#but the relationship between sif and the universe makes me emotional

[magnoliasandbeardedtooth]

thinking about the relationship between sif and the universe, and related theories / headcanons aka I listened to a song and I need to get these feefees out of me

this is a lot of prelude for something that can be shown with just the video clip, but I want to include all the strings that make up this knot

Its not explicitly stated, but I believe it's pretty clear that whenever sif repeats something three times while hoping for something (sharpening the keyknife, carving in general, praying to the change god statue in dormont), he is performing wish craft.

however, he doesnt repeat anything three times when getting the keyknife. he doesnt even need to pray to get it at all, the change god just gives it to him. they say themselves that they dont care for rituals. they never even take credit for the stat buff, they only take credit for the keyknife

when sif changes how they pray at the change god statue, their method more strongly resembles the ritual to make a wish at the favor tree (picking the one you like best), and as a result the buff gets better. it is the wish craft ritual that is the important part of the prayer to that statue, not the change god

one thing that IS explicitly stated is just how powerful wish craft is for those who know the rituals, and how dangerous it is in the wrong hands. between the disappearance of colors (Im pretty sure that was the result of a wish, I may be misremembering), the disappearance of the country, and the king being nearly successful in freezing all of vaugarde in time, it only takes one wish to take out massive chunks of the world at a time

we know that wish craft is very entwined in the culture of the country (the story written about in the journal is told as a cautionary fairy tale, the rituals themselves are so deeply ingrained in sif that the wish to forget the country did not restrict his memory of the rituals, and he can perform wish craft without even being fully aware he is doing it)

it seems reasonable to me that the reason for the country's disappearance was to hide the existence of wish craft and the rituals to access that power from the rest of the world. considering sif didnt even remember his culture AND had good intentions, and still nearly ended the world, seems like that concern is pretty well founded. however, thats not the important theory Im making this post about

the country has knowledge of wish craft in conjunction with worship of the universe. "the universe leads, we can only follow," "the universe willed it," seems pretty safe to say that sif's Universe is the "entity" that is granting wishes

the way wishes are described, they dont seem like something the universe grants based on who worships it. as long as you know the ritual, you get the wish. everyone is part of the universe, after all, worshiper or not

Admittedly, its a bit of a stretch to say that the universe as a collective force has any sense of empathy for human struggles. but using the change god as an example, as spiteful as they are to sif, and unsympathetic to anything other than a human's role in the concept of change, they still show a great deal of care and favor to mira, someone who loves them. it is possible for a deity to care for those that care about it

sif, despite no longer having access to his culture or why he cares about the universe, still loves the universe, very very deeply, just as much as mira loves change. the change god says that sif's deity will never answer him, but I dont think thats the case

and this is the important headcanon that I am making this post for

sif is performing the rituals, so he gets the wishes, simple as. but I feel strongly that his wishes getting granted in very small but noticeable ways, despite not knowing how or why hes doing it, is the presence of his universe helping him, caring for him, even when he doesnt remember it

the strongest evidence for this, and the basis for this whole thing, is exactly how euphrasie breaks down in act 5

at first I only really noticed when she laughs, it reminded me very much of how the change god, a being who uses sprites of other characters and has done a whole possession, laughed during their encounter. they and euphrasie are the only two that use anything other than "ha," and right after this laugh is when her breakdown pauses and she says the lines

"... Soon you'll be able to go back to your normal lives. Away from battle and strife. Finally, you'll all be able to go home!!!"

which, knowing the end of the game is coming, is incredibly relevant. very deliberate

before this pause, her breakdown seems pretty chaotic. the characters and the player are just coming out of one harrowing experience, and are clearly headed for another. the cohesiveness of this glitchy breakdown amongst a mess of the rest of the world doing the same isnt really high up on the list of priorities. none of the characters notice anything beyond the fact that reality is breaking, not even sif. it just sounds like scary nonsense.

but with the context of euphrasie being possessed to talk to sif, every single one of her lines makes perfect sense

(footage from Zhain Gaming on yt)

the universe is there its talking directly to him, it was there the whole time

the Universe loves Sif so much

[hiddleloki]

*insert Mushu “I live” gif*

Ok, so I finally watched Loki and I loved it. Loki and Quicksilver are my fav characters and I was really, really mad at Marvel for what they did to my boy Quickie, but I’m still holding out hope that they somehow fix that at some point. I mean, hello, variants? That thing officially exists now.

Luckily Loki seems to be more favored by Feige/Marvel and seems like we’re gonna see lots more of him. Season 2 and possibly even MoM. Season 2 is old news as there were already reports of it actually happening last year, and this year in January Deadline confirmed S2 of Loki with Michael Waldron returning. But I was holding out hope for Loki making an appearance in MoM (I want to see Strange interact with Loki again) and it seems like there’s a good chance of this actually happening.

Anyway, some thoughts about the show:

- I loved the show’s cinematography. It didn’t feel like a tv show at all

- Soundtrack is just *chefs kiss*

- TVA Loki my beloved. I honestly think TVA Loki might be my favorite version of Tom’s Loki so far. This show finally gave us the opportunity to really delve deeper into Loki, who he is as a person, how does he form relationships with people outside his family. It was just so fun to see different sides of him, like making a friend, falling in love? I never thought I’d ever see that. Especially not after IW

- Really liked his reaction to watching his ‘greatest hits’ and realizing his family actually loved him. Loki was always kind of a softie who genuinely cared about his family and seeing his parents’ (and his own) deaths was so emotional

- Infinity Stones being used as paperweights for the TVA will never not be funny. It broke my mind and sent me into existential crisis just as it did with Loki. 

- Loki needs to give Casey a fish at some point. Or take him to an aquarium.

- Mobius needs his jet ski in season 2. I also want to know more about Mobius and his backstory. What was his Nexus event, does he have a family, what is his real name?

- I really liked his friendship with Loki and the fact that he’s canonically Loki’s first real friend. Loki needed a friend (the W3 and Sif were never really his friends, Loki just tagged along I guess) and I’m happy he finally has one

- I need to find out more about B-15, who she was, her real name...Wunmi absolutely killed it during “I looked happy.” scene. God, that bit broke me

- Ravonna was sus to me from the start and she’s also one of the characters I want them to explore more. Especially now since Kang and his variants are also involved.

- Sylvie is probably my favorite new character introduced. I knew Sophia’s gonna play Sylvie and she’s gonna have a large role, but damn I didn’t expect to love this character as much as I do. There’s so much more left of her to be explored and I think her arc in season 2 will be amazing

- I saw that Loki/Sylvie romance coming the moment Lamentis episode ended. There were so many hints in that episode, I’m actually surprised so many people viewed them as having a sibling type of dynamic.

- I know that their love story is not a typical straightforward romance, but also serves as a metaphor for self love, but I found the idea of Loki falling in love with someone who is an au version of him, but also isn’t him both interesting and hilarious. Also, it was adorable especially that blanket scene in the void. There’s just something adorable about Loki being a complete softie for someone else. You know what, I’m rooting for them. I hope they get their happy ending, they deserve it. 

- Literally every character in this show deserves their happy ending. Like, just the idea of the variants not knowing who they are, being brainwashed and forced to work for this organisation...*happy endings for everyone please*

- Majors’ variant of Kang, aka He Who Remains was everything and is right behind Sylvie as my new favorite character. The guy absolutely killed it and I need more of him and his (many) characters/variants right now. Plus I would’t mind if we see this particular version of He Who Remains again. 

- The way they made Loki come out as bi was also so well done and I’m so happy they acknowledged that. Disney is notoriously bad with LGBT+ representation so the fact that the creators of the show managed to put that in was everything. I heard the director was fighting real hard for that to be made canon and I appreciate her effort.

- We were shown more of Loki’s abilities. It was about damn time.

- Alligator Loki is the baby Yoda of the marvel verse. I loved the theory that there’s an universe in which Alligator Loki was adopted by Crocodile Odin.

- Classic Loki.....Richard E Grant stole that episode. God, I wouldn’t mind an episode that focuses strictly on Classic Loki, he was just such a great character and he broke my heart

- I wonder if Kid Loki will travel to the main timeline and join the Young Avengers at some point

- THROG

- I really liked how they established that variants are basically their own people. Their own beings, they each have their own backstories, autonomy, clear differences that make them THEM. They aren’t copies, they’re individuals. And that they aren’t genetically related, but that they share the same soul and role in their universes (basically temporal aura) because that will also clear up some confusion with upcoming multiverse movies, for example Spiderman

- I suppose Loki confirms that all Peter Parkers in NWH are basically variants of Peter Parker, but just like Lokis, they aren’t the same, which explains why they all look different and why they also have different aunts and families. It’s not DNA that makes someone a variant of a certain being, it’s a soul. A role.

- I really hope that that one rumour of various Stephens in MoM actually turns out to be true.

- Strange is gonna kill Loki and Sylvie

- Which brings me to the last take:

- Ralph is totally Peter. I am clowning yes, but lemme have this.

Overall, I really liked the show. I loved it in fact. It was really character driven and didn’t focus much on action, which is a plus for me, because I rather watch characters talk and interact with each other than action sequences. 

The bad thing is that now I’l have to wait at least 2 years to see what happens next. And I’m curious if there’ll be a bit of a time jump between both seasons.

[aidaran-alha]

Chapter 6 is posted! 

Slow days in devastated places lead to uncomfortable conversations, or, why on earth would two beings like Loki and Sylvie choose to always present as male and female.

-------

“Well, then tell me why you prefer being a man rather than a woman, Loki.”

“There were never ruler queens on Asgard, ok? My mother was the consort, not the one giving the orders. Her duty was to sit there and look pretty. Most warriors were men, and Sif had to work twice as hard as any of them to be recognized half as them.” Not to mention choosing to look male but preferring magic to hand to hand combat had made him the target of so much negativity as he grew up. “And even in Midgard, most powerful figures throughout history have been male. They don’t let women ascend as easily as them, even if they’re talented. There, satisfied?”

“So that’s the reason, your glorious purpose. Showing yourself as a good choice to sit on the throne.”

“And what about you?”

Chapters: 6/18 Fandom: Loki (TV 2021), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies) Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Loki/Sylvie (Loki TV) Characters: Loki (Marvel), Sylvie (Loki TV) Additional Tags: Episode 4 Divergence, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Historical References, Apocalypse, Growing feelings, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, real historical places, Fluid Sexuality, Genderfluid, Frost Giants - Freeform, coming to terms with their past, Ridiculous amounts of fluff, idle moments between endings, growing closer, First Kisses, Semi Slow Burn, very plot so heavy, Ridiculous amounts of historical investigation, Porn with Feelings, Or maybe it is feelings with porn, mostly Loki and Sylvie talking and being sweet to each other, Odin is full of lies, Fluff, talks about their own nature Summary:

After saving Loki from being pruned, Sylvie flees the TVA with him, trying to find a new plan as they survive through apocalypses. As they have... not all the time of the world, but definitely all the time those worlds have left, they talk, pass the time, and in the process come to understand themselves and each other more clearly.

Changed to E for smut in later chapters. You can still read it and just avoid the smutty bits, I'll post a warning on those chapters! ---- “No, I’m not ok! Years in the making, years, and when I finally get to them, it’s all to discover they were fake! What the hell am I supposed to do now? ”

“Now, now we survive. We always do, Sylvie.”

------

“It's cold.”

“We’re frost giants.”

“Regrettably.”

“I was thinking... Why can’t we go back to that shape? you shapeshift, can’t you do it? Why suffer from the cold?” -----

“You could choose to be a really tall woman.”

“And you, a very short man.”

“It’s not about height for me, anymore as it is for you.”

“Well, then tell me why you prefer being a man rather than a woman, Loki.”

[agent-of-sam]

Favorite Thor Ships: Part 1

Out of all the MCU, the Thor movies are my favorites.

It helps that I'm a multi shipper and all the women in Thor's life are awesome. So I want to do some posts about my favorite Thor ships. And I’m starting with my personal favorite: Thor/Sif.

                                                      Totally biased, I've been quietly rooting for Thor and Sif to hook up since 2011 and no matter what direction the story takes Thor x Sif will always be my favorite potential relationship.

Obviously, part of this is just because I have a massive crush on Sif, the character, and Jaimie Alexander, the actress. I love her...why?

Lady Sif is sort of the MCU equivalent of Wonder Woman, an immortal who combines strength and nobility with a sense of warmth, compassion, and emotional openness. 

She doesn't get a huge amount of screen time but comes off as an incredibly well-rounded character, especially in a genre where many female character are assigned valued based on how well they can mimic the traditional cliches of male Action Heroes.  

Sif is able to switch from playful and cocky, to stoic and serious, to gentle and supportive, depending on the situation (as benefiting a literal goddess).

In other word's, she's Girlfriend Material of the absolute highest quality! 

Beyond that, I love that she's so high-key Romantic in her feelings for Thor. Having your Badass Warrior Princess character mournfully pining as she gazes across a crowded room at her lifelong friend, her eyes brimming with unspoken feeling... it's exactly the kind of over the top, melodramatic bullshit that I love about the Asgardians and their weird alien/pseudo-Shakespearian/mythic warrior culture. 

At the same time, she's never fawning in her interactions with Thor. They banter like old friends and flirt in mid-combat. 

Sif tries to counsel him when she thinks he needs perspective or patience. 

She advocates for him when he's not around.

To me it's a very romantic set-up, a long-term friendship based on loyalty and mutual trust with the potential to develop into a very deep relationship. (Though, flipping it around, I can definitely see how female viewers might not appreciate their Super-Hero/Immortal Warrior Woman power fantasy character being portrayed, pining from the sidelines for several centuries).

Plus, their dynamic has this tropey, genderswap thing going on. A Fantasy Prince and his Loyal Female Knight. Except the Fantasy Prince is a giant Viking Immortal with a magic hammer and he and his girlfriend ride into battle side by side which is both hot and romantic to me.

Of course the downside  to Thor x Sif as a relationship (also maybe what makes it appealing)... is that it's all potential. As far as we know, Thor is either unaware of Sif's feelings or does not reciprocate. Which is weird because Thor generally comes off as a very socially/emotionally aware guy... at least in the context of Asgardian society. 

One of my favorite things about Thor is that he's confident but honest and genuine as well. He never comes off as a "ladies man" i.e someone who puts on a smooth, crafted persona specifically to interact with women. 

However, he clearly seems to be aware when women are attracted to him (Jane Foster, the woman in the subway)...so how come he doesn't seem to notice the very obvious torch Sif is carrying?

My personal headcannon for this is that they either casually dated as adolescent (whatever age that is for Asgardians) or came very close to it. But then Frigga and/or Odin stepped in, took Sif aside and basically told her to hold off because they thought she had the potential to be a good queen.

Before his time on Earth, Thor was reckless, arrogant, impulsive, and quick to violence. He wasn't ready to be a king or a committed lover. And so Sif was encouraged to do the responsible thing and wait. 

The irony being that by the time he had matured into the person he was supposed to be, he had met somebody else.

To me, there's something there that mirrors the fall of Asgard. Why not wait? They're gods after all, there's always going to be more time.

Then Thor gets banished and comes back different. He's met a mortal woman and doesn't want to be king anymore. Frigga, who Sif always thought would be her mother-in-law one day, is dead. 

Thor goes searching across the universe and then Odin sends her away from Asgard. And when she finds her way back even her home is gone. Her people live on Earth now, or at least the fraction of them that still survive after Hela, Surtur, and Thanos. 

Thor is gone again, traveling through space with a bunch of mercenaries she’s never heard of.

Maybe I'm just projecting because I want someone in-universe to mourn Asgard and everything those people must have lost in what must seem like a very short amount of time to them.

I always thought Thor x Sif had the potential to be a very stable, well-rounded couple. However, given Thor's general arc in the first two movies  it would have seemed a little off, thematically speaking, if he ended up with the immortal warrior princess/long-time friend that his parents wanted him to get with all along.

However, post-Ragnarok/Endgame I think there is a lot of dramatic/narrative potential to a romantic reunion between Thor and Sif, someone who knew him before everything started and can see how much he has changed. Maybe someone he didn't realize how much he cared for until she was gone. 

For her it's a second chance at something she thought was lost, a piece of her past that's come back damaged and different but still worth fighting for.  

--

Obviously, this is all conjecture. There's no guarantee that Sif will return in Thor 4. As a shipper part of me is hoping for it, however as a fan of her character I'm also worried about her being crammed in and either sidelined or mischaracterized by the those behind the scenes.

If she shows up in the Loki show, that's more screen time and room for character development. 

However, I'm not hugely interested in Loki's show and depending on the direction it takes I'm not sure that it will play to her strengths as a character. My dream scenario was for Sif to have her own Xena-style high fantasy adventure (with Thor showing up in a supporting role) but that’s seem very unlikely.

---

Anyway, I'm a multi shipper and I'm planning to do more of these for Thor x Valkyrie and Thor x Jane. I just wanted to get my fave out of the way first.

[phantomchick]

My wip list

Writing out my list of works in progress in the hopes that it becomes more manageable and easier to decide which to work on after I do.

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Call Me  Fandom: dc comics / batfandom Summary: Jason calls Bruce for help after being assaulted, they deal with the aftermath both in the revenge way and the hurt/comfort way. Amount of work necessary to complete: ??? It’s a two parter fic so only one chapter left to go, however serious writer’s block to work through on this second part so who actually knows.

I tell myself that I don't need Anyone (But the truth is no one needs Me)   Fandom: dc comics / batfandom Summary: The scene in UTRH where Bruce throws a Batarang into Jason’s throat is bullshit especially because there’s never any consequences for it, that’s not just bullshit, it’s batshit! And I refuse to accept it. A What if Jason didn’t disappear into the night after the events of UTRH to arrange for his next villain appearance, fix it fic. Amount of work necessary to complete: Likely going to be one of my longest fics yet, a multi chapter whopper!  Which means a lot of work, both in research and in writing.  I need to read up on ALL of the modern captain atom comics, a bunch of the crisis event chemo Bludhaven comics and maybe a couple of other ancillary comics of that era too, before I even get to writing the nitty gritty of the fic. We’re doing this canon and we’re doing it right! A fixing-everything motivated fic putting the canon divergence back into fandom.

The Many Curses of The Wayne Name / Of Curses and Covenants Fandom: dc comics/batfandom Summary: So much of a work in progress the official title’s still not completely decided! A fic delving into the relationship between the Wayne Family and the Zatara family, told through a series of curses various generations of the Waynes have been afflicted with over the years, some of these curses the Zataras were able to remove and some they couldn’t. Currently intend to have it end with Zatanna and her nephew Zach coming to dinner with Bruce and his kids. Amount of work necessary to complete:  I already have an index of curses and which Waynes in the chronology get cursed where, ready to build with. But the series itself is still more a couple of lines and potential scenarios than any actual fic. Not sure how many stories I’ll end up telling here so unsure of how much work it’ll be to complete, likely a lot to get it off the ground though.

The Monster In The Man Fandom: Merlin, (bbc) Merlin, Summary: A continuation to CaffeinatedFlumadiddle's fic The Monster in the Mirror that ended on a horror-esque cliffhanger - written because my brain couldn’t handle the cliffhanger and had to extrapolate with a part two. Intended as a gift fic to that author. Basically the spell from an enchanted mirror has escaped and possessed Merlin, and is attempting to use Merlin’s worst fears against him until he kills Arthur. Can Arthur who has only just found out about Merlin’s magic save Merlin from what’s inside him? Amount of work necessary to complete:  Currently at a little over 5000 words but likely to need at least another 5000 to both get to the main action and resolve things.

Those Winter Sundays  Fandom: Marvel, Avengers, Iron Man Summary: Snapshots of Tony working hard for the avengers and no one noticing. Amount of work necessary to complete:  Unknown as currently more of a wip idea than a wip itself, likely going to be a oneshot containing a bunch of ficlets.

Truth is Treason in the Empire of Lies Fandom: Marvel, Avengers, Thor Summary: Thor tells the story of his banishment and return to Asgard ending with Loki falling into the Void and the Avengers have some questions, questions Thor had not thought of, remarks on things that Thor doesn't know how to explain.  He goes to Loki's cell and asks him some things becoming more and more angry despite having no one he can punch. Gets drunk and criticises Sif and The Warriors Three. Focus on Loki still being underage by Aesir standards during Thor 1. “For while the Treason I detest, the Traitor I love still.” Amount of work necessary to complete:  Either a oneshot or a two chapter fic. Need to be careful to ‘show not tell’ considering the plot I’m going with is gonna have a lot of talking about things that have already happened.

A Trinity of Head Wounds Fandom: DC Comics, Justice League Summary: Friendship fic, angst and hurt/comfort Clark yells at a concussed Bruce for being reckless and because Bruce is concussed he ends up accidentally making the slightly addled Bruce cry. When Clark notices he shuts his mouth so fast he could've crunched titanium between his teeth. Diana walks in, sees Bruce in tears and PUNCHES CLARK ACROSS THE ROOM WITHOUT HESITATION. After that there’s a lot hurt/comfort on all sides and Clark opens up about his anxiety over Bruce’s mortality and Diana bleeds on Bruce’s shoulder. Amount of work necessary to complete: It’s a oneshot but it’s one of those difficult ones where you’ve got to get everything just right or the emotional intent gets totally lost so a big ??? for this one too.

Separation  Fandom: DC Comics, UTRH Summary: Split personality disorderRed Hood and Jason Todd, alternatively, Red Hood is a demon/parasite latched on to Jay. Amount of work necessary to complete: A lot considering it’s currently just an idea.

A Stark in The Stars Fandom: Marvel, Avengers, Iron Man Summary: Tony’s survived the universe wide disaster known as the snap or the decimation and has even survived carrying out it’s reversal, but he’d much rather help Thor, Carol and the Guardians sort out intergalactic repair efforts than face the damage Steve has accidentally done to time itself back on Earth. He keeps forgetting the differences between what happened in the fake timeline and the original one the longer he’s on Earth and though he knows Stephen Strange is doing all he can to fix it, he also knows that the changes for him are a lot more confusing and disconcerting than they are for the others (Save for poor Sharon Carter).  Pepper understands better than anyone and actually packed his bag for him (with Morgan’s help) when he tried to explain what he was feeling. Maybe the little settlement on that mineral loaded planet he keeps visiting on behalf of the dwarves can help him find what he needs to get past this. Amount of work necessary to complete: This is a slower more thoughtful work about learning how to live when you never thought you’d survive and the sense of alienation you can get as a veteran returning to a world that isn’t the way you expected it to be when you got home. As such, it’s very introspective, so I want to take my time with it but realistically it’s likely to be a series of vignettes from both Tony’s perspective and the perspective of the people he encounters out in his travels through the galaxies. Max 5 chapters.

Another Time, Another Place Fandom: dc comics / Batfandom Summary: Martha and Thomas Wayne are sent 20 years into the future only to see a young man they've never met standing in their drawing room. He claims to be their grandson. I just love the idea of Jason being left in the house with Damian and Duke with Bruce, Tim and Dick gone and he's the eldest so he's gotta look after the situation Amount of work necessary to complete: However long it takes me to get past the writer’s block for the ending - I have most of a plot outline ready to write based on, except for how I’m going to resolve things. A oneshot with the possibility of an epilogue chapter to follow.

Vicki Finds A Bat Fandom: dc comics / Batfandom Summary: Vicki Vale sees Jason Todd sitting in a wafflehouse. Chaos ensues. Amount of work necessary to complete:  Currently a little over 2000 words, probably gonna need an extra 2000 before it’s done.

You Don't Know Anything  Fandom: dc comics / Batfandom Summary: Gift fic for paradise_runaway. One where the other Bat boys find out the circumstances of Jason's death and resurrection and their reaction. Amount of work necessary to complete: Started and restarted multiple times, can’t decide which route to take with it. It’s just a oneshot so once I get some inspiration to hit for it, it’ll probably be done pretty quick.

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[stony-ao3-feed]

I Love You 3000

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2qTYoyZ

by NazakiSama166

"Hey, Steve… do you love me?"

"Of course, I love you three thousand remember? I love you more than the suns, and stars, and moons, and every day I fell more in love with you than yesterday, I will love you for the rest of my life if you let me…" Steve said making Tony pause at that and chuckle while shaking his head at Steve.

"Silly old man… it's enough for me of you loved me for the rest of my life." Tony said looking at his wrinkly hand that was held gentle between Steve's bigger ones. It made Steve let out a small 'Oh' and tears start gathering in his eyes how did he forget…

They are living on borrowed time…

...

If you were given the chance to go back in time and change everything, will you take the road to hardship if it meant that you will finally find happiness once more?

Words: 5291, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies)

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: Multi

Characters: old Steve Rogers - Character, Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes, Natasha Romanov (Marvel), Bruce Banner, Clint Barton, Phil Coulson, Thor (Marvel), Nick Fury, Jarvis (Iron Man movies), Dummy (Iron Man movies), E.D.I.T.H, Other Marvel Characters

Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, Bruce Banner/Natasha Romanov, Clint Barton/Phil Coulson, Sif/Thor, Minor or Background Relationship(s)

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, alternate universe - dimension travel, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Not Canon Compliant, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Omega Verse, Alpha Steve Rogers, Omega Tony Stark, Older Man/Younger Man, Older Characters, Old Steve Rogers, young Steve rogers, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Hurt Steve Rogers, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Hurt Tony Stark, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Steve Rogers & Natasha Romanov Friendship, Steve Rogers Can Wield Mjolnir, Protective Steve Rogers, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Protective Tony Stark, Domestic Fluff, Healing, Slow Burn, Slow Build, Cuddling & Snuggling, Nesting, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Eventual Sex, Mating Bond, Mating Bites, Mates, Mpreg, Parenthood, Parent Tony Stark, Parent Steve Rogers, Eventual Happy Ending, Happy Ending

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2qTYoyZ

[ao3feed-stucky]

by NazakiSama166

"Hey, Steve… do you love me?"

"Of course, I love you three thousand remember? I love you more than the suns, and stars, and moons, and every day I fell more in love with you than yesterday, I will love you for the rest of my life if you let me…" Steve said making Tony pause at that and chuckle while shaking his head at Steve.

"Silly old man… it's enough for me of you loved me for the rest of my life." Tony said looking at his wrinkly hand that was held gentle between Steve's bigger ones. It made Steve let out a small 'Oh' and tears start gathering in his eyes how did he forget…

They are living on borrowed time…

...

If you were given the chance to go back in time and change everything, will you take the road to hardship if it meant that you will finally find happiness once more?

Words: 5291, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies)

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: Multi

Characters: old Steve Rogers - Character, Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes, Natasha Romanov (Marvel), Bruce Banner, Clint Barton, Phil Coulson, Thor (Marvel), Nick Fury, Jarvis (Iron Man movies), Dummy (Iron Man movies), E.D.I.T.H, Other Marvel Characters

Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, Bruce Banner/Natasha Romanov, Clint Barton/Phil Coulson, Sif/Thor, Minor or Background Relationship(s)

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, alternate universe - dimension travel, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Not Canon Compliant, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Omega Verse, Alpha Steve Rogers, Omega Tony Stark, Older Man/Younger Man, Older Characters, Old Steve Rogers, young Steve rogers, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Hurt Steve Rogers, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Hurt Tony Stark, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Steve Rogers & Natasha Romanov Friendship, Steve Rogers Can Wield Mjolnir, Protective Steve Rogers, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Protective Tony Stark, Domestic Fluff, Healing, Slow Burn, Slow Build, Cuddling & Snuggling, Nesting, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Eventual Sex, Mating Bond, Mating Bites, Mates, Mpreg, Parenthood, Parent Tony Stark, Parent Steve Rogers, Eventual Happy Ending, Happy Ending

[ao3feed-stony]

I Love You 3000

by NazakiSama166

"Hey, Steve… do you love me?"

"Of course, I love you three thousand remember? I love you more than the suns, and stars, and moons, and every day I fell more in love with you than yesterday, I will love you for the rest of my life if you let me…" Steve said making Tony pause at that and chuckle while shaking his head at Steve.

"Silly old man… it's enough for me of you loved me for the rest of my life." Tony said looking at his wrinkly hand that was held gentle between Steve's bigger ones. It made Steve let out a small 'Oh' and tears start gathering in his eyes how did he forget…

They are living on borrowed time…

...

If you were given the chance to go back in time and change everything, will you take the road to hardship if it meant that you will finally find happiness once more?

Words: 5291, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies)

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: Multi

Characters: old Steve Rogers - Character, Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes, Natasha Romanov (Marvel), Bruce Banner, Clint Barton, Phil Coulson, Thor (Marvel), Nick Fury, Jarvis (Iron Man movies), Dummy (Iron Man movies), E.D.I.T.H, Other Marvel Characters

Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, Bruce Banner/Natasha Romanov, Clint Barton/Phil Coulson, Sif/Thor, Minor or Background Relationship(s)

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, alternate universe - dimension travel, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Not Canon Compliant, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Omega Verse, Alpha Steve Rogers, Omega Tony Stark, Older Man/Younger Man, Older Characters, Old Steve Rogers, young Steve rogers, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Hurt Steve Rogers, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Hurt Tony Stark, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Steve Rogers & Natasha Romanov Friendship, Steve Rogers Can Wield Mjolnir, Protective Steve Rogers, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Protective Tony Stark, Domestic Fluff, Healing, Slow Burn, Slow Build, Cuddling & Snuggling, Nesting, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Eventual Sex, Mating Bond, Mating Bites, Mates, Mpreg, Parenthood, Parent Tony Stark, Parent Steve Rogers, Eventual Happy Ending, Happy Ending

source http://archiveofourown.org/works/21454738

[ao3feed-natashabruce]

I Love You 3000

by NazakiSama166

"Hey, Steve… do you love me?"

"Of course, I love you three thousand remember? I love you more than the suns, and stars, and moons, and every day I fell more in love with you than yesterday, I will love you for the rest of my life if you let me…" Steve said making Tony pause at that and chuckle while shaking his head at Steve.

"Silly old man… it's enough for me of you loved me for the rest of my life." Tony said looking at his wrinkly hand that was held gentle between Steve's bigger ones. It made Steve let out a small 'Oh' and tears start gathering in his eyes how did he forget…

They are living on borrowed time…

...

If you were given the chance to go back in time and change everything, will you take the road to hardship if it meant that you will finally find happiness once more?

Words: 5291, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies)

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: Multi

Characters: old Steve Rogers - Character, Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes, Natasha Romanov (Marvel), Bruce Banner, Clint Barton, Phil Coulson, Thor (Marvel), Nick Fury, Jarvis (Iron Man movies), Dummy (Iron Man movies), E.D.I.T.H, Other Marvel Characters

Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, Bruce Banner/Natasha Romanov, Clint Barton/Phil Coulson, Sif/Thor, Minor or Background Relationship(s)

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, alternate universe - dimension travel, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Not Canon Compliant, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Omega Verse, Alpha Steve Rogers, Omega Tony Stark, Older Man/Younger Man, Older Characters, Old Steve Rogers, young Steve rogers, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Hurt Steve Rogers, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Hurt Tony Stark, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Steve Rogers & Natasha Romanov Friendship, Steve Rogers Can Wield Mjolnir, Protective Steve Rogers, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Protective Tony Stark, Domestic Fluff, Healing, Slow Burn, Slow Build, Cuddling & Snuggling, Nesting, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Eventual Sex, Mating Bond, Mating Bites, Mates, Mpreg, Parenthood, Parent Tony Stark, Parent Steve Rogers, Eventual Happy Ending, Happy Ending

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2qTYoyZ

[77marvelimagines]

Beneath The Mask

Behind The Mask

Thor Odinson and Female!Reader

Prompt(s): HI! I am absolutely in loooove with your imagines!! I was wondering if you could do one where like the asguardian royal family has always had like a network of people assigned to protect them, and the reader gets assigned thor. so they’ve grown up together and she’s always kept stuff in and her secrets and then one day they’re just kinda hanging and she spills the beans? and ya know he’s like “danngggg. i’m here for you tho” and it’s fluffy? Sorry! I know this is long

Note(s): Hello!! Thank you for your kind words, and for the lovely prompt! <3 I always love writing about Asgard and the royal family. Sorry this got put on backlog for so long- college is a needy, needy child. Also, sorry it got long. I had a lot of fun thinking up their background and relationship. I hope you do enjoy tho! <3

Warning(s): None.

Word Count: 1711.

Ever since Thor Odinson had learned to walk, (y/n) had been by his side. Her job hadn’t started until sometime between adolescence and childhood, but it had always been an overshadowing fact nonetheless. She was to be there for him, in every way possible, whether it be mentally, emotionally, or physically. (y/n) was his bodyguard, his protection. Should she fail, even in the slightest, it could mean his demise. And it was made clear, very clear, that that should never happen.

She began training at the equivalence of the age of six. By age ten, two years before Thor’s own training would begin, (much to his jealousy) she was a master with the sword and two other types of weapons. Age fourteen, as masterful as the guards roaming the castle halls. When she and Thor turned eighteen, she was considered stronger than some of Asgard’s strongest warriors.

(y/n) made sure that the fact was known far and wide. No one was to mess with Thor Odinson. Not under her watch.

She was a warrior. An assassin. The trainer to Prince Loki’s own bodyguard, who was the equivalence of four years younger to both herself and Prince Thor. (y/n) was stoic, serious, and respectable. She was knowledgeable, because she had to be, and knew much about health and magic. The practice may have been looked down upon by warriors, as she’d discovered long before Prince Loki had, but she was good at it anyway.

She was good at anything and everything. Because she needed to be.

But beneath all that, the hard shell and the gruff attitude, (y/n) was a kind soul. She was gentle and knew just the right things to say to the right person at the right time. She liked birds and books and learning, liked laughing and having friends. Few knew her soft side, which was how she liked it. She’d grown up playing in the gardens with Thor, and at some point Loki and his own bodyguard, before starting her training for real. Of course she still talked and hung out with him- the two of them were encouraged to rely on each other, to be comfortable with one another, for they’d be stuck together until either her own or his demise (and if she had any say in it, for Asgard’s sake, it would be hers).

But the point still stood that she had emotions, and sometimes it was just so hard to not yell in frustration, or laugh at something that Fandral the Dashing had just blurted out loud right in front of the Allmother. It was hard to be someone she was not, behind her mask, when she worried about the family she barely saw and the education she had (forcibly) given up. And try as she might to hide it, the people who really knew her always could tell when something was plaguing her mind.

Prince Thor happened to be one of those people.

His hand on her shoulder startled her away from the magic book she had splayed over her leg. Thor had less than a second to back away from the knife pointed at his throat.

“Whoa, (y/n)! Easy now,” he laughed, “it’s just me. Didn’t you hear me open your door?” (y/n) shook her head. Her and Thor’s rooms were separated by a single door, which usually creaked due to its age and use. Somehow, between the worrying of her thoughts and the re-read paragraph on the page, she’d neglected to listen. Thor shot her an apologetic smile as he extended a hand.

“Come to the tower roof with me. The stars are bright tonight and I want to see them.”

(y/n) raised an eyebrow, though closed her book anyway. “Since when do you like to look at the stars?”

Thor shrugged. “Sometimes it’s nice to. Come on!” He waved his arm, which was still outstretched. (y/n) took it, skepticism etched into her entire being, but Thor just grinned and dragged her along.

Together, the two of them snuck through the castle to the far north end. There was a tower there, old and abandoned. It was still structurally intact and sound, so there was no need to worry. It once belonged to the old royal magic department, which had since been disbanded. Dusty books and expired ingredients littered the small room at the top of the stairs, making any type of walking through the space difficult. After years of sneaking off, however, (y/n) and Thor wandered expertly through the mess to the window, where they hefted themselves onto the roof.

Thor was right. The stars really were bright. They twinkled without a care in the world, like the Norns had just adorned them to the night sky not even hours ago. The nebulae accented the inky blackness between with landscapes of color, lighting up the sky into something nearly indescribable. (y/n) sighed. She wished she could explore the universe to the cosmos end and back. Alas, she had a duty here, after all.

A nudge to her elbow startled her again. This time, (y/n) refrained from pulling out the knife hidden in her boot. Thor was undisturbed, however, instead gaze patient as he turned and stared at the stars above.

“You’ve been worried about something lately.”

“How would you know?” (y/n) said, knowing full well that Thor knew her like the back of his hand. The prince chuckled as he easily turned to sit, arms folded over his knees.

“Where do I start? With the targets you missed during archery practice today or the fact that Tiki almost won your sparring match?”

“He did no such thing!” (y/n) scoffed. She pointedly ignored the warm creep of blush on her neck. “I was distracted by the commotion that the stable hands were creating, that’s all. Tiki is getting better though. Loki has a good bodyguard.”

“Aye, though I’ve seen you fight and win battles in less time in the feast hall of all places, and you know how loud and rowdy it is in there.” Thor finally turned to level her with a pinning gaze. He looked like the cat who caught the mouse. “It’d do both you and I well if you’d spill.”

(y/n) pressed her lips together and sighed through her nose. She crouched down to sit beside her prince and, with fists clenched, finally began to pick through her baggage.

“I wanted to laugh so badly when Fandral said that to your mother. He was mortified and she looked ready to strangle some sense into him. Thor, I’m just.. so tired of hiding my emotions. My instructors always told me that I couldn’t have weaknesses, couldn’t be flawed, because it meant that something bad could happen to you. And I get that, I do! But…” She scowled and turned her gaze down to the training yards. “Do you know how much I would give to go to school like my younger sister?”

“Atla?” Thor asked, surprised. “How is she doing?”

“Well, though she’s trying to skip her classes. Skipping class, Thor! I don’t even have classes to skip, and I’d die for the opportunity! I… I’ve been this role for so long. Sometimes I’m afraid I don’t even know myself as a person because I don’t think I’ve had the chance to grow. I mean… do I even like fighting?”

Thor chuckled as he recalled a few memories from their younger days. (y/n) had always beat him in wrestling matches. The only reason she was never yelled at for it was because it was supposed to be her job, though she used to boast take pride in her victories. She didn’t anymore.

(y/n) continued on, oblivious to Thor’s silence. “I’ve been fighting all my life, Thor, I mean seriously, do I even enjoy it? What about education? I loved classes, I loved learning, and now I don’t even have that as an option anymore! Everything I know now is self-taught. My training took priority over everything past basics. I don’t even know anybody outside the royal family anymore. Do I even have friends?”

“You have me,” Thor offered. He sounded hopeful, his shoulder pushed gently up against hers. (y/n) suppressed a grin.

“I know, Thor. I… I’m just worried about myself, is all.”

The prince hummed as he considered her words. He scooted closer a moment later, his arm wrapped firmly around (y/n)’s shoulders. Her breath was soft in his ear, the pulse of her heartbeat steady. Just like her, Thor thought. In all his life, he’d never known her to hesitate.

“Perhaps I can ask Father for some time between my next few adventures. We can spend some time with your family, maybe Loki and Tiki will take you to the library. You’re a very strong person, (y/n), in head and spirit. I shouldn’t be rushing headlong into things without thinking of you first. It’d be nice to take some time and actually rest in a bed instead of dirt, too.”

They both laughed at the memory of their last trip. For days (y/n) had slept on dirt, since in his haste Thor hadn’t packed his sleeping roll. She’d made him take hers, despite his complaints, and in the end they played hot potato with who slept on it. The Warriors Three and Sif started making bets on who would get the sleeping roll on what night. Volstagg won most of them.

Thor looked over and took pride in that he’d been the first to make his kindred-sister smile for the first time all day. Not even Tiki and his dumb jokes could crack her shell. The stars overhead caught his attention again, causing him to tear his gaze away before (y/n) could catch him. She probably already had though, since she was good like that. He squeezed her shoulders tight and laid their heads together.

“Besides,” he said, “beneath that mask of yours, you always have me right beside you. We’ll figure this out, (y/n).”

It took a moment, but (y/n) eventually replied. “I know, Thor.” Despite the doubts that crowded her thoughts, she knew that like an absolute certainty.

Tag list:

@princess76179 @kalechipps @a-confused-blogger @agent-valkyrie-romanoff  @starkslaufey @bad-black-angel @pieceofsupersoldiertrash  @chari-a @bluudhavens @wowitstonystark

[originaljediinjeans]

MCU Rewatch: “Thor: The Dark World” (2013)

King Bor knew the Aether was an Infinity Stone. Even if the script writers didn’t.

Frigga can’t believe that Odin kicked her out of Loki’s tribunal

Remember how I refuse to believe that Loki was mind-controlled by Thanos when he invaded Earth? This trial scene seals the deal for that to me. Loki does not regret his actions. Unless Thanos had him under some kind of mind control so deep that he thinks he actually wanted the Earth for himself or that it was his own idea, to the point where he showed no remorse in front of his horrified family and Asgardian friends, then the mind control theory holds no water.

Loki definitely deserves some tough love

Eric Selvig has NOT been okay since New York.

It’s not just Jane that Thor is pining after. Thor may not have connected that much with the Avengers in his brief time on Midgard but I get the feeling that everyone else knows that Thor did not fight the chitauri alone.

I hate that they tried to set up a love triangle between Thor, Sif, and Jane, but even if Sif does not have romantic feelings for Thor how could she not be jealous of the fact that one of her closest friends is pining after a woman on another world? Things haven’t been the same since Thor got banished to Midgard and Lady Sif and the Warriors 3 are dealing with it, Thor has been through a lot and he’s a lot more distant. Everyone wants things to be the same but they’re not.

It’s like what Thor says to Hogun after the battle of Vanaheim: he knows how it feels to have your heart and mind somewhere else

Sif deserved so much better in this film. Especially more screentime.

Thor is a nerd. He’s going to see Heimdall not just to inquire after Jane but he’s also interested in the stars and space. I feel like Heimdall might be teaching him things about the cosmos whenever he hangs out that the observatory. By Ragnarok Thor and Heimdall have enough of a relationship that they can communicate between worlds on the other side of the universe. Thor and Jane initially bonded because she was studying the structure of the universe and now she’s interested in the Convergence. Thor has his mind on Jane but he also has his thoughts on space and time and the different worlds of the universe. There’s not really much textual evidence to support this but that’s the vibe I’m getting. Thor just doesn’t get enough credit for his nerdiness.

That being said, the Bifrost Observatory is actually pretty cool. It probably gets its best screentime here.

Also that rock guy on Vanaheim--is he some relation to Korg?

In Thor:The Dark World we get the best ground-level and street views of Asgard. It probably has the most “viking” aesthetic of all three films.

Jane is a nerd too. She’s very curious and intelligent.

Asgardian illuminations. Why does nobody talk about that?

Also the Tree Room.

Asgard’s defenses are A+

Don’t get me wrong, the battle scene is cool, but I feel like the time we watched the Asgardians trying to blow up the Dark Elves could have been better spent on the actual characters of the film.

Me watching Frigga’s funeral: what are these...emotions??? I’m feeling...things???

Frigga’s death is really sad, but if Thor TDW did anything right, it was actually killing off a character and giving the film some emotional stakes

Thor’s plan to bust Jane out of Asgard is great, I love it, I love how he explains each step and then we get footage of it being carried out

The consequences for all involved did include possible exile: Loki kicked out Odin, he could easily have sent Sif, Farandal, and Volstagg packing once he was on the throne

I just...could never get the hang of the fact that they traded Josh Dallas for Zachary Levi as Farandal. And Farandal has like zip screen time in Thor TDW and his lines are actually kind of lame. Everything about Farandal in this film bugs me.

Although after he helps Thor, Jane, and Loki escape, his 10-second fight with the guards is pretty well done.

Frigga’s death: Odin handles her face tenderly, but he’s looking up at Thor and Jane. He is distracted from his grief by blaming his wayward son and the Midgardian woman who was stupid enough to get the Aether stuck inside of her. As if that was completely her choice. As if she had asked Frigga to die for her.

Does Jane get PTSD from this?

Malekeith and the Dark Elves/Svarthaelfen are some kind of extreme anarchists or nihilists. Except they are trying to overturn the last 4.5 billion or so years of the progress and evolution of the current universe. Instead of adapting and moving on they just keep trying to tear down the new reality to make it go back to the old. Their hubris probably came from the fact that they had the Aether in the first place. Even their weapons are these mini black holes that utterly destroy whoever or whatever they land on, make space and matter collapse in on itself.

You have to hand it to Marvel for giving us villains that just want to destroy what they hate rather than conquer and rule

the Svarthaelfen live long lives. Longer than Asgardians. Granted Malekeith and his surviving followers have been in suspended animation for the last 5000. But Odin says the Asgardians have been fighting the Svarthaelfen for generations.

Everyone has their eyes on Odin at the funeral ceremony, waiting for him to give the signal to light the pyre. Waiting for him to let go.

I need more Odin spending time with his ravens please

Would the Dark Elves have been more creepy or less if they had spoken in English instead of a made-up language?

Malekeith has a relationship with the Aether. A long one. The Aether knows him and responds to him. He can use it as he pleases.

*Loki looking at Jane on their ride in Svarthaelfheim* “Oh, what I could do with all that power.” Loki knows what the Aether is too. Odin talks about the Infinity Stones offhandedly as “relics” in the Tree Room scene, so the Asgardians or at least the Royal family know about them kind of as legends of powerful things that exist. But Loki knows more than most...

Thor and Jane are really LUCKY that Loki didn’t need to get them killed to move forward with his plan

How DID Jane get on that date with Richard in the first place?

In all fairness to Jane Foster, she hasn’t really had that great of a love life. Thor is probably the first person she’s really connected with. At least in a long while. Really, if I was her, I would be pining for him--maybe not as badly as Darcy teases her about but just enough to be hurting

When Thor first shows up to pick her up he tries to explain to her what he’s been doing--but it’s like all gibberish to her. Yeah, you can tell that Thor still hasn’t spent that much time on Earth

Did anyone else notice that Jane and Darcy’s car was vandalized while it was locked and abandoned?

If Malekeith hadn’t showed up with the Aether, the Convergence might have just been a weird day in Greenwich

That’s got to be crazy, being able to see into eight other worlds at once

I didn’t realize it before this viewing but the sticks and the gravity fields that Jane and Selvig and Darcy and Ian were playing with were what actually saved the day, they just all got upstaged by Thor and his cool hammer tricks. Jane, Selvig, and Thor killed Malekeith together.

Thor was willing to give up his hammer why does no one talk about this?

Would the real Odin have been as “nice” to Thor as the fake one in that last scene?

Overall, Thor:The Dark World is still a great movie but it could have used stronger writing in some places. I appreciate Thor TDW the most when I’m watching it. And I guess if Captain America: The Winter Soldier is the MCU film that comes right after it, you’re going to have a harder time appreciating it, right?

I wish they had made Jane less helpless rather than just a helpless heroine who resents the position she’s in

That being said, though, I love the music score.

If Thor TDW is supposed to be a chick flick, then that explains why it’s my least favorite MCU film because I’ve never been a huge fan of chick flicks.

Asgard. Asgard’s mountains. Asgard’s back country. Asgard’s streets and buildings and architecture. Asgard’s waterfalls. Asgard. ASGARD!

Alternate Title: “Someone Should have Planned for this Emergency Better.”

[mentallydatingahotcelebrity]

Loki - Victim of Abuse or Just Bad Parenting?

This is in response to this post here, and a conversation I was having with @vesperazylra

Loki sticks out in Thor (2011) considerably; never exactly belonging to Asgardian society or his brother’s circle of friends.

But I don’t think this has anything to do with their culture. Let me explain:

Asgard appears to be a society that thrives on the golden age ideal that men were the defenders of the home and women are the caretakers, only called to fight in the direst situations or in defense of their children; both are expected to be nurturing, however.

But this doesn’t mean that there can’t be different sides to Asgardian men. They can be Casanovas and romantics (as demonstrated by Fandral), laconic, insightful, and slight (Hogun), they can be witty and affectionate and family-oriented (Volstagg), they can be wise, authoritative, commanding, with knowledge of magic (Odin), and they can be bold, proud, self-confidant, and war-loving (Thor).

And obviously there can be variations of the women, too.

Sif: bold, proud, skilled in battle, brave, selfless; well-balanced between masculine/feminine.

Frigga: wise, assured, manipulative, authoritative, nurturing, instructive, with knowledge of magic; feminine while at the same time not not appearing weak.

Brunhilde/Valkyrie: bold, proud, arrogant, self-confidant, war-loving; strongly masculine over feminine.

Eir (the healer in TDW): nurturing, insightful, instructive, authoritative, wise, precise; a touch more masculine than feminine (given how she speaks and carries herself).

So if there’s not a problem with their culture, where IS the problem?

Parenting. Parenting is the problem. Now hold that thought.

Parenting is an issue, for sure; but so is the fact that, like Sif, Loki is perfectly balanced between feminine/masculine. Hiddleston’s fault. (but in a good way and wonderfully done, bravo!) He projected himself into that aspect, in my opinion: being masculine while at the same time feminine-- a well-rounded man. Gotta admire that balance; very rare (and probably why we all adore the stuffing out of him).

Back to Loki:

Like Sif, society doesn’t exactly understand what to do with Loki. He’s too masculine to be a woman (obviously, he’s male) and too feminine (studies magic, has a “place” that ranks under Thor) to be a “manly man” or whatever. So they kind of just mesh him in with them and hope that he fits-- which leaves him feeling completely out of place because the only person to get him is his mother (useless, she’s not a peer, she’s an authority figure) and Sif, who hates him because they get on one another’s nerves (probably because they’re very similar: misfits trying to fit in. She reminds him that he doesn’t really belong as hard as he tries, and he reminds her that she won’t belong, no matter how much she wants to).

This means the problem isn’t Loki-specific. Sif, a woman in Asgard, has the same challenges (wanting to be a warrior, something uncharacteristic of her gender, as Loki does with magic, something uncharacteristic of his gender). So where does this lead, then? Obviously, Sif has no emotional/mental/identity collapse. Why? I think the answer is parenting.

Unfortunately, we know nothing of Sif’s parentage, but I can bet you that it’s far more wholesome and accepting than Loki’s is. I also think it has to be high-ranking, given that she and Frigga seem to be the only females in Asgard remotely warrior-like. (We’ll ignore the Valkyrie because they weren’t established until Ragnarok and tbh that really pissed me off; don’t add elements in at the 9th hour, writers, it Looks Bad.) Sif always has a sense of direction/purpose, even when she’s struggling to hold her hard-earned place:

“I have everything under control!”

“Is that why everything’s on fire?”

“And who proved wrong all that scoffed at the idea that a young maiden could be one of the fiercest warriors this realm has ever known?”

“I did!”

Where Sif thrives from denial of accomplishment, Loki suffers.

Both are chastised, teased, disapproved of in their circles, yet Loki is the one to come away injured every time without fail.

The only way this happens is through fault in the parent-child relationship. Obviously, Sif had parents who told her to follow her heart as much as she could, and were there to support her in her desires (Thor said “all who scoffed”, not “your parents’ scoffing”, remember).

I think that as Loki grew into maturity he had almost solely the encouragement of Frigga and the other sorcerers/esses who taught him (because, c’mon, there are other magic practitioners in Asgard, don’t be daft now; Eir’s a sorceress, though with healer-centric powers). 

Odin, I’m sure, praised him when he was a child with the basic “lovelies” “marvelouses” and “well dones” that all parents bestow on young children. But I think as Loki moved from childish play to youthful study, Odin related more to Thor, a promising warrior-in-training and the future king after him, than with Loki: budding master sorcerer who would one day replace Frigga with all her knowledge of magic and the hidden paths between the realms.

And, if we consider Hela in this mix, perhaps Frigga loved Loki because he reminded her in certain ways of Hela before Hela fell from grace; and for the same reason, Odin distanced himself from the baby he’d taken in. 

Odin’s close relationship with Hela poisoned her; turned her into nothing more than a weapon if annihilation and desecration. Perhaps he feared the same for Loki? After all, we try to learn from our mistakes and being a parent must be the hardest task in the universe, especially in a universe where one’s children are more likely than not to have mystical powers.

As how Loki didn’t touch Odin in the Treasure Vault for fear of injuring him with his newfound frost giant powers, perhaps Odin feared being close to Loki would injure him with his [Odin’s] political ideals and hopes for peace, and so left the little boy to Frigga’s care. Never for a moment supposing that Loki --unlike headstrong, independent Hela (typical first-born)-- greatly desired his father’s praise and recognition.

Loki’s problem isn’t Asgard’s society, because they were perfectly fine with meshing him in; his problem isn’t with his ethnicity, because in the end Thor proved he learned Jotuns weren’t just cruel monsters “you can’t wipe out an entire race”; it’s a problem with parenting.

His mother loved him and expressed her pleasure in his accomplishments. His father loved him, but never expressed that he was proud of him. And, from the end of Thor, never announced such sentiments to Thor, either. We see this when Thor puts into words what Loki attempted in actions:

“I want to make you proud, father.”

“You have already made me proud.”

*cue surprised, quietly pleased light in Thor’s eyes*

Thor might have been insensitive to Loki, but he was also insensitive to Sif (trying to take credit for her success as a female warrior), to the rest of the Warriors Three (saying he brought them to good things and without him they wouldn’t have got there); Thor’s just brash and headstrong and essentially ignorant of what he’s doing because he’s determined/relentless in his liveliness and doesn’t understand that his boisterity, isn’t appreciated by everyone.

Odin, on the other hand, did what he did with full knowledge. From the beginning of Thor we saw that Odin, in fact, loved Loki; but obviously something happened between that point and Loki’s adulthood. Again, Odin didn’t seem to have much interaction with either boy (typical of monarchical settings realms over); but Thor survived because he’s independent and doesn’t really desire gratification (just like Hela), while Loki suffered because he desires acknowledgment, and the feeling of being seen, more than loving what he does all alone, like Sif. Everyone could tell Sif she’s wrong, but her drive to be “one of the best warriors in all the realms” is enough to keep her motivated to continue regardless of outside opinion.

So, in the end the problem is Loki’s psyche, and Odin’s [also, I have to say, Frigga’s] Parenting. Some people, like flowers, need more attention than others.

Another observation I’ve made is that Loki’s is an artistic/violent personality, a trait common among the fine arts: writers, musicians, painters, poets, performers. They tend to be eccentric, self-destructive, emotionally-based, passionate, and craving of praise-- They derive personal pleasure from being told “this is good, now make more��. All of this, Loki is. It’s simply his nature. (As he says in TDW “satisfaction’s not in my nature” a trait common of the fine arts: he cannot be satisfied because then he would cease to learn, to grow, to, essentially, be; because satisfaction means completion-- as a writer myself I relate to this strongly-- satisfaction means he is as good as he is ever going to get, and that is impossible when there is always more to learn.)

I’m not trying to exonerate Thor of anything, I’m just trying to say that it’s unfair to blame him for all Loki’s problems. There’s only so far that something is someone’s fault before the person suffering can take joint blame for not doing something to rectify it. If Loki was having problems, he should’ve said something to someone, Thor or Odin or Frigga-- Frigga certainly would’ve listened (though I think Thor would’ve listened too). 

Anyway, enough of my rambling.

[beastofhearts]

Thor: Love and Thunder

I dont know in which moment I decided I needed to write to fully digest what I saw but it does help to get my toughts in orders, so im doing it again!

Disclaimer: I only saw the movie once, yesterday, and im reviewing it from that experience. I heard a few people saying its more enjoyable after a second watch, but I will have to wait until it is on disney plus to see if its true or not.

Now, time to start. SPOILERS AHEAD

Overall I really enjoyed his movie. I like the story, the characters, the music and the visuals (the scene on the shadow realm? BEAUTIFUL. The Omnipotent city? GLORIOUS) but I dont think the tone or dialogues are helping the story to reach its full potential. Do not get me wrong, I was expecting jokes and a comedic tone but not to this degree.

Anyway, on some scenes.

1) The narration. I understand the purpose of it. Its easy exposition, it allows us to watch the relationship between Thor and Jane and its related to the idea of myths and legends being told from parents to kids but... it breaks the movie too much for liking. The voice and dialogue doesnt help either, specially with Korg not bothering to remember Jane`s name. 

Yes, I know its referencing other actors but... what for?

2) SIF IS BACK. I havent watch Loki or Agents of Shield so I was not aware she was alive, but im so glad to see her again. Its a pity that she only has a few seconds of screentime and its reduced to a joke when Thor (a friend she hasnt seen in 8 years) finds her wounded in the battlefield. Which reminds me....

Why does Sif (An Asgardian Warrior) needs to be explained the rules on how to get to Valhalla? I understand this is actually for the audience but it just doesnt make sense for this character to be explained something that she already knows. You could have used Jane for it and it would tied her a bit more with Valhalla and her postcredits scene.

2.1) I would have cheered so much if Korg tried to take Sif to the hospital during the attack on New Asgard and she is just like: NOPE. Broke free and joined the battle. Not only would it be badass (and funny, with Korg running after her) but it would had made sense with a character that was not there when Asgard was destroyed.

3) The scene where Jane goes to fight Gorr? The look between them? It devastate me. It didnt need dialogue, it didnt need close up. It was just them... realizing this was the last time they would see each other. Brillant. I take my hat off

4) The kids fighting and many of them not being asgardians, but from other races and/or places? I love it. Its a bit kids-movie but hey, it was fun.

5) Jane's mother: what was the point on that scene?  We do not need to know where the cancer is coming from (specially knowing Jane held the Ether on her body just 3 years back -8 years total with the blip-) and I dont think we need her as a justificaton of Jane being angry or sad with her situation. Those minutes could have been used better imo.

6) Gorr`s daughter doesnt...emote. Her father is dying in front of her just to give her a second chance at life and she doesnt seems distraught, sad or anything.  Just like “Welp, time to find a new caretaker. Oh hi Thor”

7) The plot-convenience use of StormBraker`s Bifrost. It works just fine during the begginign of the movie (from the first planet to Sif and from there to New Asgard), then breaks for us to use the ship to Omnipotent City and the Shadow Realm and then magically goes back to fully working again to travel to the center of the universe + taking the kids back to New Asgard.

I love the goats and the ship is trully amazing but there should be a better way to explain all of this.

And I think thats all I have to comment! I do have a bigger question regarding the necrosword and the gods, but I will leave that for another post.

[aion-rsa]

Loki Episode 4 Review: The Nexus Event

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This review contains spoilers for Loki episode 4.

Loki Episode 4

First of all, holy shit!

Ok, now that’s out of the way I have to calm down enough to review Marvel’s Loki, episode 4, “The Nexus Event,” which had me on the edge of my seat until the post-credits scene. During said post-credits scene I was very much out of my seat. I don’t remember when I stood up, but I guess it must have happened at some point in the 0.2 seconds between being overjoyed that Loki wasn’t dead (again!) and seeing Richard E. Grant. But let’s backtrack, because there is so much to talk about before we get there.

The first three episodes of Loki were often divisive. As much as I personally loved them, a quick scroll through the comments section under my reviews revealed that not everyone was as enjoying the series as much as I was. However, many of the complaints I read were about elements of the story that paid off extremely well in Loki episode 4.

Patience is very much a virtue, so if you felt there was value in spending last week’s episode just hanging out with Loki and Sylvie on a doomed moon and getting to know the pair better, you likely got a lot out of their forced separation and the moment they reunited to face off against the “Time-Keepers.” If you enjoyed the weird friendship building between Loki and Mobius in the first two episodes, you probably felt that gut punch when Loki had to watch him die. And if you’ve been deeply suspicious of Renslayer and scoping her office for clues during those TVA admin scenes, you finally had the chance to yell “HA! I KNEW IT!” when she turned out to be a wrong’un.

We started the episode with a little backstory. We got to witness Sylvie being snatched by the TVA as a child and eluding her Variant pruning by a dispassionate Renslayer, but this scene immediately became a bit of a Loki timeline headache: this wasn’t a quick pruning before a Nexus Event hit the redline – Sylvie was born a Loki and lived for quite a few years on Asgard before Renslayer and the TVA stepped in. Questions arising from those events are left unanswered in episode 4, so we’ll have to put them on the backburner for now.

We then snapped back to the “present” when the TVA stepped in to haul Loki and Sylvie out of the Lamentis apocalypse, which ultimately led to Mobius and B-15 facilitating their escape from captivity. We suspected this might happen. What we didn’t know was how it was going to go down, and the answer came in agonizing drips as Mobius and B-15 started to question everything they thought they knew about the TVA and its mission. It was tense af – from B-15 taking Sylvie back to Roxxcart and experiencing some heart-breaking memories of her true past, to Mobius finally realizing that Renslayer was a lying liar from Lietown, it really did feel like these breakthroughs could go either way because – as we are all now very much well aware – Renslayer is anything but stupid.

In episode 4, Renslayer did her best to get rid of Loki and Sylvie, but the duo appeared to have formed quite the bond in their brief time together; a bond that Mobius picked up on fairly quickly after love first saved the day. At this point, it’s time to address the elephant in the room: Loki and Sylvie’s budding relationship. Many of us would have preferred this to stay as more of a sibling thing, and episode 4 appears to be laying the groundwork for a romantic connection, at least on Loki’s part. Whether this show will continue to advance the romance between them remains to be seen, but perhaps we should attempt to strap in for the inevitable here?

Elsewhere, Owen Wilson just continued killing it as Mobius. He and Loki’s friendship has been such a key emotional anchor in this series, and the thrill of watching Mobius connect the dots and finally try to break out of the box the TVA put him in was cut so awfully short by his sudden death at the end of a pruning stick. Just a devastating moment, and one that the show allows Loki to feel deeply, albeit briefly. I really hope this isn’t the last we’ve seen of Wilson in the show, though I’m not sure how he could be worked into further MCU installments if he somehow reappears and makes it to the end. Loki season 2? Fingers crossed, as there’s obviously even more dark shit going on behind the scenes of the TVA yet to come.

So the omnipotent and lizard-like Time-Keepers are nothing but androids, huh? Nothing but a pantomime. Again, this is something that many Marvel fans have anticipated, but who is really behind the TVA, the mythology of the Time-Keepers’ creation, and the dubious nature of the “sacred timeline”? Is it really going to turn out to be Kang the Conqueror? It’s hard to forget that Renslayer is Kang’s girlfriend in Marvel Comics, and Kang is definitely set to make an appearance in the now-filming Ant-Man 3, but I suspect this show has a few big surprises in store for us in its final two episodes.

They’ll have to be big surprises, because episode 4 gave us some huge ones in its final minutes. We had to watch Renslayer kill Loki in the middle of confessing his feelings before Sylvie captured her. Not for nothing, the way Renslayer’s eyes changed when she faced the end may have been easy to miss upon first watch, but it seemed like her death may well have been a mercy. I wonder how much of Renslayer’s villainy is beyond her control.

Then there was that post-credits scene. Marvel, ugh. You got me again. Of course Loki isn’t dead. At the heat death of the universe, the only things left alive will be cockroaches and Tom Hiddleston in full Loki costume running lines. No, Loki got his own “come with me if you want to live” moment instead, and we were introduced to a whole bunch of new Loki Variants who seem to have already figured out how to cheat TVA crackdowns. “Boastful Loki,” “Kid Loki,” “Alligator Loki” – his gold horns I can’t – and “Classic Loki,” none other than Richard E. fucking Grant.

There’s some stuff I haven’t covered here, including Loki’s Time Cell encounter with Lady Sif, and the way in which it forced Loki to address his past behavior and put a stop to yet another cycle of his being a total asshole – this sequence reminded me of Lucifer’s hell loops honestly. There was also the moment we got a first confirmation of vampires in the MCU – Blade is coming! – but it’s hard to focus on everything when my brain is screaming “I CAN’T BELIEVE I HAVE TO WAIT ANOTHER WEEK TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.”

Hope you all enjoyed this one. I’m excited to find out.

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[ladiesofmarvelbingo]

Week 38 of round ups!

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Title:   Trusting your heart Creator:  xxDustNight88 Square Filled:   L3 - Trust Word Count:   937 Rating:   Teen+ Pairing(s): Sif/Blaise Zabini Major Tags: Trust, Crossover, Drabble Summary:  When a stranger arrives in Asgard, Lady Sif has to a decision to make. Link: AO3

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Title:   Interlude Creator:  sarahbeniel  Square Filled: L1 - Skinny Dipping / D4 - Romantic Gestures   Word Count:   66,982 Rating:   Explicit Pairing(s): James "Bucky" Barnes/Darcy Lewis, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Darcy Lewis Major Tags: Crack Crossover, Established Relationship, Angst with a Happy Ending, Oral Sex, Skinny Dipping, Threats of Violence, Canon-Typical Violence, Darcy Lewis & Jaskier Friendship Summary:  Bucky and Darcy are having trouble communicating. When Bucky suggests they take a break, she assumes it's over. But sometimes a break is just what the doctor ordered... Link: AO3

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Title:   Just The Beginning Creator:  articcat621 Square Filled:   E3 - Genre: Short Story Word Count:   851 Rating:   Teen+ Pairing(s): Draco Malfoy/Wanda Maximoff Major Tags: Blind Date, Crossover Pairings, Auror Draco Malfoy, One Shot, Alternate Universe, Suggestive Themes, Romance Summary:  Draco and Wanda both have mixed feelings about the blind date. However, it turns out to be what both of them are looking for. Link: AO3

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Title:   Weathering Creator:  heyjupiter Square Filled:   A4 - Thunderstorms Word Count:   2,177 Rating:   Teen+ Pairing(s): Bruce Banner & Brunnhilde | Valkyrie Major Tags: Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Canon Compliant, Friendship Summary:  When Bruce visits King Valkyrie in New Asgard, a thunderstorm reminds them of absent friends. Fortunately, they have Thor's stash of Midgardian junk food to help them cope. Link: AO3

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Title:   The Comeback Kid Creator:  grimeysociety Square Filled: O2 - “When I first saw you, I saw love.” / M2 - Wonderland / N3 - “Wait! If I fall - you will catch me, right?”   Word Count:   128,180 Rating:   Explicit Pairing(s): James "Bucky" Barnes/Darcy Lewis/Steve Rogers, Darcy Lewis/Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes/Darcy Lewis Major Tags: Jewish Darcy Lewis, Slow Burn, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, OT3, Open Relationships, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Panic Attack Comfort, Hand Jobs, Cunnilingus Summary:  Darcy, after her boyfriend suddenly leaves her, is forced to reinvent her life. This means taking a job at a private school as their new library technician. While struggling to learn the nuances of Sacred Heart, Darcy is drawn to Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes... and she's pretty sure they're secretly dating. Link: AO3

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Title:   Just Before Dawn Creator:  grimeysociety Square Filled:   W5 - “Feels like I finally found a perfect love this time.” Word Count:   6,151 Rating:   Teen+ Pairing(s): James “Bucky” Barnes/Darcy Lewis Major Tags: Fluff and Crack, Dogs, Magical Realism, Darcy Lewis Is a Good Bro, Animal Transformation Summary:  One day, Darcy rescues a dog and then a gorgeous naked man appears in her living room that night. Link: AO3

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Title:   Darcy, Bucky and the Hundred Acre Wood Creator:   grimeysociety Square Filled:   O1 - AU: Disney Word Count:   2,164 Rating:   General Pairing(s): James “Bucky” Barnes/Darcy Lewis Major Tags: Fluff, Magical Realism, Darcy Lewis Is a Good Bro Summary:  Darcy and Bucky are transported into the world of the Hundred Acre Wood. Link: AO3

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Title:   Outpost 17 Creator:  sarahbeniel Square Filled:   A1 - P:icture of Hope Van Dyne / D2 - Free Space / Y2 - Space Pirates Word Count:   6,629 Rating:   Mature Pairing(s): Darcy Lewis/Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes/Darcy Lewis, James "Bucky" Barnes/Darcy Lewis/Steve Rogers Major Tags: Alternate Universe - Space Pirates, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Minor Carol Danvers/Hope Van Dyne, Past Darcy Lewis/Valkyrie, Steve is Carol's Little Brother, Everyone on this Ship is Queer, Light Angst, Mention of Historical Pandemic, Eventual Happy Ending Summary:  When the female-run pirate space-cruiser Achelois comes across a small lone ship— one with special significance to ailing captain Carol Danvers— the cruiser's sole male crew-member is in for a shock, when the identity of the other ship's pilot is revealed. Link: AO3

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Title:   When The Sun Is Out (I Love Her And She’s Loving Me) Creator:  periwinklepromise Square Filled:   M3 - Free Space Word Count:   23,291 Rating:   Explicit Pairing(s):  James "Bucky" Barnes/Natasha Romanov, Maria Hill/Natasha Romanov Major Tags: Sex Pollen, The kind of dub-con always implicit in this trope, Awkward Sexual Situations, Angst, Embarrassment, Trope Subversion/Inversion, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD Summary:  From this prompt on the kinkmeme:

"Whenever I read a sex pollen fic, the sex is always between two people who like or realize they like each other and they lived happily ever after. But what would it really be like to be dosed with something that made you lose control in such a mortifying way? To want to and have to fuck in order not to die? Then realize you had tons of sex with a friend or co worker and you still have to see that person every day."

OR

Natasha and Bucky get dosed with sex pollen, have lots of frantic sex, then have to face each other and Natasha's partner Maria, resulting in all kinds of awkward angst.

Remix for What a Day for a Daydream (Tomorrow I'll Pay the Dues for Dropping my Load) Link: AO3

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Title:   Supernatural Solutions Creator:   FrenchKey, JayofOlympus Square Filled:   O1 - Sharon Carter/Pepper Potts/Natasha Romanoff Word Count:   1,444 Rating:   Teen+ Pairing(s): Sharon Carter/Pepper Potts/Natasha Romanov (Marvel) Major Tags:  Alternate Universe - Ghost Hunters, Poltergeists, Fluff, Useless Lesbians, Ghost Hunters, Minor Injuries, Shower Sharing, Cuddling & Snuggling, Sleepy Cuddles Summary:  "‘Well, I’d say that’s a success, ladies,’ Sharon said, dusting dirt from her palms. It didn’t really do much to clean her up, since thick, wet clumps of dirt clung all the way up to her elbows, and her jeans were probably going to need burned. Apparently poltergeists didn’t like exorcisms."

Sharon, Pepper, and Natasha clean up after a tricky exorcism. Link: AO3

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Title:   Parent, Teacher, Cupid Creator:   rebelmeg Square Filled:   N3 - “Your laugh is adorable.” Word Count:   3,386 Rating:   General Pairing(s): May Parker (Spider-Man) & Peter Parker, May Parker (Spider-Man)/James "Rhodey" Rhodes Major Tags: Alternate Universe - Teachers, Awesome May Parker (Spider-Man), Kid Peter Parker, Precious Peter Parker, Awesome James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Flirting, Matchmaking, Fluff Summary:  Peter's third grade teacher, Mr. Rhodes, is awesome. And Aunt May is awesome too. Maybe, since Peter knows they like each other, he could help them... Link: AO3

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Title:   His Queen Creator:   articcat621 Square Filled:   N1 - Huddling for Warmth Word Count:   668 Rating:   Explicit Pairing(s): M’Baku/Shuri (Marvel) Major Tags: Romance, Sexual Content, Huddling for Warmth, Marriage Proposal, Language, Flirting Summary:  M'Baku warms his love by the fireside. Link: AO3

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Title:   Partners First, Lovers Second Creator:  articcat621 Square Filled:   E5 - Workplace Romance Word Count:   565 Rating:   Teen+ Pairing(s): Wanda Maximoff/Vision Major Tags: First Kiss, Love Confessions, Workplace Relationship, Overprotective Vision, Not Canon Compliant, Alternate Universe Summary:  Vision confesses his feelings, or he attempts to. Link: AO3

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Title:   Only You Creator:  articcat621 Square Filled:   O2 - Against the wall Word Count:   880 Rating:   Explicit Pairing(s): Darcy Lewis/Loki Major Tags: Wall Sex, Language, Teasing, Romance, Established Relationship, Loki (Marvel) is a Good Bro, Sexual Content Summary:  Loki pays his favourite Midgardian a visit. Link: AO3

[meganmazing]

fics i read while on vacation

I went to australia to visit family last week, and boy oh boy are layovers and delays a joy - especially when you are not a person who easily sleeps on planes. To cope, I ended up downloading a bunch of long fics and binge read them all. The hardest part was just picking a few (lol) of what I read for this list.

Here are some of the ones I loved the most. They’re mostly cherik but there’s also a klance, a drarry, and a stony or two (or three) because those pairings are like my comfort food when it comes to fanfiction, and I needed that the past two weeks (hello, canceled flights and difficult support staff). These are also all rated either Mature or Explicit, so if that’s your thing, join me. This is a long one.

As always, if you want more recs from a whole host of pairings and more nonsensical gushing about why I love them, check out my bookmarks on my ao3: megamazing. All links below go to the ao3 version of the work. Click the titles for the link even if the little line doesn’t show up under them. And don’t forget to leave kudos for the authors and share the love!

CHERIK

No Longer in Silence by Black_Betty  26k  Rating: E

It has been eight years since Charles has seen Erik. Eight years since they parted under unkind circumstances and Erik went off to sea. The boy he once knew is Captain Lehnsherr now and they are as known to one another as strangers, and yet--Charles finds that eight years has done nothing to diminish the feelings he had when he was 16 and in love.

It's unfortunate then that Erik doesn't feel the same way.

(Persuasion AU)

The writing in this is incredible, truly. It’s in Charles’ perspective and the emotion coming from him throughout this one kills me in the worst and best ways. And Erik, my utter love. It’s based on Persuasion, so it’s Jane Austen, so you know damn well that there will be misunderstandings galore, and yet...

I usually avoid non-powered AU like the plague, but I gave this a shot and I am so, so glad that I did. Regardless of whether you like/know the story it’s based on, you will fall in love. It is heartwarmingly romantic, and still earns it’s rating in the end. This is a forever-rec, fit for everyone, and i will be shouting it from the rooftops forever.

Tessellation by nekosmuse  116k+  Rating: E

He had been following Xavier's career for years. He had read and reread and reread again everything the man had written. He had tried, on more occasions than he could count, to recruit Xavier into the Brotherhood, but each request for a meeting had been denied. Aside from his work, no one knew anything about Xavier. Not what he looked like, not the full extent of his power--though from what little they did know, he was by far the most powerful telepath in existence--and not what his intentions were.

The man was a recluse. As far as Magneto knew, Xavier had never once stepped foot outside his impenetrable Westchester manor. And now he was scheduled as the keynote speaker for the largest pro-mutant conference in the world.

This is the novel length cherik AU fic you didn’t know you needed. To be fair, I do not read many fics involving Genosha, but I may be reconsidering my preferences after this one because I WAS IN LOVE. It deals not only with all the romance/love/fluff/banter I adore with cherik, but it really gets into Charles and his disability as well as his relationship/history with alcohol. The relationship feels so genuine and believable that I was smiling and aching for these two by turns. I also love Emma in this? More Emma in fics, please.

Mutually Beneficial Transaction by Pookaseraph  41k+  Rating: E

In his sophomore year at Columbia University, Erik, feeling slowly strangled by his mounting college debt, places an add on a sugar daddies website. He doesn't know exactly what to expect from it, but when he's contacted by a man named Charles who seems less creepy than the other people who have responded to his profile, he decides to give it a shot. Charles is nothing like what he expected, and Erik finds himself slowly falling in love with his sugar daddy while trying to find out exactly what caused this amazing guy to buy his emotional and sexual intimacy when he clearly deserves so much more than that.

Pulled straight from the highly emotional comment I left on the fic immediately after reading: “This story is fucking fantastic. In every way. I usually steer clear of non-powered AUs, but holy shit I am so glad I clicked on this one. I'm in love with their love and you wrote this so fucking beautifully my emotions are all over the place. I will rec this until I die. All the love and kudos to you <3″ Here is me, holding up my end of the rec’ing bargain. I was in A State after finishing this story, if you couldn’t tell. The relationship between our boys here is so complicated and vastly different from what I've read before.  

If you are looking for sexy humor and angst for days, then look no further. I wanted to hug them both, constantly. They needed it.

Urban Legend by toesohnoes  10k+  Rating: M

They say that if you stand in front of a mirror and say his name three times Magneto will appear. Charles has never believed in urban legends and he's never been capable of turning down a dare.

Urban Legend was downright mesmerizing. It reads kind of like a campfire story (but with M rated bits, so maybe not one for the kiddies), and the atmosphere it created was elegantly creepy. Because i came in already loving Eric, part of me was rooting for him and Charles, while the other half was screaming for Charles to GTFO.

You Know My Name by dvs  11k+   Rating: M

Erik and Charles are spies with something in common.

Look. I know this isn't a Man From U.N.C.L.E. fic, but it gave me MFU feels and it does the Cherik relationship beautifully, so it pretty much has it all. Erik is Bond, Charles is charming, and I am craving more of this universe. It’s fast paced and from Erik’s POV, and tbh I just found the whole thing dangerously sexy. Plus, the plotty bits were right up my alley.

Tale As Old As Time by madneto  44k+   Rating: M

Charles is a bibliophile living with his stepbrother in a remote village. Erik is a lonely prince with an affliction he doesn't know how to control. Logan is the greatest hunter in the whole world.

Pretty much what it says on the tin. If you've seen Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" you know pretty much exactly what you're getting into. Lots of fluff.

So, you may or may not know I love Beauty and the Beast. And yet somehow, despite that, I wasn’t totally convinced that I was going to love this fic. WRONG. I was so wrong to doubt. It was everything you want out of this kind of AU, while still holding true to Charles and Erik. The story feels very much like it’s own thing, which is so important to me in AU stories. I also love the way the author played with mutations and the curse. I desperately want to give more specifics, but I feel like it would spoil things? Which is weird for a AU this well-known, but I really felt like this author made it their own.

Final quick mention: Love Runs Out by ikeracity   24k+   Rating: M

Just yes. This is one of my absolute favorite modern!AU with powers fics. It's just so sweet and loving and it makes me happy. Apartment complex neighbors, a whole host of mutants, and a community center that made me smile so much. You need a good, fluffy read every once in awhile, okay?

STONY

Rom-Commed By Fate (Or JARVIS) by leashy_bebes   14k+   Rating: E

The best thing about being an Artificial Intelligence is the ability to parse, filter and modify the things people say until you've got the cause to do exactly what you wanted in the first place. Or, in which JARVIS cock blocks Tony into having an actual relationship.

This has everything I love about stony in one form or another, and I was so jazzed to see that I hadn’t already read it! How I missed it, I have no idea. Steve’s characterization in particular really hit the nail on the head for me. It is so sweet (I am seriously understating the fluff here, trust me you will melt) and sexy, and like I said before, we all need some good, happy fics once in awhile. Break up the angst-fest with what I pretty much consider required reading for fans of stony. It’s like a little taste of everything there is to love, with minimal angst.

JARVIS is an honorary Avenger in my book, and I love the Avengers fam dynamics. Fight me.

Any Other Way of Loving by brandnewfashion  27k+   Rating: E

In which Steve is bad at dating, Tony isn’t, and neither of them are as subtle as they think.

I have re-read this one multiple times. Not even on purpose, just because I keep gravitating back to it somehow, and I love it more every single time. It’s fake dating, but is it? Totally. Maybe. Our boys are a bit slow on the uptake. I love their dialogue in this one. Bants for days. I will die on the hill of Tony Stark, and this fic has great Tony POV. Also, great pinning on both ends. (that sounds dirty, but I don’t actually mean it that way this time)

The Last Love Song of Anthony E. Stark by jibrailis   42k  Rating: E

After contracting an Asgardian virus, Tony starts forgetting things. And people. And Steve.

So if you read that summary above, you can probably guess that this one is not fluffy. There are wonderfully heartwarming and heart-wrenching moments that make you feel all the things, but I don’t think I would call it fluffy. It’s Tony POV all the way, and that makes the pain even worse! This story is so good. The writing is spot-on, and the style of storytelling had me hooked.  

Wanna feel pain and sadness and read a really moving story that has a genuine plot? What if I told you that there are also sexytimes, and pinning, and on-point jokes and moments that hurt my heart and melted it at the exact same time? Not convinced? Asgard roadtrip. With Loki and Sif. Also, Steve loves Animal Crossing. Did I mention the sexytimes?

Specifically, I found the way that Tony dealt with everything happening to be completely accurate for the character, and the same goes for Steve, Loki and Sif. And stony low-key feels until they are very much no longer low-key. But the memory loss hits you harder every time, and the aspect of unreliable narration absolutely killed it.

DRARRY

Reparatio by astolat   17k+   Rating: E

Draco snorted. “I’m not reduced to penury. I want something considerably beyond money, and I rather think you’re the only one can give it to me.”

“You want the Invisibility Cloak,” Harry said, flatly. He’d half expected as much; it was the only thing he had that Draco could want—

“Don’t be stupid, Potter,” Draco said. “I want my reputation back.”

It’s that thing that looks like fake dating, but is really, really not. You know what I’m talking about. It also looks like friends with benefits, but who are they kidding? Not me. Barely even kidding themselves, and even then it’s not for very long. Draco and Harry banter fuels me. This one is Harry POV, and it’s very well done. Draco is also cunning and strategic, which so many people tend to drop off in favor of just making him just a sassy prick, and I was so here for all of that. Pretty sure Harry was too, deep down.

The one thing that had me going, hmmmm, is that Ron and Hermione are not together, but there is no drama there so it’s really not a big enough deal to make me put it down. No character bashing, which is a must for me.  

KLANCE

Don’t Break Connection, Baby by princedeadend   38k+   Rating: M

Keith works part-time as a phone sex operator and receives a prank call from Lance. This does not go as planned for Lance. Thus begins the adventure of our dear sweet goofball continuing to call Keith to fuck with him (but not like fuck fuck with him...at least not yet). And y'know, eventually having legit conversations with him and getting attached and growing on Keith. Summaries are not my strong point, alright?

aka the phone sex operator fic no one asked for

Maybe no one asked for it, but I certainly needed it. This was one of those “why-not” clicks for me, since I don’t usually go for this kinda thing, but WHERE HAS THIS FIC BEEN ALL MY LIFE. I loved every second. The humor, the banter, the perfectly written sexytimes, and the awkwardness you just knew was gonna happen the minute you read the summary, were gorgeously timed and executed.

This is a rom-com in fic form, but a bit more graphic. Lance and Keith being happy and smile-y with each other is my kink. This fic also reminded me that phone sex is a great, great thing indeed. Not to mention, Lance has a bit of a praise kink? Sort of? Say what you want, I’m here for that.