with each other (which is...insane, but that’s a whole other rant).

So let’s walk through it.  Before Steve enters the Quantum Realm, Sam asks Bruce how long this is going to take.  Bruce answers:

For him, as long as he needs.  For us, five seconds.

Bruce then says to Steve:

We’ll meet you back here, alright?

Obviously, Steve doesn’t appear after 5 seconds.  But Old!Steve shows up on a bench slightly off-screen by the lake, having lived a full life with Peggy (blegh, I know, it sucks, but I’m just going with it for now).

Since Steve presumably clipped all of the infinity stone branches (except the 2012 Tesseract one), we’re presumably in the realm of no alternate realities.  By living a life with Peggy, he didn’t interfere with or displace an infinity stone (to our knowledge***), so he shouldn’t have created an alternate reality.  Which means that there are, once again, 3 possibilities:

1. The time travel didn’t change the past at all.  This would play out similarly to the 2014 Thanos scenario.  Steve would time travel to the 1950s, marry Peggy, have a life with her in the main timeline (presumably making a ton of changes along the way), and then when his time travel “ended,” the past timeline reset back to what it had been originally (Peggy marrying someone else, etc.).  Now, I still think this scenario is the most likely, based on all of the other things we’ve gone through.  But this is complicated by the fact that Old!Steve doesn’t reappear on the time travel platform, which seems to suggest that he didn’t use the Quantum Realm to time travel to that bench, but instead simply lived until 2023 in the main timeline and knew what day and time to show up at the lake.  So, if that’s the case, then when did Steve’s time travel “end,” and when did the timeline reset?  I would argue that it “ended” the moment that Old!Steve’s life caught up with and surpassed his younger self’s departure in 2023.  So Old!Steve was hobbling along next to the lake, with his past with Peggy still “changed,” up until the moment that young!Steve entered the Quantum Realm.  The moment that happened, Old!Steve ceased to be living in a changed past - he was now living in his own future (the furthest in the timeline he had ever been).  When that happened, the main timeline’s past reset, and Old!Steve’s life with Peggy was erased.

(This one is so complicated, I had to draw a diagram. RIP).

2. The changes made through time travel merge with the main timeline.  Similarly to the Thanos scenario, I just can’t see this happening because it’s such a major change to the timeline.  How do you merge 2 timelines where Peggy is married to 2 different people?  Still not very likely.

3. The “changes” were actually a closed loop - the past was always this way.  Now, oddly enough, THIS is the scenario that probably makes the most sense for Old!Steve, despite the fact that it definitely doesn’t work for any other non-infinity stone time travel shenanigans.  In this scenario, Steve was always Peggy’s husband in the main timeline (we never did learn who he was), and the past was just a closed loop for him.  He never left the main timeline, which is why he showed up on the bench in Endgame and not on the time travel platform.  However, this also has its weaknesses.  For one, as I mentioned in the 2014 Thanos scenario, in order for this to work and be consistent with other changes, the TVA (or some other higher power) would have to get involved.  And two, this only works if you believe one of 3 scenarios:

Young!Steve, after getting out of the ice, never looked up who Peggy’s husband was, which seems unlikely.

Peggy somehow disguised/hid her husband’s (Old!Steve’s) identity all of these years, so young!Steve never found out (also unlikely, considering how high-profile Peggy was as director of SHIELD).

Young!Steve always knew that he somehow married Peggy, which would be super weird because that would mean that Steve would’ve known about the existence of time travel as early as 2011.

So we’re back to the “closed loop” possibility not making sense (although it is still a possibility).

Personally, I still think that #1 makes the most sense for non-infinity stone related time travel - the timeline doesn’t really change, it just “resets” after the time travel is over.

6. In Conclusion

This is my theory for the rules of time travel in the MCU, as we know them in Endgame (and supported by the Loki trailers):

1. Messing with the infinity stones in the past creates alternate timelines.

2. Messing with anything else in the past does not create alternate timelines.

3. Changes in the past which are not related to infinity stones are temporary, and the main timeline is “reset” to what it was originally after the time travel meddling is “over.”

Again, it is highly likely that this will turn out to be completely incorrect when Loki airs!  But I’m just hoping that we’ll get some sort of explanation, because Endgame is a convoluted mess and we need some rules.

[just-fandomthings]

For the kiss writing prompt 💕 frostiron + 29. "...as a promise"

Read on AO3 (Post Avengers, 2012)

...as a promise. 

“During my invasion, why did you offer me a drink? You were trying to stall, I’m aware, but why was that the method you chose?”

Stark startles, dropping the gauntlet he’s working on. “What the hell, warn a guy before you appear like that, would you? I’ve got a heart condition.”

“Apologies,” Loki says honestly. “I would have thought you were expecting me; JARVIS told me you agreed I could come down.”

“Yeah, I said you could, but I wasn’t expecting you to be here thirty seconds later. Doesn't matter, I heard you say ‘drink’, are you here to finally collect on my offer?”

“Sir, Loki asked permission to join you ten minutes ago,” JARVIS inputs.

Stark blinks. “Oh. Guess I lost track of time. So, what was your question?”

Loki clears his throat. “I was wondering why you offered me a drink in your tower when you first came to threaten me.”

Stark gives him a strange look. “Well, I needed the bracelets behind the bar so I’d have a suit in case we fought- or, in your case, if you decided to throw me out a window.”

The words are said lightly but Loki still grimaces. “That doesn’t explain why you offered me the drink,” he points out after a moment.

“Why not? I needed to get my bracelets and was planning to pour myself a drink to keep you distracted, so I offered you one too. I’m not sure what answer you’re looking for here.”

“I was not your guest, you owed me nothing. I was your enemy who had just killed your friend- you should have left your armor on when you came inside, instead of selecting a new armor to don.”

“The other one was damaged,” Stark says. “Needed the upgrade- besides, do I have to remind you that was my tower you were using as home base? JARVIS had my back the entire time.”

“Indeed I did,” JARVIS agrees.

“Is this you trying to tell me I’m reckless?” Stark squints at him. “Trying to tell me not to take on an enemy in battle when I’m out of armor or something? Because I gotta tell you, out of everyone on this team except maybe Bruce, I was expecting you to understand that I am more than just-“

“No, that’s not it,” Loki interrupts quickly. “Well, I would rather you not die since you are the least annoying person on this team I’ve been forced on, but I know that you are more than well-equipped to handle any difficult situation with no more than the clothes you are wearing.”

“Thank you, I don’t know why people always assume I’m helpless outside of my armor. And right answer, by the way, I was gonna stick Dum-E on you with the fire extinguisher if you were trying to pull a Cap on me. So, what’s with the third degree, what’re you trying to figure out?”

“I suppose, I am trying to ask why you were polite to me,” Loki mutters. “You did cleverly insult my manhood not a mere minute later, but you saw me in your building, in your home, and your response was to offer me a drink. You certainly weren’t expecting me to accept and talk with you, so why offer it?”

“Uh, common courtesy? Because I wanted to?” Stark frowns at him. “Either of those, both of them really, have your pick. I really don’t see what the big deal is, you know. It‘s not like I had time to stop and think everything through beforehand, so I just did it. And either way, I was going to get a drink as a stalling tactic so I could get to my armor, so why not offer you one too? You haven’t even taken me up on it in the three months you’ve been here, by the way, what's up with that? I thought you would have, to be honest.”

Loki is quiet for a moment. “May I do so later this evening?”

“Seriously?” At Stark’s incredulous inflection, Loki bristles, about to take it back, insult him, and storm out, but Stark surprises him by agreeing, “About time you took me up on my offer! I’m game, but I need to finish this upgrade first. Is my penthouse at eight-thirty alright, maybe later?”

“It’s not as if I will be busy with nefarious plans at that hour,” Loki huffs. “Yes, that is fine.”

Stark grins. “It’s a date then.”

The first two minutes of their conversation is stilted and awkward, with neither of them apparently knowing what to say. It lasts until Stark glances at him, drains the rest of his glass of scotch and goes, “Oh what the hell, I’m going for it. Please don’t smite me for this, okay, because I know you’ve gotten defensive every time someone has asked, but I really want to know about your Seiðr. How you learned it- I’m assuming you were taught- what the scope of your abilities is, and mainly, how it works. From one genius to another, can you please give me some answers?”

Loki blinks, retort dying on his lips. “You truly wish to know?”

“Uh, why would I not? It's probably the most powerful and complex thing I’ve ever come across- which hurts to admit- and I know nothing about it, which sucks, by the way. I hate not knowing things, especially things that interest me.”

“And my Seiðr interests you?”

“Yeah, thought I’d made that pretty obvious by now. I mean, Cap told me off for practically drooling during that battle last week when you eviscerated those doombots. I would have paid good money to see Doom’s face when he saw you literally rip his bots apart with just a wave of your hand.”

“That is but a simple trick,” Loki murmurs. “You are truly fascinated by my Seiðr, aren’t you?”

Stark’s gaze is expressive and searching for a moment before he nods. “It’s probably the coolest thing I’ve ever seen, and I don’t say that lightly.”

Loki exhales slowly. He thinks Stark might just be genuine. “What do you want to know first?”

It takes only an hour of discussion for them to rearrange the furniture of the penthouse against the wall to give them an open floor space so Loki can show off his Seiðr. Stark keeps up with his conversations remarkably well for a mortal, far surpassing Loki’s expectations, and he finds himself relaxing, indulging in discussion of the more technical aspects of his Seiðr.

When they finally call it a night, hours into the morning, Loki is surprised when he finds himself wishing to stay longer and discuss his Seiðr further with Stark. So few have ever been kind in consideration of his Seiðr, even less have expressed an interest in it, and for Stark to have done both...

Loki doesn’t have words to describe it.

(Later, Loki will consider that evening as the dawn of their friendship.)

It is invigorating to engage in a battle of wits and intellect with Stark, Loki soon comes to find. Such was what had initially impressed him about Stark when he had been under the control of The Other, but with his presence in his mind gone, Loki finds himself naturally drawn to the inventor now. Their conversations are thrilling, and Loki finds himself leaping at the chance to flex his intellect with Stark.

They spend the following months spending an increasing amount of time together, even more so following the cease of Stark’s relationship with Pepper Potts. (Stark isolates for two weeks after that, before he emerges with an impressive performance of being fine.) They discuss in length his Seiðr, Stark’s technology, and other pieces of their lives that they both find interesting.

Stark’s technology, in particular, holds Loki’s attention, for while the designs that Stark has managed to come up with are far superior to anything else on Midgard, a select few are also unlike anything he has come across in his travels of the Realms. It’s an impressive feat, and Loki tells him so.

Loki is also especially fond of Stark’s creations, finding himself impressed by how his bots seem to have such curiosity and personality. (Dum-E and U both, he quickly realizes, are fiercely loyal of Stark.)

As their conversations of his Seiðr continue, it grows impossible to go without mentioning Frigga. Loki isn’t sure what he expects Stark’s reaction to be when he first mentions her, but Stark’s gentle smile and, “She sounds incredible, she must be proud of how talented you are,” far surpasses anything he had expected. The sentiment touches him, and something in their dynamic changes that night.

(Perhaps, it is because that is the night Stark changes to Tony.)

Despite this, they still do not engage in conversation easily about personal topics, both of them with too many difficult stories to wish to recall such information. Still, however, there are many nights where their respective nightmares leave them stripped of their shields, with only vulnerability left behind. It is on those nights that their bond is solidified; empathy and understanding found through sharing stories of past tortures and betrayals.

During one of those nights, Tony tells him of a man called Stane, sharing with him how Dum-E first, and then Pepper, had saved his life. His voice is broken, no more than a whisper, and his hand remains firmly on the device in his chest the entire time he speaks; a further testament to the pain of that betrayal.

Loki vows to him in that moment that he will never betray Tony, he swears it, for he would rather stab his own heart than cause his (only) friend pain in any way.

Tony just looks over at him, his expression sad and resigned all of a sudden. “I don’t think that’s a promise you want to make,” he says quietly. “Not when I’ll likely give you a reason to break it.”

“You know me; I say no less than what I mean,” Loki tells him. “And I can think of no reason that would ever make me want to hurt you or betray you.” He has betrayed others throughout his life, for reasons so little as for fun (stabbing Thor), but he knows he could never harm Tony.

Tony just shrugs. He doesn’t seem to believe him, but he provides no further argument. The blanket covering their laps as they sit together on the sofa suddenly feels stifling, but Loki resolutely ignores it. He understands that Tony’s skepticism is not personal, it is just a mere consequence of being betrayed time and time again by the people he cared about most. Loki knows he would hesitate to accept such a promise as well, even from Tony. Life has taught them both that it’s not safe to trust.

(Perhaps together, they can learn to trust again.)

The other members of the team remain wary of him, distrustful to the point that Loki is certain he will never be able to earn an ounce of trust with them. Outside of Tony, Thor seems to be the most accepting of the fact he is serving a ten year sentence for his attack on New York as a member of their team. Knowing he has Tony‘s friendship makes it easy, however, to disregard the fact that the others do not trust him, even on the field of battle. Never mind that his Seiðr has been limited to keep him in check, they clearly do not trust him to fight on their side. Loki pays this no mind; their belief in him or lack thereof is of no importance to him.

When he finally meets Pepper Potts, Col. James Rhodes, and a man named Happy Hogan, they all threaten him past the point of any return should he hurt Tony in any way. He believes them. The CEO of Tony’s company, his ex, however is the one whose threat genuinely gives him pause. He knows better than to anger her.

But for all their initial threats, the three of them all seem to accept him as Tony’s friend, therefore, as a part of their lives as well. It is awkward at times to be around Potts or Hogan, or even Rhodes when he is able to return home, but those moments of awkwardness, he finds, are worthwhile if it means he can remain at Tony’s side.

It’s a thought that should scare him, that he wants to be wherever Tony is, but he finds himself oddly at peace with that fact. They have grown close over the last five, almost six months since they first shared a drink in Tony’s penthouse, and Tony is incredible, a force of light wherever he goes; it is impossible not to be drawn to Tony, he thinks.

It’s a brisk day in mid-March when he and Tony crowd together on the sofa in his penthouse with a video feed in front of them to watch the fallout of their latest prank on Barton. Tony bursts out laughing at Barton’s indignation and leans against Loki as he praises their prank, saying they absolutely have to prank Cap next. Loki is overcome with joy realizing just how lucky and happy he is to have a friend who partakes and enjoys mischief just as much as he does.

That is also the moment Loki realizes he’s falling in love.

Tony has gone quiet as his side, eyes still sparkling with joy even as he asks, “You okay, Lokes?"

“I’m fine,” Loki reassures. “Just thinking of what to include in our next prank against Captain America himself.”

“I love the way you think,” Tony laughs, snuggling into his side the way he seems to do so frequently, now that Loki thinks about it. “Well, hit me with it. What’re you thinking?”

It’s easy enough to conjure a list of possible pranks at a moment’s notice, and from that moment onward, Loki’s feelings fall to the back of his mind, always quietly lingering in his every thought. Given enough time, he knows they will become a force he cannot hope to control, but that is a problem he can deal with in the future; the present includes planning a prank, and that comes first.

(Later, Loki will consider the moment he realized he was developing feelings for Tony as the day everything changed.)

“Can I join you?”

Loki startles minutely, so caught up in his reading, so relaxed, that he had not been paying attention to his surroundings in any capacity. But this is Tony who has come to his bedroom, and Loki knows he need not keep his guard up when the inventor is around. "Are you alright?" Loki asks, lowering his book to his lap.

"Fine," Tony says automatically. He looks uncertain. "I know you're reading and it's late, so if you want me to leave, don’t hesitate to say so.”

“Nonsense, I always enjoy your company,” Loki reassures absently, frowning at Tony’s haggard experience. He gestures to the space next to him on the bed, adding unnecessarily, “Please, sit.”

Tony hesitates for a moment and then sits down on the bed next to him, leaning back. His hands twist unnaturally together; a sign of his anxiety.

Loki marks his page and sets his book on the nightstand. “Do you wish to talk about what has you so tense?”

“Not really,” Tony mutters. “Not like there’s much to say anyway though. I fell asleep working on an upgraded set of arrows for Clint and woke up screaming. J said you were awake still, so I came up.” He pauses and then adds, "You've been reading all this time? Usually you call it a night at midnight."

"I got enthralled in an old journal on Seiðr and lost track of time. When I realized it was past two, I figured I would wait until I came to a natural stopping point before I retired for the night,” Loki admits ruefully. "I'll be tired in the morning, but it will be well worth it."

"I think I'm rubbing off on you," Tony says lightly. "Staying up until all hours of the night to finish something is my shtick, not yours."

"You have a point. You did, after all, initially encourage my pranks, then you took to assisting me with them, and now you have me staying up to all hours of the night," Loki points out, teasing, participating in the lighthearted atmosphere Tony seems to be trying to create. A distraction for his nightmare, perhaps, and Loki is happy to help. "You are a rather bad influence on me."

"Guilty as charged," Tony agrees, snorting. "Though I'm pretty sure everything prank-related is a result of you being a bad influence on me."

"A mere pleasant consequence of our friendship. You knew what you were getting yourself into when you first let me share a drink with you in your penthouse."

"I did knowingly sign up for all the mischief and chaos, you're right." Tony shrugs, looking pleased. "But as Rhodey will be more than happy to tell you, I caused plenty of trouble throughout my life, so you sadly don't get the privilege of claiming responsibility for all of my evil ways."

"I plan to ask about those stories, just so you know."

Tony laughs, looking lighter now than he had when he had first appeared in Loki's doorway. "Pretty sure you'll have to clear your schedule for the weekend when you do- but keep in mind, Rhodey did also participate in a lot of my plans. He was my partner in crime. So don't let his exasperated tone fool you, he's just as much a prankster as we are."

"In that case, we will have to include him in our plans to prank Thor whenever both your colonel and Thor are present in the Tower," Loki muses.

"Deal," Tony responds instantly. He goes quiet just a moment later, his expression darkening a little.

Loki frowns at the sudden shift in mood. "What's wrong?"

"I should probably go, let you finish the chapter you were reading so you can go to bed."

“I am more than happy to have you here," Loki says carefully, sensing that there is something else weighing on his mind. "But if you wish to go, that is your choice to make.”

“I don’t want to keep you up.”

“Then prepare for bed and lay with me,” Loki says without thinking. He pauses, realizing what he just said. Norns, he had not meant to offer that, but the offer has been extended and he is not one to take back his words. Still though, he clarifies quickly, “It’s an innocent offer, no more than the simple opportunity for you to not be alone tonight, if you don't want to be.”

Tony looks startled. “You want me to stay?”

“You are welcome to, if you want.”

“Why?”

“You are my friend,” Loki says simply. “We have fallen asleep watching movies together on the sofa before and that is fine, is it not?” At Tony’s nod he continues, “So too would your decision to stay here for the night. Nightmares are painful, and if I can offer some small comfort or reassurance of safety, I would happily do so.”

“You’re sure?”

“I mean every word I’ve shared,” Loki says gently.

Tony sighs and leans against him, his head on Loki’s shoulder. “Thanks,” he says softly. “For letting me stay and for not judging me.”

“You know how common my own night terrors are,” Loki points out. "I have nothing to judge."

Tony shrugs but doesn’t offer a response.

“Go, get ready for bed,” Loki says, nudging him with his elbow. “I have placed an additional toothbrush and nightwear for you in the bathroom.”

Tony nods silently and gets up, disappearing into the bathroom. Loki uses the privacy to lay down, trying to quell his racing thoughts and pounding heart. There is something charged and vulnerable between them; it feels like he is balancing precariously on a fraying line. What may happen if it snaps, he’s unsure.

When Tony exits the bathroom a few minutes later, he pauses at the side of the bed for a moment before he pulls back the covers. He doesn’t lay down, however, just says quietly, “You don’t seem as bothered anymore to be serving part of your sentence on the Avengers.”

“Is that a question?” Loki asks, never one to make things easy when he can help it.

“An observation, I think. Am I wrong?”

“No, you are not wrong,” Loki says. He takes a shuddering breath and admits, “I hated this team in the beginning. I was no more than a collection of broken pieces being held together by pure spite, and being placed on this team felt like a death sentence. I expected to hate every moment of my time here, for an abundance of reasons.” He swallows hard, suddenly certain he should not keep going, not when he has already stripped himself bare.

“But?”

As always with Tony, he is the exception to the expectations and restrictions Loki sets for himself. He finds himself staring up at the ceiling and admitting, “But I made a friend, someone who cares about me genuinely for all that I am. It took the work of months before I realized that all the reasons I expected to hate being on this team were insignificant in comparison to the friendship I had found. These last several months, I have found myself slowly recovering from the damage The Other inflicted on me- I am trying to at least- I am trying not to be the monster I was destined to be, and I somehow even find myself happy on occasion, something I thought I was only capable of when creating chaos.”

His bedroom is quiet for a moment. “Sounds like your friend is pretty special,” Tony quips.

“Special is not the most accurate term; short, on the other hand, or perhaps, talkative, or even-”

“You're an ass,” Tony interrupts him, laughing. His expression is pensive, however, as he lays down on his side and looks over at him. “Is that all we are though, just friends?”

Loki freezes. It takes a moment for him to remember to breathe, and then he exhales slowly, rolling over on his side to face Tony as well. “I’m not sure,” he admits, “Are we just friends, in your mind?”

“I asked you first,” Tony points out, smirking a little.

“I gave you a response, however vague, and then asked your thoughts. It’s your turn.”

“Uh huh, you want my thoughts on what exactly? You haven’t really specified what we’re discussing.”

Loki refrains from rolling his eyes despite the way his heart is threatening to pound out of his chest. “What are your thoughts on us,” he emphasizes. “That is what I wish to know.”

Tony’s eyes search him for a moment, perhaps trying to assess if this is part of a joke or if he is being genuine. “I think that you’re a royal pain in the ass a lot of the time, as well as dramatic and passionate, but I like that about you. You’re also mischievous and clever; you're a genius that speaks the same language as me. I also think you have feelings for me, just like I do for you. And I want to see if there can be an us...but maybe after I kiss you?”

“Is that a promise?”

“The romantic speech or the kissing part?”

“The part where you mentioned wanting to see if there can be an us, do you mean that?”

“Of course I mean it." Tony pouts at him.

It suddenly is so easy now to see what has been in front of him for months: their close proximity to each other, the way they are drawn to each other's side, their flirting; it has all been leading to this.

Loki leans over and kisses him. Tony gives a quiet sound of surprise and then relaxes, easing into the kiss with an approach that somehow already feels familiar.

“We need to do this more often,” Tony murmurs when they pull back. He's grinning.

Loki laughs, happy. “That is a promise I can easily keep,” he vows, and kisses him again to prove his point.

End.

[wrenhyperfixates]

Yule Log

Pairing: Loki x reader Summary: With Christmas quickly approaching, Loki finds himself missing his favorite time on Asgard. If he can’t go back home to celebrate, you’re determined to bring the party to him. Warnings: just the tiniest bit angsty, but mainly just fluff. And a lot of kissing A/N: We’re already halfway through December, can you believe it? To continue the spread of holiday cheer, please enjoy my latest fic! Happy reading :)

Tag List: @lucywrites02 @frostedgiant​​ @lunarmoon8​ @twhiddlestonsstuff​ @lokistan​ @thelokiimaginechroniclesficrecs​ @gaitwae

Disclaimer: Gif not mine 

“Thank you for coming,” you said to some of the last guests as they made their way out into the chilly night air.

Being Tony’s personal assistant was no easy feat, and sometimes it meant you had to be in full work mode at parties rather than being able to let loose. So many times your boyfriend tried to pull you away from all the seriousness, but you would only be able to enjoy a dance or two before having to do something else. It was yet another reason why Loki was not a fan of Stark’s shindigs.

“Darling,” he called as you made your way back into the room. “Come sit with me now?”

“I can’t. There’s still people here.”

“And they are occupied talking to Stark and Captain Rogers,” he pouted. “Certainly you can rest for a minute. You deserve it, after all.”

“Ok, I guess,” you replied, walking over. He pulled you down onto his lap before you could change your mind, kissing you quickly but passionately. “Well if that’s what you mean by rest, I would have stopped working hours ago.”

“Duly noted,” he said, nuzzling into your neck, enjoying your scent. “I will be sure to be more specific next time.”

You giggled against his lips as he kissed you again. The whole scene was picturesque, really. Sitting with your boyfriend on the couch, a tree in the background, snow falling outside, and a fire crackling nearby; it was like something right out of a painting. Or maybe a dream. Then again, that’s how you felt about every second you spent with Loki.

Just when you were getting settled against him, your boss called your name, and waved you over with a smile. He probably needed you for another scheduling problem. At least you would be getting a break for Christmas soon. You sighed and pecked Loki on the cheek, wiggling out of his grip, much to his protest. With a promise to meet him in your shared room as soon as you finished up with the last few guests, he let you go.

Roughly half an hour later, you were stumbling into your quarters, feet sore and eyes tired. Walking into your bedroom to change, you saw Loki standing by the window, his shirt in his hands as if he just forgot what he was doing halfway through changing. You hugged him from behind, resting your forehead between his shoulder blades. His hand immediately alighted on your arm and began rubbing slow circles on your skin. You’d noticed he did that anytime he was pensive or working through a lot of emotions.

“Hey, are you ok? Do you need to talk?” you asked.

“I am alright, my angel. You need not worry,” he told you, turning around to hug you and kissing your forehead gently. “Now, I believe we were going to watch a movie.”

You frowned at the way he changed the topic, but decided not to push the subject. You could always try again in the morning, but you didn’t want to make him talk if he didn’t feel like it. You got changed while Loki set up the film, something he was still very proud that he’d learned how to do. Settling on the couch, Loki rested his head on your lap, and you played with his hair as Rudolph began to play on the TV.

You looked down at the beautiful god, wondering what was going through that beautiful mind of his. There was no doubt in your mind; you loved Loki. The thing was that he could be so guarded sometimes that you felt left out. Like he was keeping things from you. It was more out of concern for him that it made you worry, not because you didn’t trust him. In fact, you trusted him with your life. You only wished that he would do the same with you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning, you woke up in the bed, wrapped in Loki’s arms. You didn’t quite remember getting off of the couch last night, and you knew Loki must have carried you after you fell asleep. His eyes were on you, as you laid there. You could feel his loving gaze even before opening your eyes. You liked to do that sometimes, pretend like you were still asleep and bask in the joy of Loki admiring you. Whether or not he told you everything, he obviously adored you, and this was a nice reminder of that. Though, now that you thought about the issue of communication, you cracked open your eyes, determined to get him to tell you what is wrong.

“Good morning, darling,” he said, smiling warmly at you. “I love you.”

It always made you flustered when Loki told you that so soon after waking, like it was the most important thing. Like he had to make sure you knew before anything else happened. Before you could even get up most days, he was saying those words. They always made you snuggle further into your chest, resolving to stay in bed a bit longer, rather than getting up and starting your duties for that day.

“Morning, Loki. I love you too.”

Still laying together in a tangle of limbs, the two of you chatted for a bit longer, and you were carefully working your way up to the question you wanted to ask. It was a delicate topic, for sure, but maybe he’d be soft enough after all the pillow talk to share.

“Loki, can I ask you a question? And can you answer me honestly?” you asked.

“Of course. I will do my best, my angel.”

You frowned a little at the response, but plowed on anyway. “Last night you were upset about something. What was it? You know I worry about you. It’s ok, you can tell me.”

“Well,” he sighed. “It is nothing much, really. It is just with all these Christmas festivities, I am reminded of my mother’s favorite celebration. The winter solstice ball was always around this time. She loved planning the Yule celebrations. It was why she put up with the planning of every other ball, just so she could do this one. It was always the most fun, for her love of the holiday shone through every minute detail of the day.”

You looked at features, peaceful and happy, a small smile tugging at his lips. You wanted to be happy for him, too, but it made your heart break as you read deeper into what he was saying. It wasn’t just the holiday he was upset over.

“Oh, Loki. You miss your mother,” you cooed as he sadly nodded.

“It is nothing you need worry yourself over, really.”

“Yes, Loki, I do. Because I love you. If you’re allowed to worry over me, I can over you, too.”

“That is... fair,” he conceded, though he was frowning a little. “So what are you going to do? Nothing too over the top, I hope.”

“I’m not exactly sure yet, but I’ll start with this,” you admitted, cupping his cheek and kissing him. You started on his lips, but then moved to placing little pecks all over his face. His smile had returned by the time you finished. “Better?”

“Much,” he confessed as he pulled you closer, earning a giggle. “But you are not done trying to fix this, are you?”

“Not even close.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few days later you were setting up the common room for a solstice party, much like the Asgardian ballroom would be looking soon. You’d asked Thor more about how the holiday was celebrated on his home planet and, together with the rest of the Avengers, you were getting ready to surprise Loki. Though you had Bucky and Peter keeping him busy and out of the way right now, you were sure that Loki suspected something was up.

“Are you sure this is everything Thor?” you nervously questioned, giving the room a once-over. “Everything has to be perfect.”

“Do not worry, my friend. You were very thorough.”

After combing through your notes one last time, just to make sure there wasn’t anything you were missing, you called Peter and Bucky to bring Loki back. In true surprise party fashion, you turned the lights off and got into hiding places. When he walked in, you all jumped up and screamed “Happy Yule.” For a second he didn’t move, and the silence was kind of awkward as he stood there with a sort of stunned but otherwise unreadable expression on his face. Finally, he gently said your name.

“You don’t like it, do you?” you said, feeling like you might cry.

“Like it? No, no, I do not. Darling,” he said, shaking his head before breaking out into a huge grin and crushing you in a hug, using his godly strength to pick you up and spin you around. “I love it! I was certain you had some trick up your sleeve, but this? This is beyond my wildest imagination. It is perfect! Thank you, love.”

“Really?” you squealed in excitement. “Loki, that means so much to me.”

“And the fact that you went through all this trouble means so much to me.”

He kissed you then, not caring about the reaction from the rest of the Avengers, which was a mix of whoops and groans. Even when you broke away from each other, you still stood there for a minute, just gazing at each other. The look in your eyes said everything that words couldn’t.

“Well then, what are we waiting for? Let us party,” Loki announced.

He swept you onto the dance floor as the music began to play, enjoying waltzing amongst your friends. After a few songs, you led him over to the thrones at the front of the room. He nearly cried tears of joy when you said it was for him. Long ago, he’d given up on the notion that he’d rule, let go of the desire to do so. He did not need it if he was king of your heart. But to be offered one, even just for the night, it meant more to him than he knew how to express.

It was late into the night after a number of Avengers had moved past tipsy and into drunk, when Loki asked you take a walk with him. You bundled up before stepping into the cold night air, but afraid of his little mortal catching a cold, Loki draped an extra cloak on your shoulders. It was so soft you wondered if he’d cast some kind of spell on it. He took your hand and led you away from the Tower and into the city, lit up even more than normal by all the Christmas decorations. Eventually, you reached Central Park, and Loki slowed to a stop so he could cup your cheeks and kiss you yet again that night. You lost yourself in him, losing track of time as you stood there, lips locked together. When you finally separated, he was looking at you like you were the most precious thing in the world.

“My sweetest angel, thank you so much for cheering me up,” he said.

“It was no problem. It was totally worth it to see you so happy. Did I miss anything that you were looking forward to?”

“Darling, you simply must stop worrying yourself. The party was amazing.”

“But?”

“Did it sound like there was a 'but' coming? I assure you, you have done everything perfectly.”

“I don’t know,” you shrugged. “I just feel in my gut that there’s something missing, and I know you won’t tell me of your own accord. Please, Loki, if there’s something else, let me know.”

“Admittedly, there is one other thing I miss. But you have done more than enough already.”

“Will you please stop that?” you snapped a little, surprising the god. “Stop pushing your feelings aside, especially with me. I care about you, ok? I want to trouble myself with what’s bothering you. Because if we deal with it together, it’s not so hard for either of us. We love each other, Loki, I know that. So just open up. Tell me.”

“Are you done?” he inquired with an impressed and amused smirk as you nodded, a little flustered and embarrassed after your outburst. “Good.”

Once more, Loki kissed you, catching you completely by surprise. Usually he liked to show his love through little things, but tonight he couldn’t seem to keep his lips off yours. Not that you were complaining, of course. The displays of affection were certainly as welcome out in public as they behind closed doors. You tenderly caressed his cheek and brushed a lock of hair from his eyes.

“The Yule log,” he said. “It was the one night a year I felt like we were truly a family. Father, mother, Thor, and I would sit around the fire into the late hours of the night, laughing and telling stories.” He zoned out for a second and you let him reminisce before continuing. “I remember when I was just a small child, father even let me fall asleep on his lap sometimes. And then as we got older and things became more tense, there was still always that night.”

“Loki,” you whispered, “that’s lovely. I would love to light a Yule log for our little family, if you’ll allow it.”

“I would love nothing more, my angel.”

Then you excitedly whisked him back to the Tower, where you promptly told everyone the plan. They gathered around, and Loki conjured a log which you lit together. You snuggled with your prince in an oversized chair, safely tucked under his arm.

“My angel,” he whispered, “I really cannot thank you enough. And I vow to be more open with you from now on. Because I trust you and love you more than anything else in the Nine Realms and beyond.”

“You’re welcome, Loki. I love you, too, though I never could say it as eloquently as you can,” you chuckled. “Happy Yule, my love.”

“Happy Yule, darling.”

You began to doze off against his side. Loki listened to the conversation and laughter flowing all around him. Soon, everyone followed your lead and began drifting off to sleep. He smiled as he realized he got to keep his favorite tradition of sitting around the Yule log with his family, after all.

“Happy Yule, mother,” he whispered into the night before falling asleep, too.

[hela-avenger]

poison & wine- part 35

Author: hela-avenger

Word Count: 1065

Summary: Prince Loki of Asgard is in need of a date to take back home. That’s where you come in with a task of your own to make the whole trip with an insufferable prince worth it. Too bad that things don’t always go as planned and you end up giving more than you can take. Fake-Dating AU.

A/N: Here we have it readers! The end of this long and great journey! Hope you enjoyed it! Epilogue coming this Saturday!

poison & wine masterlist

You feel everything fall into place when you finally kiss him. The emotions that had been storming inside for the past few months were finally settling allowing you a peace that you had sought for when you had left. 

This was where you were meant to be. This was the place you’ve been looking for in your travels.

You slowly pull away realization dawning on you of what you just did. 

You don’t regret it. 

Your emotions had been too much for you when Loki made his appearance. You needed an outlet and this was what you decided to do. You just hope that Loki would understand. 

“What did you do that for?” Loki breathes out. 

He seems dazed and you intend to use this to your advantage as you try to pull yourself away from his chest. He doesn’t allow it, holding you in place.

“I wanted to,” you answer honestly. “I’ve been wanting to kiss you since our last day in Asgard.”

“But why now?” Loki asks. “Why not do it then?” 

“Because we were under a lie and I…” you hesitate to continue. “I wanted to kiss you because I wanted to not because I had to in order to sell our fake courtship.” 

“And why did you find a need to kiss me?”

“Why do you think I did?” 

“Y/N…” 

You slip away from his hold as you found that the butterflies in your stomach were quickly disappearing at his questioning. 

Wasn’t it obvious how you feel for him? Especially now? 

“After all this time, you can’t expect me to say it.” 

“You’re angry with me.” 

“Of course I am,” you exclaim. “You broke me. You humiliated me. You told me to leave!” 

“Leave the room not the realm!” 

“Well, how was I supposed to know that?!” 

“It’s pure common sense!” 

“Common sense?” you repeat. “Common sense would be not to yell at me in front of the entire population of Asgard!” 

“I wouldn’t have had to do such a thing if you had just listened the first time!” 

“You are such a jerk! I don’t know how I could have considered actually accepting the Apple of Idunn to spend the rest of my life with you. You are an ignorant, selfish person. I can’t believe I lov-” 

Before you can continue, Loki’s hand is on your chin tilting it up as he presses his mouth on yours. He’s much more gentler than you were but the effect is all the same. Perhaps even more so since he was the one who initiated it. 

You melt into him any anger you held disappearing the moment his lips softly dance with yours. His hand is warm against your cheek before it moves to dig into your hair to tilt your head higher. You feel light. Light enough to float away if your hands weren’t clinging to his coat as an anchor. 

Loki pulls away too soon for your liking sporting a stupid grin. It was as if he knew a secret he shouldn’t. 

“I love you too.” 

“What?” you whisper in surprise causing Loki to laugh. 

“I love you too,” he repeats.

His words echo in your mind and you can’t help but find his amusement over you grating. 

“Too?” you ask. “I never said it.” 

“You were about to…” 

“But I didn’t!” 

“You are insufferable, woman,” Loki exclaims with false annoyance. 

“You like that about me,” you point out to him with a laugh. “You like my fire.” 

“No,” Loki answers with a shake of his head. “I love that about you.” 

Your laughter fades away at the sincerity in his eyes. It dug deeply into your soul and you find yourself back to that day in Asgard. Back to that moment alone before you entered the reception of hell. 

In that peaceful moment, Loki’s stare had been different. It had haunted you all these months you were away as you tried to decipher it. The answer was very obvious but you were so blinded with anger and pain that you hadn’t realized it until now. 

He loves you. Prince Loki of Asgard loves you. 

“You really do love me,” you sigh. 

“Of course I do,” Loki answers. “You’ve had my heart since the first moment I saw you at Stark’s gala all those months ago.” 

Your heart is beating quite fast as you realize that everything you’ve ever wanted was just at your reach. All you had to do was seize it. 

“I love you, Loki,” you finally tell him. “I really do. I love you.”

Loki is quick to kiss you again and you can’t help but laugh into it. His excitement over your confession being amusing to you. He presses another kiss on your forehead before looking down at you.

“Would you do me the honor of courting me?” Loki asks you. “No lies, no deals. A real and honest courtship.” 

You can’t help but keep him on his toes as you playfully think it over. 

“Do I have to make you another shirt?” 

“No.”

“Will we have to present ourselves to the court and ask for your father’s blessing?” 

“No,” Loki smiles.  

“Would we have to fight off another Bilgesnipe?”

Loki is quick to laugh and shakes his head. 

“If that’s the case then... yes,” you answer. “It would be an honor to court you, Prince Loki of Asgard.”  

You throw your arms around his shoulders and push yourself on your toes to press a kiss on his lips but you’re interrupted from doing so as wolf whistles and loud cheering fill the air. 

You turn around to find Bucky and the rest of your friends watching in amusement. You glare at them in return. 

“Are you staying then?” Bucky calls out.

You turn to Loki who’s waiting on your response like the rest of them. 

“Are you, pet?”  

“Yes, I’m staying,” you answer. “It seems I’ve been thoroughly convinced.” 

You hear them cheer once more but you could only focus on the man in front of you. 

“Seems like we’ve gathered a crowd,” you point out to him. “Why don’t we give them a real show?” 

Loki grins at your request and quickly pulls you close to kiss you. The cheering and whistling continues but you couldn’t care for it. You’re finally happy as you kissed the man you so deeply love.

poison & wine tag: @damalseer @just-the-hiddles @jessiejunebug@nonsensicalobsessions @smollest-soybean @assassinoftheworld@readerbandit @doyoufeelikeayounggod @strangemcuvlogs @ha-tep @i-dont-know-eiither @gene-king @day-dreaming-fox @bn-studies @is-it-madness @devilbat @victor-criss-bish @skinny-macncheese @musicconversedance @baby-bunnyxn @fandoms-allovertheplace @marvelloonie @jinxjinxednova @queenmuahaha@accio-boys @eternalqueensworld @umlvk @roger-the-reindeer@punkrockhufflefluff @your-local-abyss@horsesandwolvesaremyanimals​ @rogerrhqpsody @imsad420@pandacookieowo @justnerdystuffs @hanoi15​ @oneprolificqueen​ @nikki-who-likes-coffee​ @fandomrelative​ @nikki419ninja​ @onedollarduck​ @help-i-need-a-social-life​​ @ephemeraljade​ @catsladen @amwolowicz​ @captainmarvelnerd​ @thegirlbeyondtheuniverse​ @ddaeing​ @leftperfectionmoon​

Loki Tag: @unicorniorosacomefrutillas @thesilentbluesparrow@oddly-drawn-muse @josiehosiedaninja @hp-hogwartsexpress@sadwaywardkid @wolf-lover74 @sizzlingbarbarianglitter @sigyn-njorddottir @aoirohi​ @defunctcherrybomb​ @horsesandwolvesaremyanimals​

All Works Tag: @jmb959 @astudyoftimeywimeystuff@hellocookiecutter @steve-rogers-personal-hell @buckybarnesyard@not-zari-tak @strangersstranger @thefridgeismybestie​ @moonlightprime​ @badhollandfluff​

[imagine-loki]

Out of Place

TITLE: Out Of Place

CHAPTER NO./ONE SHOT: One Shot

AUTHOR: cateyes315

ORIGINAL IMAGINE: Imagine that Loki is bored in the Avengers Tower and goes around playing pranks. One of the pranks is to randomly rearrange things. When you go to your room and see the items in different places, you’re shocked. 

“LOKI!” your yell of rage echoes through out the hall. 

Loki is shocked and tries to slip away. But too late, his collar is caught by someone. Turning around, he sees your angry face.

“Well, how are you doing today, [name]?”

You don’t answer, and Loki gets dragged away by his collar. 

“Can we talk about this?”

“No.”

 https://imagine-loki.tumblr.com/post/618134855675510784/imagine-that-loki-is-bored-in-the-avengers-tower

RATING: Everyone

NOTES/WARNINGS: None

SUMMARY: Loki plays a prank on the reader not knowing it would backfire

                    Out Of Place

You walked into your room in Avengers tower and immediately something felt wrong. You couldn’t place your finger on it at first as there were no immediate threats around, however as you looked closer you realized your things were out of place. As if you had put them away in the wrong place, which was impossible, considering everything had its place and it drove you crazy if something was out of place. You turned around and were about to go ask the others if they knew anything when Nat stopped in your open doorway. “I see he didn’t listen,” she said leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed. “What?” You asked confused and in shock. 

“Apparently Loki was bored and decided to play some pranks, one of which was to rearrange things in EVERY room in the tower. I warned him to stay out of your room but obviously he didn’t listen.” She stated simply. You immediately went from shocked to upset, “Where is he right now?” You asked through clenched teeth, fists at your sides. “In the common area,” she answered and quickly moved out of your way as you stormed out of your room and down the hall, rage in your eyes. As you get to the common room you yell out, “LOKI!”, with rage in your voice. Loki upon hearing you angrily, yelling for him tries to slip away. But it’s too little, too late as he feels someone grab the back of his collar and turn him around. “Oh hello (Y/N), how are you today?” He asks oh so innocently. Instead of responding you proceed to drag him down the hall back to your room, despite his protests. He asks if you can talk about it but you just growl “no” while you keep pulling him down the hall. You finally let him go when you get back to your room but not until you’re both in the middle of your room. You stand there angrily glaring at him while he brushes himself off as he stands up. “Well I believe that was rather uncalled for.” He said as he looked up at you. “You think so?” You ask, still quite upset with him. “Well so was you invading MY space and MOVING EVERYTHING.” “That’s what this is about? In that case allow me to fix it.” Loki said as he raised his hand to use his magic to put it all back the way you had it. But you grabbed his hand before he could finish the motion. “You will fix this, but you will fix it the way I WANT.” You said as you let go of his hand. “Of course that’s what I was about to do, put everything back how it was.” He stated as if that was obvious, yet something about the look on your face kept him from trying to use his magic again. “That’s not exactly what I mean.” You stated while staring at him, with your arms crossed. “Then what did you have in mind (y/n)?” He asks, getting a bit nervous. “You’re going to put it ALL back the way it was,” you say with a mischievous smile starting to spread across your face. “By hand, you will not use ANY magic to assist you. Even the things on the high shelves and what I had hanging on the walls.” You saw the slight fear and shock in his eyes, “How am I supposed to reach all that with no magic?” “The same way we mortals do, those of us that can’t just fly or have magic,” you say as you pull the step stool out of your closet. “Also I assume you didn’t have help doing your pranks, so you may not have help putting everything back. You may ask Jarvis to show you where things were so it gets put EXACTLY where I had it, but that is the only help you get.” At this point, having never seen you like this before, Loki is staring at you, mouth open wide. So you inform him you will be in the common room until he finishes and proceed to walk out of your room and down the hall. However upon entering the common room you find you’re not alone. Tony looks like he’s about to bust out laughing, but Nat glaring at him stops him. She knows why you reacted the way you did but no one else does, even though Tony would probably understand. You simply sit on the couch with one of your favorite books you picked up off your dresser on the way out of your room. You sat there stretched out, blatantly ignoring the questioning glance from Cap, and started reading. *a few hours later* Loki is almost finished with putting everything back and has been wondering why you reacted so strongly when you usually laughed at his pranks. He decides to ask Jarvis. “Jarvis, perhaps you could help me with something.” He asked as politely as he could. However, he got no response from the AI that Tony was so fond of. Loki shrugged his shoulders mumbling about “intelligent indeed”, when a voice from behind him shocked him. Nat stood in the doorway glaring at Loki, when he tried to talk to Jarvis. She spoke up, “You upset (y/n) he doesn’t take kindly to that. So you can ask someone else, or you could just ask (y/n) whatever it is you were trying to find out.” “I’m curious as to why they got so upset, they usually find my pranks funny even when aimed at them.” Loki really just couldn’t understand it. “If you had just listened to me when I warned you to stay out of their room you wouldn’t be in this mess. Also you should look up OCD maybe that will explain where you screwed up.” She said as she walked away. He decided to try asking Jarvis again, “Jarvis, I’m sorry I’ve upset our friend. If you could just help me understand what this OCD is and why they’re upset, perhaps I can help fix this.” After a few moments of silence he was about to give up and just look it up himself in the Library when he finished, when he heard the AI speak to him. “OCD is a type of disorder that manifests in various ways, in (y/n)’s case things have to be put in a certain place in a certain way or it throws everything off and makes them anxious until it is replaced the way it’s supposed to be. They’ve been reading the same page in that book for the past 2 hours.” He was still annoyed with Loki but knowing he didn’t understand what his actions caused helped Jarvis want to help him fix this. “Now that book you just put on the bookshelf, was actually laying right on that nightstand. It’s one they read at night to help them relax.” “Thank you Jarvis, I truly am sorry I upset them, next time I will definitely listen to Natasha when she tells me not to do something when it comes to (y/n). They’re a very good friend and I hope I didn’t completely ruin our friendship. How long do you think they will stay mad at me?” “Having everything back how it belongs will definitely help. Other than that give them time to calm down and make sure you apologize to them. Make sure they know you’re genuinely sorry and not just saying it to get out of trouble with them.” Jarvis told him where to put a couple of other things and before long he was finished. “Thank you again for your help Jarvis. Now if you’ll excuse me I have some amends to make.” Having said that he walked out of the room and toward the common area. Everyone was sitting in the common room when he walked in and asked you to come inspect his work. You had calmed down quite a bit yet you started to get anxious as you neared your room, for fear things wouldn’t be how they belonged. As you walked in your room you realized you shouldn’t have worried about it being put back right, since Jarvis undoubtedly told him when he put something in the wrong place. You walked around the room inspecting everything while Loki stood inside your doorway, head hanging low in shame at upsetting you. Walking over to stand in front of him you told him it was perfect and he could go now. However he stood there head still hanging low and shuffling his feet as if he wanted to say something. So you asked him what was on his mind. Looking up with genuine shame and a sincere look in his eyes he apologized for his behavior. “I should’ve listened to Natasha, she warned me to leave your belongings alone. I just thought she was trying to ruin my fun, I didn’t realize how badly my actions would upset you, let alone that you couldn’t help your reaction. That doesn’t excuse my actions, if there is anything at all I can do to make it up to you no matter the cost to myself I will do whatever it takes to correct this. Even if it is to give you time and personal space.” You were shocked at first that he seemed to know about your OCD, but when you thought about it you should’ve known Nat or Jarvis would explain just how badly he screwed up by messing up your order of things. “So, who told you, Nat or Jarvis? I’m not upset, just curious as to who got through to get a genuine apology out of you.” You added to reassure him you weren’t still angry. “I know how truly rare those are,” you added with a small smile on your face. Seeing the smile and knowing you wouldn’t be upset with them telling him he confessed. “Well Natasha informed me I really screwed up and suggested I look up OCD and Jarviis filled in the blanks. I truly am sorry I upset you so, I thought it would be a funny prank.” You sighed, “Well it wasn’t funny so the next time you even think about arranging my things perhaps you’ll remember this experience and leave it alone.” “I wouldn’t dream of upsetting you so much again, especially now that I know why.” He responded and was about to say more when you both heard a voice above you. “Y/N, Loki I’m sorry to interrupt such a genuine moment but I was asked to inform you by Lady Natasha that “supper is ready and if you don’t get your asses down here I’m afraid I won’t be able to stop them from eating your favorite chinese dish”. Jarvis informed you repeating Nat’s message using her exact words, knowing that’s exactly how she would want it to be relayed. The two of you smiled at each other and you spoke first, “Guess we should get down to the dining room and get something to eat.” Loki sighed, “Yes we should, knowing my oaf af a brother there won’t be much left if we don’t hurry,” He suddenly smiled and looked at you. “Would you like to make it there rather quickly?” He asked, offering his arm and a genuine smile. “Sounds good to me, I am quite hungry,” you responded, accepting his arm with a genuine smile on your face. “So are you still mad at me my dear friend?” He asked, looking at you before moving any further. “I’m not as mad, but maybe a prank or two on Thor and Tony could help you get out of trouble quicker.” You responded with a mischievous look in your eyes and a big smile on your face knowing he couldn’t resist pranking those two more than most. “Consider it done, as soon as we finish eating,” he replied with the same look on his face. “I can handle that,” you respond, “let’s go eat then, I’m really hungry all of the sudden.” “As am I,” he said and with a wink and a shimmer of green you and Loki were teleported into the dining room at your favorite seat of the table.

[realityhelixcreates]

Beta, Theta, and Me Chapter 7: The Invisible Cage

Chapters: 7/?

Fandom: Thor (Movies), Avengers (Movies) Marvel Cinematic Universe

Rating: PG

Warnings: Relationships: Loki x Reader (But not right now),

Characters: Loki(Marvel) Additional Tags:  A/B/O, Sorta, More Of An Exploration Of Life And Self Expression Within An A/B/O Framework, Loki Does What He Wants, But Loki Does Not Actually Do What He Wants, Antagonistic Bosses, Loki Has A Throne Now, But It’s Not What He Wanted

Summary:  Loki and his servant discuss the nature of freedom.

You found yourself hiding in your apartment for several hours that day. Loki had gotten a call-the first you could remember-and had instantly bid you leave his presence. In fact, he said he would have preferred you leave the building altogether, but it was suddenly pouring outside, so you'd opted to hide out in your room instead.

You didn't know what would cause him to act that way, but you'd tried to use the time to take a nice relaxing nap. But the sound of rushing wind had rattled the tower, and someone had entered Loki's apartment without bothering to be quiet about it.

Shortly after that, the shouting had begun.

So much for napping.

You opened your door just a crack, and peered out into the round living space down the hall.

Thor was there.

THE Thor, the God of Thunder himself, the only man you'd ever thought might make a good case for monarchy.

He was pacing back and forth in front of Loki, gesticulating broadly, both of them speaking in raised voices. You didn't understand the language at all, it was round and bouncy, with long rolled R's, and rock hard consonants. They didn't seem to be fighting; this was not a shouting match with each other. This looked like shared anger, a common indignance over some other subject.

They discussed loudly with one another, Thor standing across from Loki, around the little table where you shared meals. He was drawing something in a note book, tapping the paper for emphasis, while Loki took up the pen and drew something else. Eventually, the loudness died down, both men becoming absorbed in whatever plan or problem they were going over, and you hid back away in your rooms, satisfied that there wasn't going to be a fight.

They were more than a little frightening when they shouted. There was power in those ancient voices, and it jellied your insides. What must it have been like for people, hundreds of years ago, to hear these beings speak? It wasn't surprising that bygone societies had been built around them.

Thor left eventually, with grim laughter, but seemingly on good terms. When you slunk back out into the hallway, Loki remained at the table, writing in his notebook. He seemed tense, but not angry.

“So...” You started. Loki blew out a long breath.

“I desire some kind of sweet confection.” He said. “If you do not already know how, please learn to make some kind of cake or cookie, and then do so.”

“And then...”

“And then eat some with me.”

Dismissal then. So be it. He'd tell you, or he wouldn't, what business was it of yours?

It was time to level up. It was time to learn how to make cookies.

                                                                         ******

You knew that if this were a movie, or TV show, smoke would billow out once you opened that oven, and your cookies would all be burnt. But that's not what this was, and your cookies were actually fine. A little flat and crispy around the edges, but perfectly tasty. Loki seemed to take extra pleasure in their crunchiness, a detail you filed away for later. He was still agitated, but it was like a swift current at the bottom of a calm stream. You found yourself a bit afraid to step in.

“What do you think freedom is?” He asked abruptly. He'd been back into his extra-long-titled philosophy books again. You'd been trying to convince him to move on from Keirkegaard, but the existentialism spoke to him.

He'd had you sit with him next to his huge fireplace, and sing a few times now, and he even translated excerpts from his books for you in order to discuss them with you. He liked your somewhat cynical, layman's view on these lofty subjects, even seemed to find validity in your sometimes frustrated “I don't know, why should it matter?” answers. This time you thought about it for a while.

“I think it doesn't actually exist. It's an unobtainable idea.” You said.

“Care to expand?”

“Well, okay. So what is freedom? That's a really tough question, right? Like, for some people, its 'not being discriminated against because of skin color' or something like that. For others, it as simple as financial stability. But both of those have something in common with what I think is the average definition, which is 'not being beholden to capricious authority figures'. But is that even possible? I mean, say you're a king.

Not literally!” You exclaimed, as Loki opened his mouth. “But as a king, there's supposedly no higher power than you in all the land, right? But...you also have responsibilities. Burdens. You have to rule, and you have to do it well, or you won't be king for long. You still, in some part, owe your time and effort to the people you rule. You aren't free. You can't just do whatever you want, whenever you want. The people won't put up with it. Eventually, they'll rise up an overthrow you, maybe even kill you. It happened a lot.

But if you go with the Divine Right idea, even though you're telling the peasants that they have to do whatever you say because it's God's will, it's still admitting that you answer to a higher power. Therefore, you are not free, because you are under the authority of a deity and supposedly have to abide by their rules and doctrines. If you don't, your Divine right to rule may be revoked and again, if you have ruled poorly, you'll be overthrown and killed.

You can't even reach freedom by removing yourself from the chains of society. Take yourself off to some deserted place with no other people around, and you can do whatever you want, right? Except you still have to eat. You still need shelter. You still have to spend a lot of time dealing with those things. You are still trapped by the laws of nature. Try to defy them, and you will be killed.

Even in death...either there's no afterlife, and you just stop existing at all, and therefore can't engage in concepts such as freedom, or there is an afterlife, but it follows the rules of the god who created it, and you have to follow those rules while you're there. There's no such thing as true freedom. It can't be achieved.”

“How does that make you feel?” Loki asked softly.

You shrugged. “Not as frustrated as I should, I guess. I don't feel strongly about it. What am I supposed to do about it, rebel?”

“Isn't that what your parents did?”

“Yeah, and they're both dead!” You exclaimed. Loki fell quiet.

“I'm sorry.” You said. “It's just that everyone who finds out about them expects me to be like them, but I'm just not. I'm not their opposite, but I'm not...them.”

“What happened to them?” He inquired. “I don't actually know about them, save for what you have alluded to.”

“You have a phone, right? Look up the 'Joyful Liberation Compound'. I'll clean up these cookies.”

You washed the dishes and cleaned up all the flour and crumbs. When you joined him at the table again, he was staring at his phone, expression grim.

“Yeah.” You said.

“You are the only survivor.” He stated.

“Yeah, because I ran away when I turned seventeen. Had to smuggle myself out in the back of a supply truck. They didn't let us back outside once we came in. Only very carefully vetted individuals, high in the pecking order were allowed back into the outside world, and then only to recruit or bring back supplies that we couldn't create at the compound. 'Liberation' was right in the name, but we were very Not Free.”

“Brave little thing.” Loki said. “It must have been very difficult to make that choice.”

“We joined when I was fifteen.” You said. “I was only there for two years. Not like the other kids, who were raised there, or spent most of their lives there. They didn't know anything else. Now they never will.”

“Your government baffles me sometimes.” Loki said. “Billionaire slavers are elevated rather than criminalized, yet they're perfectly prepared to raze an entire compound to the ground? With everyone inside? Even the children?”

“They were an accelerationist cult.” You pointed out. “They thought the end of American civilization was coming, and that they were supposed to help bring it about.”

“And your government is full of dominionists and fascists.” Loki pointed back. “This seems nothing more than one civil deconstructionist cult destroying the competition while it is still small.”

“Yeah, it sucks all around.” You agreed heatedly. “That's what happens when you have one set of laws for a favored class of people, and another for everyone else. The scum rises to the top and then chokes out everyone else...Sorry.”

Loki regarded you sourly. “You speak very freely, brave thing.”

“Is it different where you come from?” You asked.

“Yes, actually. We have an unbroken line of succession that oversees a thriving and prosperous culture, kept that way by firm, yet judicious leaders.”

“You tried to take over a whole planet by force!”

“I intended to fix your crumbling infrastructure and even out your unbelievable inequality issues.” Loki insisted.

“By enslaving us all? Making us all equally subservient to you?”

“There is a difference between bravery and foolishness.” He warned. “I meant to rule as a benevolent god. You do not wish to see me vengeful!”

You snapped your mouth shut. His Alpha scent intensified when he exerted his personality, but it was the power in his voice that shivered through you.

You hated that. You hated it. The scent made you so uncomfortable, dredged up so many tainted memories. And the vocal power of an Old God squelched your spirit. You sat, still and quiet, practically radiating resentment.

After a few moments of extremely uncomfortable silence, Loki sighed.

“It would not have worked.” He admitted. “My intentions were not pure. I would certainly have tried, yes, I would have given my best effort, but there were...other...factors.”

“What other factors?” You asked. Hadn't your real boss, the one that paid you, the Tony Stark one, asked you to find out things about this exact subject?

Also, you were curious. What was the secret? What had brought the great god Loki low?

His mouth opened and then closed. No sound came out. As you watched in growing confusion, his face began to twitch, twisting into a grimace, his eyes filling with frustration. Breath hissed through bared teeth, his fists clenching over the armrests of his wheelchair. Sweat broke out on his forehead.

“Loki? Loki! Stop!” You exclaimed. “Stop, you don't have to! Stop!”

Loki let out a groan of pain, then shoved you away when you grabbed his hand. You fell right on your rear.

“Get out of here!” Loki roared. “Get out of my sight, and do not show your face again today!”

You scrambled to your feet and rushed to your apartment, slamming the door behind you. Your organs felt like water, as you slid down the back of your door, flinching at the sounds of destruction coming from outside.

What was that? What had just happened? Did it hurt him to try to speak of what happened to him? It had seemed like some painful, physical battle. You fumbled for your phone and called your real boss.

[jayxscripta]

The Mahaigner - Chapter Eight

Why is in character dialogue both the easiest and also the hardest part of writing a story I-

They were the last to arrive at the meeting room. Its tall doors were swung wide open and from inside, she caught the hum of hushed conversation.

Madeline was still surprised that she was allowed to be present at the meeting, given as it seemed so important. Why would the ex-Avengers want her, a virtual civilian, listening to critical or sensitive information? Unless it concerned her specifically, then she was glad they were including her.

She couldn’t help comparing the room to the Avengers Compound. It wasn’t a huge room—just large enough to hold a long, glass table—but had a high, vaulted ceiling and reaching glass windows that overlooked the city. It was dark now and Wakanda was glowing like one gigantic neon sign.

“Madeline.” Ivanoff gave her a tiny nudge, acknowledging the man in front of her who needed no introduction, though she still provided one. “King T’Challa.”

“Your highness,” Madeline said, bowing even more awkwardly. Shit, should I have curtsied? Or is that just a European tradition?

The king chuckled, waving dismissively. “Don’t worry, we don’t do that here.”

As if Ivanoff could sense her embarrassment, she nudged her forward towards the table in the center of the room. “You could have warned me before hand,” Madeline whispered fiercely.

Ivanoff shrugged. “It’s happened to all of us—basically a rite of passage at this point.”

Madeline found herself placed between Wilson and Loki, and before she could protest, her escort had already walked away and seated herself on the former’s other side. To avoid looking at anyone else, she laid her folded hands on the table and instead studied the identical rings left on her wrists by the cuffs. Just how long would they remain?

T’Challa took his place at the head of the table, opting to stand rather than sit. Once everyone was seated, he didn’t waste any time delving into the subject of the meeting. Madeline leaned forward eagerly.

“I’ve just received word from Everett Ross that he knows we’re hiding several fugitives,” T’Challa said. He sounded grave—a stark contrast to how he had sounded just a few moments ago.

“How does he know?” Rogers looked up, concerned.

“He didn’t disclose that information.”

“It could be a bluff. He could be trying to force us out of hiding,” Ivanoff pointed out.

“And if he’s not?” Rogers asked sharply. “If he really does come here, and figures out that Wakanda is hiding not only a known Asgardian war criminal and General Ross’s current most wanted, but also several other highly wanted fugitives?”

“Then we risk ruining Wakanda’s relations with the rest of the world,” Ivanoff said.

“We won’t force you to leave,” T’Challa assured, “that’s something you must decide for yourselves. Perhaps you can take a vote?”

“That sounds like a good idea,” said Romanoff. It was odd to see her without her iconic red hair. “I’ll go first. We should leave.”

Her blunt response set fire to the room. “And go where?” Wilson asked, surprised by her declaration.

“We can find somewhere,” Maximoff said. “It’s not as if we aren’t used to undercover work.”

“If we leave, we’re going back to the compound,” Rogers said firmly. Maximoff pursed her lips, looking as if she wanted to object, but ultimately decided against it. “I vote that we do as well.”

Ivanoff hesitated, looking between her friends. “I know what your answers are,” she said, looking at Wilson and another man who Madeline was decently certain was the Winter Soldier. “And I think you know mine, too.”

“Three against three doesn’t get us very far.”

All heads swiveled to T’Challa. He shook his head. “Don’t look at me. I said I was abstaining,” he reminded them chidingly. “You should talk this over. Maybe then you can come to a compromise.”

It was no wonder the Avengers fell apart, if they so often differed and argued without seeking common ground. Madeline got the feeling the king played mediator a lot—she could see why he was a good leader.

“We’ve been running for long enough,” Rogers said, “sometimes you have to know when it’s time to recompense.”

“Recompense?” Ivanoff practically snorted. “We weren’t the only ones at fault. But we were always the ones who tried to reach out. And now we—what, turn ourselves in?”

“She has a point,” Maximoff pointed out haltingly. But her face was still the picture of confliction.

“It’s time,” Romanoff said, as if she thought that would magically end the conversation. “We can’t sit back and let them invade Wakanda, ruin their foreign relations, turn Bruce into a lab experiment—”

“They will lock us in prison,” Ivanoff seethed. “And that will help nobody.”

“And if we stay, and they come here and still arrest us?”

“So, we have to leave.”

“We can’t let them do what they did to Wanda again,” Wilson backed Ivanoff up, “if Clint were here, he’d agree.”

“Low blow, Wilson,” Romanoff warned.

“Well, he isn’t.” Rogers steered the conversation back on track quickly. “Because he cut a deal.”

“To be with his family.”

Madeline glanced to Loki. If he felt as uncomfortable and out of place as she did, he was hiding it very well. The ex—or secret, whichever—Avengers were arguing as if they were the only ones affected—what about Dr. Strange? Or Astrid? Or the Asgardians? Or her and Loki?

“Is there any way we can rescue them without turning ourselves in?” she asked hopefully. They were superheroes, for crying out loud—surely, they could pull something like that off.

“Not without it ending in a fight,” Maximoff answered tiredly.

“Does she get a vote?” Wilson asked, pointing to Madeline and then Loki. “And him?”

“They’re not Avengers, are they?” Romanoff countered. The answer seemed to be “no”.

“Neither are we,” Maximoff responded.

“Technically, we’re still the Avengers. Just—secretly,” Wilson piped up.

“Sure.”

“I do think we should go back,” Madeline offered, ignoring their surprised looks. Did they think she wouldn’t say anything just because she didn’t get a vote?

“Isn’t it really Ross’ fault that the two of you ended up in this situation in the first place?” Ivanoff asked, though it sounded like she already knew the answer.

“Well, yes,” Madeline agreed. “But I don’t want other people to take the fall for a problem that I created.”

“But you weren’t the one who arrested them,” Ivanoff said. “Which is what will happen to you if you go back.”

“Tori,” Rogers began, placatingly, as if he was trying to soothe an agitated animal, “this isn’t the same situation as it was a year ago. You can’t let what happened then cloud your judgement now.”

“You’re bitter,” Romanoff summarized shortly.

Ivanoff stared back at both of them incredulously, shifted uncomfortably, and folded her arms before muttering a quiet, “I should go.” When she turned to leave the room, her fists were glowing deep purple.

T’Challa sighed and surveyed the assembled group carefully. “Think it over,” he suggested.

Madeline dropped her gaze. Wise advice.

[fablesrose]

Of Kings and Shadows X

Chapter X

Description: Y/n, a girl who seems to have found her calling. Being a SHIELD agent is like a dream come true. With a friendship starting to form with the Avengers, she’s the Queen of the world! What could go wrong?

Pairings: Avengers x reader, Loki x reader (eventually)

Notes: On Wattpad -> Here

A/n: Sorry it's late. Finals week's been kicking my butt, but the dead know that by heaven I'm gonna kick it back.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I would have thought that going on that mission, which went remarkably well, by the way, would have rejuvenated me for weeks. It did, for a while, but then I felt like I was hooked on adrenaline. I wanted to go on more and more missions. I asked for as many as I could handle, and then maybe a few more. I kept getting stronger and stronger in both training and out in the field. Some of the missions I was manning the drones, others, with my team watching their backs while by their side.

And I was loving every minute of it.

That is until my high fell, like a rock. I guess in all the heightened excitement my brain couldn't tell when my body was saying stop.

I got sick.

It wasn't just sniffles and sneezes though. My head was spinning, it took longer than it should to focus on something, and it was honestly a miracle that I even made it to work in the first place.

Speaking of which... When did I get here? And how?

I only frowned a moment when I tried to recall. I shook my head and tried once more to focus on my computer screen, wrapping my blanket tighter around me. Before I knew it it was a full hour later and I hadn't scrolled at all. When I got to the bottom of the page I suddenly realized that I couldn't recall a word I had read and had to return to the beginning. By about the fifth time I figured I had understood enough of the passage to scroll to the next page. I took a moment to blow my nose and open up a cough drop before attempting to continue reading.

After another couple of hours, my body had become stiff and creaky. I groaned when I unfolded my legs from my criss-cross position on my chair. I attempted to stand, once, twice, thrice. I finally rocked one last time and used my desk to stand. My eyes rolled back at the aching in my body and a shiver wracked me when my blanket slipped from my shoulders. I would like to say I reached for it quickly, but I probably looked like an old woman.

When I had eventually secured my blanket around my body I decided it was time to walk around to stretch my legs. I tried to avoid as many people as possible; nobody wanted to see a sick person, nor did I want anybody to get sick because of me.

I got tired quicker than I expected and soon headed back to my office to stare at my computer.

This sucks.

I sniffled all the way down the hallway and attempted to blow my nose when I got there but to no avail.

I really wanted to cry.

Instead, I thought it would be a good idea if I just sucked on my water bottle like a toddler. It made me feel better.

A knock came to my door a moment before it opened. I was sitting criss-cross-apple sauce in my office chair, wrapped up in a blanket, sucking on a water bottle pathetically, and jerking my body awkwardly to turn around and face the newcomer.

"Y/n, you look like death."

"That's cuz I feel like death Agent Fletcher!" I angrily continued sucking on my water bottle, glaring at Brian.

He pressed his lips together and gave me a look that I couldn't tell if it was disappointment or concern, "You should go home."

"No! I hate being behind!"

He blinked at me and then left my door open.

"Hey! You could at least close the door!" I scootched my chair over to the door and closed it, then jerked my body around to twist the chair back towards my desk. I got about half-way there when my door opened once more.

I scowled and wiggled to see who it was this time.

"How are you feeling?" Clint folded his arms over his chest and stru.2ggled not to smile.

"I'd feel a lot better if I could get to work! How does it look like I'm feeling?!"  I readjusted my blanket around my shoulders and sniffed aggressively.

He sighed and rubbed a hand over his face, "Okay, come on. I'm taking you home."

I hissed at him, "No! I already missed two days! I've gotta get ahead!" I frantically gripped at my desk, struggling against Clint as he grabbed my chair.

"You've got to rest, Y/n!" He grunted with effort, but I wasn't letting go easily.

"AAaaaahHHH"

He then gave up tugging on me but I didn't let up my grip; I still latched on, anxious and ready for the next attempt. Instead of grabbing my chair or even my hands, Clint did something truly diabolical.

He stole my blanket.

"Cliiiiiiiinnnnntttt, give me my blankie back," I whined at him, still not trusting myself to let go of my desk, I reached one hand at him desperate to calm my now shivering body with my stolen blanket.

His face seemed to break slightly at my pathetic attempt, but he stayed firm in holding it, "No, Y/n, you've got to go home and rest. Feel better and then you can come back to work. Okay?"

I deflated, the exhaustion only just setting in, I looked back at Clint who relaxed slightly. My eyes drooped heavily as I whispered, "Okay..."

I stood up slowly, pausing when I became light-headed. I packed up my stuff and traded it for my blanket to Clint. We walked down to the parking lot where Clint started to lead me to a black car.

"But my car, Clint..."

"Yeah, you're in no condition to drive, and I wouldn't have a ride if I drove your car. Besides, it's a company car, it'll be safe in its company's parking garage."

I huffed and got into the passenger seat. The smooth leather was warm when I slid onto it. I cinched the seatbelt nice and tight, securing me to the seat and my blanket around me. I turned to seat heater on and soon I found myself drifting to sleep curled up in the warm car.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Y/n," Clint looked over to her beside him after she had been quiet for a couple of minutes. He saw she was comfortably curled up and sleeping peacefully and he couldn't bring himself to wake her. She needed the rest, desperately.

He sighed, "I don't know where you live."

He sat at the light trying to make a decision on what to do. He only made it right as the light turned green. He drove to the next best place where he knew you would feel comfortable. The car pulled up to the front of the compound, careful to not jerk to a stop.

Clint walked around to the passenger side and opened the door as quietly as possible. He was contemplating on how to get her into the building when she sniffed extra grossly.

"Nope, nope, can't do it. Sorry Y/n, but I really don't want to get sick." He closed the door softly and locked the door. Clint walked into the lobby and called on the AI, "Hey Jarvis."

"Yes, sir?"

"You mind getting Thor's attention?"

"Of course sir."

Clint tapped his foot waiting for a response, "Too bad Steve's out on a mission. I don't think he would get sick."

"Thor is currently in the middle of watching a romantic comedy and asked to not be disturbed."

Clint groaned, "wh- you know what? I'm not going to ask." He tapped his foot a minute longer before speaking again.

"Jarvis, tell Loki that I need his help down here."

"Right away, sir."

Clint waited impatiently for Loki to come down after Jarvis informed him that he was on his way. Finally, Loki came from the elevator, leisurely strolling towards Clint.

"The voice informed me you need help?"

"You don't get sick right?"

Loki paused and tilted his head slightly, "Not by your infirmities, no."

"Good, I didn't care anyway--"

Loki rolled his eyes and halfway thought about just leaving to go back to his room.

"Y/n's in the car asleep, sick as a dog," Clint pointed to the car on the other side of the glass doors and then at himself, "I have no need to get sick."

Loki looked intrigued, but still not convinced, "Why don't you just wake her up?"

"She really needs her rest," his attention was fixed on the little bit of her he could see over the car window, "I couldn't get myself to."

Loki rolled his eyes, "Fine."

"Thanks, now why don't you bring her to--"

"I'll wake her up." Loki started for the car.

"NO!" Clint quickly grabbed his arm to stop him. "She needs all the sleep she can get and she'll probably throw a fit being here instead of at work or at home!"

"All the more reason to wake her up so you can take her home."

Clint scowled and decided to bring out the big guns, "That really won't help her, do you want another round of what happened the last time you didn't help her? I'll go get Nat right now."

Loki stiffened remembering the pure fear of being under the wrath of both Clint and Natasha. He twisted his neck and glared at him, but Clint didn't break. "Fine! Fine. I will take her to..." He gestured for Clint to continue his thought.

He hesitated for a moment before he remembered his thought, "Oh! I'm not sure if there are any bedrooms set up, or where they are, so just take her to the common room couch for now."

They walked out together to the car door. Clint unlocked it and carefully opened the door for Loki. Clint gave home one last glare in warning before Loki stuck his head in to unbuckle the seat belt.

Y/n shifted in her sleep and both men froze until she stilled herself. Loki half thought about throwing her over his shoulder just to spite Clint, but seeing her pathetic little sniffles as she slept caused him to not follow through. He carefully hooked one arm under her knees and then the other under her back where there was enough space to wedge into.

Clint guided them out making sure nothing caught on the way out. He closed and locked the car and walked in front of Loki to open the doors.

Not long after being removed from the hot car Y/n began shivering. Loki looked down at her with concern and adjusted the blanket as much as he was able. When the shivering didn't cease, he hugged her a little tighter to his chest hoping to provide her a little warmth. While she didn't stop completely, she wasn't vibrating as violently as before.

When the three of them reached the common room Loki placed y/n on the couch with the most sun shining on it. Clint ran around gathering supplies: tissues, cough drops, lots of pills, a fluffy pillow that he was never going to use again after today, and he even refilled her water bottle.

Loki wasn't exactly sure what to do when mortals got sick, but he didn't think the constant shivering was a good thing in any race of beings. He casually strolled over to the closet and grabbed a couple of extra blankets to place over her. She quickly latched on to them and curled a bit more into herself like she was conserving heat.

"Clint, I think she is still too cold."

Clint popped his head back into the room from the kitchen to see for himself, "Hmmm, yeah I think you're right. I think Natasha has some rice bags or a hot water bottle or somethin' Y/n could use." He scratched behind his hearing aid thinking of where to find them, "I'll go look around, try and find them."

Loki watched him go and then sat on one of the other couches to read.

Eventually, Clint came back with a couple of rice bags in his arms. He walked to the kitchen and started warming them up in the microwave.

"Oh! Hot! Hot!" He hissed as he played hot potato with the rice packs coming back from the kitchen. He placed one by her feet, one on the small of her back, and the last one in her arms for her to hug to her chest.

Y/n took no time to curl around it and let out a little puff of contentment.

Clint sighed softly, "I'm going to go tell Nat that she's here, I have to go back to Shield to finish up some stuff." Clint turned to Loki who was barely paying attention to him. "I trust -- no, you'll watch her for a few minutes in between me and her being here."

Loki hummed, disinterested, as he slowly turned his page.

Clint took that as a yes and walked down the hallway asking Jarvis where Natasha was in the building.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I woke up feeling better sickness wise, but still so tired. I tried to move only to find I was effectively incapacitated by a tangle of blankets. It took me a couple of minutes to free myself, all the while trying to remember when I grabbed this many blankets. I sat up on the couch, why am I on a couch? I glared at the ground trying to recall the last place I remember being. I knew the rice pack I was hugging to my chest despite it not being hot anymore wasn't mine, but that didn't give me much clue. My surroundings seemed familiar, it obviously wasn't my apartment, but my brain was so blurry I couldn't think straight. I rubbed my eyes and shook my head trying to clear it with a slight grunt.

"Ah, you're awake."

My head snapped up to see Loki on another couch, not looking at me from his book. How I didn't notice him before is a mystery. I blinked at him, making sure I was really awake and not having cough syrup overdose hallucinations. When he didn't move or waver I answered gravelly, "Uh, yeah... Is this the compound?"

"Indeed."

"Uh, Your Highness? How did I get here?" I took a sip from my water bottle which soothed my throat.

"Do you not remember?"

"I wouldn't be asking if I did."

Natasha entered the room in a t-shirt and joggers, "You're feeling well enough to sass it sounds like."

I huffed, "Yeah, I guess so."

She sat the closest she could without being on the couch with my pile of tangled blankets, "To answer your question, Clint was charged with taking you home early from work but you fell asleep on the way. He was a softy and didn't wake you up for your address so he just took you here."

I nodded, it starting to come back to me, "That's right..." I looked at my bag with all my stuff, "Well, tell him thanks, but I feel well enough to drive now. If you could give me a ride to Shield so I can pick up my car..." I trailed off for two reasons, one: the question was obvious, and two: Natasha was looking at me with a 'really?' look.

"It's late, you're not going anywhere."

I opened my mouth to protest but she continued.

"Besides, Tony, Steve, and Clint will be back in a bit," Nat checked the time, "And I'm gonna drag Bruce out of the lab about the same time. An hour." She smiled at me kindly, "You still need to rest to get over your bug, so you're gonna stay over here for at least tonight to get the best care."

I smiled but immediately saw a problem, "That's kind of you, but I don't have my clothes for tonight or tomorrow."

She wordlessly grabbed a bag from the side of the couch I couldn't see previously. I recognized it as a bag I used regularly, usually hung by my front door. She tossed it onto my lap. Opening it up I found two sets of clothes and a pair of pajamas.

All of them were mine.

I looked at her puzzled, "How-?"

She responded with nothing, only staring me right in the eyes.

I decided not to ask.

I guess it was settled. I was going to stay here for the night.

Oh boy.

Tag list: @nightrose64

[starcityhq]

WHAT: The Justice League and the Avengers officially combine to form The Avenging League of Justice - or The Avenging League for short. Batman and Captain America lead the first meeting to discuss strategies for combating NOVA. Egos clash and chaos ensues, but teams are set and there is finally a plan in motion.

WHO: Batman, Captain America, Wonder Woman, Superman, Iron Man, Falcon, Loki, Bucky, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Superboy, Supergirl, Flash, Spiderman, Human Torch, Invisible Woman, Booster Gold, Zatanna, Oracle, Batgirl, Stinger, Wiccan, Scarlet Witch, Nightwing, and Red Robin.

WHEN: Tuesday, March 20th, 2020.

BATMAN: The meeting took much longer to organize the Bruce would have liked. The latest events in Star City were unfortunate distractions, but after the riot it seemed everyone was finally prepared to commit to the union of their prospective teams. The Justice League reformed years ago, but the only consistent members were himself and Diana - until Clark’s return. Even though Bruce would never admit it, it was his arrival that put life back into the idea. It made it seem more than possible; now, it was necessary. He gave everyone time to be seated. Even though there were several meetings he had with Steve in the past in preparation for this, he was still unprepared for the amount of people that showed. All of them he knew, even if they knew little nothing more about him than his reputation and, more recently, his real name. “We are here because we have a common goal and a common enemy.” He skipped the pleasantries and the thank yous. He expressed his gratitude to everyone he asked here and saw little reason to do so a second time. There were more pressing things to discuss. “Alone we have been able to fight them on a smaller scale, but that is no longer enough. If we are going to eradicate NOVA’s influence from Star City and prevent further destruction, we need to unite. I assume you all understand that, or you would not be here. During this meeting we will share what we each know about NOVA, their organization, technology, as well as their connections to a higher government. All of us have pieces of the puzzle. If we’re going to beat them, we must know everything about them. They are not infallible.” He paused, frowning. “I do know that they are currently perfecting a device that will not only de-power mutants, but meta-humans as well. Kryptonians and other aliens will not be exempt from this.”

CAPTAIN AMERICA: Steve had put on the Cap suit for the first time since... well the last time he had put it on had been for himself. But this time, he had put it on for its true purpose. And it was as if he was home in a lot of ways. Maybe that was cheesy, as Bucky always accused him of being. But it was true. All that was missing was the weight of the shield at his back. He had left off his helmet--his identity hadn't been secret since 1941--and he wanted to be able to connect to the people around him, some of them friends, some of them former allies, and some of them people he had fought against but who had changed for the better. With the League assembled alongside the new Avengers, it was the kind of thing deep enough to give him real hope. "Batman is right," he said simply. "For a long time, we've been letting these guys go unchecked, and they've been hurting people. Not just you and me, but people who need us. The riots really brought that out hard, but Batman and I started discussing this long before that. As Avengers, we're no strangers to operating against the flow of what is expected in pursuit of the greater good. With all of us combined with the Justice League, we can see the loose threads to pull on to unravel this whole thing. To protect people. A man much smarter than me once said 'one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws', and we're in a unique position to see that injustice firsthand and to work together to bring this city back to a place where people can feel safe again." He glanced around at everyone at the table. "As Batman said, we all have the tools, but separate we're just people. Together, we're more powerful than anything they can throw at us. It's not gonna be easy, but we've all faced hard things before."

SUPERMAN: It was years too late, what they were doing. They’d all bowed out and Clark had championed it, like a fool, so the injustice they were speaking of correcting felt a little more like picking up the pieces that should’ve never fallen in the first place. He’d dealt with that feeling for awhile, though, and there was no more room for the guilt when he (they) had finally decided to move again. So he gave Bruce and Steve his full attention, suppressing the swell of gratitude and relief he felt at seeing them at the helm of what they were doing. On their own, none of them had been able to right the wrongs that had happened, but he had not a single doubt that all the people around that table were capable of pulling together to do it. “There are a lot of people outside of this room depending on us to get this right. I know we can do it.” He glanced around at his Justice League compatriots and all the new faces of the Avengers he hadn’t officially met. “That’s why we’re here. NOVA has had a lot of chances to hit first, and I think it’s time we took some of them away.”

BLACK WIDOW: Natasha didn't speak. She didn't need to. Seated between James and Clint, it was like coming back from a long trip as she watched Steve give one of his keystone inspirational speeches. Her green eyes flitted around the room, marking the rapt expressions on most of the faces. Ever so subtly, she moved to slip her fingers into Clint's. They had plans to take him to James' therapist. They'd get his memories unlocked, but she was sure he was probably feeling lost, even if she had filled him in about NOVA and he had been there for the riots. He belonged here. He was an Avenger, but she wondered what was going through his head. Self-doubt, likely. He didn't remember this part of his life. Still, hearing Steve speak for the first time was a sobering experience for her. She wondered what it was like to get a second first time.

ZATANNA: Zatanna did her nails while everyone sat and listened. The brush moved on its own, though she occasionally had to twitch a finger to keep it going. She knew why she was here, obviously, but at the same time, she knew nothing about NOVA, and all she really wanted to do was set the bastards on fire. Maybe have ants eat them from the inside out. This was what happened when she was left alone and allowed to get creative. Flicking a wave at Bruce, she added a flourish of bats into her nail polish just to amuse herself. She showed them off. It wasn't her fault she could never be serious about this sort of thing. She dealt with eldritch horrors and world ending nightmares on a fairly regular basis. This was just bureaucracy. And the inspirational speech was lovely, but really, what did it accomplish? This is why she didn't work in groups, they spent too much time talking and not enough time doing. "So, do we have any concrete ideas? Or is this just a planning committee?" Her leg swung over the other, her foot tapping restlessly, she was the picture of impatience. "None of you fought this when it started. Everyone just accepted it and retired. I had to go halfway around the world and rehab my image for years to get people to think of me as just a stage magician so I could still keep the universe from getting cut open by the next greedy idiot who decided power was worth a lot of people dying. And now we're all here to pump some pompoms and talk about our feelings? Spare me." Normally she was better behaved. She'd been spending too much time with cranky wizards. "Look, I know I'm the asshole here, I know we have to fix things now regardless of what already happened. Proceed." She pulled a rabbit out of her top hat and fed it treats from her pocket.

WICCAN: Billy was a little starstruck, just as he’d been the first time the Young Avengers had suddenly been actual Avengers and were taken to the mansion. It was marred slightly by the idea that his mother was dating Batman, shattering the illusion just a fraction, but it was easy to forget while sitting around that table. Still, he wasn’t there to be a fan. He was there to be an Avenger and, first and foremost, help people. Even if speaking after Superman made him want to throw up just a little. “Since this...is a problem that is a lot bigger than just us, I guess I have a question already.” He looked up toward the head of the table at Bruce and Steve, “Are we sharing the information we have with the X-Men?” Obviously they weren’t the Avengers and they weren’t the League, but Billy was a mutant on top of all the rest. So was everyone in his family. If it was pure radio silence on that front, that sat wrongly with him. “...Glad to be here, though,” he added. He glanced only briefly at Zatanna after she’d spoken to say, “And we didn’t all retire.” He’d never put away his suit, even if changing the world on his own was...frowned upon, to say the least.

ORACLE: "Taking on big corporations and entities of evil takes time, manpower, and strategy. I think plenty people, here and not here, tried to fight off NOVA, but you can only fight government-backed and covered-up abuse so much on your own. I think that's the point," Barbara leaned forward, not at all mad that Zatanna spoke up, if anything she was amused at her friend, with a ghost of a smirk on her face. She was also more than used to at least some of the people here making their opinions undeniably known, so she continues without hesitation. She certainly doesn't disagree that action is the priority here. "As far as their systems, I've determined timeframes I can personally have them exposed and vulnerable, both virtually and physically. I'm still working on being able to do these things undetected, but that will come soon enough. We have ways in, but we need coordination. I also think," Barbara nods to Billy, "that the X-Men will be able to help us here. Magneto may have taken responsibility, but he didn't single handedly evacuate all of NOVA's 'patients' from that place. They have experience here that's going to be invaluable, and we'd only be making ourselves weak by not attempting to reach out."

LOKI: Loki had never been a part of a team really. He had been working with the JLD at the request of the other magic users, though very few people knew about his role undercover as Johan the insane NOVA scientist. He was in it for the chaos, sure, and for the security of throwing in with the people who had absolutely pummeled him when he had tried to take over Midgard--through granted, the Mad Titan had made him insane enough to get him to do it. He had needed to be pummeled. But all that aside... this talk of justice was all new for him. What Zatanna said was right on the tip of his tongue, and mischief danced through his eyes before he clamped down on it. "I agree with our esteemed 'stage magician'," he said simply. "While all the talk of--" He switched into Steve for a moment--"injustice and saving people and what we can do together--" Back to Loki. "Is extremely moving... on Asgard when such a threat was present, we, too, gathered our strongest warriors. However, the Council usually decided that waging war was the right go ahead unless, of course, we couldn't win. But can't she wipe things from reality?" He said, nodding to Wanda. "Mightn't it be a little simpler to look to the example of the man in the metal suit? There cannot be riots if there is no NOVA left." He nodded to the one in blue with the flowing red cape. "He looks to be an impressive warrior alongside Sir Justice. Zatanna is right, what are the plans?" Why, for example, was he gathering information for them? He was happy to do it, but if the reason wasn't to more efficiently wage war... what was it. He was legitimately confused.

NIGHTWING: Dick knew firsthand how difficult it was to run a team. People seemed to assume that those who had the initiative to head up a group had all the answers, or should, and didn’t recognize that it was a collaborative effort. The fact that Bruce was willing to entertain others’ ideas and not tackle this on his own was a surprising development; in his opinion, it made it clear that things were a lot more dire than most people were willing to admit. Steve’s speech was moving and was meant to inspire them. While he understood others’ frustrations, it frustrated him that it was brushed aside just because neither of them could provide all the answers. “The point is to avoid more death and destruction,” he said. “Seems to me like waging war without fully understanding our enemy and their abilities would be a mistake. We’re all here to share what we know, so we can come up with a solid plan that limits casualties. If any one of you actually thought getting together and sharing our expertise, and we have a lot of it, is an actual waste of time, then the door’s over there.” He didn’t have a lot of patience for people complaining about things not getting things done and then… offering little in way of concrete or productive plans that WOULD get things done. “Babs is right. This is going to take a great deal of strategy if we’re going to get the upper hand, especially because this organization goes way beyond what we’re just seeing in Star City. There are other government agencies involved. It goes a lot higher up, and... I don't know if we know the extent of it yet.”

FLASH: For once in his entire life, Barry hadn't been late to something. He was worked up and wired – but relatively calm for him. They were all supposed to be a team again; and in the spirit of camaraderie he had attended the meeting in costume – but lowered his cowl once inside the conference room. “Not all of us retired, Z... I just, sort of disappeared for a while.” He fidgeted but moved on. “Barry Allen – by the way; or uh, The Flash. For those of you that I don't officially know.” He waved slightly. What was a secret identity anyway? Barry shot a look at the man – Loki – as he shifted his form and questioned about a direct course of action. “Nightwing is right.” He gestured at Dick. “Wiping something – someone, people – from reality isn't the answer... just like messing with time wasn't the answer for myself or anyone else here that has the ability to do so--” He couldn't help but eye Michael slightly. “Uh, information, right. So, the only real information I have regarding NOVA is from a conversation I had with their lieutenant, a Jihl Nabel. She played the role to a tee but the is bad blood between NOVA and the SCPD. She left an agent behind to monitor our forensics department – which I gotta say has been incredibly annoying dealing with – but I think there might be a distrust among NOVA that the local authorities will refuse to continue putting up with their presence or no longer do as they say without question.” Barry explained at length before settling back into his chair. “Sorry I don't have more information... splitting myself between forensics cases and Flash-work has left little spare time to actual tangle with these guys.”

HUMAN TORCH: Being at a round table with so many other people was a far cry from the Fantastic Four. Just Four. Johnny didn’t know half of who he was looking at, and his own personal agenda was coloring everything in his life right then. He wanted to know what the hell had happened to Peter, and he was more sure than ever that NOVA was behind whatever it was. The weird isolation they’d had to maintain mingled with his own lack of patience and just plain irritation and he’d been unable to drum up his usual sunny self for the meeting. “Preparation and strategy, sure. That’s why we’re sitting here. But if we don’t start moving right now, people are going to get killed, and I’d rather take a shot at something before that happens. So, no offense, but I want someone to point in a direction before we walk away from this table. That’s what we’re doing, right? Because NOVA is up to something sick. I’m not...sneaky special intelligence guy or scientist guy or whatever most of you sitting here are,” he glanced briefly toward Peter and swallowed, “but I don’t want to sit on my hands anymore.”

HAWKEYE: Hawkeye was sat between Nat and Spider-Man, probably looking too casual for such a Serious Gathering: his long legs kicked out in front of him and his right arm was slung over the corner of the back of his chair, an arrow twirling effortlessly between his fingertips, while his left hand rested near Nat. He at least wasn't wearing his bright purple uniform. Natasha had taken him to meet a nice kid named Shuri who had designed a whole new get up for him along with a new bow and quiver, and he had fallen a little bit in love with her for it. The bow was gorgeous all sleek lines and reinforced vibranium with a two-hundred-and-fifty pound draw weight. He might have cried when she handed it over. Just a little. His uniform was just as nice, sleek and black with gold accents. It wasn't until after he saw the completed design that he realised that he had subconsciously designed both armour and a sneak suit. Sitting there Clint wondered if this was the sort've thing he used to do all the time when he was an Avenger. It seemed like a really big group. Like, they were all actual superheroes, unlike Clint who was just a mix of innate talent and crazy amounts of practicing/honing his skills, couldn't they just...take care of any problem they ran into? He was pretty sure Tasha could take these NOVA people single-handedly, but then again, he was probably biased there. Feeling long fingers slipping in between his larger, calloused ones he glanced over at the redhead, unable to help the dopey looking grin on his face. Yeah, he was definitely biased there. Not that he could help it, he could definitely see why past-him had stuck around the Russian ex-assassin, and her stunning good looks were the least of it. Her competence frankly both terrified him and brutally turned him on. But, those weren't exactly the kind of thoughts he should probably be having in the middle of an Important Meeting. ­

His thumb idly circled against the side of Nat's hand as he listened to everyone give their opinions on the current situation, but then someone spoke up that he actually recognised. Leaning forwards a little he looked around Natasha and Bucky at Loki, grinning as he nodded at him. They'd gotten drinks a couple times since first running into each other, thankfully the other times hadn't been quite as existential as the first one, but it turned out that Loki actually as a good listener and spilling his guts to the other man had made Clint feel a little less anxious and insecure about his situation. Sitting back he listened to Loki going on and found himself nodding along, and then he was pointing at the Trickster with the arrow in his hand. "I agree with Loki."

BATGIRL: It would be a lie if Steph was all for the whole strategic thing. She felt itchy, eager to get her hands wrapped around some NOVA agent necks, especially after what happened to Commissioner Gordon. The old Steph might have jumped in and said that without a second thought, especially because Zatanna was clearly on the side of action. Sitting on her hands and thinking things through wasn’t exactly up her alley. “Pretty sure we’re all here ‘cause we’re not going to be sitting with our thumbs up our asses anymore.” She shrugged. “But I get that we have to smart about it, especially if all of you metahumans could have your power wiped out like that -“ She snapped her fingers. “I mean no offense, I’m sure a lot of you have good hand to hand combat training, but I don’t like our odds as much if that’s what we’re left with.” Yawning, she combed one hand through her thick hair. Her head felt hot underneath the Batgirl cowl. “Anyone got an actual suggestion for action? What about Jihl whoever? Is she anyone important to just some trumped up figurehead?” Picking at her nails, she shrugged. “As much as I want to wipe out NOVA, they need to pay for what they’ve done.”

SCARLET WITCH: Wanda felt her blood go cold as Loki brought up her power. She had wiped things from reality on a large scale before. She had murdered thousands, destroyed lives, put a rift between teams. The mere suggestion had her uneasy, her dark eyes lifting to the Asgardian. For the most part, she worked well with Loki, but she wasn't going to sit by and let him suggest carnage and use her as an example. "I suggest you defer to those of us who know how things are done on earth, Loki," she said. "And I'd think carefully before making reference to powers you don't understand." She let out a breath, shaking her head before continuing. "I am aware that there have already been some pushes for information, but the League and the Avengers don't take action and the lives of others into their own hands to push their agendas like my--like Magneto. But my son and Oracle are right. The X-Men will be invaluable in this fight and while an alliance the depth of ours may not be necessary, their insight is important here." Pausing, she subconsciously ran a hand over the intricate beadwork of the crown her father had made her back before all of this. "That said... I question the methods of some of their members, as they have questioned mine in the past." She hated to say that. Hated it so much, but her father was formerly an X-Man and he had close affiliations with them now. He was one of those who helped run District X. "Do we have plans to talk with them directly about where they stand after the attack on the detention center?" Her father had taken credit and said he acted alone, but her sister at the very least had been involved and she wouldn't be surprised if there were others. "I know that Cyclops is a reasonable man. Surely approaching him is a good call when we discuss taking down NOVA?"

BOOSTER GOLD: While Michael didn't have much information to give, he was just happy that the band was getting back together again - this time with even more opinionated people. The suggestion of just wiping NOVA out made him nervous, if only because he knew it would really screw with time things and a mighty disapproval would be wrought down upon him. He caught the tail end of Barry's glance that he'd thrown his way, only to return it with a look of his own. A string of silent email notifications showed up on the screen of his phone which he had hidden on his thigh, distracting him partly as he skimmed.

He'd known that Steve had managed to recruit a sizeable collection of people for the Avengers, but lumping in all the others had a lot of opinions in one room. He still wasn't entirely convinced that he belonged there among them for a whole variety of reasons, but he'd agreed to it and still believed in the overall necessity of someone being around to extend a hand when the world needed it. Even a cybernetic one. "You can't just rewrite the world every time something goes wrong in it, and you can't cut off one head and walk away thinking another one won't replace it." HYDRA had taught him that much. It was naive to think anything had a simple solution. They knew NOVA ran deeper than just the organization itself or a single person. "This has to be as much an infiltration as a fight."

RED ROBIN: Tim sat quietly. Honestly... he wished he gotten a little more sleep before coming. He was running out of coffee and this was a lot of words. Beside him, Steph was her typical, to-the-point self. Action first, overthinking later. Tim was over-thinking always, action at just the right moment. Now, he finally nodded before adding to what Babs had said. "I'm working on the tech side with Oracle," he said simply. "NOVA's well protected digitally, but not impossible." After all, at the tender age of thirteen, Tim had been capable of hacking the social security office and other big government agencies. "We'll have a lot of their structure nailed down before too long here." He had taken a break to find Jim's attempted murderer, but he was back on it now, glad to be working with his father again, his family. He was aware that they were all here in the assemblage. All except one. But it wasn't as if Jason would ever be a part of a team like this. He could imagine the smart ass bitchy response that would come out of someone even insinuating it. "The point is, we aren't doing nothing. At least... I'm not and Oracle isn't. Batman and Captain America either." Obviously. Those two were the ones who had made all this happen.

SPIDERMAN: Peter reached over to take a hold of one of Johnny's hands wordlessly, as if the gesture would help to soothe the brusque tone of his words. He was right, though - they needed to nip this in the bud sooner rather than later, before it could get any worse than this. They already had the idea that NOVA had been behind Peter's sudden loss of control. How, though? Even during a forced isolation, courtesy of an overprotective Tony Stark, he was coming up empty handed. The video footage he'd managed to find showed no signs of interference, no one performing a spell or injecting him with anything. He came up empty handed and it was frustrating as all hell, but he wasn't about to quit now, especially not when there were a lot of questions still left unanswered.

IRON MAN: This had to be the place. Funny that he expected a window or two, but he should have known better given the reputation of the Justice League. Tony didn’t know why they bothered with secrecy when it was only a matter of time before everyone knew who each and every one of them were. He entered the room without (well, maybe a little) fanfare, holding a Starbucks cup in one hand and with Steve’s shield on his arm. He pushed up his sunglasses and squinted at everyone. “First time my eyes have to adjust to the dark for a meeting, I have to say. You ever heard of natural light?” He eyed Bruce and smirked, tipping his cup in his direction. “Say no more.” Circling around the room, he found an empty chair and raised a brow at the computer screen. “Ohh, nice tech. Willing to bet that 10% of this room is looking at porn right now.” He looked at Steve and gestured to the shield, his tone shifting to one more serious for the first time since entering the room. “Figured you might need this. The thing’s gotten to be a real eyesore.”

CAPTAIN AMERICA: Steve had been listening to everyone, letting everyone speak and hearing everyone's opinions. It didn't seem too dire, but there were concerns that he and Bruce were going to need to address when things seemed to settle down a little. It was fine. They had anticipated those things. The conversations that Bruce and Steve had had before had already laid down groundwork for going to Scott, for dealing with integrating the X-Men where they could. Sue was just about to speak when an all too familiar voice cut through the room and Steve's eyes shot up. Tony. Tony had actually come... Steve had asked him to. They'd been talking on the phone since the day Tony had answered. After seven years of phone calls and messages. All of them ignored until the day Steve had really needed him. When Steve's life had felt like it was falling apart well and truly. He had left the SCPD, Nomad was behind him, there was no real Cap in front of him, Bucky had left him and there was just silence. And then he'd kept answering. Kept listening. Tony and he weren't the same. They hadn't talked as deeply on a mutual level, and he could tell that he'd have to do the work to get the other to open up to him. But he'd just... listened. Hadn't given advice, hadn't tried to placate Steve. There wasn't even any bias when he'd talked about Bucky and the pain and how lonely he'd felt in his own damn home. It had been surprising for Tony because Steve had never known him to be feelings guy. But on that level it had given Steve so much hope that every night, Tony had just sat on the other line, listening or even just pretending to. And now here he was. Because he belonged here. Tony Stark was an Avenger and would always be an Avenger, and tearing their team--their family--apart had been one of the hardest choices he'd ever made. But he'd done it. And he'd do it all over again if he had the same options in front of him. But Tony... Tony he might have handled differently. If he could have.

As the other approached him, Steve's chest ached and his stomach tightened. "Tony," he said quietly. "You came." It was perhaps too intimate a moment to experience in front of all of the assembled company, some of whom didn't know him well. But he couldn't help it. Steve had never been the type of person to hide how he was feeling and he never would be. Even Tony's stupid joke fell on deaf ears as he held out the Shield. The Shield that would feel so right on his arm. That belonged with him but had been given back to Tony because he deserved to reclaim it. Because Howard had given it to Steve and Steve had chosen to relinquish it after everything. It was a part of him, and letting Tony take it had been like giving up part of himself. Now, as it snapped into place again, like it had always been there, like it had just been waiting for Steve and Tony to remember where it belonged, where they belonged, Steve's baby blue eyes burned. Steve Rogers felt the weight of Captain America. He felt... whole. "We'll talk later," he said to the other. "But... I'm glad you came."

INVISIBLE WOMAN: Susan shot Peter an apologetic look, though there was hardly much to do. Instead, she was privy to a one man show when Tony showed up fashionably late; honestly, it was completely on brand for him, so she didn't find herself so much as batting as eyelid, but she did sink into her chair a little lower as she watched the situation between him and Steve unfold. She had to wonder, though, how far had NOVA gotten with their anti-power technology. If metahumans were still untouched, then maybe she'd be able to sneak in undetected. After all - she wasn't the Invisible Woman for nothing.

SUPERBOY: Jon felt like he didn't belong in there, before he left earth, he was a kid, so he didn't have much time to prepare, didn't have much experience, he felt like he didn't deserve to be in that room with those people that have been dealing with that life, with being a hero, for far long. He was practically hiding behind his dad, felt like he was a kid again, maybe going in there was a bad idea, "Maybe someone should shapeshift into an agent of Nova, is there any shapeshifters in here? It would be a good way to get more information," He knew it was a dangerous plan, but it was really the only thing he could think about, and he wanted to help. But he was hesitating, because like was mentioned, he was new to it all. He was self conscious, didn't want to sound stupid, as if he was a kid among the adults, as that was how he felt in a way, "Or maybe if there's any technology that can change my appearance, I could do it, I would be up for it," he wanted to do something, wanted to help, and he was willing to do anything to protect others, and to stop more people from getting hurt. 

STINGER: This right here was exactly what Cassie had dreamed of her whole life. Before her, there were a number of heroes she'd looked up to since she was a toddler. The Wonder Woman poster had hung on her bedroom wall for a solid decade before she'd been killed, and now here she was, right along with them. She wears her Stinger helmet proudly, aware that her boss was one of the men leading this meeting and, to her knowledge at least, definitely did not know an intern of his was here. Of course, she'd deal with that later. Cassie didn't let herself miss a word, and when Billy spoke, Stinger could be seen nodding emphatically beside him. When the suggestion of Wanda's powers came up, she clenched her fist as her side, torn between chiding the suggestion and defending Wanda. Still, she keeps quiet a few moments more, and has to stop herself from letting out a loud 'UNCLE TONY?!' as he walked in. Still, beneath her helmet, she's grinning as he walks in, and her eyes dart from Steve to Tony, relief her main thought for only a moment. "The X-Men should be here," she added simply, having no interest in repeating previous points other than to state her place, "and unless we want to take a stage with Magneto, we should avoid drastic and unplanned charges. No matter how much I'd love to get big, step on one of their facilities, and be done with it? Not gunna be that easy." she leans forward, her wings at her back shifting in her chair, "seems like the most obvious thing we need is information. It's real easy to eavesdrop when you're the size of a bug, just saying. I can leave mics and cameras in their ventilation if we can get around the security. It'll also give us a layout of where we hit. Which, brings up the question," Stinger turns her attention back to the two men leading,  "are there any thoughts of an actual plan, or should someone start writing suggestions down?"

BRUCE: As Bruce waited for everyone to say their piece, he was less than surprised by the responses he received from a good number of the participants. Some he knew well, like Zatanna, but her less than patient stance wasn’t unique. Action meant different things to different people. Few of them knew just how much action was being taken, under the radar, and if they did know, he wasn’t altogether convinced they would appreciate it. Knowing the opponent inside-out was integral. If they moved too quickly, they risked being surprised by the vast intel NOVA acquired over the years from their various connections. Having insiders in their organization certainly helped, but he also had to consider the possibility that NOVA was utilizing the exact same tactics. They had to be careful. He nodded wordlessly to Barbara’s input, frowning, but the atmosphere in the room darkened noticeably once the focus shifted to the X-Men. Loki’s suggestion made him raise a doubtful brow. It certainly warranted a response. “This is not Asgard and strength is not enough.” Wanda’s powers being tossed out as if they were free for exploitation made his eyes narrow and he shook his head. “As I said, the weapons they employ have the ability to render us powerless. We are not in the position to rely solely on powers of mutants, metahumans, or aliens. I understand that there are plenty of you who want to go in aggressively. Forcefully. I am telling you that it will not work. We will not win. Like all of you, I don’t want to see more people killed or hurt, but we must be smart about what we do next, or it will all be for nothing.”

He glanced at Steve and then at the others, frowning. “Cyclops is a close contact of mine and has been from the beginning. We are in constant communication. They will have a level of involvement in how we proceed, but the X-Men have always been their own entity. The invitation is there for them to join us, but I can’t say it will be accepted. Regardless, we can rely on them as allies. They do not condone the indiscriminate killing that happened at the NOVA facility. As of now, I can’t tell you what their roles will be. It is something we are currently discussing - but I do not need to tell you that their assistance will be valuable in unraveling NOVA’s operations.” He hesitated, his gaze briefly going to Wanda before he looked away again. “I understand some of you would, perhaps, side with Magneto. If that is the case, this might not be the place for you. As tempting as it is to think we can follow suit, NOVA is more prepared for that possibility now than ever before. Magneto has seen to that.”

It didn’t come natural to discuss his plans with others or tell what he knew. However, even he knew there was little choice now. “We need to understand their technology so we can disable it. I have possession of the inhibitor that targets mutants, but I need their new design. They have it well guarded. The Flash is right that the SCPD can no longer be used as a way to infiltrate NOVA. The two departments do not trust each other and that will not change. And Oracle is working day and night to break into NOVA's security systems, but she needs help. The encryption changes too often for her to maintain all she does without sleep. I need someone who is good with computers - or someone who can learn. Quickly. I am not willing to wait and see what the X-Men are willing to contribute. We need to start now. We have already started, though most of you may not know it.” Jon’s suggestion earned a rare smile and he nodded. “We already have someone who has successfully infiltrated NOVA, putting their own life at risk to better our intel. At present we have no need of another. It would only increase our risk of being discovered.” Shapeshifting and magic would do little if NOVA were successful in perfecting their newest power inhibitor. Bruce nodded at Bucky, his expression somber, “Exactly. And while it may look to many of you that we are sitting on our hands, nothing could be further from the truth. This will not be a fight with loud explosions. This organization is insidious. It is very connected with every part of Star City and its citizens, including us. Disabling their systems, cutting off their resources, and sabotaging their technology is how we win. We only move when they are at their most vulnerable."

The arrival of Tony Stark was unexpected and aggravating. Bruce waited until he took his seat. He was respectful enough not to interrupt Steve, either, and gave the two a moment before continuing as if there were no change. This time he addressed Cassie, approvingly. “We have planted devices in some of their facilities, but there are certain areas our informant does not yet have access to, specifically the lab where they are developing their newest technology. It is well guarded. You would be invaluable if you were able to take us inside. It is something we will discuss later.” Crossing his arms, his frown deepened as he looked over the crowd. “Our plan is to thoroughly understand an agency that is unlike any enemy we have ever faced. Brute force may destroy one building, or the ones we know of, but more agents will come. Their technology will survive. Their agenda will continue and be bolstered by any acts of violence. There will be a time for that, but this isn’t it. The agency needs to be exposed for what it is. Then, when we do make our move, there will not be more agents to take their place. It needs to be eradicated permanently, or the amount of people who suffer and die at their hand will only increase.” He paused. "But we are here to collaborate, so if anyone here has a better idea for an approach that will permanently rid Star City of NOVA, do not hesitate to share it."

CAPTAIN AMERICA: Steve looked at Loki, sighing before he moved to pinch at the bridge of his nose. "Wars aren't won with brute strength. I've fought several. I know how they work. Battles might be, but we aren't battling. We're at full-scale war with an enemy we don't understand. And we are taking steps. Scott Summers and I don't speak constantly, but he's a good man and he wants to protect his people as much as I do. We want people to be safe and we want NOVA gone, but they can't be mutually exclusive." He looked to his fellow leader before nodding in approval. "Batman is right. In this case, shock and awe will never work and they'll wipe out half our powers before we even get into the gate. Some of us might make it unaffected. Not all of us rely on powers. But with our numbers cut into less than half, where would we be?" Steve caught Bucky's eyes with a meaningful look, as if to say 'Please watch him. After all, he didn't care if Loki wanted to mock or belittle him. But he did care if he brought the meeting out of hand. As Bruce brought up tech, Steve looked pointedly at Tony. That was his bread and butter all day long. "We have a number of scientists and tech mavens in this city that I know would align with this cause. Red Robin and Oracle are working hard. Tony, could you put Stark resources on it too?" He looked to Bruce now, adding, "I wouldn't overlook the Wakandan embassy, by the way. Shuri isn't an Avenger, but she's been a loyal ally for a long time. They have tech in Wakanda that even surpasses what I've seen with Tony and Reed. It might be worth connecting the group of you to see if she can help."

Looking out to the assembled group, he finished with, "We want to eradicate this threat, but I again agree with Batman. We don't want to do it the way they expect us to. If we attack them head on like some of you suggest, we'll lose. It's a long game, and it's a hard one, but we saw what happened when Pete--Spider-Man attacked one of the NOVA agents. I don't believe that was his fault, but it escalated things." Steve's eyes found Bucky's again. "We don't know how it happened, or if NOVA was involved, but it's exactly the kind of thing Batman's talking about. A lot of you know that I've been on the side of punch first, questions later. I'll fully admit that. But it's not the answer here. We don't know what they have or what we're up against. We need your support in the long game. And we're asking for your trust in a lot of ways. I asked all of the Avengers personally to be here. You all agreed, so you must trust me, and I trust Batman and the Justice League. Trust like that, trust that we are all working towards the same goal, is gonna be imperative."

“If we’re getting insider information, the kind that can turn the public tide against NOVA, then we need to use it.” Clark didn’t ask for specifics. If Bruce or Steve had put someone inside NOVA, he had to trust that whatever information they produced would be legitimate. “We all saw at the riots that there’s still public support for NOVA, and more of it than any of us probably feel comfortable with. If we’re fighting a war, then we’re looking at more than one front, and the people are one of them. If we have something to erode their support, it needs to be disseminated, and we have contacts who can do it.” Him, namely, but he didn’t say so. He looked from his son beside him back up to Bruce at the head of the table. “Take it to Lois. We’ll be fighting twice as hard if there are still people convinced that NOVA are the good guys here.” The air of impatience around the table was palpable from some of the other people. He understood. In a way, he was with them. The long game that Bruce played and that they all had to play right then was frustrating, but their problem would be infinitely worse if they acted too soon and too rashly. “We have a lot of different strengths here, that I can see, and if this is going to work then we’ll play to all of them. But not at the same time.”

HAWKEYE: Clint was not built for meetings. There were way too many people in one room, all of whom had something to say. Clint, on the other hand, had nothing to say. He was a circus performer and a thief. This good guy shit and should they shouldn't they and rules nonsense was grating and more and more he was starting to feel closed in, like he didn't belong there, and that getting out was the best idea he ever had. If it hadn't been for Natasha's fingers tangled with his he would've been gone already, but she wanted him here and making her happy made him feel like less of a failure, so he wasn't going to run out. That didn't mean he had to keep listening though. Growing up a criminal circus meant Clint's legerdemain skills were very nearly flawless, and it wasn't too difficult for him to slip off one hearing aid while he was replacing the arrow he'd been playing with back in his quiver, and the other when he reached up to scratch at the closely shaved hair of his undercut. With both his aids out he couldn't hear anything, blissful silence wrapping around the archer. If, for some reason, someone was paying attention to him specifically there was a chance they'd catch the sleight of hand trick, but most of the table was looking at the caped brunet with the really nice chiseled jawline at the head of the table who was currently talking. There was a pretty damn good chance Natasha would notice since she was sitting right next to him, but he'd done his best to pick a moment when her attention was diverted. Reaching into a pocket of his uniform Clint let the aids drop from his palm as he pulled out a Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chip protein bar, unwrapped it with his teeth and one hand and then proceeded to take a bite.

FALCON: It was unfortunate that Sam didn't have much, if any, information to pass on to the rest of the team, but he was willing to help out wherever he was needed. This was a group effort if they were going to take this force down - it wasn't going to be easy, not by a long shot, but he trusted Steve. He'd followed him before, he'll do it again, even if they didn't necessarily have a concrete plan moving forward. Whoever their insider was, something needed to happen before things got worse. While Superman spoke (seriously, Superman), Sam took note of movement down his right. He shot Clint a look when he noticed he had a granola bar of some sort between his teeth. He had to press his lips together to keep from smiling too wide, but kept his attention on Superman instead, in the hopes that he could just ignore whatever it was that Clint was doing. Now really wasn't the time.

BLACK WIDOW: Natasha should have known that bringing Clint to this meeting was a mistake. But she had thought that he would want to be there because this was who they were. This was their family and even if Clint didn't remember that, he had expressed a desire to be with her for things. When she had come home from Moscow, he had seemed upset that she hadn't brought him. She knew he didn't know what was going on, but when they talked with Rachel, he was going to remember and, going forward, he was going to need this information. At least... she had thought so. And then she saw him take his hearing aids out. And just tune it all out like helping people didn't matter to him. Like trying to hear what was going on and understand or file questions away to ask her later wasn't important to him. Her stomach tightened and Natasha slipped her hand from his. Most people knew her to have a very level expression, but when her hand shot out to catch his face so he could see her clearly, the first look was just utterly devastated disappointment, and the second slipped that away like a mask went on and her eyes were cold as Siberia. Letting go of his face when she was sure he was looking at her, Natasha signed quickly. <<Go home, Clint. Just go. No point in being in a chair here if you don't care and if you don't want to be here. Go home and I'll be back after.>>

HAWKEYE: Clint was aware that slipping his aids and grabbing a snack wasn't exactly professional behaviour, but he'd at least been quiet about it, and now that he had put his arrow away and had nothing to fiddle with it was better to keep something in his hands, or he was going to start poking at the tablets in front of them and get really distracted in a way that would likely be more disruptive than his snack. There was a voice in the back of his mind suggesting he could try following along to what was being said and try to piece together the bigger picture, but that wasn't what he did. He might have been forty-eight physically, but without his memories and life experiences of the last twenty-five years he was basically a twenty-three year old carnie thief playing dress up. He was doing his best, for Natasha's sake, but, like most other things in life, he was pretty sure he was failing. The moment Natasha's hand slipped from his Clint already knew he fucked up. That knowledge was confirmed when his face was grabbed and turned in her direction and he saw her face. Aw, disappointment, no. Disappointment was even worse than if she'd gotten pissed at him. Disappointment took him straight back to being a kid hiding from a father's disappointment because it came along with a belt and fists. The rotten feeling settled in his stomach, Clint's lips turned down in a frown. Blue eyes watched her sign, and for a moment he considered insisting on staying, that he could give it another try and do it better. But this wasn't like mastering a new trick shot. He couldn't just do it over and over again until it was flawless. He didn't sign back, at least recognising that now was not the time to get into a discussion. Instead he just, as unobtrusively as possible, stood up, slipped between the chairs, and then was gone and out the door.

IRON MAN: Tony brushed off Steve’s words as if his presence were inconsequential and expected, even though he knew it was just the opposite. “I wanted to see Supes and the Big Scary Bat in person. Not to mention an actual goddess with a lasso.” He arched an eyebrow and nodded in the direction of the three. “Have to say I thought they’d be taller.” Steve’s offer to talk later was met with a dismissive nod and he rolled back and forth in his chair, his foot balanced on one of the table legs. The years he spent with the Avengers made him a better listener. Maybe it made him a better team player too, unless the idea was a bad one or could use some work, and he was quick to agree to Steve’s request for tech. Unlike the others, he didn’t know much about NOVA aside from what he’d seen at the riots. He was too distracted by other things that were going on. Pepper’s injury and Peter’s complete snap from reality took most of his attention these days. One of the main reasons he was here was because he hoped someone would have some damn insight on what happened at the protest. He watched some cell phone video a kid shot over and over again, but there was nothing he could pinpoint that should have set Pete off. Not that he could figure out, anyway, and it put him on edge.

It was news to him that the X-Men would want anything to do with whatever game plan they agreed on. Tony snorted softly. “So, you don’t have the X-Men fully on board yet. What happens if they start to see logic in Magneto’s ideas? Do you intend to trust them with all of this information if they aren’t technically working with us, if there even exists the possibility that they might do something not so Justice Avenging Leagueish with it?” He frowned, rubbing his mouth thoughtfully. “And if we’re going to send Stinger in and risk her safety inside an institute that has the power to eliminate her power, what then? What’s the contingency plan? What if she pops inside an air duct at the exact moment they’re testing their new inhibitor? Do we have an inhibitor for an inhibitor? Something to disrupt the frequencies? Can I get my hands on one of these things? I understand you just have one, but I’d like a good look at it.” Clint’s subtly went unnoticed by him at first, he was too caught up in the various possibilities and pitfalls of action, but when he realized, belatedly, what just happened, he couldn’t hold back a laugh. “Someone’s in the doghouse."

ZATANNA: Good lord, there were a lot of children here. She was used to that with Bruce, he seemed to have an affinity for finding damaged orphans and giving them the ability to punch their problems away. You'd think therapy would be cheaper, but hey, everyone did things differently. "You don't have to infiltrate to get more information on them. If you want a look at what they're doing and what they've got, I can do that, easy. I just need a mirror and ... don't worry about the rest, I'll deal with it." Handing Seymour, her sweet baby bunny, to Babs so she could sit up (she was a hand talker), she leaned forward on the table. "In terms of a plan, since brute force isn't an option, and I have to agree, even though setting everything on fire is very tempting, I think we need to separate this group into smaller groups. There's no way we're going to get shit done when 30 people have to sign off on it. Make an information team, a tech team, one who looks for human error, which is my specialty, and a team of people who don't have powers who can take over if any of us get inhibited. If everyone has a smaller goal, each piece comes together and forms a structure that holds the overall plan together. Like a spell." Leaning back, she grinned at Babs. "See, I can be helpful. Just cuz I'm an asshole doesn't mean I'm worthless." She spread her hands to show Bruce that she was trying and playing well with others. She also sent Loki a mental message that said "wanna play a game while the mortals argue over tech?"

STINGER: Cassie went from grinning under her helmet at Batman's approval, to heaving a sigh when Tony spoke and said her name. She doesn't even bother speaking at the moment, simply rolling her eyes dramatic enough to be seen with her helmet on, and drumming the tabletop with her fingers, suddenly remembering the stubbornness of the older Avengers. 

ORACLE: Barbara lets herself observe the mishmash of people, and can't help but wonder what they were in for. She lets out a soft 'oh' as the rabbit was placed in her lap, but she accepts, head tilting as she listened to her friend speak. Her face slides into an approving smirk. She chuckles just a little, "Sure Z, now be open to criticism, hmm?" she turns back to everyone after (gently) handing seymour back, "she's not wrong that smaller components will be easier. And Superman is right, we need to shift at least what some people think. If we have information that can do that, we should as soon as possible. It doesn't matter how much prep we do before we attack if no one likes us once we're done. Also, cutting public support means strangling their wallets." She turns to Tony Stark, eyes narrowing slightly, thoroughly unimpressed with his display so far, but ultimately she knows she has to work with him, "There are ways to disrupt the inhibitor, Magneto used a big ass EMP. Theoretically, we could replicate that. That also runs the risk of frying a lot of information we could use against them, so it's a work in progress," she finishes, giving him a nod, certainly not about to deny the help.

IRON MAN: Tony raised his eyebrows in response to Barbara. "There are ways to disrupt the X-Gene inhibitor, but no one has gotten their hands on this new, supposedly updated power inhibitor, isn't that right? Therefore, we don't know if it operates like its predecessor. NOVA strikes me as an agency that learns from its mistakes." He let his foot fall to the floor and sat up straighter in his chair. "Magneto used the EMP with the intention of destroying the facility. He was not hiding. We're talking about a reconnaissance mission, quite different, and an EMP attack wound announce our presence loud and clear. Any device Stinger manages to plant would be undoubtedly discovered - or, at the very least, they would know we compromised their security and we lose any chance of securing valuable intel. Or, as you rightly said, our own technology is damaged and rendered useless. Worst case scenario, they catch her." He paused. "And all that is if an EMP would even be effective against this.... new inhibitor, for lack of a better term. Inhibitor 2.0?" Shrugging, he took a drink of his coffee. "I don't know about you, but I don't risk lives over ifs. Before we send anyone in, we need to know exactly how it works - and if it works similarly to the X-Gene inhibitor, an EMP is not the solution. We can't just kill their technology and expect them not to notice. No, we need to block Stinger - and there's a very simple way we can accomplish that and protect our own equipment, without tipping off the Nazis. They'd never even know we were there. I'm talking about our own version of a faraday cage. A very tiny one."

WICCAN: “You can’t completely keep the X-Men in the dark,” Billy insisted at the mere implication. There were a dozen other things to respond to, but if he was going to advocate for something, he felt like that had to be the thing. The potential fallout of not doing it was too great, and the last thing they needed was the biggest gathering of mutants to somehow be against them right from the beginning. At least Bruce and Steve didn’t seem to be in line with Tony’s thinking, and he was a little bothered (but not surprised) by his mother leaning that way, too. Magneto’s involvement complicated everything, as always. That was all the more reason not to give him more ammunition. He raked his hand back through his hair. “What uh...what’s a faraday cage?” Should he know that? In a lot of ways, Billy was one of most powerful people in that room, but he was reminded constantly what his shortcomings were.

LOKI: Loki listened to the back and forth and felt himself beginning to fade in a lot of ways. He had said his piece, they had rejected it, and so he was content to just do what he had been doing. Though he had to laugh as several people brought up infiltration like it was some new concept he hadn’t implemented from his own creativity before he was ever officially an Avenger. “Infiltration. How novel. What an idea.” He smirked before sitting back. “But if you already have an inside man, I’m sure they’re simply waiting for the right time—and the perfect information—to accomplish what Lord Bulging Biceps—“ Loki gestured to Superman “—is saying we should do. Could you not charge said inside man with retrieving one of these precious inhibitors? Before blowing open the entire operation with the right words in the right ears?”

He was offering himself for more risk. He knew that. But he had just been promoted. And he was going to get those papers signed. He and Jihl Nabel were friendly—as friendly as one could be with a horrible creature of untold evil (he both respected her as a villain and was completely astounded by her)—and he was part of their science and development team already. “Since the typically Metal-suited imbecile seems so concerned with the girl’s safety, why divert more effort to adding an additional person, who might not understand the layout and the internal politics of the organization and would just be blindly looking around, and not simply use what you have?” He shook his head, pushing to his feet. Abruptly he teleported behind the girl in the helmet—that was her name, wasn’t it—and made a show of peering closer. “You’re quite thin, you know? Very little. How are you with hand to hand combat if you do get caught, like Stark says? You won’t have your powers, so all you’d have would be your natural Midgardian fortitude.” Even without his magic, Loki had trained with the his mother, the Valkyrie, and the Asgardian army for over a thousand years, his Jotun physiology and natural state outranked any Midgardian’s in stature, durability, and strength. They relied on powers, as did he, but he wouldn’t be much of a trickster if he only had one trick.

It seemed to him that the conversation was becoming a bit circular, and Loki was an expert tactician but only when he did have an equal seat at the table. He was under no illusions about that now. Well, he was always under illusions, but those were literal. Most of them didn’t trust him. And maybe they still wouldn’t even when it was revealed that he’d been a plant the entire time he’d been on Midgard, and he understood that Thanos had taken any and all credibility that he hadn’t lost for himself. So he had said his second piece and teleported back to his chair. Green eyes meet the Good Captain’s. “You didn’t ask me here personally, but I am at your disposal. I do hope you don’t waste me, but point me as you will.” He looked to Zatanna, an expression of amusement on his face. His fingers moved through the air subtly before the pen next to the redhead now playing with the rabbit turned into a large carrot. He smirked before replying mentally: What did you have in mind?

STINGER: The young blonde went from a facepalm to indignant when Tony and Oracle were going back and forth. She'd expected some protectiveness, but she figured they might get through maybe half a meeting before it started. It was Loki appearing behind her that made her stand, clenching her fist at her side and staring him down without any hesitation, but she lets him finish.  She didn't sit again even when Loki did, and her eyes turned, positively glaring at Tony "I wouldn't volunteer to go if I wasn't sure I could handle it. I've been one of the ones in the streets fighting the creeps, and you haven't seen what I can do yet," her eyes deliberately shift to Bruce now as she retakes her seat. The hand that's hidden under the table next to Billy is clenched, and if she didn't have her gloves on, her nails may have down a number on her palms. She echoes what Bruce said before, "we'll discuss later, including safeguards for crappy outcomes." she grows quiet again, silently fuming, but knowing any extreme outburst would just be taken as an excuse to further infantilize her. One thing she hadn't missed? The tightrope walk that young heroes always had to face while on a larger team.

IRON MAN: Tony stared at Loki with vague annoyance. “If that inside man were at all proficient, we would have it by now. I’m not sitting with my thumb in my ass waiting on him to drop it by at his convenience.” It was clear to him who the inside man was and he could think of no one more ill-suited than Loki, who was proving himself useless so far. “Coming from someone who can offer nothing productive to the conversation or offer their own solution, personal insults are the next best option.” He clicked his tongue. “Predictable, Poki. I’m disappointed in you. If you were paying any attention, you would realize your “concern” is misplaced and invalid. But I suppose I can’t fault you entirely - how old are you now? Oh, you don’t have to answer that. None of my business. I was just wondering if gods also decline with age. If so... well, I've been awfully insensitive. Please, someone pull up Wikipedia here for our friend so he can keep up with the conversation. And toss in a dictionary. Most of the words aren’t monosyllabic.” Tony winked at Loki, smirking. “That should keep you more occupied than a virgin in a strip club.” His expression softened when he looked at Cassie and he leaned across the table, his voice lowering and becoming uncharacteristically serious. “I know you can handle it, kid. I know exactly what you can handle. What I’m trying to do is give you the tools to get in there and get out undetected. No one in this room has the ability to evade a power inhibitor, aside from those of us without any power to start with. I’m not saying you shouldn’t go or that I don’t trust you to go, but I want all of the information first. I’d want that for anyone in this room."

Sitting back, he spread his hands and looked around the table. “Can we return to viable solutions? That seems to be what we’re interested in. Does anyone have access to the materials I’ll need to construct a faraday cage? Or… well, it should really be a pouch. That would be far more maneuverable.” At that point he recalled Billy’s question and shifted his gaze to him. “A faraday cage blocks electromagnetic fields, radiation and frequencies. It acts as a filter against those wavelengths and shields the interior of the cage. It also protects against EMPs. Whether or not this will be effective depends on this new power inhibitor, but it requires specific materials to construct. I don’t have them on hand, unfortunately. I can get them, but if anyone has them at the ready I’ll gladly take them off your hands. I’ll need… let’s see…” He tapped two fingers against his chin. “Shielding Fleece, make sure it’s HF+LF - oh, forget it. I’ll take care of the materials. The whole pouch thing more complicated, but better suited for this scenario."

FLASH: Barry listened intently to the arguments and pieces everyone had to say. When the conversation circled back to him, he opened his mouth – but closed it when the doors of the meeting room opened and someone else joined them. 

ROBIN: "Sorry, Flash, but this is important." Damian Wayne barged into the meeting area with a slight pant to his breath, collapsing his bo staff and stashing it on his utility belt. He been preoccupied with a little criminal apprehension that Bruce had sent him on – but it had taken him a little longer than expected when something interesting came up. Sure, Damian had radioed in to his father to let him know he was running late but he hadn't explained why. So the teen swept through the room, light dancing off his red and green kevlar. It was a moment before he finally lowered his hood. “I know I'm late, Batman.” He reported. “I thought this would be better to show everyone in person though.” He said bluntly before setting a small black camera onto the table in front of him. “I was in the process of dealing with Kite-Man like you asked when he mentioned having made cameras that got near the NOVA HQ. I took a moment to look and this...” He explained and gestured to the device he had brought in, “was captured by one of his cameras. It had an odd placement and when I found it – a very odd energy signature emanating from it.” Damian stated before finally eyeing the large gathering of mostly strangers he did not recognize. "Whatever it is, it isn't normal. You don't stash security cameras in awkward crevices where they can't really see people." He frowned and folded his arms before moving to take an actual seat at the first empty seat he could find - an empty seat; one so 'graciously' emptied by his Father's insistence on standing broodily. It was different, being a part of the 'Big Leagues' meetings instead of the younger teams for once. Damian wasn't sure whether or not he liked it - the amount of attention on the one speaking was intense.

HUMAN TORCH: “Smaller teams. That’s something. Not everybody is suited for every job, but at least the rest of us would know where we might come into place. It’s not like thirty people can be barging onto the scene to infiltrate and spy. If we’re just waiting our turn, at least we’d know who we were waiting with.” He returned the squeeze to Peter’s hand, trying to quell his own temper, because he was a hair away from snapping like Cassie had. The device suddenly laid on the table was a distraction, at least. Johnny could offer one thing about it immediately. “It’s producing heat. Like,” he leaned forward far enough to reach for the camera but didn’t actually touch it with his hand. He didn’t need to. “A lot of it, really fast, really contained.”

ZATANNA: "Look, I get that half of you are tech gods, but I don't really think the details of that are helpful right now. " Which wasn't just because Z had no idea what Tony was talking about. "You and Babs are now the heads of the tech team. You guys pick your squad like in gym class and go fight it out together about whose circuit board is bigger." She assumed large circuit boards were better but honestly had no clue. "And Loki is right, infiltration will be the most dangerous part. Sending in anyone who isn't absolutely prepared is stupid. I get that you're all young and invulnerable to the dangers of the world, but this shit is real. I've lost my magic before. You don't know what it's like to not have your power, it's like suddenly losing a limb. Either you train while inhibited and prove yourself, or the grownups get to keep you at home. It's not about who's smartest or has the shiniest suit, it's about who won't die if they only have a knife and their brain to work with. Bruce has to be in charge of infiltration and whatever he says, that's what we do." Z nodded at Bruce because, duh. Just as Barry was about to speak, probably too fast and technical for Z to understand, Damian almost literally popped in. He was babbling about a camera, which Johnny Storm (Z always remembered cute guys, especially ones who burst into flames) said was emanating heat. "Jesus, if it's hot, who knows what else it's putting out. Tcetorp sdleifecrof!" A glowing bubble went up around the thing. "That thing could have tracking stuff or be nuclear or have a fucking spell on it and you brought it here?" Staring at Damian like he was the dumbest person she'd ever seen on this planet of Earth, she slowly swivelled her chair to look at Bruce. "I didn't realize it was bring your kid to work day." She turned the computer mouse into a Damian doll and sent it flying through the air to Loki. "Anyone else wanna risk total exposure of our super secret attempts to overthrow an authoritarian regime? No?"

WONDER WOMAN: The atmosphere in the meeting room felt tense. Diana sat still, quiet, as she soaked in everyone's opinions on the matter at hand. While she had no intel to share, she did know where she was best suited and where her strengths laid. While she did remain silent for much of the conversation, looks and body language did not go amiss. She watched everyone closely; whatever it was that Bruce and Stinger had to discuss later on, she trusted them to know what they were talking about. She was a soldier, a warrior, through and through. A diplomat, first and foremost, but a spy? An infiltrator? She would leave that to Bruce. She trusted him enough for that. "Agreed," she nodded to Zatanna before glancing to her right at Bruce, "You are better suited in that department than most of us here. If you trust this inside man to deliver us results, then I will stand by it. But we need more information sooner than later; there will be worse to come than just riots. These people are worried, scared for their lives, and many still have not been able to recover from that destruction." Diana narrowed her eyes at the now contained device floating in the middle of the meeting room. "Why would a camera like that need to be hidden in such a way? Do you think it was there deliberately?" She asked, gaze now on Damian.

BATGIRL: Everyone around her might as well have been speaking a foreign language. She leaned in to get a better look at Damian’s camera he seemed so proud of, but it looked like a regular old camera to her. As much as she used to admire Zatanna, the tone she took with Damian made Steph bristle protectively. “Sure, training under Batman must mean he’s stupid enough not to check for tracking devices. Give him more credit than that. All you’ve done is order people around and feed a rabbit in your hat.” Steph sat with her arms crossed, frowning, and squirmed uncomfortably as she grew more and more aware of just how little she had to offer in the way of teams. Punch first and ask questions later was what she did. It was her thing. Pretty much her only thing. She started out at a disadvantage, but years of training made her hand to hand combat impressive (if she could say so herself), and now she couldn’t even use it? Sounded like some bullshit. Yeah, she got it, but it sucked to feel like a useless lump when she was supposed to be Batgirl. “So a tech team, a… spy/sleuthy team, a computer digital hackery team - or does that fall in the same category as tech? Actually that’d be more up your alley, Babs. Maybe you should head that up." Drumming her fingers on the table, she looked up at Bruce. "And during all this patrol is continuing as always, so we’d need a team for that, right? Can’t forget to watch the street while you guys go running around in faraway bags.”

SCARLET WITCH: Wanda watched the people around her as they reacted before feeling herself beginning to get frustrated at the antics. Shaking her head, she sat up, her dark eyes flashing. "I think the irreverence--" She glanced to Loki, Zatanna, and Tony, who she admired for their bluntness but felt herself getting irritated with in this large setting, "--isn't getting us anywhere, for one. I think it's safe to assume that Steve and Bruce won't be underusing anyone. If they didn't have a need for each of us, they wouldn't have requested our presence." Her expression softened as she looked at Johnny and Peter, Steph, and those who were simply trying to determine their place. "Steph is right. While we are making large moves in subtle ways, there are still atrocities going on every day. And there's danger all over the city. Those with more martial skill can certainly keep people protected on patrols and it's not a lesser job. It's just as important." Her gaze turned to her son now. "I don't think we're going to exclude them, bubbi," she told him, her love name for him slipping out without her realizing it. "None of us want that. Tony's saying that if we don't know what they believe and where they stand, that it's dangerous to expect them to react in any way. He's not wrong, but no one is going to keep them in the dark." And if they were, Wanda wouldn't be comfortable with it. Her attention turned outward. "I know Magneto is a risk. He always is." He always had to make everything more complicated with his black and white inability to realize that he didn't deserve to play god just because it was the fastest way to help or get his point across. "But I think that Bruce and Steve's decision to speak to Scott solidifies that the X-Men will be involved, and we can trust that information will be disseminated to them and exchanged between us."

She hoped that put that concern to rest, because they could keep dwelling on the same three points, but they would be here all night. Clint had already demonstrated that that wasn't going to work for some people. She glanced to Tony, "For your cage, perhaps you can talk to Shuri. I certainly don't think that we have anything like shielding fleece in our attic." She gave him a wry grin. Then Damian was barging in and there was a strange device and she swallowed before looking to Steve and Bruce. "Do you two think it's safe to say we've covered what we need to for the general group? As several people have pointed out, this isn't their expertise. I assume this object needs to be studied. I don't want to adjourn your meeting for you, but I think that, with this new discovery, we might do well to start to close it up?" Her expression to Bruce was gentle, supportive. She hoped he didn't see her question as disinterest or otherwise something to say that the meeting wasn't important anymore, but she wanted people to be able to crack into this new focal point and she trusted that new information would be shared by Bruce and Steve as they obtained it.

BOOSTER GOLD: "I'm down with keeping up patrol. I've got NOVA's patrol sched down tight for the north side of the city, so if anyone wants that, let me know. I can have my bro Skeets send it via email; he's got built in Wi-Fi and it's like, crazy fast." Even though he was a little disappointed that he couldn't offer much else, Michael was glad that things were happening. Finally. It felt good to be part of a team again, even if he was reduced to patrol. Still, he could fly, so it made sense he stick with that. Skeets might be a little smarter in the technology department, especially that of the twenty-first century, but Michael wasn't going to pretend to know anything about what they all were talking about. "But if you guys need me anywhere else, I'm cool with that, too. Just say the word, I'm there." He threw up a gesture, thumb and pinky outstretched and he shot a quick grin before he settled back into his seat with elbows on the table.(edited)

BUCKY: The whole display with Clint and the expression on Natasha’s face had him briefly distracted from all the rest. He was there for Steve, first and foremost, and to help where he could, but his attention was quickly pulled in other directions. Wordlessly, he reached with his right hand beneath the table and laid it against her knee, neither looking at her or acknowledging what had happened. A fucking protein bar. Really? He was sincerely, deeply trying to be sympathetic to what was not an unfamiliar situation to him, but it only went so far. For better or for worse, Loki and Tony’s back and forth quickly had everyone looking elsewhere, and the revelation of NOVA’s device brought something else yet again. “I can help with patrol, but we’ve got a crew on this side,” he gestured at himself and nodded vaguely toward Natasha, “with a few decades of espionage and intelligence, for what it’s worth. I’ll be a little more inconspicuous than it looks right now.” Shuri’s upgrade to provide temporary camouflage for the cybernetic arm would see to that. “But I’ve never seen anything like that,” he gestured toward the camera on the table.”

SUPERGIRL: Even though Kara was only listening, she watched everyone at the table. She paid close attention. Some seemed to have good ideas, but others were bent on complaining on the lack of ideas - a frustration she could understand, but also found hypocritical and counterproductive. She wasn't a new member of the Justice League. She saw firsthand how difficult it was to lead people who didn't really want to be told what to do, or thought they knew best, but then did nothing but complain. The name-calling and demeaning behavior was upsetting and unnecessary. Wanda's kindness was a breath of fresh air. Kara smiled at her, hands clasped underneath the desk, but then she turned her attention to Bucky. "I can help with the espionage. Robin said the cameras are hidden in strange spaces no one would normally look...  not easily found, and unless NOVA has found a way to make their walls impenetrable to me, I'll be able to see through them." It was certainly a different sort of espionage, but having X-Ray vision came in handy when you were trying to find people - or things. "And I can see the electromagnetic spectrum. Thermal imaging will help me find the cameras, or even the location of the inhibitors." She paused. "But if the new ones also depower Kryptonians... I don't know, but it is worth a try. Perhaps the range is small and I won't have to get close enough for it to affect me."

SPIDERMAN: While Peter understood why he was being benched, he didn’t have to like it, not when he could be doing some good that the city desperately needed; regardless of how its people currently felt about him. Though as tempting as it was to do more than just remote work (if they would even allow him that), it would be stupid to go against Steve's and Bruce’s call, especially since they still didn’t know what was wrong with him. Of course, that wasn’t going to stop him from opening his mouth and offering himself anyway — “I’ve worked my way around a few security systems before; if Oracle needs a hand with that, I can always help out remotely... If that’s an option?” Knowing how overprotective some of them were, his offer would likely be shot down, but he had to try anyway, right? If he was going to be stuck behind four walls, at least stick him in front of a computer.

SUPERBOY: Despite the fact that he didn't have a lot of experience with being an adult, he was a hero before he left Earth. He could be a kid, but he was still good at it, so when they talked about doing patrols, he without thinking twice, offered himself to help, "I would love to help with patrolling. I do that a lot already, so it would be nothing new to me," every day, he went out and flew around the city, looking for someone that he could help. He wished there was more that he could do to help, but unfortunately, that was the only thing that he could do. It was already something he supposed, and better than nothing.

STINGER: Though it was hidden behind her helmet, Cassie's face softened as Tony spoke. She'd talk to him later certainly, but for now, she wasn't exactly raring to drag too much more attention to her. And, truly, had her attention not been completely engrossed by whatever it is Robin had just brought in, she would have rounded on the cranky magician lady, but as it was, Stinger didn't really think about it as she stood, shrunk, and let her wings carry her over to the device on the table. She tried to see things from her small angle, even behind the forcefield. She looks up at Johnny, "Hot enough to where it would hurt me if I could get in?" she crouches on the table, no more than a few inches tall, trying to get a look, "once we make sure that it's not recording us at all, and once we make sure that hotness isn't like.... energy getting ready to explode, I'd love to take a look. Nice find. But, uh--" she turns back to Zatanna, "this forcefield would potentially protect against an explosion, right?" and, as she's talking, takes flight in her tiny form and moves ever so slightly further away.

BATMAN: Bruce stood silently as Steve spoke. Before the meeting they had time to outline what it would be about, but it was impossible to anticipate the response they would receive. Regardless, Bruce was well versed in the abilities of everyone present, even the Avengers he never met. What gave them leverage in this partnership was the variety of strengths and expertise they had at their disposal. The only thing standing in the way was ego - and there was far too much of it in the first ten minutes. He didn’t fault the group for not seeing the value in a long game. They waited long enough for a plan of action and now they were being told they would have to wait even longer. Unfortunately, there was no way around it. It was just not that simple. Handing out tasks was something he discussed with Steve before the start of the meeting. Separating everyone into specific groups that played to their strengths was the best strategy. It certainly had a far higher chance of success than a full frontal attack, which was what some were oddly fixated on. “You might find temporary satisfaction in action, lethal or otherwise, but if that were the solution then NOVA would have been destroyed a long time ago. Captain America and I both recognize the value of infiltration, from various angles, and we simply do not have the time - or the ability - without you. You are here because we need your help, but it is your choice whether or not to go forward.”

Public perception was a tactic Bruce was well acquainted with after years of being in the spotlight and using the media to distort his image. He inclined his head in Clark’s direction, indicating his agreement. “The Gazette’s expose on the detention centers was the first real step in that direction. The public is largely influenced by what NOVA wants them to see. But there is more than one way. In this day and age, public shaming has incredible influence. Secret recordings that discredit an agency would go viral. It can be just as effective as journalism. Those of you on patrol will also be in charge of that - but be careful.The expose was successful because it did not distort or exaggerate the facts. Out messages can have the same impact on our peers as both Miss Lane and Mr Kent have with the media.” Clint’s strange behavior and subsequent exit earned a brief glance in Steve’s direction. Bruce said nothing, but they would be discussing it later. Long ago, he made a point of trusting Steve to decide who should and shouldn’t join the Avengers. This was the first time Bruce actually questioned his judgment. Even though personalities like Tony’s were abrasive and obnoxious, Bruce still recognized the point he was making and it was one he agreed with. “No one will be going into any facility until we are prepared. That includes having contingency plans in place.”

Zatanna and Tony’s back and forth made him consider if they should have employed a raise your hand if you have something to say protocol. While he’d hoped everyone would act like reasonable adults, he was especially disappointed in Zatanna because of their history. Their shared past was a close one and he gave her a look that, while on the outside appeared stern, was also a silent request for respect - if not for the group, then the integrity of the meeting. She was better than this. “That is exactly it, but you will not be making the decision of who is on what team, Zatanna.” Despite his frustration, he couldn’t help but be a little amused. As Barbara and Tony argued over the technology, he focused on Billy’s concerns for the X-Men. “Rest assured, Cyclops will be kept well-informed.” Trust didn’t come easily to Bruce and he didn’t fully trust many people, but that was something separate. He did trust certain people for certain tasks, and he knew Scott would not sabotage their efforts or use the information in a way that would hurt the team. They were all on the same side. With any luck, he could encourage them to help.

Not that he was looking forward to adding more strong personalities to the already contentious group. Loki and Tony’s back and forth was giving him a headache and Damian’s interruption was a welcome respite from the bickering. While he’d been in communication with him through an earpiece, Bruce had been given no explanation as to why Damian was late or what had happened. Troubled, he listened to his explanation with a frown. “Where was this building, Robin?” While he appreciated Zatanna’s support, he held up a hand in response to her surprisingly abrasive words, then shook his head gently at Cassie’s suggestion and turned the camera over in his hand. “There is no need. The heat is intense, as you said -“ He nodded at Johnny’s assessment. “But it is residual. It is slowing down. Cooling.” Producing a small tool from his belt, he opened it back up and saw that Damian already disabled its tracking device. Just as he taught him. It wouldn’t have mattered. The room was protected from being tracked just like the Batcave, but he kept that information to himself. “I assume you scanned it for explosives.” Not that he felt he needed to ask. Damian was well-trained, or Bruce never would have trusted him to be out on his own. Still, he retrieved his personal scanner (equipped with various systems, including computed tomography) to do another deep scan. “Hm. No trace of explosives. We need to do more research to know for certain what is producing the heat.”

Prior to the start of the meeting, Steve and Bruce both agreed who would be best suited to what task. It was a difficult endeavor, but there were solid reasons behind their choices and it wasn’t up to debate. “We are all infiltrating. The difference is the approach. Oracle, Red Robin, Human Torch, and Spiderman, you will coordinate a digital attack on NOVA’s systems and gain access to their files. The firewalls are nothing like I’ve ever seen before.” In any other situation he would not have placed Johnny in that category, because he had other, valuable strengths, but someone would have to keep an eye on Peter after what happened at the riots. He was the best option. Bruce reluctantly handed the camera to Tony. “Iron Man and Black Panther will focus on deconstructing NOVA’s technology. A device or a suit that will shield the wearer from inhibitors, while avoiding detection, would be invaluable to future missions. Our first order of business is to retrieve the new power inhibitor so we can find out how it works. Bucky, Supergirl, Stinger, Flash, Invisible Woman, and Black Widow will do reconnaissance on NOVA’s labs and various locations and formute a plan of entry. The new inhibitor will likely be guarded. Falcon, Loki, Booster, Batgirl, Wonder Woman, Superman, Superboy, and Robin - you will be on the ground. Remember that part of your job is to discredit NOVA whenever you have the chance.

Record unnecessary force and hand it over to Oracle to distribute. It can’t be traced back to you. Be a powerful presence and be inspiring. There is a reason you are the group most visible to the public.” Of course, Clark would be doing much more with the Gazette, but Bruce was not going to divulge that. “Scarlet Witch, Wiccan, Zatanna, and Nightwing, your job is to locate all of NOVA’s hidden facilities so the reconnaissance team can get to work. Once you’ve done that, you will focus on the facilities that are detaining mutants. We already know there are more. After you assist the reconnaissance team you will go to District X and consult with Cyclops on how to proceed. I have no doubt he will be involved, or already has a plan in place. Offer your assistance." His expression and tone turned somber. "Scarlet Witch and Nightwing can prepare you for when the inhibitors get in your way. We face a real threat of mutants, metahumans, and aliens being stripped of their powers. Everyone needs to understand this and be prepared. Those of you who need to fine tune your hand to hand combat, Scarlet Witch and Nightwing are who to see.” They worked well with each other - and in this situation, that was vital. “I understand many of you are skilled in this area, but consider how much of that skill is reliant on strength and superhuman ability. Ask for help if you need it, or your pride will get someone killed.”

CAPTAIN AMERICA: Steve was watching his meeting, their meeting, start to fall apart. He knew how Tony was, he had anticipated how Loki was, but he didn't know Zatanna well. He didn't actually think she was trying to instigate, but he did think that it might come off that way. But there was nothing to be done about it now. What was said was said. Still... he had been waiting for this for such a long time. More than anything, Steve Rogers had wanted this meeting and he had seen all the potential it could hold. It was why he had barely let Bruce get the offer to work together and reform out of his mouth before he was agreeing. They were going to be amazing. All of them. He just needed them all to understand what they were doing had reason and rhyme for all of them. They were all essential. It was watching Clint of all people embarrass the Avengers, and embarrass Natasha that had Steve crestfallen. His expression reflected the redheaded assassin's utter disappointment as he watched Clint leave, knowing how that looked. He knew there were extenuating circumstances, but he also knew he was going to have to advocate for Clint and for the validity of his presence to Bruce now when Steve knew he was a good man and a great Avenger. He let out a slow breath, but didn't let his shoulders sag, even if he wanted to, but that expression of disappointment began to etch deeper as Tony was who he was and Loki was who he was, and Cassie seemed to get up in arms when no one was discrediting her. There were some who were focused and productive and wanted to be there. Steve could see them, but it was hard not to feel like the gaps between their teams were going to struggle to be bridged into a cohesive unit if they were picking at one another, protesting precautions and getting snippy about what they should be allowed to do, snapping at one another about nothing.

"Come on, guys," he finally said after Tony's second jibe at Loki, which thankfully wasn't followed up by a rebuttal. There was a distinct sigh in his voice as he did it, and he was about to say more when Robin burst in and set down another piece to this ridiculously intricate puzzle. At the very least, it would give them all something to focus on and get them back on track. Something tangible. He gave a gentle nod to Johnny, opening his mouth to say that they had that covered when Zatanna was suddenly speaking but then Diana was bringing it back to trust. The amorphous shifting of tones was hard to keep up with, so he simply waited his turn. Wanda beat him to addressing the concerns about the X-Men and seemingly putting them to sleep, which eliminated one more opposition. He held out a hand to Cassie to stop her. "Not yet, Stinger," he said to her firmly, not because she was a child or because he thought she was incapable or whatever had set her off. It was because they didn't know what that thing was and Zatanna's forcefield was keeping it contained and safe. "You'll get time to look at it when we figure out what the hell it is. Just..." He sighed again, grateful to Bruce for taking over and divvying up the roles they had discussed. It was helpful, he thought, to the people calling for action to know their tangible roles. And it showed that he and Bruce hadn't just been sitting by with nothing to discuss or say. It was their credibility and he hoped it convinced people to trust that he and Bruce did actually know what they were doing. He had led many of these people before and they had followed him. And even if most didn't know Bruce well, so many people knew Batman. He was undeniable. The support of Wonder Woman and Superman held sway too. He just needed them to trust.

So he listened to Bruce lay it all out before nodding. "Wanda can offer something else to those who are training that I think is an invaluable asset. These guy are developing ways to shut off our abilities. And I know that so many of us rely on those abilities. Without them, some of us feel powerless. But not having your abilities doesn't make you useless. Not a single person here is. So I would encourage that you all take advantage of trying to work with Nightwing for brush ups--we all can benefit from keeping in practice--but with Wanda using her powers to cancel yours out. Find where your weaknesses are without your powers and then train those muscles until they ache. She can show you what it will feel like to find yourself in a combat situation without anything but your body to help you. I don't know exactly how NOVA's inhibitors in this second batch are going to work--" though he was really hoping he didn't end up 5'4" with Scarlet Fever again, "--But while Tony and Shuri are working on ways to work around them even in the short term, we only have ourselves to rely on." He met the gaze of every single person in turn, just a brief flicker for some and a lingering look for others. Natasha, for her part, seemed shut off, her face blank. She was listening, he knew, but he worried what was going on behind that impassivity. It was something to be dealt with later. "We're strong even without the things that make us different from the rest of the world. We have special abilities, but we're people first. There are a hundred other mutants, metahumans, aliens, and all the rest in this city. We gathered you because, like Batman said, we all have a part to play. So let's put aside the 'me' and start working toward this goal as a cohesive unit."

SUPERMAN: Bruce, as always, had covered all conceivable fronts. That wasn’t surprising. If he didn’t believe him capable of doing that, Clark wouldn’t have been as insistent that the League needed to reform in the first place (with or without their new addition of Avengers). It had been tempting to get in the middle of the squabbling, which they didn’t have time for, but it ceased well enough on its own. He wasn’t there to play bouncer, but he was certainly willing to do it if necessary. Tony Stark seemed to know everything but how to exercise a modicum if respect, and Loki was much the same. Duly noted. Neither had made a stellar impression on him in their limited time on the floor. One glance at the device Damian had brought in let him know there were no explosives within. It wasn’t lead. He could see through the casing, but Zatanna and the others had leapt at it and saying so seemed futile. Besides, just because he could see into it didn’t mean he knew what he was looking at. “You’ll have me where you need me,” he affirmed once all the roles had been handed out. He’d end up where he wanted to be - a face people saw as familiar, someone they could count on, someone who could help. He still had so much lost ground to make up for.

BLACK WIDOW: Natasha was still so utterly embarrassed that she had to actually use her Red Room training not to belie how she was feeling. That slip in her expression, in front of many strangers had not been acceptable, and she had immediately compartmentalized it and put it away, her face completely impassive. James would know what she was doing, but the blood in her ears told her it wasn't working as well as it usually did. Clint was off, and his memories were gone... but she'd never remembered him being such a Мудак. Asshole. When he had saved her from the Red Room, they hadn't been so old. And he had been patient, gentle and good even when he had nothing contribute. When he didn't know what to say. He belonged on this team. He belonged fighting alongside them. And she had apparently been too optimistic to think that the very essence of being a good man would still be there under it all. It wasn't often that Natasha Romanoff miscalculated and she clamped down even harder to compensate. Her face was so blank that it might be unsettling, honestly, and her muscles were tense as she nodded with her assignment. The heat of James' hand registered thereafter and, if he were looking at her, he would see the barest twitch of the corner of her eye. As if she had been slapped or as if, were she anyone but Natasha, her eyes might be pooled with angry and embarrassed tears. "Understood," she replied, voice level and even in response to her assignment. She very nearly left it at that. But her green eyes flicked to Batman, and someone who knew the power of the barest shift in expression, she tensed her jaw visibly before adding, "Barton is compromised." She couldn't just say nothing, not with the look on Steve's face. But she wouldn't apologize or make excuses. "It will be dealt with." Her tone was direct, to the point. "It was my mistake."

ROBIN: Damian had remained seated in a scowling silence ever since arriving, letting everyone jump over the device he had brought forward. He shot a sharp glare in Zatanna's direction at her snide remark and curled his fists beneath his folded arms. “Better than a two-bit stage magician.” He remarked sharply, but was drawn from his thoughts as Bruce spoke up regarding the device. “Of course I checked it for tracking equipment and explosives. I'm not an amateur, Father...” He retorted with a frown. “The building was older...but Kite-Man seemed to think it was one of NOVA's headquarters for some reason when he explained what he was doing. It didn't really seem like somewhere a government agency would hideout though.”

As Bruce divided everyone onto their assigned teams, the teen couldn't help but crack a small smirk. “Patrol and street work? Good thing I'm always doing that anyway, isn't it?” He stated with a humph. He turned his attention momentarily to the woman 'Black Widow' and regarded her posture and stance. As a former assassin himself, he could discern the minute details in her demeanor. She was lethal, that much he could ascertain. He just wasn't sure how, or what connection she had to the man that had left their meeting. This meeting didn't seem like it had been going the greatest before he arrived.

Damian didn't know what to make of the circus show they had assembled. There was the usual crowd – Clark, Diana, Barry...his family, Zatanna and Michael. People he was familiar with. It was the other group of people he wasn't certain what to make of. This 'Captain America' seemed trustworthy enough, but the Scarlet Witch and Loki were questionable. His brow furrowed slightly at the sight of Peter Parker, having kept up with the riots extensively since they happened. Tony Stark had so much arrogance to him it was nauseating and he was glad that he wasn't going to have to be working with him or this 'Black Panther' on anything. He was equally glad though he hadn't been placed with Oracle and Tim. He was skilled with tech, but it was true he was better used on the streets. As for the others? He really didn't know what to make of them.

“The teams sound pretty solid, Father. Oracle can make sure everyone stays competent on her team...I'm sure the tech team is capable enough as well. Anything we can use against NOVA will be vital.. weapons especially, preferably throwable.” He eyed Tony before looking back at Bruce and settling back into the seat.

ZATANNA: Zatanna made an apologetic gesture in Wanda's direction. She would've sent up a flare that said, "I'm Sorry!" but she'd already been accused of being irreverent once, and it probably wouldn't help. This whole thing was just so not her bag. She didn't do tech, she didn't do groups, and she didn't do this many big personalities in one room. The truth was, she was tense. What if they all fucked up? What if she fucked up? She'd never been the weak link before. And she had all this ... she'd been angry for so long. Angry at Clark, angry at NOVA, angry at every government that had asked for her help and then turned around and claimed her very existence was a crime. It was a lot to process, so she just hadn't. She'd gone to Tokyo, toured Europe, returned to America in a shower of praise and demands for her performance, and parked herself in Star City to do - something, anything - but without a plan about exactly what that was. And now here they were, and she'd been so sure that SOMEONE would have a plan. Okay, more specifically, she'd been sure that Bruce would have a plan, and Clark would say yes and do it perfectly, Diana would have notes about the battle strategies, Barry would either babble or do something shocking and effective, and the others would all add their bits in and it would all just ... flow. But there were so many of them here, people she didn't know. And she'd spent so long away from these people. So here she was, being an asshole. Fuck. This was all Bruce's fault. If he hadn't looked at her like that, she wouldn't have gotten all introspective. "Never expected to, Wayne. I'm just the magical consultant."

Maybe she was a little harsh on Damian, but no one in this room seemed to appreciate the ways that magic could ruin their plans. and NOVA probably didn't use magic. Probably. Hopefully. "Laever ruoy sterces dna hsinab lla slleps nopu uoy!" Zatanna gathered glowing light within the forcefield before her spell was done. "I'm trying to be good, see? You know I'm shit at this stuff."

WICCAN: His concern about communication with the mutants was mostly quelled, and there wasn’t much he could do about it either way. With the way the teams were split up, he would have some say in it at least. Batman had said part of what they were doing was collaborating. Maybe it was naive of him to think that his presence and Wanda’s presence would be enough to ease his grandfather’s reaction (should there be one), but he hoped it was true. Either way, he said nothing more of it and only nodded his agreement with the assignment. He glanced sideways at his mother long enough to whisper, “Go team,” with a little spark of red, like a burst of tiny fireworks, from his fingertips.

ORACLE: In truth, Barbara tended to prefer working in smaller groups, especially when it came to strong personalities, but the need couldn't be ignored here. At the end of the day, everyone in this room wanted the same thing, and needed each other to achieve that. It's that thought that keeps her from responding harshly, "Theoretically, Stark. Nothing I say is going to happen without plenty of testing." she starts nodding slowly as she takes in his full idea and, quite suddenly, pulls her laptop out of her bag and sets it on her lap, beginning to compile research. It's her laptop that also hides a small smile at the outburst from the clearly younger hero. She had to resist calling out a wry been there, done that. She looks at Stark again over her glasses, about to say she was already on it, when Damian came in with a burst. She doesn't waste a moment, wheeling closer with the open laptop on her lap, "Nice, Robin," she smirks as she peers at the camera, eyes following it as it went. She shoots a look at Z, as well as at Steph, but her mind is working far too quickly about the camera. She manages to perk up, smile, and nod when she's mentioned. She'll take the help gladly, and she even makes a note to ask Steph if she wants to help more, later. She's also intrigued by the shrinking she saw, and her mind trailed off to the best resources to research Pym Particles. However, Bruce speaking caught her attention with a minute smile, satisfied that he brought the order they very clearly needed as a group. As he finished and others chimed in, she resolutely pressed a key that sent her contact to everyone.

"You should all have just recieved my secure contact. Some of you know Oracle, but for those that don't? Use me as a resource. I have eyes all over this city. If you're in a sticky situation and need an escape, I'll get you out. If you're outnumbered, I'll send backup. If you think there's even a remote possibility your tech may be compromised, better to be safe than sorry.  I'm your eyes and ears when you need to see and hear further than you physically can. Don't be cocky out there, use your resources." she pauses only long enough to sweep her eyes around, "You'll all get a device to communicate securely with the whole team within 48 hours. In the mean time, I'll route any contact needed. And finally-- like Batman said, don't underestimate the value of videos at the moment. We can do a lot of damage to their relationship with society before we ever touch them, if we're smart about it, so let's be smart."

LOKI: He hadn't really been trying to instigate anything, though that was naturally the way he tended to communicate in order to get any sort of recognition. Annoyance was better than being ignored when he was right. Loki had grown up on Asgard, always right but never loud enough about it, always trying to help but disregarded as Odin's second son and the one that would never chosen for king in spite of his rampant qualification and dedication to emulating the Allfather to the best of his ability. He had learned very quickly that the councilor in him got him next to nowhere. But the spirit of what he had said, in spite of its antagonism, was that that girl was young, small, and unsafe at NOVA, which no one would know better than he did considering he spent every day there watching the kinds of things that could be done to her. Hand to hand was precisely what needed to be worked on. Combat training. But his point, it seemed, was lost the moment that Stark elected start speaking again. "My concern matches yours." He shot back. "How dare I question the survivability of a Midgardian woman I don't know well? If you were listening, Stark, which I suspect not considering the only sound you seem to enjoy is your own voice--" Something he didn't fault Tony for, as the same could be said for Loki himself, "--I was within the realm of agreeing. But, once again, I lack the understanding as to why you would put in a second insider when you yourself just brought up the risks to this girl's person without your 'faraday cage'." How should he know what the whelp was capable of? He saw a girl with powers. Take them away, what did she have? He didn't know, which was why he had asked.

The boy's entrance distracted him and he looked down at the device. He had seen similar parts at NOVA, but he didn't know precisely what this device did. He had only been there six months so his clearance level wasn't quite high enough. Still, when it was announced that it gave of a significant amount of heat, Loki blanched, mind jumping over to his last poignant memories of heat. "How much heat...?" he asked the one who had assessed it. Loki could and did still function under and after heat torture, but it put everything under duress for him. Needless to say, it made him a little uneasy. Thankfully, the doll that landed in front of him was enough to distract him, though not without him smirking at Zatanna's use of magic. He hadn't needed incants since he was a child. Still, he shook his head; it was powerful enough, he thought. His attention turned to the doll and, with a wave of his hand, he had it looking like Stark and he very nearly considered blowing it up, but he was capable of acting like an adult, unlike the newly departed Barton, who hadn't been half so... spirited when Loki had worked with him eight years ago. Maybe he'd changed. What was interesting was the female spider's response. He remembered taunting her back then about love. He'd thought it was 'for children', according to her. Perhaps not. Ultimately, he elected to quiet himself. He had his job. He made his contributions and he'd solidify himself as invaluable the longer he risked himself to bring the right information forward. He would just have to wait until then to prove himself. He did hope the Scarlet Witch was right and the meeting would come to a close soon. As enthusiastic as some seemed to be, it was going to start to drag on. To Zatanna, he spoke mentally again: Exceedingly testy bunch, this group. Is it not?

IRON MAN: Holy hell, was he still talking? Tony was too transfixed on the device in his hands to pay any service to hot air and useless arguments. "Don't care," he said dismissively, giving a wave of two fingers. He did stop his inspection enough to check his phone and save Oracle as a quick dial. "Catchy name."

NIGHTWING: "Get it together," Dick snapped, and even though he wasn't directing the words at anyone specific, it was obvious which people he was addressing. "This is a team and we have to work like one, or this is just going to fall apart. You've all worked on teams before, this shouldn't be news to you." It angered him to hear heartfelt speeches from both Clark and Steve, men he admired, and then see them be met with disrespect. He knew how difficult it was to lead a team and how little appreciation was given for doing it. "We're on it," he said to Bruce, unable to help a grin at Billy's fireworks even though he only saw them out of the corner of his eye. "I'll probably be asking you to do that again later. We're in dire need of some positivity around here.”

FLASH: Finally there was some plans being set into motion. Barry listened quietly as the talk about the camera and teams went on and on. Once things started to be ironed out, he grinned to himself and was on his feet - zipping to and fro between different people and leaning on their shoulders as he spoke a little and was gone again to someone else. "I think these teams are great. It's just nice to finally have a group to rely on again - and it'll be nice to have Oracle in our ears once more. It's been kind of lonely out there." He grinned. He zipped to Damian for a quick hair-ruffle and 'Good job kid' before he was back in his seat and straightening himself. "Sorry, I'm good now. You know me, sitting too long gets me pent up." He remarked with a sheepish grin on his face. It was obvious where Wally got a lot of his quirks from when you looked at Barry's antics sometimes.

HUMAN TORCH: Johnny offered no more verbal feedback. He had absolutely no place on the team he’d been put on. What the hell was he going to be able to do to help with the tech side of anything? He sat back in his seat and ran his hand along his jaw, casting a brief, defeated look at his sister. Maybe the Avengers had been a mistake. If Reed and Ben were there...maybe it’d be different.

BATGIRL: Okay, so maybe being put on ground patrol made sense, especially because Steph had every version of social media that existed. She already had a few ideas of how to shame NOVA and start a flame campaign against them. She knew how those things worked. Still, it stung a little that she wasn't asked to help train anyone in martial arts when that was literally what she did for a living. There was no denying that Dick was more skilled, but it would have been nice if Bruce asked her to help out too. But she didn't say anything about it. Even now, she wasn't sure if Bruce fully respected her - and it was something she still, years later, desperately wanted. But it meant something that she was here. There was a reason he asked her to be part of this new Justice Avenging team, or whatever it was, and she was determined to prove that she could be trusted and relied upon. "Anything else we need to cover? Because I can't stop thinking about those doughnuts someone left on the table. And I call dibs on the one with the rainbow sprinkles."

SCARLET WITCH: Wanda hadn't even considered that they might want her to use her powers that way. She could fight, but even that training had come from Steve. Surely there were better martial fighters. But when Steve spoke, it clicked. Because Wanda could do that. And she knew what it was like to train without the use of her powers because Steve had taught her to do just that when she had first joined the Avengers. It had been invaluable. She nodded to Steve, her own power running over her palms before she looked at her son with a gentle smile before catching Kara looking at her and returning that smile as well. Her expression remained for a moment longer before she turned to look at Bruce once more, the barest hint of gratitude showing on her face. She was an Avenger because she'd always been an Avenger, but many of the other people in this room didn't know her and wouldn't understand the complexity of her history. They'd see her as a liability. And they might be right, but she worked constantly to overcome that. And she knew that Steve already trusted her. But for some reason, Bruce had extended it to her enough to care about her in spite of what she had done. She knew Bruce Wayne well enough to know that trust didn't come easily to him. Wanda cared about him deeply, but more than that... he could see past the things she'd done to not only care about her as a woman, but still as a hero as well. He trusted her enough to put her with his son to help on a tangible level which embraced her powers rather than fearing them. She was so sick of being feared or feeling used. It mattered to her. She could feel Bruce's youngest son's eyes on her, and she turned to meet them, unabashed in doing so. She didn't know that she trusted that child, but she didn't question his presence if Bruce was here. Still, she didn't like the look behind his eyes even if his face was mostly impassive, so she found herself looking away. "I'll be happy to help anyone who needs me," she agreed with Steve.

BOOSTER GOLD: Michael was ecstatic. He was put onto a team with both Wonder Woman and Superman - how much better could it get? (Well, adding Bats would have been that little cherry on top, but two out of three wasn't bad.) He shot Clark a few finger guns, already thinking about all the PR he'd get from being out on the streets; all that air time, not to mention Goldstar and his good looks, could be a valuable platform to help discredit NOVA. All he needed was Skeets to help hash out the details. If all else failed, people liked money? (And disappoint Superman? Okay, maybe not bribery.)

SPIDERMAN: It really surprised Peter to hear that they were sticking Johnny with him and the rest of the computer geeks. As much as he enjoyed spending practically all of his time with him, he knew that Johnny was better suited out in the city. He had a face everyone recognized and loved, so sticking him with patrol seemed to be the only logical choice; he wouldn't question it now, though, not when there had been so much negativity in the group to begin with. He'd rather not add more wood to the fire. Still, Peter was glad he was able to help where he could, even if it meant he was still stuck inside.

SUPERGIRL: The only person Kara knew on her team was Barry, because of their previous work with the Justice League, and she wondered what her new teammates would be like and what the breadth of their skills were. What she knew was limited, although Invisible Woman was pretty self explanatory, and Stinger already made it clear what she was capable of. It was exciting and a little intimidating to work with others she never even met before. She gave a little wave at Bucky and Black Widow since they were across from her, then smiled at Cassie and Susan at the other end of the table. She could introduce herself later.

INVISIBLE WOMAN: Susan felt for Johnny - she really did, and while there had to be a good reason as to why they'd stick him on that team, she wasn't going to dwell on it. Instead, she offered him a sympathetic look of her own before her eyes caught the wave that Supergirl threw in James and Natasha's direction. She returned the smile given, grateful that their group seemed to be made of capable, level-headed people (hopefully, none of them made her regret that assessment); there was a nervousness there, if only because it had been too long since she'd been a part of anything like this, but the excitement to be working with a team again seemed to trump that.

SUPERBOY: Despite the fact that the reason why they would be working was worrying, he was actually pretty excited about it. It would be his first mision as an adult, and would be nice to finally be taken seriously, differently from how things were before and how he was seen just as a kid. He was one, but he was not useless. "I don't think so? I think that was all," he nodded, "I definitely agree with you, I could use some of those donuts right now," he told Steph, he couldn't think about anything else, they already thought about everything, but since he was not used to it all, he could be missing something. Which he doubted he was, despite his lack of experience, everyone seemed to be ready to leave already. 

CAPTAIN AMERICA: With everything assigned and everyone seemingly amenable to their roles--no one had really protested, though Steve did regret one or two placements but understood their necessity--it seemed as if the meeting had ultimately been a success. There were ultimately people that he wanted to talk more with, and some people for whom he wanted contingencies put into place. But, for the most part, this was an active plan with active positions and jobs for everyone. He was going to be busy, finally, doing what he was meant to be doing alongside someone who was absolutely brilliant at what he did. Steve had only collaborated with Bruce a few times so far, but it seemed to fit. He trusted Bruce's tactical skills, and Bruce seemed to trust him enough to take what he said into consideration. And as a result, they were finally going to accomplish what they should have done years ago. Of everyone in this room, all of them but two had been opposed to the ban. Tony had been... complicated, but he was here now and Steve knew where his allegiances lie. He didn't know Clark well, but he knew that Superman had been in support. It had been mindboggling to him, but maybe one day he would ask about it. It didn't matter now, though. What did matter was that they were all here, joined for this one purpose. There was still work to be done. That much was clear from the way Natasha spoke. Steve looked to Bucky, but there was nothing to be done about it in the middle of this room. He'd talk to him about it later. But for now, it seemed like a good time to close it up.

Getting to his feet, Steve took in the shield on the table a genuine smile pulled at his lips. "I think we all know what we have to do. Batman and I will keep up with all the teams and make sure that information gets disseminated where it needs to go as we receive it. Feel free to reach out with suggestions, new developments, anything. But I just want to thank you all for trusting. We're taking back this city. Every last one of us. And when it comes time, all the work we're doing now is going to pay off." He looked around at the group before giving a final, firm nod. "So let's get to it."

[alienspawnwrites]

Laying Hands: Chapter 9

Read on AO3

Things In Common

Althea was an Avenger. Well, an Avenger in training, as Tony had been quick to point out. She mulled over her circumstances as she made her way to her room for the night. Training, missions, saving the world; she struggled to imagine herself amongst the elite heroes she had come to share her life with. They didn’t expect her to fight, but from what Steve had told her, she would be expected to learn some self-defense and basic maneuvering at the very least. She didn’t have to actively participate in combat, but she couldn’t get in the others’ way, either.

Thor had, of course, immediately offered to take up Althea’s training, always eager for a good fight. The blood drained from her face as she considered the idea of squaring off against the god of thunder and all his might. Thankfully, he was dismissed out of hand, and ultimately Natasha was designated as her instructor. She was the more logical choice: though vastly more agile and skilled in combat, she was close to Althea’s size and could teach her how to make the most of her meager strength. More importantly, Nat didn’t possess superhuman strength or harness the power of lighting.

Training wouldn’t start for a few days, however, as Natasha was being sent to do some reconnaissance on a lead in South America. The spy, more than all the others, never seemed to take a day off.

That night, in the dark solitude of her room, Althea thought of how much had changed in the span of a single day. The sheer joy she felt at her new sense of belonging threatened to overwhelm her. For the first time since her childhood, she had a home and, she realized, a family. It was far from traditional, true, but her acceptance into the rag-tag group felt all the more meaningful for its strangeness.

She’d grown incredibly fond of them all, even Clint, whom she rarely saw. As exhaustion pulled her closer and closer to sleep, she considered them all in turn. Steve’s earnest and caring heart, Tony’s dedication to making light of any given situation, Bruce’s endearing countenance and impressive intellect, Natasha’s enigmatic nature, Thor’s contrasting open and boisterous demeanor; they each brought such different personalities and skills to the table in their joint effort to protect humanity.

As sleep overtook her, her thoughts turned to Loki, the outsider. He was cold and distant, but that only served to pique her interest. She recalled how different he had looked the few times she’d caught him with his guard down, how she had inexplicably wanted to reach out and brush his raven locks out of his eyes as he read. She was thinking about those same eyes, their blues and greens swimming with unknown depths, as she finally slipped into slumber.

The following morning Althea woke in good spirits. Her routine was simple and she readied herself quickly, pausing to regard herself in the mirror before she made for the door. The woman looking back at her was barely recognizable as the same broken, scared creature that had arrived here just a few weeks ago. Her skin was no longer sickly pale and practically transparent but radiated a healthy, pink glow. The sharp edges of her malnourished body had rounded significantly as a result of the unlimited access to food. Her cheeks were pleasantly plump now and the dark circles under her eyes were long gone. Even her hair shone with a new brilliance, the now even strands falling in loose waves down to her shoulders.

She found herself fiddling with a particularly disobedient piece as she attempted to force it into submission. No matter how she pulled or twisted, it seemed determined to flip out awkwardly. She struggled with it for a few moments longer before giving up, her huff of frustration blowing it out at an even more ridiculous angle. Althea wondered why the wayward piece of hair was affecting her at all. She’d never given much thought to her appearance before. Without another glance, she left the room.

Loki was waiting for her in the hallway, leaning against his door, the picture of boredom.

“I’ve finished.” He held out the borrowed copy of The Count of Monte Cristo. She took it from him, and he quickly withdrew his hand.

Althea examined the tome, noting its thickness. She knew Loki was a fast reader, having seen him in action, yet she was still surprised he’d managed to finish the book in the span of a single night.

“So? What did you think?”

“It has its merits,” he admitted, “Though I could teach Dantès a thing or two about true vengeance.” He offered her a diabolical grin.

“I’m sure you could.” She tucked the novel under her arm and began walking down the hall. To her surprise, Loki fell in step beside her.

“The escape was rather ingenious, I’ll give him that,” he continued.

“Don’t get any ideas.” Dantès’ escape involved sneaking out in a body bag, presumed to hold another prisoner. Althea shuddered to think how Loki might employ a similar plan.

“You needn’t worry. I have my own, far more sophisticated tricks. I don’t need to borrow from your fiction,” he boasted.

She looked at him dubiously. “Is that so?”

“My dear, you have no idea.”Althea stumbled slightly, caught off guard by the term of endearment he’d dropped so casually. Falling behind Loki’s long, confident stride, she felt herself blush, the uncomfortable heat rising in her cheeks. Absentmindedly she fingered the stubborn lock she’d been tried in vain to tame.

Loki pressed the ‘up’ button beside the elevator doors and turned around, taking in her frozen, frazzled demeanor. “Ah, so you are easy to fluster after all.” His wolfish smile radiated self-satisfaction. “Just another one of my many skills.” He tapped his lips with the tip of his slender finger and shot her a playful wink. “Silver tongue.”

Althea shook herself out of her stupor and joined in waiting for the elevator, shoulders tense with irritation. He was teasing her and she, who had never really experienced flirting, had allowed it to get the better of her. Silently, she cursed herself for falling for the trick so easily, payback on her mind. By the time the elevator arrived, she had an idea.

“What did you think you think of the way Dumas incorporated Napoleon into the story?”, she asked as nonchalantly as she could manage. “I thought the historical context really helped to lend the story a sense of realism.” She hoped Loki would think she was merely trying to hide her embarrassment by changing the subject.

“It was more of a distraction than anything,” he replied, playing along. The elevator doors slid open and he stepped into the lounge, Althea on his heels. “I’m not overly familiar with that period of Midgardian history.”

“Makes sense,” she said, shrugging. “So what? Do you prefer something less realistic, like Lord of the Rings? Something that totally immerses you in another, fantastical world?”

Loki turned to face her. “I’d hardly call Tolkien’s work ‘fantastical’. I suspect he merely had knowledge of the other realms. Dwarves and elves are well known amongst…” he trailed off as he noticed Althea’s lips curling into a smug, knowing smirk. “What?”, he spat, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

“Nothing, nothing. I just never knew that trilogy was published on Asgard,” she mused insincerely. “Was it a big seller? It’s quite popular on our backwards planet.”

Loki cocked his head, confused, before he realized his error.

“Is it? How… interesting,” he tried to backtrack. “I wonder how it arrived in Asgard,” he added weakly, the grimace on his face a clear indication he didn’t expect her to buy it.

Althea rolled her eyes at his poor performance. “Really? Just admit it, Loki. You lied.” She planted her hands on her hips proudly. “You lied, and I tricked you into slipping up.”

Loki’s eyes slipped shut and he sighed in defeat. “Fine,” he growled through clenched teeth. “I will admit my guard was lowered.” He turned and walked over to the bookcases and studied the spines with feigned interest. “I expected you to be just as transparent as the rest of your… teammates.” His back was to her, but from the way the last word fell from his lips, coated in disgust, Althea could tell he was sneering.

“So you know about that, huh?”

“Obviously,” came his deadpan response.

“I take it you don’t approve.”

“Would it matter?” He abandoned his examination and faced her again, his expression challenging.

Althea gave the question some consideration. “It wouldn’t change my mind if that’s what you’re asking, but I’d still like to know.”

“I don’t care what you do. If you want to waste your life running around playing hero with the rest of those imbeciles, be my guest,” he told her flippantly.

The urge to defend her new friends overtook her suddenly, her resolve not to let Loki get under her skin forgotten. Imbeciles? He had no right to insult them like that. They had freed her, taken her in, and welcomed her graciously. They’d all opened up to her and made her feel safe opening up in return. And when the time came, they’d given her a choice: to live her life safe and provided for or to join them and fight for the greater good.

“Why are you even here?”, she snapped. She pinned him with a hard look. “You never go out on, or help with, any missions. You barely bother to speak to anyone besides me and Thor, and even then you’re demeaning and rude. You’ve made it perfectly clear you don’t care about anything or anyone. I just don’t get it. Why are you here?”, she repeated the question for emphasis. Her outburst had come out harsher than she’d intended, but she refused to back down.

Loki didn’t answer immediately. Althea had admonished his behavior before but had quickly diffused the situation on her own. No such distraction came this time. She was determined to get an answer. Thrown off by her intensity, he decided to tell the truth.

“I was given a choice; be a prisoner here, with Thor and his so-called ‘friends', or on Asgard, with my poor excuse for a father. I chose the cell with more square footage.”

“Prisoner? You’re here against your will?”

Loki sighed in exasperation. “I thought you were clever enough to have worked that out on your own by now.”

Althea barely registered the compliment, too overwhelmed by this new revelation. “Why?”, she pressed.

It was a logical question, asked simply. The answer was infinitely more complicated. Loki knew his mistakes were innumerable. There was a time when it had all felt justified. He’d grown tired of living in Thor’s shadow, watching his thick-headed brother inch closer and closer to a throne he neither deserved nor was prepared to handle. Then Odin had revealed the truth of his parentage, and his jealousy had turned to righteous rage. The long years of his life spent treated as an outcast, as “other”, finally made sense. He had only been trying to prove himself, but his father would never see his actions as anything more than disobedience.

Everything changed when he fell off the bridge and into the Mad Titan’s grasp. His actions were no longer justified. He hadn’t been fueled by jealousy or rage or the desire to prove himself. No, fear had been the driving force, turning his eyes towards Earth even as it blinded him to his better judgment.

He couldn’t simply lay out his crimes without trying to explain his reasoning, and as much as he inexplicably wanted to trust this mortal, he doubted she would understand.

Althea watched the internal debate as it raged behind his eyes, her quickly fading. What he had done, she couldn’t venture to guess, but it was clear he felt conflicted over whatever landed him in his current situation. After a few moments without a word from Loki, she tried another approach.

“Do you deserve it?”, she asked, now calm.

Loki snapped out of his racing thoughts. For the first time, Althea saw vulnerability on his pained face.

“Yes.” His voice was quiet, devoid of his usual jesting tone.

“Are you going to hurt me? Should I be afraid?”

If anyone else had asked that question he would have answered “yes” without hesitation. He was a god, after all; it was only right that these weak mortals should fear him. But there was something different about this one. It wasn’t her uncanny ability, as interesting as it was. It was just… her. She was patient yet persistent, innocent yet witty. Even now, rather than judgment or disgust her face showed only kind patience as she awaited his answer. It was an expression he wasn’t used to seeing directed his way. She was good; not in the exhausting, self-righteous way in which Steve Rogers was “good”, but in an easy, natural way that seemed to challenge those around her to see the world as she did. It was a challenge Loki found himself wanting to face.

He met her unwavering gaze. “No.”

She recalled what Thor had said of Loki. “Under it all, my brother has a good heart. I have seen it, and I believe the others will see it also, in time.” She hadn’t known what Thor had been talking about when he’d referenced Loki’s mistakes. Now it was all beginning to make sense. She decided to keep her promise to Thor and reserve judgment for the time being.

“I’m going to choose not to read into how long it took you to answer that question,” she quipped. And just like that, the tension of the moment was broken.

Loki blinked, caught off guard once again by Althea’s ability to shake off the weightiest of situations. He hummed in acknowledgment but turned back to the bookcase. Once again he made a show of looking through the titles, absorbing none of them. In the end, he plucked a book off the shelf at random. Suddenly a thought occurred to him. Confident his mask of indifference was solidly back in place, he faced her once more.

“You gave me a book about a falsely imprisoned man,” he stated thoughtfully.

Althea merely shrugged. “Yeah. Strange coincidence in retrospect.” The irony was not lost on her.

“In my experience, there is no such thing as coincidence,” Loki countered.

“I picked it up because it reminded me of my own situation. I had no idea we had so much in common.”

“We are nothing alike,” he hissed, his voice full of derision. Only Loki knew said derision was directed at himself.

[tarithenurse]

On my mind , in my soul - 16

Prompt:  “Love your work, On my mind in your soul!!! Prompts: A collar, a chair, and “Movement” by Hozier. Hope this works for you ♥️” That’s the words of a wonderful Anon whom I’ve decided will be the instigator to…well…you’ll see ;) Pairing: Loki x Burglar!reader. Content: Swearing as usual, loneliness, isolation, tiny bit of angst, jealousy, possessiveness, Jotun, lemons with “leashes”, some fluff ? A/N: All I wanna say is...it’s not my fault. Anon made me do it. Please reblog if you liked! You know the drill by now.

Of halves and wholes

You move silently, body tight and breath shallow as you navigate the halls of the Stark Tower on your own. Dressed in your own training gear (which Romanoff had picked up at your place – without being asked to or told the address) the plan is to locate the gym because sitting cooped up is starting to drive you crazy. It’s been ages since Loki left with most of the Avengers. More than a week at least! After a heartbeat to count, you correct the estimation: three. Days. Shit.

This is worse than expected. The tower isn’t your home, and not even a thirsting curiosity can distract you from the discomfort of being somewhere that takes your freedom and control away. Not to mention the people. Despite some shady backgrounds here and there, the Avengers stand for law and order and although they don’t put the letter of the law before the spirit of it…well, shared interests aren’t exactly plenty.

It’s more of a feeling than anything else that makes you duck into a spin where your water bottle is launched through the air. But instinct or not, the container nearly finds a target below the belt of the only one of the heroes you can talk to: Barton.

“Close call,” he mutters, but there’s a smile on his lips, “guess ye’re not much safer to sneak up on.”

You push to your feet, a bit frazzled. “At least I’m not carrying weapons all the time.” Yeah, I’m not gonna feel guilty about this.

“Anythin’ can be a weapon.”

Barton lops the bottle back in a gentle arch, probably confident that you don’t stand a chance at beating him. Which you don’t. But still.

“That sounded like the Russian duo.”

The smile breaks with a snort of laughter. “Only one’s Russian. Sorta. But yeah, I see yer point.” He walks on the way you’d been headed. “So, let’s see what else yer capable of other than tamin’ an Asgardian and throwin’ bottles at nice guys’ private parts.”

It’s all junk.

Silently appreciating that you’ve got a guide now, you follow the archer down a few levels and into the private and (according to Stark) little gym.

Little my ass. Filled with the best equipment money can buy, the place is bigger than any training center has a right to be and sports several pit-like areas which probably are meant for sparring. Of course there are also an actual boxing ring, several machines where the pins in the weight still are at uncannily high numbers…not to mention an actual stack of sandbags by the wall. Bikes, treadmills, you could go on and eventually not even know what to call the different options for physical exercise displayed before you. At least the smell’s like it should be. Musty leather, dry sweat, and sanitizer. Your nose wrinkle at the familiarity, and a bit of the alienation you’d felt seeps away into the floor, leaving you calmer than you’d been for…since I got here.

“Alrighty, what ye know already?” Barton has found sports tape and wraps while you were ogling and is now waiting for you to hold out a hand.

You gingerly extend your left. “In terms of…what?”

“Self-defence. Martial arts.” He’s obviously done this before because his fingers move nimbly and without hesitation.

What do I know? Sure, you’d taken a few classes and generally kept in shape enough to impress any common thug or rich client getting handsy. Then there was the stuff you’d tried to teach yourself like when Loki was…the memory makes you sigh quietly at the realization that that isn’t so long ago even though it feels like a lifetime. Things could have been so different now if you’d made other choices. Would your life have remained what it once was? Would it have been smarter if you’d run away…or simpler if you’d given in to the demands of the Asgardian? He would never have opened up to you, bared his soul the way he had done when he explained why the Avengers forgave him…

“Hey?” Barton’s voice breaks through the storm of thoughts. “Where y’at?”

Both your hands are wrapped comfortably. “Sorry,” you mumble, “uhm…no experience worth mentioning.”

“Cool. Blank slate.”

You follow him into the nearest pit, finding that the floor is slightly padded. “Tabula rasa.”

“…s’that like Hakuna Matata?”

…   Loki’s PoV   …

What use is a wizard if he will not even ensure the quickest travel? Finally out of the dreadful confines of the jet, Loki can feel his body thrumming with impatience. The Jotun part of him is itching to break free from the restraints of the illusion and to be only with people he trusts unconditionally. And no, Thor - who is hollering after the raven-haired brother - does not exactly fit that bill.

Long strides bring him to the door that leads to what can be considered Loki’s quarters when he has to stay at the Tower. The god prefers his own home, but even he is a slave to practicality sometimes. And this time? A part somewhere in his chest does not disagree quite as much with returning to this place.

Without knocking, he barges in and is met with nothing.

A second stretches like elastic as Loki takes in the surroundings, finding no signs of foul play. The closet is ajar, a pair of jeans slung across the back of a chair next to it which has [Y/N] shoes tugged beneath. The wardrobe itself is near empty because neither resident had brought a lot with them.

This time the steps are rushed and nothing but pure self-restraint keeps the god from breaking into a running pace. Self-respect. Dignity. Loki tempers the roiling desperation, not wanting to let anyone else know exactly how great the urge to hold his mortal in his arms really is. But where is she? Stopping, he realizes that he simply has stormed off in any random direction which is a perfect example on how not to search for anyone.

“Jarvis!” the god snaps, for once appreciating Starks love for the disembodied servant.

...

I still watch you when you're groovin' As if through water from the bottom of a pool You're movin' without movin'

The Asgardian supposes he should be thankful for the facts that [Y/N] is learning to defend herself properly and for the fact that it is Barton teaching her rather than any of the others. The two men do not have a friendship, far from, but the archer had been the first to accept that Loki’s actions on Midgard had not been entirely of his own volition. And so a sort of unspoken understanding keeps them on common ground. Still, looking at the way the two sweaty bodies collide and wrestle for dominance awakens a jealousy within Loki.

Why do I stay in the shadow? It would be simple, stepping forward and claiming the woman he has come to consider his. [Y/N] would be furious if I treated her as a possession…and the god stays in the shadows to watch. And what a sight it is.

With careful perfection, she copies the trainer’s movements. Already, her motions are fluid and lithe, a show of confidence that empowers the once-upon-burglar more than Loki thought would still be possible, and he could swear on the Norns that no other sight is as captivating. Sleek muscles dance under glistening skin of back, arms, and shoulders with each strike or block. Strong thighs (that have been wrapped around his waist as pleasure wrecks the perfect body) powers each step as [Y/N] drives forward in a tantalizing onslaught. Full of potency and with satisfaction showing on the curved lips. My warrior.

A change in movement, bodies too close for Loki’s liking as the archer wraps the woman in his arm before spinning her away. Only as Barton backs out of the sparring match, does the Asgardian realize that he has marched to the pit. He can feel the jealousy spread like ice over his skin but can hardly find it in himself to stall the transformation…and either way: the bowman is leaving already.

“Loki?” The female voices reaches him through a fog of rage. “What’s up?”

She is so soft in his clawed hands, so pliable as lips meet with a force that clicks their teeth together. “Mine,” Loki mumbles in between the hungry kisses.

“Mm!” He does not allow her to break away fully. “M’not…a thin’…oh…you own!” Even so, she is returning each demanding action with a vigour.

“Still…mine…” [Y/N]’s skin is scalding on his lips as he trails the elegant jawline before latching onto the tender spot below the ear. “My pet.”

Nails scrape against his scalp, sending shivers down Loki’s spine. “No pet…” she whimpers, arching into him in response to the hands stroking her body, “got no collar.”

Finally pulling back, the god is met with a lust-blown gaze. Mouth half-open and chest rising and falling rapidly, she looks so prettily ruined. “Oh, but my dear…you do have a collar.”

And as he speaks, it appears in a shimmer of sparks: thick, green velvet edged with gold and no buckle or joint anywhere for [Y/N]’s probing fingers to find. He sees the challenge rise in her eyes, but simply decides to scoop her up onto a shoulder and carry her away.

… Reader’s PoV   …

Without anything sharp, there’s no way you can get the new accessory off and slung over the Jotun’s shoulder (Must be his “thing”) you really can’t do anything about anything. Instead you wait patiently. Almost patiently. With each step, Loki brings you closer to his room. With each step, he tells you all the dirty things you’ve been longing for while he was gone, making you squirm to prolong the contact as he massages your ass and legs, ghosting close to your clothed pussy when the nimble fingers explore the inside of the thighs.

But when the door finally does close, he doesn’t drop you on the bed, but perches you on a hard chair and before you know it, your ankles are tied to its metal legs and you wrists connected behind its back.

His face is so close you can recognize a turquoise shade in the sea of red. “I might not own you, love, but you’re still mine to do with as I please.” A large hand wraps loosely around your neck, thumb stroking the collar. “If you’re a good pet, I’ll reward you.”

I’ll show you “pet”. Like a dog wanting to lick its owner’s face, you try to rush forward but are stopped by resistance from the neckband. What the –? His smirk chases away the confusion – the bastard has tied the collar to chair too. You can’t move more than a few inches, leaving you completely at his mercy. There’s no doubt in your mind that he would set you free if you truly wanted him too…but you don’t.

When you move Honey, I'm put in awe of somethin' so flawed and free

Instead, you watch as he straightens before you, deliberately slow as he peels off one layer of clothes after the other before he stands naked.

“God,” you moan, following the ridged lines across his shape with your eyes.

His hand drops to stroke his growing cock lazily. “Correct. Your god, am I not?”

A nod is enough. And one more when he’s kind enough to ask if you want to taste him. Stretching as far as you can, you meet him with your mouth, tongue guiding him closer until you sit relatively comfortable again.

It’s messy at first, almost every lick and nibble along the shaft makes his erection bob up and down as if it too is nodding, but when Loki grabs the base the balance in power shifts slightly in your favour. Groans and subtle rolls with the narrow hips as your lips draw his cock in inch by inch until you nearly gag on it. Sure, size isn’t all and the dimensions of the Jotun erection can seem intimidating if it wasn’t for your intimate knowledge of how talented Loki is with it. Right now, however, you’re spellbound by the sinful sounds and twitches as you trace the ridges with your tongue and suck greedily to create a slobby vacuum.

“Such a…good pet…” His breath is ragged and thighs trembling as he dig the clawed hands into your hair for stabilization.

It’s hard to smile with a face full of cock and your jaws ache at the strain. “Mmmmm-mmm?” you hum before circling the crown with your tongue to lap up the salty taste of precum.

With a pop, he pulls out, stumbling back a step to take in the view of you there, drool dripping to your chin and a devilish grin because you may be tied up but aren’t powerless. Innocently, you bash your lashes up at him, making a deal out of admiring the athletic form. Damn, so fuckable. Your clit throbs with each heartbeat and you try to shift on the seat to soothe the need for some release.

Red eyes lock on the movement, glimmering with decisiveness. “Yes,” he whispers more to himself, “and good pets are rewarded.”

Falling to his knees between your legs, the cold of his body soothing on the hot skin, he kisses and licks the worst of the saliva from your face before tracing a path to the neckline of your top. Even through the layers of fabric, Loki can see the puckered nipples to bite them just hard enough for the sting to make you moan with want and distract you from the appearance of a blade. Rrrrrrrrp, and the front of your clothes splits to reveal your breasts and stomach. You would’ve scolded him if he hadn’t been so talented with his tongue and lips, making you arch your back and tilt your hips harder into the hand he’s holding onto you with.

When the god reaches the top of your shorts, there’s no denying the dangerous cold of the blade as it slips between skin and elastic fabric, but this time, you couldn’t care less that more clothes is ruined as long as it grants him access. Scraps fall to the floor, hand reach under your ass to lift and tilt your pelvis a bit and then…gooooods!

…   Loki’s PoV   …

Move me, baby Shake like the bough of a willow tree

Such sweet sounds with each stroke of his tongue, a danced melange of broad, slow, piercing, and fast until her lust is dripping onto the seat. [Y/N] has fallen back and her entire body is undulating with power that is building up within, like water behind a dam waiting to be released. Fine.

Never stopping the delirious torture, Loki only needs a thought to undo the bonds - although the collar stays (he likes the symbolism of it). And before she understands what is happening, he lifts her to the bed. Only then, as he lays down on his back, does his mouth leave her folds so he can see her captured in his grip above him. Perfect. Eyelids flutter and breasts rise and fall rapidly against the tension of being on the verge for so long, already the woman is reaching for some way to find release. Mine.

The Jotun physique is domineering and raw in its need, but Loki manages to move agonizingly slow as he lowers her onto his cock and then setting a snail-like pace for the next dozen thrusts until she whimpers in frustration.

“Pleeaase!” The mortal’s gaze is clouded with lust and desperation.

How can he deny her? Rutting upwards, the speed and depth of each stroke are increased, and the much smaller hands hold on with all they can to his much bigger wrists. Pretty cries fall from her lips, growing louder as a warning, together with the tightness of her cunt, of the impending ecstasy. There! All of [Y/N] seizes and shudders with bliss. Back arched, breasts pushed upwards, and the sight is beyond anything the god could ever want.

Rolling clenches of her core pushes him over the edge with such a force that everything disappears in a darkness where the only reality is the blurry shape of the woman. Her heat and his cold mingles, and Loki knows he must have cried out her name, but it is not until he comes to his senses with the mortal in his arms that he realizes it. Never another.

“Mine,” he whispers into her hair.

The god can feel her smile against his chest. “Yours.”

[ravynnwritestrash]

What Is Happening (P.2)

Summary: Loki is at the Avengers tower staying on (y/n)’s floor until Thor gets back from Asgard.

A/N: Sorry this took so long but here it is part two to What is Happening?

warnings: fluff, angst, almost smut but no actual smut

pairing: Loki x reader  

Word Count: 3531

What Is Happening: Part One   Part Two

The common room in the compound was filled with yelling and while overall that’s not unusual the cause of it was. Thor had to return to Asgard meaning the Avengers had to decide who’s floor Loki was going to stay on. Most of them didn’t even want the God in the tower let alone staying on their floor so that is where the argument started.

“Why is he even staying here?” Clint asked sitting next to me on the counter.

“Don’t look at me. I wasn’t even there for the decision.” Tony defended.

“Come on Stark we both know this is going to work out in your favor,” I added glancing up from my phone of just a second. The truth was I was only half paying attention to the argument taking place I was too busy catching Nat up on what happened after she left me with Loki while leaving out a few details like the almost kiss that took place.

“What is that supposed to mean kid?” He sounded offended and I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at the man.

“Are you really trying to tell me you’re not going to brag about this to every reporter willing to listen?”

“Any hot reporter you mean” Nat adds causing the room to laugh and Tony to roll his eyes. I risked a glance at Loki who was sat on the furthest chair from the rest of us where Thor had left him. He watched the scene around him like it had no effect on him. I desperately wanted to know what he was thinking. I was snapped from my thought when my phone vibrated with a text from Nat. ‘You’re starting again’ I gave her my best bitch face and brought myself back to the conversation.

“Whatever. I just don’t want him on my floor.” Clint said getting up and leaving the kitchen.

“Fine. Bruce and Clint are out anyone else?” Tony said.

“He can stay with me.” Steve and I answered at the same time before looking at each other in shock.

“No, (y/n)” Steve said.

“I don’t think that’s up to you!”

“It’s. Not. Happening.”

“Dunno Cap they were alone in a room together and he didn’t try to kill her.” Tony pouring himself a drink. “ So out of the two of you, I would say she’s going to have the better chances of survival.”

“Besides that, he can only make fun of you so many times before he goes crazy and that Mr. America is cruel and unusual punishment” I added causing Tony to laugh into his drink.

“I swear you two are related,” Nat said with a laugh.

“I still don’t think it’s a good idea…” Steve said trying to put the conversation back on track.

“What’s life without a little risk Cap?” A joked hopping off the counter.

“Well, it’s decided. He stays with y/n.” Tony said clapping his hands. “I’ll make some adjustments to the security system and we will be good to go in an hour tops.”

“Well, in that case, I’m taking a shower and getting out of this uncomfortable suit,” I said leaving the room.

“Hey! I made that suit!” Tony yelled after me.

“Do a better job next time!” I tossed over my shoulder as I got into the elevator.

Once in my room, I allowed everything to sink in. Loki. What happened after the fight. The fact that he would be staying on my floor. I stripped off my suit and underwear before climbing into the shower. I tried to force myself to focus on the hot water but my thought kept drifting to Loki and the weird connection that we shared. I made quick work of getting the dirt and blood off of me and got out of the shower. Quickly I towel dried my hair and threw it up in a messy bun so my hair wouldn’t soak my shirt. I slipped into my pajamas, silky black sleep shorts and a grey oversized shirt that I’m almost positive belonged to Steve at some point. After stuffing my feet into my slippers I made my way back to the common room.

“You’re not listening to me, Tony. He is dangerous. ” Steve’s voice carried down the hall.

“I am aware Rogers but you didn’t see what I did and she seems confident that she can do it. It’s not like she’s going to be the only one in the tower and it’s only till Thor gets back.” Tony said. I could hear Steve sigh in response as I silently made my way down the hall towards them.

“You boys always talk about me when I’m away?” I asked leaning against the door frame.

“I- we are just-” I held back a laugh as Steve struggled to explain.

“Steve it’s fine.” I cut off his ramblings “How are the updates coming, Stark?” I walked over to Tony trying to ignore Loki watching me.

“They’re done. I’m redesigning your suit cuz you hate it so much apparently.” I laughed at Tony’s dramatic attitude.

“Whatta hero” I sassed back before turning to Steve. “So now what? We give him the grand tour? Show him around? Make him comfortable?”

“We taking him to your floor and show him to his room where he will stay till Thor return,” Steve said clearly not in the mood for jokes anymore. I rolled my eyes and gestured for him to lead the way. Loki stood and I felt my heart quicken once again at the sight of him. Our eyes met briefly before Steve started to pull him towards the elevator.

Resisting the urge to roll my eyes I followed behind Loki. Once on my floor, I slipped in front of Steve so that I could lead the way to the spare bedroom.

“Ok so this is the spare there’s a bathroom attached. Across the hall is the library and down the hall, that way is the kitchen and living area if you’re interested in any of that.” I blurted out before Steve could say anything.

“He’ll be saying in his room,” Steve growled

“Actually the agreement was the floor and he has to eat at some point so…” I sighed and leaned against the opposite wall.

“(Y/n)…”

“Steve, it’s going to be fine seriously.” He sighed and nodded finally giving in.

“You have any issues and I’ll come running.” He said mostly as a threat to Loki then for my benefit but I nodded anyway. Steve gave me a quick one arm hug before heading back to the elevator. Once he was gone I spoke again.

“Like I said, your room and bathroom. The library is across the hall. Kitchen and living room is down there. Feel free to explore. The only doors you can’t open would be mine, the stairs, and the elevator because yeah.” I walked over to him and took off the muzzle as well as his cuffs. “ if you kill me I’ll haunt you.” I joked as I took a step back my smile only grew when I saw him smirk a bit at my joke.

“I’ll keep that in mind.” I grinned up at him and slowly turned away so that I could go back to my room glancing back one last time to see him still looking at me before I slipped inside. Once my doorway closed I slid down it and allowed myself a short moment to daydream about the God down the hall before I got a text from Nat.

Nat: Are you guys making out I bet you guys are making out

(Y/N): Steve left like JUST left

Nat: …

(Y/N): No we aren’t making out. I’m in my room

(Y/N): Alone

Nat: So, how’d it go

(Y/N): he’s a different person when it’s just us. I know you don’t understand and you don’t trust him but there’s something there Nat.

Nat: Just… be careful

(Y/N): I will.

I tossed my phone on a chair and plopped on to my bed pulling out my book.

——————————-

I wasn’t aware how much time had passed until I finished my book and saw that it was dark outside. I felt a wave of hunger hit me and I made my way to the kitchen. Turning the corner into the room I saw Loki perched on the bar stool with The Great Gatsby in his hands. I set the kettle on the stove and turned back to him.

“Do you want any tea?” I wanted to apologize for interrupting him but the words caught in my throat when he met my eyes. God, he was beautiful. My cheek flushed slightly at the thought and I hoped that he didn’t notice. He nodded slowly and watched as I moved around the kitchen gathering the tea and the mugs. “Milk? Sugar? Anything?” I asked peering into the cupboard for the sugar.

“However you are making yours is fine.” He spoke. I grabbed down the sugar and set it next to the mugs just in time for the water to be done. I fixed the tea quickly and handed him the mug.

“I hope you don’t mind lemon. It’s the only one I have up here for some reason” he smiled reassuringly at me and looked back down at his book. After a quick search through my kitchen, I decided what I wanted for dinner. Grabbing down the pasta and putting a put on the stove to boil I turned back to Loki “Sorry to interrupt again. Are you hungry?” He softly smiled up at me at my words and set the boom down and nodded.

“What are you making?”

“Pasta” he tilted his head slightly in confusion.

“Oh. Umm. Wait, hold on. If this is your first time having pasta I’m doing this right I’ll be right back.” I gently touched his arm before rushing out of the room and down the stairs to the main kitchen. I almost slid right into Nat and everyone in the kitchen immediately stood up to see why I had run in.

“Hey. ” I said opening the fridge grabbing a pack of sausage and moving to leave the kitchen.

“Wanna explain what’s going on?” Tony asked.

“I’m making fettuccini?” Nat laughed at my response and instantly relaxed along with everyone else into the room and I turned to leave the room before anyone could ask more questions.

Once back in my own kitchen I pulled out a pan and started to cook the sausage.

“So what are you making?” Loki asked

“Fettuccine which is mostly done with chicken but I like it with sausage.” I shrugged. We fell back into a comfortable silence as I worked on our meal. Once finished I dished is up and handed Loki his bowl and waited for him to take a bite. I smiled at him and bit my bottom lip in excitement. He slowly brought the fork to his mouth and took a bite. I tore my gaze away from his lips and looked down at my own bowl and took a bite.

“This is nice, (y/n). Thank you” I smiled up at him and continued to eat. As we ate we talked passively about his brother and the other Avengers both of us being careful not to cross a line we are strangers after all. Aren’t we? That night when I went to bed I dreamt of Loki and selfishly found myself hoping that he was dreaming of me.

——————————

The next morning I made him his tea and myself some coffee. Again we talked about everything and nothing all at once but today I found myself drifting towards him until I was sitting at on the bar stool next to him.

At some point, the conversation turned more serious and I couldn’t trace it back and I could stop myself from asking “What is your mother like?”

“She is amazing, strong, beautiful, sometimes it’s like she’s the only one that cares enough to understand me.” My heart broke at his words and I found myself holding his hand. The contact between us snapped us both from the conversation both of us staring down at our hands. He slowly turned his hand to lace our fingers together and ran his thumb along the back of my hand. I found myself leaning closer to him until his forehead was placed against mine.

“I never thanked you”

“For?” We were keeping our voices soft scared to break whatever moment was happening between us.

“What you did… after the fight” his voice was trailing off.

“I-” I wasn’t able to find the words pit of everything I wanted to say to him. To ask him. I couldn’t think of a single one. So I did the only thing I could think of. I kissed him.

His lips were soft on mine and his free hand found it’s way to my hair pulling me closer to him. My hand found their way into his hair keeping him close to me. When he pulled away I allowed my hand to fall from his hair and trace along his jaw. I glanced up to him to find him watching me.

“What was that for?” He asked, his and falling from my hair to hold on to my wrist while continuing to hold my other hand.

“I just… I needed to do that.” He nodded softly and brushed his lips against mine. “Loki?” He hummed in response. “What is happening here? What are we doing?” I asked keeping my forehead pressed against his hoping that he wouldn’t pull away.

“I don’t know any more than you. I feel drawn to you. Do you feel the same?” I nodded and glanced down at his lips.

“I know it sounds ridiculous but I feel safe with you” the words had barely left my mouth before his lips were on mine once again. This time with more desperation. His tongue invaded my mouth and I allowed him to take control. He lifted me and sat me on the counter and stood between my legs pulling me flush against him. His hands stayed on my hips fisting into my oversized shirt. He gently bit on my bottom lip causing me to let out a soft moan. After giving me one more soft kiss he pulled away and focused on his hands as they smoothed out my shirt.

“You trust me?” He asked in a small voice. The question caused me to laugh softly. I put my hand under his chin and forced him to look up at me.

“I trust you Loki” I grabbed his hand and hopped off the counter walking down the hall taking him with me.

“Where are we going?”

“Do you trust me Loki?” I asked turning to face him.

“Yes.”

“Good. We are going to watch movies” I answer flopping down on the couch pulling him with me. I found a movie in my recommend and threw it on before leaning against Loki pulling the spare blanket across us.

After about two movies we ended up laying down with me on top of him. I fell asleep that night with Loki rubbing my back pressing a light kiss to my forehead.

————————-

“S.H.I.E.L.D agreed to let me take Loki back to Asgard,” Thor announced. I forced myself to stay casual as I dumped my coffee cup into the sink.

“How did you manage?” Nat spoke up her gaze dancing between me and Thor.

“I just had to assure them that he will be held responsible for his crimes on Midgard as well as on Asgard.” My heart was breaking as he spoke.

“You guys can all work this out. I’m going to go take a shower. ” I said as I made my way out of the room ignoring nats eyes.

Once finally to my floor, I let the anxiety of everything that’s going to happen hit me. I needed to find Loki. Tears welled up in my eyes and I rushed into my room jumping a little when I slammed the door a little too hard. I let myself fall against the wall as I tried to hold back my tears. The sound of the door creaking open broke me from my concentration.

“Are you alright my love?” Lokis voice flowed through the room

“Yea- yep” my voice threatening to break with the words. He made his way into my room closing the door behind him. I watched as he walked the short distance between us so he could stand in front of me, his cold hands resting on my cheeks. I leaned into.his touch and felt a tear run down my face only for him quickly while it away.

“Darling, please tell me what is wrong” his voice.was laced with worry and I hated myself for making him feel this way. When I finally met his eyes all thoughts left my mind. Without fully realizing it I brought my hand up to cup his check the feeling of him leaning into my touch broke my heart. I studied him for a moment like it was going to be the last time I saw him because it might be. My hand drifted from his cheek to his lips so that I could gently trace them with my thumb. I felt myself blush when Loki pressed a light kiss to the pad of my thumb. Once again my hand moved up to his cheekbones tracing them until I reached a piece of hair that had fallen in his face. Slowly I tucked it behind his ear before looking back up at him. He let his forehead drop to mine before speaking.

“Please talk to me.” At his words, the tears flowed freely and I pulled him into a kiss. Needing him.to be as close to.me.as possible. His arms when around my back so he could pull me impossibly closer to him neither of us wants any space between us. I’m not sure when he caught on to why I was upset but he did. He spoke soft words against my lips between kisses.

“Its ok love. I’ll be ok. We’ll be ok.” He repeated these words over and over while kissing me with such passion that I wasn’t even sure I was hearing them. When my hand found his cheek once more I found it to be as wet as my own and I slowly pulled away. Slowly I whipped the tears from his face not knowing if they were mine or his and he did the same for me. He walked me over to my bed and sat me down on the foot of it so he could kneel between my legs so we were face to face again.

So many thoughts raced through my head as I looked at him. We could run away together. Get out of life. Be free from everything and everyone. As if he had heard me Loki smiled softly and shook his head kissing my knuckles.

“I have to go.” I closed my eyes and nodded. I knew this was coming I always knew this was coming but I didn’t expect to fall in love with him. I didn’t expect this all to hurt so much.

“I love you l, Loki. More than anything.” I slowly opened my eyes to look at him taking in the small smile on his face. He leaned in so our lips were touching once more.

“I love you too darling” he spoke before pulling me into him. We poured every bit of love into that kiss that we could. Everything that we couldn’t say was poured into that kiss. I never wanted this moment to end. My hands found his shirt and pulled him closer to me as I opened my mouth for him our tongues dancing around one another. I moaned softly at the taste of him. Slowly he began to stand sliding his hands underneath me so that he could lift me with him.

Once my legs were securely around him he began to crawl up the bed on of his arms tightly holding me to him while the other supported us. When we broke away for air he dropped me to the bad before leaning down to kiss my neck his hands exploring the skin just under the hem of my shirt. I hooked my legs around him so that I could pull him flush against me once again. I needed to feel that he was still here. Still ok. I pull him back up for a searing kiss and we both moan against each other softly. His hands slid up my body dancing just below my bra. Before Loki pulls away.

“Not like this, love. I don’t want to be rushed with you. I don’t want our only time together to be a way to say goodbye.” I nodded slowly and sat up with him. He leans in and kisses me on the cheek his lips lingering there for a moment. “We will see each other again, my love. I promise. ”

Tag list:

@his-paradox @ddaeing

[hela-avenger]

Crazy in Love

Author: hela-avenger

Word Count: 3422

Summary:  A new incomer takes your attention away from him. How can Loki ever compete for your affections if you’re falling back into old ways? Jealous!Loki x Reader

A/N: Gotta say, I’ve really missed writing Loki and this series is one of my favorites. Sadly, I think I’ve only got one more part left in me. Maybe two if I find some inspiration. Keep sharing the love!

Feel My Love and Fix You

Hela-Avenger Masterlist

Loki placed the champagne into the ice bucket and once again fixed the plating on the table. Everything had to go perfect seeing as it was your one year anniversary being together. Thor had teased him when he saw the length Loki had gone through to make this dinner happen but in the end, his brother helped him with every small detail Loki had conjured up. 

Nothing could go wrong… or so Loki thought. 

The young god had never expected you to be late for your anniversary dinner seeing as you were excited about it all day. Except here he was alone and you were running ten minutes late. This was unlike you and Loki grew worried that something may have happened to you until he finds you running in. 

Your braid was loose and you were still wearing your work clothes.

“I’m sorry, Loki,” you apologize to him. “I’m really sorry but Steve got a location on Bucky and I was pulled into an emergency briefing. We’re supposed to be leaving soon to go get him and I have to be on-site in case Bucky gets rough.” 

“But…” Loki sighs out.

Loki doesn’t have to finish his excuse knowing that he was concerned for your well being. He was afraid for another Hulk mishap and you were afraid too, but this was your job and this time you had back-up. 

“I’ll make this up to you,” you assure him. “I promise.” 

You place a quick kiss on his lips and run off without waiting to hear his response. 

Loki remains standing in place and lets out a sigh as you disappear through the doors. His hand dug into the pocket of his pants and he pulled out the small velvet box. 

Perhaps another time will do. 

Loki has been restless ever since your return a week ago. He couldn’t stop himself from twisting and turning in bed while sleep evaded him. It’s been a few nights now since you’ve stayed in his bed due to the attention of another. The man known as the Winter Soldier had captured your undivided attention and Loki had not seen you since then. 

He knew that your job was delicate and it consisted of patience and time, but this was a new level of your work commitment that you had ever displayed. You had not made time for him in the past few days and the moments that he did encounter with you were few in between. 

Loki lets out a sigh as he stared at the ceiling above him. The glow-in-the-dark stars were illuminating lowly and Loki remembered the night you forced him to help you stick them on. You wanted him to place the stars in the constellations that he had seen on an Asgardian night. You wanted him to have a piece of home. 

Yet Asgard didn’t feel like home anymore. Being in your arms was home and you were consumed with the new work case that you hadn’t had time for him. Loki recalls how it all started and he couldn’t help but blame the man out of time for his misery. 

Loki was at the hangar waiting for your return. It didn’t take long to see the helicarrier come to view but when it did, Steve was the only one to walk out. He headed straight for Loki and motioned for the god to follow him. 

“Y/N’s with Bucky right now,” Steve explains to him. “He’s very sensitive at the moment and  Y/N doesn’t think he’s ready to meet new people.”

“I understand,” Loki answers. “But why isn’t she the one telling me all of this?” 

“Because she wants to stay with Bucky,” Steve answers. “He’s very fragile and Y/N wants to be there in case he needs anything.” 

Loki had understood then what you were sacrificing yourself to do. Except he hadn’t expected you to commit so intimately in Bucky’s recovery. 

You no longer slept in his bed, you slept in Bucky’s. You no longer had your meals with him, you had your meals with Bucky. Every waking and sleeping moment, you spent it with Bucky and Loki couldn’t help but grow annoyed and jealous.

He had nothing to fear because he knew that you loved only him except that doubt still planted seeds in his mind. 

Loki’s no fool and he recalls the way you two wound up together. It was the late nights you spent healing him. The way you nursed him to sleep and those tender moments were what led for love to bloom into each of your hearts. 

He was afraid it may happen again and that you would fall out of love with him to fall in love with another. He hadn’t missed the comments from the facility workers about the Winter Soldier’s looks. Every woman and man seemed infatuated with the mysterious man known as Bucky Barnes. 

With another sigh, Loki rose from his bed and made his way out to the common living area hoping to find some reprieve from his empty bedroom. He stepped into the living area only to find a dimly lit lamp in the corner with two figures seated on the couch. Familiar laughter fluttered through the air causing Loki to remain frozen at the entrance. 

Your head was perched on your hand as you watched the man of winter who was seated in front of you. A smile laid on your lips as he whispered something to you that caused you to laugh again.

You were happy. Tired, but happy. 

And Loki wasn’t the cause of it. 

“What is the meaning of this?” 

You’re startled by the sudden voice and so is Bucky as he jumps from the couch ready to attack the voice in the dark. Loki removes himself from the shadows and you’re quick to reach Bucky at the sight of him. 

“He’s a friend,” you assure him. “Breathe, Bucky.” 

“I’m sure the mortal can breathe just fine, Y/N,” Loki comments. “No need to baby him.” 

“Loki,” you snap at him. 

Bucky trembles under your hold and you know that the sudden intrusion is making him unravel. 

“Let’s get you to bed, ok?” you tell Bucky. “We should get some sleep anyway.” 

You move to follow Bucky but Loki’s hand latches onto your wrist pulling you back. Bucky is quick to come to your aid and pushes Loki off you. He stumbles back and is quick to procure the daggers hidden under his sleeve. 

“Touch me again, you mortal scum…” 

“Loki, that is enough!” you shout. 

It took all of your strength to push the Winter Soldier behind you. His mind was falling into the dark places of his mind and you feared further violence would ensue. You looked at Loki in fear. Something he never thought he would see from you. 

“Leave now, please,” you snap at him. “You’ve caused enough damage.” 

Loki staggers back. His daggers disappearing with a wave of his hands. 

“Y/N…” 

“Just go,” you whisper as your gaze turns to a panicked Bucky. 

Loki feels a chill as you turn your back on him. He watches as your hands plant themselves on the side of the soldier’s face bringing it down to yours. You rest your forehead against his and begin to sing a soft lullaby meant to ease him. 

The cold he feels from being shut out slices even deeper as he watches the soldier ease at the sound of your voice and touch.

Loki can’t watch anymore. He fears he may see something he shouldn’t. The moment between the two of  you being so intimate. 

His heart aches and then easily burns as rage fills his being. 

Loki had to put a stop to this. He just had to. 

It had been a week after the incident and you had lessened your therapy with the Winter Soldier. Even with this freedom you gained by no longer having to spend your nights by Bucky’s bedside, you hadn’t returned to Loki either. You locked him out physically. 

Loki waited for a moment to strike and an opportunity for his vengeance falls onto his lap by an accidental eavesdrop. 

The Winter Soldier was looking for a sparring partner. The man wasn’t ready to fight with his best friend and all the other agents were too afraid of his strength and history to accept the open role. 

Loki did not hesitate to accept it. He made his way to the training grounds and found the soldier watching a sparring match. Loki stood next to him silently waiting. There was no need for him to rush into things. 

After a few minutes, Loki glances over at him and speaks. 

“Heard you’re looking for a sparring partner.” 

Bucky glances back apprehensively and nods. 

“Yeah, uh… Y/N thinks some physical activity can help.” 

Hearing your name fall so easily from his lips only makes the fire in Loki’s body grow. The God of Mischief keeps his passive exterior though as he nods in understanding. 

“I am up to the challenge if you are,” Loki offers. 

“You sure?” Bucky asks surprised. 

“Your arm nor your above average mortal strength doesn’t scare me,” Loki answers. “Besides, I’ve heard you have an affinity to knives…” 

Loki procures his daggers out of the air again and flips them in his hands to further prove his point. 

“...Something we seem to both share.” 

Bucky watches the way Loki smoothly controls the knives in his hands. He’s never fought a God before and part of him is warning him against it. He still recalled the scene a few nights ago. He knew this invitation was born due to that encounter and it wasn’t like Bucky to step away from a challenge. 

“Alright,” Bucky agrees. “Let’s do this.” 

Loki’s grin grows at the acceptance and he makes his way to an open mat while Bucky equips himself. 

The prospect of the fight seems to gain some attention as the surrounding agents start to crowd around the mats. Bucky takes a deep breath as he enters the ring and tries to keep calm of all the emotions he felt at the moment. He recalled the breathing exercises you taught him and he allowed himself to linger on the sound of your voice. Just the mere memory of it eased him. 

Bucky opened his eyes and watched his opponent in front of him. Loki was staring right back waiting for an attack to occur. Neither of them moved, knives twirling between their fingers, watching the other. 

It doesn’t take long for Loki’s patience to run thin as he moves forward igniting the fight between them both. His first attack is blocked by an ever-watchful and skilled Bucky. The fight continues in that way. 

Metal, anger, and skill all met equally. God and man fighting against each other. Neither side was willing to lose. 

Sweat was dripping down their bodies and fatigue was lingering longer with each hit. Loki couldn’t understand how the man in front of him could have survived this long against him. Perhaps he was going too easy at the mere context of the recovering soldier. 

With that thought in mind, Loki decides to change the tides to his favor. He shoves the soldier off him and conjures up his clones. Bucky quickly grows uneasy as the real Loki is lost between the copies. Panic and anxiety start to creep up his chest and entangle his lungs. 

“Stop,” Bucky whispers. “Stop.” 

“Afraid so easily, soldier?” 

The daggers in Bucky’s hands drop as the vision in front of him continues to multiply and crowd him. The ability to breathe starts to escape him and he can’t recall how he’s meant to bring air into his lungs. 

“Loki… I can’t…” 

Bucky stumbles onto his knees unable to keep himself up anymore.

“So easily overcome?” Loki continues to taunt. “I haven’t even touched you yet.” 

The threat pierces through Bucky’s mind and puts him on high alert. When Loki’s attack eventually comes, Bucky is ready for it. 

The hand on the soldier’s shoulder is a mistake. Bucky is quick to grab and throw Loki over him causing the god to have the air knocked out of his lungs as his back meets the mat. 

All illusions are suddenly gone and Bucky has no trouble finishing up what they started. His arm finds an easy perch on Loki’s throat and the soldier lifts the god off the ground. 

Loki doesn’t go down easy and is quick to recover. He procured his knives again and is ready to drive them through the soldier if it wasn’t for the sudden interruption. 

“Enough!” 

The sound of your voice carries through the gym with a power unseen. The force of your shout sending a strong vocal wave splitting the fighting pair from each other. Loki and Bucky slide across the ring away from each other until their backs hit the nearest wall. 

The crowd that the fight had gathered is quick to disperse with only the Captain and Falcon remaining to stand by you. You ignored the questioning gazes of your sudden power development as you barked out a list of orders. 

“Cap, Sam,” you enlist. “Take Bucky to his room. Go through the breathing exercises I taught him. I’ll be there when I’m able to.” 

They don’t question your order and help the soldier up to his feet and walk him out of the now empty gym. Your stare turns away from them and settles onto the sulking god in front of you. He’s already on his feet with a scowl on his face. 

“Y/N…” 

“No,” you’re quick to interrupt him as you stalk towards him. “No, no, cap it. I get to talk first because I cannot even… Oh, I am so angry at you at this moment I can’t even stand it.” 

“You’re angry?” Loki scoffs. “You have no reason to be angry.” 

“Oh yes I do,” you snap at him. “After this display, I have a million reasons to be so furious at you. I can’t believe you went after him, Loki. He is still recovering and you decided to attack him, publicly! For what? For what possible reason could you seek vengeance against a veteran? Was it because he offended you for one night? Was this all an act of machismo? Of stupid male testestorone? By the Gods, I am so close to strangling you at the moment. I’ve never felt so angry in my life.” 

Loki can physically see how much you’re shaking just by standing in front of him. As if you are heavily restraining yourself from snapping. It scared him. You scared him. And he realizes his grave mistake a little too late. 

“I was jealous!” Loki exclaims. “And I had every right to be. That man was taking up all of your time. He’s spent every waking and sleeping moment at your side. He was making you laugh and smile. He received your soft touch and your deep care. I grew jealous! And that night… That night when I found you two together, I… I just couldn’t take it any longer. I was losing you and I grew desperate.” 

You can’t help but soften at hearing his argument. The anger you held was still there but it was more concentrated and controlled. 

“You did all of this because you were jealous?” you ask. 

“Yes,” Loki answers. 

You let out a frustrated sigh unsure of how to handle this. 

“Do you not trust me?” 

“No,” Loki scowls. “Of course I trust you, Y/N. I truly do. What does that have to do with anything?” 

“Because if you truly trusted me then you should know that my heart only belongs to you.” 

Loki hesitates knowing that your statement is true. 

“I… I trust you, my love,” he whispers. “I don’t trust...”

He hesitates and you catch the quick moment. 

“You don’t trust what?” 

“Your process,” he answers grimly. “You get so close and you care so deeply. How do I know you won’t fall in love with the soldier the same way you fell in love with me?” 

“Is this what this is all really about?” you ask.  

Loki looks away no longer wanting to be a part of this conversation. 

“Loki, I… we were a special case,” you try to explain. “We spent so much time together and…” 

“And you’ve spent a lot of time with him!” 

You press your lips together unsure of how you were meant to make him understand the difference between him and Bucky.

“You and I, we were different from the start. I knew it and so did you,” you tell him. “You reached out and I reached back. We talked about nothing and everything altogether. You came to know me inside out and I… I never allowed that same opportunity to anyone else. I never trusted anyone with myself before. Only you.”

Loki can’t help but realize how childish his excuse sounds now that you’ve talked some sense into him.

“If it makes you feel any better, I didn’t sleep with Bucky,” you explain. “I sat by his bedside and Steve was there most nights to keep an eye out in case his nightmares overpowered him.” 

Loki feels like a bigger fool but he can’t seem to let the matters rest.

“He made you fear me, Y/N,” he sighs out. “You were afraid of me.” 

“What are you talking about now?” 

“That same night I confronted the both of you,” Loki explains. “The look in your eyes was so clear. You were afraid.” 

“I was afraid,” you admit. “But not for the reasons you believe.” 

“What?” 

“Loki, it's no secret that Bucky has a very long history of violence. Though he wasn’t conscious in doing his past acts, the skills are still there and that man can easily kill you if his mind is set on it. I wasn’t afraid of you. I was afraid for you.” 

“Oh,” Loki whispers. “But then why have you been ignoring me the past week?” 

“Because I was angry with you for putting yourself in danger that night and I didn’t want our first reunion since I’ve been gone to be with a fight which is something I failed anyway because I snapped at you today.” 

Loki can’t help but laugh now. All of the troubles that had risen were all due to his overreaction and your under reaction together. It doesn’t take long for you to join in on his laughter at the absurdity of the situation. 

He’s quick to pull you into his arms and you allow him. It’s been far too long since you’ve been able to feel him. You had certainly missed him. 

“Next time, just talk to me,” you whisper into his chest. “I know I can get carried away with my work so just… just pull me back. Be my anchor.” 

“Ok,” Loki agrees. “And I will… I will try my best not to let my emotions take over me so easily. I shouldn’t have acted so brashly.” 

You snort knowing that it was easier said than done. 

“Hey, FRIDAY,” you call out to the A.I. “Play Crazy in Love.” 

Loki looks down at you confused. 

“What?”

“Just go with it,” you answer as the music plays softly in the background. You step away from his hold and start to sway to the music prompting Loki to dance with you. 

I look and stare so deep in your eyes

I touch on you more and more every time

When you leave I'm begging you not to go

Call your name two or three times in a row. 

Loki continues to watch you waiting for you to sing. You wait patiently as you two continue to dance. It wasn’t until your lips started to turn up for a smile that Loki took more focus.

“Such a funny thing for me to try to explain

How I'm feeling and my pride is the one to blame, yeah

I still don't understand

Just how your love could do what no one else can.”

Your smile grows bigger and Loki laughs at what you’re insinuating with the song. 

“Got me looking so crazy right now

Your love's got me looking so crazy right now

Got me looking so crazy right now

Your touch got me looking so crazy right now.

Got me hoping right now.

Your kiss, hoping you’ll save me.” 

Got me looking so crazy in love.”

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