#he has an undetermined kill count

[bludpudding]

since cori has no bones or internal organs I imagine he’s a lot lighter than the average human. makes it easy for him to ask for uppies

[joels6string]

home

RE4R Leon Kennedy x f!reader

Leon's home from Spain and the only thing he needs is a familiar face.

18+ only MDNI

content: a little hurt/comfort, established relationship, unprotected p in v, oral f!receiving, creampie word count: 3k

There were fewer things in life more pleasant than the feeling of a warm mug clutched against your palm, a thick, fuzzy blanket in your lap, and a book resting on your thighs. Your fingers are flicking at the corner of the page as you took in the words written so elegant yet simple on the page, transporting you to world’s beyond. It’s raining, and the brisk autumn air begins to nip when the sun sinks below the horizon, but you’ve been nestled totally content in your home since well before the light had begun to dwindle. Dinner was forgotten after a quick shower to scrub the day off your skin, the world so colorfully illustrated in black and white sucking you in too far for you even to feel the passage of time. 

Heroes and heroines, love stories and daring rescues, it isn’t your usual genre, but after enough recommendations you’d decided to give it a try, swallowing your pride to admit the praise was well earned to your friends when they asked. 

Knock knock

The sound of a fist slamming brutally against your door has your heart skipping as you squeak in shock, your eyes shooting to your clock to find it was nearing 1 AM, a time well beyond acceptable visiting hours. Another two bangs, and your spine goes rigid with fear.

“Are you home?” Even through the door, the sound of that slurred voice has your terror ebbing and annoyance flowing in its place. “Can you open the door? Please?”

Though you already know who it is, you peek through the small round glass, a mess of dirty blonde hair hunched against the doorframe greeting you. Muttering under your breath, you undo the chain, wrenching the door open hard enough to have none other than Leon S. Kennedy toppling over face-first at your feet.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” you spit, your tone laced with so much venom even you feel its poison.

“Just needed to see you,” he practically whines, groaning against your cheap wooden floors.

“We’re not doing this, Leon. I told you, I’m done.”

“Please, Bug.”

“Don’t call me that.”

It’s almost embarrassing watching him try to stand, the thick arms that usually sweep you off your feet with ease barely able to push himself up, his face falling into your stomach as his foot gives way beneath him seconds after getting himself onto one knee. Instinct has you catching him from falling, and he wraps himself around you like a life raft, breathing in deeply as if he’s been trapped beneath the rolling tides and just found the surface. The desperation of it plucks at your pity chord, and your fingers thread into his hair and scrape against his scalp in the way you know he likes, soothing hushes falling from your lips as you cradle him close.

Your past with Leon is tumultuous, he is a man torn in two by the duties he’d sworn to uphold and the one thing that could convince him to give it all up and walk away. You’d met by accident, crossing paths with him at an event and leaving when his eyes as blue as a summer sky had consumed you completely. He was as sweet and playful as he was dark and deadly, and he’s careful to keep that latter side as far away from you as he could. And that quest had begun keeping him away for longer stretches, his ability to lock away the pain and anguish that plagued him beginning to fail. 

Spain had been his last location, he’d told you before he left he’d be overseas for an undetermined amount of time. It had been months. After weeks of checking reports and news articles to see if Officer Leon Kennedy had been killed daily, you’d given up. The thought that maybe he’d lied had passed through your mind, maybe it was his way of finally cutting whatever co-dependent cord that attached you to each other. Someone had to be brave and strong enough to do it, and you were certain that couldn’t be you. But here he is, drunk off his ass and clinging to you with every ounce of strength he has, and whatever his alcohol-induced plan is, you hate to admit it’s working.

You knew he was back, it had been all over the news, “President’s Daughter Saved by Hero!” That happened two weeks ago. Seeing him applauded had made your chest swell in pride until you recalled telling him this drawn-out sham of a relationship was over when he’d brought you the news of his latest assignment. You couldn’t take it anymore, the distance and the secrets, the months away and the lack of contact. It was practically debilitating, but it hadn’t mattered that he wasn’t your concern anymore in those months he was gone. It felt worse than waiting for an email he’d sneak in or a spotty phone call where you could barely make out the words but the sound of his voice still washed over you like a soothing balm. 

It’s why you couldn’t truly be angry now.

“Let’s go,” you finally urge, your tone gentler now, “Bed.”

It takes every bit of your strength to pull him into your bed, whiskey heavy on his breath when he collapses on top of you while mustering enough decency to kick his boots off as he sighs in what must be relief. Your lights are still on, and you’re certain the door is unlocked, but there’s no moving now, he’s too heavy and warm and familiar. You can’t be mad, because then you’d have to admit that you didn’t want this, that you hadn’t thought about the way your mattress just feels more comfortable with his weight dipping it down to the perfect point. It would be a lie. 

“Leon?” you whisper into his hair–it smells like a bar, stale, musty cigarettes and sweat–but he’s already out cold, too comfortable and content in your embrace now to stay awake.

He sees more horrors in a week than most do in their lifetime, and he finds safety here. It’s something you take for granted, especially in the long stretches of his absence filled with solo dinners and lonely nights, but it’s impossible to forget as he’s curled into you as much as his large frame allows, his breathing slow and easy. The familiarity of it drags you under, your eyes drifting closed as your fingers scratch soothingly up and down his spine. 

******

Butter crackles and pops over the hum of your podcast coming through the small speaker beside the sink. Early morning light filters in through the paper shades still drawn in the kitchen, the tiles cool on your bare feet while you chop fruit and various toppings for the omelet you’ve been thinking about making since last night. 

Leon was still in bed, getting out from beneath his heavy body without waking him could be considered your morning workout. He hadn’t moved an inch all night from where he’d fallen asleep pressed to your chest. When your rumbling stomach had become too much to bear you’d had to pull away, despite how little you found yourself wanting to. 

“That smells good,” a sheepish voice calls from the doorway, your head turning to find Leon slumped against the frame scratching the back of his head, his eyes avoiding yours, “I’ll go. I’m sorry for showing up like this. Thanks…for not kicking me out onto the street.”

“You can stay. Just take a shower. I can smell you from here.”

He laughs, his face lighting up enough to wash away the harrowing look he’d been wearing, “You didn’t throw my clothes out onto the curb?”

“I didn’t, actually. I like your shirts.”

“Well, they look better on you anyway.”

Ten minutes later as you plate fruit and omelets and pull two slices of bread from the bag on the counter, you hear him approaching, and you don’t even try to suppress the happy little smile settling on your lips. Flicking the toaster on as you spin, you soak in the sight of him turning into the room that always looks smaller when he’s in it. His hair is still damp and hanging loosely in his face, the shirt that was too tight months ago now on the verge of tearing at the seams when he reaches up to comb his locks out of his eyes. He looks better, the color returning to his face and the glow to the sea glass eyes you’d swam in so many times before. Your throat seizes for a moment when he flashes you a content smirk.

“What the hell happened?” you ask, your breath hitching when his arms cage you against the counter, his lips centimeters from yours. 

“I forgot how pretty you look in the morning,” he whispers, his thumb and pointer tipping your chin up softly. 

He gives you no time to comment on the blatant deflection, his pouty lips pressing to yours as he cups the back of your head, groaning when you reciprocate eagerly. Immediately, your hands find the warm, solid stretch of his chest, your hand falling instinctually to the steady beat of his heart. You’d learned early on that every symphony it beat into your ear as you laid on his chest could be the last, so the gentle taps against your palm are a welcome reminder that he’s still here. The dangers he faced had yet to lay claim.

“Missed you, Bug,” he murmurs against your lips, his nose nuzzling yours.

“Missed you, too,” you finally confirm, his relieved huff of laughter hot on your skin as he sighs in relief, kissing your forehead.

“Still mad at me?”

“Not til the next time you leave.”

“Gonna let me in the house when I get back?”

“If you’re lucky.”

It’s easy to tell he’s trying to control himself, the hardened bulge pressing against your inner thigh giving him away. His lips can’t stop pressing against yours, taking advantage of every pause in the conversation to peck at your still-speaking mouth, your arms finally wrapping around his neck warmly, his head burying into the crook of your neck. You lean your head against him, cradling him in the way you know he loves, his deep, content breaths heating the thin skin of your throat.

“I’m never lucky,” he sighs, and your heart aches for him.

This time is different, and you don’t know why. He always comes back battered and bruised both mentally and physically, but this time seems to have affected him even more than all the others. You don’t ask for details, he won’t tell you anyway, but you know he can work through it here, however slowly.

“You have a key, Leon,” you remind him with a chuckle, threading your fingers into his hair, “You can get in whenever you want.”

“You have to want me here,” he mumbles, “I have my own bed to sleep alone in.”

“I want you here.”

With those words, you pull his head up to stare into his tired eyes. You do want him here, and though your last outburst certainly had given him reason to think you didn’t, you hope he believes you now in the warm, soft realm of your embrace. 

“I want you here,” you repeat, “I want you here. Not there. Do you know what it’s like when you’re away?! I make myself sick, obsessing over the news and…and obituaries…”

You pull away to read the guilt falling over his features. It had come out harsher than you intended to, but the point was made. 

“I love you,” you whisper and then watch as he shatters.

“Saying things like that might make me consider retirement,” he chokes out, closing the space you’d made and leaning his forehead against yours.

“Oh yeah?” you respond, a sultry lilt to your tone as your hand drifts to the waistband of his sweatpants. “And what might convince you then?”

Before he can answer, your hand grips his already stiffened length, the way his breath trembles as you tug slowly sending a surge to your core. It takes him a moment to recalibrate as you drag your hand over him, and when he does, the ease at which he hoists you onto the counter makes you yelp, your arms wrapping around his neck as he wrestles your shorts off your hips. 

As soon as you’re free, you spread your legs wide, ready for his body to notch between them in a perfect fit, but instead, he sinks to the floor. Teeth graze over your inner thighs, just the thought of how close his mouth is makes your cunt clench around nothing but anticipation. Rough hands loop around your legs, pulling you closer to the edge before pressing his lips to your clit and suckling just enough to make you buck up against his face. His hair is soft when you knot your fingers through it and lean back against the cabinet behind you, his tongue probing into your fluttering hole greedily as he seeks to reacquaint with what he’d missed. 

Muffled groans are vibrating against you as he weaves through your slit, lapping at your juices leaking free before petitioning for more at your swollen bundle of nerves. You can see your arousal shining on his face when he pauses to take a lungful of air through a slackened jaw, his eyes as lidded as they were last night under the effect of alcohol. It’s shameless and unhindered the way he takes his fill, not that he was ever very timid before, but this time it feels like he wants and needs more, or maybe like he’d been afraid he’d never get to do this again.

You can already tell he won’t relent until you come on his mouth, so as the coil in your belly winds ever tighter you tug him by the blonde knots in your fist where you need him, enjoying the way he whined against your slick skin appreciatively. Two fingers slip inside you as his lips lock around your nub, curving and pressing the soft patch on your inner wall that has your vision flashing white. Every nerve is standing on edge as you lose control, your toes curling and fingers tugging on his hair hard enough it has to hurt, but he doesn’t stop or protest.

“Leon!” you cry out as you finally release his head to brace yourself on the countertop’s edge, “Lee-hmmm…”

His name is the last coherent word you get out before it’s only feral moans of bliss. You’re so close it’s like a fire burning in your limbs, every muscle tensing as you try to withhold it a little longer to prolong this moment where all you cared about was him and the way he could send you into the stars. When the tip of his tongue pinpoints and stiffens to flick teasingly before he latches once again, that’s all it takes to have the elastic snaps, sending a shockwave from your core all the way to the tips of your fingers, your scream echoing off the counters and windows. He’s satisfied with himself, smiling as he stands and lets your legs fall limply from his grasp, his hands catching your boneless body from slinking down onto the floor.

“M’gonna fuck you now,” he warns, gripping his cock that’s flushed purple and notching at your entrance, your response is nothing more than blind, sloppy kisses as you clean the taste of yourself off of his lips.

Your body welcomes him eagerly, sucking him in on his first thrust to the root. He sighs, gripping your waist to keep you still during the onslaught he’s set to release after you rip his shirt up over his head. Broad shoulders and thick pecs keep your fingers busy as you rememorize every dip and curve of his body, the slapping of skin on skin drowning out the pathetic whines falling from both of you as the sticky arousal leaking from your pussy soaks the patch of blonde hair at his base and drips down his thighs to pool on the waist of his pants he’s pulled down just enough. He’s not gentle, taking everything he needs with every hard piston of his hips, your legs quivering around him as you take every thick inch of him with no resistance. 

Leon wants to slow down, to savor the friction of your silky walls over his dick that’s craved anything but his own calloused hand for months, but he can’t. Not when you’re so wet it takes all his concentration to not slip right out of your gaping hole that’s pulling him in with a vicelike grip. He wants to flip you around and bend you over the counter, take you from behind where he can arch your back by tugging your hair, your ass rippling from the force of his thrusts, but you’re still kissing him so sweetly as he fucks you this hard, his throat currently being lavished by your affection instead of strangled by a monster. And it’s that reminder that sets him over the edge.

Thick, hot ropes of cum fill your cunt as his head falls to your shoulder, his thumb flicking over your clit as he steadies his breath and his cock softens. It doesn’t take long for you to find release once again, gentler this time, quieter than the wildfire of the first and you let it ember as the mix of your releases leaks free, drenching you both and dripping onto the floor. 

When he lifts his head to smile at you, his cheeks are flushed rosy pink, his eyes sparkling like gemstones before he cups the back of your head and kisses you in a silent thanks.

“I, uh, think we burnt the toast,” he chuckles, kissing you again before you can utter an unnecessary apology as the smell of charred bread finally registers, “Good thing I already had breakfast.”

Masterlist

[return-to-ravenbrooks]

Return to Ravenbrooks:

Biography

Entry 6

Name: Aaron Peterson

Date of Birth: 1996

Gender: M

Current Address: 910 Friendly Court

Height: 6'5

Hair color: Light Brown

Eye color: Brown

Key features: clean-shaven, fluffy hair

Role: Informant

Abilities: Lock picking, engineering, sneaking, careful

Occupation: ???

Status: Undetermined

Biography:

One two three, one two three, one two thr-.

Creeaaak

The ninth plank creaks slightly under my step. I lifted the notebook again, marking the spot on the room grid with an X.

Relatively I can't say it wasn't well-built, I only have five other Xs for this room, all rather quiet. I should be happy for that part, but it only makes keeping things right harder. If it was quiet under my step how would it sound under someone smaller? Quieter? Someone trying to sneak up on me?

A soft sigh escapes my lips. I can’t let this stuff get so intense already. If I'm right no one in town even knows I'm here. I worked so hard to fake it. A fake name, a fake architect with a fake background to feed the papers. A fake rich older man wanted a house built in Ravenbrooks and seeing the price of this property decided to invest. I had to be careful. It had to be perfect. I'd likely only have a week, two at most, before they realized I was here.

To think I spent months building up an alibi to grant me so little time.

The silver doorknob glints as I grab it, first overhand, then under. Turned left then right. It clicks softly in both directions. The noise is soothing, comfortingly audible. Next the lock, back then forth then back then forth. Three times. Always three times. It clicks as well, louder with a metallic tang. I stop and listen as the noise echoes back to my ears after every turn. Every door is equipped with a slightly different lock, custom-made.

It's not safe. It will never be safe, but it's better. It'll suit my needs until they find ou-

Tick

Tick

Tick

...

Click

No- no no no already?! Why are they here already? How?! I can feel the sweat building up on my palms. Need to act quickly. Get rid of it.

They're like scout ants, if I can get them to believe whatever loon will live here just hasn't packed or anything maybe they'll report back nothing. It'll probably cut down my time to days at most but it will be something. Please just leave me some time.

I grab a hammer off the desk, shifting my grip. A builder left it. I create the excuse in my head. I thought you were them, coming to retrieve it. Or, I thought you were a burglar. If it gets violent.

My breath stops. Footsteps. Soft for the most part, with a few heavier sets. Multiple people. Of course. I close my eyes, counting them carefully.

Seven.

God dammit.

This wasn't going to end peacefully. I knew it. I'm doomed. They'll either kill me or make some excuse to have me removed from town. Could I claim invader for seven people? Could I take seven people?

"Watch your step" a woman whispered. They're in the next room. It's now or never Aaron. Are you going to let it all be for nothing?

"Be quiet." A male voice hushed with annoyance.

Click

Click

Click

Click

He's picking the lock. I shift the hammer in my grasp again, purposeful this time. Ready.

When the door finally opens I'm ready to crack the metal against his skull.

But I can't.

The six behind him notice me before he does. Someone yells, and another grabs and yanks him back. I can’t even see his eyes through the thick lenses of his goggles. No. My goggles.

The hammer has fallen to the floor now, I hadn't even realized I'd let go of it. Just the loud thud of it hitting the floor.

It frees my brain from it's distraction. Seven. I grab my gloves, and yank. The fear in their eyes makes this all easier. "What are you doing inside my home?" I say it calmly, but the malice is omnipresent. Good. I want them scared, to run screaming.

The woman who grabbed his arm spoke up first, stammering nonsense before managing, "Well- well they uh-" she turned and looked at taller women beside her. I took a step closer.

"Th-this isn't what it looks like!" A ginger behind her squeaked. Another step.

The others exchanged glances and angry whispers. I didn't care. I could barely hear them at this point over my own growing anger.

"AH! Well- about that..." the taller woman whimpered. "U-uh- Nick?"

I pause midstep. The goggled man finally pulls them off his eyes. They're not the green I'd remembered so well. Instead that dead looking brown. He looks embarrassed more than scared. "Uh- well-" he begins. I stop listening again.

"Nicky?"

He stops too and his awkward smile slowly fades. I stare wide-eyed. How can someone look so alike and yet so different to the child they were years ago?

"Aaron." He responds. Something about his voice is...wrong. I can’t place it. But it doesn't matter. Before I even realize it I'm smiling like an idiot. He looks down at the floor. I take another step.

That's the last thing I remember before hitting the ground, before everything went black.

[adrunkpoetwallowing]

TW BIG RANT

I just finished Percy and Jackson and the Last Olympian yesterday and I don’t how I feel about it.

Luke dies, which I guess makes sense, I think readers would be mad if he just surrendered and was just sent to Tartarus, will he go to Elysium?

Maybe or he’ll go to the fields of Asphodel but I don’t think he’ll feel very guilty.

I HATED, when Luke died and then Percy calls him Hermes child and then tells Hermes that Luke loved him, like no?

Percy! Did we meet the same guy for the past 4 years, he literally growled at you, when you mentioned Hermes in book 2!

Hermes doesn’t deserve that kind of closure, the whole reason this war started was because Luke felt neglected and abandoned and left with his mentally ill mother, who only drinks peanut butter sandwiches and only drinks kook aide.

Why would he love you Hermes? I know he had to leave him for the prophecy so he couldn’t be influenced and his fate become worse, HE CREATED THE INTERNET, HES THE GOD OF MESSAGES YOU THINK HE’D BE ABLE TO SEND A TEXT MESSAGE OR PHONE ONCE IN A WHILE, so Luke isn’t just left hiding in the closet from his mother, when she’s having her episodes.

Speaking of May, poor, poor May, she’s going to be making sandwiches waiting for a boy, who won’t ever come back, or maybe she knows Luke is dead, but we don’t know if she knows that, we don’t get any closure, maybe she will know since the spirit of Delphi has moved on too Rachel, ( I think). It’s all because Nazi fucking Hades cause he’s bitter he can’t get revenge on his brother.

The ending felt kinda simplistic (well it wasn’t ALOT happened) but we had all this doubt from Calypso, Ethan and Prometheus I guess but in the ending just like:

‘Hey, I know you guys threatened to kill me a bunch of times, and I know you guys are really, REALLY shitty, but like send your kids a text message and it’s A Okay. Let’s party!’ :D

( Luke would not be impressed tbh)

And Luke, Ohhh Luke there’s so much to say, I thought at the start of the book, he was 14 or at least 16 but in actuality he’s BIG AGE 19, I was imagining for a young teenager for so long!

I wish didn’t shift so much to psychopath unfeeling terrorist to,

‘Annabeth’ D:

It’d be cool if it was shown that he actually cared for some other campers, since he WAS the head counsellor of the Hermes cabin, he must’ve been taking so many undetermined kids, who should’ve fuelled his anger at the Gods but that’s never brought up. He only cares for:

‘Annabeth!’

‘Spare Annabeth, expect, when I trick her into holding the sky, or I tell my goons to feed her to the monsters along with her friends.’

We didn’t get any interactions between Luke and Hermes and I’m sorry that I keep bringing this up but it makes me so mad that somethings that’s been teased for 4 books never happens, ( flashbacks don’t count)

Hermes doesnt deserve to believe that Luke loves him, go to Conner and Travis if you want a Hermes kid to love you, they already do, but they don’t seem to care.

B-But the Ancient rules they can’t interfere with their children it wouldn’t be fair and only cause more problems.

All the Gods should go into celibacy tbh, Poseidon tells Percy he shouldn’t have been born, but then he’ll just probably continue to have more kids.

Id be mad if my godly parent couldn’t keep it in their pants and I have to suffer monsters attacking me constantly trying to kill and eat me because I’m a walking flare.

Elysium would be cool I guess, that’s if I don’t die at 3 because a cyclops sneaked into my kindergarten for a light snack.

Annabeth and Luke, Thalia and Luke

Thalia literally kills Luke in 3rd book and she never brings it up again, I know it was supposed to show reforming ability but still it was weird no one cared.

They didn’t seem to care much for each other ether, except for a few pieces of dialogue in the 3rd book.

But honestly if my best friend, who I brought back to life killed me, I’d drop her too.

I don’t think Luke’s a pedo or was in any way romantically interested in Annabeth.

They way Annabeth literally snapped Luke back in his body was talking about their little family and if Luke gets a little incest gene from the Olympians it’s safe to presume, he saw her like that as well.

And when he was asking Annabeth to run away with him, it was creepy yes, but I saw it as

‘Oh this heavily traumatized and and mind raped young man is asking his last tie to childhood to run away with him because she’s the only person he cares for and wants to relive his childhood’

Not

‘Oh let’s romantically run away together my 16 year old crush! 😻

I headed Rick Riordan forgot the age gap, so yknow, I won’t personally see it as canon for my own mind. 😌

Anway I don’t how I feel about Luke anymore, he’s my new comfort character so I can’t stop thinking about and I’m so hyperfixated on him it’s making me ill but he really sucks as a character at the end, the pay off wasn’t worth it.

Hermes is probably going to be Percy Jackson’s new farther figure which kinda pisses me off, I’m going to read a free PDF of the Demi god diaries somehow so I’ll get Luke content, Hermes too with Percy and Annabeth.

OH WAIT AND ONE OF HERMES DAUGHTERS WAS HARRIET TUBMAN, that meant she got with a slave and then still let her be a SLAVE!!!

There was probably a prophecy that said Hermes couldn’t interfere and he was probably so upset at all the suffering that was happening to his daughter, his heart probably ached.

😔😔😔

I hate prophecy’s when it’s brought up in media, I wish people would go LMK style and say FUCK destiny, we make our own path.

But alas that’s not how it works in Greek mythology prophecy’s happen no matter what, so people don’t do much about it when it’s told.

(Hermes)

I doubt I’d make a very good Demi god, I’d probably join the titan army out of spite, then trip and die in the first battle

[kitsune024]

Part 1 Part 3

WinterFrost Fics

IronFrost Fics

-

undetermined intervention by camomiletea I Chapters 4/4 I Completed Time Travel Fix-It, Good Odin

Loki had survived death before. This was the first time he had woken up in the past though.

I’ll Cover You by Ishantah I Chapters 2/2 I Completed Thor & Loki, Canon Divergence - Avengers: Infinity War Part 1, Loki Lives, Powerful Loki, Infinity Stones, Time Travel, Brotherly Angst, Bromance, Good Loki

Instead of snapping his neck, Thanos decides to take Loki up on his “offer” to help collect the stones, and forces Loki’s loyalty by holding Thor captive. Loki has no choice but to comply… for now.

Fate's Guardian by @peaceheather I Chapters 28/28 I Completed sort of good Loki, BAMF Loki, Emotional Hurt/Comfort

Set roughly a year post-Thor:TDW, reference to events in Guardians of the Galaxy. Pretty much a shameless fixit fic. No pairings. A being shows up on Earth looking for Loki, the Avengers get pulled in to see what's going on, and they all learn what Loki has *really* been up to all this time. I dunno, I was in a mood to write something like this, so I did. First posted to FFnet, if you prefer to read it there.

Because I Could Not Stop For Death by @soulessrobot I Chapters 6/6 I Completed Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 Compliant, Fix-It, Big Sis Hela, BAMF Hela, Loki has a plan

Warning Infinity War Spoilers Loki has a plan. Sometimes all you need to kill a Mad Titan is a Goddess of Death.

Withering Away by @galaxythreads I Chapters 10/10 I Completed Loki & Thor, Canon Divergence - Avengers: Endgame, Fix-It of Sorts, Whump, thor whump

[ENDGAME SPOILERS!] Thor failed. He failed his family, his people, his friends, and drinking solves nothing. When the Avengers arrive to initiate their plan, they find a much different Thor. One who’s only willing to agree on one condition: When they get the Tesseract, it will be on the Statesmen, and Thor will bring back Loki with him. (Fix-it) Avengers as family! Whump!

Changing the odds by Ikajo I Chapters 13/13 I Completed Canon Divergence - Avengers: Endgame, BAMF Loki, Time Travel, no one dies, Good Loki, Loki Does What He Wants

Doctor Strange saw over fourteen million different scenarios and only victory in one. He had not counted for a certain god of mischief however. Because who else would turn the certain to uncertain it would be him.

Mischief on Midgard by Areitheperidotdragon, Moonybird I Chapters 68/68 I Completed Banished Loki, Loki Does What He Wants, Trauma, Implied/Referenced Torture, Loki & Tony Stark Friendship

Takes place after the first Avengers movie, then goes AU. If Odin truly sees Thor and Loki as equal, they ought to face equal punishment for equal crimes. Thor's suggestion is granted and Loki is stripped of his powers as he is banished to Midgard where he has to either prove himself worthy or spend the rest of his life on earth without any special powers. Loki though is not so easily broken. He might not have magic nor supernatural strength. But he still has his wits, his gift of deception, his knowledge, and his basic skills as a fighter. And he is not ready to just lie down and admit defeat. He is ready to do what it takes to rise once again and handle the incoming threat from the void.

Bookmark Series

Let It Burn by ShatteredGlassWings I Part 1-2 I Loki & Thor, Gladiator Loki, BAMF Loki, they're all BAMF, Revengers team Chaos Reign by @fourth-rose I Part 1-14 I Loki & Asgard, BAMF Loki, King Loki, Jotunn Loki, Infinity Gems, Family Issues, Endgame Fix-It A Deep Mark by @withthekeyisking-writer I Part 1-2 I Avengers Team & Loki Loki Lives. Infinity Gems, BAMF Loki, Bruce Is a Good Bro The Deal by orphan_account I Part 1-2 I AU - Canon Divergence, infinity war and endgame fix it, loki lives, it's gonna get a bit dark The Trickster Universe by Shadow_Chaser I Part 1-4 I Completed BAMF!Loki, Epic Bromance, Loki's "kids" are not his "kids" - they are his coterie, Thor tries to make Loki become friends with the Avengers-But it doesn't quite take, Loki Does What He Wants - Series by @shieldcodex SHIELD Agent Loki Part 1. SHIELD Codex I Part 1-14 I Complete Part 2. The Codex 'Verse I Part 1-6 I Complete Part 3. The SHIELD Codex: Judicium I Part 1-14 I

Loki Fics with Fanart

Portal To The Past by @worstloki I Chapters 23/? I BAMF Loki, Jotunn Loki, so just to clarify Thor IS a good bro he's just also still getting there ya know, Crack Treated Seriously, Toxic Asgard, Loki Does What He Wants

Bookmark Series

Oh, Hey There, Mister Blue by @iguessyouregonnamissthepantyraid I Part 1-6 I Guardians of the Galaxy Team & Loki, BAMF Loki, They're All a BAMF in Some Way, Fix-It, AU - Canon Divergence, Team as Family

[its-callum-everybody]

I CANNOT DRAW. That’s how I’m starting this off. So I, sadly, cannot give you all the visuals for this lovely woman. However! What I can give you all is a In-depth analysis of her character and Creation! Of course, we’ll be breaking this into parts.

Part 1 — Basic Character Information / Relationships

Part 2 — Everything to do with her Unique Magic

Part 3 — Lore

Part 4 — Appearance

PART 1 ➤

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

Name: Cyrielle [No Known Last Name]

Name Meaning: Lordly

Nicknames: Ce-Ce [Cater], Killifish-Chan [Floyd], Madame Profiterole [Rook], Yam [Vil], Henchman/Second-in-Command [Grim (she got ranked up)], Little Imp [Sam]

Age: Presumably 17

Height: 5 foot 8 inches or 173 cm

Weight: Never ask a lady this [146 lbs]

Gender: Female

Birthday: 8/18

Star Sign: Leo

Hair Color: Charcoal Black

Eye Color: Dark Grey

Sexuality: Undetermined

— (•) —

Dominate Hand: Right

Favorite Food: Breakfast Sandwich

Least Favorite Food: Pickled Eggs

Likes: Aesthetically pleasing things, being right

Dislikes: Dark Chocolate, amnesia

Hobbies: Dancing

Talent: Sword-Fighting

— (•) —

Year: 1st

Dorm: Ramshackle

Class | Student No.: 1-B | 34

Best Class: History

Favorite Class: Practical Magic

Club: N/A

Favorite Teacher: Sam (If that counts)

— 1st Years

Ace: Best Friend #1

Deuce: Best Friend #2

Jack: Mutual Respect. Don’t say their friends, understood to be friends.

Epel: He goes to her to get Junk Food and she happily feeds him. Friends.

Sebek: Begrudging Friends. She takes care of him like a stray cat and he complains while accepting it.

— 2nd Years

Riddle: Friendly Divorced Co-Parents of ADeuce.

Azul: Would smite him on sight with the sweetest smile on her face. He fears her. Slightly calmer after his over-bolt. Slightly.

Jade: Neutral. Can have decent conversation.

Floyd: Try to kill each other while smiling and laughing. Friends.

Ruggie: Hated him during Book 2 but they’re actually pretty chill afterwards. If they see each other in the halls, he tries to make her laugh by making someone do something weird with his magic.

Kalim: She’s number One sunshine protector. Was one-hundred percent ready to fist fight Jamil during his over bolt if she had too.

Jamil: Pre-book four, they were at a neutral standing. During his overbolt she was fully ready to just rock him. Post-overbolt, they’re very quiet around each other but nice. She sometimes just goes to Scarabia to sit there while he cooks.

Silver: She’s very nice to him and he doesn’t understand why. He woke up from a nap one day with his hair braided and a blanket over him. The only reason he knew it was her was because some birds told him. So he tries to be polite back but genuinely has no clue why she’s so nice and it freaks him out. She likes him.

— 3rd Years

Cater: Made a Separate Magic-cam account called ‘Cyrielle’s Adventures’ which focuses on him introducing Cyrielle to TWST pop culture and its a hilarious mess. Cater proclaims them BFF’s.

Trey: Dorm-Dad TM. She may not be in Heartslabyul but she’s always a welcome guest. When she comes over, she sits on the counter while Trey bakes. He lets her stir and eat the leftover batter.

Leona: One she actually did end up punching during his over bolt. She couldn’t stand him before or afterwards. During book three when he begrudgingly helped her and Grim though she loosened up. She can respect his intelligence though. Kingscholar would be more admirable if he had a bit of tenacity.

Vil: He kind of annoyed her pre-overbolt, after the over-bolt she did felt some level of sympathy for him. To always be the villain. That fact alone resonated with her for some reason those she can’t recall why.

Rook: He makes her uncomfortable. She can put up with him, but whenever she knows he’s nearby she can’t seem to let her guard down.

Idia: She didn’t really have any sort of feelings towards him before book 6. After book six though he ended up getting punched, then an awkward head pat. Needless to say He’s awkward around her and she ends up trying to nicer in the end. Even if he just runs away from her half the time.

Lilia: He caught her when she was covering Silver with a blanket and was sworn to secrecy. He knows very well about her crush and casually likes to drag Silver into spending time with him, find her, then leave them together.

Malleus: She invited him in to have tea one day and he ordained her and Silver’s wedding at that moment (because of course Lilia told him everything). Both can be the Yapper to the others Listener. Lilia forces him to play matchmaker too. So he casually tries to tell her about what Silver likes. He’s not good at trying to hint at it but he’s trying.

— Other

Grim: Her son. Will defend him with her life and soul. Do not touch her boy.

Ortho: She gets sad when she looks at him, even before book six. Something about a child that isn’t fully a child because they aren’t a person… it reminds her of someone she can never seem to remember. So she likes to treat him like a little kid even if he can do almost anything with his robotic abilities.

— Staff

Crowley: Fresh-out-of-Jail Uncle and Put-him-back Niece.

Crewel: There is blatant favoritism towards her and Vil. He does not hide it.

Vargas: Takes it easy on her in gym class because she’s one of the only girls; he watched her pick up Jack one time with no struggle and still does this.

Trein: She stays after his class sometimes to ask more questions about history. Lucius likes to chill in her lap during this time. Grandpa vibes.

Sam: Literally her adoptive dad.

[squish36-writes-and-draws]

23 November: Unraveling

Word Count: 733

TW: 1 fairly mild swear, unreality cameras

General Taglist (lmk if you want to be added/removed!): @stellar-lune @faggot-friday @kamikothe1and0nly @nyxpixels @florida-preposterously

@poppinspop @uni-seahorse-572 @solreefs @corruption-exe @rusted-phone-calls

@when-wax-wings-melt @good-old-fashioned-lover-boy7 @dexter-dizzknees @abubble125 @hi-imgrapes

@callum-hunt-is-bisexual @callas-pancake-tree @hi-my-name-is-awesome @katniss-elizabeth-chase @sillyguy-supreme

@void-kill @thefoxysnake @the-pre-quiz

Unraveling Project Specific Taglist (lmk if you want to be added/removed/upgraded): @cutebisexualmess @crippling-pages @daizythegreat @sophiefostersno1stan @iggydancebreak

@theleopardstalker @you-will-meet-your-downfall @multi-fandom-lunatic

On Ao3 or below the cut!

First (3 November) / Previous / Next

Another Keefe Transcript

    This time, Keefe is frolicking through the streets of Florence. Which is to say, he’s sat on a street corner the entire time looking sad. He hasn’t even gone exploring the tourist traps, and it’s not like those are difficult to find. He’s literally two blocks away from some big giant dome building that probably has a horribly fancy name based on the sheer vibes it gives off. 

    He just sits there. It is difficult to know how to feel about this development as it is of his own doing, but it is understandable why he came to the conclusion he did. It is an incorrect conclusion, but still a reasonable one. Gisela has this whole shadowflux magic thing to keep tabs on him, but the delay is still a bit annoying. There is a nonzero chance that he chooses to leap to a new icty and throw himself in front of a bus before the alarm goes off, and he is increasingly looking like that may occur. 

    This would be a tad bit unfortunate for scientific research purposes. Rerunning the experiment would be quite a hassle. Then again, a sample size of one is almost worthless in the larger picture. 

    Enough waxing poetic about the pointlessness of even bothering to write down these records. It is not as though it will be useful at any future point in time, and yet it is still a task to be completed. And, as such, it shall be completed. 

    It seems as though yet another human has taken an interest in Keefe. What reason she may have is as of yet unknown, but considering how this has played out twice in the last three weeks, it is not difficult to see how it might go. That, of course, is presuming that Keefe and Florent’s dynamic was of a romantic nature, which is currently still up for debate. It would, however, not be particularly surprising if it were, given the available evidence and Keefe’s marked tendency to disregard elvin cultural norms when it is convenient for him. 

    This new human has not revealed her name quite yet, which makes transcription more difficult, but anyone who is willing to walk up to Keefe and nearly get into a fistfight is worthy of a modicum of respect. Unfortunately, the speakers are not of the greatest quality, and the topic of the argument currently remains undetermined, but knowing Keefe, it was probably something incredibly inconsequential. 

    The only audio that was able to be parsed was the human, after roundly winning the fight, asking Keefe if, “You want to go get some coffee?” 

    Keefe refused this offer. It is unclear whether this is to avoid personal attachments or because he was trying to protect his own ego. Both may have played a role in his decision. It is quite likely that Keefe will be filling out a diary entry directly based on this event, which may have more information to provide further insight into these events, as soon as it is within the field of view. 

Keefe Sencen's Journal

    It is quite often that I am taken aback by beautiful people and, in doing so, I start the stupidest arguments to ever occur. Case in point: I had a fun time trying to defend my opinion that Stracciatella is the only gelato flavour to exist. I no longer acknowledge the existence of any others. 

    Anyway it’s my luck that I managed to find Lodo, who is apparently just as determined as I am to cause problems on purpose. 

    And, to top it all off, they asked me out afterwards. Like I have the emotional bandwidth for that. I really did want to accept their proposal though. It would’ve been absolutely lovely. We would’ve gotten into so many pointless fights. 

    They’re also just unfairly pretty. I do level that criticism against most everyone, but that does mean it still applies. I hope I never see them again. I may be a stubborn bastard, but I am also so bad at sticking to decisions I've made when the other option would be far stupider and far, far more entertaining. 

    I’ll be fine. I’ll figure it out. 

    I think I just want to make myself feel something again, even if that something is hopeless longing for a relationship I’ll never be able to attain in the way I want it. It’s been a long few days.

[twistedtummies2]

Year of the Bat - Number 23

Welcome to Year of the Bat! In honor of Kevin Conroy, Arleen Sorkin, and Richard Moll, I’m counting down my Top 31 Favorite Episodes of “Batman: The Animated Series” throughout this January. TODAY’S EPISODE QUOTE: “At what point did I become life’s punching bag?”

Number 23 is…Joker’s Favor.

In my earlier entry for “Christmas With the Joker,” I mentioned that the creators behind B:TAS felt they had a hard time “settling” the Joker at first, and his first few episodes in the show are widely considered among his weakest stories in the DCAU. This was the episode that changed things; according to Bruce Timm and Paul Dini, it was with “Joker’s Favor” that the team felt they finally “nailed down” how their take on the Joker should really work. While, of course, I have no real major issues with those first few episodes – and I particularly enjoy “Christmas With the Joker” – I will concede that this is when the character went from just a good Joker to an AMAZING Joker. It’s the episode that officially secured Mark Hamill’s tenure as the Clown Prince of Crime. The episode is probably most famous now because it introduced Harley Quinn. And while, yes, Harley’s introduction is a big plus for the story, she’s not the focus here by any means, and is a little different than how she’d be portrayed for the rest of the series. It’s the story that really makes this one unique. The plot focuses on a thoroughly mundane man by the name of Charlie Collins. One night, after an absolutely miserable day, Charlie gets cut off in traffic by a mysterious driver, and impulsively starts to road rage at them…only to discover the man he’s cussing out is the Joker. The Harlequin of Hate chases Charlie down, corners him, and seems ready to kill him…but agrees to spare Charlie’s life if Collins will agree to do “a little favor” for him. Charlie: “O-Okay…what?” Joker: “I DON’T KNOW! I HAVEN’T THOUGHT OF IT YET!”

The Joker thus departs, promising to call on that favor at some undetermined point. Grateful to be alive, but horror-stricken by this whole ordeal, Charlie moves his family out of Gotham and changes his name…but two years later, the Joker – who has been keeping tabs on Charlie all this time – calls to collect on the debt. Charlie must find a way to escape this proverbial Deal with the Devil, before good people get hurt. Something interesting about a lot of the best episodes in “Batman: The Animated Series” is that Batman, himself, isn’t always necessarily the focal character. A lot of times, he just kind of ends up getting roped into the action and conflict as a result of things other characters do or do not engage in. This is a good example. Batman has very little direct impact on the story; the focus is really on Charlie and the Joker. While Collins isn’t the most interesting character in the show, that’s actually part of the point: the episode plays Charlie up as something of an audience surrogate, a completely ordinary guy who is just going through the motions, but – because of one bad day – he ends up in over his head in a fantastic duel of the fates, sandwiched between the Dark Knight and the Clown Prince of Crime in their endless war. It’s a unique perspective for the show to play with, and while there were other episodes that tried similar tactics of fairly ordinary people ending up in extraordinary situations, this is easily one of the best, as well as one of the earliest.

I love the subtle way the episode plays with the Joker’s own dark philosophies on life. While his origins are left somewhat vague in the series – we know he was once a gangster named “Jack Napier,” inspired by the Tim Burton movies, but that’s about it – I think most people are aware of the comic book version’s ideology on how “all it takes is One Bad Day to turn a normal man into a monster.” The conflict between Charlie and the Joker, and how it ends (I won’t give away that twist) provides an interesting twist on that idea. I also love, once again, how diabolically petty the character is in this story: he decides to spare Charlie’s life basically on a whim, but once he declares he’s going to collect on a favor, he takes it VERY seriously. What’s hilarious is that, when he DOES call on Charlie, both the man and the audience themselves are expecting this favor to be something like “Chuckers” being forced to shoot somebody or whatever…and instead, the Joker literally just needs him to open a door. That last bit, alone, probably says a lot about why this episode is so revered. Again, how much more Joker-ish can you possibly get?

Tomorrow we move on to Number 22! Hint: “All I wanted from you, dearie, was a little friendship! That would have cost you nothing!”

[lunar-writes-things]

25) Forced to Leave

Later that night, Y/n stood with Mumbo to represent Boatem at the meeting of most hermits regarding the moon. 

It was determined that they had to leave before the end of the week. 

"I don't want to leave," Y/n said to Mumbo as they walked back, hand in hand

"I know, I don't either," Mumbo said, "But If we don't we might die. I don't want to risk losing you or anyone in boatem." 

"I know," Y/n whispered and bumped their shoulder into his "How are we supposed to leave the overworld." 

"Well, There are three options. We create a rocket and get out of here, Go to the end, or go into the nether." Mumbo said and let go of their hand only to wrap his arm around Y/n’s shoulder  “and the End and Nether can be dangerous.” 

“Do we have enough time to make a rocket?” Y/n had reasoned "That can take quite a bit, especially with six of us to prep with an undetermined amount of time." 

"Yeah, But it's the safest option we have right now." Mumbo whispered, voice shaky and eyes soft and watery "And safe is the way to go. I want us to be safe." 

There was a moment of silence before Y/n nodded and breathed out an "okay. I trust you... Let's go tell the others." 

When they reached Boatem the two spit their ways and went home-bound. 

Heading home hasn't been the easiest thing recently, as chunks of land would randomly fly into the sky and Gravity has been shifting to either weigh down or lighten people. 

However, it seems as if all the bases were untouched by these floating chunks of land and the weird gravity. 

That night, the group met up with each other under a full moon close and detailed enough to be a painting. 

It was terrifying

Mumbo had proposed a plan but not before revealing literal missiles and attempting to shoot them at the moon 

No way he would miss a target that big... Right?

He missed

HE MISSED A TARGET THAT WAS PROBABLY 5 FEET AWAY FROM HIM

there was laughing, Pearl had to respawn and the group had listened to Mumbo shrug as if he forgot the plan he and Y/n made hours earlier.

Y/n couldn't help the soft eyes that they made looking at the people they loved with everything they had. They looked so happy and as they looked at everyone, they could see, that even despite it being the end of the world, they were laughing. 

They looked at Mumbo who looked proud of what he accomplished (even if he failed) and has been there since before Y/n could even realize they had been in love with him

At Grian, Who was cackling in delight because of the failed nukes and Pearl having to respawn but within that prankster demeanor was a great person who Y/n knew they could count on. 

At Pearl, who was berating Mumbo for Killing her with the biggest grin on her face. Despite only joining this year, Y/n was glad she found her dynamic within everyone. 

At Impulse, whom they met in season six when Y/n was rudely awoken from their nap and had fallen deeply in love with for his caring personality and his roguish grin. 

At Scar, whose charming demeanor and extroverted tendencies drew Y/n closer and closer to him and had Y/n falling head over heels for him. 

Y/n was glad that their last moments were spent laughing and together. Y/n loved them... so much... it hurt their heart thinking they might have to choose between them if push comes to shove. 

Grian, however, spoke up and said he had requested scar to build a rocket at the price of all their diamonds but they now had a plan out. 

The next night they would suit up and board the rocket and leave the place they had called home for the last past six months. 

"If anything goes wrong," Y/n spoke up as the rest of Boatem was about to leave, they turned to look at them with concern and it made Y/n's throat tighten up before they continued "If anything goes wrong, please know, that I love you guys." 

Masterlist

[mailedbypigeons]

+ A LOT TO REMEMBER +

summary: Izana needs to strike a deal, Takemichi knows a way to summon the devil, and Mikey needs to put clothes on.

[] [] []

“Oh my gosh, it worked!” Takemichi cheered, very much obviously surprised. Something that made Izana’s eye twitch.

“You’re saying you had no idea if it’d work?”

Takemichi froze in a pose that would otherwise be hilarious in a different much less death-ful situation.

The blue eyed idiot, sniffed, “whaaaat? who said that? I totally knew it’d work. And it did…so ha!”

“Ne, ne Izana. Are you being mean to Takemitchy?”

The bane of his existence appeared, wearing nothing but a towel and ridiculously wet hair. Izana rolled his eyes at his younger brother.

“Does calling him an idiotic piece of shit count?”

“Hey! I’m not an idiot!”

“Yes, it counts.”

Izana nodded solemnly in understanding. “Then he’s moronic.”

“Wha-I did this for you, you ungrateful jerk!” Takemichi gestured wildly at the circle of candles and Latin text covering the entirety of the living room floor. “The least you could do is say thank you.”

“And I recall you saying it worked,” Izana taunted. Then pointedly looked around the room. “Hmm, that’s weird, I don’t remember seeing a demon anywhere around here.”

“Shut up! Don’t say it out loud, they could hear you!” Takemichi whisper-yelled, grabbing the extra towel Mikey, who now sat criss-cross in front of him still dressed in naught but a towel and who fiddled with the old papers with scribbled script scattered around them, offered him without even looking.

“Please, like I wouldn’t say it to their face.”

“Good thing I’m right here, darling.”

Like many others, cough Takemichi cough, Izana would’ve jumped, punched, and possibly - a very small possibility - screamed. But alas, there’s not enough room in the world to be normal, so he’s kind enough to do what he always does and simply turn his head towards the newcomer.

There’s a scar running up his face from his left ear cutting across his nose and into the right of his forehead to the top of his head. The buzz cut does nothing to hide it, like the demon’s proud of bearing a pain filled memory. Then again, he could’ve done it to himself to look cool, who knows. Izana can see each freckle on his face, even the faded ones, which are many. He’s got a mischievous glint in his eyes, waiting for Izana to react to something.

Izana gives him no such satisfaction. “Good you finally showed up.”

“Not even a scream?”

“I’m not a screamer.”

“Hmm, bet I could change that.”

Mikey wrinkles his nose adorably, according to Takemichi, “Ew ‘mitchy are they flirting?”

“I…I believe they are.” The black curly haired man absent-mindedly dries the blond’s hair with the towel gently, pausing the massage he stroked onto his head.

“Ugh, gross. Get a room you two!”

The demon, whose name was revealed as Kakucho, and Izana blink at the falling papers. Mikey really has tried to hit them with paper. Loose sheets of papers. As if they’d fly the three and half meter distance.

“This is my house.” Izana said, “You’re welcome to leave whenever.”

“But then you’ll be alone! With him!” Takemichi’s blue eyes impossibly widened more as he pointed a finger at Kakucho.

“So what? It’s not like he’s gonna kill me that fast.”

“I wish he did.” Mikey muttered, clearly not under his breath.

Takemichi gasped and lightly scolded Mikey, Izana scoffed, as if he’d ever listen to anyone but himself.

“As much as I love the drama, I do need to make a contract in the next minute or so, or everything goes to shit. So,” he turns to Izana, “I assume you’ll be my master for an undetermined amount of time, is that right?”

“Yes. And you’ll be my dog.”

Izana could’ve sworn he saw the demon fluster for a split second, but he bounced right back, smirking and drawling.

“Woof woof.”

Mikey barfing and Takemichi turning green was worth it all.

© chaotic3vil 2022 . all rights reserved

[nightingaelic]

What if the Courier wasn't interested in siding with House/Legion/NCR or in ruling New Vegas? They just want to get revenge on Benny and go back to being a mailman. After killing Benny they meet Yes Man and immediately like him, deciding to take him with them on their journeys. Since Yes Man never has access to Mr. House's files, he never finds out that they can be used to upgrade him. But the Courier is always on the look out for something to help Yes Man.

The door of the Mojave Express outpost in Primm swung open with a jingle, and Courier Six strode in with a confidence that could only belong to someone who'd been shot in the head, gotten back up again and tracked down the bastard who'd tried to do them in. "Package for the sheriff!" they called, setting a long, wrapped box on the counter. "Whoever that is, nowadays."

The Securitron that had become their ever-present shadow since their trip to New Vegas ducked precariously on its single wheel to clear the door frame. "I so love visiting towns where law and order has completely collapsed!" the happy-faced robot said brightly. "It just adds a certain charm to the experience, don't you think?"

"Well, I wouldn't say it's collapsed," Johnson Nash commented, rounding the corner from the Nash kitchen to the main office. "Just a little bit in flux. And that's Sheriff Slim, now that the NCR's got bigger problems and the Powder Gangers have all but moved on."

The courier grinned. "The little protectron that could. No idea why he's getting mail, though."

"None of our business anyhow." Johnson smiled and leaned down behind the counter to pull up his lockbox. "What'll it be today?"

The courier made a face. "NCR dollars, please."

"Heading west, I take it?" Johnson asked, counting out their fee. "Anywhere specific?"

"Our destination is still undetermined!" the Securitron replied happily.

"Really? Wandering out into the wastes with no plan?"

"Well I wouldn't say we don't have a plan," the courier explained, accepting the paper money that Johnson offered them. "We found some evidence of a pre-war scientific research facility that might have tech we can use to upgrade Yes Man, here."

Yes Man gave Johnson a little salute. "At your service!"

"How about that." Johnson scratched his chin. "Pre-war, you say? And out west. You know, my wife and I know the coast a bit. Whereabouts?"

The courier and Yes Man exchanged a look. "The Big Empty."

"Big Empty?" Johnson shook his head. "Nothing out there but nuclear craters and more desert. You'd do better poking around the vaults in NCR territory."

"They only say there's nothing out there because no one bothers looking," the courier argued.

"On the contrary." Johnson crossed his arms. "Whatever it may be, desert, radiation or giant ants, it's bad news. The Mojave Express has lost every courier foolish enough to traverse it. There's a reason the NCR steered clear of it when Caesar first moved on the dam, even if it meant they lost the chance to drive him out of the Mojave for good."

"As if that would've stopped Caesar." The courier rolled their eyes. "Even if the NCR had managed to scare him off for a bit, he would've come back anyway. Not that he'd have done much beyond sit in his camp across Lake Mead and make everyone on both sides of the river miserable, like he's doing now."

"Fair enough." Johnson fixed them with a curious look. "Heard you were invited up there, once."

"And where'd you hear that?"

"Couriers gossip, that's all I'm saying."

"Mmm-hmm." The courier looked away for some other topic, and their eyes fell on the scrap robot that had been sitting in the corner of the outpost for over a year. "You still haven't gotten that thing up and running?"

"Nah." Johnson backed off and relaxed. "I was hoping to use it for some courier work, but that ain't gonna happen."

The courier raised an eyebrow. "Mind if I take it off your hands?"

Johnson shrugged. "It's yours if you can get it working."

With a flourish of their hand, the courier laid one of the NCR bills back down on the counter. "For your trouble. Yes Man, would you do the honors?"

"It would be my pleasure!" The Securitron rolled over to the silent eyebot and bobbed forward to pick it up. He turned the metal dome this way and that, assessing it with his claws. "Oooh, an advanced model! Servos and gyroscopes need recalibration, a few replacement sensor modules might be in order, beautiful redundant systems, so why don't we just..."

Yes Man redirected some circuitry and gave the eyebot a tap. With a clank and a few beeps, the bot rose from the Securitron's claws and shook itself, almost like a dog waking from slumber.

Johnson laughed and clapped his hands together. "How about that? Keep your money, Six, that's some fine work by your companion, there."

Yes Man's screen face gained little round marks of blush around its smile. "Thank you very much!"

The courier chuckled, watching the eyebot weave circles up by the ceiling. "ED-E?" they said, reading the license plate tacked to one side of it. "Short and sweet. I like it."

"Welcome to the party, little guy!" Yes Man gave the fellow robot a salute.

"Not sure if it knows what it's getting into," Johnson said with a smirk. "We're still getting inquiries, now and then."

The courier's face fell. "Still?"

"Mmm-hm." Johnson jerked his head toward Yes Man. "The one with the cowboy face came by again last week. Offered me more caps than I've ever seen to tell me what route you were on."

"Well, tell me you took the deal."

Johnson sighed. "Ruby and I are marking you down under different numbers when we log your trips at all, but people know your face 'round here. More importantly, they know your bot's face. You're leaving him outside of towns, before you go in?"

"Always!" Yes Man replied. "I'm getting real good at hiding among the cacti!"

"Sooner or later, that Mr. House is gonna get wise to it all," Johnson said with a shake of his head. "He might respect the Mojave Express, but I don't know that he's above sending some more of those things out here to shoot us and the shop full of holes. I almost wish those convicts were still around to scare him off."

"Put in for a transfer," the courier insisted. "Tell the Hub what's going on. Get out of Primm."

"I'm too old to up and leave the Mojave again," Johnson argued. "Ruby likes the area too much to leave it. And it'll snow in the desert before I'm chased out of my own town."

"Then..." The courier bit their lip. "Send him a message personally. Tell House I've quit. Gone west."

Johnson raised an eyebrow. "You sure?"

They nodded. "The whole truth of it. I went looking for the secrets of the Big Empty, and I took the Securitron with me. If he's stupid enough to follow us out there, we'll be ready."

[galaxythreads]

Since it is one of my favourite fics (as in the ‘you hate me’ scene has rooted itself like a boabab in my mind as one of the most hurt/comfort things I’ve ever read) I am going to ask for lore about ‘The Weeping Siren’/‘Blodig Skog’.

P.S. I really enjoyed the lore about Stygian.

OKAY. so this is like the FIFTH request I’ve gotten for the Weeping Siren. SO. I finally managed to pump this all out. IT took LITERALLY 3+ hours. @stars-and-darkness asked for this as well as long with several anons. 

If there is a scene I didn’t go over that you want me to, put the chapter number and the scene in my ask box and I’ll go over that as well.

Thank you for your interest <3 

Here we GO.

LORE FOR THE WEEPING SIREN <- link to story

VERY LONG LORE. 

The Weeping Siren has a Pinterest board , AND a Spotify playlist

the characterization of Sif and the Warriors at the beginning was based on a fic I read that I cannot find the name of, where the warriors were actively trying to gaslight Thor into thinking Loki a terrible person.

THIS FIC -- What the Woods Did Bring by GoodForBad -- and THIS FIC -- Over the Edge by j-mercuryuk -- were a HUGE basis for the plot of the Weeping Siren. I highly recommend reading them even if they're unfinished. FF.net has an app, my dears, and it is fantastic. No ads, you can download stories, and they keep a detailed history of every fic you read.

Yes, I am aware that the offical Norwegian translation of blood forest should be blodskog. Google translate told me bloody forest would be blodig skog, so that's kind of just what I went with.

Also the blodig skog means the bloody forest

originally Prince Tjan and his hearty crew were meant to be possessed by the Weeping Siren and take the Warriors and Loki to her. Things...didn't work out that way

This was the original first chapter outline, as you can see, it's VERY different from where the actual story started:  (highlighted where the fic starts now) 

font used for the story, finish date. I do not use Georgia anymore. You cannot convince me to upon pain of death, I hate it so much, lol.

total page count in Google docs: 195 (probably closer to 220 because of how weird Georgia is, discounting the bonus chapter from Frigga's POV)

actual date I finished it, without edits or the bonus chapter from Frigga's POV.

October 4th, 2019. 

CHAPTER ONE:

The story originally started with Prince Tjan arriving on Asgard. I hated it so much. I feel like I started this story in all the wrong places at least four or five times.

"Everyone knows that whatever blossoming romance between Loki and Princess Sigyn that had started when Alfheim came for its last peace treaty nearly a decade ago was squished when Loki smashed his fist into the High Princess's face for still undetermined reasons. Princess Sigyn, unlike the legendary patience she's famed for, had retaliated by tackling Loki to the floor."

^^^ I have no idea what this incident was.

---

"Loki is barely of age now, getting him killed or captured by the whispered creature of Vanaheim's forests is something Sif thought a mother would actively try to avoid."

^^ not even two pages in and we're already heavy on the foreshadowing. Lol. I can't remember if this was intentional or not, but I imagine so.

---

I've had a few people point out to me how this doesn't make sense that Frigga's hair is blonde. She dyed it to fit in with Asgardian culture better.

---

Thor has social skills. Thor knows when to keep his mouth shut. thor is a prince. Thor can keep his thoughts to himself until he's in the company of his friends. THor has --

---

Loki's opinions getting discarded or loudly talked over is a very common theme in this. Even by Thor.

CHAPTER TWO: 

“ Sif wakes up stiff and in a foul mood. “ -- I mean let’s be honest with ourselves, she’s kind of in a foul mood for half the fic. 

---

“Exaggeration, Loki does sleep, but in all their time spent together, Sif has seen him do it very little. He seems to find the challenge of running off of as few hours as possible exhilarating. Maybe he thinks himself above such meager things, she doesn't know, doesn't care.“ 

^^^ for the duration of this fic, Loki has bad nightmares. It causes a lot of sleep deprivation. 

---

OH MY GOSH WHY AM I USING SO MANY ITALICS. STOP. STOOOOOP. 

---

“The table is chipped around one edge, as if someone took a hard swing at it, but the rest has obviously been scrubbed down hundreds of times.” 

^^direct reference to this scene in Elementary season 5, episode 10:

“...one of the legs was loose, but uh, I fixed [the table up]. Refinished it. You can hardly recognize it, can you?” 

“...in a seventy eight year old murder I was trying to solve.” 

someone beat someone else’s head in with a knife, leaving chip marks. 

If you guys are beginning to notice that Elementary is referenced a lot in my fics, you are right! I love this series so much. 

---

“They aren't sitting together. Both their gazes are lifted up, hands still, and there's that gleam in their eyes that reminds her of last night. Sif realizes almost dully that it's not just Prince Tjan and his guard that carry that...thing about them.”

^^^ One thing that I never really found a place to explain and kind of disappeared half-way through the fic is that the Weeping Siren did enchantments on people. She would bend them to her will and this is why everyone seems out of it. She enchanted all of Ju into giving her what she wanted or looking the other way. Both of these people were parents of two of the missing children and they were enchanted to give their kids to the Weeping Siren. 

--- 

“Well. That's good to know now. A warning before hand would have been better. She'd been half hoping that the curse was an exaggeration.“ 

Dude. I forgot how much Sif drives me absolutely bonkers. YOU DIDN’T EVEN ASK FOR LOKI TO TELL YOU THE BLODIG SKOG HAS ILL EFFECTS. WHY DO YOU JUST EXPECT--

---

This is literally 

----

“ The food tastes hot, as it always does on Vanaheim, and she bites at her lip, quietly longing for Asgard's familiar spices “ 

^^^ I based Vanaheim’s food off of Mexico’s and Asgard’s off of England. So what Sif is tasting is Any Flavor At All. Actually, I based a lot of Asgard off of England because it is funny to me. 

The history of the nine realms can probably be described in this sentence: “Knock Knock, It’s Asgard.”

---

I am pretty sure this was an accident that it doesn’t say “It takes almost ANOTHER full five minutes”, but I’m not going to fix that because it’s very funny. 

---

^^^ THOR HAS POLITCAL SKILLS THOR HAS POLITCAL SKILLS THOR

---

^^^ the Weeping Siren’s enchantments. She was actually whispering to them. 

---

“ Scared that a Frost Giant will jump out and eat you?" One of the men in the guard asks, and Sif flicks her gaze up to find him in the crowd. No one sticks out. Her cheeks flush some anyway. “ 

^^^ Vanaheim and Asgard, I feel, have very similar political views on things given that Frigga is from Vanaheim. This includes their view about Jotuns. However, in the Blodig Skog when Loki is taken by his aunt and uncle, given that they grew up about the same time as Frigga, they know that Jotuns aren’t evil which is why they didn’t care. 

---

“ The Blodig Skog let them go. She doesn't know how she knows that, only that she does, and it unsettles her. “ 

“It took them days to find those tunnels. Thor wandered for months with madmen. The forest let them go. There's no other explanation. That wasn't them. “ 

“Thor shrugs. “My mother’s unrivaled persistence. my father’s tracking spells? Perhaps the Blodig Skog wanted to let you go.” 

The Weeping Siren chpt 2,  The Blodig Skog chpt 2. The Weeping SIren chpt 8. 

---

“ Loki hesitantly speaks up: "Prince Tjan, perhaps...we have had little success in our endeavours thus far to find the creature. I'm no stranger to sedir, if you would, perhaps, let me attempt a tracking spell, I could—"

Prince Tjan's drink smacks down on the tabletop, splashing mead over the rim. "Absolutely not! You'll get yourself killed like the other arrogant muttonheads who thought they could outdo the Blodig Skog's enchantments."

^^^ The reason they are so adamant against Loki using magic is, again, because they are enchanted by the Weeping Siren. She knows how effective using magic would be inside the Wood, so she does her best to not encourage that. If Loki had used a tracking spell to find the kids, he probably would have been successful. 

Of course there is the initial “the forest drives all the sedier-weilders mad” thing, which WAS A THING when I wrote the first one, it’s just that in THIS INSTANCE it was the weeping siren trying to scare Loki isn’t stopping. 

---

“‘So did they!’ Prince Tjan counters angrily, ‘I know the woods.’“

^^^ I know the woods, is the Weeping Siren directly speaking here. not Tjan. Wow I did a horrible job explaining this, with retrospect. I mean, it did kinda vanish away, but Tjan was absolutely possessed by this point. 

---

"This has nothing to do with showing off, cousin."

Sif's eyebrow lifts slightly. "Isn't it always with you?"

Thor kicks her foot under the table, and Loki glances at her. 

^^^ this is the only time Thor defends Loki in the story from the Warriors verbal attacks and that makes me sad. :/ 

---

Captain Yan leans forward, resting his clasped hands on the tabletop. "Tell me Master Fandral, how much do you know about tracking spells?"

Fandral's lip twists, "About as much as the next person. Once you've started you can't stop looking for the thing, unable to rest, unable to eat, yada-yada. Supposed to be one of the most difficult spells to master and used sparingly. Why? No, wait...are you really suggesting that every seidrmaster you've sent in there you've lost because they actually found the Weeping Siren?"

"We couldn't keep up with them." Captain Yan's jaw tightens. "Yes. We lost them, Master Fandral. Found the bodies of three of the five."

The numbers seem off. Sif remembers Captain Yan mentioning this a few days ago, but didn't he say something else?

what he said earlier: ( "Yes," Captain Yan assures, "but we've lost three sedirmasters to the Blodig Skog and killed two others. )

^^^ 

Okay. So. “The Blodig Skog killed two others.” What happened to all the sedirweilders in the fic the Blodig Skog is what happened here. That wasn't’ something I made up on the go. 

Actually, Benar--he lost his protection spell and transformed into the dragon on accident. 

BUT. 

The REASON Loki knew that Yan and Tjan were lying about the sedirmasters is because guess what? TRACKING SPELLS DON’T ACTUALLY DO THIS. Loki knows that. The Weeping Siren knows this. THOR knows this. 

THIS is why Thor was so quick agree with Tjan in kicking Loki off of the quest later in the scene. Not because Thor was being an a-hole and didn’t believe Loki, but because he was trying to protect him. He didn’t know what was up. If it was Tjan or if it was Loki, or if it was both of them. He thought maybe the Blodig Skog was affecting Loki because of the enchantment, but wasn’t completely sure. 

He just wanted to keep Loki safe.

Loki didn’t know that, and assumed it was because Thor didn’t trust him. 

---

Loki's head whips up to her, eyes heated. "Beg pardon?"

"You heard me perfectly." Sif promises, and then makes a disgusted noise as his expression doesn't flicker. Always so blank. How can he manage that for so long? Why does he?

^^ maybe, just a thought, because you torment him all the time for any other emotion? 

---

The keeper of the inn goes pale, "Bar yourselves in the building! No one leaves until it's gone!"

the Weeping Siren YET AGAIN making it easier for her to kidnap the kid. Everyone stuffed inside one place? Super convenient. 

---

Sif half expects Loki to free himself of the grip and move for the door—they don't have a lot of time—as Sif would have done, but Loki instead squats down in front of the woman and cups distressed mother's hand between both of his own. "Shh, woman, all will be well. We will find your daughter, I swear."

"Please," the woman gasps, "she's all I-I ha-have. Please."

"Dry your tears," Loki instructs, "Idrissa will be returned to you."

^^^

Despite all his frustrations and desire to strangle his party, Loki still takes the time to show this woman kindness. THIS is who Loki is, at his core. 

---

The Weeping Siren grabs hold of the child's arm and the two vanish in a lure of blue-ish light.

^^^ I doubt any of you have noticed this, but I try to make a point to have magic colors line up with the infinity stones. If someone is doing mind magic its yellow, if they’re teleporting it’s blue, etc, etc. Just because I believe the Infinity Stones are a lot more important to MCU until Endgame. 

---

Loki uses the clumsy response to someone hurting him right here (and all the time before this), when Loki says this to Sif in the Blodig Skog, she immediately knows someone did it to him and is unhappy. 

"Brother, what happened to your face?" Thor questions, tipping his sibling's head up so he can stare at the bruise. Sif feels nothing regarding it. Maybe she will later, but right now there's only an all consuming numbness. (Loki deserved it.) Her hand hurts.

"I tripped." Loki mumbles.

Thor sighs, "Loki. Will you ever learn proper footing? You're always falling or smashing into things."

(^^^Loki is not a clumsy person. 

This is from previous altercations with the Warriors, or their other peers, or even (on occasion) their parents. 

Thor thinks Loki is clumsy.) 

TWS chpt 2. 

..

"He tripped, Lady Sif." One of the girls murmurs. "He's clumsy enough as it is without wet earth to help with that."

Loki digs his nails tighter. It's beginning to pinch skin, but the pain is a relief.

Sif doesn't laugh, but a few try for hesitant smiles that fall quickly. The warrior's back is so straight it looks nearly painful. Loki doesn't know whether to stop her, or watch. It's the strangest sensation to him to not have to defend himself.

TBS chpt 1

..

Also reminder Thor had no idea what was going on and would have destroyed them if he knew Sif just punched his brother: 

TBS chpt 6

---

“ Loki's gaze lifts to Thor's face, a flicker of something she can't place washing over his features. “ 

^^ Loki wanted Thor to notice the bruise looked like a fist. 

He didn’t. 

CHAPTER THREE: 

"No." Prince Tjan doesn't bother to keep any irritation from his tone. "We're staying in the Blodig Skog from this point forward. That child is our biggest lead. We have an entirely new part of the forest to look at thanks to her. We can't waste time traveling to and from there anymore, we need to go deeper. Prepare your overnight packs, we leave in twenty minutes."

^^ The Weeping Siren decided that Loki was too much of a threat because he actually found her and has decided to kill him.

ALSO:

THIS CONVERSATION -- “ but I'd overheard my cousin and Captain Yan discussing a way to remove Loki." (chpt 9 thor to Sif) -- happened the previous night. 

---

“Thor, and Loki enter the tavern. The two siblings look as if they've been awake for a long time, but Sif has her doubts about that.”

^^ 

Thor was up all night trying to figure out what to do about Tjan wanting to kill Loki. Loki was up all night trying not to have a panic attack. 

---

“ Loki's face bares no signs of bruising, and Sif is both relieved and annoyed by that. “ 

^^ glamor. 

---

“ Loki's single, brief attempt to use sedir to track the Weeping Siren fails because there's apparently "nothing to latch onto". “

^^ the weeping siren’s hovel blocks all magic except her’s. Like Wanda and Agatha’s ruins in WandaVision. This is why Loki couldn’t find her. 

---

^^ the weeping siren needs consent in order to possess someone and their name. 

---

“But, as Sif suspected, their rations don't last past the third day. Well, "past" is a little too strong of a word, they're out before the evening meal. Prince Tjan has them come to a stop much earlier than normal and explains that they need to hunt, but someone needs to set up camp while they're gone.

And, thus leaves herself, Fandral, Volstagg, Hogun, and Loki in the clearing with the camping supplies as Prince Tjan, his guard, and Thor find food for the next few days. She's less than elated with this set up, but holds her tongue when Hogun kicks the back of her foot.“

^^^ 

AS THIS WAS HAPPENING, SO WAS THIS: 

“"No." Thor shakes his head. "Just benching him permanently. All the distinct details are fuzzy now, but I wasn't happy with it. I confronted him in the woods, and he and his guard attacked me."

"But everyone...we saw the bodies. They weren't killed by Mjonlir or another weapon." Sif argues, "He couldn't have attacked you unless...you didn't fight back."

Thor smiles grimly. "I couldn't. The creature found us and bound me by her word. Tjan pierced me with a blade here," his fingers lift up to ghost over his chest. Over his heart. Or near it, anyway. Too close. "And I was too focused on that to do much else. When I awoke, only Prince Tjan and two others lived. The details of what happened to soldiers have yet to be discovered, and I can't remember anything. I took Prince Tjan and the other two as my captives and we wandered in the Blodig Skog for a month before finding Ju again."

AND THIS: 

“ His leg begins to throb dully. Likely from the sparring session earlier, but he can't help but feel like it's mocking him. Remember, remember, it taunts, lest you dare think about forgetting. No. Never forgetting. The sensation of the Weeping Siren's sedir slinking beneath his skin as he writhed and then her wild grin as she clenched her fist and he felt the bone explode— “ 

(tbs chpt 2) 

The Weeping Siren broke his leg so he couldn’t run away. She wanted Tjan to kill him. Thor was a little too stubborn for that. 

---

Loki holds the older's stare for a long moment before his shoulders slump and he tugs his sibling's hand away from his mouth. "Fine. But come back."

Thor smirks patting Loki's shoulder. "When do I not?"

"You don't want me to answer that." Loki snips and takes a step back so Thor can mount his stallion.

This is the last time they see each other for 11 months. :/ And the funny thing about it is that IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE A PARRAEL because LOKI is the one who doesn’t come back later, NOT thor. 

---

^^^ This is where I started the story in the original draft. When i later planned out the fic, it got pushed back quite a bit. 

---

"Who wants to play, children?" it whispers. Its voice is still the young females. "Oh, I do!"

You know how they always tell you to have the first line a character speaks be signifcant? Yeah. Well. 

“No one wants to die alone either." The Weeping Siren's voice has changed to a nasally old woman's, and it's louder. Closer. Norns. "But alas…"

chpt 3 vs chpt 7

“ Sif's mind flashes back to the kitchen, standing in front of the counter and looking at the height measurements. Yei and Holland. The Weeping Siren's children of the womb. It's not a story for your ears. Bile rises in her throat as the pieces click in a horrid succession. The bones stare back at her, innocent of her thoughts.”

The Weeping Siren’s children died alone after playing when their father came to kill them. 

CHAPTER FOUR: 

“ Her shoes are missing, leaving her toes to face the cold in only socks. Her armor is also gone, leaving her in the loose shirt and pants underneath. It's cold. Something is wrapped around her left ankle, and an experimental wiggle of the foot reveals the cold metal of a chain. “

People are less likely to try and run away from a captor when they don’t have shoes. 

ALSO yes, this is a direct reference to the Red Room and how they made the girls chain their wrists to the bed. 

---

“ Sif's hands curl into fists. Her mouth opens without her consent, fully prepared for a rebuke, but Fandral beats her too it. "Hey!" his voice is hard. "Don't touch him!" “ 

None of the Warriors hate Loki. They tormented him, but after spending years and years with him, all of them grew fond in their own way. It just took something forcing them to swallow their egos for them to show it. 

---

“ Loki is squatted in front of one of them, Idrissa, Sif recognizes after a moment.” 

Loki promised Idrissa’s mother that he’d find her. So he did. 

---

"Loki, let me. You're exhausted." Sif says and reaches up for the child, but Loki's grip tightens.

"And you were vomiting blood." His tone is acidic, "I'm capable of doing something without your help, my lady." 

...

“ "Don't—" Sif starts and stops because correction doesn't matter. Loki is crying in pain. The Weeping Siren is making him cry because of pain. "What on the Nine do you think you're doing!?" “

..

“Sif snorts with disbelief, but clenches her fists. "You'll kill him. You are killing him. Aetheitin isn't meant for long term use, everyone knows that. You're going to kill him, and I won't let you do that. He's my prince...”

^^^ Again, the Warriors don’t hate Loki. 

Loki doesn’t know that. 

---

It's barely past midday on day six since their capture when a loud clap of thunder ripples through the air. Sif pauses the knife she's been sawing back and forth across several stalks of wheat to look up at the sky and scowl.

^^^ Yes. This was Thor. This is when Thor found their abandoned camp and realized they were gone. He was panicking. 

---

"Let me take it." Loki interrupts, and the room goes quiet. Sif lifts her wide eyes from her shield-brother to Loki, wondering if she heard that right. "Let me take it," Loki repeats, voice filled with more conviction. "Allow him the rest, and I will take whatever is needed so he can."

^^ the punishment was hallucinatory drugs. When they came off the high, which was intended to be torment, the Weeping Siren would help them feel better, thus creating a sort of dependency on her comfort. That is why they would start calling her mother afterwards. She wouldn’t let them sleep or eat, just take the drug and work. The only comfort they received was hers. 

The well in TBS never existed. It was a hallucination on Loki’s part because he’s terrified of heights and suffocation. 

("I can't." Loki repeats, stuffing his fingers into the crooks of his arms. "Mother will be cross with me.") 

^^^ drug tracks

---

But how could Loki not be used to hugs? Sif doesn't know Queen Frigga awfully well, but she seems like the affectionate type. The one that would give out hugs often. Thor never stiffens when Sif draws him in for an embrace, and Loki never flinches away from Thor's frequent shoulder touches or pats on the back, so it's not like they've been touch starved by their parents.

...

Loki shrugs, sighing deeply and squeezes his eyes shut. "Don' know why you care so much. It's not...appropriate for the royal family to show physical affection to each other in public—Thor should know better, but he doesn't care, I think—and I rarely see my parents in private since I've gotten older. I have to make an audience to see my father privately, and Mother only has a few spare minutes at a time for talking. It's not a problem. Used to bother me. Doesn't now."

...

^Loki and Thor were, in my opinion, severely isolated as children. With how busy Frigga and Odin were running a realm, it’s more likely that they raised each other with their parents hovering figureheads that orbited them. I don’t think either of them had a very strong relationship with them. At least, not a proper parent-child relationship. more like a distant friend.  

 Loki has had few friends in his lifetime and Thor has been the only constant. Thor is the only person who touches Loki frequently, beyond an occasional embrace from his mother. 

Loki doesn’t get hugged. 

(It is my firm headcanon that the hug Loki got from Frigga after he killed Laufey was the first hug he got in years) 

HENCE: 

“ Alwa's saying nast'y things." Loki shakes his head, hair sticking to the sides of his face. "It hurts. You don't even like me, and I used to tr' really, really hard to mak' all of y'u, 'cause I don' know...how to have friends, but you always…it okay, I know it's my fault. Somethin' wrong with me, not you." “

CHAPTER 5: 

"Alright, enough." The words seem to have been wrung from the Snake Prince, "You've done nothing but stare at me all day like I gave a swift kick to your favorite pet, so will you please explain what I've done wrong this time?"

^^ Loki really doesnt’ think anyone likes him unless they’re forced to, and even that he knows is an act. 

----

"No. Shut up." Loki demands, "Because I shouldn't have had to. My silence should have had no effect on whether or not you would refrain from trying to treat me decently. Was your social status so important to you that you would completely disregard the fact that I—" Loki releases a heavy breath, cutting himself off mid sentence.

TWS chpt 5 vs TBS chpt 6 

What!? Thor feels incredulous. "It does. I would never have let them hurt you if I knew!"

That draws out the startled, vindictive laughter. His brother takes a wobbly step forward, tears still falling. "I shouldn't," his brother presses out, "have to have told you. We've spent thousands of hours with them. Weeks at a time. But you didn't see, because you're never looking at me! Do you really think that they're the only ones to mock my titles?...”

You should never have to ask someone to treat you with basic human decency. And yet. 

----

Sif grabs on his arm and yanks. The searing heat makes her vision dark around the edges and the only think she can focus on is the cold knives of his words digging into her chest. Loki flinches and his hands raised to block off his face. She barely hears the words by how low they're muttered. "At least I never hit you."

^^^ 

The thoughts Sif never voiced but definitely felt right here: 

Oh yeah. You are a human. You are not some overlord meant to torment me. You are a human and you have a life outside of me and you are a human. 

And i hurt you anyway. On purpose. For no reason. 

I did that. 

You didn’t force me to. I chose to. 

---

They've been here for...for a while when the Weeping Siren drops into the cellar one morning with a rucksack swung over one shoulder. She drops something heavy on the ground and it lands with a loud thunk before she smiles happily. "Dearests, Mother has an errand she must take care of. I'll return in a few days. Remain here."

...

Thor's head tilts at that, curious. How? She was mad. "What do you mean?"

Benar's fingers smack impatiently on the book. "I mean that she spent a good majority of our lives keeping me from this ritual. She guarded the direct entrance to the tunnels, keeping the Xīn Zhī Chí from me. Now, now I can finally end the Blodig Skog without her making constant efforts to cease any progress."

So that's where they are, then. The tunnels beneath the Blodig Skog.

TWS chpt 6 vs TBS chpt 10

Part of this errand was to stop Benar from entering the caves. 

CHAPTER SEVEN: 

“It starts—and it ends—with soup.“ 

as all good things do. 

---

"Today we celebrate the sixth year since I began to collect my family." The Weeping Siren announces and sits down in front of them, a glass in hand. Sif suspects it isn't full of anything stronger than acidic water, but she raises it like it's fine wine. "A toast. To our happiness proceeding onwards for many more years."

^^^

this is the day her children died. In her grief she got extremely drunk and rationalized taking Li home with her. Li was hurt and she intended to take him to a healer. 

She didn’t. 

This is why Li ( "This is my family." Li says in a hushed voice, "I don't know...I don't know how to live anywhere else. How can we leave Mother? I don't...I'm afraid, Sif, please.") doesn’t feel like he has anything else. 

---

“Sif glances towards Loki's leg and inhales stiffly, swearing again. Norns, that's so much worse than she thought it was. The leg is deformed enough that Sif has her doubts bone isn't sticking out beneath the fabric. There's dried blood making the black fabric strangely reflective and flaky. She bites back bile and squeezes her eyes shut, trying to reassure herself that she's seen worse on the battlefield before.”

Thor broke his leg. Loki broke his. This is supposed to parallel each other. 

---

“She...was just stabbed.

Oh.

That's really not ideal.”

I AM WHEEZING. WHAT ON EARTH? 

---

“When they were claimed. (Is his hair shorter? He's favoring one leg, or is she imagining that?)”

^^^

First look at Thor’s permanent leg injury. 

---

CHAPTER EIGHT: 

“Loki, brother of Thor.” 

Loki’s importance is rooted in her mind now. 

---

“Systra makes a clicking noise and sweeps her gaze up and down Sif, eyes tightening at the edges. "Come with me." She commands. A few months ago, Sif would have refused and stormed off, indignant. Now she only feels a heavy apprehension and follows after her older sister. Systra stops first to drop her bag off in her room and then leads Sif out of the house. She sits down on a bench hidden in the small corner of the property and Sif recognizes it from when they were little and closer.

Before Systra left.”

^^^ 

This was never explained explicitly in the text, but one of the HUGE reasons that Sif hated Loki was because of jealously. Her relationship with Systra is terrible and she wanted someone like Thor to protect her as she was struggling to become a Einherjar, but Systra didn’t care. Systra left her on her own to deal with the bullying and the tormenting because she thought Sif was being stupid.

Sif wanted a Thor for a sibling, so she got jealous that Loki did and it eventually turned into hatred. 

---

^^^ 

this argument is based off of the one Isabella and Jade have in Isabella dances into the spotlight, A fantastic movie filled with family drama despite being made for kids. XD I love it so much. 

---

Weeping siren. 

LINK TO STORY <--

[specsforwoo]

Summaries | Mafia!NCT (Maknae Line)

Okay, so, this is a collaboration between myself (@specsforwoo) and the author (@marshmellowmin) so please support us as we continue to release content related to the overall theme (this) that can be found on my/their blog. Thank you!

Kim Jungwoo

Con-artist. Ponzi scheme expert. Known to scheme millions out of dirty politicians and government officials. The cause for the last impeachment of the President, allowing for a mafia related politician to take the stands

Years in Mafia: 10

Weapon of Choice: None, claims to be a pacifist and hates the sight of blood

Body count: 0

Mark Lee

Bomb maker (????); he likes to call himself a mad scientist. Comes up with heist ideas and has a degree in chemical engineering from KAIST. Could probably build a bomb with both hands tied behind his back if he tried hard enough. Best friends with Haechan.

Years in Mafia: 7

Weapon of Choice: pipe bomb

Body count: Undeterminable

Xiao Dejun

New spy. Trained under Taeil; literally blew up his first mission. Was out of the game for a year due to injuries from his first mission, recently came back and currently works with Kun on small missions. Is not allowed anywhere near Mark.

Years in Mafia: 4

Weapon of Choice: Stun Baton

Body count: 1

Huang Guanghan

Clean up. Hendery is sent out to clean up any mess created by the members-usually Renjun or Jaemin’s assassinations. Doesn’t usually kill, but if its for the well-being of the mafia he’ll kill a dozen men without a second thought. Always carries a weapon on him.

Years in Mafia: 7

Weapon of Choice: Colt 1911 1991 Series 80

Body count: 4

Huang Renjun

Best friend of Zhong Chenle who was basically adopted by his family at a young age. Assassin. Doesn’t like to get his hands dirty so he prefers guns (specifically snipers if the case calls for it)

Years in Mafia: 5

Weapon of Choice: M40A5 Sniper

Body count: 72

Lee Jeno

Policeman. Joined the Seoul Police Department to avoid any unnecessary attention from them. Is in the running for Captain even though he’s only 20. Constantly blows away the police officers with his skills. Prefers to be around Jaemin when he’s at headquarters.

Years in Mafia: 7

Weapon of Choice: Glock 22 with laser

Body count: 7 (including the 3 in line of duty)

Lee Donghyuck

Gambler/Loan shark. His dad was a hustler who taught his son the trade. Haechan started out small, slowly working his way up to the best blackjack player in Seoul. He was 16 when he hustled Taeyong out of a quarter million in a game of russian roulette, Taeyong almost killed him but he saw his value.

Years in Mafia: 6

Weapon of Choice: Brass Knuckles

Body count: 2

Na Jaemin

Joined the mafia in order to protect his mom from loan sharks and pay off his late father’s debts. He hates working for them, but knows he can’t get out. Has become so apathetic to death and pain and he is known as one of the coldest killers in Seoul

Years in Mafia: 9

Weapon of Choice: Industrial Steel Wire (decapitation)

Body count: too many to count

Liu Yangyang

Works clean up with Hendery. Newest newbie, literally has never fired a gun. Johnny allowed him in because of his literal ninja like skills; boy can literally immobilize anyone in a matter of seconds. Knows way too much about the human body and can move around the headquarters without being seen by anyone.

Years in Mafia: 3

Weapon of Choice: Telescoping Baton

Body count: 0

Shotaro Osaki

Weapons Dealer. Works closely with the only other Japanese member of the mafia, Yuta Nakamoto. Son of a large conglomerate chairman in Japan, dropped out of college and off-the-grid after he learned of his father's misdeeds in the business industry. Lived on the streets unnoticed until he saved Yuta's life from a hit-and-run incident.

Years in the Mafia: 1

Weapon of Choice: Hand-to-hand combat; trench knife if necessary

Body Count: 0 (as documented under the mafia)

[epiphany-of-a-madwoman]

The Last Dragon | The Witcher

Chapter 17 | A Tale of Dragons

Pairing: Geralt of Rivia x Targaryen!OC

Summary: Visenya Targaryen is the eldest and only surviving child of Rhaegar Targaryen and Elia Martell. When Robert Baratheon’s rebellion was won, instead of being slaughtered by the Mountain like her mother and siblings, she was saved by Ned Stark and taken as his ward. Years later, after she’s killed at the Red Wedding, she wakes up outside Blaviken. Now she finds her destiny intertwined with the White Wolf on her quest to go back home.

Warnings: Soft Visenya being soft with Geralt and children

Word Count: 5.6k

Note: Click here to read the previous chapters ♡ Also! My tag list is open!

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

She counts out each second, blade in hand as she moves along to her quiet muttering. Each step is like a dance, careful and practiced, as she leaves footprints in the dampened dirt. Every breath is even and quiet, inhaling on the beat and then exhaling on the offbeat. If her movements are a dance, then her breathing and counting is the song she sways to.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

She spins in time with the crescendo to the imaginary music. Her blade slicing through the air, steel whistling in the wind. But it isn’t uncontrolled. She maintains a firm grip on her blade, manipulating how it moves and where. She’s in a trance, captivated by the breeze on her bare skin and the symphony in her head. It’s not the rigorous and disciplined sword training she’s used to, that’s been hammered in her mind from the day she first held a sword. Instead, it’s lighter and freer, her sword becoming an extension of herself rather than a tool she uses separately from her.

“What are you doing?” a small voice says.

The music silences and her movements stop. She lowers the blade to face the ground rather than outward and turns, eyes falling to the ground. A small elven boy stares up at Visenya, curiosity, and wonder gleaming in his wide green eyes,

“Practicing,” she says, staring down at the small boy, no discernable emotion on her face. Despite the bluntness of her words and the blank expression on her face, the boy isn’t deterred.

“Can I try?”

She recognizes him as Rohir, the little boy that got knocked unconscious by the skeevy bandit Visenya killed. Within a few hours of making camp, he woke, restless and unable to stay in one spot for too long, much to the chagrin of his mother.

The corners of her lips twist into a look of amusement, eyes faintly twinkling in the dim light. He’s small, not much smaller than she had been the first time she held a sword - albeit a wooden one. She remembers faint memories of training yards and practice dummies at the Capitol; holding weapons too large for her, whilst onlookers simply ignored her, except for Ser Jaime. He stuck close to Visenya when he could, whether out of a sense of duty or genuine enjoyment, she never knew. As the years go on, she leans toward the latter, but a small part of her still hopes it was genuine liking.

A grin slowly creeps onto Rohir’s face, the prospect of sword training making his entire face light up with anticipation.

“No.” One word, two letters; that’s all it takes. The grin on his face and the sparkle in his eyes immediately disappear, leaving no trace of ever being there. Instead, a scowl overcomes his young features, his hands crossing over his chest. Visenya can’t help the snort that leaves her mouth, only further infuriating the boy.

“Why not?” His voice is petulant, a faint lisp following each letter.

“You’re too small. You’ll only hurt yourself,” she says, a hint of amusement in her otherwise deadpan tone.

“Says you!” he responded, fire and frustration coating each word.

“Says me,” Visenya mimics his words, lacking any of the heat that he possesses.

“But I’m really good!” Rohir exclaims.

She sheathes her blade, turning away from Rohir, eyes focusing on Geralt. He’s sitting on the ground, back against the trunk of a tree that’s on the other side of the camp. He sits so he’s not in the immediate line of sight, but at a vantage point that he can still see everything.

“I am sure you are,” Visenya says, a slight smirk on her lips. Ice cold leaves crack under the weight of her feet as she moves towards Geralt. Her walk is loose and casual, not a tense bone in her body.

“So why won’t you let me hold your sword?” He follows closely behind her, a furious storm, but his anger only furthers Visenya’s amusement.

“Because, you’re too small, and my sword is too big,” Visenya responds. She’s halfway to Geralt, standing in the center of the camp. Rohir huffs an argument on the tip of his tongue, only to be cut off by Amaria.

“Rohir! Come here, En'ca minne,” He loudly inhales only to sigh a moment later. Visenya hears his feet stomping into the dirt as he walks away. Quiet laughter follows Visenya as she closes the remaining distance between her and Geralt.

His eyes don’t move to meet hers; not when her feet appear in his peripheral vision nor when she joins him on the ground and her shoulder faintly brushes against his.

She says nothing and neither does he. Gold eyes focus on the flurry of movement and noises that fill the clearing. It’s more lively and happy than it had been only four hours ago. Amaria switches between tending to her still unconscious husband, only bearing to leave his side when she has to chase around one of her children who are acting up. The two youngest - Elana and Vyron - squeal in glee, chasing each other around without a care in the world. As their forms zip past Visenya she hears faint wisps of their conversation. They’re acting out a grand tale brimming with adventure and happy endings. They’re so free and untouched by the tragedy that was gripping at their feet, begging to pull them under its desolate claws.

She remembers those days. When she’d run around Winterfell like a feral animal, unblemished by the fate of her family. The horrors she was able to bury so deep in her mind they felt more like distant nightmares rather than reality, the box only unlocking when she grew old enough to understand that more than just silver hair separated her from the Starks.

More often than not she wishes she could go back, to be protected by the naivety of childhood.

“I didn’t take you as a fan of children?” Geralt’s voice pulls her from her thoughts. She glances over at him, the small smile that managed to slowly creep onto her face disappearing.

“Why?”

“They seem too loud, I thought you liked the quiet,” Geralt says. Visenya snorts, rolling her eyes. She returns her gaze to the clearing. Rohir sits beside his mother, a pout on his lips, still upset by Visenya's refusal to train him. Elana and Vyron continue to whip through the clearing, with no sign of stopping any time soon.

“I do, but children aren’t terrible,” Visenya answers, watching as the two youngest stop in a portion of the clearing that’s the farthest from anyone. Elana is yelling, the words foreign to Visenya, but Vyron seems to understand her perfectly.

“Do you want any?”

Visenya shrugs, watching as the respite the two children have taken ends as they continue to run around the clearing. She’s never thought about the prospect of children. For most of her life it seemed inevitable; she would be married to some lord or another, bear his children, and then die at some point. But then the war happened, and everything about her life that seemed certain became undetermined.

Visenya opens her mouth, despite not actually having an answer for his question, but is cut off as Elana appears, jumping onto Visenya's lap. Her breath is temporarily lost, and before she can regain it, Vyron quickly follows, landing on the right side of her lap just as Elana moves herself to rest on the left.

Geralt grunts, watching the two rambunctious children with a wary gaze, praying to every god that may listen that they don’t decide to jump on him next.

“Do you have any stories?” Elana asks, her face beaming in the dim light. A wide smile makes its home on her face, wonder causing her wide eyes to nearly glow. Vyron’s expression mimics hers, but his face is softer and smaller, causing him to look more like an excitable puppy. It’s nearly identical to Rickon, who clung to Visyena’s leg as if his life depended on it.

‘How fitting that he’s now dead,’

The thought enters and leaves her mind before she can fully comprehend it. Mentally she clears her mind, opting to focus on the wide-eyed children in front of her.

“What an odd question to ask. Why do you believe me to have any tales to speak of?” Visenya asks.

“You’re an adventurer. Adventures always have tales,” Elana says, her tone not allowing for objections. Her words are fact and she seems set on not accepting any other truths. Vyron doesn’t speak but opts to enthusiastically nod his head in agreeance with his older sister, a matching grin on his face.

“Do they now?” Visenya asks, tilting her head to the side.

“Yes,” Elana says, giving Visenya a single nod.

Laughter bubbles out of Visenya's mouth - the sound so light and sweet it captures the attention of Amaria and Rohir. She throws back her head and her eyes shut, the noise continues to resound in the camp. Geralt watches with less wariness, his face morphing into a less stern expression. On the opposite end of the camp, Amaria stands from her position, quickly making her way to the group of them, Rohir following behind her like a shadow.

“Elana, please, I’m sure the both of them would like to be left to silence,” she says, moving to grab her daughter. Elana’s posture slouches, the smile on her face falling ever so slightly. Visenya finally stops laughing, opening her eyes and looking towards Amaria.

“No, it’s quite alright,” Visenya says, shaking her head in disagreement as she adjusts to get in a more comfortable position. Amaria freezes in place, eyes darting between her children and Visenya as if she doesn’t actually believe the words she’s saying.

“As a matter of fact, I happen to have a tale that I know quite well, but it’s not one that I’ve experienced personally. Would you still like to hear it?” Visenya asks a playful grin resting on her features. Elana immediately perks up, nodding her head so enthusiastically it might’ve fallen off - Vyron following his sister's every movement.

“Yes, please please please,” Vyron and Elana immediately begin to plead, widening their eyes to achieve a more innocent and puppy dog appearance. Visenya’s eyes dart to Amaria, silently asking if it would be alright. The worry melts from Amaria’s face, posture relaxing as she grants Visenya a single nod.

She pauses for a second, racking her brain for a tale to tell that would be suited for an audience this age. She doesn’t think about it for long, a story she’s known since she could read words on a page immediately entering her mind.

“Let me tell you a story about dragons,” Visenya says. Elana and Vyron grow silent, waiting with bated breath for Visenya to continue. Rohir appears from behind his mother, a pout still present on his lips, eyes scowling at the dirt, but he continues forward, sitting right beside Visenya. He grabs a stick and begins tracing symbols into the dirt, refusing to make eye contact with anyone but the ground, attempting to maintain an air of disinterest.

“Many years ago, in a world far far away, there once was a city - Valyria they called it, and what a grand city it was. A place filled with wonder, magic, and dragons.”

Elana and Vyron gasp, audibly portraying their excitement. Rohir is more subtle, his ears only twitching slightly as his movements pause for a brief second. Visenya leans her head back, closing her eyes as she begins to bury herself in the stories she read a million times over, clutching that worn and torn book every night like it was the only thing keeping her on the ground. After a moment of silence and a deep breath, Visenya opens her eyes, staring straight ahead and into the fire that flickers a few feet away from them.

“It was a great city, managing to tame dragons they would ride into battle. They were fearsome and respected, managing to conquer large amounts of territories with their dragon fire. For 5,000 years Valyria was the capital of the greatest civilization, the heart of an empire that ruled half of the world. It was grand, but unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, which leads into this story.”

The children are enraptured, eyes solely focusing on Visenya - even Rohir abandons his guise of not being interested in her tale. She doubts that Vyron is following the story, but his eyes are wide and mouth agape - growing more exaggerated each time she mentions‘<dragons>’. Elana is young, but her eyes are sharpened with intelligence that’s older than her as she seems to follow the story well.

Amaria no longer stands, opting to sit on the ground, opening her arms as Vyron crawls off of Visenya’s lap and onto his mothers. Visenya glances at Geralt, his eyes already on her, his gaze burning into her. Her mind stutters, fog momentarily taking over so she can no longer focus on anything. Eyes snap away, once again focusing on the fire to clear her mind.

“There were many great houses, one of them known as House Targaryen, with shining silver hair and amethyst purple eyes, the family held distinctive Valyrian features. Targaryens were believed to have a closer connection to their dragons, to understand them in a way the other dragonlords never would.”

“Because they had magic, right?” Elana says, her voice firm and sharp. Rohir turns to his sister, a pout on his lips as he shushes her. She turns to face him, a matching glare set on her face.

“If you wait, she’ll tell us,” he says. She huffs, an indignant look on her childish face.

“I just wanted to know!” Elana says.

“Well, you should just wait!” Rohir says, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms over his chest.

“Rohir, be nicer to your sister, she’s just excited,” Amaria says in a soft and soothing tone, diffusing the argument before it could get any worse.

“But--” Rohir says, but quickly grows silent when he receives a stern glare from his mother. He huffs, slouching his shoulders and looking towards the ground. Amaria sighs, looking at Visenya with a soft smile on her face. Visenya smirks, amusement glimmering in her eyes.

“But to answer your question, in a way they were magical. They didn’t have mages, but they had visions that would come in the form of dreams. The most notable of these came from Daenys the Dreamer, who saw the fall of Valyria.

“But they had dragons! What could beat dragons!?” Rohir says in disbelief, eyes wide in shock. Visenya turns to him, the smirk on her face turning into a knowing look that has Rohir ducking away from her gaze. She chuckles, a soft sound that is carried away by the sudden roar of the fire.

“They did, but dragons couldn’t save them from the natural disasters that tore through the city. Fire, ash, and smoke filled the air, managing to kill even the dragons.”

“So they all died?” Elana asks with a quiet and sad tone, a strong lisp following every vowel.

“All except House Targaryen, who because of Daenys’ dream went west to Dragonstone, an island far enough away from Valyria to escape the desolation,” Visenya says.

“What’s dissolution?” Vyron asks. Elana turns her head to look at him.

“I think it means the end,” Elana says.

“No, it means death. There was lots of death!” Rohir says, turning to face his siblings. Vyron just nods, whilst Elana cocks her head to the side, brows furrowing in thought.

“It’s when something is damaged beyond repair,” Amaria says. “Their homeland was destroyed, just as many homes to the elves have been.”

Visenya looks at Amaria, who meets her gaze. There’s a sadness in her eyes that Visenya didn’t notice before, but it’s familiar. It’s the same look she saw in Filavandrel’s eyes, and any other elf she met that day.

“But they brought dragons with them, right? The dragons weren’t all dead, right?” Rohir asks, breaking Visenya from her mild trance. Before she can answer him, Elana whips her head in his direction, a look of exasperation on her face.

“Of course! They were the best with dragons!” Elana exclaims.

“I was just asking!” Rohir yells back, straightening his posture and face contorting into a petulant expression.

“Well, why are you asking stupid questions?” Elana responds, turning away from Rohir to face Visenya and rolling her eyes. Visenya’s hand shoots up to her mouth, attempting to cover the grin on her face. It manages to muffle the small laughter that escapes her mouth, the noise escaping the notice of everyone except Geralt and Amaria - who looks at Visenya with exasperation in her eyes.

“There is no need for arguing,” Visenya says, looking pointedly at Elana with a single eyebrow raised. She at least has the decency to look sheepish, scrunching her nose and looking down at the ground.

“Sorry,” she mutters at the same time as Rohir.

“You are forgiven, shall we get back to the story?” Visenya asks, a slight smirk on her lips. Elana looks up at her through her lashes, nodding her head.

“Good. They did bring dragons with them - five to be exact. While the names of four have been lost to the ages, one name is known to everyone who knows of House Targaryen; Balerion the Black Dread. He was a massive dragon, who when he grew to full size, could black out entire towns as he passed over them, his wings large enough to cover the sun.” Visenya says. The children make various sounds of wonder, eyes wide and unblinking.

“What did they do next?” Rohir asks.

Visenya pauses, cocking her head slightly as she tries to recall. Her only source of knowledge concerning her family is an old book that had been buried in the depths of the library in Winterfell that was tattered and torn from continuous use by the time she marched off to war. It was vague at best, not offering any new or rare information about her house, therefore the time in between The Doom and Aegon’s conquest is blank.

“Well, House Targaryen made a home at Dragonstone, away from the war that ensued twelve years later when Valyria was destroyed. Nothing of note happened until roughly a hundred years later,” Visenya says.

“Well, what happened!?” Rohir exclaims.

“That would be a story for another day. I believe it is getting too late to begin another - much longer - tale,” Visenya says, glancing at Amaria. She stands from the ground, Vyron still firmly attached to her. She reaches a hand towards Elana, who groans, but takes her mother’s hand, getting off of Visenya’s lap. Rohir doesn’t voice his displeasure, opting to silently stand and move to stand beside his mother, but it’s clear on his face. His eyes aren’t as bright as they were when he was enraptured by Visenya’s story and his lips are pulled into a small pout.

“Visenya is right, it’s getting late and we have a long day of travel ahead of us. Let us give our saviors some quiet,” Amaria says, turning her gaze to Visenya and Geralt for a brief moment before herding her children to the other side of the clearing. “Now say goodnight.”

Three ‘goodnights’ resound all at once, in various tones and noise levels; Vyron gifting Visenya with a particularly toothy grin.

She smiles, unable to force away the action nor the laughter that escapes her mouth.

“Goodnight. I promise to tell you another tale tomorrow while we’re traveling,” Visenya says, earning a blinding grin from Elana and causing Rohir to immediately perk up.

“You promise?” Rohir says.

“Swear it on my life,” Visenya responds without missing a beat. He nods his head, turning and rushing across the clearing, eager to sleep the rest of the night away. Elana tears after him - yelling about racing him there. Vyron squirms in Amaria’s arms, the grin still on his face, but Amaria maintains her tight grip on him.

“To bed we go, Dilthen er,” Amaria says to Vyron and places a kiss on his cheek. She turns to give Visenya and Geralt, giving them one last warm smile before she turns to follow after her children. They all gather in one section close to the fire and near the sleeping body of Aldon. For a few moments restless chatter and light giggles come from the children as Amaria attempts to lull them to sleep with a soft lullaby. Eventually, the noise dies down as one by one they all fall asleep, leaving only Geralt and Visenya awake.

“An interesting tale,” Geralt says, after a moment of silence - once the children have all fallen asleep, Amaria shortly follows suit, leaving only Visenya and Geralt awake. Crickets chirp all around them, the low rustle of wind disturbing their melody occasionally.

“I thought so too,” Visenya says, bones cracking as she stretches her body out. She wraps her arms around the tree behind her as she reaches her arms behind her, slumping against the tree a moment later. She continues watching the fire as the flames that used to rise towards the night sky die out.

“Is it real?” Geralt asks. He’s looking at her, she always knows when he is. Something about the way his gold eyes linger on her is so distinct that she'll always know when a gaze is him, even if it seems impossible to know such a trivial thing. Nothing about a person’s gaze leaves any physical sensory that can be identified, and yet, never once has she been wrong about Geralt’s gaze.

“Supposedly. Although, I’m sure some details have been lost to the ages - some purposeful and some not. Books aren’t always incredibly accurate, stories are often skewed to the favor of the author,” Visenya says. She turns away from the fire to look at Geralt, locking eyes.

“Details you knew perfectly,” Geralt says. His tone isn’t accusatory, but she can hear the underlying question in his statement.

“When I was a little girl I had a book that I would read every day. It was the only comfort I had most days. That story was one of the many tales within the book,” Visenya says, a smile that can only be described as melancholic on her face. Geralt grunts, continuing to watch Visenya, but not saying anything further. His eyes are curious, hoping she’ll continue and say something that makes her less of a mystery. Yet he’s also not willing to press her for information she doesn’t want to share. That much they have in common: two people with too many secrets that are wrapped behind scars that they cover up with fury and rage. Because it’s easier to lose people if they were never allowed close to her to begin with. Life is safer when she keeps everyone at arm's length.

Visenya stares up at the night sky, watching the stars as the ambient sounds of soft snores and dream laced giggles resonate through the clearing. She swallows thickly, a lump beginning to form in her throat as her mind wanders farther and farther away.

“They were my ancestors,” Visenya says, shattering the silent air around them. Geralt doesn't move, doesn’t even breathe in fear that it might disrupt the trace that Visenya is in.

“House Targaryen, the Dragon Riders from Valyria that conquered the Seven Kingdoms.” She chuckles after the words leave her mouth, brows furrowing ever so slightly as her eyes briefly meet the dirt before returning to the stars.

“An impressive ancestry,” Geralt says, his gravelly tone unsure, the words fumbling nearly awkwardly out of his mouth.

“Yeah I suppose so,” Visenya says, voice sounding a million miles away as if she isn’t even physically only a few inches apart from Geralt.

“Better than my lineage, anyways,” Geralt continues, looking away from Visenya. He adjusts his body, resting against the tree more comfortably as his eyes scan the dark forest around them, wary of any threats that may linger just out of eyesight. Visenya’s lips curl into a bare smile, he whispers of a chuckle leaving her mouth as she languidly leans against the tree.

“The dragons were the most impressive part,” Visenya says, eyes fluttering shut, the hectic day finally catching up to her as her body grows wearier the quieter their camp grows.

“Maybe we should find you a dragon,” Geralt says, a smirk on his lips and a gleam in his eyes. Visenya snorts, opening a single eye to look at Geralt.

“This world couldn’t handle me with a dragon, Geralt of Rivia,” she says, shutting her eyes.

“That may be so, but I’d still pay good coin to see it.”

She laughs again, cautious to not be too loud in fear of waking up the camp. She opens her eyes, turning her head to face Geralt, meeting his gaze head-on. Their eyes lock, the beat of her heart steadily increasing the longer they maintain contact. A fluttering sensation fills her stomach, one that she’s almost entirely unfamiliar with. The tired smile on her face softens as Geralt’s lips curl into a similar grin.

“But could you imagine having a dragon,” Visenya says. “To ride on the back of one and feel the wind against your skin and to just...be free.” Her voice is far away again, as she dreams of fantasies she stopped having at some point between childhood and having to become an adult.

“Hmm, I imagine it’d be cold,” Geralt says, a teasing undertone in his otherwise deadpan voice. Visenya reaches out, pushing against his shoulder as another round of quiet laughter leaves her mouth.

“That is what warmer clothes are for,” she responds. “It would be foolish to climb onto a dragon unprepared anyways, lest you become its dinner.”

Geralt laughs, a quiet gravelly noise that nearly causes the ground around them to vibrate and it’s so contagious she can’t stop the bubbling of laughter that also leaves her mouth. Eyes shining and grin getting larger, Visenya watches Geralt's normally harsh and austere face grow softer the longer he laughs. He nearly looks like a child, despite the scars across his face - both fresh and faded - and the deep-set bags under his eyes from the lack of a good night’s rest. His voice is hoarser than usual, sleep and exhaustion weighing down his words causing them to slur together. But the way his eyes are alight and the sweet grin that tugs at the corner of his lips are adorable - a word not often associated with a man like Geralt, but Visenya wouldn’t describe him any other way.

“Stop, it was not even that funny,” Visenya says, and despite her attempt at sternness, laughter follows every word.

“I’m not laughing,” Geralt insists, and despite his best efforts at swallowing it, a small grin still rests on his face.

“Yes you are,” Visenya says.

“I think you’re hearing things, Vis. Perhaps it’s time for you to sleep,” Geralt says, moving his eyes to scan the camp. Her laughter immediately dies down as the smile on her face dims just the slightest, but Geralt seems unaware of the sudden shift in tone.

“What did you just say?” Her words are a whisper, nearly unheard by Geralt. He turns to look at her, the light grin on his face disappearing once he notices her expression.

“That you should rest,” Geralt answers.

“I heard, but what did you just call me?” Visenya says.

He pauses, eyes scanning the entirety of her face, focusing on the unreadable glint in her eyes and taking special note of the slight frown on her lips. But she doesn’t appear angry or sad or any of the other flurry of emotions he’s seen on her face in their travels.

“I called you Vis,” Geralt says after a moment of silence.

“Why?”

“Because Vis is shorter than Visenya,” Geralt says. “Should I not call you that?”

She inhales, quietly, eyes moving towards the dirt. It’s the nickname she’s had all her life. Robb, Jon, and everyone else always called her Vis. It was shorter and easier, they’d always tell her. She’d always argue her name isn’t even difficult to say, but they’d never agree and she’d never say how much she secretly enjoyed the name. It’s been so long since she’s ever heard anyone utter the nickname, it’s startling to hear it slip from someone's lips so effortlessly.

Then she exhales, an unknown weight lifting from her chest as she meets Geralt's gaze.

“It’s been so long since I’ve heard that nickname. I wouldn’t mind hearing it again,” she says, lips curling into a shy smile. A small sparkle appears in her eyes. It’s not the fiery gold eerily similar to burning flames that sparks when she’s furious or the sly mischievous glint he’s familiar with. Nor is it a glassy look from tears that she’s trying her best to hold back when she’s drowning in sorrowful thoughts. It’s bright, but not painfully so. Instead it’s sweet and soft, like the first flower blossoming on the first day of spring or the soft wind after a harsh winter.

Geralt nods, his stiff features relaxing as the stress of inadvertently offending her dissipates.

“Now I have to think of a nickname for you,” Visenya says, a teasing smile slipping onto her face. Geralt groans and rolls his eyes, flashbacks of all of Jaskier's attempts at creating nicknames to call Geralt. Much to his chagrin, the White Wolf seemed to stick as his title that the general public knew him as, but Jaskier was determined for another one to call Geralt. And Visenya knows this, as she was there for every failed attempt.

“Please don’t,” he says, only causing Visenya to laugh harder. She quickly rests a hand over her mouth in an attempt to suppress the noise so as to not wake up the camp. But every time she glances at Geralt and sees how truly exasperated he appears.

“What about Ger. We’d be a pair: Ger and Vis; Vis and Ger,” Visenya says. “I should be a poet, did you hear that little rhyme I did?”

“Hmm, you’d give Jaskier a run for his coin,” Geralt responds.

She snorts a small smirk on her lips. Her thoughts wander to Jaskier, wondering what he could be up to and if he is still happy. He probably is, he could find fun in the dullest of affairs.

“As much as I hate to admit it, but I miss Jaskier,” Visenya says. This time it’s Geralt that snorts, an exasperated look crossing his face as he rolls his eyes.

“I can’t say I feel the same.”

“Don’t lie, Geralt. We all know he’s wiggled his way into your good graces, it’s just what he does. You’re annoyed and want nothing more than for him to leave and then one day, you enjoy the constant jokes and mindless prattling,” Visenya says. Geralt hums, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

She adjusts her body, attempting to get into a more comfortable position, eyes growing heavier as each second passes. The cool wind is soothing against her warm skin, the crickets a lullaby that pulls her closer to sleep.

“What about your ancestry? What family does The White Wolf come from,”

Silence washes over them. And just when Visenya thinks Geralt won’t answer, he does.

“My mother was a sorceress, that’s all I know about my family. She left me with the Witchers when I was young.” His voice is somber and low, quieter than the volume they’d been talking with earlier.

“Do you miss her?” Visenya asks. She’s cautious and careful, taking special care to not push Geralt. Once again she’s met with silence and after a few moments, it becomes obvious he’s not going to answer.

“I miss my mother. I can’t really remember her, but I have this… this void that her death left behind,” Visenya says. She sighs, glancing up towards the stars once again, using the wind to dry the tears forming in her eyes. “And it never goes away, no matter how hard I try to pretend it isn’t there.”

Her breathing stutters and she huffs out a weak chuckle, attempting to cover the slip up of emotional vulnerability.

"I’m not sure how to feel. A part of me resents her for giving me to the Witchers, allowing them to turn me into a mutant,” Geralt says. She looks at him, wide eyes watching him. He doesn’t look at her, opting to stare at the dying fire.

“Sometimes I hate my father, it’s easier to blame him for everything that happened to my family because of his selfish decision. But I can’t bring myself to fully hate him, and I hate myself for feeling so indecisive about him,” she says.

It’s silent again, the air more uncomfortable than moments ago.

Not allowing herself to think on it too much, she begins to move her body, shuffling to sit closer to Geralt, only stopping when their legs are touching. Tentatively, she lowers her head to rest on his shoulder, hand intertwining with his. Neither of them say a word, and the awkward tension dissipates. Geralt’s stiff body relaxes, resting his head on top of Visenya’s.

"I wouldn't mind having children someday, to live a simple life and retire from adventuring," Visenya says. 

Geralt hums in response, drowsiness coating the simple response causing Visenya's lips to turn upwards and her cheeks to glow.

They stay that way, silent and content with the comfort of each other. Eventually, sleep begins to once again pull on Visenya, and she doesn’t resist.

“Goodnight Vis.”

“Goodnight Geralt.”

o0o

Elvish Translation:

- En'ca minne: Little Love

- Dilthen er: Little One

o0o

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[woodelf68]

“THOR”/LOKI FIX-IT FICS

In honour of @backtoasgard month, here is your one stop shop for fics in which Frigga lives, Loki lives, they’re dead but reunited in Valhalla (because we take what we can get around here),Thor is a good bro, and Odin is doing some Improved Parenting. Also, more time travel fix-it fics than you can shake a stick at. Feel free to send me suggestions for fics by authors not listed here; I will continually update this as I find more fics that soothe the wounds left by canon.  (Fics listed by author in alphabetical order.)

*****

Growing Pains by Aloryshannon -- Loki is told of his heritage as a boy, but Odin gives him the choice of when and if he will ever tell Thor.

Before My Time To Go by @ark -- Time travelling to undo the damage that Thanos has caused in the present, Loki goes back too far and encounters a young Thor who hasn’t yet confessed his feelings to Loki. Infinity War fix-it, Thorki. 

His Mother’s Son by @ayankun -- Loki arrives in Valhalla. 

Yggdrasil Dreaming by Barkour -- Loki fell, and sleeps at the root of Yggdrasil, dreaming of his childhood and of Sif, while Sif dreams of the lost prince, dreams that do not feel like dreams.

Small Changes and Second Chances by @bereft-of-frogs -- Malekith kidnaps Frigga instead of killing her, and there’s someone around to heal Loki of his wound on Svartalfheim. The Dark World fix-it. Also:

Like A Tear On A Cheek -- Heimdall sees Loki alive and wounded on Svartalfheim, and goes to his aid. TDW fix-it. 

Troubled Spirits On My Chest -- Newly imprisoned Loki is easy prey for a vengeful ghost in need of a body. The ghost didn’t count on Frigga. 

Only Mostly Dead by blameitonvortices -- Odin felt Loki die on Svartalfheim, but the body that guards bring back still has the smallest spark of life left in it. (WIP)

Waste No More Time by burning_nova --  Set pre-Thor, Odin realises he’s fallen out of the habit of spending time with Loki and that he’s allowed his sons to grow up hating the Jotnar, an attitude that pervades most of the realm. He sets out to do something about both things, including giving each son a chance to rule as co-regent with Frigga while he sets out in disguise to see the state of the realm for himself. (Incomplete at 39 chapters, but it ends at a good place and was an extremely satisfying read.)

Undetermined Intervention by @camomiletea -- Infinity War fix-it. Loki wakes up in the past in Asgard, before Thor’s coronation, and realises he has a second chance to prevent his future from going wrong.

Castles In The Air by cosmic_medusa - Loki is not the one to sabotage Thor’s coronation, and his first act as Regent is to recall a mortal Thor from Midgard to help him uncover a tangle of political treachery. 

Heart of Darkness by @delyth88 -- Just a tiny fix-it. Frigga still dies, but at least Loki is there as she passes. 

Bring Me Home by @doubletan -- The Tesseract takes Loki back to Asgard. Post Endgame.

Closest Kept by @eienvine -- When Loki is wounded beyond Eir’s ability to help, Frigga takes him secretly to a blind healer on Jotunheim, where Sif and Loki learn of his heritage together and gain a new understanding of the Jotnar. Also:

Here at the end of the world -- Post-IW fix-it. Sif hears the Asgardian distress call and finds Loki floating in space amidst the wreckage of the destroyed ship, his magic just barely keeping him alive

The Child-King of Asgard by @898700 (ghost writer) -- Thor AU. Loki is much younger than Thor, there were no Frost Giants being let into the Vault, but Thor was still banished after his interrupted coronation for another reason and someone still had to take the throne. Kid Loki does a fantastic job of ruling Asgard by day and Odinsitting in the evening. He’s there for cuddles and praise when his father wakes and asks if Loki would one day like to be the king of another realm -- Jotunheim.  

The Try, Try Again Series by @enchantedlokii -- What if Frigga kept looking for Loki after he fell into the Void? What if she found him? Frigga and Thor go to rescue Loki from Thanos. 

Start From The Beginning by Everanon --  Time travel/time loop fix-it. Thor is sent back to the day of his coronation. He has that one day and one day only to fix what was broken and save Loki’s life. 

Turn by @flaignhan -- An unlikely friendship begins when Natasha is asked to spend an evening ‘babysitting’ Loki in his cell. When Loki’s behavior improves when she’s around, it becomes a regular thing and slowly she encourages him to hope for a better future, one that is nearly ruined when she’s sent on a dangerous assignment and an old foe plots Loki’s downfall. Post Avengers. 

A Queen’s Gamble by for_darkness_shows_the_stars (aka @stars-and-darkness) -- When Loki is discovered to be alive and on Midgard, Frigga is the one to go to him. This changes things. 

Chaos Reign by @fourthrose -- Post - Endgame: When the Tesseract lands at his feet, Loki transports away to safety on Vanaheim, returning to Asgard only when the Dark Elves attack, leaving Thor and Odin dead in their wake and Loki to take up Gungnir and turn the tide of the battle, slaughtering Malekith and his followers and finding himself the new king of Asgard with his mother at his side.

The Tales We Tell by fuzzy_paint -- Day after day, Thor reads to Loki in his cell from the book of Norse myths that somehow came back from Midgard with him.

Few So Generous by @galaxysoup -- Frigga takes up the rule of Asgard instead of having Gungnir handed to Loki. 

Withering Away by Galaxythreads == Thor makes a deal with the Avengers -- he’ll help them gather the Infinity Stones -- if he can bring back the Tesseract and Loki from the Statesman. (Includes Loki/Frigga scene on Asgard!)

Whose Prayers Would Make Me Whole by @gaslightgallows -- Loki and Frigga through the years. Death isn’t the end. Also:

The Art of Spinning -- Loki is given the chance to bring Frigga back from the brink of death following Malekith’s attack when the healers see the only thing tethering her to life is her bond with her son.

The Convalescent Way  -- Post Ragnarok, the Asgardian refugee ship lands on Vanaheim to re-supply, where old secrets come out and Thor and Loki’s family grows. Includes a visit to Valhalla and Loki and Frigga getting some time together. Guest starring Garm the Mystery Dog.

Seal My Heart and Break My Pride -- In Valhalla, Odin gives Loki a choice -- stay or go back to aid Thor in the fight against Thanos.

The Cruelty of a Brother  -- Thor forces Strange to restore Asgard and her people to a point before the Convergence. But he and Loki still have to live with the past and what they did.

Green and Bright  -- Thor is back from a year’s exile on Midgard, a year in which Loki ruled and gained the respect of the court. Frigga/Loki fluff.

Loki Odinson by Livin4Jesus -- When Loki is brought back to Asgard after the events of the Avengers, Odin uses a spell to see into his son’s memories, resulting in Loki being pardoned of all crimes. As Loki struggles with nightmares and rebuilding his family relationships, Thanos approaches Asgard with a score to settle. Will Loki be able to defeat the Titan with the support of his family and friends?

Loki and the Cosmic Cube by goddessofstories -- The Tesseract knows where Loki needs to go. It takes him to his mother. (”Variant!Loki/the Loki from Endgame)

Memento Mori by @gwendolynstacy -- At the moment of Thanos choking him, the time stone sends Loki back to his cell not long before the Dark Elves’ attack. It’s up to him to save his mother from dying and stop Thanos. 

The Very Best of Us String Ourselves Up For Love by halcyonidae -- Loki finds his parents and a bitchy older sister in Valhalla, but he seeks a way back. For Thor. 

To Remake the Universe by @independence1776 -- Odin arrives at the Bifrost in time to stop anyone going to Jotunheim and attempts to course correct his relationship with Loki. Thor AU. 

Peripeteia by @infinite-monkeys  -- Thor is made regent when Odin falls into his Odinsleep before he can banish Thor. This leaves Frigga to confront Loki in the Vault, which is good. But it also leaves a war-hungry Thor who ends up thinking Loki is a shapeshifting Jotun who killed and replaced his brother, which is bad, since he promptly tries to murder his brother in truth. Loki must use all of his magic to save himself and play dead, hiding under a glamour until Odin awakes and stops a Thor bent on destruction. 

Hope For The Hopeless by @jaggedcliffs -- Thor visits Loki daily in his cell to read to him. The ending is open but hopeful with Odin revealing that Loki’s cell is bespelled to release him as soon as he comes to regret his actions against Thor and Midgard. The fluffy epilogue!

Let her Know by jar_of_stars: Loki arrives just in time to save Frigga’s life when his magic allows him to see Malekith’s attack. But, panicked that he will be dragged from her side before he’s ready, he continues to pour all his life force into the shield keeping others away... (Angsty/possibly open ending if you squint)

The Binding of Loki by @kadorienne -- Odin waits for Thor to bring Loki back from Midgard, knowing what he has to say and do. 

Til the Casket Drops by kaoticloki -- Banished to Earth without his powers to pay for his crimes, Loki huddles outside a homeless shelter, cold and sick and hungry. Luckily there are people who want to see him safe and warm inside, where a chance to prove his worth awaits him. 

Everything’s Better With Bunnies by khilari and persephone_kore -- Loki turns into a bunny when stressed. A crack idea that actually deals with all the events of the first movie in a much better way and where everyone ends up in a much better place. 

Also: Overlapping Spaces -- While visiting Asgard, Jane runs into a Loki under psychiatric care and a friendship develops. Long fic, Fosterson endgame. 

Stormbreaker by @ladylapislazuli -- Time travel fix-it for Infinity War. Thor must hide his true identity when the Infinity Gauntlet sends him back to an Asgard where he’s still a brash youth and young Loki yearns to be noticed. (On hiatus)

Life’s Great Lie by laeveteinn -- Loki series AU/time travel fix-it. He doesn’t have a Gauntlet to allow him to wield the Infinity Stones safely, but some things are worth sacrificing for. And sometimes heroes get rewarded with a second chance. 

I Am Sorry, Brother by LedaSF (aka @iamhisgloriouspurpose) -- A grieving Thor haunted by nightmares of his brother falling into the Void seeks help from an Asgardian priestess. A little bit of magic and the Norns listening in allows him to go back in time to make things right. 

It Slips Between My Fingers Now by Lise (aka @veliseraptor) -- Post Endgame fix-it. While cruising with the Guardians of the Galaxy, Thor sees Loki’s ghost...or perhaps it’s a little something more. Also:

The Breaking Light -- When guards cannot wake an unconscious Loki, Odin goes to his son’s cell and plunges into Loki’s mind, horrified to find him being tortured by the Other and discovering just how much he still cares about his youngest son.

Road To Nowhere -- Loki enlists Thor’s help to bring Frigga back from Valhalla.

The Tapestries series -- Dying from the beating given to him by the Hulk, Loki is brought back to Asgard’s Healing Rooms. The evidence of past torture on his body gives him a second chance, and his family trying to make things right. But his body is more easily fixed than his mind, and Loki struggles to find a reason to want to live and accept their forgiveness.  

Bring Back What Once Was Mine -- Future!Thor shows up in the Vault before Loki picks up the Casket of Ancient Winters. Don’t, he says, not alone. Urged to seek his answers from their mother instead, and assured that it changes nothing between them, Loki agrees, if only because he does not want to see ‘his’ Thor to turn into this battle-scarred weary wreck of a man who is hugging him so fiercely. (Open, hopeful ending)

What Grows Beneath the Nettle by @lizardbeths -- Sif discovers that Loki is ruling Asgard while Odin sleeps in a cavern far beneath the palace. Not for power, but for duty, because there is no one else -- Thor has gone missing.  But as Loki intends to sacrifice himself to seal Thanos in a pocket dimension after finding and saving a captive Thor, Odin wakes in time to go to his younger son’s rescue and take his place while he sends Loki back to safety. Also:  

Cut and Reweave - Post Infinity War, Loki wants to fix everything that went wrong by altering his timeline so that Odin and Frigga don’t adopt him as a baby. He doesn’t succeed, but changes things anyway. Beautiful Loki/Frigga scene at the end.

A Thorn Saves the Rose -- Loki saves Frigga’s life at the cost of his own

To Walk The Path of Hope -- IW/Endgame fix-it. Thor travels back in time to enlist captive Loki’s help in the Avengers. 

Understanding the Storm series: You get *deep breath* Loki fighting Thanos’s control from within his cell on Asgard with the help of Frigga and Thor!  Shadowpath gates under Thor’s bed! Odin trying to be a good dad! Ice sculpting on Jotunheim! Loki getting kidnapped and tortured by Malekith!  Sigyn Malekith’s daughter falling for Loki! Frigga rallying the Jotnar to stage a rescue and meeting Loki’s birth mother! Thanos taking over Malekith’s body and shoving an unconscious Loki through a portal to Midgard with an open Casket of Ancient Winters!  Earth plunging into a new Ice Age! Rescue by the Avengers! Road trip on Tony’s yacht to evade SHIELD!  Munin, Prince of Ravens stealing scenes left and right! Lost ancient Egyptian cities!  A battle to the death with Thanos in the desert! Loki being lauded for his deeds on Asgard and getting to incinerate Thanos’s body with Gungnir! Things wind down with Odin making sure that Loki feels a part of their family and Loki going away to a secluded estate with Frigga and Sigyn, who has become part of the Asgardian court, to rest and heal. A separate ficlet has them married and having a baby boy.

From the Shattered Stone  -- When Loki is impaled by the Kursed blade on Svartalfheim, Sif calls for Heimdall to bring them home, despite Loki’s protests, thinking even if he could survive, he’d just be put back in his cell. But with Sif making sure Odin hears of Loki’s heroic actions, Odin is willing to offer Loki a second chance.

A Seed In Barren Lands -- Sifki cell!sex with Loki in Jotun form, followed by Loki confessing a secret from his past -- he was sexually abused by Tyr as a child, leading to the death of his pet wolf when Fenrir tried to protect him. When Odin confirms this with the sharing of memories via Gungnir (also showing Odin what happened to Loki after he fell into the Void) Loki is freed to make right what he can. Continued in A Crocus in the Snow

The Littlest Star - a night of passion leaves Sif pregnant when Loki falls into the Void. When Ullr is born, pale blue and red eyed, Sif refuses to let Frigga glamour him  and they reveal to all of Asgard Loki’s heritage in a hope that Ullr will be accepted there. When Loki reappears on MIdgard, Sif goes to him and tells him he has a son. Doubting, he returns to Asgard with her and is shocked to see Ullr, obviously his. Frigga figures out his scepter holds the Mind Stone, and knows Thanos last had it. But Loki has no memory of him, or the last several months of his life. The scepter is taken away, leaving Loki alone with Sif and Ullr and a chance at a new beginning.

Ragdoll  -- Severely injured by the Hulk, Loki is brought back to Asgard to fight for his life. There, scans reveal the damage done by Thanos’s torture, and a memory loss means he doesn’t yet know of his heritage. His family vows to do better with this second chance that they’ve been given.

Revival by longforgottenhymn -- In the battle against Thanos, Thor rips the time stone from the Infinity Gauntlet and wishes to go home. He is sent back to the past on the day of his aborted coronation and realises he has a chance to fix the past. He tells them who he is and stresses that they must not invade Jotunheim, and that their parents must tell the younger Loki and Thor about Loki’s heritage and Hela. As the younger brothers forge a closer relationship, a way is found to open a portal in the palace to retrieve and revive the dead Asgardians floating in space in the other timeline with the use of the Time Stone. As the exhausted mages holding the portal open falter, the portal shifts to the battle in Wakanda, and Thanos comes through, only to die by Thor’s hand. The portal is shifted back into space and the final bodies are retrieved, the last being Loki. All are given succour and housing till future Sif arrives, saying she’s been sent back to lead them to their new home in their own timeline. This time, they go well provisioned with supplies and books that Loki orders, to teach the next generation of Asgard’s heritage. 

Can We Start Over Before It’s Over by LRRH17 -- Endgame fix-it. Future!Tony sneaks into 2012!Loki’s cell, and tells him he needs to tell the Avengers about Thanos, and stop the future he knows from happening. Also: 

Bleeding Out -- Endgame fix-it. Undestroyed by Ragnarok, Hela wants revenge against Thanos when the souls he promised her aren’t killed in the Snap, merely trapped in the Soul Stone. She returns Loki to life with the tools to go back in time and stop Thanos when it started, during the invasion of Midgard. This time, he will answer Thor’s question and reveal who controls the would-be king. 

His Birthright by madwriter223 -- Odin didn’t mean his words to Loki when he was brought home to Asgard, But he knew Thanos could be watching, knew everything that Loki had gone through. 

Litost by melonbug -- Thor AU. Loki makes better choices (mostly) than in canon. It’s still angsty as he struggles with the revelation of his heritage, but first Frigga and then Odin makes sure that he does not doubt that he is loved and their son. 

Changing Fate by @melWinter -- When Loki finds an abandoned Dark Elf baby on Svartalfheim, he claims it as his own, and hides away to raise his son in peace. Meanwhile, Odin watches his son from afar, seeing Loki slowly healing and learning to love and trust again, and hopes that he may one day come home. Eventual Lokane. 

Leave Out All The Rest by niori -- Instead of interrupting Thor’s coronation, Loki absents himself to Alfheim immediately after, leaving Thor to show how unready for the kingship he is as he turns the first few weeks of his reign into an absolute train wreck of poor decisions and rash, arrogant behaviour.  Also: 

All the King’s Horses -- Heimdall makes sure that young Loki grows up thinking of the Jotnar as a race of people, not monsters. When he learns the truth of his heritage, Loki understands why. 

In that Bright Land To Which I Go by 100indecisions (aka @thelightofthingshopedfor) -- Loki dies in Infinity War and wakes up in Valhalla with Frigga

Also: Now All The Tendons of the World Are Loosed -- after killing He Who Remains, Sylvie feels the need to fix one Loki’s timeline. She chooses Avengers!Loki, still in his glass cage with the Other’s hook in his mind and a head full of false memories. 

Even That, I Could Not Say (mother) by Ordis -- Odin needs someone to take the throne while he goes off to bring Frigga back from Valhalla; when Loki returns home from Svartalfheim before Thor, he gets the job.

Queen Regnant by @peaceheather -- After Loki’s fall from the Bifrost, a weakened Odin must return to his interrupted Odinsleep and Frigga takes the throne. She does not let those who betrayed Loki go unpunished. Also: 

Fate’s Guardian -- Post the Dark World, Loki must, at the Norns’ bidding, relate all that happened to him starting with his fall into the Void to Thor, Odin, and the Avengers, for allies will be needed in the war against Thanos. 

Bargaining by proantangonist (aka @proantagonista) -- Thor is dead. Loki makes a deal with a witch to go back in time to fix things, at the price of his own life. Now reposting on AO3. 

What More Could I Lose by rosebudmoonseidr -- When Thor strikes the Time and Mind Stones together on the Infinity Gauntlet, his deepest wish is granted and he is sent back in time to an Asgard before his coronation, with a second chance to save all that was lost. 

Loki’s Christmas Carol by sarah1281 -- Loki gets a chance to do things differently. With a delightful appearance by Grandpa Bor in the place of Jacob Marley. 

At The End Of The Day by @scioscribe -- Loki finds himself flung from the Statesman back in time  to Asgard before Thor’s coronation. He has a few things to say to his family, and a need to get back to his Thor. 

Time and Trouble by @shinyopals -- Frigga foresees her own death and seeks to change her fate, with a little help from Jane Foster. TDW AU. 

Thinking Makes It So by sneck -- Endgame time travel fix it. When Tony Stark of the future approaches Loki in the past with a half a spell and a warning, the start of a plan to save much of what was lost is set in motion. FANTASTIC suprise ending. 

Saving Amma by Soul_Darker_Than_Night -- Loki is freed along with all the other prisoners during the Dark Elf attack. 

The Detente series by StarflameNightfury -- Odin confronts Loki in his cell after realising that the sceptre holds the Mind Stone. He refuses to leave until he gets some answers. 

If I Could Start Again by @taaroko -- Infinity War AU -- After slaying Thanos, Thor rips the Time Stone out of the Gauntlet and finds himself flung back in time to right after his failed coronation but before the trip to Jotunheim. Also:

Interventionism -- When Heimdall sees Steve Rogers go down in the ice, Thor and Loki are sent to retrieve the body for a proper warrior’s funeral. There, they run into a few Jotnar left stranded on Midgard after the war, and Loki learns of his heritage earlier than in canon. Things go rather better for all concerned. WIP.

Child of Winter, Child of Summer -- When kids!Thor and Loki sneak back into the Vault for a nighttime adventure after their earlier visit with Odin, Loki touches the Casket, transforms, and is unable to shift back. But when Frigga finds him the next morning, what began as a horrible day ends with Loki learning the truth and feeling more loved and valued by every member of his family. 

All That Matters by theavengersmascot (aka @theclassicblunders) -- a series where Odin realises he and Loki have grown apart and seeks to correct that. Starts with a young teen Loki and continues through a Dark World fix-it. 

Good Mother by @theotherodinson -- Frigga rides down to the Bifrost while Odin sleeps on. Things go rather better. Also:

There’s A Land That I Heard Of -- Infinity War fix-it. Is Loki dead or isn’t he? Trapped in one changing dreamscape after another, his memory uncertain, he seeks for a way out. 

The Shining Sun -- Loki is happy and at peace in Valhalla. But Thor wants his brother back. 

Beautiful Day In The Neighbourhood -- In which Odin is getting chewed out daily in Valhalla by Frigga, until Loki’s arrival saves him. They had once agreed, after all, never to argue in front of the children. 

Standing Still -- Post Avengers, Thor shows up at Avengers Tower begging sanctuary for Loki. 

The Lullabye Singer -- Avengers AU. Odin goes to Midgard to bring Loki home himself, determined not to fail his son again. WIP

Teenage Dream -- In which Loki’s parents show up and ruin his invasion. He is so grounded. (After his welcome back feast, of course.) Crack.

That’s What (Anti) Heroes Do -- Loki is sent back from Valhalla to set Thor back on the right track

Picking Up The Pieces by Thursdays_Angel -- series that begins where Loki’s body is recovered from space and revived. Along the way Thor and Loki become part of Tony’s and Pepper’s family and honourary uncles to Morgan. Special shout-out to Asgard, in which Loki accompanies Thor back to Asgard of the past to retrieve the Aether and gets to have a talk and some closure with both of his parents and Endgame: In which things get even better. The fixiest fix-it ever. 

Waking the Dead by @tirsynni -- Loki steals the Time Stone and returns to the past before Thor’s coronation, intending to fix the chain of events that led to their meeting Thanos in space. Infinity War fix-it. WIP  Also: 

Never Doubt -- an older, war-torn Thor, clutching the Time Stone, drops out of thin air at the feet of young Loki in the palace garden, right before young Thor’s aborted coronation. Know that I love you, he tells Loki. And you must get Father to tell you his secrets or Ragnarok itself will unfold. Loki promises, wondering where this Thor’s Loki is, and guessing the answer.  

Hold Sacred -- The Kursed frees Loki from his cell as well, and Loki finds himself following along in its wake, to where Frigga is facing her death. 

Eternal Hope and Majesty -- When Thor aimed for Thanos’s chest, Loki -- a subtly different Loki -- is there to aim for Thanos’s wrist, severing the hand wielding the Infinity Gauntlet and giving Thor and all of Asgard a second chance. IW fix-it. 

Chaos Theory by Unforgotten -- Endgame fix-it. Studying the Tesseract after having escaped with it, Loki sees something within it that hadn’t been there before, the traces of the years of the original timeline. A little bit of magic later, and everyone now has memories of both timelines, and Loki returns to Thor on Midgard, suggesting they go home -- to an Asgard that still is. 

Ásgarðrian Galdr by Valerie_Vancollie -- The Loki that fell into the Void and was imprisoned after Avengers manages to magically contact his younger self and gives him explicit instructions on what not to do when certain things happen. This leads to Loki having a successful reign as regent where he earns the respect of the Asgardian populace. Meanwhile, the Warriors Three, Sif, and Heimdall are punished for their treasonous actions and Thor’s journey towards becoming a better leader takes a lot longer than in canon. This fic does a fantastic job in bringing Asgard to life as a fully functioning society. If you like long fics that will take over your life, this is one of the best I’ve read.   

Another Sleepless Night by wedgetail -- Odin visits Loki in the dungeon, wishing he could comfort his restlessly sleeping son.  Also:

Above All Shadows -- In a present where the Avengers failed to vanquish Thanos and Loki cannot see a captured Thor escaping Thanos with his life, he crafts a time travel spell to take him back to the past to save his brother’s life. Finding himself back in Asgard on the day before Thor’s coronation, however, he realises he can fix everything. Events start to spiral out of control, however, when a crowned Thor invades Jotunheim and is taken captive by Laufey, Odin is gravely wounded and falls into the Odinsleep, and a coup staged by one of Odin’s counselors ends up with Loki in the dungeons, his magic bound and his Jotun form revealed to all.  (MIND THE TAGS ON THIS ONE)

Those Yesterdays Bleeding Through by wnnbdarklord -- Loki’s stuck in a time loop, trying to make the events of TDW not end in Frigga’s death

No Such Liberty by Xparrot --  Post Avengers, Loki continues to scheme from his cell, but Thor refuses to give up on his brother. Things come to a head when Thanos threatens the realm to claim his lost prizes. Loki redemption and reconciliation with his family

A Mother’s Love by Yeziel_Moore -- Frigga follows Loki’s trail through the Void after he falls. 

A Break In The Silence by Zaan (aka @zaan-zaan): TDW AU. Badly wounded after Svartalfheim, Loki is returned to Asgard for healing and a second chance with his freedom and titles restored and Odin determined to be a better father. 

[cto10121]

How old are Romeo and Paris, again?: On R&J’s Age Problem

So I was flipping through my Burton Raffel edition and came across this in an otherwise good Introduction:

Count Paris appears to be younger than Romeo, and to my knowledge, no one has ever suggested that his unreciprocated but apparently genuine love for Juliet is in any way immature.

My first gut reaction was to laugh, because of course Paris is not younger than Romeo!!!! He is the parents’ choice, he’s a count, he represents the conventional and socially respectable side of courtship, etc., so naturally he would be played by an older man!!!! Pretty much all productions agree on that…I mean, granted, he does get the “young” epithet as in Lady Capulet’s “young Paris” and “the gallant, young, and noble gentleman” a bit, but y’know, you figure young like 30 is still young, around LC’s age, in fact…and yes, Romeo does call him a “good gentle youth” and then “boy,” when he finally snaps and kills him…but that’s just Romeo being 200% done with Paris’ bullshit so he verbally hits where it hurts…right?

Right?

Okay. So we have to think about the question of ages some more, because this gets really tricky.

So Romeo’s age is not specified, despite the best efforts at the antis for their “problematic!!1!” spiel, nor are the ages of the other characters save Juliet and perhaps Lady Capulet, who did say that she did have Juliet around her age, which would make her 28 (Capulet reads as much older re: his conversation with his relative at the ball). In his first appearance Paris does present himself as eager to press his courtship of Juliet and when Capulet asks him if Thursday was a good day for his and Juliet’s wedding, and he answers with almost cute boyish eagerness: “My lord, I would that Thursday were tomorrow” (3.4.30). But Paris is also pretty self-possessed; no outbursts or overly strong emotion from him even in his sad lamenting of Juliet’s death. He takes his marriage to Juliet for granted even though he never properly wooed her. His high rank, approval from both Capulets, the Nurse calling him a “man of wax,” and saying “Romeo is a dishclout” compared to him, does point to his being a mature adult, at least twenty-five and up.

As for Romeo, while I still absolutely die at that awful tweet about R&J being a story about a thirteen-year-old and “a man of undeterminable age” (gag)…I’m not going to lie and say that calling him a man is too far-fetched. It is true that R&J do at times read older, and my ten-year-old self even kind of just took them as more mature than they were even though I knew Juliet was thirteen and Romeo couldn’t be more than a couple of years older at the most. Looking back, I think this was because I took them more seriously than the adults of the play, who were portrayed satirically and just…so dumb.

Then there is also the fact that R&J’s love arguably deepens and matures as the play goes along, their love language including the language of commitment, even material language—imagine a teen couple who call each other the modern equivalent of “wife” and “husband” even before they are actually married and calling their sexy times as buying “a mansion of a love.” -.- It really becomes thorny.

So is Romeo older than Paris? I guess I’m too stuck on the French musical canon of Paris being thirty, but it does feel right. Most productions have Romeo at 17 and the musical has him just under 20. Both are fine, though 20 feels a little more “right” somehow. My feeling is that as the play goes along and as circumstances narrow into inevitable tragedy that Shakespeare becomes less concerned about specific ages and more about the universal condition of being in romantic love, which applies at most any age. I wouldn’t be surprised if he just plain forgot that he made Juliet thirteen at some point; that feels more like a point made For the Social Commentary(tm) anyway. It would explain why Romeo feels free to call Paris a “boy” and why that hits so damn hard. I think something similar happened with Hamlet and the still-extant question of Hamlet’s age (Hamlet and Romeo are also the only Shakespearean characters to have been played almost exclusively by women in the Victorian era, which is *sips Coke can* quite interesting).

(On a related note, I think this is also why R&J modern retellings are so difficult to do well (including mine, o heavy burden) and why most of them opt for the metaphor of gang warfare, even if that necessarily elides commentary on wider society and culture. The teens in R&J in some key ways have a lot more freedom than the teens now, at least the men—not that they are not subject to their parents’ censure, but they are allowed to roam the streets, they are armed, even the servants, the Friar himself thinks Romeo is out getting laid, and by all accounts are treated as adult men in the dispensation of justice. Juliet is still under her parents’ thumb, but she is no ignoramus; her mother may be nervous just even talking about marriage, but her nurse has no compulsion to censure her bawdy anecdotes about falling backwards. The modern public education system, as well as the strengthening of legal protections and rights to minors, the banning of child labor and child soldiers, did elongate childhood considerably. We have 30-year-olds who rewatch childhood cartoons and Marvel movies; 13-year-old Juliet talks about wanting to orgasm on her wedding night and buying love mansions. No wonder modern audience get into such a tizzy over ages, stupid antis get away with calling Romeo a pedophile, and people get so shocked at discovering, yet again, Juliet’s canonical age).