#i want to do like a loki pride month piece and write the words in icelandic + runes

[unityrain24]

does anyone know if icelandic has a phrase for "happy pride month" and how to say it please T^T ??

[imagines-to-quench-thirst]

Speak in Flowers

Flowers speak their own words and show their actions. And your man loves to speak it out loud.

Includes: Victor Creed (Sabertooth), Loki, Thor, Steve Rogers (Captian America), Bucky Barnes (Winter Solider), Bruce Wayne (Batman), Clark Kent (Superman), Arthur Curry (Aquaman), Orm Marius, Joker, Duncan Vizla (Polar)

All my knowledge about the flowers I found on this link

Enjoy this little fluff piece!

Victor Creed (SABERTOOTH)

PINK CAMELLIA: Longing for you

Victor lives his long life with little to no memories, as most are filled with shocking trauma and events. As years passed and you met him, he was emotionally stunned, fearing what to say and show. The relationship was blooming and bubbling into a fresh memory Victor did not want to miss, but his life did not build him that way. Books helped a lot to him, for him to communicate in ways he needed to express to you his love, his devotion, and his happiness.

You keep every single post-it note, notes in your books, phone, and bathroom mirror he has left. Victor wished to show more of himself in small ways. And therefore, he went for a long walk around the city trying to find a token he could present to you with pride. And then he stopped in front of a flower shop, not looking at all the roses it had on display but at the daintiest petals—pink Camellia. An older lady approaches him, saying.

"Their meanings are Longing For You."

Victor's mind clicks, "I'll buy it."

Returning home, he presents the flowers to you with a slightly spoken tone "I thought of you when I saw them."

Loki

HONEYSUCKLE: Bonds of Love

Ever since Loki decided to take the position as Thor's right hand in governing New Asgard, he inescapably made date nights a fantasy to have. Seeing him several times a month and a few weekly calls doesn't leave much to it. It was as heavy for Loki as for you. Two lovers from different realms trying to make it work. With that, the distance made Loki a nuisance to your delivery man. Every day at 11 am, at your door with a package in hand. At this point in time, you are on a first-name basis.

"Morning, Y/n. Back again."

"Morning, Stephen. Thanks again. Have a cookie."

Loki sent small things that could be delivered easier and faster so you could feel his presence somehow. Most of the packages held a few popular treats, accompanied by letters from him depicting how his day was and always, at the end, writing how much he misses you and cannot wait to have you in his arms. In a new package from today, this one was the most fascinating. Opening the brown box, Hologram butterflies exited the box flying around the room, glowing slightly green as they dispersed into thin air. Looking down, you see delicate branches colored with pink and orange petals, each branching out in their own direction, forming a halo-like shape. Opening your phone, you snap a picture and google search for its name

"Honeysuckles? Hmm...Thanks, Wikipedia. Now let us see the meaning."

Bonds of love.

"Oh, how I miss you, Loki."

Thor

MARJORAM: Joy and happiness

Thor was in a tight position. He was now leading New Asgard on Earth and managed to convince you to try and live in this new area so you could be with him. Not ready to fully move there, you decided to live there for the next 3 months, taking a well-deserved break from work. Living there was a new experience, and you were there to witness the city's first town meeting, first competitions, first restaurant openings, and, as of this moment, the first festival with Thor in hand. Even Loki was there looking somewhat happy but primarily absent.

"You good, Loki?"

"A bit. Seeing the Asgardian people happy makes me joyous, but I miss my lover."

"When are you seeing them?"

"In a few days. They do not know. It will be a surprise."

You looked at him, offering a comforting hug as the people walked around enjoying themself. The sky rumbled, announcing Thor's imminent arrival. Thor's step continued to rumble, and Loki stepped away from you, joining the crowd. Thor was now in front of you, smile beaming and hands full of... green leaves?

"MY DARLING!!" Thor shouted

"Thor...no need to shout. I am in front of you."

"Excuse me! Here you go!"

Thor offers the bouquet of green leaves to you. You accept, sniffing the faint smell of herbs.

"Are these used for... cooking?"

"Yes, I mean, no. Well, the nice lady in the flower shop told me they complement any meat, fish, or vegetable."

"Thanks, I guess..."

"That is not the point of those flowers. Their meanings are Joy and Happiness. Which I feel those feelings when I am with you."

Thor explained nervously, glancing at you with hearty eyes, hoping you would like them as much as he loves you.

"I love you... and the flowers." you replied

Bucky Barnes (Winter Solider)

BLUE AND RED SALVIA: I think of you/ Forever mine

Bucky loves love. Because of you. He cherished the moments he got to experience in this new modern life when he thought it would be a throw-away line. He adored each of those love-filled moments and loved making them even more. Bucky had a small notebook at all times with him where he wrote each moment he did with you, keeping an excellent timeline as well as future notes on what he should do next time. While looking at his notebook, he noticed the lack of gift-giving, especially flowers. Flowers for Bucky where a personalized and live-like message for your lover. And therefore, he decided to find flowers that were the definition of BUCKY. Walking to market place, Bucky walked among the fresh fruits and produce, looking and thinking until his gaze was filled with so many flowers. Stopping at the sight, Bucky hears a thoughtful voice inquiring

"Looking for a unique flower?"

"Yes, for my partner. Something that would depict me as a flower, if there is a flower like that." Bucky speaks self-doubt lacing his voice

"Of course there is; flowers speak many languages."

Bucky nodded, looking at the flowers stopping at two different versions of the same densely packed tubular flowers with velvety leaves. Red and blue.

"Those are Salvia. The red ones mean 'Forever Mine', and the blue ones mean 'I Think Of You'. Hummingbirds and butterflies love them."

"I do call Y/n hummingbird from time to time." Bucky whispered while taking out his wallet to pay, "I'll take them both."

Arriving in a better mood back home, Bucky found his love lounging on the couch. Walking to you with light ninja steps, he placed the flowers in front of you.

"Suprise!"

Steve Rogers (Captian America)

HOLLY: Defense, Domestic Happiness

Steve was on many missions, which were given with his work/lifestyle. So he relished in it when he was home with you. His housewife kink was really showing (if you know what I mean *wink wink*). He adored it when he was doing the laundry with you, doing the dishes, decorating the room the way you like, and planting new herbs and vegetables in your garden. Steve was sold on the whole fantasy he has with you. And he wanted you to show you that. Everyday. Every second.

With that, Steve went on a hunt to find flowers he knew would communicate that. Steve hopped onto a public train in his best 'don't look at me, I know I am famous' disguise, glimpsing at the passing city inching closer to the town center and hopping off his stop going towards a flower shop as he goes cautiously to the lady

"Good day, ma'am. The name is Frank Castle, and I am looking for a flower that would communicate that I love my home and my partner." Steve said, trying not to be suspicious of his 'real name.'

"That name rings a bell, but you don't seem familiar from the photos I have seen of 'Frank.'" The lady says with a hint of suspicion in her voice, looking at the tall blonde up and down. But he wasn't the only one who appeared in front of her with a fake name, and she was a pro at sniffing out a fake. Nonetheless, she wasn't going to put the man in a tight spot.

"Is there a flower you like? Any flower that speaks to you?" She asked. Steve, I mean Frank, looks at the flowers, seeing all kinds of colors and textures in an ecstasy of nature's artistic expression. Finding a dainty four-petal flower so tiny and minuscule an untrained eye would not catch its beauty.

"That is a Holly. They mean 'Defense' and 'Domestic Happiness'." Steve smiled at the flowers that were the size of a pin, smiling gleefully, "I'll take them."

Walking back home with a bouquet in hand, steve opens the door seeing Y/n making dinner. "Y/n? Turn around." Turning around, steve smiles at your surprised smile, appearing in a second when seeing the flowers.

"A little something so you know what I feel when I am with you."

Bruce Wayne (Batman)

IRIS: Faith, Trust, Wisdom, Hope, Valor

Bruce knew he had it good with you. Really good. You were so, so SO understanding of him, his actions, and his double life. Not even once doubting him but being there with him. Bruce wanted you to know how much he loves you for that, and there were so many ways he could show you that. Trips, gifts, new adventures in new parts of the world, you name it, he will give it to you in seconds. But Bruce remembered that the smallest things mean the most, something he learned from his father when he saw him give his mother flowers every single day when returning from work. As Bruce was in his 'day' office, he called up a number of the oldest flower shop in Gotham, knowing the owner quite well.

"Mr. Wayne. Good to hear from you." The lady said happily

"Mrs. Flowerbottom. Always good to hear from you as well. I would need your expertise. I have been with my lover for a few months now, and I would like some flowers that describe them."

"Of course. And how would you describe your lover, Mr. Wayne?" "They are smart, brave, trust me, and I trust them, and quite simply, they are my hope for a better future." The lady chuckles at the honey-covered words from the billionaire former playboy looking at flowers that describe y/n to the bone.

"I am looking at them right now. Would you like to add a note?" "Yes, it would be: "Thank you for being yourself. I love you with all my strength and heart. Yours always, Bruce.""

Hanging up and finishing up the day, Bruce entered his car smiling, knowing that in a few hours, his lover will a unique surprise back in their shared home. Arriving back at Wayne manor. Bruce looks at the enormous bouquet of Hydrangeas standing proudly in the middle of the living room, a small note with a definition of irises at the bottom of the bouquet

IRIS: Faith, Trust, Wisdom, Hope, Valor

The keys jingle again as you enter, seeing Bruce standing next to the bouquet, saying softly

"These are for you."

Clark Kent (Superman)

YARROW: Everlasting love

Clark was a Boy Scout. Everyone called him that; the man was a boy at heart personified. His smile never dropped, he was always ready to help others, and he was a lovesick puppy at heart. So lovesick. Clark breathed you. His demeanor changed completely when he was with you. He was and still is diving head-first into the relationship. Telling you about his plans with you having a house, having kids, and an all-around perfect life. He wanted it with you.

Clark made it his everlasting task to bring you home flowers every day after work. To show you that he loves you to the ends of the universe and back. One day when he was going to his usual flower shop he saw new flowers, flowers that weren't there yesterday. And those flowers beckoned him to come closer, sniff them, and be entranced in their intoxicating smell. "They are called Yarrow." the lady said, smiling at the glasses-wearing dork. "They mean Everlasting Love."

Clark smiles at the yellow droplet-like flowers taking them in hand and smelling the sweet and tangy fragrance. Waving the lady goodbye, promising to arrive again tomorrow as he heads home to his love. Hearing the door open, you walk towards Clark, ready to give him his welcome home kiss, but before you can do that, Clark shows you yellow flowers with the tangiest smell.

"For my everlasting love."

Arthur Curry (Aquaman)

ASTER: Symbol of Love and Daintiness

Arthur loved to scare and surprise you. He loved to go behind the couch to scare you and then present you with a small gift to make you not angry at him. Trinkets such as seashells, funny coffee mugs, or even t-shirts were out of context and confusing. It was funny, really. And sometimes Arthur can go overboard with the scares to the point where you get mad at him and make him sleep on the couch. Like today, Arthur woke up with a stiff neck and aching back while you were well-slept and making yourself your morning tea. Arthur messed up big time, and he was on a mission to make it better by the end of the day. Running like a headless chicken to town, Arthur zoomed past people startling them along the way. Halting to a stop, he sees his salvation, a flower shop. Walking inside, he is greeted by a lady seeing him disheveled and out of breath.

"Please, help me. I messed up with my dove, and I need your best flowers." He pleaded

"Look around the store and see what flower catches your attention." Looking around the room, Arthur spins a few times around, his mind starting to blur, dizziness taking over his decision process. Slowing down, his body turns to a corner of the room with purple-colored daisy flowers.

"The daisies!" Arthur exclaimed, pointing at them like a 3-year-old kid. The lady chuckles as she walks over to them, taking them out of the vase. "They are called Asters. They mean Symbol of Love and Daintiness."

"Well, my dove is dainty and my symbol of love. I'll take them." You watch from the window as Arthur walks back home with flowers in hand, a big smile on his face. The door unlocks, and you make yourself busy by staring blankly at your book as Arthur inches closer, extending his hand which held the flowers. Looking at him, uninterested, he says

"They are called Asters. They are symbols of Love and Daintiness. And to me, you are both. And I am sorry to scare you so much, and I love you."

"....fine. I accept your apologies.Dumbass."

Orm Marius

CALLA LILY : Beauty

Orm had a first relationship with a human. A surface dweller. Someone he held no positive emotions, and yet...he was smitten. So much so that he decided to live with them a few days a week as a start. Orm felt himself stumble into a new world, a world where some souls expressed themself with care, actions, words, or even presents, the most popular being flowers. As Orm walked around town with his chosen love, he saw a flower shop looking at the offers they had. Letting go of Y/n's hand, he walks over using the given time while Y/n's distracted by the fountain waterworks. Stepping closer, he stops at tubular shape flowers.

"They are Calla Lilly. They are extraordinary flowers." the lady working speaks to Orm. "Why are they special?" Orm asks, looking confused at the white flowers.

"They mean beauty. In their own language," she explained.

"The flowers have their own language?"

"Yes, in a way. The flowers you give to your loved ones can be interpreted in a special way beyond the aesthetic." Orm thought for a second before taking out 5 dollars." I have one paper on this currency. Is that enough to cover the whole store?"

The lady laughed at his bluntness as she took the bill and handed him 3 Lillies. "No, but it gives you 3 calla lilies."Orm grunts at his failure but nonetheless smiles as he walks back to Y/n, handing the Lillies.

"These are for you, my beauty."

Joker

YELLOW JASMINE: Grace and Elegance

J tried to keep his job away from you. he tried to divide his "job" away from your eyes, ears, and hands. But it was not something he had complete control over it. Most of the time, he arrived bruised and bloodied while you played nurse. And he wanted to show you in his own way what you mean to him. So he took you in his purple Lamborghini towards the end of the city, a place that would not be considered part of Gotham, a shrouded place, abandoned houses, people looking at you like with a predator-like gaze. Joker held your hand as you walked towards a tiny restaurant you would surely miss if you did not see the small sign at the bottom of the floor spelling out 'Eat in, not out'.

Entering the place, you and J sit next to each other, and you start to ask questions. This wasn't the place where you two would usually go. No glitz and glamour, expensive tiny dishes that would cost an arm and leg, views that would depict the whole Gotham feeling as if you were running the town. It was all swapped with a one-room-sized restaurant without photos, calendars showing the year 2012, and an elderly woman standing in front of you

"Good to see you, J." She spoke her voice gravely, but her perfume was flowery intoxicating

"And you as well, Mrs. Flowerbottom. For tonight I brought my special person here, and I would like your best dish combo."

Mrs. Flowerbottom smiled lovely at you moving back into the kitchen, and you felt just more question bubble in you.

"You come here often?" You asked, looking at him with more question marks in your eyes.

"I was living here at one point. When I had no money when I was younger, I slept on the floor where we are. This place means a lot to me."

While J spoke, Mrs. Flowerbottom brought out chicken soup on a tray, the bowls big enough for 3 people. And next to the food on J's side, she puts flowers with the same sweet perfume Mrs. Flowerbottom was shrouded in. The small clusters of starry, pure-white petals with rich green leaves. J takes them giving them to you.

"I know that I am not good with words, but I have learned that yellow jasmines mean grace and elegance. And I will give you that. By opening myself up and my history with you."

Kissing his lips, you reply, "I would love that."

Duncan Vizla (Polar)

LOTUS FLOWER: Purity, Enlightenment, Self-regeneration, and Rebirth

Duncan felt his way of life changed because of you. You two lived in his cabin next to the lake, shrouded in snow, away from people, enjoying nature's ambiance, feeling thankful for the experience you are sharing with your Donut. Duncan felt himself being happy. He enjoys chopping wood outside in the freezing cold, knowing that he is chopping them for a fire where he will sit behind you, telling his stories about when he was 'working' back in the day. But Duncan wasn't too much of a gift-giver. He was still finding himself in this relationship. And while Duncan was chopping wood, he saw you peaking outside the window, a blanket on your shoulder looking so cozy and inviting him in. Seeing you wave and then moving back in the room, Duncan stopped his actions and walked behind the house and behind a few trees into the woods, seeing the small Polly dom he made no bigger than a 1-meter squared cube. Removing the shrouded small man-made pond was holding his hard work. He managed to grow louts flowers in this weather and in this land. But thanks to the guidance of a sweet lady, he did a good job.

"Thank you, Mrs. Flowerbottom." He said into the cold wind. Taking his flowers and putting them in a basket, he walks into his home. The warm ambiance melted off his cold shake. And you see Duncan with a small grin, and you know he did something he shouldn't

"If you killed someone and buried them in the back, I do not want to know, Duncan." Duncan laughs as he hands you the cloth-covered basket.

"I didn't kill anyone, but I did something for you." With a puzzled look, you remove the cloth seeing pink lotus flowers, the fragrance filling your nose."

"When did you buy them?" You asked, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "I didn't. I planted them a few months ago."

"Why louts? They are so hard to grow here."

Duncan sits down, looking at you with a warm smile as he holds your hands, rubbing small circles of comfort.

"Because I learned they mean Purity, Enlightenment, Self-regeneration, and Rebirth... which reminds me of you. And a bit of me as well. More so, the rebirth. I feel like a new man with you, with a new life."

Feeling eyes prickle in your eyes, you say with a soft chuckle, "You really know how to make me ugly cry, Donut."

Hope you liked it! Tell me what you think.-V

[darkacademicfrom2021]

It’s very ambiguous

Pairing: Loki x reader (gender neutral)

Summary: You have finally come to age; your soulmate mark draws itself in your skin. You can't figure out who it connects you with, but, oh dear, you can only hope and wish it is to him. But Loki won't make it easy for you to find out. Will you both overcome the pride and fear that would involve your love?

Word count: 4.6 K

Warnings: a bit of angst. (English is not my mother tongue and it’s my first time writing fanfiction in english, so forgive me if there’s any errors, and feel free to correct them!)

Sighing at your reflection, you stared for the Norns know how long to the fresh image that drew itself in the side of your abdomen.

You thanked it was easy to hide; saving you endless mockery from your friends if they saw that. The vivid portrayal of who you loved the most, in the most ambiguous drawing you could’ve ever gotten. How ironic.

What the Heavens would that mean, you asked yourself at least five times until the impatient knocking on the bathroom door pulled you out of your thoughts.

“Hurry up, we’re late”, said Sif. You knew she was already all dressed up for the Ball, and she would kill you, seeing you were still on your robes. You opened the bathroom door slowly, with burrowed frows. You couldn’t hide it, as much as you tried to. “Oh, for God’s sa…” she started complaining, but stopped as soon as she realized you were in a terrible state of mind.

“I got it”, you explained after she made you get out of the bathroom and sat you on the edge of the bed. “I got the mark. Impossible to guess”.

“Don’t worry about it, you’ll know who they is when the time is right”, said she, comforting you and eyeing the outfit you’d chosen earlier. “But crytime is over. Guess what time it is now. Yes, you guessed right. The Ball”.

The last thing you wanted to do in that moment was to dance; or to stay in a chair drinking wine the entirety of the night, for that matter. You didn’t need another reminder of your frustrated attempts at making him notice you. And you knew he wasn’t the one (if he were your soulmate, it would’ve already happened years; no, decades ago). But you still couldn’t help but falling in love at every little smirk, every little comment, every little thing he did. Dear, you were lost, completely gone in love.

That’s why you knew you wouldn’t find your soulmate for a long, long time. At least not until your crush for Loki had finally gone away.

“I’d rather stay”, you stated, and she rolled her eyes.

“Well, I want to go, and I can’t go alone. Please, at least do it for me”.

“Why would you want to go? Ever since we’re on age of being asked to dance, we have only gotten invitations from… well, anyone except them. And in the Balls we can’t even be their friends”.

“We can be friends, if they talk to us first we can talk back”.

“Yeah, we could, but they don’t talk first. They never do”.

Both of you were completely lost for the princes. But, unlike you, Sif had a chance with Thor. She was graceful, divine, a wonderful woman; a whole Goddess, an amazing warrior. There was no question Thor would sooner or later find love in her friend. But you… why would a prince like Loki lay his eyes on you? Romantically, he never showed a single trace of interest in anyone, much less someone in his friendgroup. You were the closest to him, yet he never said a thing.

He probably knew you drooled over him. He must have noticed how you looked at him in the library when he read to you, how you always defended him from everyone else’s mockery, how you intentionally pretended like you didn’t know any better in spells so that he could help you out. How your heartbeat raced when he fell asleep on your lap. He must have noticed, yet he said nothing.

She finally managed to convince you to go, with the condition that if you weren’t asked to dance at all, or even talk, you’d go back to your manor early.

You got in your best clothes, and undressing the best attitude possible, you both arrived at the palace and entered the ballroom as quick as your feet let you. The ambient was marvelous. Subtle lighting, most of them by candles. The golden details that characterized Asgard so well were everywhere. Both King and Queen were sat in their thrones, waiting patiently for the rest of the royal family to arrive before giving the annual speech and getting the party started.

“Do you think they’re not coming?” asked Sif as you got comfortable in your seats, eyeing the entrances.

“They can’t miss it, they’re sort of the hosts”, you said, “but… well, I don’t know. The other day after training, Thor mentioned something about this year being particularly difficult for them”, you added in such a low whisper that Sif had to pull closer.

“What did he say? He didn’t mention anything to me”, she whispered back. You two looked like you were merely gossiping, if it weren’t for the lack of giggling that would usually follow.

“He said… he said something along the lines of ‘we’re expected so much more than before in these dances, they’re more than just for fun now’, and, Sif, I think he meant…”, but she abruptly interrupted you.

“Courting? Oh, for the Norns, they’re not expected to choose a partner now, so soon, aren’t they?”.

“Soon? Sif, they’re already at each other’s throats for who’s becoming King, and they have been for a while”.

“They’re not exactly competing, anyways. You don’t have to worry about this. It’s not like Loki’s the one winning” said she, earning a subtle kick in the leg. “Auch!”.

“Would you stop being so hard on him?”.

“You know I’m right!”. 

“You know it hurts him. If you think so, at least keep it to yourself, Sif”.

You could’ve kept lecturing her if it weren’t for the sarcastic clapping of the Queen upon seeing the arrival of her sons. You read the ‘you’re late!’ on her lips and the apologetic looks on their faces. But nothing of that distracted you from admiring how marvelous Loki could get sometimes. Just when you thought he couldn't look any better, he outdid himself. You let out a sigh and Sif laughed.

“You’re staring”.

“And rightfully so. Look at him”.

But no matter how much you looked at him for the whole evening, you couldn’t get even a gaze from him. He didn’t even eyed you from the distance. You would’ve even gotten actually mad at him if it weren’t for the fact that he wasn’t looking anywhere. He didn’t seem like he was avoiding you; he was actively staring at the floor, with the saddest look on his face. And Thor looked pissed off.

“There’s a story in there and I will ask for as many details as possible once Loki spills the beans to you”, said Sif, elbowing you.

“I don’t think he will. Look, it looks like more than a fight. He looks so upset”.

You could only wish you were brave enough to break the stupid rule of the royals approach first so you could take his hand tightly and comfort him in whatever he was going through. As you always did. As he always let you.

The music played for three hours. Everyone was on their feet, dancing away, drinking away and chatting away, as one should in a Ball dance. Everyone except you and certain dark prince you didn’t even bother staring at anymore. You gave up looking for his attention an hour after the dance properly started, and it did nothing good to your pride to have been trying for that long anyways.

Sif got her chance, of course. Thor took his time, but after long he gave up with whatever quarrel he was having with his brother and approached her decisively. You were past pissed. Disappointed. After another sip of your wine, you couldn’t resist and stole a glance to Loki’s seat. To your surprise, you met his gaze. The God of Mischief was staring at you, and he apparently has been for Gods know how long. He quickly dropped his head and went back to looking at the floor, now with a completely red face.

You soon realized he was even more upset than before, as he watched Thor and Sif dance. And then you understood. Everything fell into place. Of course. Of course he liked Sif. Who wouldn’t. That’s why he fought with Thor. That’s why he was so worked up. You didn’t even need to read his mind to confirm it. 

You waited, still holding your eyes on him. You waited for another half an hour, but your patience was already on thin ice and he didn’t look like he would do anything more, anyways. So you did what you should’ve done hours ago. You got up and left.

“No, brother, you can go, I’ll let Mother know I’m staying”, said Loki from his room.

He could hear Thor’s patience shatter in pieces from the other side of the door.

“Don’t be ridiculous, we can’t miss the Ball. Father will kill you”.

“It’s not my problem”.

“I think it is quite your problem, brother”. Loki sighed. He wasn’t in the mood for his mockery. Thor sensed it and lowered his tone of voice, insisting. “Tell me what it is, Loki. I promise I’ll try to help out”.

But he only scoffed and locked the door, to start pacing around the room, feeding his anxiety even more. He covered his arm with his palm and tried his best to make it go away. It’s just an accidental illusion. I’m making it out of nervousness. I need to make it go away, he kept saying under his breath. But it didn’t go away. It wasn’t an illusion.

“Oh, FOR THE NINE REALMS”, he kicked his chair as a sudden burst of anger ate him alive.

“Loki, let me in!”, insisted Thor. “I’m going in”.

“You can’t help me”.

“I might, if you just tell me what is it. You love the dances. Come on”.

“I do love dances, Thor, I’m not particularly fond of the weight this one has on us; not this year” he growled from the floor, knees on his chest. “Not with what I had planned, I can’t do it now” he whispered. Thor pretended like he didn’t listen to that last bit.

Loki had been circling around the idea of asking you to dance for the last few months. It was all he wanted; to caress your hand and gently hold you by the waist, to move at the pace of the music, to feel your heart on his chest, his rising heartbeat with every breath you took. He wanted you, and if that wasn’t possible (and he was sure it wasn’t) he wanted to dance with you all night long.

But now, he would have to court you and marry you if he did. And, of course, it was what he wanted. It was definitely all he wanted. But he knew you wouldn’t. And he wouldn’t risk your beautiful friendship over anything in the world. What if he lost you forever? He could never bring himself to lose you, in any form or way.

“Brother, let me in. Or get out of the room. We’re late”.

“You’re late, Thor. Must I repeat myself? I’m not going”.

“I’m kicking the door”.

Loki sighed, and waited to hear Thor’s intense footsteps get closer and closer to the door to open it just in time and see him land on his face. Thor got up off the floor with blood on his nose.

“It combines with your crimson cape, brother, no need to worry” said Loki mockingly.

But Thor paid little attention to his silvertongue. Instead, his eyes were fixed on his arm. Then, he understood exactly why he was acting so terrified. Loki covered his arm as soon as he realized, mortified, but it was now too late and Thor had already seen it.

“Do you need any other reason to invite them to dance with you?”, he said with a grin of pride.

“It's not them. I’m certain”.

“How are you so certain? It’s such an ambiguous drawing, and you haven’t seen theirs!”.

“They doesn’t even have a soulmate mark yet. They told me the other day”.

“You didn’t have one at that time either, it must have changed. Come on”.

Loki sighed and put on a long sleeved outfit, while letting Thor rant about how much he was sure you’d reciprocate his feelings. And Loki couldn’t say anything against it, because it would only bring ruin to everyone; to spill the obvious secret that haunted him everyday.

The fact that you lusted over Thor.

And it hurted him like anything else, because he knew even though you didn’t say anything. He knew he was the lesser prince. The one that gets looked over. The shadow in his brother’s spotlight. The always-prince, never-King. It hurted like Hell.

But there was nothing he could do about it. And now he had a mark that linked him to the Norns know who, but he only had eyes for you.

Because you were always there. You were the one to defend him against his own insecurities, and everyone else’s accusations. The one to laugh the loudest at his jokes, the one to hold him the tightest when you were in fear, the one to call him first to anything. And you were perfect. But you, for obvious reasons, didn’t think the same of him. You thought the world of him, but not in the way he wished.

And he wouldn’t even get to see you happy from someone else’s love, because his brother didn’t even have eyes for you. The idiot of Thor could not see your brightness, and Loki wondered how could anyone not fall in love with you.

“You need to try, Loki, you’ll never know if you don’t risk a little”.

“A little? To you this is a little? Do you have any idea what would happen to me if I lost them forever? If the person that I love the most leaves me because I just decided to stop hiding my feelings?”, yelled Loki, completely angered.

“Ah, there it is. If I decided to stop hiding my feelings”, repeated Thor, crossing his arms and rolling his eyes.

“What is that supposed to mean?!”.

“You are afraid; so incredibly afraid of letting anyone know you fully. That is your problem, Loki. They’ll accept you no matter what, because they already know you. You think you’re hiding, well, you’re not so good with this little lie of yours”, said finally Thor, tired of biting his tongue about it.

“You know nothing about their feelings”.

“I know enough”.

“Believe me, you don’t. And you don’t get to say a word about my love life, or anything about this situation, for that matter. You don’t get to make light of my situation, as you do with everything regarding me. Now, leave. Me. Alone”.

They continued fighting about it until one of their tutors had enough of their unpunctuality and came to look for them. Both entered the ballroom still highly upset at each other and said nothing about it all night. Frigga knew exactly what they were talking about, and didn’t make too much of a fuss about the delay in their arrival.

Loki tried to not look at you in the entirety of the night; avoided all the eye contact he could with anyone, specially you. He was too afraid you’d choose that exact time to practice your special abilities at mind reading (since you’ve done this at previous dances, when Loki didn’t approach you), and if he didn’t see you, you couldn’t do it. Because if you dared reading his mind you’d only find yourself. And in those little moments he got to glance at you, while you were distracted with something else, he sank in sadness, because all he wanted was to embrace you and dance with you. You looked as fantastic as you always were and more. You looked especially excellent. And it didn’t go unnoticed to him that you looked annoyed. From the eye-sided glances he got to steal from you, he saw you staring at the seat he and his brother were in. You were expectant. You wanted to be taken out to dance. And Loki’s suspicions about your crush on Thor only got reassured when he asked Sif for a dance and you looked the most annoyed you’d ever looked in ages.

You left the dance early. After about ten minutes Loki decided to go after you. Outside of the ballroom you could still be a friend; that was the whole point of swallowing his feelings. He wandered the palace until he heard fireballs collapsing against the huge walls of your typical training spot, but he lingered his entrance to observe you in an incredibly angry state of your magic.

“You’ll set the palace on fire” said a gut-wrenching familiar voice. Of course Thor was there. Of course Thor would get earlier to comfort you in something that he destroyed.

“Then so be it”, you answered with a crack in your voice. Loki didn’t mean to invade your privacy, but he couldn’t help himself but to listen.

“I know why you’re upset. Believe me, it upsets me too”.

“You have no idea what upsets me”, you answered, and Thor chuckled. Loki could sense that Thor was thinking about how similar you and Loki were. You threw another fireball against the wall.

“Let me guess”.

“Enlighten me, your majesty”.

“You didn’t get to dance with the man you like”.

“You know nothing about the man I like”.

“When will you all stop treating me as if I were blind? Come on, why won’t you tell me? I’m your friend. I know you’re burning up in love and you still think you don’t have a chance because… because what? Because he’s the prince of Asgard?” said Thor. You stopped your magic and stared at him with teary eyes.

“Because the prince of Asgard I love, is in love with Sif. And there’s nothing I can do about it” you answered. Loki’s heart broke. Hearing you admit your raw feelings to Thor that way, and Thor not even understanding you were talking about him.

“What makes you think he’s in love with Sif?!” insisted, still clueless.

But Loki didn’t need to hear any more of that. He ran through the halls of the palace until he got to lock himself in his room.

“What makes you think he’s in love with Sif?!”, Thor asked, and you scoffed. You lowered your gaze to the floor, trying to make the tears go unnoticed. They didn’t, and Thor hugged you tightly.

Thor was almost like a brother to you. You grew up together, but it was more than that. You were always for each other. He never had to ask about your love for Loki, he always knew. And you never had to ask about his crush in Sif; it was transparent. So you both supported each other. You didn’t even bother telling him how she felt about him, it was bound to happen. Now, you and Loki, on the other hand…

“He is, you can’t deny it”.

“I’m denying it, I assure you”. You wiped your tears away and touched your mark over your clothes. He smiled. “You got the mark, didn’t you?”.

“Yeah”.

“What is it?”.

“Ugh, it doesn’t matter. Maybe I should just forget him and start looking for my soulmate. If the mark showed up today, then it must be for something. There has to be a reason”. Thor nodded, still smiling. “What are you so happy about, dumbass? My heart’s broken".

“Nothing. You keep on looking. Can I see it?”, said he, patting your back.

“It’s too ambiguous, you won’t guess it”.

“So I expected”.

“What’s that supposed to mean? Do you know anything?”.

“Nothing whatsoever”.

You got in your fighting position. Loki bent down in his seat, focusing on the next fight. He was sure you’d win; he has been teaching you new moves and you completely mastered them. And your rival didn’t know any better, anyways.

One kick from your opponent; you avoided it and threw a punch. Another kick. Another punch. The rival grabbed your leg, making you lose your balance and almost fall down, but you used that impulse to push him away and get him to the ground. He got up and started using magic. A blue light shone around him and started getting closer to your feet. You closed your eyes and focused intensely; soon, water drops started emerging from the tips of your fingers. They quickly transformed into a stream of water that wrapped your opponent from head to toes, making his electricity magic attack him, instead of you. Loki smiled.

Your rival pushed further his strength and one of the electrified waterjets hit your leg. You fell to the ground with a scream. It hurted, a lot. Loki gasped and Thor had to grab his shoulder to remind him it was just a training fight. For his tranquility, you got up on your feet soon and started using your magic again.

An aura of sparks and wind formed around you while you closed your fists, extremely concentrated. Your opponent waited without attacking, but behind the shield of his armour. Loki saw Thor smile proudly; this was the part he taught you. For your fire side of your powers, Thor was the one to train you thoroughly. Loki sighed, frustrated because you haven’t yet shown what Loki had taught you with such enthusiasm. He still observed you with attention.

“This part is awesome, look, brother”, whispered Thor in his ear, which only made him angrier.

“I’m sure it is. They is awesome. And wait until you see what I taught them”. Thor chuckled.

“No need for jealousy, Loki. They’s all yours”. Loki rolled his eyes and directed his attention to the fight again.

The sparks and wind grew bigger and bigger around you, circling your whole body. Once the sparks became fire, you directed your whole energy to your opponent, sending him against the wall. If it weren’t for the gigant fire-proof shield, he would’ve gotten completely roasted.

You put your guard down, and as you did so, the wind and fire around you dispersed. Loki got to see you again once the magic flew down, and realized you had your clothes slightly lifted up. He tried not to look out of respect, but Thor gasped, and that drew his attention directly to what surprised his brother. And it did not disappoint. Loki’s chest got as tight as it has ever been. His breathing became irregular and unsteady, and his face got completely red. You didn’t notice your shirt had lifted up, so you didn’t realize what was going on. You got closer to your defeated rival and shaked his hand.

“You win. I see you’ve been well trained”, he said.

“I have”, you answered, and directed your gaze to the princes who were watching the fight. You walked closer to them to chatter, as you always did, but Loki got up fast and ran out of the training room. Thor told you to follow him, and Loki heard your footsteps behind him for the entirety of the hall, until you two got to the gardens.

Loki was shaking. He didn’t want you to be there. He didn’t want you to see him that vulnerable. And you knew it, so you didn’t get closer than two meters apart.

“Loki”, you said after a while, behind his back. “What’s wrong?”.

He turned around, face still red. He was usually cold, but at that moment he was burning up inside and out. Maybe he was burning out of love for you. Maybe out of anger, for being so pessimistic and making himself a martyr when his brother was clearly right. Maybe out of rage to himself, for waiting so long to make a move and losing so much time lost in his own head. But you were still standing there, concerned. And he had to say something, because you still didn’t know anything.

“I saw your mark”, he stated. Now you were the one with the red face.

“Oh… I, I don’t, uh…”, you stuttered, and he got closer to you. He grabbed both of your hands and you looked at him in the eyes, clueless. “I try not to give it that much attention”.

“Why?”, he asked. “It’s your soulmate. The person you’ll love the most”.

“I already love someone” you said, in a burst of confidence. Loki swallowed in nervousness. Your hands started to get sweaty. “I… ugh. Sorry. I don’t want to say…”.

“Who? Tell me, I’m your best friend”.

“I don’t want you to be”, you finally said. “It’s you, Loki. It’s always been you. I don’t care about this stupid soulmate mark, because I know I’m in love with you and I always have been”.

Loki stayed silent, which only made your anxiety increase. He finally looked at you in the eyes and formed a subtle smile.

“I thought you loved Thor”.

“What? Why would I…?”.

“I heard you after the Ball; you said the prince you love was in love with Sif”.

“Yeah, you”.

“I’m… what? I’m not… I’m not in love with Sif, darling”.

Your heart stirred, and you weren’t sure if it was because of the pet name he just gave you, or the fact that you got it all wrong. He wasn’t in love with Sif?

“I’m sorry, did we both think…?”.

“We’re idiots, apparently”.

You both laughed. That was it; that cotidianity, that normality that felt, even in the most embarrassing and intense moments, completely fine. Because you were, before anything, friends.

You hugged him. He returned the hug and caressed your neck and back with one hand. You felt his heartbeat rise, and from that position, he whispered in your ear with that beautifully deep and raspy voice; “I saw your mark”.

“I don’t care about it. I don’t want to ruin our friendship, ignore my feelings if necessary. But my heart only beats for you”, you whispered back. He sank his nose on the crook of your neck and felt his mouth form a smile against your skin. You shivered and felt warmth in your stomach.

“I don’t want to ignore your feelings”.

“I love you”, you said once again, regretting it in that instant. You couldn't stop your words from falling out of your mouth. You felt like you sounded desperate.

“I love you too, my dear”.

You, in shock, looked at him in the eyes. He kept smiling, and putting a strand of your hair behind an ear, placed a small kiss on your red cheek.

“I don’t know what to do next. I like being your friend”, you said. “And I don’t think we’re meant to be. I got a mark, and you haven’t, so it’s obvious we won’t end up together anyways. And I want you by my side for all my life; even if it’s just as a friend, you know? I don’t want to lose you”. Loki chuckled at your rant. “What?”.

“What makes you think I didn’t get my mark yet?”.

“Well, I… I don’t know. Did you?”.

“Yes”.

“What does it look like?”.

He smiled.

“It’s very ambiguous”, said he, sarcastically.

“Hard to guess, is it?” you chuckled, realizing what was going on. Loki lifted his sleeve, uncovering an identical soulmate mark to yours.

“Hard to guess, yet so obvious”, he said. He grabbed your waist and neck and both melted in a long, desired kiss. You sank your fingers in his hair, caressing his scalp. “Yours?”

“It’s very ambiguous too, you know?”.

[tokoyamisstuff]

Scandal Ch. 5 - Loki x Reader

Summary: Loki returns to claim what is his - willing to kill everyone in his way.

Warnings: Angst.

Words: ~1800

I Story Masterlist I General Masterlist I

Taglist: @catlover092402152, @hi-there-x, @haloangel391, @misssilencewritewell, @babayaga67, @accioremuslupinn, @mochimommy2002, @just-someone-who-likes-to-write, @damalseer, @bethanystan, @loser-alert, @star017, @nina1800, @queenariesofnarnia, @n1fangirlsblog, @vengefulsokovian, @lunamoonbby, @freyagallileaevans, @emmojoy, @literate-lamb, @aninnai​, @justsomerandompersonintheworld​

A/N: Sweet little Feedback Anon, I took your suggestion. You know which one I mean if you see it. (:

Btw guys I have like 60+ Drafts I need to finish so pls be patient with me.

Word sure spreads fast among the folk of Asgard, about Odin’s shame and your innocence.

Since his lies had weakened the favor among his subjects, the Allfather was desperate to clean his name and reputation, ultimatively inviting you to come back.

But you declined, stating that this wasn’t your homeland anymore ever since they betrayed you to fullfill their selfish ambitions.

However, Asgard’s hypocrisy wasn’t the only reason you chose to stay on Midgard - you just knew that it would break your heart every day you’d spend on a place with so many memories connected to your deceased husband.

Earthlings, the people of S.H.I.E.L.D and especially Thor’s friends Jane and Erik Selvic had basically become like family to you. Even though they could never fill the void Loki had left in your heart, things being like this was more than you could wish for.

“Lady Y/N!” a familiar voice greeted you, yet his worried tone startled you. Thor was already standing in your room, practically kicking in your door as he was visibly upset.

Immediately, you put Liam into his crib and rushed to his side. “What’s the matter?!”

A strange mix of horror and excitement was stretched across his face, making your heart sink to your stomach.

Actually, you didn’t want to involve yourself with the Asgardians any further. All you ever wanted was for your child to be healthy and happy, no matter where this was possible.

But Thor was still your cherished brother-in-law, as well as a wonderful uncle, never ceasing to provide for you and Liam, even when everyone else had forsaken you.

Yet what he was about to tell you let your blood run cold: 

“Loki is back.”

Immediately, all the walls you had built up over those past months were crumbling as you collapsed to the floor, crying out of anger and relief.

“H-How? How is this even possible?! He’s dead! Loki died!”

“Pull yourself together, Lady Y/N!” Thor has always been a rather touchy-feely kind of person, in opposite to his raw and bulky appearance.

But right now, he wouldn’t dare to hug or console you, like he’d usually do. Instead, he was offering you a hand to help you get back up - which you wouldn’t be able to take just yet. “There’s no use in overthinking this! We need to hurry!”

“What do you even want me to do?” you wondered, because if your husband was really alive, you’d doubt him wanting to see you. “He’s changed...killed a lot of people before he disappeared. And still, I don’t wanna fight him. How can I be of any help at all?!?”

“We know he’s probably after you and the child” the God of Thunder stated coldly. “So you need to be transferred to a safe location.”

What can be more safe than a base of S.H.I.E.L.D? If only you knew he had already demolished a whole, giant outpost of them with ease...

“I’ll explain everything to you on the way.” “Let me quickly get the baby.”

“What, did you forget the name of your nephew already?” you chuckled awkwardly, but seeming to have struck a nerve.

Thor was only slowly approaching the crib in which your lovely baby was resting, staring at it with awe while his trembling hand caressed Liam’s cheek.

“Incredible...” he whispered mainly to himself,  as if this wasn’t the thousandth time he would lay eyes upon him. “He’s just like I remember him.”

Something was off.

Of course Thor had a spare key to your flat, but you had never heared him unlock it - he had just kind of appeared in the middle of the room. Could as well be that you had been to invested with something, or buried in thought to notice him, and yet...

“Wait” you stated, making him flinch away from the child and turn around. “My knees are still weak. Help me up first.”

With heavy steps, Thor would force himself away from the crib and towards you again, lending you another hand and easily pulling you up - just for you to point a sharp dagger to his throat.

“Lady Y/N, when did you summo-”

“Shut up!” you hissed, and the god held his hands into the air to assure his goodwill. "Drop the disguse. Now!”

The man let out an amused huff, a taint of green covering his body to revert it back to normal - revealing your husband.

His hair had become longer, and dark rings showed how devastating those past months went by for him. Yet still, he was unmistakingly your husband.

Yet a faint, mad spark in his eyes was what worried you the most.

Now he was holding a knife as well, both circling around the crib with a knife at each other’s throat, as if to dance with each other.

“So it’s really you, Loki?”

“The one and only” he declared, chest swelling with pride at his performance and completely ignoring your hostile undertone. “I missed you painfully, my sweetling.”

He looked to the side where your son was still sleeping soundly, regret clearly visible on his face. “Wha- what name did you give our child?”

“Liam it is.”

The smallest of smiles tugged on his lips, swallowing harshly to surpress the sobs wanting to break free. “Beautiful name. Very well chosen.”

Pain was stretching across your features, desperately trying for the dam of emotions to not break. The dagger in your hand vanished, rather choosing to reluctantly caress his cheek - to make sure this was really him, and not one of his illusions.

And it was really him, leaning into your touch with a content purr. “Yes, my love, just like tha-”

A loud noise drang to his ear, effectively cutting him off. He needed a second to understand that it was in fact you slapping him what caused the interruption.

“Dear, wait, I-” Another hit, this time it was your knee digging into his groin, making him gasp in pain.

With his current power, it would be a piece of cake to block you - yet he knew that after everything that had happened to you, and everything he had done...

...it was what he deserved. So he would allow you to let off some steam.

Yet much to his surprise, you were done already - now grabbing desperately on his cloak and pulling him in for a passionate kiss.

He immediately reciprocated, dropping his weapon as well to embrace you fully, lips mingling with each other over and over again.

Oh, how long had both of you craved for each other?

“Sorry” you panted as your lips finally parted, “Just needed to get that off my chest.”

“Do not apologize, my love” Loki declared, chin resting atop of your head, still no intention to let go off of you. “I deserve far worse than that.”

You looked up to him, the kiss having made something surface in his eyes: So solemn, and incredibly fragile, it made your heart ache.

“Wha- what happened to you? Where have you been all this time?”

Loki’s face contorted at the question, as if the thoughts in his mind were physically painful. But his mind was clouded, unable to make his proper memory resurfacing. “Places far beyond your imagination, dear. And I have learned many things.”

“I-I thought I had lost you...” you ultimatively began to sob, face dug into his chest.

“No” the god whispered softly, his gaze still unwavering. “You always have me. I promise.”

“What now?” you sniveled as he gently pet your head, just as back in good old times. “Where do we go?”

“What do you mean?” Loki’s features creased into a slight frown, “We stay here. There’s no need to leave or flee.”

“Bu-” you hesistantly took a few steps back, to take in his full reaction. “But you’re a wanted criminal, Loki! On Asgard as well as Midgard!”

His manner became more defensive again, glee radiating off of him. “Oh, my sweet, innocent Y/N...still the idealist, I see.”

“And you are still insufferable” you scoffed back, crossing your arms. “What do you mean?”

Actually, you dreaded the answer.

The man seemed to be thinking about many things at once, eyes narrowing before he finally took a hold of your hand, squeezing it ever so slightly when he saw that you were still wearing his ring - even after everything that had happened.

“Y/N, my love, those deaths were a necessary evil.” He tried to peck a quick kiss on your hand, but you pulled away at those words. “The only crime I feel guilty for is having left the love of my life. But don’t you worry, I’ll make up for it.”

He summoned a staff, glowing in the same blue as the tesseract - and much to your terror, his eyes started to adapt to them as well.

“I will create my own kingdom, Y/N! Here on Midgard, with you as my queen! This is what you deserve, my love! You and our child will have everything you desire and more!”

“This is madness, Loki!” It wasn’t the first time he had heared that.

People always treated him wrongly, afterwards wondering why he was trying to create felicity on his own. “Is it?” he croaked, “Is it madness for a person born to rule two kingdoms to create a home he never had?”

His plan did not merit awe or any such feelings he hoped you to have - the only person in the world he thought would understand him.

“Loki, what your parents have done to you is inexcusable, yet-”

“They’re not my parents!” he screamed enraged, eyes then widened in shock that he had raised his voice at you. “My apologies, I...”

“They have kept the truth from you so that you’d never feel different. You know you’re their son, and the Asgardians are your family. You must know that!”

“You speak like mother” he spat, and still Frigga’s words he could not shake off as easily as Odin’s. “There is no going back to that place, and Jotunheim I never had a connection with. You most likely heared that I tried to kill Laufey, yes?”

Nodding in silence, you nervously bit your lip. “Please...” Wrapping your arms around him and placing one ear at his sternum, you could clearly hear how his heart was fighting a war, struggling to decide.

“You can still stop whatever you were gonna do. We can start anew somewhere, lead a peaceful life with Liam. I don’t need wealth or power, and you clearly know any of this wouldn’t give you the satisfaction you’re searching for!”

“As always, you’re right” he grumbled deeply, already regretting what he was about to do. “But it’s not that easy, my naive little dove.”

“No~” With his hand on the back of your neck, he infused a powerful magic inside your body, slowly shutting down your nervous system completely. As careful as possible, he cradled you in his arms and slowly led you to the floor, then proceeding to take his heir.

“The only thing I need for myself is our little family - and I will avenge you by murdering anyone that did you wrong, or tries to separate us again.”

[bonjour-rainycity]

Odin’s Ward ~ Chapter 13

Link to previous part: https://bonjour-rainycity.tumblr.com/post/638162885025120256/odins-ward-chapter-12

Pairing: Loki x female reader

Word count: 2678

Warnings: Adult themes

True age: Y/n: 1197 // Loki: 1323 // Thor: 1575 // Audunn 2961

Human equivalent age: Y/n: 19 // Loki: 21 // Thor: 25 // Audunn: 47

Loki’s POV

“Your Highness, rebels have attacked one of the outer villages and stolen their food supply.”

Damn. I purse my lips in frustration. This is the third attack by rebels in as many months. “Take six of our warriors and station them in the village with enough grain, wine, fruits, and vegetables to feed everyone for half a year. By then it should be harvest and the people will have enough to feed themselves.”

“Yes, Your Highness.” The advisor bows deeply as he records my decision. Pride gathers within me.

“We need to re-think our security strategy for our borders. These rebels keep finding chinks in our armor. We must—” In my mind’s eye, the old painting in the attic glows purple.

All breath leaves me.

“My Liege?” The advisor looks at me with concern.

“I have to go.” Without another word, I stalk out of the room. Once I’m sure no one can see me, I teleport to the attic in the turret.

The last place I had a nice moment with Y/n.

The painting of the door, the one I told her to use to contact me if she ever needed me, glows her favorite shade of purple.

With shaking hands, I reach into the painting, open the door, and retrieve a letter. Just seeing her elegant script—the first sign of her in over sixty years—nearly brings me to my knees. It reads:

Dearest Loki,

Can I even still call you that? I’m not sure I should, given our circumstances. Nevertheless, it is true. You are dear to me.

Anyways,

I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face. I read the words in her voice, I can see the faces she makes as she awkwardly stumbles through writing this letter. It points to her still being the Y/n I once knew.

I read on.

Anyways, I have a favor to ask of you. It’s a pretty big one and could get us both in a lot of trouble if we’re found out. Due to my current situation, I am willing to take that risk. Are you? If so, please agree to meet me so we can discuss the specifics of what I’m asking of you — in person. It is better to keep as much of this as possible out of writing.

I realize that you said we needed to keep out of each other’s lives, and I understand why that is the best way for us both.

Still, I cannot help but be excited at even the possibility of seeing you again.

~ Y/n

P.S. Please burn this letter as soon as you’ve read it. Thanks.

Had the tone of her letter not been so concerning, I would have grinned at her sign-off.

After teleporting to my chambers, I throw the letter into the fire, as instructed, and sit at my desk to craft a response.

My Dearest Y/n,

I hope I have not overstepped in returning your greeting. You raise a valid point in wondering if we can still be that to each other—dear—but I believe our hearts cannot be lied to. There is no point in ignoring the fact when it is just us.

I know you would not contact me unless you absolutely needed my help. Fret not, my dear; I give it freely. If it is to your convenience, I shall meet you tonight in your bedchambers in Alfheim.

To respond, simply write on the bottom of this letter, and it will appear on a copy on my own desk.

I, too, look forward to seeing you again.

~ Loki

I glance over my letter. For all that I want to say, it seems incredibly short. But a voice in my head reminds me that, although seeing Y/n will be fresh air for a drowning man, I cannot lose myself in her completely. She is married. And denial and wishes are no way to live for two people who must spend their lives apart.

After using magic to send the letter to Y/n, I find a book to distract myself while anxiously awaiting her response.

{***}

Y/n’s POV

Out of the corner of my eye, I see a piece of paper appear on my desk in a hazy green glow. My breath hitches.

“Ragna,” I fight to keep my voice steady. “Could you go and find out what the cooks are serving for dinner?”

“Yes, My Lady.” She curtsies and leaves my room. As soon as she’s gone, I snatch the letter from my desk and open it.

Seeing Loki’s handwriting, so familiar after such a long time, makes my heart flutter and ache. After reading the letter, I take a moment to breathe.

I will see him again tonight.

With shaking hands, I write a single word on the bottom of the paper:

Yes.

The letter shimmers once more and disappears. I bite my lip, doing my best to contain my excitement.

There’s a knock on the door and I quickly try to calm my expression. “Yes?”

Ragna enters with a curtsey, as always. “Lamb, My Lady.”

“Hmm?” I find my gaze wandering back to the desk, waiting to see if another letter has appeared.

“For dinner, My Lady.”

“Oh, yes!” I snap my attention to Ragna. Oh, shoot! Ragna. I’ll have to get rid of her for the night. “You know, I’m actually not feeling very well. I think I’ll skip dinner tonight.”

Her brow furrows. “What’s wrong, My Lady? I will have a healer come to check on you.”

She begins to leave. Ugh, I need this room free of other people, not filled with them. “No!” Ragna turns around, a questioning look on her face. I take a breath, trying to calm myself so I can focus on how to make a convincing lie. Channel your inner Loki. After another breath, I put a soft but assured smile on my face. “My ailment does not require healers, but thank you for the offer. It is nothing more than a headache. I would prefer to be alone. Please alert the guards that I am to have no visitors tonight.”

Ragna looks convinced by my explanation. “Yes, My Lady. I hope you feel better. Please call for me if I can be of assistance.”

I smile. “Thank you, Ragna. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, My Lady.” She curtsies and leaves the room.

Now I just have to wait.

{***}

I alternate between pacing and reading as I watch the sun sink deeper into the horizon. Every minute that passes seems ages longer than it actually is. A relaxing candle does nothing to help. I change my outfit twice before going back to the original.

Finally, it’s pitch black outside.

Should be any minute now.

My heart flutters and my hands shake. I find myself nervously tucking and untucking my hair, unable to decide which is best.

“Hello, Y/n.”

The smooth, familiar voice stops me in my tracks. The voice that, for a short time in my life, brought me both great peace and excitement like no other.

I turn around, unable to wrap my mind around the reality of seeing him again.

But there he is, just as tall and handsome and wonderful as I remember him.

“Loki.” The breath escapes me and suddenly I’m running across the room. He pulls me into his arms and hugs me with as much force as I use to cling to him.

“Y/n, I—” I look up to see him beaming a smile of disbelief. “I cannot believe I’m seeing you again.”

“Nor I, you.” I stroke his face, running my hands over the angular lines that were once so familiar to me. He hasn’t changed a bit. “I,” I take a steadying breath in an effort to calm my shaking hands. “I cannot thank you enough for coming to see me. I know there is risk involved for us both.”

He shakes his head and pulls me to the couch, where we sit. “I trust your judgement and I am here to help. What kind of trouble are you in?”

I look down at our hands, still intertwined. “Please, we can talk about that in a moment. How have you been?”

He shrugs, giving my hand a gentle squeeze. “Well, Asgard is prospering, minus a few rebel factions that would see us undone. We avoided a trade embargo with Vanaheim and—”

I smile, cutting him off. “I asked how you have been, Loki, not the kingdom.” An uncomfortable, insecure feeling pricks at the back of my mind. Why isn’t he talking about his personal life? Oh, how I did not want to feel this way. I try to mask it with nonchalance. “Tell me about your life.”

He sees through me in an instant. He shifts in his seat, looking slightly uncomfortable. “You’re asking me if there have been other women.”

I huff, annoyed at my own insecurity and at having been found out. “I am not!”

He chuckles lightly, returning to his state of ease. “You are, and that’s fine. The truth is, yes, there have been others.” He looks at the ground, running a thumb absently over my knuckles. “None of them stick. I’m not sure I want them to.”

Now I feel guilty. How utterly unfair of me. “Loki…” At the mention of his name, he looks up. “I am with someone else now. For as long as he and I both shall live, as they said in the ceremony. The union between Audunn and I is,” I swallow, willing myself not to sound full of despair over these words, “forever. I hope that one day you find someone who is good for you.”

He smiles softly, though there is too much sadness in his eyes. I pull a hand free to stroke his cheek, letting it come to a rest on his chest when the tenderness re-enters his eyes. “I did.” Subconsciously, I clutch at his shirt, remembering our fleeting time together. After a heavy pause, he grins. “700 years ago a sniffling child was placed in my clubhouse and I was told to entertain her.” He rolls his eyes playfully, leaning back into the couch. “How was I supposed to know I’d grow up to fall in love with her?”

Breath catches in my throat. It’s been so long since I’ve heard him say that.

Loki can tell this affects me.

He leans in and I can see the deep emerald of his eyes. His voice is soft and sincere when he declares, “I do still love you.”

“And I love you,” I whisper without hesitation.

I’m not sure who reaches for who, but by the next breath, we’re intertwined. The kiss is desperate, hopeful, sad, and passionate all at once. Heat floods through my body. Vaguely, I realize that this is the first time in 63 years that I’ve felt desire. I’ve never once wanted Audunn as I want Loki. And as soon as Loki leaves, he’ll take this desire, this connection, with him.

Because Loki isn’t here for long.

With that realization, I stop holding back. Loki meets me there, and soon we’re undressing each other on the couch.

“Wait,” he pulls back, lips pink and slightly breathless. “It wasn’t supposed to go like this. I had a plan. I was going to be a gentleman. This is not being a gentleman.”

I smirk and quirk an eyebrow at him. “Who said anything about a gentleman?  I called you here, didn’t I? And I think I’ve been quite clear about what I want.”

That mischievous look I adore pops into his eyes. “Well, if the lady so wishes….”

We pick up where we left off.

{***}

“To be completely honest, I’m not convinced he can. Audunn is very old.”

It’s the early hours of the morning, and we’re leaned against my headboard, comfortably naked, me tucked under his arm. Loki throws his head back and laughs, pulling our entwined hands up to his mouth for a kiss. “That’s awfully unfair of you.”

“It’s true!” I join him in his laughter, loving this time we have together. “All he does is grunt and then he’s done! Absolutely no work required on my part.”

He scoffs playfully. “So what, you’ve just suffered through sixty pleasureless years?”

Now it’s my turn to grin. “There are ways in which a woman can pleasure herself, you know.”

“Yes,” a glint comes into his eyes. “But why should she have to when I am here and oh so willing?”

He kisses me deeply then, shifting so we’re buried in the covers once again, him on top of me. We break the kiss, and I sigh sadly, knowing that our time is running out. “I wish you could stay here forever.”

“What I wouldn’t do to stop time,” he responds sincerely, laying his forehead against mine.

I smile softly, the sadness creeping back in. I kiss him lightly on the nose before pushing against him so we’re sitting up.

He looks at me expectantly, waiting for me to explain why I called him here in the first place.

I look at my fingers, contemplating how I want to frame this. If I tell Loki too much of the truth, that Audunn is manipulative and abusive and filled with hatred, there is a real possibility that Loki could do something rash and ruin future relationships between Alfheim and Asgard. Norns, he could start a war! Besides, it’s not like confiding in Loki would change anything. Even if Audunn were to suddenly be removed from the picture, it is likely that I would just be passed onto the next eligible suitor, not returned to Asgard to be with Loki. With all this in mind, I go with a half-truth.

“I don’t love Audunn, and I don’t want to have his children.”

Unexpectedly, tears enter my eyes. It’s so freeing to be able to share this with someone other than Ragna, to not have to pretend to enjoy Audunn’s company, and to be able to be, well, mostly honest with someone I love and trust.

Loki runs a comforting hand through my hair, looking at me with understanding and sadness. “You will be ridiculed. Alfheim views women as being required to provide heirs for their husbands. If you do not…” He trails off, hesitation in his eyes.

“I know,” I assure him, gripping his hands. “I’ve already been subjected to some of it. It has been over sixty years, after all.” I look him straight in the eyes so he can see just how sure I am. “But I can handle it. I can handle anything if it means saving myself from being bound to Audunn in that way.”

Loki nods steadily, and I can see that he’s made up his mind. “I will do as you ask.”

I release a breath I didn’t know I was holding. “Thank you.”

He brings a tender hand to my forehead and murmurs softly. After a moment, my body warms with the barely-tangible weight of his magic. I feel no different, but when he removes his hand, I know it is done.

“It will either take myself or another sorcerer to remove the spell, so if you change your mind…” His voice trails off.

I shake my head, completely resolute in my decision. “I won’t.” And, heavy with exhaustion and the weight of how my life has just been changed, I lean forward into Loki’s chest. His arms encircle me immediately, and I try to memorize exactly how this feels.

Because it’s likely I’ll never see him again.

He runs his hands gently up my back, easing me into rest.

“You’re a good man,” I remind him, because sometimes he forgets.

Before I hear his reply, I drift off to sleep.

{***}

In the morning, my bed is cold, and I know that he is gone.

A/n Happy holidays! Let me know what you thought and if you would like to be added to the tag list!

Also, stop by and check out my masterlist! 

Link to next part: https://bonjour-rainycity.tumblr.com/post/639152911075672064/odins-ward-chapter-14

Tag list: @80strashbag @dark-night-sky-99 @what-am-i-doing10 @chxrryycola @ravenclaw5606 @hiddlebatchedloki

[thepancakeboi]

My Demons

Spoilers below for Persona 5, told from Goro Akechi’s POV directed at Ren/Joker, written based off the lyrics of “My Demons” by Starset (the lyrics themselves are colored red). Starset is definitely one of my favorite bands of all time and after the sad-fest that was Liar, my “Goro Akechi isn’t dead” mindset had to write a sequel. So here it is in the beautiful, glorious mess that it is meant to be because...well, I’ll explain it at the end.

Starts on December 16th with each break being a time skip to the next day.

 “Mayday! Mayday! Abandon ship!”

I barely repress a maniacal chuckle as shadows and cognitions alike run, bleating like the lost sheep they are. The grin spread wide across my face is the only crack in my otherwise calm facade. Wait, why are they panicking again? Oh, that’s right. The ship is slowly sinking around them. This chaos isn’t my doing, as far as I’m aware, but I bask in its glory. This is the chaos I had sought to bring to reality before...

Before what? What has changed? Was it...the fight against you, Joker, and your band of thieves? It’s the last thing I remember vividly. Sae’s Palace, the betrayal, shooting...you, finding out you were still alive and that you must be making a move on Masayoshi Shido, all of it leading up to this grand finale: the showdown between the former ace detective and the Phantom Thieves. I know why we fought. I had truly thought that I needed to eliminate everything in my way to get my revenge, no matter the cost. They think I'm crazy but they don't know the feeling of having everything you worked for so hard to be both so tantalizing close yet crumbling down into pieces. Their words meant nothing to me...at least, that’s what I had led everyone to believe. You, however, saw through the act, at least, I think you did. Even if your stupid feelings for me kept getting in the way at every turn, you were always one step ahead of me until the end where the wall separated us.

They're all around me, Shido’s cognition of me and the shadows ready to tear me apart should he lose to himself. Surrounding me, circling like vultures waiting for their next meal: Goro Akechi, the bastard son of this ship’s “captain”. They want to break me and wash away my colors from this world and the real one, but I refuse to go down without a fight. I face myself, our bullets fire, and-

That’s...the last thing I remember.

Everything else is a blur. I haven’t been able to think clearly since that fateful moment. My memory, usually so immaculate and infallible, has been failing me. I can’t recall anything, least of all how I survived. Had I fought tooth and nail through the hordes of enemies, desperate to survive another day? Did I perhaps summon Loki from the dredges of my waning strength in a last-ditch effort to destroy Shido’s plans for me? Or had I collapsed from exhaustion and been left for dead when I still had some sliver of life left in me? I find that I don’t know the answer to that question. All I know is that I’m still here, on this cruise ship from hell, feeling like I have nowhere else to go. In a sense, they did wash away my colors, and now all that’s left is my true self. The me I’ve been hiding for so long that it feels unreal.

It��s almost...freeing.

If only you could see me as I am. You could take me high and I'll sing like a canary of what I had done. I’d tell you of every little thing that led us to that moment. Maybe that’s what pushes me to make my way off the ship because I’m just now realizing that...

Oh, you make everything okay.

Okay...

Okay. Just a little bit further. My wounds from before make for a slow, painful escape but, through either some miracle or curse, I find myself back in the real world. I don’t stick around. I know you likely weren’t far behind, and I don’t really want you to see me like this: broken, hurt, and with no one to turn to.

I crash on my bed, finally able to rest after my agonizing escape. Normally, I would welcome the pain to keep my mind from going places I didn’t want. Not even this pain is enough to stop my thoughts straying to you. Even now, you’re just as distracting as ever. We are one in the same, similar in almost every way except for one: our ability to cope with our situation. I caused you so much pain and trouble, and despite what you said back there, I can’t bring myself to believe any of it could be true. But...you take all of the pain away.

Away...

Away is where I need to go. You wanted to save me, yet you can’t.

Even if I want you to save me if I become my demons.

————— 

I wake up in confusion. How did I get here? Where was Shido’s palace and why was I not there? How-

I wonder if I cannot stop this sickness taking over. Something is clearly wrong with me if I don’t even remember yesterday clearly. Was it even yesterday? I don’t know. I think I escaped Shido’s palace, but I don’t remember how. Whatever it is that is afflicting my mind, it takes control and drags me into nowhere. It’s frustrating, not being able to remember.

I do remember one thing clearly: you.

You wanted to save me. I wouldn’t let you. I still won’t let you, even if-

I need your help. I don’t want your pity or any cliche bullshit. I don’t even want your damn forgiveness. I just want...

You.

—————

I wake up in confusion. How did I get here? Where was Shido’s palace and why was I not there? How am I alive? What-

I...think I remember reflecting on these lost memories before? I feel like I’ve pondered this, but I’m not quite sure. Whatever it is that is afflicting my mind, I can't fight this forever. In a spur of the moment decision, I turn the television on. What I see shocks me.

Masayoshi Shido, my father, is confessing to his evil deeds.

You...You actually did it. You...kept your promise. A sense of relief overtakes me. Everything is finally over. I’m free from his influence at long last.

Are you seeing what I’m seeing? Why am I even asking? I know you're watching, for you wouldn’t miss this moment for the world. 

I can feel you out there, somewhere in the crowd...

—————

I wake up in confusion. How did I get here? Where was Shido’s palace and why was I not there? How am I alive? What happened regarding Shido? Did-

Didn’t something important happen...? I pull out my phone, hoping for some clue as to what has occurred. It’s apparently December 19th. Odd...I don’t remember the last...four days? Or is it five? Shit, I don’t remember-

Wait a minute...yesterday...didn’t...didn’t Shido confess his crimes? No one...no one’s mentioning it outside of lamenting Shido’s “poor health” or some bullshit like that. How could they acquit him so easily!? There’s also no mention of the psychotic breakdowns or mental shutdowns, or, more accurately, that I was the perpetrator. The thought of that makes me laugh. I’m almost tempted to go and turn myself in if only to do something regarding the piece of shit I had for a father. They could take me high and I'll sing of everything I did for that bastard.

I can’t, though. Not yet...it would be too hasty and reckless. I suspect Sae-san is putting together a case against Shido at this very moment. She wouldn’t be the type to let this slide so easily.

I...wonder what you’re thinking about all of this. All of your fighting, and for what? The public to ignore you? Oh, I know you though. You make everything okay.

Okay?

Hahah...okay. What a strange thought. It feels familiar though. Have I thought about this before? I don’t recall...

—————

I wake up in confusion. How did I get here? Where was Shido’s palace and why was I not there? How am I alive? What happened regarding Shido? Did everything go according to your plan? Where-

Have...I asked myself this before? Something doesn’t feel right. 

We are one in the same, two sides of the same coin, thesis and antithesis as I had remarked all those months ago. It’s funny how my thoughts immediately drift to you. I guess I cannot help myself. I really did mean what I was thinking back then. I truly had planned on dying for you because...I love you. Oh, it’s hard to admit that. But you take all of the pain away.

Away...why am I staying away from you?

I want to find you and find out what you think of this situation, but why should I bother? I’m not worth a second of your time. You’re the hero, and I’m little more than a nuisance who realized too late that he was doomed from the start. My pride refuses to admit it out loud, but...I want you to save me if I become my demons. I need you to take me over the walls below, the walls I had built to distance myself from you. I want little more than to fly forever with you.

You probably think I’m dead. Maybe I should keep it that way. I don’t want you worrying over me, yet I also want to feel your warm, comforting embrace. I...I’m not sure what I should do. All I can ask of you is please don't let me go, for I need a savior to heal my pain when I become my worst enemy.

I don’t want to betray your trust ever again. I don’t want to be the enemy of the Phantom Thieves...of you.

—————

I wake up in confusion. How did I get here? Where was Shido’s palace and why was I not there? How am I alive? What happened regarding Shido? Did everything go according to your plan? Where are you? Why-

There’s this sense of deja vu in the back of my mind...like I’ve asked myself these questions before. It’s an unnerving sensation because I don’t remember if I have. 

You could take me high and I'll sing like a canary of what I had done. I’d tell you of every little thing that led us to-

Wait a second. This sounds familiar. I know I’ve had this thought before, but the “when” or the “why” eludes me. I wonder if you would know. The thought of walking over to Leblanc almost gets me to leave my room for the first time in...however many days. I chuckle at my own foolish longing. I’m supposed to be dead. A dead man can’t just walk into the cafe of the rival who thinks he’s forever gone. Would you even want me there? I don’t know. All I know is that you make everything okay for me.

We are one in the same, two people locked by fate in situations we cannot escape, but while I cause misery wherever I go, you take all of the pain away.

—————

I wake up in confusion. How did I get here? Where was Shido’s palace and why was I not there? How am I alive? What happened regarding Shido? Did everything go according to your plan? Where are you? Why can’t I remember? Wait-

Shit, I thought I was remembering something. For a moment, I...I could have sworn there was some fragment of my memories I could latch onto.

Take me high and I'll sing... Wait, haven’t I had this thought before? The memories feel so close to clarity, but I either can’t or don’t want to remember.

Oh, you make everything okay...okay, okay? This is familiar too...but why?

I give up on trying to remember, for now. Instead, I let my thoughts drift to the one person that ever made me truly happy: you. Ren Amamiya, a simple transfer student who just happens to have a false criminal background. Akira Kurusu, a name I’ve seen you use a few times in more...dangerous situations. Joker, the charming and daring leader of the infamous Phantom Thieves of Hearts. Pick whatever name you’d prefer me to call you; they’re all the same raven-haired beauty who caught my interest that fateful day in June. We are one in the same...more than I can ever imagine. We’re stuck in whatever sick, cruel game the universe is playing with us. I really hope you can escape it because I know I sure as hell can’t. At least...not without your help...

Oh, you take all of the pain away...away, away-damnit, I thought I had it!

Am I...going insane? Am I remembering things that didn’t happen, thoughts that never existed? All of this is just so frustrating! Shit, do I need you so badly right now, if only to verify my own memories are real. I need you...need you to save me if I become my demons.

Speaking of demons, didn’t Shido confess...? A scandal like this would be all over the news, but there’s...nothing. I can barely contain my fury. Is the public really this foolish? I knew before that the judicial system had its corruption, but how can people be so complacent? They should be in an uproar!

So how the fuck have they not convicted him yet!?

—————

I wake up in confusion. How did I get here? Where was Shido’s palace and why was I not there? How am I alive? What happened regarding Shido? Did everything go according to your plan? Where are you? Why can’t I remember? Wait...do you even want me around?

This last question breaks through the fog that has become my memories. For the first time, I feel like I’m thinking clearly. I...don’t remember anything before our fight, but...I feel like I’m not going to forget anything anymore. I may not remember when I said I wanted you to take me high and I'll sing but now it’s not important, because oh you make everything okay. And for once, I truly mean it. You made my life feel like everything could be okay.

Okay, so why is everyone saying all the changes of heart were psychological disorders? That the Phantom Thieves...never existed? Bullshit!

We are one in the same. No one remembers us. Either that or no one seems to care.

I know you won’t let this hold you back. If there’s one thing I know about you, it’s that you take all of the pain away, away from your targets, away from me. And now you’ll have to save all of society from their inept laziness. I still need you to save me if I become someone I don’t want to be, but right now there are greater things at stake. Shido has to be brought down, and justice has to be served. Even if it spells my own downfall.

I’ve made up my mind. I’ll go find you tomorrow. Surely you wouldn’t turn me away on Christmas Eve...right? I just hope you won’t reject me before I become consumed by my demons.

Alright so the explanation behind this bullshit, and the reason it’s a bit...repetitive with each day. So in the game, if you’re paying enough attention they make it very clear that the victims of the psychotic breakdowns do not remember committing the crimes/actions that they did.

Now remember who ended up using that same power on himself during the fight against him.

I’d go more in depth than that, but that starts getting into even deeper spoilers for things I haven’t actually experienced in the game myself.

[lordofthenerds97]

The Devil Works Hard

Chapter 1

Summary: Y/N is an up and coming theatre producer and director. If not found on Broadway, you’re found in the classroom teaching as a Theatre Professor at the local college. A couple camera flashes and a glass of scotch change your life forever, and you’re trying to decide if the secrets are really worth it… Pairing: Loki x Reader Rating: T+ Warnings: Overbearing fluff and cliches

You weren’t sure how, but somehow, Lawson Mire had managed to talk you into being the Playwright for a modern adaption of Shakespeare’s Tempest. You muttered to yourself as you sat in your dim office, the main light coming from the laptop screen in front of you. The page was blank, and the cursor blinked tauntingly at you.

Your hands were clasped, and you rested your chin on your entwined fingers, trying to figure out how exactly to undertake this huge project. Lawson had given you a timeframe and a basic idea of what he wanted, but for the most part, you were given creative freedom.

That was something that you normally enjoyed, but right now, it was more of a curse than a blessing.

You had been tasked with turning the tragic comedy into something that the modern generations could relate to. You chuckled at the thought, shaking your head and pushing away from the desk.

Modern generation my ass, you thought. You ran a hand through your h/c hair and sighed, trying to come up with anything.

A thought struck you as there was a knock on the door. “Come in,” you called, sitting back down and grabbing a pencil to start writing down your idea.

“Miss Y/L/N?” a voice asked, a head poking through the cracked door not a few seconds later.

You rolled your eyes when you heard the voice. “Come on in, Hunter. And how many times do I have to tell you to not call me that?”

He chuckled as he stepped in, holding a folder. “Would you prefer Kicker?”

You raised an eyebrow. “Kicker?” you repeated.

Hunter nodded, grinning at you. “You know, describing a plot twist in a story?”

A snort escaped your lips. “Yeah, I got it. Why would you call me that?”

He rolled his eyes. “A lot of the students call you that. Because you make a lot of old literature new and fascinating inspiration to us when we start writing scenes.”

You pursed your lips as you regarded him. Maybe he was on to something. “Kicker, huh?” you chuckled. He grinned and nodded. “I like the sound of that. Anyways. What can I do for you, Hunter?”

“I know it’s a little late, but I needed to submit my thesis before tomorrow.” he said, holding the folder out to you.

You chuckled and took it from him, adding it to the small pile on your desk. If you were being honest, you wouldn’t have cared if he was a day late in turning it in. You hadn’t even started grading the other papers yet.

Something made you flip open the folder to see what the title was. Hunter was already on his way out when your eyes widened. Shakespeare’s Tempest; A Masque of Modern Interpretation.

“Hunter!” you called, grabbing the folder and almost sending your chair toppling over with how quickly you stood up.

He paused when he was halfway out the door, looking back at you with raised eyebrows. “Yeah?”

You walked around your desk, your eyes skimming the first page as you approached him. He stepped back inside, sticking his hands in his pockets. “How would you like some extra hours towards your Doctrinal?”

He raised his eyebrows in surprise. “What?”

Your face lit up with a huge smile. “I’m working with a Director, Lawson Mire. He wants to revamp the Tempest play for a more modern generation. I know Kara had mentioned that she wanted to get some extra hours. Would you be willing to work with me on this project? Your thesis is exactly the kind of energy we need in developing this play.”

He smiled widely, resisting the urge to hug you. “I would love that. Thanks, Kicker.”

~*~*~*~*~

For the next several weeks, Hunter, Kara, and yourself spent countless hours working on the new adaption. Thinking about everything that had happened, you were amazed at your students. Hunter and Kara were some of the brightest when it came to your classes, and you were beaming with pride at the effort they put into this project.

Lawson was also incredibly happy with the work being done. He praised the three of you up one side and down the other, even offering Kara and Hunter internships with his company. They had readily accepted the offer, knowing how well an intern position with Lightning Arts would look on their resume.

~*~*~*~*~

And four months later, when the play was in production, all three of you were proud of the way your play had turned out.

The sounds of upbeat instrumental music mixed with the varying voices of the gala hall assaulted your ears. A glass of bubbling gold liquid was held in one hand while the other was used to gesture as you spoke.

Truth be told, you were bored out of your mind. Being the Producer and Playwright of the new adaption of The Tempest, you were pretty much required to attend the gala after the first showing. Thankfully, you weren’t alone. Or…so you thought. You continued to scan the room as you tried to hide the scowl of displeasure.

Lawson, the Director, had successfully abandoned you.

You turned your e/c eyes back to the group of people in front of you, chuckling as you did. You had absolutely no idea what was just said, but everyone else seemed to get a chuckle out of it, so you might as well join in.

If you were being honest, this was the part of the job that you enjoyed the least. You were more at home behind a desk with your fingers tapping away at a laptop or with your glasses sitting on the tip of your nose as you scrutinized the set. Interacting with the higher society wasn’t something you were especially good at. Thankfully, you were quick enough on your feet to get through the few hours you had to spend with them.

Your black clutch was held securely under your arm as you raised your glass slightly to the group in front of you, quietly dismissing yourself. As soon as your back was turned, you downed the rest of your drink, desperately wanting something a little stronger. It wasn’t a few moments later when a waiter paused beside you, offering the tray. You chuckled, nodding to him.

“Thank you, Gavin.” you said, placing your empty champagne glass on the tray and taking the glass of scotch that he offered. He had been one of the servers you had first met several years ago, and the two of you got on quite well. He was always there at the right moment with exactly what you needed.

There was a twinkle in his eye as he tipped his head to the side. “Of course, miss Y/L/N.”

You sighed as he slipped away, leaving you to face the crowds once again. As you began to make your way through the throngs of people towards the exit, you were swarmed by cameras. Catching you off guard, you were ill prepared for the moment. Your eyes widened and a piece of your pinned hair fell in your face as you tried to stammer out a response to the sudden flashes of cameras.

You still desperately searched for an exit as you took a step back from the press. But they didn’t seem to get the hint. You felt your heart clench and your chest tighten before the breath hitched in your throat. But as you took another step backwards, your back collided with something solid. Before you could turn around in a panic, you felt two hands land on your shoulders.

“Are these people bothering you, love?” a silky voice asked.

Not able to formulate proper words, you simply snapped your mouth shut and nodded quickly.

The hands that were on your shoulders slid down your arms in a soothing gesture before returning to their original position. You could feel a sense of calmness wash over you when you heard the stranger speak again. “If you’ll excuse us, we have somewhere to be,” he said.

He moved his hands, placing one on the small of your back to guide you away from the crowd. You moved willingly, gratitude radiating off you in waves. You were guided to the balcony doors and into the fresh air. When the crisp night air hit your lungs, you let out a ragged sigh of relief. “Thank you,” you said, turning around.

What you saw almost made your heart stop. A man with sharp features, piercing green eyes, and shoulder length black hair stood in front of you. His hair was tied at the base of his neck and his keen eyes were examining you closely. He wore a black tuxedo and a black shirt, the only color being the satin emerald tie around his neck. He was watching you curiously, one hand in his pocket and the other hovering close to you.

“It’s not a problem, my lady.” he said with a crooked smile.

The velvety tone in his voice almost made you swoon. If that wasn’t enough, he had a rich accent to top it all off. It sounded close to British, but you knew that wasn’t it.

You cleared your throat before smiling up at him. “You would think I’d be used to this by now.” you said with a chuckle. “Regardless, I appreciate it.”

He shook his head. “One is never truly accustomed to the spotlight. You handled it rather well.”

A laugh fell from your lips. “Well, thank you again. I’m Y/N, by the way.”

He flashed another grin at you. “Tom.”

“Nice to meet you, Tom.” you replied, tilting your head slightly as you said his name.

“The pleasure is mine, Y/N.”

A slight blush managed to take over your cheeks. Hopefully, you could play it off as the chill in the breeze. “Well, it’s getting a little chilly out here.” you said slowly. “Would you like to go for a coffee?”

He raised an eyebrow just slightly before inclining his head. “I’d be honored.”

AN: If anyone wants to be added to the taglist, let me know! Click here

Note; some of the tags don’t work. I’ve marked them in bold. Taglist: @sebastiansloserclub @britishbutnotbritish @endgame-isnt-cannon-sweaty @evalynanne @randomfangirl7 @midnight-queen-1 @fishingpenguin @korvisorvis @daft-punky @j-nelson99 @lauraxoxo100 @lady-loki-ren @slasherfvked @chloe248 @lolitaforeveryoung @vviptop @celestialstarshadow @emerlywarhead @alicephantomhive99 @i-will-die-for-bebe-yoda @delicatewebseriescutepizza @adefectivedetective @xwackk @cxstl-e @digitalizer 

[cheekytrevelyan]

Title: Fire on Fire

Request/Prompt: N/A I was working on another project – and every time I’d sit down to write, it just kept poking its little ideas in my head for this instead. You know what they say – better out than in.

Pairing:  Steve Rogers x Mutant!Reader

Warnings: I use the bad words…? Possible Smut later on, this is a 4 part series.

Word Count: I lost track…

Summary

:  You’re a cocky new mutant recruit to the Avengers. Tony brought you in hoping that your skill could help the Avengers. Not everyone is as optimistic about your arrival to the team because of your past.

 “Y/N!”

You couldn’t get away fast enough once the quinjet had landed. Unfortunately for you the first point of contact after a mission was always The Tower. The faster you walked, the louder the voice behind you had gotten.

“Everyone in the debriefing room,” Steve ordered, and much to your dismay, he was staring directly at you when he’d given the orders. You give your other teammates a small shrug playing coy as to what this could be about. The look of pure exhaustion on their faces speaking more than their words ever could. Before everyone had even piled in the room, Steve was right in front of you.

“You disobeyed a direct order!” Everyone who’d been in the room already jumped at the tone of his voice. He was angry, he wasn’t wrong. You did exactly what he said, but you still weren’t sold on whether or not you had done a bad thing.

“I saved your life.” You cockily took a bow in front of your captain and smirked ear to ear. “Ya welcome!” Steve had already viewed you differently from the other Avengers on the team and you were almost sure this was the final nail in your coffin as far as you were concerned.

“Do… we all have to be here for this?” Nat had chimed in, exhausted. She looked to both Tony and Steve before showing herself out of the debriefing room.  

“You were reckless and could have been killed.” Steve very calmly responded, his jaw tightening while speaking. You could tell you had hit a button.  “You put ALL of us in danger.”

“I don’t see any dead bodies, your grace.” Sure you should have just given up by now and listened to him scream and yell at you, but your personality wouldn’t allow it. Your response had even gotten a chuckle from Tony, which in all reality had only added fuel to your fire. You were a natural class clown, and having an audience had only seemed to make your antics worse.

“I don’t know how they do things where you’re from,” Steve chose his next words very carefully. “But we listen to orders here. You want to be an Avenger; I suggest you start acting like one.” You straightened up your body, arms crossed and no longer using the table behind you for support and before you could get another word in, Steve leaves the room and Tony follows him out.

Tony catches up with Steve in the hallway and clears his throat. “She’s just a kid; take it easier on her Cap’.”

“No, Peter is just a kid. Y/N is [insert age here] I don’t understand how you could even be so calm about what she did out there today.” Not that Tony needed any reminding about what had happened. He saw you use your power and nearly kill all of those Hydra agents by setting them aflame. The mission was simple – get in, get out with as little casualties as possible.

“Look, I’m not saying she wasn’t wrong. She definitely was, but Cap’…”

“I’m taking her off all missions until further notice. Fury will sign off on them. Find her something else to do with her time. Maybe some paperwork, she’s not one of us Tony…” Steve turned to look at Tony, before spotting you standing behind them. You had finally swallowed your pride and were going to apologize, until you heard Steve talking about you.

“I don’t want to be on your stupid… team anyway.”

“Y/N, he didn’t mean…”

You turned on your heels and ran down the hallway towards the elevator making a beeline out of the tower as fast as possible. Once the elevator doors shut you let out the breathe you’d been holding since the mission had ended and your eyes start to swell.

**

Hearing Steve once again, adamantly express his concern about you being on the team brought back so many memories of your first meeting one year ago. (Flashback)

“Absolutely not,” A uniformed Captain America sternly dictated with both hands on his hips. The Avengers had just saved New York City from Loki and his army of aliens several months prior. You, however, saw it as an opportunity. Your past was tricky, and you’d crossed paths with the Avengers on more than one occasion – never on the same side however. “She’s a villain, Tony.”

“A villain.” You repeat, mostly to yourself looking to the other members of the team. You were set to head to whatever prison the Avengers send the bad guys to two months prior. It wasn’t your fault you’d escaped. Still, Tony had Fury look into your past and your experience lent a lot to your favor as far as he was concerned.

“Oh for the love of God, get off of it. She’s not a villain.” Tony barked back, his forehead creasing in a way that you could automatically see he was frustrated with the conversation, or Steve. Or both. It was probably both, you were left to wonder.

“She tried to kill us!” Nat interjected. This caught a look of delight from you.

“Twice.” Bucky chimed in.

“So did you Manchurian Candidate.”

“That’s different and you know it!” Steve stood in front of Bucky to continue to argue with Tony. You had a feeling you’d never really be a part of the team in Captain Americas eyes anytime soon. Their arguing had become background noise while your attention settled on impending doom.

“If I may…” You’d pointedly tried to interject, before quickly freeing yourself from the handcuffs that had been used to restrain you earlier when you’d been taken captive. Tony and Steve had stopped mere seconds before they saw Hydra agents coming towards them.

**

The lab. All bad days had always brought you down to the lab. You started to tinker with whatever you could get your hands on. That was the great thing about Tony – he actually didn’t treat you like you were anything outside of another human being. You looked around the empty lab and couldn’t help the overwhelming feeling that overcame you next. Tears. You were never a big crier, so they always caught you by surprise.

Giving you time to cool down, Tony had waited a few hours before heading to his lab – he always knew where to find you after a meltdown, and there had been many. He waited a few moments watching you work on something; he couldn’t see what because your back was turned to him. You were so hot headed and sarcastic – it reminded him so much of him when he was younger, or even now, rather. Still, Steve was right. You weren’t a child; you were an Avenger.

“Knock-knock.” Tony smiled before slowly walking into the lab. You didn’t even turn to look at him, which hurt. He wasn’t the one who said those words – Steve was.

“Go away.”

“Yes, I’m sure you’d like that,” he smirks before reaching his hand out and gently grabbing ahold of your shoulder. “But this is my lab, so I think I’ll stay.”

“Then I’ll go.” You abruptly sat up from the chair, but Tony was too fast and had caught a glimpse of your red face.

“Y/N… were you crying?” He reached to cup your face, and rubbed his thumb softly against the skin on your cheek. He’d always just had this soft spot for you; he couldn’t quite place the reason behind it. It hurt to see you hurt.

“Why? Is that SO shocking?” You spat back, gearing your aggression and anger towards the wrong person, clearly. You pulled away from him and grabbed ahold of the piece of armor you’d been working on.

“No, I just didn’t think you did that.” He shot you a grin and you wanted to smack it off of his face, but the more he held that expression, the more it cracked your tough facade and you cracked a small smile in response. “There she is…”

“I messed up. I’m sorry.” You pleaded, knowing that Tony really didn’t have the authority to ‘unground’ you that was Steve’s call but keeping you off of missions was just inhumane in your eyes. You’d go crazy sitting at a desk doing paperwork for Fury.

“He’ll come around.”

**

He’ll come around. There weren’t many words that had haunted you more than the promise that Steve would come around. It’d been a year. Sure, you acted like a straight ass sometimes, but you never really had given him much to go on as far as the level of hatred he carried for you.

It was late by the time you’d left Tony alone in the lab. You’d spent hours there hiding. “Food first…” You’d softly whispered to yourself following the tiled floor out of the elevator. You noticed that the kitchen light was on and silently started praying to yourself that if anybody had been in there – it’d been anybody but Steve.

He heard you coming and had been looking up when you walked in. Your [your eye color] had locked with his blue ones and before you could muster up enough courage to speak – he looked away.

“I’ll just grab something quick and eat in my room.”

Your voice was lower than normal, the tone had a string of guilt flowing through it. His words had hurt you. He could tell. Steve glanced back up at you and his mouth fell open. Say something to her you idiot. Apologize. He didn’t. His own internal struggle had kept him quiet. Right. He watched you turn your back to him and his eyes never left you while you rummaged quickly through cabinets. He knows he made you feel uncomfortable. He feels guilty. He opens his mouth to say something, but can’t find the words.

“Goodnight Captain.” His eyes went wide when you spoke and he realized he’d been staring at you for longer than he should have.  You didn’t have to call him Captain. He wanted to tell you to call him Steve – but he didn’t.

“Y/N.” You swallowed hard before turning on your heels at the doorway and forced a smile when he’d called your name.  You wanted to tell him that you were sorry for being an ass. That you respected him and the team.  You wanted to beg him not to take you off of missions. But you didn’t.

“hmm?”

“You…” He straightened in his chair and you could feel a lump building in your throat. “You put the iced cream in the refrigerator.” Your eyes went wide with embarrassment before you quickly moved to place the carton of iced cream back where it belongs.  “It’s also not a meal.”

“What?” You’d finally broke the awkward and stared at him like he was speaking thirteen different languages at once… backwards.

“Iced cream,” Steve smiled. It was the first time you’d ever made him do that. You didn’t think he could. Your mouth fell open a little when he licked his chapped lips and you couldn’t help but cock your head like a confused dog.

“It’s not a meal.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.” What was happening?

[lokidokiliteratureclub]

Frostbitten (Chapter One)

Loki x Reader

Prologue

Y/N L/N is a child of a Jotun and an Asgardian. She spends her life hidden in the dungeons of Asgard, with no one to talk to other than one of the princes- a man who seems completely incapable of leaving her alone and entirely unable to give up on helping her. Y/N and Loki Odinson have always been inseparable, it seems- even when there is a cell wall, or a village, or an entire kingdom between them. 

Even when he disappears, even when you run away, and even when his world falls apart; you are inseparable. 

Oh lordy the first part of this fic got waaayy more attention than I was expecting If you want to be added for tags in this series, leave a comment or send me an ask, and I’ll add you for the coming parts. Thanks so much for reading!!

P.S.: This part is not action-filled or anything. The interesting stuff starts the next part.

P.P.S: Normally I don’t update this quickly- I just wasn’t doing anything else today.

________________________

Twelve Years Later

Loki Odinson has not been down in the dungeons for two months. That's two months of being alone. Two months of not speaking. Two months of you wondering what's wrong on the surface. Three times so far you've gotten too close to the barrier. Those three times are hardened burns on your blue arms. Small welts on your soft palms. Scratches on your bare knees. The lady who brings you food in the morning noticed the wounds but said nothing- simply laying a tub of ice on the table next to a soft washcloth.

The fact that they actually gave you an unassembled ice pack for your injuries makes you want to laugh. It sounds like something you’d tell Loki about. You add it silently to the list of things you’ll tell him when he comes back.

If he comes back.

Loki has left before- usually with a warning, though. Usually only for a week. It has been eight.

One day he’s sitting outside your cell, applauding you on how far you’ve advanced in magic and droning on about how he wishes he could see you without the yellow film between you- maybe even touch you. Shake your hand. Touch your shoulder. Things that people can do when they’re not imprisoned under a giant castle or unable to control whose arm they freeze off. One day, you two are dreaming of what could be, completely absorbed in each other's thoughts and words, and the next, the inseparable become separated.

And even though it’s possible that he left you by choice, you’re more worried for him than you are about yourself. 

"Hey, Njord," you speak aloud, targeting one of the head guards on patrol. He doesn't stop to look at you, not even shifting from his position outside your cell. "Hey, Njord," you say, louder. "What's the buzz? How's the royal family?"

Njord heaves an annoyed sigh but doesn't respond. You scoot closer to the barrier so that you and the guard are only really about a foot apart.

"Hey, Njord,"

He makes a huffing noise.

"I'd like a book. Or a cup of tea. Is that arrangeable?" You tilt your head, fiddling with a couple spare strands of hair. "Your beard looks rather nice today. Very clean."

Njord gives a slight swell of pride and raises a hand to caress his beard, but then he realizes he doesn't have a beard. His face falls. He looks sad. You almost feel bad, but you don’t. So you laugh.

"Don't tease him, he lost the beard in a bet," says Lady Sif, descending into the prison in a bit of haste and sparing you a quick glance. "Haven't you anything else to do, prisoner?"

You shrug, rolling onto your back and staring at the ceiling. "I'm a twenty-two-y-year-old Jotun-Asgardian hybrid in prison, whose only companion has been inexplicably absent for two months. Njord won't get me books. I haven't seen the light of day in fourteen years. I have literally nothing to think about and nothing to do, so no."

"Njord, get her a book or two so she'll quit talking," Sif grumbles, and footsteps let you know that he is leaving.

You roll onto your stomach, staring out at her. She's dismounting a shield and removing a sword from one of the upper shelves of the guard's stock. She's a bit flimsy with the weapons from what you can see, but Loki had insisted that she showed promise in the combat field. More than meets the eye, you suppose.

You watch her fasten the shield to her arm and prop yourself up on your elbows. "Will you be joining the staff down here?"

She sends you a pointed glare. "No. I'll be joining the staff up there." Sif nods toward the stairs leading out of the dungeons and grabs a sword sheath from another shelf, attempting to fasten that on as well. 

"Joining the army? How patriotic."

She ignores you, sheaths the sword, and heads back up.

"Hm." You exhale. "Rude."

Moments later, Njord arrives back in your cell, stepping through the energy barrier like it’s not even there. He drops a single hardcover down in front of you, then strides back out and resumes his post. The book is long- which is probably what Njord was going for when he found it. It’ll take you especially long since you really have only known how to read for three years- courtesy of Loki, of course. The gift of literacy is one of the many you’ve received from him. Hopefully, it can save you from dying of boredom or worry while you wonder where the hel he is.

The first thing you notice when you look at the book is that it’s completely tattered- sometimes with entire pages missing out of it. The pages that remain are yellowed and reek of a musty, almost moldy smell. You wrinkle your nose, looking back to Njord.

“Where did you get this?” you ask, shaking your head.

Njord finally gives in and responds with a grain of salt: “The book cart outside the dungeon. Last one.”

There’s no book cart outside the dungeon. They keep the area empty to ensure there aren’t any messages being passed between the outside world and the world down here.

Could Loki be trying to... no. Well, maybe. Maybe he’s banned from the dungeons. Maybe this is his only way to contact. Maybe he hasn’t abandoned you, and he’s been trying to contact all this time. The thought of it gives you the tiniest shard of hope.

You look back down at the book, then very carefully open it. The title is Where You Will and it appears to be romantic fiction. A picture of a girl and a boy are drawn next to each other, the boy wrapping the girl in a shawl. There’s a smeared fingerprint beside the title, and a small note is written in the margin in sloppy, rushed lettering.

I’m cold.

You frown, moving your thumb over the words.

That turned out to be exactly what you needed to do.

In the places where your finger met the page, you see pieces of discoloration. Your heart starts to beat a bit faster, twisting in your chest. You press your entire palm to the page for a moment and then lift it.

It’s a drawing of a snake and beside it a lightly sketched snowflake.

Ok, this is definitely Loki. And unless he’s communicating with another Jotun prisoner who happens to be able to read and happens to have the audacity to ask a guard for books, the message in this book is for you.

You turn the page and grip the side of the book, spilling frost over the surface of the parchment. There are no notes- instead, there are very slight, nearly hidden underlines under some letters. You read over them, putting them together in your head.

y o u n e e d T o l e a V e

And then you flip the page, giving it the same treatment. 

c o l d Is t h e a B s e n c e o f e n E r g y

Then the next page.

t r Y t o d I S s a p e a r

Then,

I w I l l f i n d y o u w H e r e v e r y o u a r e - L

You flip to the next page, and then the next, and the next, until you’re absolutely positive that you’ve seen every message. 

If this is Loki, which it has to be, how long have the books been there? Weeks? A month? How old is this message? And why should you hide?

Cold is the absence of energy.

You at least know what that means. The barrier is pure energy. Loki seems to be implying that you can freeze it, or suck all the juice out of it, or something similar. He clearly thinks you’re more powerful than you are. Not a surprise. That’s kind of his signature move: overestimating you.

It’s charming in a disappointing way. 

Your lips curve into a smile, but it fades into a frown at the thought that whatever Loki is trying to get you away from you cannot escape. You might never see him again. That’s a bit of a dark thought. To never see his sculpted face or charming smile, his dark hair or bright eyes- it leaves a sort of hole in your chest. 

You can’t ever see him again. But can you talk to him? There’s no invisible ink for you to use, but...

You squeeze your eyes shut, wincing, and then bite roughly down on the inside of your cheek until you taste blood. You slip a finger inside your mouth and, using the same communication strategy Loki did, wipe a faint smear of blue over letters on the page, spelling out what you want him to see.

You set down the book and stand up, moving toward the small bed in the back of the cell. Your fear moves through your body and crystalizes on the floor, leaving a trail of ice in your wake. 

You repeat your list of things to remember, your list of things you’ve been told, as you lie down, coaxing yourself into sleep.

You are going to be okay, and nothing can stop that from being so. Not the princes. Not the armies. Not the guards or the walls or the bars that hold you in. Not the ice in your blood or the dark in your eyes. You are safe. You will always be safe. You are not a monster. You are not alone. You can control yourself. I will watch over you.

----

Loki Odinson has not been down to the dungeons in two months. That’s two months of wondering what could be going wrong. That’s two months of hoping you know he hasn’t abandoned you. That’s three attempts at contact, this last one being the most obvious. Writing in a book with ink that can only be seen in the cold. He just has to hope you ask for books, and hope the guards comply.

He does not enjoy being apart from you, and even though he was fully aware that it was going to be hard- suddenly not having you in his life, that is- he could not have anticipated just how hard it was. He actually spoke to his brother, for Odin’s sake. That wasn’t even the hardest task of them all.

You are an echo inside his mind. A song that plays over and over and over, no matter how infuriating it can be. Every time he thinks he can think about something else, you creep back into his mind and he becomes restless again. He buries his head in his hands and tries not to rip out every strand of hair, failing not to picture the worst that could happen if you aren’t prepared. If he can’t get you out of the castle before something.. before it happens. And it’s happening. 

When he sees that the book is gone from the cart, his heart nearly stops. He takes a deep breath, puts on a scowl, and confronts an annoyed Njord as he exits the dungeons.

“Hey, Njord,” he speaks, trying his best to sound uninterested. “Where’s my book?”

Njord stiffens at the sound of Loki’s cold voice and turns deftly toward him. “Your book, your highness?”

“I left it on the cart outside.” He signals to the empty cart, and Njord goes a shade whiter. “You were on guard, yes?”

“The book was yours, sir?”

“Did you give it to someone else?”

“One of the prisoners, sir. Forgive me, I thought it to be meant for-” he breaks off, noticing Loki’s disinterest in the conversation. “I’ll retrieve it at once.”

Moments later, he returns, grasping the book in his hands. He holds it out to Loki, and the prince swiftly takes it from him, huffing to keep from bursting into tears. Njord looks like he might go into cardiac arrest, on the other hand, so Loki adds: “If the prisoners are in need of some form of entertainment, I’ll gather a collection of books personally.”

Njord nods, swallowing. “Yes, sir.”

“Don’t do it again.”

“Of course not, sir.”

“Good,” Loki turns on his heel, away from the guard. “Oh, and your beard is looking swell today, Njord.”

He strides, perhaps a bit too quickly, over to the library, and drops the book on the table, flipping to the opening page. It’s empty. But turn another, and smears of blue appear, clouding over certain letters. Loki’s pulse quickens. He finds his grip tightening on the table as he strings the words together.

I m n O t t h a t s t r o n g

an awful lie, followed by

w h a t  a m I h I d i n g f r o M

Loki exhales and rips the pages from the book, shoving them into his pocket and throwing the damaged copy aside. He’s moving to another shelf, reaching for a book to reply with when his eye catches that of his mother as she passes by. Her shoulder brushes gently against his as she moves to stand next to him, staring over the sea of books along the shelves.

“You’re stressed,” she comments, looking over him. “Is something bothering you?”

“No, no, nothing,” he mutters in return. Frigga looks at him skeptically. “I promise, mother. It’s just that I’m a bit-”

“Don’t lie to me, dear,” she interrupts, reaching into her pocket. Loki’s eyes follow her hand, and she sets a small key on the shelf in front of him, smiling slightly. “It’s perfectly alright to worry about someone. Especially when that person may be in danger.”

She knows.

Loki just stares, first at the key, then at his mother. He opens his mouth and then closes it, and then says: “How long have you...”

“How could I not?” She finishes for him. “Your eyes light up when you speak of someone you care about.”

There’s a heavy silence.

“Thank you,” he says.

“Don’t thank me until after you find what you’re looking for,” she replies.

Then she turns, and she’s gone.

Loki picks up the key, leaves the books, and rushes to his room to prepare for the worst.

Frostbitten Tags:

@natalia-rushman @what-inspirational-name @jessiejunebug @fandomdestroyer @a-new-schematic @iris-suoh

[delicatelyherdreams]

Daddy

Pairing: Loki x Reader

Summary: When you find out you’re expecting, you cannot wait to tell Loki. The only problem: he can be a little oblivious.

Warnings: not in a canon world (meaning that Loki isn’t actually a criminal in this one and is instead co-kings with Thor. Don’t hate me I just really want this to be during a time where everyone is happy and there’s not any bad will towards Loki. He deserves to be happy)

Word Count: 2439

You stared at the healers around you, in utter disbelief at their news. “S-Say that again!” you ordered, your heart racing.

“It seems you’re pregnant, your highness,” the woman standing closest to you repeated, her head bowed respectfully.

Oh. My. God. To say you were excited was an understatement. You and Loki had been trying for a while now, and the fact that this time it had worked made you beyond elated. You were going to be parents!

You left the medical wing of the castle and entered the halls to walk around in thought. How were you going to tell him? It had to be an unforgettable experience, and you knew just the man to ask for advice.

You looked up, your eyes brightening as you saw Thor walking towards you. “Thor! Hey, Thor!” He was just the man you wanted to see.

The god slowed to a stop. “Lady (y/n),” he greeted with a smile. “What service can I be of you today?”

You reached out and tugged on his wrist, pulling him over to the side to an empty room with you. The spring in your step was clearly visible as you walked, the giddy feeling growing stronger with what you were about to request from him. As soon as the door was shut, you turned on your heel to look at him. “So, you know how Loki and I have been trying for a baby, yes?”

His brows furrowed. “He has mentioned it, yes. But what...” His eyes suddenly brightened and he laughed. “Oh! Congratulations!” he shouted eagerly.

You smiled bashfully. “Thank you, but Loki doesn’t know yet. And that’s where you come in.” You took a deep breath and pressed your hands together. “You’ve spent time on Midgard. What are some of the ways the Midgardians would reveal their pregnancy?”

Thor frowned. “Migadians? Why would you want one of their ways?”

“I don’t know, I thought it would be creative, something never done here before.” You shrugged. “I’d like to do something special for him.”

He smiled softly. “I think I have an idea.” 

——————

The first idea was to take Loki out to the cafe that was installed in the palace grounds shortly after Thor’s second return from Midgard.

“The humans love this kind of place,” he explained quite enthusiastically when it was being built. “They’ll sit around for hours on end talking over their caffeinated drinks. I think we need something like that. It’ll be a good way to bring us together.”

Loki had totally scoffed at the idea of getting a cafe, but then he tried some of their drinks and he was infatuated. You could almost guarantee that the coffee was high up on his list of favorite things, right under your spot. With his newfound love of the caramel macchiato, or whatever it was, he began to take you there every week, always on a Sunday, always at eleven o’clock in the morning. It was some of the only consistency in both your busy lives as royalty and you both lived for your morning coffee dates.

This date, however, was going to be special. You had already bribed the barista the day before to put his name as “Dad” on his cup instead of “Loki.” You so hoped he would get it, especially since nobody else seemed to like his drink but him.

That morning, after placing your orders, you both sat down at your usual table.

Loki reclined comfortably in his chair, letting out a long and heavy sigh. 

You looked up at the noise. “Are you alright?” you asked, leaning forward and resting your elbows on the table.

He nodded absently. “Yes, love. Just thinking. Thor is getting on me again about the recent approval numbers. According to him the most recent play wasn’t as such a hit as we had predicted.” He frowned in dissatisfaction. “This next one will have to be much more spectacular if we are to hope to pick up the theater’s profits.”

You smiled in mild amusement. Loki was always one for the arts. His plays were his pride and joy and, although it annoyed you that he would stay up all night with the lights on to write the scripts, you supported him wholeheartedly. “I’m sure this next one will be amazing, Loki. But... you might not have so much time to write here in a little bit.”

His brow furrowed in confusion but he didn’t have anytime to respond because at that moment the barista decided to call out your orders.

“A (drink) for ‘(y/n)’ and a caramel macchiato for ‘Dad!’”

Loki’s brows furrowed as you stood. “’Dad?’” he repeated with a confused look. “Who in the Hel is ‘Dad?’”

You shrugged innocently. “Maybe it’s you,” you suggested as you walked to go retrieve your drinks. You picked up the cups as you thanked the barista and turned around to walk back to the table.

As you approached him, the confused expression on his face wasn’t gone yet, and it stayed firm on his face as you set the macchiato down in front of him.

He shook his head as he took the drink. “This must be a Midgardian thing,” he said waving his hand dismissively. “I have been told that they tend to play jokes on their customers by giving them ridiculous titles.” He lifted the straw to his lips and took a long sip.

All the while you felt your excitement deflating. He didn’t get it that he was going to be a dad. You were going to tell him right out there, but he had already moved on from the subject and you had lost your chance.

No matter, you thought to yourself. I can always find another way.

———————

And so you did. After having a small conversation with his brother, you had come up with a little equation for Loki to solve. It was a simple one, practically child’s play, but it got your message across.

So that night, as you sat in your shared bedroom with Loki at the vainity, you quickly took a small scrap of paper and scribbled on it, “you + me = three.”

You hoped that this would do it. That he’d take into account the equation along with recent events and put two and two together and figure out what you were trying to say.

Not moments after you had put down your pen, the doors to the bedroom opened and Loki waltzed in. He immediately made a beeline for your bed and fell back onto the plush mattress. With a content sigh, he draped his arm over his eyes. 

“Hey Loki?” you called out sweetly as you turned in your chair to face him.

“Yes, love?” he called back, not moving from his position.

You picked up the piece of paper and stood up. “Can you take a look at this for me?”

He hummed in response and lifted his hand. “Yes. Let me see.”

You carried the paper over to him and fit it into his open palm.

Loki took a deep breath as he removed his arm from his eyes and gazed at the paper. “’You plus me equals three,’” he read aloud. He raised an eyebrow at you and smiled as one might smile at a child who made a mistake. “Love, you might want to check your math here. You and I are two, not three.” He set the paper down and sat up. “Come here,” he said opening his arms to embrace you.

You complied, sitting down on his lap and curling up into his chest. 

He lifted his hand up to your head and began to pet your hair. “I love you, (y/n), but you’re acting weird lately. Is something wrong?”

You shook your head. “No, nothing’s wrong.”

He didn’t look like he believed you. “Well you know, that if there ever was something going on with you, that you can tell me, right?”

I’m trying to tell you but you’re too oblivious to see it. You smiled softly. “Of course.”

That seemed to give him some peace and he nodded. “Good. Now, let us go to bed. It has been a long day, and all I want to do is fall asleep with my lovely queen.”

You didn’t have to be asked twice as he helped you get under the covers.

As you lay there on your side, with Loki behind you and his arm wrapped around your middle, you couldn’t help but imagine how this would feel in a few months: with his hand resting on your swollen stomach as your child grew steadily inside of you.

—————————

If there was anything you had learned from this whole experience, it was that round-about messages were not working with Loki. You needed a more direct method.

“Thor!” you whined as you flounced into the throne room dejectedly.

He looked up front he papers he had been reading and set them down on the armrest of his throne. “Lady (y/n), what’s the problem?”

You walked over to the throne’s raised platform and pouted. “Loki. He’s not picking up on any of my hints. I need something more direct. Can you help me?” You looked up at him with pleading eyes.

Thor pressed his lips together. “Well... I have one more idea...”

———————

Early the next morning, you found yourself sneaking out of Loki’s embrace and in the palace kitchens hard at work. With all of the servants fast asleep, you were on your own in this mission, but it was worth it if it got your message across.  

So, after hours of slaving over a recipe, trying to bake the small little cakes just right, you finally had done it. 

You had just baked nineteen small and square chocolate cakes and frosted them with different letters to spell out, “You are going to be a dad!” You so hoped that this would be blunt enough for him to understand.

By the time you had finished, the servants were just then waking up and making their way to the kitchen to begin cooking breakfast.

The head chef looked like she had seen a ghost when she saw you standing there, in the middle of the kitchen, covered in flour and proudly displaying a platter of cakes. “Y-Your highness!” she gasped out. “What are you doing here?”

You shook your head. “No matter. Will you do me a favor and please serve this to Loki?”

She gingerly look the platter from you and read over the words. At once her face melted into a smile. “Of course! Congratulations!”

You smiled bashfully. “Thank you!” And with that, you took your leave, sprinting back to your bedroom to be there and get cleaned up before Loki woke up.

You had entered as quietly as you could and began to wipe the flour away from your face and nightgown. Right as you were finishing, Loki stirred on the bed and groaned. 

“(y/n)?” he called out, his voice still deep with sleep.

“Right here, my love,” you answered back as you dabbed the last little bit of flour off your cheek.

The rustling of covers filled the air as he sat up.

You turned around to face him and smiled softly. “Ready for breakfast?”

Loki frowned as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. “I guess. Why are you up so early? You’ve never been a morning person.”

You shrugged as you stood. “It’s just a beautiful day. I didn’t want to miss any of it.”

He eyed you warily as he climbed out of the bed and slipped into his robe. When he was presentable he offered you his hand.

You took it and together you filed out of the room and down the halls to the dining room.

The servants were already bustling about when you got there, nearly finished with setting the table.

You and Loki took your respective seats at the table and the waiters began to bring out the food.

Before you, they set a platter of the typical breakfast foods: eggs, bacon, toast, and sausage. In front of Loki, they set the platter of cakes you had been baking earlier that morning.

Loki frowned at the cakes as he saw them being brought over, and you really couldn’t blame him. He never had cakes for breakfast. “What is this?” he asked as they were set down in front of him.

You shared a knowing look with the server as she set it down and you sat back to watch his reaction.

He turned down to look at the words, and as soon as he read them he blanched and his eyes rounded. “Wh-What?” He looked up at you frantically. “What is this?”

You smiled shyly at him. “Read it. What does it say?”

“It says ‘You are going to be a dad,’ but...” At that moment it clicked in his mind and he shouted with delight. “Is this true? Are you pregnant?” he asked excitedly.

You nodded. “You’re going to be a daddy, Loki.”

“Oh my god!” he cried out as he stood. He spent no time delaying his actions as he pulled you up into his arms in a tight hug.

You laughed. “Loki! Loki, I can’t breathe. Too tight!”

He quickly let you go, his cheeks tinted red in embarrassment, but he didn’t apologize; he didn’t have to. Instead, he knelt down before you so he was eye level with your stomach. With careful hands, he reached out and gently caressed the clothed skin. “I’m going to be a father...”

You smiled. “I’ve been trying to tell you, love. You’ve just been to dense to pick up on it.” At his confused look, you chuckled. “The coffee? Your name was ‘dad?’ And the equation? ‘You plus me equals three?’ You’ve had several pregnancy reveals but you never understood.”

His face melted into a smile. “In my defense, I was not expecting this news, so I was not looking for the clues.” 

You hummed. “For a trickster who looks for all the minute details, you really can be quite thick, Loki.”

He chuckled as he stood back up and pulled you into his arms. “I’m sorry, love. I’ll be better next time.”

You looked up at him incredulously. “Next time? We haven’t even had our first child and you’re already thinking about another?”

He chuckled. “Maybe. I’m just excited about becoming a father.” He leaned down and pressed a tender kiss against your forehead.

You closed your eyes in content. “You’re going to make a great daddy, Loki.”

Permanent Taglist: @dont-speak-just-read @becauseismellgood @impalaimages @breezy1415 @lou-la-lou @aestheticapricity @a-book-pressed-rose 

Requested by: @dragonborn791924

[the-marvel-imagines-blog]

Madness | Chpt. 16

Chapter Title: “Destiny”

Pairing: Loki x Original Female Character

Word Count: 10,712

Warnings: angst (what’s new?), violence

Name Pronunciations: Hjalmar: “He-all-mar” | Aaldir: “All-deer” | Ephinea: “Eh-fin-ee-uh”

Summary: When the lives of Tony and Harley are in question, Eva discovers just how powerful she can become, and she is faced with a difficult decision.

A/N: First, I’m sorry for the long wait. My much younger brother is on summer vacation, and I have been tasked with babysitting duty, which means that I have almost no time in the day right now to write. As I’ve said before, I’ve taken a lot of creative liberties with these characters, and I’m doing it once again. I have “borrowed” dialogue from Iron Man 3 to use in these chapters just to make them fit in with the sequence of events from the movie. The love that people gave to the last chapter on tumblr, fanfiction.net, and AO3 is absolutely insane, and it’s only going to pick up more in the coming chapters. Once again, thank you all so, so, so much, and I hope you enjoy this installment <3

Tagged: @teddyboobear @alledeglyfunny @xletmetaste-yoursmilex @itsknife2meetu @mynameisyara @j-j-ehlby-writes @jillilama-blog (anyone who wants to be tagged can message me and ask. It’s not a problem at all)

*Eva’s POV*

Tony and I sat at a table in the bar with Mrs. Davis. Harley had been right. She was glued to the chair at that table like it was her home. Even in that moment with her, feeling her sadness and grief, I still couldn’t let go of the previous night and my interaction with Loki. Everything was weighing heavier on my shoulders than ever before. I left for more reasons than just Odin’s inability to see things my way or Tony’s sudden trouble he found himself in. A part of me needed to be away from Asgard. It was a place that reminded me of all I had lost. Hjalmar, Loki, her. I lost everything on Asgard, and I was reminded of each of those losses every morning, and I lived with them all day. Still, when I saw Loki last night, something was different. Something had changed. He was the man I loved again-a little bent, but not broken...never broken. I thought I would never see him again, the man I loved with every ounce of my heart and soul, but when I visited his mind, it was like he returned to me. It was as if I proved that I was worthy of his love once more, but I knew that it was just because he reached his breaking point. We all had one, and Loki, even though he was a God, was no different.

Suddenly, I felt like I would be needed again, like I had a purpose on Asgard. I always felt like my purpose was Loki. Even after the fall, I found purpose. When Thor and I brought him back to Asgard, I found my purpose in fighting for him to be released into my care. However, our interactions had broken me down into nothing. Once it sunk in that he didn’t want me or need me, I had nothing. I was left fighting for air, and I found it on Midgard. The Midgardians had always given me a greater purpose, especially the select few I was linked to. It was the first time since Loki returned to Asgard that I could breathe again. Now, the spark was back in those crystal blue eyes, and he let me see him once more-the good, the bad, the wondrous, and the upsetting. He let me in again, and I knew that he’d be waiting patiently for me on Asgard, waiting for me to return and run into his waiting arms. I would fight for him once more.

A part of me was afraid that Ezra had set his sights on Loki. I knew Loki would be safe from him, but the mere thought of the enemy picking out my love was terrifying. Every moment I thought about it, the pain in my abdomen grew exponentially more painful. Ezra had shown himself to be a powerful player when we fought on the bridge that day, but there was nothing that prepared me for his sudden interest in Loki. All I could do was hope that the guards would keep their word to me and alert someone should Ezra make a wrong move. I wanted to know everything he did and everything he said. With Loki in such close proximity, the stakes were even higher. I had faith in him, though. I knew he’d be able to hold his own against Ezra, but when I entertained the idea, a piercing, fire hot pain spread throughout my body and stemmed from the wound on my abdomen, causing my body to tremble in pain. I had been wounded in battle on many occasions, but nothing compared to that.

While Tony spoke with Mrs. Davis, I clutched her hand, watching her son’s life like a movie before my own eyes. I felt her pride in each of his accomplishments. I felt her heartache when he was sick or upset. I felt her disappointment when he made choices that she tried to steer him away from. I saw her joy when he straightened himself out, picked himself up, and moved on. I felt her guilt that she wasn’t able to give him everything he ever wanted, but I also felt the unconditional love she had for him through it all, and that was all that ever really mattered. I knew that her love for him surpassed all expectations he ever had. Through her memories, I witnessed the man her son grew into. His compassion, empathy, selflessness, and willfulness wasn’t because of the new bike she saved up for for months. The purest, most beautiful pieces of his personality were born from the love she showed him time and time again. From the long work hours to the meals she skipped so he never knew what hunger felt like to the times when she decided she was too full for the last piece of her favorite dessert because she knew he wanted it, I saw the purest love there was: the love a mother had for her child.

It felt like a knife to my heart.

The pain I felt when I grasped her hand was familiar, and I wished to take it away for her. I felt the weight on her shoulders and the guilt that she hadn’t intervened to protect her son. I knew that she had her doubts, that the man who took the lives of others was not the man she raised. The pain within her heart tore into my own until the anger began to creep up. I wanted vengeance. I wanted justice for her son, that hopefully it would atone for some of what I had done, that maybe it would take some of my pain away. The moment I felt that anger building up within me, I silenced it, focusing every ounce of my power on her. As I pulled up her most peaceful, tranquil memories of her son, I felt her mind begin the process of restoring her broken heart. My body felt strained as I tried to take her pain from her, but I clenched my jaw and continued through it, pulling up the most beautiful memories she had. Each second that passed when I was using my...gifts, the pain in my abdomen grew worse and worse, but I would take the weight of the world on my shoulders just so that she could experience a moment of serenity in the midst of the chaos. The pain I endured was nothing compared to hers. Experience taught me that.

As the burden of her son’s death was lifted from her shoulders, her grief-stricken eyes met mine, and she recognized me. While she didn’t say my name or call attention to my identity, she knew who I was, just like Harley did when we first met. We sat in a silent moment of appreciation for one another. I appreciated her willingness to speak with us in the first place, and she appreciated what I had done for her. We were trapped in a mutual understanding with one another. We both knew what it was like to lose. She hadn’t expected me to use my “talents” to aid her, but there was an unspoken word of thanks that was exchanged through her gaze. Tony’s voice pulled her attention from me, and I engaged in the conversation once more, desperately trying to push aside the pain, “Mrs. Davis, your son didn't kill himself. I guarantee you, he didn't kill anyone,” he insisted, pushing the file back over to the grieving woman. Her puffy eyes filled with more tears as she tried to process his words, but before she could ask what he meant, Tony explained, “someone used your son as a weapon.”

Her eyes searched his, looking for any amount of dishonesty. She didn’t want to be filled with false hope, not when so much was at stake. I knew that she didn’t want to think her son was a killer-no parent would-but when she was faced with evidence that was presented as facts, she was left no other choice but to try to piece it all together. She let out a pent up breath, “you’re not the person that called me after all, are you?” she asked, reaching across the table to grasp Tony’s arm.

Before she could reach him, the woman Tony and I encountered outside of the bar slammed a badge down onto the table in front of us. My eyes scanned the badge. Ellen Brandt. Upon gaining the attention of the three of us, she smirked over at Mrs. Davis, “actually, I am,” she noted before grabbing Tony’s arm. In one swift motion, she had Tony bent over the table, his left arm twisted behind his back.

I shot up from my seat, “take your hands off of him, now!” I demanded, the fury rising in my chest. It was the same rage that bubbled up within me when I fought on the battlefield. There was a part of me that craved destruction and death, part of me that wanted to hurt those who threatened the fabric of life. I spent my entire life silencing that piece of myself and embracing peace and harmony. However, no matter how much I hated to admit it, when Brandt put her hands on Tony, that hatred and anger bubbled up again. When she showed no signs of letting him go, I clenched my jaw, my ears beginning to ring. She pulled Tony up once she secured the handcuffs around his wrists, and I closed the space between us, stepping around the table. My voice lowered, “remove them or they will be removed,” I growled, a fire surging through me that could burn through entire galaxies.

Her brown eyes flickered over to mine, and she shrugged her shoulders, “no problem,” she smirked before pushing Tony down to the floor. She was rough with him, handling him without an ounce of gentleness. It only awakened the primal anger within me even more.

I narrowed my eyes at her as a man approached us, looking to be part of the small town’s law enforcement. As the two interacted, I gave Tony a once over to make sure he wasn’t injured. There were no injuries that he sustained in the quick altercation with Brandt, but it still didn’t sit well with me. He began moving to push himself back up off the floor, but every sense in my body told me that something wasn’t right. There was a part of me that just knew that something was about to happen, that we wouldn’t leave here unscathed. I motioned for him to stay put, not wanting him to be hurt in the crossfire. His was a life I would never be willing to risk. He furrowed his eyebrows in response to the unspoken direction I gave him, not understanding why I wanted him to stay down. The man was a genius, but there were times when he lacked perception.

I finally turned my attention back to the conversation between Brandt and the officer, who looked to be losing his patience quickly, “well, why don’t you get on the horn to Nashville and, uh, upgrade me?” he asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Alright. You know what?” Brandt asked with a sigh, gripping her badge tightly, “I was hoping to do this the smart way, but, uh, the fun way is always good,” she remarked, her skin beginning to glow as if there was a fire lit beneath it. I furrowed my eyebrows, but I had no time to process the new information before she used her badge to burn the officers face while he was distracted by giving orders to his men.

My first thought was Tony and the promise I made to his father before he was even born. I ran to his side and lifted him from the floor, dragging him to the exit as the screams erupted at the sound of her two consecutive gunshots. I glanced behind us to see that she had killed both officers. Her eyes scanned around the room at the frantic people who were finding cover and running out of the bar if possible, “what are you doing?” Tony asked as I pushed him toward the door.

“Get out of here!” I demanded, not willing to risk his life the same way I was willing to risk mine. Brandt would target more people, and I couldn’t bear to see anymore souls delivered to death that night. Not when I had the power to stop it.

Tony shook his head, “I’m not leaving without you,” he argued.

I sighed, turning my attention over to Brandt who had eyes set on the two of us. She raised her gun and took a shot. In the split second between her pull of the trigger and the time it took for the bullet to reach Tony and I, I pivoted my body, shielding Tony as best I could. I squeezed my eyes shut, clenched my jaw, and balled my hands up into fists in anticipation for the initial burning, but there was nothing. She had been aiming directly at Tony when she pulled the trigger, so there was no way she missed it. Upon opening my eyes, I saw that Tony was frozen in shock, his eyes wide as he stared at me. When I turned around to face Brandt, I noticed that she shared the same look in her eyes, as if she feared me. I glanced back at Tony, “get these people out of here, then we’ll leave together,” I compromised, knowing that he wouldn’t leave without me no matter how much we argued about it. I was prepared to meet my end in that bar if it meant he was protected.

He gave me a quick nod, and I reached behind him, snapping the cuffs from his wrists. Turning around, my eyes locked with Brandt’s, and the fear that had once been in her eyes began to die away. I narrowed my eyes at her, knowing that this would be a battle neither of us would win. I would lose a piece of myself if I was forced to kill her, and she would lose to me no matter what. I shook my head, desperately hoping she would listen to reason, “this doesn’t need to end like this,” I reminded her, wanting to do whatever I could to talk her down. Killing needed to be my very last option. While I could put her down without much of a struggle, I couldn’t resort to that without trying to reason with her first.

She snickered, “I won’t be meeting my end today...but you will,” she threatened, raising her gun once more, aiming at me this time.

I nodded my head, “so be it,” I sighed, pushing Tony out from behind me before I grabbed her wrist, turned into her, and twisted the gun from her hand. In the struggle, she fired off two shots directly into the wall. If Tony had remained behind me, she would’ve shot him. The screams around me only fueled my anger. Like Loki had once done, Brandt was jeopardizing the lives of the innocent, but unlike the situation with Loki, I would break her if need be. Once I relieved her of her firearm, I pulled the clip from it, emptied the chamber, and threw it at the window. The force caused the window to shatter, and the gun landed on the street outside. Knowing that she would have to take me on without her weapon, she raised her fists, and I noticed that they glowed just as her skin did before it all began. It was like there was a fire beneath her skin, but mine was hotter.

As she lunged at me, I ducked out of her way, blocking each of her blows. She was fast. With my wounds, I was slower than usual. Had I only been burdened with the wound Ezra inflicted on the bridge, I would’ve been faster. I could’ve subdued her quickly. However, I still had the wound in my back, causing every movement to burn even hotter than before. I fought through it, the pain only propelling me forward. Every quick movement, every blocked attack, every step was like someone was tearing me open and lighting my insides on fire. She lunged at me once more, managing to grab my throat. She was stronger than the average Midgardian, but there was something special about her. She was gifted. Her hand around my throat burned my skin, but before I could push her away, she threw my body against the wall as if I was light as a feather. I skimmed over a table before hitting the wall, and when my back connected, I realized just how much force she used to throw me. The wind was knocked out of me for a moment.

I choked, trying to pull the air back into my lungs as I massaged my throat. A fleeting thought crossed my mind that I would’ve been better off to just give up, that it wasn’t worth it. Tony could handle himself. I had only intervened a few times throughout his life, but he was more than capable. That thought was tossed out the window as soon as Brandt turned and set her sights on Tony who was finishing his task of clearing people out of the bar. I pushed my body up, fighting through the pain once more. Now, it was my turn to provoke her. I grabbed the table she threw me across, and I lifted it up before throwing it at her. The table crashed against her back, breaking into pieces. She turned back around to face me, completely unfazed by the attack, “you just won’t stay down, will you?” she asked, her fists glowing even brighter than before.

I shrugged, “I’ve been told I’m a real pain in the ass,” I remarked, recalling what Tony told to me the previous night. I sighed, knowing that this had to be the end, “this is your last chance to make the right choice. Stop, and you will live. Continue, and I will be forced to break you,” I fumed. She smirked, and I knew that she had already made her choice. I nodded my head, saddened by what was to come. However, she pushed me to my breaking point, and I would no longer hold back when it came to her. I would still do everything in my power to subdue her, but I would no longer be on the defensive. I ran at her, tackling her down to the ground. The heat from her body burnt my skin, but they healed just as quickly as they had appeared.

As I tried to wrestle her into submission, my focus faltered when I checked on Tony’s progress. I noticed that he was escorting the last person from the bar. Brandt took advantage of my lack of concentration, and she twisted our bodies, securing her place above me. He hands wrapped around my neck once more, and she began choking me. Her strength was impressive, but I was trained by one of the greatest warriors Asgard has ever seen, a man who just so happened to be my father. Aaldir taught me that brute strength was important at times, but speed, endurance, and technique were more valuable in the long run. As she focused all of her energy on choking me, I grabbed one of her arms, pivoted my body beneath her, hooked one of my legs around her neck, and slammed her body to the floor. Maintaining control of her arm between my legs, I thrust my hips upward, snapping her arm in half.

While she yelled out in pain, I pushed myself away from her, rubbing my neck. She groaned as she pushed herself up to her feet with her good arm, “you bitch!” she roared, closing the space between us. As I tried to push myself back up, she took the opportunity to land a hard kick against my abdomen, causing me to scream out in pain. The kick only aggravated the wound that was already there, and it caused such an unbelievable pain that caused the world to fade away for a short second.

“Hey, hot wings, you want to party?” I heard Tony’s voice from the entrance of the bar. Brandt turned her attention back over to him, which was exactly what he wanted. I could’ve screamed at him for his stupidity in that moment. He motioned for her to join him, “come on. You and me, let’s go,” he taunted her, causing her to close the space between them. Once she got close enough, he ran out of the bar, and I found the strength, once more, to push myself up off the floor of the bar.

I groaned out in pain and gripped my abdomen as I ran out of the bar. I knew what Tony was doing, and if I didn’t care for him as much as I did, I would’ve found it to be endearing. He wanted to protect me, to draw her attention away from me in order to keep me safe, but that wasn’t his job. I was meant to protect him, not the other way around. I couldn’t live with myself if he was hurt in order to protect me, not when his life meant so much more than mine. I was an orphan, a girl with no name. Tony had a role in the great war to come, the war that Thanos would undoubtedly bring to Midgard at some point. When I looked through Loki’s memories, I saw what Thanos desired, and I knew that he would find his way to Earth someday. I hoped that it wasn’t in Tony’s lifetime, but I knew that he was meant for something. I wasn’t.

As I stumbled out of the bar, a snowball whizzed past my head. My eyes followed it, and it landed on a man who was aiming at Tony as he ran across the street. When the snowball hit him, he lost his aim and fired at the window of a store across the street, missing Tony completely. My eyes followed his, and I saw Harley, desperately trying to find a place to hide. I could sense how much that boy loved Tony, how much he looked up to him. I knew that seeing his hero die would break him, and he was willing to risk his own life to protect Tony. We had that in common. When I noticed the fear in Harley’s eyes, I turned my attention back to the man who tried to shoot at Tony, and what I saw shook me to my core. He aimed his gun directly at Harley, his finger on the trigger.

There had only been one other moment in my life when I felt more fear, the time I almost lost her. I didn’t understand why the fear of losing Harley was so high up on the list, but it was. My body trembled, and I lost all sense of myself. There was no way I could protect him, no way I could jump between him and the bullet. Still, I had to try. Right before he could pull the trigger, a burst of pure fear and rage exploded out of me, “NO!” I screamed, the Earth beneath my feet beginning to quake, as if she was experiencing my feelings with me. I felt the pure terror rise up within me, and a power I had never felt before, coursed through my veins. I held out my hand, a black and red blast of energy shooting from my palm and hitting the man in the chest. The force of it sent him flying back, and I fell to my knees, suddenly weak.

I caught myself before I fell on my face, and I heaved. My ears rang as I tried to compose myself. In my state of shock, I didn’t hear the light sound of hurried footsteps over to me. Harley knelt by my side, trying to pull me up, helping me regain balance on my knees. My heart thudded in my chest as I looked down at my trembling hands, wondering what had just happened. Nothing like that had ever occurred before. I practiced magic with Frigga and Loki all my life, and I had become talented in the art of sorcery. However, there was no explanation for this. I didn’t have powers. I was just an average Asgardian. I learned the art of sorcery, since Frigga believed I had been born with a gift and talent for it. I wanted to read into what happened, but I couldn’t. I didn’t have time, not when Tony’s life was on the line. As I realized the depth of the situation I was in, my ears stopped ringing, and I regained my composure and control. My eyes locked with Harley’s, and I noticed that he was visibly shaken by what he had seen from me, “you need to leave, Harley. I need you to go home, lock yourself inside with Kaia, and stay there until we get back,” I ordered him, feeling so much like my father.

He shook his head, tears filling his eyes instantly, “what about you?” he asked, his bottom lip quivering as fear of the unknown overcame him.

“I need to be here to help Tony with this, but I can’t do my job unless you do yours, okay?” I asked, tilting my head as I cupped his cheeks in my hands.

He squeezed his eyes shut, a stray tear falling down his cheek. I wiped it away as quickly as I could, my heart breaking at the thought of potentially never seeing him again. When he opened his eyes, his eyes held every ounce of sadness in the world, “I can’t go without you,” he whimpered.

I smiled through the tears, feeling the absolute love he had for me. It was pure and beautiful, a ray of light in the darkest corners of my heart. Harley had one of the biggest hearts I had ever known on Midgard, and I couldn’t allow that goodness to be extinguished. I needed to protect him at all costs, “do you remember why I came here?” I asked, stroking his cheeks.

“To protect people,” he answered, breathing through the tears that threatened to fall from his eyes.

I nodded my head, “you’re one of those people, too, Harley. I want to protect you just like I want to protect Tony. The only way I can protect you is by sending you home. As soon as this is over, we’ll make our way back to the shack, but you can’t be here for this. I can’t risk losing you, too, okay?” I asked, thinking of the ones I couldn’t save. Harley couldn’t be on that list. When he finally nodded, I pressed my forehead against his own, calming his mind, “now, I need you to run home as fast as you can. Don’t look back, don’t slow down, just run, okay?” I asked.

He nodded his head once more, “promise you’ll come back,” he urged me.

“I’m going to try,” I replied, not wanting to get his hopes up, but I also wanted him to know that I was going to do everything in my power to make it back to him. I stood up from the ground, urging him in the direction of his house, and he began running. I turned my attention back toward the store Tony had found his way into, and the moment my eyes caught the fire raging in the building, the explosion happened, and my heart stopped. It felt like my world collapsed in on me once more, and that sinking feeling crept back up. The universe realized that I was being given too much, and I was in need of a readjustment. I had a piece of Loki back; therefore, Tony must be taken away. Tears sprang to my eyes at the thought of losing him, of losing my link to the woman I was once, to the people I loved so dearly.

I scrambled up to my feet, stumbling over to the building as the fear, anger, rage, and absolute despair built up within me. I felt weaker than ever before, but in that weakness, I found such an incredible power rising within me as well. A stray tear cascaded down my cheek as I made my way over to the building, afraid of what I could find. I didn’t know if I could handle the sight of him if Death had truly claimed him, but even if she did, I would fight her until the very end to ensure his safety and security. He was like a son to me, and I had failed too many people to fail him as well. My body trembled as if there was a pressure building up within me that I couldn’t release. When I finally reached the back of the building, my eyes landed on him as he stood upright, clearly shocked by what had just happened, “oh, God,” I breathed out, sprinting over to him and throwing my arms around his body and holding him as tightly as I could without breaking him, “I thought I lost you,” I explained, my voice quivering almost as much as my body was.

He gathered me in his arms, holding me the same way I held him. He held me like he was prepared to be my armor, like he would be the impenetrable wall between me and any danger. That terrified me. The fear I had when I thought I lost him was more than enough to drive me over the edge. I had no idea what would’ve happened to me if he was ripped away from me. I had lost too much to lose him as well. I pulled away from him just enough to give him the once over. My hands grazed his cheeks as I focused my energy on transferring his wounds to me if there was any. The second he realized what I was doing, he pulled away from me, grabbing my hands to stop me from healing him, “stop, just...let me carry these,” he insisted, his dark brown eyes pleading with mine.

Right before I could argue with him, there was a loud creaking sound radiating from the water tower, causing Tony to jump. I could feel his anxiety building up as our eyes locked on the water tower that began to tip toward us ever so slightly. One of the metal beams that held it upright was glowing red, much like Brandt’s skin did when we fought. It was heating up...melting. I grunted, “you have got to be kidding me,” I growled, grabbing Tony’s arm. His eyes met mine once more, “run,” I ordered, and the two of us took off with one another. Naturally, I was faster than him, but I couldn’t leave him behind. Behind us, I heard the metal beginning to break like it was as fragile as glass. Upon casting a quick glance over my shoulder, I saw that the tower was plummeting toward the ground. When I looked back at our path, I saw that we were completely cut off. A fence had blocked our escape.

Every scenario ran through my mind in that moment. I could break through the fence and continue running with Tony only to be overcome by the massive amount of water. I could try to shield him from the pressure of the water with my body. I could throw him over the fence and hope that he could make it to safety in time. None of the scenarios stood out to me, but when the water tower finally crashed down and broke open, I knew what needed to be done. It was as if the solution just appeared out of nowhere, even though I wasn’t even sure if it would work. I faced the water, grabbing Tony’s arm and pushing him behind me. As the massive amounts of water approached us, I knelt down and touched the cold ground with my hands, connecting with the essence of life within the planet itself just as I had when I first arrived. She was still so calm and beautiful, strong and loving. Her life empowered me, our souls still interwoven.

Upon rising from the ground, I opened my eyes and stared directly into the water that approached us, knowing what needed to be done. When I held my hands out, the water stopped on a dime to my utter disbelief. I heard Tony’s deep gasp from behind me, and I felt his body fill with amazement. I didn’t know how this was happening, how any of my sudden...abilities were happening that night. Perhaps my body just conjured up abilities in order to allow me to keep Harley and Tony safe. However, I couldn’t help but ponder Frigga’s words that day on the balcony: You are the balance. What if she was right? What if she knew something about me that I didn’t? This wasn’t who I was. I was just Eva, the girl without a place, without a name. I was the orphan. I had no purpose other than the one I made for myself...but what if?

When I saw the glowing silhouette of the man beyond the water, I recognized him as the one who tried to shoot Harley. The heat rose in my chest once more, and my hands balled up into fists, causing the flowing water to begin to shift. Where it had once acted as a gentle flow of water that I controlled, it became like the water in the middle of the ocean during a storm. I clenched my jaw, narrowing my eyes at the stranger as my body began to quake. The pain in my abdomen felt like it was sucking out the very soul from within me. I felt the power draining from me as I continued to hold the water in place, and I noticed a grin on the strangers face. As my vision began to blur, I realized what was happening. I was either going to die or faint. Either way, I couldn’t let my attempt to protect Tony be in vain. My hands raised, causing the water to raise with them, and with a scream, I used the last fragment of my power to hurl the waves back at the stranger before my world went black.

“Eva!” I heard a far away voice, one I heard my entire life. It was my father. As the sound grew louder, I heard the screams, the clanging of swords, the grunts and roars of battle, and my father’s voice once more, “Eva get up!” he commanded as his rough, battle broken hands shook my body. My eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the darkness. It felt like the evening had set upon us with the thick clouds in the sky, but I could see hints of light from above. The screams continued to grow louder and louder as my eyes found my father’s, “pick up your sword and fight!” he yelled before landing a kick against the chest of an Asgardian warrior with glowing red eyes, sending the warrior falling back. Once he was on the ground, my father lifted his greatsword, Omen, and plunged it deep into the chest of the soldier. The struggling ended, and the red glow in the soldiers eyes faded away.

I furrowed my eyebrows. These were our people, and he was...killing them. My eyes flickered around the battlefield to see more soldiers with glowing red eyes dressed in Asgardian armor. I knew some of them. Magni, Leif, Erna, Sten, and Ingvild. Men and women I once fought beside were slaughtering my people. They were being fought off by Sif, Ephinea, Thor, even Loki. It was a dream the moment I saw his face. This was all a dream. Loki would never fight alongside Thor again, and the only way he would’ve been released from the dungeons would be if I broke him out myself. Asgardian soldiers fought each other, but as my eyes continued to focus, I noticed a stark difference between the two, aside from their eyes. The soldiers with glowing red eyes had received mortal wounds that looked to still be fresh. Before I had time to process it, my father kicked my sword over to me, “pick up your sword and fight!” he demanded, his voice trembling with a fear I hadn’t heard in him at any other point. I fought alongside my father, and I witnessed him in such utter distress, but something left him with pure terror rising up within him.

I shook my head, desperately wanting to let go, “I can’t. It’s over,” I realized aloud, my eyes fluttering closed again. The wound on my abdomen made me hiss out in pain as it continued to fester and pull the life right out of me. I couldn’t even entertain the idea of getting up and fighting anymore. My entire life was spent fighting, and it was time for me to lay down, fall asleep, and allow the universe to swallow me whole. The book was over. This was the end.

“It’s not over until you give up!” my father yelled, kneeling down next to me. His eyes were stern as they had often been through our childhood, but that never diminished the love he had for us. He showed us all the love in the world, more than we deserved, but he raised us to be strong and capable. He raised us into people who showed love even when that was the hardest thing to do, but he also turned us into some of the fiercest warriors in Asgard. He taught us that fighting and bloodshed should be the very last resort, but if it came to that, he prepared us to be lethal. He reached down between us and cupped his hand over my cheek. In that moment, I took in the severity of his wounds. He had been injured, but he was still fighting. He sighed, “I taught you how to walk, how to speak, how to hunt, how to fight, how to lead. I never taught you to surrender. Giving up isn’t in your blood,” he explained, his thumb stroking my cheek. My eyes began to flutter closed as my hearing faded once more. The sky felt as if it was crushing my body into the ground beneath me. It felt like I was being suffocated. Another shake from my father caused my body to seize slightly, the pain coursing through me once more. I gritted my teeth as he spoke, “now, I know it hurts, but if anyone can handle the pain, it’s you. You’re the best warrior Asgard has ever seen, and there’s more potential in you than you know. You can do so much more if you let go and accept who you’re meant to be, Eva, not what you’ve been told you can be or the person you’ve been reduced to. You’re my daughter, my little wolf, but you must also accept where you come from. Your blood makes you powerful, and Asgard needs that right now. Your home, your people, your family...we need you,” he explained, his eyes filled with so much hope, so much desperation.

I coughed, tasting the blood on my tongue, “I’m tired of fighting,” I confessed, reaching my hand up to cup his own. Upon seeing my own hand, I noticed the bright red blood smeared across my skin. I didn’t know if it was mine or someone else’s, but it made my stomach churn.

“And yet the battle wages on with or without you,” he reminded me, “rest only comes after the battle. I will not bury you with your brother, so you will stand up and fight with me until the very end!”

I shook my head, ready to argue with him, ready to unsheathe one of my daggers and plunge it into my own heart to avoid the battle. I had suffered long enough, and for what? I lost everything I loved anyway. I lost so many friends along the way. I lost Hjalmar. I lost Loki more times than I could count, and I was bound to lose him again. I lost myself. I lost it all. Every ounce of fight I once had was spent. It was over. Then, there was a scream, a cry for help, a familiar voice on the battlefield. My eyes crossed the battlefield to see a man I’d never seen before but a man who was familiar to me nonetheless. He had long black hair and piercing green eyes. They were the color of spring. I knew those eyes. Ezra had the same mad look in his emerald eyes. This was the man he spoke of: Cul, his father. My breath hitched in my throat as my eyes caught sight of who was in his grasp.

Her.

So many questions began to fill my mind. I knew this was a dream, a hallucination, but it had been so long since I’d seen her. Her face only showed itself to me in my most beautiful dreams or my most vivid, terrifying nightmares. I always dreamt that I had her back in my arms or that I lost her once more. No matter what, when I fell asleep, I dreamt of her. No matter how hard I tried to forget her, she was there in the depths of my mind like a raging fire that I had no hope of stopping. Her crystal-like green eyes met mine, and she wept, reaching out for me like she had only once before, like she had on the day I abandoned her. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and I gritted my teeth, fighting back my grief of seeing her once more.

“She needs you, Eva, whether you accept that or not. Even though you don’t see it, you’ve never failed her. You’ve never failed me. You’ve never failed your home. Are you going to start now? Or are you going to fight with me?” my father asked, the fire in my heart lighting once more.

I nodded my head, gazing back up at him as he rose to his feet. I reached out my hand, ready to die if it meant she would be safe, “until the very end,” I promised.

He grasped my hand and pulled me up onto my feet, steadying me, acting as my anchor just as he always did throughout my life, “I’ve got you, little wolf. Everything’s going to be okay,” he promised me, acting as my foundation, my rock, my steady ground. Now, it was time for me to be hers.

*Tony’s POV*

As the attackers body was thrown backward at the force of the small repulsor blast, Harley took the chance to sprint over to Eva’s body. Everything happened so quickly that I didn’t get the chance to check to see if she was alright, if she was even alive. I watched as Harley fell to his knees by Eva’s side, and he began shaking her. She looked more peaceful than I’d ever seen her before, but my heart was in my throat as I realized that her peace could’ve meant my loss. I loved her both selfishly and unselfishly. I knew the pain and suffering she had gone through, I knew what she had lost, but the selfish part of me wanted her to continue living for as long as I did. I couldn’t bear losing her because it would be like losing the last good piece of myself. The unselfish part of me was the part that loved her the most, though. It was the part of me that made me wish for the very best for her no matter what that meant for me. If I was approached by any supreme entity that promised her happiness in exchange for my life, I’d hand myself over in a heartbeat. I loved her in a way that I’d never been able to love myself, and she loved me more powerfully and unselfishly than almost anyone else. The only other person who loved me that much was my mother.

As I realized what I’d be losing if I lost Eva, I scrambled over to her body, the weight of the situation finally sinking in. Harley threw his body against hers, gripping onto her like a child would their mother. That was when I finally realized what she meant to him. They shared a connection that I couldn’t quite put my finger on, but as time passed, I realized that he looked at her as his shield, his protection, his person, his mother. It didn’t take a genius to piece together what was going on in his home. From some of his comments to the bruises on his arms that were visible for only a fraction of a second, I knew that he had been in dire need for protection all his life. Even though someone had given birth to him, he didn’t have a mother, and he took to Eva like an animal imprinting on its mother. He sat up, pushing the hair from her face before wiping his eyes, “wake up!” he sobbed as he shook her. He was having a complete breakdown, and there were no words I could say to make it better. There was nothing I could do to take his pain away, and it tore me apart inside, “you promised!” he wept, his body trembling as if he was being torn apart on the inside.

My heart began to thud as she still wasn’t showing any signs of waking up. This couldn’t be the end for her. Nothing happened to her. She had been acting slightly strange since she got here, but I figured it was because she was still coming to terms with being back on Earth. She had promised to stay away, that she would fall apart if she came back. That was what was happening right in front of my eyes. She fell apart, and I didn’t know how to put her back together. She wasn’t breathing, she wasn’t breathing, she was just completely still aside from Harley shaking her. I shook my head, “Eva, don’t do this. Don’t leave me like this,” I sniffled, tears beginning to stream freely down my cheeks. I didn’t care about how I looked or how weak the tears made me seem. All I cared about was her. I reached out for her hand, gripping onto it like Harley was gripping onto her. My bottom lip quivered as I felt no sign of life from her, “you...you can’t die,” I trembled.

As I squeezed my eyes shut, desperately trying to will it away, I heard a soft voice whispering words that brought me back to my childhood, “nothing ever really dies, it simply retires for a little while only to return again when we need it most,” Eva whispered in a soft, weak voice. The memory of that day rushed right back to me. I had been sitting on the back porch of my childhood home after school. One of my classmates parents had died, and I was trying to process the meaning of it. Eva sat down beside me, and I could remember asking her if she would die. She whispered those same words to me and told me that she’d never be far away from me. When I finally heard those words, my eyes shot open, and I took in the sight before me. Harley had even sat up to take her in, to make sure he wasn’t dreaming. I clapped my hand over my mouth, trying to hold back the wave of emotions that crashed down on top of me. Her green eyes scanned both of us but landed on Harley first, “I told you to go home,” she murmured, reaching up to gently stroke his cheek.

He shook his head, tears continuing to stream down his cheeks, “it’s not home without you,” he confessed, causing my heart to twist in my chest. Even in our short time knowing each other, he took to her like I’d never witnessed before. They were meant to find each other.

Eva reached up and wiped the tears from his cheeks as tears began to form in hers. When they fell, it was like stars falling from the night sky. She could sense his pain, it was a talent she had since the first day I met her. It was like she could tune into the essence of a person and feel exactly what they were feeling; it was empathy on a whole other level. Harley let out a shaky breath and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly. She closed her eyes, and a light smile spread across her lips as she basked in the love he had for her, which only strengthened the love she had for him. It took a moment, but once she opened her eyes, they connected with mine, “are you okay?” she asked, genuinely concerned with my well-being when she was the one who nearly died.

I nodded my head, sucking in a sharp breath in an attempt to collect myself. The thought that I came so close to losing her, to losing someone so pivotal in my life, it tore me apart. Her life had been put in question far too many times, and this time, it was to save me. Her hand grasped my free one as tightly as she could manage, catching my eyes. She knew how afraid I was of losing her because she was just as afraid of losing me. Once I found the strength to speak, I cleared my throat, “you’re such a pain in the ass,” I trembled, my voice breaking as my emotions betrayed me. I thought I had a handle on them enough to speak, but I didn’t. I clapped my hand over my mouth as I began crying tears of overwhelming grief, fear, and joy all at once. There were so many emotions that were bottled up that came to the surface in that moment.

As soon as the first tear fell, Eva sat up with Harley still attached to her side, hugging her. Her face twisted in pain, but she pushed through it. Once she was sitting up, she grasped the back of my neck and pulled my face close to hers, pressing our foreheads together until our noses brushed against each others. Her hand moved from behind my neck to cup the side of my face, stroking my cheek with her thumb and brushing away the stray tears. As she held me, I felt myself growing calmer by the second, and I knew she had a hand in that. There were gifts that she was given, gifts that I could never know the range of. She leaned into my ear, the side of her face brushing against my own, “you’re the reason I came back to Midgard, and you’re one of the reasons why I can’t let go,” she whispered before pulling away from me just enough to catch my gaze. The most beautiful smile in the universe spread across her lips and made me feel at ease for the first time in such a long time.

Then, like all good moments in my life, this one ended just as quickly as it began. Her body convulsed, and her face twisted in pain as her eyes filled with tears. Harley pulled away from her right before she threw herself back onto the ground, her chest heaving as she groaned out in pain. She clung to her abdomen, and it finally made me take notice of the spotted blood on her shirt. There were no tears in her clothes, but there was still blood. I reached out as she whimpered, her jaw clenching and a permanent frown finding her lips. My hand grasped the hem of her shirt, and I lifted it up, wanting to see what I could do to help. I wasn’t as talented as Bruce when it came to the medical field, but I wasn’t inept. However, upon lifting her shirt, I saw what had been hiding beneath all this time. It was clear that she was experiencing pain since she had arrived, but it didn’t seem serious. When I saw the wound on her abdomen, though, I realized just how wrong I had been.

*Eva’s POV*

My vision blurred as I tried to focus on Tony. His eyes scanned the wound on my abdomen that throbbed and left me useless for the moment. I tried to breathe through the pain, but it wasn’t taking it away. I was still uncertain of what happened to make it hurt so bad. I’d experienced worse flesh wounds than that one. I’d been stabbed before. I’d been cut, choked, shot, and beaten. I was a warrior of Asgard, so I knew pain, but every ounce of pain I’d felt before meant nothing compared to this. The pain of a mere slash shouldn’t have amounted to much, and it should’ve healed quickly. However, this one had festered. Tony’s eyes filled with fear, which was the last thing I expected from him. The wound was disgusting, so I expected him to be taken aback by it. It looked like that part of my body was slowly decaying. Just as the throbbing pain stopped and the more constant burn kicked back in, my head fell back against the ground, and I worked on catching my breath. Tony’s eyes locked with mine, “what happened?”

“Before I came here, I was wounded in battle. I thought it would heal, but...it hasn’t even started. It’s just gotten worse,” I answered through labored breaths, “it was this, or he was going to kill one of my closest friends. I couldn’t let that happen.”

“Are you going to be okay?” Harley’s worried voice sounded from beside me. I gazed up at him, feeling like the luckiest being in the universe with him looking at me with so much concern. I was lucky that I was loved even after all I had done. Still, the care that he had for me could hurt him, just like my love for him could hurt me. Upon my inability to answer his question, he looked to Tony, “is she gonna be okay?” he asked, desperation filling his voice as he looked for an answer.

Tony nodded his head before his eyes caught mine, “if I have anything to do with it, she will be,” he promised, speaking to both of us. I wasn’t afraid to die, but I knew that I had to fight for the sake of the people I vowed to protect. Tony was one of them.

I gazed up at Harley, “don’t worry about me. I’m gonna be alright,” I insisted, trying to give him as much hope as possible. I didn’t want him to fear my death, even if I was about to draw my last breath. Death would come for each and every living being at some point, so to fear her when the time came made no difference. My hand found his smaller one, and his bloodshot eyes found mine, shattering my heart.

His eyes narrowed at me, “you promised not to leave me!” he shouted, his voice cracking in desperation. My near death hurt him in ways that I couldn’t understand.

I shook my head, “and I didn’t,” I reminded him.

“You almost did!” he snapped, pulling his hand away from mine as he frantically dried the tears from his face. He sniffled, “you almost left me alone, and I don’t want to be alone anymore!”

The moment he spoke those words, I realized exactly what our relationship was. I knew that the mother/child feeling that I had for him wasn’t one-sided, and it took that moment for me to recognize what had been sitting right before me all that time. He reciprocated those feelings. He felt just as deeply for me as I did for him. I couldn’t discourage him from them or try to push him away because it would only hurt him, and I refused to be one of the people who hurt him, “in your life, there are going to be people who leave you, but that’s when you need to be stronger than ever before. Those are the moments, the moments when it seems like the whole world is falling apart, that you need to gather yourself and carry on. I may not be around forever,” I confessed, causing him to shake his head in denial. I reached up, my hand grazing his cheek, “I may not be around forever, but when my time comes, I want to know that you can make it through whatever life throws your way. I want to know that you’re prepared for whatever comes next because you’re a warrior, little one. You can make it without me.”

His bottom lip quivered, “but I don’t want to,” he whimpered, wearing every emotion on his face. In his sadness, he looked away from me, almost as if he was ashamed to be feeling so much sorrow and anger. It was sincere, though. I nearly died, and he was justified in his anger. I put myself in a dangerous situation, which-regardless of my intentions-could’ve gotten me killed. I had almost broken my promise to him, and that would’ve torn him apart. I knew what this was like. I’d been in similar situations before.

“Harley, look at me,” I insisted, trying to reach his face. He pulled away even further, and I knew that if I didn’t intervene, he would pull away emotionally as well. I gave up trying to turn his head and settled for grabbing his small hand in mine, “look at me,” I urged him once more before those sad eyes locked with mine. I knew that look. I’d given that look to my brother countless times before we went into battle. Loki and I gave it to each other on more occasions than I could count. I knew what it was like to lose, but I needed to let Harley know that he’d never lose me. I told him the same words Hjalmar once told me, words I told Loki, Steve, Tony, and her. I swallowed hard, hot tears stinging my eyes, “nothing-not even death-could keep me away from you. Even when I meet death, know that I’m always right by your side. Every breeze you feel rush past you, the warmth you feel when the rays of light from the sun hit your skin, the star that lights your way home: that’s me. I’m never gone, Harley, not from you. Do you understand that?”

Just as he nodded his head, another surge of pain made it feel like my body was being torn in half, like I was being ripped apart from the inside. The pain was so intense that my vision began to blur again. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to will away the pain, trying to regain control of my own body. Instead, the pain, like the buzzing in my ears, grew louder and louder, stronger and stronger. It was like I was fighting a losing battle. No matter what I did, I was going to fail. Just as quickly as the pain started, it faded with the noise. When I opened my eyes, I was in the middle of the throne room, and he stood directly in front of me. Ezra. Familiar green eyes, strong facial features, and long hair that matched the color of my own. He was a beautiful man with the build of a God. However, the madness left him looking sick, like Loki did in New York. It was clear that he hadn’t always looked like that, like he hadn’t eaten or slept in weeks. The madness took time to settle in, and I’d weed it out if I could, if he gave me the chance.

Ezra paced back and forth in front of the throne, not looking at it, not attempting to sit in it, not even fighting an urge to touch it. He wasn’t king, and he didn’t want the throne. Still, he guarded it like a predator guarding its fresh kill. His eyes scanned along the edge of one of his daggers as he spoke to me, “the way I see it, you have two options,” he stated, a twisted smile forming on his face as he sheathed the dagger and turned his attention to me, his eyes almost glowing with hatred, “your first option is you come back to Asgard, set me free, we leave together peacefully, and I fix that festering wound on your abdomen,” he explained with arrogance in his voice as he gestured to where the source of my pain came from. He shrugged his shoulders, “your second-less appealing-option is you stay away from Asgard, I break out of this cell, kill every last one of these scum, including your beloved Loki, find her, kill all of your friends, make you watch as I slaughter her, and then force you to come with me anyway. Either way, I win. You just have a say in how many lives are lost over this.”

I narrowed my eyes at him, furious that he would call her into this, “you don’t know where she is. I don’t even know where she is!”

“You think your ignorance hinders me?” he chuckled, descending the steps to stand directly in front of me. He grabbed my neck and pulled me close to him, close enough so that his breath cascaded across my face. His hands felt...familiar, just as his eyes had. His presence felt right in the strangest way, but I couldn’t understand it. I wasn’t afraid of him. Even as he gripped my throat tightly, threatening to squeeze the life from me, I wasn’t afraid of him, “I’m a God!” he yelled before tossing me back, my body hitting the floor.

“No! You’re a monster!” I yelled, rising to my feet and closing the space between us once more. The pain subsided. Every ounce of joy, love, and compassion just evaporated into nothing. It left me with nothing but my rage. He threatened her life, the lives of people I cared about. He was a threat-a coal that threatened to burn down all that I loved, and I would stomp it out no matter what. I reached between us, my hand gripping his throat just as he had done to me only a moment prior, “and if you even think about laying your hands on her, there will be no place for you to run, nowhere for you to hide. I will tear open the universe looking for you. I will find you no matter the cost, and when I do, you’ll beg me for a painful, torturous death when you see what I do to you,” I growled, the anger and rage threatening to tear me apart.

“This...this is who you’re meant to be,” he noted, a smile forming on his lips as he gestured down to my hand that was clasped around his throat. My eyes widened when I saw what happened to them. I ripped my hand away from his throat, and I stared down at both of them as the anger continued to flow freely through me. The veins in my hands glowed red just like his had when we fought each other that day. I shook my head in disbelief. Something was wrong with me. My mouth fell open as I looked for words to explain it away. Any explanation would suffice, but I would not believe that I was like him, that I was cursed. Before I had the chance to speak, he chuckled, “I’m eagerly awaiting your decision, Eva.”

[deputysaint]

Who are 3 characters you would like to write?

      nonny ily  //  i like to do things differently here

   i. john seed, far cry 5   john is not a patient man, that much is obvious from first meetings. he’s loud and dramatic and violent. he’s spoiled by a lifestyle where everything is given to him with an exchange of cash, or violence, and he’s lived an adult life of getting what he wants when he wants and without much opposition in his way. but the people of falls end, they oppose him, they stand up to him, and with the deputy’s help they reclaim mostly everything he has taken.   john is not a patient man. but he can be when he needs to be.   he distracts them with random acts of violence, with the creation of a tanker of a truck, with kidnappings and baptisms and confessions. he takes the weak and makes them his own, he cuts down the strong, and he hunts his deputy, his rook, the piece he needs to make it in the end.   it takes a month, a whole month after the deputy’s escape from his bunker, for the people of falls end to let their guard down. and he’s swift in judgement then, swift and brutal in regaining control.   he can be a monster if he needs to be. and he needs to be in that moment, after all that patience and time waiting, he is rewarded with the greatest of rewards: the junior deputy.   his hands shake and his breath is quick as he waits for them, watching as they slowly walk up the red carpet, looking at the decorations john himself has put up.   it’s not pride that floods him at the look of horrified wonder on their face. pride is a sin. but it’s something close, close enough that he knows he will need to take penance later for.   he will atone. but first.   he will take what is his.

   ii. wrench, watch dogs ii   it haunts him sometimes. and it’s funny, because it fucking shouldn’t. because out of all the trouble he’s been in, being captured by the goddamn fbi is the smallest of issues. because he’s been dealing with violence since he was a child, and gang related shit since he was sixteen, and when he moved up in the world, became a god fucking damn fixer for hire, he was still a fucking child in most senses of the word, too young to really be a threat, too young to be in the business.   but he fucking flourished. because he’s a goddamn monster and he’s fucking proud of it.   he’s never fucked up, never been busted, not since he was too small to be held accountable for it, for his random bursts of violence and aggression towards anyone with authority.    but here he fucking was, beaten and bruised by goddamn government lackies and almost fucking trembling in fear.   fuck it. fuck them. fuck the whole fucking world.   he makes it a point to remember their names. because when he gets out of here, when he gets his fucking face back, he’s going to burn everything they love to the ground.   because he’s a fucking monster. and he protects his own.

   iii. loki, mcu   if he was asked, if he was ever forced to answer the question of at what point he knew he was different from the rest of odin’s family, at what point he knew he did not belong, he wouldn’t be able to answer. it’s been there all along, even as a child, the nagging of difference among the asgardians, an uncomfortable feeling of not right, not right, not right that was reinforced by nothing, but existed there nonetheless.    his mother, his adopted mother, was the kindest to him. a mother who kept him close and took care of him when he grew uncomfortable in his own skin. a mother who taught him everything she knew, all forms of magic and illusion and trickery, things she knew would keep him safe.    she’d always told him he was hers, her son, and that she held his spirit, while his brother held that of his father.   he should have known then that something was wrong. but he hadn’t. he’d ignored the signs and strange looks his mother would get in her eye as she talked to him, about him when he got older. he ignored them because he wanted to believe in the lie, because he loved her, because he knew she loved him in return.   the mother he had, she was the only good he’d had in his life. ever. and even after everything he already knew came into light, his heritage, the truth of their lies… he loved her still.   because despite everything he did, everything he had continued to do, she had loved him, continued to love him. and that, at least, was the only truth.   he feels it when algrim murders her, feels the blade cut through her. the pain is like nothing else he’s felt before, and as she passes, the numbness seeps in. he breaks things in his cell in an attempt to feel something, anything, and nothing works.    he feels empty. but even still, he conspires a plan.   odin and thor, they let his mother die.    and for that, he will take all that they love, and he will break it.

[frost-iron]

PRIDE & PREJUDICE PROMPT/SCENARIO

OKAY. THIS IS FOR ALL THE PRIDE & PREJUDICE FANS:

Because I woke up at 6am this morning, I found myself lying in bed trying to go back to sleep and sort of Asgardian AU-ing Pride and Prejudice in my head from Mr Darcy’s terribly wedding proposal until the happy ending. And it was actually quite a good plot line. But I have no interest in actually wanting to full on write this AU. So I’m just going to give you the ramble from my head.

Read and enjoy or write, if you feel particularly inclined.

So the way I envisioned it was from the first, insult-laced, terribly proposal we’re all familiar with.

So in this scenario, Prince Loki had been coming to visit Weaponsmith Anthony for months. They first met through Fandral maybe who always liked hanging with the common folk and found/liked Anthony and saw he was a brilliant weaponsmith. Anyway, one day Loki came with Fandral and was kind of intrigued.

Anthony was polite at first but they quickly started snarking and arguing and their intellects were so sharp and vicious Fandral almost felt like he had wounds even as a bystander.

Anyway, Loki can’t get Anthony his mind. He’s been there with Fandral, on his own (for his own commissions) and just feels so drawn to the weaponsmith. Anthony, however, has put up with the prince because he’s a prince but Anthony thinks he’s arrogant, rude, a piece of fucking work and someone he wants to punch in the mouth.

Loki however, shows up one time because it’s been like say, almost a year of this and he can’t stop wanting/dreaming/lusting/desiring Anthony so he decides Anthony will be his. He does the whole Darcy train wreck proposal ala: “while you are beneath me as a lowly weaponsmith, this cannot be helped. I have still come to desire and want you. I know I will be going against the express wishes of my family, and my own better judgement, but I would have you consent to court me and become my consort." 

And Anthony does the whole bug-eyed shock thing, completely stunned that Loki has been longing for him the entire time. But he very carefully and with clipped words thanks him for the compliment, but says no.

Loki is okay, hurt and peeved and demands to know why and then, of course, an argument occurs with Anthony being pushed and retaliating and snarling all the reasons why he would never marry Loki. 

And what hits Loki the most is that every reason has nothing to do with all the reasons another Aesir might reject him. It wasn’t his magic, his sneaky behaviour, it was because Loki had personally been so fucking rude, dismissive and cruel to Anthony. He had treated Anthony, unwittingly, like many people treat him.

So Loki retreats, angry and hurt and trying to get over it (failing). And feeling kind of… bad as he looks over everything he did. He doesn’t like it, doesn’t like feeling the sharp sting of bitterness, regret (continued longing) and the awareness Anthony was right and he was a dick.

Now. Anthony’s best friend right, is Rhodey and he is an Einherjar (royal guard) and he mentions Loki being weird being nicer to servants and yeah, okay, he’s getting a bit mocked for it by others in the court and making the servants suspicious but really, Rhodey just sees it as a good thing, a good change. He doesn’t know what prompted it, but it’s good.  And Anthony shifting uncomfortably.

But he just keeps getting these weird accounts from everyone and having kind of… mixed emotions about that, but Anthony tries to push it to the side.

But, anyway, a few months later, Anthony and Loki run into each other because Anthony has been commissioned by the head of the royal guard’s for a sword.

And it’s awkward but Loki is really polite, really trying and Anthony is hesitantly polite back. Loki then, well, okay, he always tries to kind of, cross paths with Anthony when he’s coming to the castle to speak with the guard about the sword. Anthony doesn’t call him up on it or refuse the company of this puzzling polite, nice, nervous, prince.

He even allows Loki to walk with him to the royal guard’s rooms every time. He even starts allowing Loki to meet him at the castle entrance and walk him all the way there. It’s all chaste, all brief, polite conversations, but it’s kind of nice, and Anthony finds himself smiling and laughing a little and watching Loki brighten more and more each time.

Then, when the sword is done, Loki hesitates before quietly asking if Anthony would permit him to introduce Anthony to his mother. He hurriedly adds that she is in need of a new sword and is almost rambling reasons when Anthony says yes. A very small smile on Anthony’s lips and Loki grins bright with relief.

Anthony does meet the Queen and Loki sits nervously in the room the entire time as they have a sort of lunch/commission chat and then Loki sees Anthony out, watching him longingly from the castle entrance as he disappears into the streets of Asgard.

And then it’s the next morning that Loki goes to Anthony’s workshop, looking ~spiffy. He’s actively, for the first time, visiting Anthony, feeling like he can, like he won’t be rebuffed for it - but what he doesn’t know is Anthony received a letter that morning. Rhodey and some of the other Einherjars had gone to deal with something on Vanaheim and they were missing and presumed dead and Anthony is a wreck.

And Loki does the whole D: face full of concern and worry. He touches Anthony gently to lead him to sit down, his hands on Anthony’s hands/leg in comfort before realising he’s not allowed to do that and withdrawing. He still wants to comfort but is unable to. Anthony also probably admits to something here, something to make him look even more "common” or something, how he can’t do anything to help Rhodey because he doesn’t have permission to/can’t afford to traverse the realms, and what would he even do? He’d have no idea where to start, his best friend is going to die and Anthony is here and can’t save him.

And Loki his heart is aching and he makes a snap decision. “I’m sorry, Anthony, but I know you must be desiring my absence I’ll tell mother you won’t be able to continue the commission… I’ll leave you now.”

Anthony slumps a little and nods, unable to admit he felt a bit better with Loki here. But internally he’s thinking Loki obviously doesn’t like him any more (why would he?) and he also now knows how weak and truly poor and common Anthony really is, so of course he won’t want his mother to have one of Anthony’s swords.

But Loki, he basically bolts off the planet and goes to Vanaheim and searches for Rhodey. Like, he is gone for weeks but he finds them and gets them back and makes them all take a vow where they can say nothing about who helped them.

But Rhodey, Rhodey fucking knows why they were found and why Loki gave a shit. Anthony is so relieved to see him, throwing his arms around Rhodey in a hug. But Rhodey though, he is smart as shit. And it takes him a bit, but he still manages to say/give enough hints without breaking the vow to make Anthony catch on that Loki saved them. 

Anthony is shocked and warm and happy. (And since we don’t need a Lady Catherine De Burgh is confrontation we’ll skip that) But I can see Anthony coming back to work on the commission and Loki and Anthony kind of just looking at each other/a lot. And Mama Frigga is not oblivious. She manages to shoo them into taking a walk around the gardens together and they do, Loki walking with hands behind his back, looking straight ahead as they talk about mundane things.

But Anthony is nervous and glancing around and making sure they are alone before whispering the whole, “Loki, I can’t go any longer without thanking you for saving Rhodey.” Loki looks at him with wide eyes and Anthony assists, “Your spell held but Rhodey and I have long learned to understand each other without speaking and I just… I just have to thank you. He would have been dead without you and I know a trained and loyal Einherjar is always needed but I just have to-”

“You don’t need to thank me,” Loki murmurs, not looking at Anthony. “While you are right that an Einherjar is well-regarded, I confess I thought of nothing but you.”

And Anthony’s heart trips and he sucks in a breath. Loki just closes his eyes and grits his teeth before shifting to better face and see Anthony.

“You are too intelligent to misunderstand me and too kind to mislead me.” He licks his lips, his eyes soft and sad and yearning. “If you still feel the way that you did months ago, please tell me. My wishes and feelings for you have not changed,” he looks away and confesses, “but one word from you and I will stay silent on this forever.”

And Anthony swallows, his heart racing, but he also reaches out and takes Loki’s hand in his own, making Loki’s heart lurch with hope and his eyes snap up to Anthony’s face who is smiling. “I don’t feel how I did those months ago, in fact,” he steps a little closer and squeezes Loki’s hand. “I feel the opposite.”

Loki sucks in a shaky breath and his eyes dart over Anthony’s face frantically. “You accept my courtship?”

“I do,” Anthony replies and they’re both smiling so relieved and happy and grateful.

And then Loki bends down and Anthony tilts up and their lips come together in a soft, loving, perfect kiss that starts their long, blissful life together.

AND THEN HAPPY ENDING SUNSET. TA-DAH.

[phagechildon]

The Greater Good - Chapter 5

Been a year since I’ve updated. So much going on I finally have the courage/motivation to write again so yeah! My goal is to upload once a month now whenever my internet allows me to go on Tumblr. I wrote half this a year ago, then the other half just two days ago. 

READ ON AO3 Tumblr: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Story Summary: Jack, unable to handle the dark life he’s living, is now trying to redeem himself by using his skills and demigod powers to protect the innocent. Though he gets more than he bargained for when he meets Hiccup, who unknowingly holds the very fate of the world in his hands. Chapter Summary: Overhearing men at a tavern, Jack and Hiccup rush to save a kidnapped orphan, only to regrettably stumble upon a dying village that was better left alone. 

Warning: This chapter includes a child's death and dark themes.

----

Chapter 5: The Vengeful Spirit

“You used to work for them?” Hiccup mumbled, curious. He heard people talk about it, including Jack, but never really knew what that entailed.

“Yes,” Jack grumbled as they started to pick up speed, the demigod looking in all directions, completely on edge. The more time he was given to think the more frustrated he seemed to become.

“What… kind of army is er- was it?” Hiccup corrected, ready to drop the subject at a moment’s notice.

As fearful and furious as Jack was, he knew he had to tell Hiccup, especially after what he saw. They were both in danger now. “It’s an army straight out of a nightmare, as the name suggests,” he clarified, keeping Baby Tooth close for comfort. “It’s made up of demigods and humans. What you saw… was probably a creature the leader, a demigod of Loki like me, made.” The mere mention of the leader seem to make Jack tense up more, which made Hiccup more unnerved.

“But you’re supposedly a son of Loki, yet-”

“I don’t have dark powers?” Jack cut him off with a snarling growl, making Hiccup slow his pace a bit to give the demigod space. “I’m not proud of it but…. my powers are just as dark. I just…. use them in a different way.”

Images from the first village Jack saved came back to him all at once. Despite his good intentions, Jack’s form did darken and resemble the creature he saw in the Hamanda village, just covered in ice. The auras however were completely different. While both of the appearances were threatening, Jack’s aura was kind and protective. The creature from the village screamed fear, guilt and death. There was nothing soothing about it.

“I think you’re succeeding,” Hiccup reassured, tossing him a smile. Jack gave him a surprised look before quickly averting his gaze, awkwardly clearing his throat.

“But if you saw him, we have to be careful,” he said, still looking around wearingly. “He knows you’re friends with me and we can’t let him know about your connection to dragons.”

“Is he still perusing you?” Hiccup couldn’t help but ask with a tilt of his head. If there was an entire army after Jack, he needed to know.

“Anything’s possible,” Jack morbidly admitted, clenching his fists tightly. “He doesn’t like losing ‘property,’ which includes his soldiers.” His eyes darkened, gaze far off and unfocused. Jack was a completely different person than normal. He was so serious, so tense it was hard to remember his fun personality. “After a certain incident, I made it clear to him that I would never return. He hasn’t stalked me for a while. I’m assuming the only reason he was there was to see if I was still hanging around there.” Or at least, that’s what he hoped. He didn’t like the fact that Pitch showed his shadow to Hiccup, and not him. It only made him more confident that he was interested in Hiccup.

He had to find a way to stomp out that interest, and fast.

Noticing his silence, Hiccup cleared his throat, trying to get his attention as the silence started becoming awkward. He wanted to learn more, not just about the Nightmares, but also about his companion. “Can you… tell me about them, and you?” Jack flinched, making Hiccup quickly continue. “You don’t have to go into detail or anything. I just… you know, kinda want more composition… and stuff… on the matter?” He tried, fumbling over his words. He never failed to make an awkward situation more awkward, he groaned and face palmed himself.

The demigod stopped walking for a moment, turning to him with raised, amused eyebrows as a very small amused smirk crossed his lips. Hearing Hiccup struggle was sort of amusing. Normally he was more composed, his words flowing naturally. He was trying too hard.

Despite being embarrassed, Hiccup was grateful for the smile. It suited the demigod more. “Oh shut up you know what I mean,” he smirked.

“Oh, do I?” He smirked back, the tension from his face lifting a bit.

Playfully rolling his eyes, Hiccup started forward again, Jack following his example. His steps were softer now, his entire posture loosening up. Maybe being awkward wasn’t so bad all the time. “I was found by the Nightmares after I was forced to flee from my village.” There was a sudden hardness in his voice, a hardness that came from grief and guilt. Hiccup knew how it sounded too well. “My powers were developing, and with my emotions out of control, so were my powers. The new town I stumbled upon were terrified of me, and naturally reported me to the soldiers that were controlling their territory - the Nightmares.”

Hiccup’s eyes narrowed, clenching his fists tightly against the horse’s reigns in anger. “They turned a child in?!”

“They were scared,” the demigod sighed, looking down at his blue veins in his pale right hand. “Power scares people, especially unnatural power like mine. Even if someone kind hearted found me, with the mental state I was in…” he sighed, clenching his fist tightly along with his eyes. “I would’ve killed them by accident.” Those words had a weight to them Hiccup had never heard before. It made him uneasy as he gently reached into his hoodie and pet the slumbering Toothless.

“The first soldier that found me had a killer’s spark in his eyes, and went in for the kill. I wasn't surprised, not with all the rumors even I heard as a child. But still, l panicked. I didn’t want to die. My emotions dictated my movements, my powers, and before I knew it, the soldier was dead; an icicle pierced his throat and he drowned in his own blood. As horrible as it was… I didn’t care. I was safe. But only for a moment.” A chilly breeze brushed past them, making Hiccup shiver, not liking where this was going. “As the soldier took his last breath, a taller one entered the room, his cold golden eyes going from stoic to prideful amusement. I couldn’t move, I was paralyzed in fear.” Jack’s whole body stiffened, making Hiccup bite his bottom lip nervously. “I’ll never forget the way his eyes started to glow as dark smoke started emitting from his body. The room grew colder, as if all the warmth and life was being sucked out of the air. I backed up against the wall, feeling my body trembling in both shock and fear. That’s when he spoke: ‘Found you at last, brother.’”

Hiccup's eyes widened out of confusion until he put the pieces together. “Pitch, son of Loki.”

Jack gravely nodded. “He channeled himself through the soldier and knocked me out, taking me prisoner. If I had been anyone else, he wouldn’t have hesitated to kill me,” he mumbled, “Death would’ve been a kinder fate. Instead, they tortured me, wanting me to be obedient, and become one of them.”

“Torture?” Hiccup asked quietly, afraid to push for details as he felt himself start to tremble.

“They broke me down, crushed and cut me up before putting me back together with toxic adhesive. Considering what happened before being caught, it was… a little too easy to make me turn my back on the world. I… became as cruel and ruthless as them… climbing up the ranks in no time. I became such a feared demon that even had those in the army trembled in my presence; some still do. The only ones that were spared were children and expecting mothers. If anyone harmed one, I nearly killed my entire unit as punishment. And yet…” His eyes darkened even more, though he turned away so Hiccup couldn’t see. “I was merciless to men and women. I even turned some of the children I spared into vengeful spitting monsters.” His hair fell in his face, the air around them becoming cold. “Sometimes… I felt like sparing the children was crueler than killing them.”

Hiccup stayed silent, taking everything in despite how hard he knew this was on Jack. He understood now. The Nightmares were truly horrifying.

“You mentioned ranks,” Hiccup managed to ask, composing himself.

“Yes, there are a total of four ranks,” he replied, eyes going to the sky, watching as the sun started to set. They needed to make camp.

Looking left and right, he chose left, “There’s technically five ranks, though no one really counts rank zero - the slave and prisoner rank. They do all the chores and labor, most die performing their duties. It’s so common the other slaves ignore others falling beside them, along with the dead bodies they pass. The dead, at that point, are nothing but a nuisance getting in the way of their work.”

“That’s… sad,” Hiccup sorrowfully admitted, not knowing how else to respond to such a horrific reality. “I can’t even imagine that.”

“Don’t,” Jack mumbled. “Like I said… they’re inhumane.” Shaking the images away, he continued. “The other ranks are based off the phases of the moon. The closer to no moon - which is the New Moon - the more powerful and integrated the soldiers are with Pitch’s powers of darkness.” For some reason that sent shivers down Hiccup’s spine, finding that poetically dark. “The first official rank is the full moon. These soldiers are mostly the ones on patrol and threaten new villages. They cannot wield darkness or weapons seeped in it. They’re normal soldiers, in a sense - just overly confident and stupid. The second rank is First Quarter. Unlike the Full Moon, they can wield weapons laced with magic and potions given to them by higher ranks. They usually go to smaller established cities and patrol conquered ones.” Finding a flat area covered with little trees, Jack set his pack down, Hiccup doing the same, trying to commit this conversation to memory.

“The third rank is called the Last Quarter. These ones...” his hands trembled a bit before he clenched his fists. “They’re stealthy and very clever. Their fighting skills are formidable and can even make large cities fall. Normally a demigod of a lesser deity leads them while they have full access to Pitch’s darkness. Their entire unit can use darkness to teleport and create deadly weapons. Like all the other ranks, the fear they generate from their victims is sent back to Pitch to feed on.” Jack held his breath, his words becoming shaky. This wasn’t easy for him to recall. “Then the last rank… is the one I was in…” he trailed off, staring at the fire he created with haunted and hollow eyes. “Pitch leads this rank from his fortress, sending… his general out to do his dirty work. If they want you dead, your fate is already decided.” His fists were clenched so tightly his knuckles were white. “You can’t hear them coming - you can’t even see them unless they want you to. They’re so powerful all it takes is for one of them to make an entire kingdom to fall under Pitch’s control. Not only do they possess complete darkness, but they also have the ability to enter people's minds. They can manipulate dreams, thoughts, and even turn them into wraiths,” his voice got quieter, breathless. “Most people kill themselves before becoming full wraiths.”

Hiccup took a deep breath, the reality heavy. He knew Jack did a lot of things he regretted, but he wasn’t prepared for this. He didn’t think any less of him, it only made him want to help him more. He couldn’t imagine going through life alone as a child, let alone being subjected to all that horror. It made him curious… what happened to Jack’s family? He mentioned he had to flee, but didn’t elaborate. Despite how curious he was, Hiccup kept his mouth shut, seeing just how miserable Jack looked right now. He did enough prying tonight. “Thank you for telling me,” Hiccup smiled after a bit of silence. “I know it was hard, but thank you.”

Jack sighed, unconsciously nervously scratching the back of his head. “Sorry for not telling you earlier. It was stupid not to say anything,” he heavily sighed. He just didn’t want Hiccup to think any less of him.

As if knowing his thoughts, Hiccup got up and went to Baby Tooth, taking out a few slices of an apple he cut earlier and tossed a few to Jack. “For the record, my opinion hasn’t changed about you,” he said, deciding to be brave as he took a seat next to the demigod. “You’re still the fun-loving badass demigod who’s willing to answer anyone’s plea for help, even if you get hurt in the process. And… you’re also my friend.” He smiled warmly. Being completely caught off guard, Jack looked up at him, locking eyes as he searched for any signs of deceit. When he found none the demigod finally relaxed, looking up at the stars.

“Thanks Hiccup,” he smiled, feeling like a weight was taken from his shoulders. “Get some rest, I’ll take first watch.”

Hiccup wanted to retaliate and take the first watch instead, but didn’t want to ruin the moment. So, just for tonight, Hiccup curled up into his sleeping bag and fell asleep, swearing he could hear a soft sob or two escape from Jack’s lips.

When morning came, Jack was his usual fun loving self. His laugh was contagious, his stories invigorating. Despite reliving part of his dark past, showing a side to him Hiccup never knew, Jack seemed lighter. For once he finally had someone who truly believed in him, someone who knew him for who he really was, and was still determined to remain by his side down the arduous path of redemption.

A whole month passed since they left the Hamada Village. The wounds they sustained from the battle were finally healed as fate took pity on them, guiding them to hospitable villages. The only trouble they ran into was a thief that stole a women’s basket, but they were quick to stop him. It was good to get a breather, especially after the intense battle. During this time, Hiccup craft a small staff that could retract into what looked like a fire starter on his belt. He’d work on the appearance later; at least it functioned.

“It happened again?!” Hiccup and Jack overheard someone exclaim in frustration at a rather richy tavern as they took a seat, trying not to draw attention to themselves as they listened in.

“Bastard took everything I had!” Another person cursed, slamming his fist against the table in anger.”I wasn’t his first victim today either - he had a little girl dressed like a baby doll with him - looked a bit scared.” Jack clenched his fists, a dark look crawling into his deep blue eyes.

“What? No kidding,” the other man sighed heavily, taking a drink from his beer. “Finally showed his true colors - poor lad. One less orphan to worry about.”

Jack stood abruptly, making the two turn to him, not even noticing they entered. “Did they send anyone after them?”

The two men looked at each other, both annoyed and amused as they laughed. “No one’s gonna waste their time rescuing an orphan. One less mouth to feed-”

They didn’t even see Jack move. He was suddenly between them, slamming both his hands on the table. Both men jumped, their faces paling as if they had seen a ghost. “What do they look like?” When the men didn’t respond Jack scowled, murder glinting in his eyes as ice slowly spread from his fingers to the table. Both men choked on fear, trembling.

“Th-the thief - he steals from wagons and people on horseback on the main roads. H-he’s a tall muscular man with uh-uhm dark brown hair. He has a uh, uhm a mustache and a pointed goatee. He wears a black tunic, a black bandanna over his face, and a dark blue tunic?” The one listening to the story looked to the other for confirmation.

“Yes - yes he was wearing that earlier-”

“What about the little girl?!” Jack’s crisp snap nearly made them both lose control over their bowels.

“O-oh she uh, she’s around eight, auburn medium length curly hair, gray eyes, heart shaped face, yellow jacket- u-uhm uh… uh she was holding a book, like her life depended on it. They headed east - But that’s all i can remember-!”

It was more than he thought he was gonna get out of them. Begrudgingly he pushed himself off the table, angrily thrusting his hands into his pockets, his hair hiding his face. He was trying so hard not to lose it. If he lashed out at them, he’d probably kill them. Part of him thought they deserved it for condemning a child like that. They probably never reported the kidnapping to the authorities either. “If she’s dead…” he trailed off, his voice dark and hollow as the table the men were sitting at froze over.

He didn’t need to say anything else as he walked away towards the door. Hiccup quickly gathered their things and followed him, those cautious curious eyes bearing into his neck. He didn’t need to know - at least, not yet. He wasn’t ready to share what made him flee his hometown.

“What’s east of here?” Hiccup asked, hoping Jack wouldn’t search blindly.

“We’re about to find out,” he said bitterly.

For the next few hours, they questioned as many people as they could, gathering more information about the thief and the area to the east. Not too far away there was a large city where the taxes were so high everyone outside the castle gates were in poverty, yet those who refused to pay or listen to their rules were killed on the spot. Rumors believed the thief came from that village, stealing from the rich outside the city and giving to the poor within. No one could confirm whether this was a true statement or not.

They also learned there was a massive raid lead by The Nightmares that resulted in colossal wildfires nearly two years ago. Two large cities fell, along with three villages. Jack scarcely remembered the siege, but knew he had been part of it. He remembered them sparing a prosperous city just past the carnage. Maybe they’d be able to intercept the thief before he made it back to the city.

The forest was depressing. Despite the fires being nearly two years ago, life refused to grow. Even when they camped at a river, the greenery around it looked sickly pale. The trees were so ashen gray one touch could probably make it crumble away.

It was baffling that they hadn��t seen any signs of human life aside from themselves. Surely in a forest like this, spotting others would be child’s play. Apparently not.

They kept walking until they stumbled upon an abandoned looking village in the middle of nowhere. The walls of the buildings and outside structures were weak and brittle. Any spark out of place would ignite the entire area on fire. The villager’s clothes were torn and dirty, practically dangling off their skeleton limbs. What haunted Hiccup the most was the look in their eyes - that blank look void of all hope, love and light. Some even seemed to be walking around in a daze, not even registering what was going on around them.

“Look like wraiths,” Toothless commented from his hood, making Hiccup’s heart weep a little more. They really did, especially the ones who were sitting on the ground. Some of them… Hiccup wasn’t even sure if they were alive anymore.

It made him want to puke. The smell, the further they got in, was so foul from the dead, trash and human waste left on the streets it as hard to believe people actually still lived there. Acid kept racing up his throat, making his head spin.

Jack’s arm brushed past his and immediately he focused on him, on the way those chilly fingers pressed into his shoulder, the way those lips blew soft pure cold air against his ear.

“We don’t have to stay here, if we stop the thief will gain more ground” he said, forcing Hiccup to swallow the bile.

“No, we should,” Hiccup said, his voice shaking a bit. “They need the money…”

“Hic…” Jack sighed beside him, those fingers tightening their grip on his shoulder. “There’s not much we can do. We don’t have enough to support everyone-”

Whatever Jack said next was lost to the auburnette as his eyes settled upon two children covered in mud and filth leaning against a house. Their eyes were dull and nearly void of life as their heads were pressed against one another’s - their fingers interlaced. They looked like twins, one male and one female.

They were barely breathing.

“Toothless-” he breathlessly said, rushing over without a second thought. Freckled fingers fumbled with the canteen on his waist, not caring as he sat on the filthy ground in front of them. ”Hey,” he whispered softly. “Do you two want some water?”

They didn’t move. His heart was racing and aching in pain. Vaguely he was aware of Jack coming up beside him, just as the little girl blinked up, dirt seeming to fall from her long eyelashes. She didn’t speak, but she didn’t need to. As gently as possible, Hiccup pressed the canteen to her lips, giving her little gulps at a time. The more she seemed to come alive, the farther the little boy’s body started to fall against her, losing support.

“Hey bud, can you hear me?” Jack’s voice whispered as he became the boy’s support instead, sitting right beside him and letting him lean against him instead. Baby Tooth came a little closer, giving them easy access to their bags.

The sudden loss of contact made the little girl’s eyes widened a bit in fear as she very weakly turned her head to her brother, seeming panicked.

“Shhh it’s okay, we’re not going to hurt you or him,” Hiccup gently whispered, catching the fearful look in Jack’s eyes as he tried rousing the boy. For a moment their eyes met, and Hiccup knew - he could see it in Jack’s eyes.

The boy stopped breathing.

“Hey, hey wake up,” Jack’s voice became a little harsher. The little girl started to shake as she tried lifting her frail hand. She barely had the energy to leave it hovering in the air - Hiccup couldn’t help but choke on a sob.

“I-I’ll get a doctor-” Hiccup stammered as he quickly stood, letting the girl lean against the house again.

“No,” Jack said urgently as he gently rest the boy on his back, pressing heavily on his chest in an attempt to get his heart beating again. “It’s dangerous-!”

But Hiccup was gone. “Doctor - Where is your doctor?!” He desperately asked a few people who merely gave him blank looks. Cursing under his breath he looked around, searching for someone - anyone who didn’t look dead inside.

“Hiccup!” Jack’s voice called louder, trying to draw him back.

No - no he refused to give up this easily, not when there was a child’s life at stake! His sister was right there, he refused to let her watch him die in front of her eyes!

“Anyone - ANYONE PLEASE!” He cried out with the last bit of hope he had, clenching his fists so tightly his nails cut into his palms.

“An outsider?”

Hiccup’s eyes snapped wide open, desperately looking up at a man wearing a faded dirty orange tunic of some sorts. He didn’t even notice his raised voice seemed to snap a few people out of their trance. “Please - there’s a little boy - he’s dying is there any doctor around??”

The man merely sighed, looking to the others, a bit hesitant. “I’m the closest thing to a doctor in this village; I know only the basics.”

“We can use all the help we can get, please,” Hiccup begged, taking a few steps back encouragingly. “He just stopped breathing - my friend’s trying to resuscitate him.”

Whether or not the man followed, Hiccup didn’t care. At this point he knew he did everything he could as he came back to Jack’s side, seeing the little girl staring at the two of them with hopeless eyes. She probably had no tears left to shed.

Jack was still working furiously against the boy’s chest, a few loose tears smudging the boy’s dirty face. He wasn’t pressing as hard or as frequent as before, and as the doctor came up to them Jack sighed and shook his head, running a hand through his brown hair.

For a moment the doctor seemed to hesitate, his gaze lingering on Jack maybe a little too long before finally leaning down. Morbidly he pressed two fingers to the child’s neck, checking for a pulse.

There was none. Letting out a sorrowful sigh, he stood, shaking his head. “It’s no use… he’s gone…”

A small choked sound left the small girl, resembling a soft sob. Without thinking Hiccup gently pulled her against him, letting her shake and cry against his chest. “I-i’m sorry,” he whispered, swallowing his own tears and sorrow as his fingers gently moved up and down her back in comforting motions.

“Do they have parents?” Jack asked, his voice colder than usual. The doctor seemed to either shiver or tremble beside him as he tightly clenched his fists.

“No,” he said bitterly, drawing Jack’s gaze to him. “They were probably either murdered or starved to death.” They obviously didn’t have extended family either.

Taking a deep shuddering breath, Jack got to his feet. “I’m going to bury him,” he said, his eyes never leaving the small boy’s body, a haunting look flickering in his deep blue eyes. No one said anything, not even the doctor who also stood, seeming a bit surprised by the declaration.

“I’ll help,” Hiccup hesitated, his gaze settling upon the surviving child. “Is that okay?” He didn’t expect a response, so when he didn’t get one he merely held her tighter.

“No, I got this,” the demigod said, grabbing a shovel from one of the bags strapped on Baby Tooth. “Is there an inn we can stay at?”

The doctor pursed his lips, not seeming to know how to react. “Yes, just up the road, in the middle of the village next to the abandoned tavern.”

“Did you get that?” Jack asked, looking to Hiccup expectedly, making the freckled one blink.

“No, I want to help!” Hiccup said, narrowing his eyes. A small tug on his clothes stopped him from arguing. She was far too weak to assist in burying her brother. What she needed was for someone to nurse her back to health. Considering no one, not even the doctor helped these children before meant he was her only hope. For once, he understood why Jack wanted him to leave.

“Come on… I’ll get you cleaned up and fed,” he whispered, trying not to startle her. “We’ll come back a little later, okay?” She carefully looked back up at him, whimpering a bit softly - it broke his heart. The child couldn’t be older than five yet already knew the tragedies of the world.

“Be careful,” Jack said as he carefully lifted the lifeless body of the child, his brown hair masking his eyes. “I’ll meet you there shortly.”

Understanding, Hiccup gently pulled the little girl from his chest, looking into her dull glassy eyes in an attempt to get her to register him. “I’m gonna take you for a ride,” he gave a soft smile. Getting no response, he carefully picked her up and held her against him, Toothless trying to get a peek at her from his hood. “Not now,” Hiccup mumbled so quietly not even the child heard. “Thank you for trying, may I ask your name?” Hiccup asked the doctor, who finally peeled his eyes off Jack.

“Oh yes, please excuse my rudeness. My name is Titus,” he said, walking alongside Hiccup. “You must excuse us. We are survivors from what used to be a great city just south of here that was attacked nearly two years ago,” he sighed, watching as the eyes of the soulless were bearing down on them now. “We had no time to prepare. We left with only the clothes on our backs and our children in our arms. Once we were sure we weren’t followed, we tried our best to rebuild here after wandering a bit, But this forest is old, as you can tell by our homes, and we are weak, hungry, thirsty and tired. We’ve done all we can, but with no money, we can’t trade, and in an old forest like this…”

“No game,” Hiccup finished, seeing more withering villagers resting against houses, looking more like skeletons than actual living humans.

“Yes. But we’re not strong enough to just pack up and leave. We’d never make the trek, the ravenous wolves would kill us if exhaustion doesn’t.”

“What are you eating now?” Hiccup asked, honestly baffled there were still so many alive.

“We do have some crops, we were able to dig into the ground when we first settled here and found some water,” he pointed to lone well where two stronger looking men stood guard. Sad how death even seemed to linger above them. “Food and water is worth far more than money here.”

The dragon whisperer bit his bottom lip, not sure if it was appropriate, but he had to ask. “Is starvation the reason why everyone’s so… lifeless?”

“No,” the doctor said, his tone changing, not saying anymore.

“You don’t have to answer,” he reassured. There was still so much he didn’t know about the world. The reason could be so painfully obvious yet he’d never know. “I wish there was something we could do to help.”

The doctor held his hand up, stopping Hiccup right there. “The inn’s up ahead. The price is high, but I’m sure you understand why.”

“I’m sorry about our intrusion, thank you for all your help,” the dragon whisperer bowed a bit, being extra careful not to wake the child who had finally fallen asleep against him.

When he finally arrived at the inn, he pushed against the flap of dry wood that hung in place of a door, the noise alerting the man who was slumped over a very unsteady looking desk. Like the others, he was starving and held that same blank look in his eyes. His clothes were nothing but rags that used to be a tunic while barely any hair covered his dull balding head.

“Hi, uh, sorry to bother you, but uh… how much is a room here?” Would this guy even respond to him? So far Titus was the only one that socialized.

Minutes passed, the man staring at Hiccup with that same blank expression. When Hiccup didn’t leave, the man very sluggishly started to sit up, his head tilting a bit to the side. “Do you… have food?” He asked, his voice so dry it sounded like nails against a very flat hollow rock. The man obviously hadn’t had anything to drink in a while either.

“Yes,” Hiccup said as he whistled for Baby Tooth out the makeshift door. “We killed and preserved some rabbit meat. Would you like that, and some water?”

The man’s eyes lit up as he fumbled over. Hiccup gasped, stepping back in slight fear as the man made a mad grab for the little girl. “No - she’s not food!” He snapped, slapping the innkeeper’s hand away with force when he tried reaching for her again. With a small shriek the man scurried a safe distance away, but not enough to calm Hiccup’s nerves though. The clopping of a horse’s hooves alerted him to Baby Tooth’s presence, along with the distressed whines she made. Worried Hiccup took his eyes off the man to peek outside.

Six people in total were surrounding the horse, their hands desperately grabbing her. She bucked and jumped, kicking them away just as one of them tried to sink their teeth into her neck.

“What the- what are you doing?!” Hiccup hurried outside, standing in front of the still uneasy horse as the villagers staggered back in fear from the raised voice. The child was light - far too light - which meant it only required one hand to hold her. Protectively he held the other straight out, his eyes narrowing. “She is not food,” he said sternly, glowering darkly as one of them took a step forward, daring to try again. Things were far worse than he could ever imagine here. They were willing to eat a live horse just to stay alive! In a way, he couldn’t blame them. If he were starved like they were, his survival instincts would probably make him do the same.

“If you stop, I will bring everyone fish, but you can not eat Baby Tooth, do you understand?” He said, taking a step forward, holding his head up high. They didn’t believe him - his words fell on deaf ears. Two of them made a mad dash forward, but Hiccup was ready. He reached into his belt and extended his new staff, twirling it with one hand and swept their feet out from under them. With small screeches they fell on their backs, Hiccup standing over them before they could recover their wits, his staff pointed at them. “I promise you, if you stop I will bring you food.”

He didn’t expect it to work, but after a few minutes of none of them moving, he took a few cautious steps back, letting his staff rest against his chest. Honestly he didn’t trust them. As soon as he turned his back to them, they’d attack. Maybe if he backed up his words, they’d be less inclined to do this again.

Digging around in their supply bag, he gave them what they had. The bread, the extra rabbit (aside from the one he promised to the innkeeper), the bird, and three fish left in the pack. He could feel Toothless growl but merely shushed him. These people needed the supplies more than they did anyway.

As soon as they got the food, some of them ran, not seeming to either understand or care about his words. Some stayed, staring up at him, confused. Why would a stranger give them food, they probably wondered as the child started to wake, her stomach growling softly. “Please, leave us be. I’ll bring more fish once my friend’s done, okay?” The ones that lingered merely turned away, leaving without another word. They probably didn’t even know what to think, they were just relieved to finally have substance.

A screeching hiss came from behind him, arms wrapping around him tightly as nails dug into his chest and arms. Hiccup cried out, nearly dropping the child in shock. He didn’t think - he ran backwards. Teeth sunk into his shoulder, making him cry out before he slammed them into the rickety house as hard as he could. The sudden impact made the attacker’s hold around him loosen, giving him enough time to punch the attacker in the face. The child held onto him tighter, which only helped keep the auburn alert. Grabbing the staff that fell into the dirt, he twisted around and pointed it at the attacker’s neck, rolling his eyes when he saw it was the innkeeper.

“Seriously??” Hiccup lowered the staff a bit, glaring at him. “I didn’t forget about you,” he hissed, not taking his eyes off him as he made his way to the pack. With no free hands – because there was no way he was going to lower his staff now - Toothless crawled out of his hood, wanting to bite the man’s nose off for attacking them.

“Toothless,” Hiccup forewarned, making the dragon merely hiss as he went into the bag and pulled out the last bit of meat they had. Angrily he spit the rabbit to the ground, glowering darkly at the villager who looked like a rabid animal. “The small black canteen too please,” the dragon whisperer said, making Toothless glare up at his owner.

“Seriously? You’re giving this f-”

“Yes,” Hiccup said, watching apprehensively as the man very slowly sunk down to grab the rabbit, looking like a feral animal like this. “I promised him already.” The dragon wasn’t happy about this, but he had no other choice. Going back in the bag, he grabbed what was asked and spit it to the ground as well.

The staff was trained in his direction until the man grabbed the goods and quickly stood, drinking the water as if his life depended on it. “Can you give us a room now, please?” Hiccup asked, feeling fatigued now. He needed to wash his wounds too; who knew what kind of disease and bacteria the man had.

Hearing the request, the man led them back in. Fumbling through a drawer on the desk, he pulled out a key and threw it, seeming to give his full attention to the rabbit. Hiccup could care less as he showed himself to the room. It looked like all the other buildings, brittle and not very comfortable. In two different corners of the room, there were remnants of what he assumed were haystacks. Of course the beds would be stolen. At least there was still a roof over their head.

Going to the window, he whistled, Baby Tooth finding it and poking her head in. “You’ll sleep right here so we can keep an eye on you, okay girl?” He smiled, gently stroking her snout. “Can you turn?” He asked, motioning with a finger to turn sideways so he could get the sleeping bags out. Neighing in response, the horse did as he was asked while Hiccup very gently knelled on the ground, putting his hands on the little girl’s sides. “I’m gonna put you down for a minute, kay?” He said softly. The girl didn’t fuss as she was placed on the ground again, gazing around the room with that same blank stare. If he wasn’t mistaken, he could’ve sworn he saw awe and amazement twinkle in her eyes.

“I have some left over rabbit stew, does that sound good?” Hiccup asked as he took the last bit of food off Baby Tooth, gently handing her the canteen it was stored in. She looked down at it, not making any movement to reach out for it herself. Sighing tiredly, he finished getting what they needed from Baby Tooth’s pack before he started feeding her.

She choked at first, making Hiccup’s heart curl in sadness. She wasn’t used to food… how could anyone just leave them on the side of the road like this? Thinking back to the behavior of the people, he shivered. Actually, he was okay no one noticed them before. They were willing to eat Baby Tooth and himself alive.

Unconsciously he pulled a hand up to his shoulder, feeling the bite ache and burn slightly. He hoped Jack was faring better than they were. “Hey bud,” Hiccup said in dragonese, watching as the dragon crawled out of his hood again to jump on the ground, arching his back and stretching. “Do you think you can get some fish with the big net?”

Toothless sighed dramatically, purposely falling flat on his belly, looking up at Hiccup with that judging gaze of his. “These selfish twits don’t deserve fish! They took Toothless’s fish - your food!” He sniffled, horribly annoyed. “They bit you too! No one bites Toothless’s friend but me!”

“I know, but they’re just trying not to die.” Hiccup sighed, reaching forward and petting behind his ear. “Please Toothless. Once we get the seasoning, I’ll be sure to season and cook your fish for a whole week.”

Toothless’s ears raised in interest, though he quickly looked away, trying to act like he wasn’t interested. “I donno… this is awfully selfish of my human,” he said, giving him a quizzing look. “You’ll feed them this time, but what about their next meal? They won’t learn, and you can’t teach them when they can’t even get to the river themselves.”

Hiccup’s jaw clenched tightly. “I’m aware,” he said, avoiding eye contact. “I’ll talk to Jack about it. Maybe we can relocate the wolves or - or - I donno! We’ll think of something!” He said, looking over to the child. “I… can’t get over how they were so hungry they were willing to eat a living horse, a child, and me. I… just want to do something to help.”

Toothless sighed as he stood, not understanding why his human was so keen on making their lives harder. “Typical Hiccup behavior,” he yawned, jumping up on the window seal. “I’ll get the stupid fish for the stupid humans. But if you ask Toothless, you’re wasting our time.”

“Thanks Toothless,” Hiccup said, quickly scrambling up and strapping on the harness he made that had the net attached. “Please be careful.”

Night started falling when Toothless came back, the haul large enough to feed the whole village for a week if they were careful. Just to be safe, Toothless dropped the haul away from the inn, not wanting the villagers to tear them to shreds trying to get the fish.

“Thanks bud, you’re the best,” Hiccup smiled, gently scratching under the dragon’s chin. He couldn’t hide his worry though. “Jack hasn’t come back yet.”

“I’m sure the dumdum’s fine,” the dragon reassured. The sigh that left Hiccup’s lips made the creature frown, knowing where this was going. “Oh sure, let’s go find the dufus without giving poor Toothless a rest,” he mumbled dramatically as he slipped into Hiccup’s hoodie again, beyond exhausted.

“It’s not like you’re doing the walkin,” Hiccup chuckled as he gently picked the child up, trying his best not to arouse her and headed out. The village was so dark at night, only a few houses put out torches for others to use. Somehow, even with the fog rolling in, the village was scarier during the day. Like this, they couldn’t see the bodies or filth.

The first person they ran into was, surprisingly the doctor. He was staring up, completely dumbfounded at the haul of fish Toothless dumped in the middle of the street.

“Who did this?” The man asked, blinking his eyes a few times thinking this was just an illusion. The smell was what really gave it away as others started coming out of their homes.

“I promised a few of the villagers I’d bring them fish, so I found a way to get enough to last a week without anyone going hungry,” Hiccup smiled, so proud of Toothless. If the world wasn’t so chaotic and unpredictable, he would’ve immediately given the credit to him, but there was still so much they didn’t know about these starve-crazed people. Risking his best friend’s life was out of the question.

Seeing as no one had words, Hiccup starting walking away. “Sorry I couldn’t do more. Just make sure everyone gets some.” Receiving no response, Hiccup rolled his eyes, making his way to the area he left Jack. Luckily he didn’t have to search long. He was still on the outskirts putting dirt on the grave.

Wait, why wasn’t he done yet?

“Hey,” Hiccup started, watching Jack tense a bit at his voice. “Everything okay? You haven’t come by yet, I was getting worried-” that’s when he saw it. Not just one grave, but multiple. Dozens probably.

Did Jack bury everyone on the streets?

“Jack-”

“I couldn’t leave them like that,” Jack started, shoveling more dirt on the current grave he was working on. It seemed filled in enough. “Being left like that… it was like their lives didn’t matter. But they did-” he gritted his teeth, clenching the shovel so tightly his knuckles turned white. “They were all people - people who walked alongside everyone else here, so why… why?!” The demigod turned, ice crawling a bit on the ground as he tried his hardest to keep his powers under control, but the wind was starting to pick up as well. Gently Hiccup set the child on the ground, not saying a word as he pulled Jack into a hug, catching the demigod off guard. Instantly the ice receded, the wind stopped picking up as he just trembled and sniffled, staring at the ground, not believing what he was feeling. Hiccup… was comforting him? Physically comforting him? It… had been so long since someone cared enough to hold him close, to very gently and very slowly run their fingers up and down his back, allowing him to melt against him.

Dropping the shovel, he wrapped his arms around Hiccup, burying his head into the crook of his neck, trying to compose himself.

Warm - Hiccup was warm. His posture was perfect and stern - the perfect ground for him, even if Jack had to crouch a bit due to being taller this was perfect. Normally this state left him frustrated, angry and feeling weak, yet somehow this was different. He felt… safe, warm, and free from judgment, especially with those soft words of encouragement that were being whispered into his chocolate brown hair lightly dusted with melting ice.

Like this, it was okay not to be the strong one all the time. In fact, he felt normal for once.

It took awhile, but eventually Jack pulled away, wiping his eyes. “S-sorry,” he mumbled, unable to look Hiccup in the eyes.

“It’s what I’m here for,” Hiccup reassured with a soft smile that was a bit difficult to make out through the thick blanket of night. “Do you want any help?”

Jack shook his head, sniffling and picking up the shovel. “That was the last one, actually.”

“I’m glad, let’s head to bed then.” Jack nodded, agreeing. Hiccup picked the child back up and turned to head back to the inn.

“Wait-” the doctor’s voice stopped them. Turning, they barely saw his outline in the dark even with the small torch he held in his hand. “I wanted to thank you for the fish. It’s been a while since… we’ve known hospitality. Thank you, Hiccup.”

“It’s no big deal,” Hiccup reassured, feeling Jack’s questioning gaze against him. He’d explain later.

“It is to us. It’s made me rethink my life, actually,” he admitted. “I… have decided I want to adopt the child and raise her as my own.” Out of instinct, Hiccup took a step back, turning his body the child rested on away from the man. “I’m not proud of what this village has become. After what happened, most of us lost our humanity. And you reminded us of it.”

Hiccup bit his bottom lip as he stared down at the child in his arms, unsure of what to do. “The innkeeper… tried to eat her.” He said, looking at the other seriously. “How do I know you won’t hurt her?” Jack gasped beside him, but thankfully didn’t pry.

“Because I will treat her like the daughter I lost that tragic night,” he responded, voice full of sorrow. “I won’t make the same mistakes I did before.”

The decision was hard. There was honestly no reason for Hiccup to believe anything the doctor said, but who was he to deny this man a chance at redemption? If Jack could change, so could this man. Besides, it would be difficult to bring the child on their adventures. It was far too dangerous.

“Are… you okay with staying with this man?” He asked the child, who merely stared back up at him blankly. He figured she wouldn’t say anything, but it was worth a shot. Titus hadn’t done anything to suspect him of being malicious or anything. Just someone who was losing their will to live, like all the others here – just like this little girl. Maybe it was fate – maybe he was destined to raise this child so they could both find love and hope in the world again. “Okay… but if anything happens-”

“You need to hold me responsible,” the doctor admitted, looking sorrowful in the dim light. “If I fail this child too, I do not deserve life.”

Looking over to Jack, who merely shrugged, he made up his mind. Hesitantly he gently handed the child over. “She’s half starved to death, like everyone here. I’ve been giving her food and water very slowly.”

“I’ll do the same, thank you,” he said, sounding and looking so much happier. It was like the child poured life into him when they locked eyes. “I shall name her Renata, which means to be born again.”

“I like it,” Hiccup admitted, beaming with happiness. “I’ll check on you guys tomorrow, okay?”

“Goodnight,” the doctor bowed a bit, the child clinging a bit to the man as they headed back to the inn. Luckily everyone else seemed to go to bed, even the creepy innkeeper as Baby Tooth neighed happily at the window.

“Seems like I missed a lot,” Jack mumbled as Hiccup lit the lantern they had on the ground.

“Nothing I couldn’t handle,” Hiccup winked, pointing to Jack’s sleeping bag. “I kinddd of gave away all our food, so no dinner tonight,” he laughed a bit nervously, surprised the demigod didn’t get angry. He just gave him a perplexed look as he slipped into his mat. So Hiccup told his tale, leaving out the details of getting hurt. He didn’t want to know how Jack would react; the last thing he wanted was to be treated like fragile glass again. When he finished, Jack was a bit angry - not at him, but the people in the village.

“They really tried to eat you three?” He asked, shaking his head in disgust.

“Yeah,” Hiccup murmured, unconsciously pressing his hand to his wounded shoulder that was hidden beneath his shirt. “That’s why I wasn’t sure… if I could trust the doctor.”

“I’m surprised you did!” Jack shouted without meaning to. Realizing what he did he ran a stressed hand through his hair. “S-sorry, I’m still worked up from earlier. Titus did sound genuine.”

“He did,” Hiccup admitted, growing a bit apprehensive. “I had Toothless get fish for them, but I want to help them somehow.”

“That’ll be hard,” the demigod speculated, laying back in bed and staring up at the ceiling, recalling the observations he made earlier. “They picked the most inconvenient place to build a village. The only thing they can do to help themselves is to move.”

As much as Hiccup hated that answer, Jack had a point. This was seriously one the worst possible locations to start a village. There wasn’t a definite water source unless they continuously dug underground. Being so weak, they didn’t have the manpower to dig for more water, and they didn’t have the energy to travel miles away, not to mention to carry water back from the river. They could barely stumble around their own village. There wasn’t living vegetation for miles either, just a bunch of dead trees due to the lack of water.

Why would they build in such a location? “I get it,” Hiccup realized, looking over at the walls. “The buildings are so frail and brittle, I wonder if they stumbled upon a village that was abandoned or destroyed and figured it’d be safe.”

“Maybe,” Jack said, though didn’t seem too interested in the conversation anymore. “We should get some sleep. We’ll have plenty of time in the morning to deliberate before we head out looking for the thief again.” Burying that many people must’ve taken a toll on Jack, Hiccup realized. Not only physically, but emotionally too.

Crawling into his sleeping bag that was next to Jack’s, he blew out the lantern, Toothless curling up against his chest to get the most warmth. “Goodnight.”

Someone was trying to wake him up, but everything sounded so muffled and far away. His body felt heavy, as if his limbs were made of lead, which only made it harder to gain consciousness.

“-up, H- cup!” Someone was screaming in his ear, the desperation clear in their voice, making him groan. The more aware he became, he realized how hard it was to breath. His chest and lungs were convulsing, his throat trying to close.

Shit- he rolled onto his side in an attempt to make it easier on himself to breath. At the new angle, he became aware of more pain, this time in his limb as his metal prosthetic was hot, burning his skin. Groaning he opened his eyes, only to wish he were dreaming.

The wall leading into the inn was on fire, the flames practically leaping out to consume them. A rhythmic pounding could be vaguely heard over the fire eating away at the structure. The pounding became a bang, the neighing of an angry frantic horse filling the air.

“Baby Tooth-” Hiccup cough, slowly forcing himself to sit up, his eyes frantically going to Jack. The demigod was sweating so much, writhing and moaning as if his body was melting from the inside out. Toothless crawled over to yell and scream into his ears, trying to wake him up. He probably wouldn’t though, fire was Jack’s greatest weakness.

Dizzily Hiccup got to his feet, ignoring the horrific pain that shot through his limb as he pulled one of Jack’s arm’s over his shoulders, not even bothering to waste time trying to rouse him. He stumbled a bit, Baby Tooth luckily closing the distance. “Thanks,” he coughed out, trying with all his might to lift Jack onto the horse. Even under normal circumstances he’d have a hard time doing this, which made him groan in frustration as he stumbled, nearly falling face first with the limb demigod. How was he going to get him onto Baby Tooth?!

“He owes me,” Toothless whined as he bit Jack’s shirt and flapped his wings with all his might. The horse also realized she needed to help as he knelled to a sitting position, the collaboration finally successful as Hiccup managed to slide Jack onto the saddle. “Thank the gods-” he slipped on as well, Toothless landing on his shoulder, focused and alert. Fire was his element, which meant he would be the one protecting them this time.

Coming out the same way they entered, Baby Tooth stormed out, only to reveal the whole village was on fire, along with the surrounding dead trees. It literally looked like they were in a fireball, the smoke so thick he was surprised he hadn’t passed out yet.

Sensing this, Toothless flew off his shoulder and in front of Baby Tooth. “Follow me-” He said. He didn’t have to ask twice as Baby Tooth followed. Weaving through the walls of flames and crumbling infrastructures, Hiccup pressed a cloth lightly to Jack’s mouth to keep the smoke out while leaning completely forward in the saddle, using his shirt to help himself. It was getting harder and harder to keep up the position, the cloth against Jack’s mouth slipping a few times and accidentally whacking him in the nose.

Just when he didn’t think he could keep it up any longer, Baby Tooth made a big leap. The flames he had seen dancing even behind closed eyelids slowly disappeared, forcing him to open his sore orbs. No fire in front of them, though when he turned his head, he felt his heart ache as the blaze continued. Gods he hoped everyone managed to make it out alive. Somehow both he and Jack slept right through it. That wasn’t like them at all, especially Jack.

“River?” Toothless asked, still leading the way. If they didn’t just nearly die and were still suffering the after effects, Hiccup would’ve praised him.

“Yes-” Hiccup choked back, his hand struggling to press against Jack’s neck.

A pulse - he was still alive. Hopefully being out of the heat and into the chilly night would somewhat help.

Even by horse the river was far. It took an hour, but they were finally there, the blaze just smoke in the air far away. Hiccup slid off Baby Tooth, stumbling and falling on his butt. Darkness swam before his vision, to which he quickly shook it away. Jack needed his help. He couldn’t sleep until he took care of everything.

Forcing himself to stand, he went to Jack, and with his companions help, he was able to get him safely on the ground. In their rush Hiccup didn’t even think to grab the sleeping bags, which meant they didn’t have anything to lay on. The mud would have to do, he inwardly groaned.

Making an area for Jack to sleep, he forced the unconscious demigod to wake up enough to drink water. He pressed wet clothes to his forehead, neck and feet. Thank gods he didn’t have to worry about Jack getting frostbite.

“Toothless,” Hiccup slurred after taking a drink, trying desperately to stay awake. Someone needed to keep watch, especially since they didn’t know what caused the fire. “Do you know what happened?”

The dragon shook his head. “No. The air started smelling really sweet, then the fire came. It was so fast, I couldn’t wake you two up. Toothless was so scared....” the dragon landed on Hiccup’s lap, his ears drooping. “Toothless… thought he was gonna lose his Hiccup.”

Despite his fatigue, Hiccup pulled his best friend into a hug. “I’m sorry for scaring you bud. Thanks for not giving up on us. You got through to me.” The dragon nuzzled his face before pulling away, seeing and feeling the way Hiccup was swaying dangerously from side to side.

“I’ll keep watch again, Toothless is not tired. Toothless will wake you if anything happens.”

Hiccup probably would’ve teased him if it wasn’t for the circumstance. Instead he merely nodded, muttering a quiet thanks before falling asleep against Jack, their backs nearly touching.

The sound of crunching feet made Hiccup’s eyes snap wide open, seeing no one other than Jack standing in front of him. He was slouched over, obviously in pain, but he was talking to someone… wait - was that the doctor with the child??

He smiled and nearly cried in relief, but stopped himself upon hearing Jack’s murderous tone.

“How could you set the whole village on fire?! What about all the people who couldn’t understand what’s going on around them?!”

The doctor’s eyes merely became colder, his hand tightening around the little girls who stood calmly next to him as a sick twisted smile folded onto his lips. “I showed them mercy. They would’ve never gained back what they lost. You know how the Nightmares work!”

“Some come back - GODDAMMIT and you KNEW that!” Jack snapped angrily back, air and wind starting to get chilly. “You tried to kill Hiccup! He tried to help you goddamnit, he even saved her!” He pointed to the little girl.

“Yes, but you see, she was the one who reminded me of you,” he said, looking down to the little girl who was staring blankly up at Jack.

Was it blankly? There was a hint of a frown and something else. Something he couldn’t put his finger on.

“What!?” Jack paled, staring at her as he desperately tried to remember.

“You murdered them,” she whispered, her voice so monotone and frail it was like a whisper on the wind. “My brother… and I watched. You murdered them… even though my father begged you to spare mother so she could take care of us.” She tilted her head. “You killed father, but you let the other kill mother-”

“No-” Jack shook his head, taking a step back. “There was nothing I could do, that was Pitch Black. If I had said anything you two would’ve been killed!”

“We would’ve liked that,” she said so stoically it hurt. “Instead of suffering and wasting away on the streets, a quicker death would’ve been easier than that.”

Jack shook his head, clearly losing it. “No-”

“I don’t believe it,” Hiccup voiced from behind them, moving to stand in front of Jack, trying to shield him as best as he could. ”Jack never killed women and children. If he says he would’ve done something to help, he would have.” His fiery emerald eyes made the child shut up. He nursed her back to health. He hoped that meant something to her. “I haven’t met Pitch in person, but I’ve heard of him - I’ve vaguely felt what he’s capable of-” he shivered as he remembered the shadow person. “You have every right to be mad, to be furious. Jack’s trying to atone for what he’s done by dedicating his life to save others, even if it results in him getting hurt.” He mumbled, not liking that aspect. “He’s already atoning for his sins. If you want someone to be mad at, be mad at the one who orchestrated everything - be mad at Pitch. Because unlike Jack, he loves killing. He loves destroying people’s minds and watching people suffer. He doesn’t regret what he’s done at all. And if left unchecked, he’ll try taking over the world. So instead of trying to kill Jack, try killing the asshole that’s laughing on his throne and gloating about his kill and victory count.”

The doctor’s eyes widened before lowering them in both shame and anger. There were so many emotions swirling inside him as conflicting ideas made him freeze up. “The other man… Pitch, he’s really… getting away with this, isn’t he?” He quivered, seeming to realize who Pitch was.

“No,” Jack said sternly, an unspoken promise in his hard determined deep blue eyes. “I’ll deal with him myself.”

“He’s the one-“ Toothless whispered quietly, somehow crawling into his hoodie unseen. “He smells like that sweet stuff before the fire started. He’s practically covered in it.”

“What?” Hiccup blinked, looking at the doctor very cautiously, feeling the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

Titus shook his head, anger seeming to win out as his eyes looked Jack up and down. “Do you expect to be able to blame everything on that bastard and then be free from guilt?!” He scowled, gritting his teeth angrily. “It doesn’t work that way!”

“No shit, I wouldn’t want to be anyway,” Jack snapped back, his body starting to relax just slightly. “Nothing I ever do will ever atone for what I’ve done. If it was possible, I’d let everyone I’ve ever hurt get a chance to kill me, but only have one life to give, so I intend to use what’s left of it to protect the innocent from people like I used to be.”

The doctor’s eyes narrowed, taking a slight step forward. “Who’s to say your sense of justice and right from wrong are correct?”

That pissed Jack off though as ice froze the grass around Jack's feet, his voice deep with power. “What about you? You burned down that village with people still inside! They probably all burned to death without really understanding what was going on!”

Titus’s eyes darkened sinisterly as he pulled out a sword, holding it up to the small girl’s throat. She didn’t move or flinch, she remained unchanged despite the threat. Both Jack and Hiccup grew pale and tensed considerably, the stakes now raised dangerously high. The little girl might hate Jack but they were not about to let her die!

“I was trying to save you from the fire by spiking the air with drugs Hiccup, but the fire… got out of hand,” he smirked, as if he should get an award or medal for his efforts. “Unlike that bastard you are pure of heart. Kind, humble and compassionate – you’re everything we used to be, before he took everything from us!” The doctor pulled the sword closer to the child’s throat. “Tie the murder up,” he ordered.

Hiccup looked to Jack, who merely nodded. “Do as he says,” he resigned, not wanting to risk the child’s life. He wasn’t sure if Jack had a plan, but he did. The only one that knew about Toothless was the little girl, As far as he was aware, the doctor hadn’t seen Toothless once. Panic would’ve played out a lot sooner if he had. “Attack-“ he said, which luckily in dragonese sounded like a natural noise a human would regrettably make. Without hesitation Toothless flew out of his hood and slammed into Hiccup’s face. The cry of pain was real, along with his desperate thrashing to get Toothless off his sensitive nose.

“Dragon attack!” Jack cried, quickly catching onto the plan as he ran to Hiccup’s side. He knew the doctor would let him aid Hiccup after his story and probably felt compelled to help him himself. Titus did falter, the blade against the child’s neck disappearing as he was trying to decide if he should charge or not. Toothless jumped on Jack’s face this time, hurting the demigod’s poor nose as well, which only made this more believable.

Seeing the change in target, the man ran over and picked Hiccup up by the arm, trying to put the blade to his neck, but the dragon whisperer was prepared. His elbow flew back, slamming the man in the balls as his other hand twisted his sword arm. Crying out in both agony and shock the man dropped the sword. Within seconds the doctor slumped over Hiccup, unconscious as Jack helped get the man off him. “He’ll be fine, I just knocked him out. We’ll bring him with us to the next city, hand him to the guards so he can get a fair trial as we look for the thief.”

Hiccup nodded, starting to feel sick to his stomach. All those hopeless people left behind… he felt like there was something he could’ve done to prevent this. “Do you think… some of them got away?”

Jack glanced over at the little girl who remained standing as she did before, her eyes trained on the unconscious man. He remembered her words – remembered the pain and conviction in them. “Maybe,” he guessed, going over to Baby Tooth and grabbing ropes. “They’re survivors after all.”

It was hard to believe, but Hiccup decided it was best to remain hopeful. That way he didn’t have to conquer up grotesque images he believed he’d see if they traveled back to the village. “I know it’s hard to believe,” Hiccup started, his voice so gentle and warm as he looked over to the small child. “But Jack won’t hurt you, I won’t hurt you. I understand if you can’t trust us, I probably wouldn’t if I had gone through the same thing, but we can’t just leave you in the woods, you’ll die,” he mumbled sadly as he slowly came up to her, keeping a comfortable distance so she wouldn’t feel threatened. “There’s a village not too far from here. They have plenty of food, water, and just about anything you could ask for. We won’t leave you until we’re sure you’re in good hands this time, okay?”

The child’s eyes slowly met his, a flicker of some emotion crossing her eyes. Her hands slowly found the other as she played with her fingers, as if nervous about it. It was the second proper response he’d seen from her though; there was hope for her after all.

“Someone… will care… there?” She asked, her voice so soft and hushed it was heartbreaking.

“Yes,” Hiccup reassured, slowly opening his eyes, inviting her for a hug. “We’ll help you find a family and home.”

She still wasn’t sure, it showed in the way her body tensed and how she held her fingers tightly together. But slowly, ever so slowly, she started coming forward, her gaze glued to the ground. Hiccup nearly choked on a sob, so incredibly happy and proud of her. She was making her own decision for once.

Very hesitantly, she slowly walked into his embrace, though kept her hands to herself. Hiccup didn’t mind though as he only used one hand to rest on her back in the form of a hug. He didn’t want her to feel constricted or anything. He didn’t want to scare her.

Jack made a grumbled noise as he fell on his bottom, still horribly weak from the heat, though watched them with a warming heart even if he couldn't see much with Hiccup’s back facing him. Hiccup really was something else. Despite him and Tadashi having so much in common, they were also very different. Unlike Tadashi, who was more calm and reserved, Hiccup was wild and unpredictable, just like a dragon. But he was also kind and compassionate. He knew how to talk to a crowd – he knew how to talk people down or inspire them. Maybe it was the air he had around him that made humans, animals and dragons trust him. He was innocent, yet the strong determined look and prosthetic leg constantly reminded him that Hiccup had a sorrowful past as well.

Gods, what he’d give to take Hiccup’s pain away. The world needed more people like him, peaceful, innovative, and-

Hiccup was stiff, too stiff. Something was wrong. He had never seen his posture like this before.

As if sensing his concern, Toothless, who had perched himself on Jack’s shoulder so he wouldn’t frighten the child quickly flew over to Hiccup, landing on his shoulder as Jack scrambled over. The warrior’s eyes scanned the trees, making sure there wasn’t anyone or any thing out there like the shadow he had seen at the Hamada Village.

“What’s wrong-“ Jack asked, quickly looking down at him, only to have his eyes strewn in choked horror.

Hiccup was slightly slouched over, his hand still on the little girl’s back as his foggy eyes stared down at her and a dagger in his chest. Jack’s blue eyes widened in pure shock and horror, his body shutting down.

This couldn’t be happening - this had to be a dream - a nightmare! Hiccup did so much for her, surely, surely she - a mere child - wouldn’t so such a thing-!

Blood started staining the front of Hiccup’s hoodie, the child gazing up at Jack with cold distant eyes as she pushed the dagger in deeper, Hiccup letting out a choked gasp of pain.

And the child did nothing but remain stoic, burning the image of Jack’s petrified bluing face to memory.

[alittlesliceofcucumber]

A Vision Of A Wedding

Title: A Vision Of A Wedding For: Katie @whynotcallitvanda Rating: G Word Count: 4,331 Warnings: None Summary: Wedding planning isn't as easy as it seems, as Wanda and Vision found out. A story about the events leading up to their big day.

AO3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16048253 Fanfiction.net Link: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13071034/1/

Message for recipient: Hi! I had a lot of fun writing this, and I hope that you enjoy it! It’s set as if the events of Infinity War never happened, and (realistically) in 2020 but it can be imagined as happening whenever you like. 

Made for the Scarlet Vision Exchange 2018!

A Vision Of A Wedding

It was a beautiful Hungarian summer sunrise.

The sky was layered pink and red, like streaks of paint on a canvas. The sun was emerging from behind the tall trees and shining between the leaves, illuminating the grand, floral arch and the tall figure who stood in front of it.

Vision was nervous to say the least. Not only was he about to marry the woman of his dreams, yet there was an unspoken tension in the gardens.

But their friends were all gathered here for their wedding and nothing else.

“Psst, Vizh! Stop messing with your tie!”

Vision swiftly spun around to face the table where Tony Stark was seated. He had, in fact, been fiddling with his tie for a while now. He wanted it to be proportioned perfectly, and since Wanda had insisted on him wearing a physical suit rather than one he’d phased himself, he found himself constantly adjusting it.

He then turned towards Thor who gave him an encouraging wink and a thumbs up. Although he looked very out of place in his large suit, there was hardly any other competition for the role of best man. In Vision’s eyes, Thor truly was the best man.

Next to catch his gaze was Steve. It was lucky that the super soldier was able to perform weddings; a skill he had been given back in his day. He was glancing at his watch. Steve was eager for the ceremony to take place the around dawn so that he didn’t draw too much attention to himself and his team.

The seating plan was arranged well. Vision and his fiancé had spent hours organising it together, hoping to avoid as much conflict as possible.

Sitting around the table closest to the altar were Tony and Pepper Stark, Bruce Banner, James Rhodes and Peter Parker. Vision believed that they were all somewhat family to him, and insisted that they sat together.

Next was Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes, with three places that were reserved for Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton. Wanda thought that these people would feel most comfortable with each other. With the one exception of Sam and Bucky, but that couldn’t be helped. They hadn't caused a scene just yet.

The remaining tables were filled by Asgardians (whom Thor insisted on bringing along for “educational purposes”) and another alien who appeared to be made of rocks. Vision knew better than to question it.

His fellow Avengers, however, seemed to glance back at one particular Asgardian. He had been informed that he was Thor’s (adopted) brother, Loki. So Vision had done his research and had soon found the reason for everyone’s uneasiness.

And consequently kept an eye on him too.

The sun had risen quite high when the car finally arrived. It was self-driving, provided by none other than Tony Stark himself.

First to exit was Clint. He looked surprisingly dashing in a suit, something he was presumably used to wearing as a family man. He probably attended many school events for his children and nights out with his...

Vision felt the world around him screech to a halt as Wanda emerged from the car.

She looked absolutely stunning. She wore a loose white dress with scarlet trim which fell down to her ankles. She wore a gold locket encrusted with a circular ruby (one Vision had chosen for her himself). The sleeves of the dress possessed a pink floral print, which Vision recognised as cherry blossom. Her outfit was beautiful whilst also practical, very much like Wanda herself.

She caught his eye, and the pair shared a look of pure joy.

Wanda felt a rush of happiness when she first caught sight of Vision. He wore a fitting suit which contrasted with the colour of his skin. In her eyes, he was the definition of perfection. His mere seemed presence begged her to approach.

As if in a trance, she felt her feet glide towards him. With her arm in Clint’s, she locked eyes with Vision, focusing on nothing but the man she loved. The man she was about to marry.

Once she reached the altar, she smiled at the (obviously quite nervous) Vision.

Upon admiring her once more, he stuttered “Y-you, er, you look…”

“Decent?” She prompted. “Beautiful.” He replied.

She allowed herself a small giggle. “Says the handsome man in front of me.” She said.

He grinned in return, and the pair turned towards Steve, who nodded at their signal to begin.

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate the marriage of two people who deserve all the happiness this world has to offer. They were burdened by our mistakes, and I believe I speak for all of us when I say that we were too blind by our own goals to even consider your lives. On behalf of everyone here, I’m sorry.”

“If anyone here knows any reason that these two should not be married, speak now or forever hold your peace.”

Wanda looked at the guests anxiously, and was relieved to see only smiling faces.

Steve, too, was smiling. “All in favour for this marriage?”

The “Aye”s weren’t in sync, but they were loud enough to portray their point. Or that may actually have been just Thor.

“Great, in that case, are you two ready?”

“Yes.” The pair replied, without looking away from each other.

“Alright then. Wanda Maximoff, do you take Vision to be your lawfully wedded husband? Will you love and comfort him, through good times and bad, in sickness and in health, and to be faithful to him at all times?”

She didn’t even register the words that tumbled out of her mouth.

“I do.”

Steve then turned to Vision.

“Vision…”

Steve glanced cautiously at Tony, who nodded back at him. The genius was beaming with pride.

“...Stark, do you take Wanda to be your lawfully wedded wife? Will you love and comfort her, through good times and bad, in sickness and in health, and to love and be faithful to her at all times?”

“I do.”

“Now it’s time for the exchanging of vows. Wanda?”

Wanda forced her eyes away from Vision in order to unfold the piece of paper hidden in her sleeve.

“Vision, from the moment I first saw you in that cradle I felt connected to you. At first I thought it was because of the stone in your head, but then I realised it was something more. As I got to know you I felt myself drawn to you. Every day you save the world. But you are my world, Vizh. And I promise to love you for as long as I am alive.”

Suddenly her vision became clouded and she felt the need to bite her bottom lip. Her lover brushed the tears away before they had the chance to fall.

“My darling Wanda.” Vision began, having memorised his vow by heart. “Whenever I used to see my reflection, I saw a servant for humanity. I saw myself bound by duty for this planet. But now, I feel as if I am bound to you. You helped me to accept who I am, and I can only hope I can help you do the same. If I were to look at my reflection now, I would see the luckiest man in the universe. I love you, Wanda.”

The two looked at each other, thinking about how far they had come to reach this point.

It was a very long journey indeed.

9 months earlier...

Paris was known throughout the world for being the city of romance, therefore the sight of lovers walking together on the streets was no spectacle to behold. On that particular evening, however, one couple didn’t quite fit in. To the ordinary eye, they were a normal couple enjoying the sights. But they were so much more.

Two troubled souls desperate to break away from their lives. Desperate to escape the seemingly never-ending conflict in the world. Desperate to be normal.

Wanda Maximoff was burdened with a traumatic past. Her twin brother was murdered by a robot. Her parents were killed by a bomb created by billionaire Tony Stark...

...who also happened to be her boyfriend’s father figure.

It’s funny, how life works its magic like that. If she had been asked if she had any interest in that awkward, purple synthezoid before she gained her powers she would have instantly denied.

But the more she got to know the Vision, the more she slowly felt herself be pulled towards him.

The way he was awed by everyday things. The way he attempted to cook for her. The way he would find activities to do together when she was sad. The way he was ready to sacrifice everything for her in a synthetic heartbeat..

Even then, in his human disguise wearing a casual shirt (which she had handpicked for him) he gazed with wonder at every little nook and cranny of the city. It made Wanda’s heart flutter every time she watched him.

Maybe that was what lead her to her crazy decision.

“Hey Vizh,” she said, dragging him to a corner of the sidewalk.

“Yes, darling?” Vision replied, smiling at Wanda’s enthusiasm.

“Do you know what day it is?” She asked with a cheeky grin.

Vision visibly contemplated the question, assessing whether it was a trick or a joke. It wasn’t everyday that such a trivial question would be asked to a man whose brain was literally made up of the internet.

“Today is Saturday the 29th of February. Leap day.” He answered. Upon seeing Wanda’s mischievous expression, he added “Why do you ask?” with an edge of playful suspicion.

“Do you know what happens today?” “I must admit that I do not. Should I?”

This is it! Thought Wanda, as she carefully planned her next words.

“Traditionally, today is the day that women propose to men. And if the man refuses, he has to buy her 12 pairs of gloves.”

The adorable look of genuine confusion on Vision’s face made Wanda’s heart skip a beat. Her plan was successful thus far.

Without giving him a chance to respond, she fell onto one knee. She felt adrenaline pumping through her veins. It was a pleasant feeling, not unlike her own powers.

Vision looked at her, his face a mixture of messages. She briefly skimmed his mind to try and solve his expression, where she found he was conflicted. He was overjoyed, yet begging her to change her mind. To rethink.

It was not going to happen.

“So Vision, will you marry me?”

“Well, look who finally decided to show up!”

Vision hadn’t even fully entered the lab when he was greeted by Tony. It was almost a routine at this point. Vision would turn off his transponder and Tony wouldn’t inquire about it. Unless there was an emergency, in which case Vision would come back immediately as instructed. That was the unofficial deal between them. Vision was entitled to privacy.

The lab was far messier than it had been when he’d left it. He would often clean up after the scientists when he was in the compound as he had little else to do. Bruce would usually try to keep things organised, but today was an exception.

Judging by the way Tony Stark was frantically typing on his keyboard, Vision could only assume that the pair had made a breakthrough.

“Mr Stark, please may I have a word?” he asked, taking care to phrase the question so that Tony would pick up the hint.

Luckily, he did.

“You’ve had eight, but sure. Bruce, would you give us a minute?”

Dr Banner turned around from where he was working and looked at Tony quizzically, before shrugging and leaving without a word.

“What’s up?” Said Tony, not looking away from his computer screen.

Vision felt his body tremble, but it was in fact as still as ever. This feeling was familiar. Nervousness. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you.” He said

“I’m flattered, but I’m a married man. You’d have to talk it out with Pepper.” Joked Tony. After getting no reaction from Vision, he mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like “tough crowd” and focused back on his work.

“Mr Stark, do you think of me as human?”

Vision watched as Tony tensed and slowly spun on his chair to face him. He was thankful for the sudden absence of the clicking of the keyboard so that they could have a serious conversation.  They looked at each other for a little while, before the man let out a sigh.

“Look, I’m going to be honest with you. No I don’t.” Tony said.

Vision’s limbs suddenly felt very heavy, and the world around him seemed to slow down. Was it anger? No, he would feel the urge to destroy something. It was more like... disappointment.

“But that’s only ‘cause I helped make you. I know your circuits and stuff, and you remind me too much of JARVIS. So no, I don’t think you’re human. Then again, I don’t think Thor’s human either. But he is a person, and so are you, that goes without saying.”

Vision found some comfort in his creator’s words.

Tony spun back towards his computer and resumed typing. It was now or never, Vision decided.

“So if I were to marry Wanda…”

This time, the silence was deafening. Tony froze and Vision braced himself for… something. Anger, shame, guilt- anything that would be directed at him.

Wanda had always mentioned wanting to swap powers so that she could phase out of awkward situations. She would literally let the floor swallow her up. Vision suddenly understood why this would come in useful.

“Say what now?”

The pause had been smaller than he had expected, lasting only a few seconds. “I mean, would you give me your blessing if I were to get married?” Vision repeated, suddenly thinking better of mentioning Wanda straight away.

Tony let out a sound akin to a snicker. Which grew into a chuckle. Which evolved into a laughing fit. He began to laugh so hard that Vision was genuinely worried.

It ended far too quickly.

“Wait- you’re serious?”

Vision, who’s expression hadn’t changed since his declaration, simply nodded.

The billionaire let out a sigh, and slowly rose from his chair to face the synthezoid. He placed a hand on his shoulder (Vision bent his knees ever so slightly) and smiled warmly.

“Bruce owes me $10.” “It was that obvious?” “You’re new to all this. And yeah, it was. Come on, turning off your tracker, coming back in a really good mood... Even Bruce could tell.”

Tony grinned up at Vision. Vision smiled briefly in return before his expression melted into a frown, and he stepped backwards.

“You know that you’re supposed to be happy, right?” Said Tony, quickly growing concerned.

“I don’t know.” “Come on, tell me what you’re thinking.”

Vision stood still and proceeded to look Tony in the eye. He rarely voiced his thoughts to the billionaire, as that role was reserved for Wanda. But there were some things that he simply couldn’t tell her. Some things that could only his creator could understand.

“It feels wrong. It feels wrong to marry her. You’re right, I’m not human and I never will be. She deserves someone she can love fully, someone she can spend her life with- create a family with. I cannot give her that. She will grow old and I will remain as I am. I don’t want her to have to go through that-”

Tony watched in silence as Vision listed numerous reasons why he shouldn’t marry the woman he loved. It was undeniable that all of his points were true and well thought out, but Tony couldn’t tell him that. They worked in a dangerous business, one where every day was a matter of life and death. It had taken him too long to propose to Pepper Potts, and he was not going to let the Vision make the same mistake.

“If you had this many doubts, then why did you propose to this girl in the first place?” He asked.

“...Actually it was Wanda who proposed to me.”

Tony snorted. He then sighed and outstretched his arms for a hug. Vision had only ever been offered a hug by Wanda, so he awkwardly shuffled into the genius’s arms. Their small embrace seemed to settle his doubts. He should have pulled away sooner, yet somehow he was satiated. Relieved. Soothed.

“You’ll be fine.” Said Tony firmly, stepping back. “You’re growing up, Vizh. It’ll be good for you.”

Without warning the lab door opened and Bruce emerged.

“Sorry to interrupt, but I just had to check if it the program synced yet.” He said apologetically.

Tony rubbed his hands together in sudden delight. “Forget it!” He said. “We’ve got a wedding to arrange!”

“Wait, wedding? Who’s wedding?”

Vision immediately turned to Tony to try and stop him from-

“Vision’s marrying the Maximoff girl.”

Telling Bruce.

If Dr Banner’s eyes had widened any further, they would have popped right out of his skull. “Wa-Wanda? Vision is getting married to Wanda? You’re getting married to Wanda?”

Bruce ran a hand through his hair.

“Great, isn’t it?” Tony smirked.

Bruce wasn’t amused.

“Oh no, no no no. Tony, are you sure this is a good idea?” He asked in a hushed voice, as if Vision couldn’t hear him. He could. Every single word. Each word was a stab to his synthetic heart.

Tony gave Bruce a pointed look.

“‘Course it is. Now come on, we’ve got to make some calls. This wedding isn’t gonna plan itself!”

Ring ring! Ring ring!

Wanda looked down at the crumpled bit of paper in her hand and prayed that the number was right. She had already encountered a wrong one and didn’t want to make the day any more awkward than it was going to be.

Her worries increased when a child’s voice answered the phone.

“Hello?”

She knew that Clint had children, so she thought there was no harm in continuing the call.

“Hi there! Please may I speak to your Dad?” “Sure!”

Wanda heard shuffling on the other side. And then the beautiful sound of children’s laughter. She couldn’t help but reminisce on the times she had played with Pietro when they were younger. A time that was ripped away from them far too soon.

She felt relief wash over her as Clint’s voice finally answered the phone.

“Uh, hello?” “Clint! It’s Wanda!” “Wanda? How did you get this number?”

She felt slightly guilty to be the cause of Steve betraying Clint’s trust. But her reason was important. Besides, it had been a long time since she’d talked to Clint and she had begun to miss him quite a lot.

“Steve gave it to me. I just wanted to ask if we could meet.” “Why? Has something happened?!”

His voice was suddenly drowned with concern. Classic Clint. Joking around one second, prepared to fight to the death in the other. He would do anything for his family, not all of which he was related to by blood. Wanda hoped that he would consider this when he answered her question.

“No, no. I just wanted to ask you something.” “If you just wanted to ask me something then you could just do it now, seeing as you went through all the trouble to get this number.” “No… I would rather do it face to face.”

Truthfully, she wanted to be able to skim his mind to see if his reaction was genuine.

“Look, you gotta understand that it’s not that easy for me to just drop everything and leave anymore. My kids are growing up, Nathan’s starting school… I don’t wanna miss out on anything else. I want to be the Dad they deserve.”

“Would you walk me down the aisle?”

“Yeah, eventually. When Lila’s old enough. Still got quite a while to go thou- wait what? Walk you down the aisle?!”

Wanda could hear the faint voice of a woman down the phone.

“What was that, Clint?” “Nothing honey!”

Wanda suppressed a laugh at his sudden change of tone. “I’m planning to married this fall.” She said.

“Wanda, that’s great! Who’s the lucky guy?”

This was the question that Wanda had secretly been dreading. The last time Clint had met Vision had been in battle, and that hadn’t been pleasant for either of them. The rest of the group had been slightly sceptical at first, but had soon warmed up to the identity of Wanda’s fiancé and were eagerly helping to plan the wedding.

But Clint’s approval was the most important one she needed.

“Vision.”

A painful pause.

“Oh uh… you did think this through right?” “Of course.” “And he can’t have s-” “I know.” “And he’s a… uh…” “He’s a what, Clint? A robot?”

She had heard the questions so many times that she was sick of it. She didn’t understand why her friends couldn’t see Vision the way she did. As a person.

“...yeah.”

“Well he’s not, Clint. I love him and he loves me. It’s as simple as that.” “Sure, whatever you say.”

“So?” “So what?” “Will you stand in as my father?”

“Wanda, what sort of question even is that? Of course I will.”

Vision stood at the top of the hill and gazed down at the construction below him. New Asgard was to be a temporary solution to the homeless citizens of Thor’s home planet, and would act as a shelter until a permanent solution was found.

Said Prince was striding up the hill was hailing him.

“Vision! It’s been a while! How are you?” He said, his booming voice stretching out for what seemed like miles.

“I’m fine, thank you.” Vision replied, much more quietly in comparison. “Wanda and I-”

“Ah, Wanda.” Thor interrupted. “She’s the reason you were born, you know.”

It took every single component of Vision’s mind to avoid overthinking that statement.

“...yes. Well, Wanda and I are getting married-” “Oh, congratulations!” “Thank you- and I was wondering if you would be my best man?”

To be entirely honest, when Tony had first mentioned finding a best man, Vision had no idea what the job entailed. So he had done his research, and Thor was the person who immediately popped into his mind.

“I would be honoured to be the best man!”

...Except he doubted that the Asgardian knew what it was either.

“Do I have to do anything, or…?” Asked Thor, confirming Vision’s doubts. “I believe you have to give a speech and protect the wedding rings.”

At least that was what the internet said, and he had quickly learned not to believe everything he read.

“Ah, yes. I knew that.” Thor most certainly didn’t. “Well, how hard can it be?”

“My thoughts exactly.” Vision replied. He felt relieved now that the matter was settled. As more parts of the wedding were gradually sorted out, he would be able to give Thor more details. Things were going smoothly so far.

“Is it alright if I bring a few friends?”

“Friends?” Vision couldn’t help the hint of exasperation that leaked into his voice. Time was running out, they only had a few months until the wedding and though it wouldn’t make a difference, he still wanted to return as quickly as possible.

“Just a few of my closest companions.” Said a beaming Thor. “I don’t see why not.” “Thank you, my Vision!”

Wanda sat in her temporary apartment, gazing in wonder at Vision’s shortlist of wedding rings. They had been at it for hours, because Vision had a very different definition of the word “short”.   

“Vizh, I trust you. You can choose whatever ring you like for me.” She said, after she had almost fallen asleep for the fifth time.

“I know, but I believe all of them would suit you.” Said Vision. “There are 1,742 rings on this list compared to the millions of…”

It was the one time that Wanda felt sympathy for Stark, who had apparently also sat through this list.

“Why don’t you just get all of them? I mean, it’s not like Stark can’t afford it.” Wanda jokingly suggested.

“How is it possible to wear that many rings?” Vision asked innocently.

Wanda let out a chuckle. “No, you can’t- nevermind.” She turned back to the screen.

“Wait, what’s that one?” She said, pointing at one ring in particular.

“That one? That’s a royal ruby. Why, do you like it?”

It was quite a large gold ring, with an oval-shaped red gemstone in the middle.

“It’s perfect.”

“Thor, the rings please.”

“Of course!”

A wet-eyed Thor handed the rings over to Steve, who whispered a quick thanks.

The couple had decided to have meaningful words engraved on the inside of their rings. Wanda chose a word for her ring that immediately made her think of Vision. “Humanity”. Vision’s ring was engraved with the phrase that made him first realise his true feelings for Wanda. “Spirits lifted”.

“Now, repeat after me.” Instructed Steve, as he gave the first ring to Vision. “With this ring, I thee wed.”

“With this ring, I thee wed.” Repeated Vision, gently sliding the ring onto Wanda’s supple finger.

“Wanda?” Prompted Steve, as he gave Wanda the second ring.

“With this ring,” she let out a breath of joy as she slid the ring onto Vision’s finger, “I thee wed.”

Steve smiled warmly at the pair, before announcing the words they had waited too long to hear.

“I now pronounce you husband and wife! You may kiss.”

The roar of applause and cheers were deaf to their ears. Wanda wrapped her arms around Vision’s neck and drew him closer for their first married kiss.

“I love you.” She said, as she pulled back.

Vision just smiled broadly, and stared at his wife, who stroked his cheek lovingly.

Even an android can cry tears of joy.

[mellowfields]

NOW OFFERING WRITING COMMISSIONS

I never thought I would have to make a post like this, but I am currently going through some very hard times and need all the help I can get. 

I’ve recently had to give my job up after getting less than 6 hours paid work over a three week period, something that has been getting more and more common over the last 5-6 months. As I’m sure anyone else from the UK reading this will agree, zero-hours contracts are the fucking worst.

So, I decided to start my own little business, only I didn’t take into account how long it would take and how much I’m going to have to spend before I can even get the business up and running. I’m currently eating through my savings and have very little left. I’m so desperate for money I’ve even sold a good chunk of my clothes and shoes. I have rent to pay, as well as tax on top, a car to keep running and a little brother I have to help feed and clothe. 

So if you have an idea for a story but don’t want/have time to write it, or if you need a second pair of eyes to proofread a piece of writing, I am happy to help. Even just signal boosting this post will be a huge help so thanks in advance.

COMMISSIONS:

Please contact me through Tumblr if you have a commission.

I will write fan works (see below the read more for fandoms/ships I’m willing to write)

I will write OCs

I will write original stories

I will help proofread your own stories/academic papers/essays/reports/etc.

I will write NSFW/Non-con (within reason)/violence/gore/death

I do all my writing on Google Drive

Your commission can be as vague or as detailed as you like. All fan work commissions will be published on Tumblr and AO3 unless specifically asked otherwise. Alternatively, you can ask to be made anonymous before the fan work is posted.

(As I haven’t got a lot of examples of my writing on my AO3 account, I will be willing to write a short 100-200 word work for free so you can decide whether you like my style or not.)

PRICING: 

Proofreads: £6 PS (price negotiable depending on length)

For works, the rate is 1p per word, eg.: 

300 words - £3 PS

500 words - £5 PS

1000 words - £10 PS

1500 words - £15 PS

2000 words - £20 PS   

(etc.)

At the moment I can only take payment through PayPal.

FANDOMS AND SHIPS:

I have used an asterisk (*) to show which fandoms/ships I am most comfortable writing. (Note: most will be slash pairings)

BuzzFeed Unsolved* - Ryan/Shane*

Disney Prince/Princesses - Any pairing

Game Of Thrones - Jaime/Brienne, Sansa/Sandor, Sansa/Jon, Arya/Gendry

Gotham - Jim/Oswald*, Ed/Oswald

Harry Potter/Fantastic Beasts*: Any pairing

Kingsman - Harry/Eggsy

Labyrinth - Any pairing

Life On Mars - Gene/Sam

Lord Of The Rings/The Hobbit - Thorin/Bilbo, Frodo/Sam, Merry/Pippin, Fili/Kili

MCU - Tony/Steve, Tony/Dr Strange*, Thor/Loki, Deadpool/Spiderman, Logan/Rogue, Charles/Eric

Merlin - Arthur/Merlin

Pride & Prejudice - Elizabeth Bennet/Fitzwilliam Darcy 

Sherlock - John/Sherlock, Molly/Sherlock 

South Park - Craig/Tweek, Kyle/Cartman, Kenny/Butters 

Star Wars* - Armitage Hux/Kylo Ren*, Kylo Ren/Rey, Finn/Rey, Finn/Poe, Han Solo/Leia, Han Solo/Luke Skywalker 

Star Trek - Bones/Spock, Bones/Kirk, Kirk/Spock

Stranger Things - Steve/Billy, Will/Mike

Teen Wolf - Derek/Stiles

The Walking Dead - Beth/Daryl, Shane/Daryl

Tin Man - Glitch/Wyatt*, Glitch/DG, Wyatt/DG

Yuri On Ice - Yuri/Victor

Please don’t feel discouraged if your fandom/ship is not on here, I’ve been in so many fandoms over the years it’s very likely I’ve missed a few, so please contact me anyway and we’ll go from there.

Thank you so much for reading and hopefully I’ll hear from you soon!