#metal slat railing

[chronologynut]

Modern Basement San Francisco Large minimalist walk-out porcelain tile and beige floor basement photo with gray walls and no fireplace

[yuri-on-ice-ice-baby]

Large trendy backyard deck photo with no cover a sizable, modern backyard deck photo without a cover

[emiliaclarce]

Large trendy backyard deck photo with no cover a sizable, modern backyard deck photo without a cover

[sivangifs]

Covered - Deck

[hoytsheriff]

Exterior - Modern Exterior Ideas for a medium-sized, contemporary blue, three-story remodel with a flat roof

[controlsfortheheart]

Large - Contemporary Garage Ideas for remodeling a large contemporary attached two-car garage

[wanderers-of-sornieth]

Stucco Exterior Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary beige two-story stucco flat roof remodel

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Crossed Wires 1

Warnings: non/dubcon, and other dark elements. My username actually says you never asked for any of this.

My warnings are not exhaustive but be aware this is a dark fic and may include potentially triggering topics. Please use your common sense when consuming content. I am not responsible for your decisions.

Characters: silverfox!Andy Barber, Cole Turner

Summary: you try to balance your work with your private life as your boss and a new client try to blur the lines. (short!reader)

Part of the Backwoods AU

As usual, I would appreciate any and all feedback. I’m happy to once more go on this adventure with all of you! Thank you in advance for your comments and for reblogging.

The gravel mulches loudly under the tires of the truck. You grip the ridged wheel as the seat belt strains against your shoulder. You make yourself sit back, the seat slid up as far as it will go. Still, the bumper shortens your perspective.

You figured you’d get a call to the old Orson place when you heard it sold. That was months ago though and the new owner finally set down roots there. You haven’t seen them, you’ve only heard the whispers that accompany any happening in Hammer Ford; from a new recipe to the juiciest of scandals. You pay much attention to any of it.

You keep your hands at ten and two as you follow the long gravelly drive to the farmhouse facade. There’s a single car parked outside the garage. It’s a sleek white SUV, luxury by the looks of the hood ornament. It’s not what you expect around here. That paint job will be dusty in now time, if not scratched by errant pebbles.

You pull in and shut off the engine. You undo your seat belt and check your watch. Right on schedule. You open the door and step on the rusted step below the door, letting yourself down with a hop. Your tan work boots kick up dirt as you round to the passengers side and swing the door open to retrieve your heavy work bag.

You sling the thick strap over your shoulder and snap the door as you head towards the house. You rest your hand on the side of the bag as you near the steps, searching for any sign of life. The stairs creak as you climb onto the low porch.

“Can I help you?” The deep voice startles you. 

You blink and turn to face the man sitting on the wooden boards, bolts and screws around him along with metal parts and wooden boards. You hadn’t seen him through the tight slats of the railing.

You keep your usual vague stare as you sniff, “got a call about the breaker.”

He squints at you, a squiggle forming between his brows. He’s older. His grey hair has a single bolt of its former dirty blond just above his forehead. Despite the heat and the dirt sprinkled over the boards, he wears a pair of dark slacks and a button-up rolled to his elbows.

“You’re the electrician,” he states as he sets aside the small screwdriver in his hand. He stands with a grunt, grasping his knee before he straightens.

“Sure am,” you reply flatly.

“I spoke with a man,” he intones, hands going to his hips as he looks down at you.

“That’s would be my boss. Cole.”

“That’s his name,” he steps forward, wiping his hand on his shirt, staining the light gray fabric, “Andy.”

He offers his hand and you shake it curtly. All the farmers pride themselves on keeping a firm grip and you never faltered with them. He squeezes before he lets you go. He doesn’t have the typical callouses, you even have a few.

“How’d you get into this work?” he wonders.

“It’s work. Why do you ask?”

“Oh, I don’t– I don’t mean anything,” he stammers.

“Didn’t think you did,” you sniff, “so, what am I looking at?”

“Well, I don’t really know,” he reaches back to rub his neck. The power keeps… flickering.”

“Ah, been a while, probably just need to wait for it to stabilize. City worker came out months ago for the meters,” you explain.

“Right, well, I heard sizzling.”

“Show me where you heard it.”

He nods and gestures you towards the door. Before you can reach it, he pulls the wooden screen door back and waits for you to enter ahead of him. He tells you it’s just down the hall and stop you near the basement door. You peer down the stairs and flick the light switch. There’s a low buzz.

“I don’t think you need to worry about it,” you look up, “but I can have a look.”

“Oh, okay,” he utters, “I also had another question. You might know something about it.”

You look at him. He seems put off by your expressionless stare.

“I wanted to install an automatic opener in the garage…”

“I can do the wiring, sure, long as you buy the parts,” you answer. “I can give you recommendations, odds are, you’ll need a whole new door as well.”

“Sure,” he agrees uneasily.

“Can schedule an appointment when you decide,” you turn your palm out, “I’ll just go grab my ladder and have a look then.”

You go to step past him but he’s not quick enough. You nearly collide and find yourself moving back and forth with him, trying to get by. You stop and stare. He stills himself and turns sideways, waving you by. You pass and let out a slow breath through your nose.

You stalk back down the hall and onto the porch. You hear him following you. You come down the steps as he continues his close pursuit. You don’t exactly know what he’s doing but you won’t ask. Cole says you need to work on customer service and not tell people to get out of your way.

You go around the bed of the truck and open the back. You reach for the ladder but another arm stretches further and faster. He pulls the ladder out before you can and you step back with a grunt.

“Hey, I can get it,” you insist.

“It’s okay. I don’t mind helping.”

“So why am I here?” You ask curtly, immediately knowing you asked a bad question.

“Sorry, I was just… being nice,” he says.

“Right,” you try to soften your tone, “it’s just… it’s my job. I can carry the ladder.”

“I know you can,” he looks down at you and you feel even smaller. You don’t like it when they try to play gentleman, it’s condescending. You might be short but you’re strong enough. 

“Thanks,” you grab the ladder and yank it from his grasp.

He lets go and you continue past him. He huffs and follows a few paces back from the end of the ladder. You angle it up the steps.

“At least let me get the door,” he inches past you, “okay?”

“Thanks,” you repeat in the same even keel.

You enter and take the ladder down the hall. He hovers just down the hallway, watching as he shifts his weight between his feet. He’s the worst kind of customer, the kind that have to supervise. 

You step up the ladder and look past it. “Mind holding it?”

“You sure?” He gives a trite arch of his brow.

You blink and keep your eyes from rolling, “I’d appreciate it, sir.”

He comes forward and braces the ladder staunchly. You climb up and suppress a snarl. City folk think you’re all backwards out here but they can’t wrap their damn head around a woman with a brain.

[cantstoptheimagines]

Escape the Night (Kaz Brekker | Shadow and Bone)

Summary — When you anger a few people in Ketterdam, Kaz isn’t very happy about it.

Warnings & Other Tags ➳ Mentions of thievery; Kaz is upset with the (embarrassed) Reader; brief mention of weaponry (in reference to Inej and her knives).

Notes ➳ ‘Can’t Stop the Love’ Event (1/14) ➳ Word Count is 639.  ➳ Reader is gender neutral (they/them). ➳ “After that... you’re lucky I still love you.” 

FAQ | Masterlist | Fandoms | Requests | Coming Soon | Schedule 

Hiding behind the bar in the Crow Club, you listened to Kaz’s quiet, irritated voice as he tried to convince four very angry merchants to leave. You looked up, immediately spotting Inej and Jesper, both of them leaning over the upstairs railing and waiting for any sign that they needed to step in. 

Inej shook her head when she met your gaze, twirling a knife between her fingertips. Jesper, meanwhile, was trying to hide an amused grin as he winked. You glared, unhappy that he was taking so much joy in your misfortune.

The merchants’ shouts and complaints were suddenly silenced with several clinks! Kaz must have paid them off with a sizable amount of money for them to fall so quiet in only a few seconds. 

Your eyebrows furrowed as you observed Jesper on the upper floor. His smile was slowly widening and it didn’t take you long to figure out why. Your eyes widened at the feeling of Kaz’s cane attaching itself to your shirt. With a sharp jerk, the crow’s head handle pulled you upwards.

You swallowed nervously when your eyes met those of the Dregs’ leader. Kaz pursed his lips, glaring at you as his cane returned to his side, “Upstairs. Now.”

You released a deep sigh. As you trailed behind Kaz, you glared at Jesper, who was now cackling at your embarrassed expression. Inej rolled her eyes at him before quickly disappearing into the gambling house’s main foyer, probably ready to return to the Slat. Slapping his knee, Jesper followed, still laughing at your personal misery.

“Inside,” muttered Kaz, opening the door to his private study.

When you didn’t listen, biting your lip and turning away with crossed arms, Kaz glared at you. He gently tapped the back of your knees with his cane. With a quiet groan, you finally followed his demands.

As you took a seat in front of his desk, Kaz locked the door behind him. He then busied himself with quietly pouring two drinks. Your eyes observed his movements, which were far too calm for your liking. Usually, the two of you would be in a full-blown argument by now.

At least with that you knew what to expect. Kaz’s deadly silence had always been much more terrifying than his thundering anger.

“—steal?”

“What?”

Kaz let out a deep sigh. He turned, passing you one of the drinks in his hand, before taking his seat behind his desk. He looked at you tiredly, and then repeated himself.

“What did you steal?”

“Does it matter?”

“With the amount of money I gave those merchants? Yes.” he drawled, eyes narrowing. “After that... you’re lucky I still love you.”

There it is. The guilt trip. Being your partner, Kaz knew exactly which words to use in order to make you fold.

With a quiet sigh of defeat, you set your glass on his desk. Kaz’s sharp gaze followed your hand as it shoved itself into your pocket. You stood and held out a small piece of metal. One of Kaz’s gloved hands slowly reached out, taking the object and rolling between his fingertips.

It was a brooch. Small, but delicately forged, and obviously very expensive. It was no wonder those merchants had been chasing you. Handcrafted into the shape of a crow, tainted black, and finely decorated with gold to accentuate the bird’s smaller details.

“Do you like it?” you asked. “It’s yours.”

Kaz furrowed his brow. Tilting his head, his eyes continued to examine the small piece of jewelry, as he asked, “Mine?”

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Kaz.”

But as he looked up to reply, Kaz was met by nothing but an empty room as your footsteps faded away in the corridor. And for once, he allowed you to escape the night as he smirked at the tiny crow resting in his palm.

[teacasket]

cruel summer

genre: fluff, angst au: non-idol au warnings: none word count: 0.5k   pairing: gn!reader x lee minho song: cruel summer by taylor swift mini series: cruel summer // august // betty // cardigan // the 1 a/n: the reader in this is not the same reader as betty or cardigan. this reader is minho’s summer friend.

DEVILS ROLL THE DICE, ANGELS ROLL THEIR EYES.

The soda can lands against the door of the vending machine with a thunk. When you bend down to grab it, you ask Minho again, “You sure you don't want anything? I can pay for you, you know.”

As expected, he replies, “I’m good. Pier or beach?”

“Pier.”

You walk side-by-side with him and take special care to not look at him. You’re not supposed to look at him. Not even when the sunset is in your eyes, when there’s nowhere else to turn your head. You’re just friends. Friends don’t look at each other the way you look at him.

You keep your gaze steady on the wooden planks. You feel every bump and whorl under your sneakers. Through the slats, you watch the tides lap at the sand, desperate to make it farther than the dark border painted on by their predecessors. It would be so easy if friendship had an easily discernible line. At least you would know if you were toeing it. Instead, you have to rely on instincts and hope that you’re on the safe side. The right side. But the more time you spend with Minho, the more you want to leap over the blurry gray area and into definitive love.

“What are you thinking about?”

“Nothing,” you say too quickly. When he snorts, you admit, “You.”

“Me?”

It’s only one syllable, but you hear his amusement curling around it like smoke. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire, but Minho has always been good at luring you to the flames. You’ll make a joke, he’ll laugh at it, you’ll take another step into forbidden territory.

“Yeah,” you reply. You lean against the metal railing and finally crack open your can of soda. “Why are you always chewing bubble gum?”

He chuckles and shoves his hands into the pockets of his jeans to search for his pack of gum. Another question you could have asked: “Why do you insist on wearing jeans in the summer?”

“I’m not chewing gum right now,” he says. “I don’t know. Gives my mouth something to do, I guess. Want one?”

While you shake your head, he takes one for himself. With the same amusement in his voice, he says, “I bet you’re just jealous ‘cause you can’t blow bubbles.”

“That’s not true.”

“I’ve never seen you do it before. Do it now.”

He doesn’t know about the smoke in his voice and its effects on you. You feel it tugging at your wrists and almost take a stick of gum. Instead, you catch yourself in time and lamely answer, “I should drink my soda before it goes flat.”

“Knew it. Watch this.”

Like he commands, you watch with tamed envy as the pink bubble between his lips gradually expands. It would be so easy to make the wrong choice right now, to kiss the other side bubble and pray that he doesn’t pull away when it pops.

So, so easy.

WHAT DOESN’T KILL ME MAKES ME WANT YOU MORE.

[lackablazeical]

Addams! Au snippet 1: 'Alley'

FULL CREDIT TO WRITER NewFallenLeaves ON A03! SHE HELPED KEEP THIS AU GOING TO AND GET WHERE IT IS TODAY, AND MAKES WONDERFUL CONTENT FOR THIS FANDOM. GIVE HER LOVE, A KUDO AND COMMENT, ETC ETC. DO YOUR THING TO MAKE HER FEEL GOOD FEELS :]

These snippets are probs gonna be posted once a week, Tuesdays, early morning (for me) so look out for that!!! :]

And some human Leosagi doodle as a celebration, too :]]

Full snippet below the cut! ⬇️⬇️⬇️

Leo held back as the two thugs moved into the alley after the rabbit yokai. Their posture, the way they checked quickly behind them to see if they were being observed, their attempts to keep their footfalls discreet – all of it was so obvious.

“Stealing my idea, assholes,” Leo muttered.

He waited until they were several feet past the entrance of the alley before darting over the gap to land on the opposite roof. From there, he swung down onto a fire escape platform, landing soundlessly. He crouched and peered through the iron slats of the railing, watching the little drama unfold below.

“Hey! Usagi.” The first thug spoke.

The rabbit yokai stiffened.

“What’d we tell you about comin’ this way, eh?”

Usagi didn’t even bother to turn. He bolted.

The two yokai burst into a sprint after him.

The alley only continued for another few yards before taking a ninety-degree turn. Leo scurried along the fire escape railing, then leaped for an iron pipe that ran vertically at the corner of the building. He caught it with one hand, let his momentum carry him around the corner, and then dropped, snagging a windowledge and clinging like a spider.

Below him, Usagi had come to a dead stop. The remainder of the alley was a jammed mess of twisted metal. The cab of a truck had somehow smashed in at a nearly-sideways angle, its hood crumpled and glass shattered. Its trailer was wedged, jutting partway out of the alley and into the street beyond.

One of the yokai cackled. “Didn’t expect us to block that, didja?”

“You stole and crashed an eighteen-wheeler in an alleyway, just to screw with me?” said Usagi.

“Sick and tired of you ducking us,” said the first yokai. He pulled a switchblade from his belt and flicked it open.

It was a little blade, barely a few inches. Hardly deadly. He lunged forward and swiped at Usagi, probably more to intimidate than to actually harm. But for whatever reason, Usagi seemed to have not been prepared for the sudden move, and the blade caught his forearm before he could back out of range.

Drips of blood hit the pavement.

The scent of it wafted, and Leo couldn’t stop himself from leaning forward.

Usagi backed into a corner near the truck’s front tires. He clutched at the wound, clearly trying to staunch the flow, but only succeeded in squeezing more rivulets from the open flesh. It dripped down his hand, tracing red clots through his pale fur. The thug stalked forward, blade out, grin widening.

“Back off, before you regret it,” said Usagi.

“Big talk,” said the thug. “But you’re just a scared little rabbit, you can’t do nothin’ about it–”

Leo dropped in front of him, sword already in motion.

It took the yokai’s arm off just below the elbow. For what felt like several seconds, the thug stared stupidly at the stump and his hand, which was now on the ground, fingers still clenched around the handle of the switchblade. “What the f–”

Leo flipped his grip on the sword and snapped the hilt into the yokai’s face. Cartilage cracked, and the yokai staggered backwards, clutching his nose with his remaining hand. Blood poured freely down over his mouth and chin. He glared at Leo through watery eyes, incredulous.

Leo blew him a kiss.

The yokai gurgled, looking unsteady on his feet. His friend gripped his shoulder, pulling him back the way they’d come. “Screw this!”

They fled.

Leo slung the sword over his shoulder, reveling in the pitter-patter of blood drips as they fell from the blade across his carapace. He turned to face Usagi, grinning–

–except he was gone.

Leo’s grin dropped a little. He spun in a circle, and just caught sight of a blue tunic disappearing into a gap under the truck’s bumper. Leo knelt, tipping his head to peer underneath the rig.

Usagi scrabbled on his belly, squirming through the tangle of wreckage and out the other side. Then he was back on his feet and dashing away.

Leo sighed, stood back up, and swung his blade in a circle. The portal crackled to life, and he stepped through.

Directly into Usagi’s path of escape.

Usagi skidded to a halt, eyes wide. Leo guessed he wasn’t used to getting his escape routes cut off very often. And to have it happen twice in a row was probably very disconcerting.

To his credit, Usagi seemed to handle it well. His eyes narrowed. “I suppose you want something.”

The corner of Leo’s mouth twitched.

“I don’t have any money, if that’s what you’re after.”

Leo debated. Did he want something? The original plan had been to stalk the guy and mug him, sure. But then those other two goons had meddled, Leo had swept in to intervene, and now there was something different about the whole dynamic. Besides, it was rather enticing watching the expressions on Usagi’s face morph through trepidation, uncertainty, even wary curiosity.

Leo leaned close. Usagi took an involuntary step back, his hands coming up defensively.

In one quick motion, Leo snapped his hand out, grabbed Sagi’s wrist, and ran his tongue over the open wound. For a moment, he lingered, reveling in the mingling taste of blood and sweat.

The look of complete shock and abject horror on Usagi’s face might have been even more delicious.

Leo licked his lips, released his hold, and with a flourish, opened a portal behind him. He stepped backwards through it, holding Usagi’s gaze until the blue light overtook him.

He giggled all the way home.

[theoriginalladya]

Sunday WIP Whenever

I was tagged by @cr-noble-writes - thank you, my friend!!! Loved the Jackson snippet, btw!!!

Here's a snippet of Rhys talking to Anderson in the next chapter for Everybody Loses It that I'm in the middle of editing. (sadly, Hell Week for work caught me in it's clingy tendrils before I could finish. sigh).

“How are you holding up, son?” he asks, genuine concern in his voice as he joins Rhys at the railing, resting his arms across the metal slats.  It’s a refreshing question, to be honest.  Anderson’s not the first one to ask him that, but the first once since arriving on the Citadel and after all of the stuff with Udina and the Council.  But it’s the endearment that hits home.  Son. How long has it been since I was last called that?  “I’m fine, sir.  A little out of sorts, maybe.”  His lips purse into a thin, wry smile.  “Wasn’t aware a civilian could be recruited by the Alliance.” Anderson chuckles and pats Rhys’ shoulder.  “Don’t worry, you aren’t being recruited.  Not really.  You’re just doing a favor for an old friend.” And old friend.  Just how much Anderson knows about Rhys and Kaidan’s relationship prior to today, Rhys has no clue.  For all he knows, the man could be a confidante to Kaidan as well.  Still, Anderson isn’t the type to judge, Rhys knows that from past experience. “Good to know.  I’m a bit…short on the training side of things.”  He flashes Anderson a wide smile.  “Sir.”  He side-glances the man warily.  “You aren’t…This isn’t getting back to my mother, is it?” “As far as I’m concerned, you are an adult of legal standing and more than capable of making your own decisions,” Anderson assures him.  “I can’t guarantee she isn’t going to hear about it some other way, but it won’t be from me.  Why?” “Just curious if she had her hand in it somehow.”  It isn’t that he doesn’t trust Kaidan – of everyone he’s come into contact with since Eden Prime and even after they parted on bad terms the last time they’d seen one another a decade ago, Rhys trusts him.  He always has.  “You know how she likes to meddle in my affairs, and it rarely ever turns out for the best.”

[kikiiswashere]

It Takes a Village

Summary: Katya gets word that Viktor is sick and needs to be picked up from the Academy. The news sends her into a fearful tailspin. Luckily, Silco and Enyd are there to remind her that she doesn't have to care for him by herself.

Pairing: Silco/Katya, established relationship

Rating: General, SFW

WC: 2.1K

Notes: This is a little diddy that has been sitting in my computer for a while. Inspired by a prompt by SacrificedSin87 over on AO3 :)

Please note, this one-shot exists on its own AU, and is not necessarily informed by events and major plot points in Children of Zaun.

-------

“Keep up, Silco!” Katya called over her shoulder as she scrambled up the side of one of the thousands of Undercity catwalks. Her boots clanged against the metal slats as she ran towards the Promenade.

“I’m trying!” he wheezed, hurling his lithe body over the bridge’s railing. “I didn’t know you were this fast.”

“You should stop smoking,” was all she said, launching herself up a flight of twisty stairs.

Silco grimaced, and as if to make a point, sprinted even faster behind her.

The pair bobbed and weaved through milling bodies, receiving angry looks, and angrier gestures and words from people they accidentally jostled or bumped into. Katya didn’t care, though. She cared about getting through the Promenade, across the Bridge, and to Piltover’s Academy as quickly as possible.

Earlier that day, just as she was preparing to leave the mines, she had received a tube that Viktor had fallen ill. While he could (and perhaps should) stay on campus, he had requested to go home to recuperate. And Katya couldn’t bring herself to deny him.

She had sprinted past Silco – who was on his way to collect her so they could walk out together – shouting the news at him over her shoulder, before throwing herself in the mine’s elevator and slapping the ascend button repeatedly.

She fought her way through the miners coming in for their shift like a salmon swimming upstream. Once she breached the mine’s perimeter, she heard Silco call behind her. He eventually caught up and they sailed through the Undercity together.

“Kat! Wait! Wait a second,” he gasped, reaching out and grabbing her arm.

Her body jerked under his hold and she grunted in frustration, turning to him.

“I need to get Viktor!”

“He’s not going anywhere,” Silco said between heavy breaths. “Just take a moment – “

“He’s sick! He needs me!”

“I know, I know” he said, taking hold of her shoulders. “Just . . . take a breath. I know it’s more precarious for him, but kids get sick. We’re going to take care of him, and get him healthy, and back to school.”

Katya stared up at him, breathing deeply through her nose. Her heart pounded in her chest.

“We?”

The corners of his lips lifted as they so often did when looking at her. He nodded.

“I grabbed Sevika before I followed you. Told her to let my mum know what was happening and prepare my bedroom for him.”

Katya’s brow crumpled, confused.

“Your bedroom?”

He nodded again.

“Yes. We’ll take him to my mum’s and my apartment. That way you won’t have to worry about him all the way down in the Sumps.”

Katya’s brows knit together, concerned that Silco had not thought this plan through.

“I can’t ask you or your mother to watch him,” she started.

“No, I know. That’s why you’ll stay, too.”

“Where – “

“On the couch,” he answered. “I know it isn’t ideal, but it’s better than you being away from him.”

“What about you? Where will you sleep?”

“I’ll crash at the Drop until he’s well.”

“Silco,” Katya sighed. “I cannot ask you to – “

He gripped her chin, placing his thumb over her parted lips. Once the fight left her eyes, he dipped down and replaced the digit with his mouth.

When they drew back from one another, Silco huffed a small laugh.

“Besides,” he said, “if my mother got wind that Viktor was sick, and you had taken him back to your place in the Sumps, she would’ve broken down your door and brought him to our place herself.”

Katya smiled, knowing that it was true. Enyd would be insistent – borderline pushy – about Viktor recuperating in a less smog-filled environment. Finally, she conceded with a nod before lifting on her toes and kissing him again.

“Thank you,” she murmured against his thin lips.

Silco took her hand in his, and they continued toward the Bridge.

As they neared the attendant hut, a jolt of nerves poked Katya’s stomach. She had a pass, but Silco did not. Her mouth went dry as they got closer, scared that the attendant would not let either of them through, suspecting Zaunite mischief. However, her worries eased when she spied Ivy Banforth just beyond the gate. Seeing Katya, the Academy aide strode forward, a kind and reassuring smile on her face.

As the medic assumed, the attendant looked at her and her partner with distrustful eyes as they approached the gate. Silco gripped her hand tighter, and she could feel the sneer on his face. Luckily, Ivy filled the space between the attendant and the two Fissure Folk, flashing an official looking notice at the guard.

“They are here on Academy business,” she said sweetly. “I’m here to escort them.”

The attendant eyed Heimerdinger’s seal at the bottom of the paper and reluctantly waved Katya and Silco through.

“How is he?” Katya asked hurriedly as the three headed for the campus.

“He’s alright,” the aide assured. “Just a fever and cough. A little nauseous, too, but with some rest he’ll recover quickly.”

Katya had to fight the urge to protest the Piltie’s patronizing diagnosis. Didn’t she realize that being sick was more dangerous for her brother than other children? How dare she assume that everything would be alright.

“I’ve already gathered his things and brought his bag to the medical office,” Ivy said. She shot an interested glance to Silco and added, “I’m glad you brought someone to help you.”

Katya gripped her partner’s hand possessively and quickened their pace.

The Academy’s medical offices were ones that Katya had not been to before. She had hoped to never need to visit them. Although she supposed that Silco was right: children got sick. It was only a matter of time until she would need to see her brother in such a place.

Despite having a very pragmatic purpose, the medical office was still ostentatiously designed and decorated in Piltover’s preferred gilded fashion. Ivy wove them through the echoey marble halls until they reached the small, dimly lit room Viktor was being housed in.

Katya broke out of Silco’s hold and rushed to her brother’s bedside. She gently carded her fingers through his sweaty hair, and her heart ached to see the sickly pallor of his skin: angry, rosy splotches on his cheeks against the green-gilled sallowness of the rest of his face. His breath was wheezy and snotty. It hitched when he opened his fever-fogged eyes and saw his sister.

“Kat,” he croaked.

“Shhh, shhh, shh,” she hushed. “I’m here. We’re here to take you home, okay?”

His eyes slid to Silco’s figure over her shoulder and he sniffed. The sniffle turned into a string of phlegmy hacks, and he turned his face into the pillow to shield his sister from it.

“I gave him some cough syrup and pain relievers,” the nurse said.

Katya jumped at her voice, not realizing that there was another body in the room.

“I put some more medicine in his satchel,” the nurse continued, gesturing to Viktor’s large rucksack at the foot of the bed, “along with some care instructions. Once he’s been fever free for twenty-four hours, he can return to school.”

Katya nodded, her hand still petting her brother’s head. Her eyes fell to the large bag, then to Silco.

“Carry him, please.”

Silco nodded and stooped down to gather the boy up as Katya went for the bag, hefting it onto her shoulders.

“No, I want Kat to carry me,” Viktor protested weakly against Silco’s chest. He was only able to vocalize his dissatisfaction, as his body limply slumped in the man’s hold.

“I know, Vik, I know,” Katya cooed, taking up the blanket and draping it over him. “But we will get home faster if you let Silco do it.”

Her brother grumbled, but nuzzled against Silco’s shoulder.

Katya thanked the nurse and Ivy escorted the group back across campus, and to the Bridge. She bid them good-bye – taking an extra moment with Viktor – and waved to them as they headed back toward the Undercity.

-------

The journey to Silco and Enyd’s apartment was made slower by Viktor’s sickly addition. Usually, Katya and Silco would roof-run, arriving at the door in mere minutes. Walking the gangways and taking the stairs and tunnels meant it took them almost an hour.

Silco had barely put the key in the lock before Enyd wrenched the door open. Her hair was pulled back in a messy bun and her sleeves were rolled up.

“Oh, come here, my love,” she fussed, grabbing for Viktor.

The young boy seemed unperturbed by the fact that this was not his and his sister’s home, willingly sliding his arms around Enyd’s thin shoulders and resting his head against her neck.

“Come in, come in,” she called to her son and Katya as she carried the boy down the hall. “I ran him a warm bath. There’s vegetable soup on the stove.”

She disappeared into the washroom, and Katya finally let out a sigh of relief, allowing her heart to fully settle into the gratitude of Silco and Enyd’s gift. She stepped down the hall to Silco’s bedroom, a warmth blooming across her chest to see the fresh linens on the bed and a tall glass of water on the end table. Setting the rucksack down, Katya turned to Silco, who had followed her, and wrapped her arms around his narrow middle.

“Thank you.”

His limbs enveloped her and he kissed the top of her head.

“Anything for you.”

They stayed that way for a moment longer, before Katya knelt and fished Viktor’s pajamas and crutch out of the sack. She knocked on the bathroom door and poked her head into the steamy room. Viktor sat in the milky bath while Enyd used a cup to pour warm water over his head and back. The older woman looked over her shoulder and smiled as Katya set the clean clothes on the toilet lid, and leaned the crutch against the sink.

“We’ll have you right as rain in no time,” Enyd promised, scratching her fingers across Viktor’s scalp. Katya was sure the sentiment was as much for her as it was for him. And she appreciated it.

After a few more minutes, Katya helped her brother out of the tub and the older woman toweled him dry. Before his pajama’s were put on, Enyd slathered an herbaceous salve across the boy’s chest. Viktor looked uncertainly at his crutch as he adjusted his pajamas against his damp skin. He sheepishly looked up at his sister, and she smiled warmly.

“Come here,” she said, and scooped him up.

Enyd grabbed the crutch and they went to the kitchen. Silco had ladled out four bowls of soup and set them around the table. However, Viktor opted to stay in Katya’s lap, and was only able to take a few slurps of dinner before he started to fall asleep against her shoulder.

“We’ll try again when he wakes up,” Enyd whispered, gathering the bowls, and looking sweetly at the drowsy child.

Katya nodded and awkwardly made onto her feet, carrying her brother to Silco’s bedroom. She tucked him snuggly in the bed and fluffed the pillows under his shoulders. Half asleep, he grabbed for her to stay and she murmured lullabies to him until he fully landed into slumber. She kissed his warm forehead and silently shuffled out of the room.

She stepped into the living room to see Enyd placing a pillow and stack of blankets on the couch. She heard the running of the kitchen tap and the sound of dishes clinking together as Silco washed them.

“Thank you for this, Enyd,” Katya said in a hushed tone, not entirely able to look the other woman in the eye.

“It’s my pleasure, dear,” she said, before walking up to the young woman and cupping her jaw. “You’re alright?”

Katya swallowed and nodded. “This helps. Thank you.”

Enyd grinned back and patted her cheeks as Silco stepped out of the kitchen.

“I’m going to head to the Drop,” he said, wiping his hands on his trousers.

Katya’s face pinched into an expression of reluctant appreciation and went to him. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, kissed him, and then rested her face in the crook of his neck.

“Thank you,” she murmured again. “I love you.”

Silco held her back, her spine nearly cracking under the strength of his hug.

“I love you, too.”

Gently, they parted and Enyd bussed her son on the cheek before he quietly left the apartment.

“Tea and cards, Katya?” the older woman asked after a beat.

“I would love that.”

-------

Notes: Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed this little drabble, please comment and reblog! If you'd like to be added to my taglist, hit up my inbox!

Smooches for all of you!!!

Taglist: @dreamyonahill@pinkrose1422@altered-delta@beardedladyqueen

[da-floof]

Cross wands-a generically titled comedy/somewhat creepy Hogwarts legacy romance.

AUTHOR NOTE:

First off I don’t own the Harry Potter series this is merely fan work and I don’t own Hogwarts legacy as a franchise OR AS A GAME. No I don’t own the game, no one makes money off of me writing anything so don’t @ me complaining.

“No…”

The pearlescent sheen of Amortentia shudders with your own shaking view, your hands gripping the desk become sweaty.

“No, it can’t be…” you desperately bargain against fate, despite knowing the cards are already well in place.

They’ve been so for many months.

However only now can you admit it.

Your shaking gets worse, you swallow loudly, glancing over at one of the large glass containers-only to see Sebastian standing right behind you in the reflection, silent but clearly unnerved by your flustered demeanour. After all, you can’t remember a time when you felt so powerless, a time when a single emotion had you pressed like a pin into a cork board.

“Hey…you ok?” Sebastian asks after he realises that your looking at him via the reflection.

You merely lower your head and let out a shuddering breath.

No, no I am not.

Sebastian starts to speak, no doubt some useless ‘I’ve got your back buddy, lets talk about it while I teach you illegal curses.’ Spiel.

Pathetic.

How can you even think about such frivolous time wasting when he needs you.

Luckily the moment Sebastian begins to talk, Professor Sharps voice cuts through the room announcing the end of class.

You make a large arcing wand movement, so utterly dramatic that it does the intended job and scares Sebastian back several feet as your potions equipment flings round you in a deterring makeshift shield before shrinking down as it dives back into your bag. With Sebastian stunned you take your chance and leave.

—————————————

“Hey-Hey wait!”

But you won’t.

Sebastian continues to call as you shove through the crowd without mercy.

Imelda squawks as she’s shouldered into the wall, Natty is shoved forward and crashes into Garreth who is almost backhanded out the way when he stops to turn and see what’s happened.

The path clear, you run.

He needs you.

——————————————

Sebastian had gotten through the crowd and was back on your tail.

You aren’t sure how but one thing is for certain, he will not stop you, he is merely the hopeful dog that must be lost as it attempts to follow a stranger for food.

Luckily your galavanting into cave systems and following the keepers trails has kept you very fit, fit enough that you turn sharply at a corridor and make a beeline up to the Astronomy tower.

——————————————————————

Your breaths are becoming ragged.

You knew the steps to the Astronomy tower, had done them several times.

But you’d never flat out run up them.

It doesn’t matter, you’re nearly there, the blue and gold theming coming into view as you round the top of the final staircase, almost dizzy from following the spiralling staircase for so long.

You dart past the classroom, a place you’d usually love to stop and marvel at but not today.

Proffesor Shah barely has time to look up from her desk before your passed her and continuing up the last set of rickety wooden stairs. The wooden slats are passing you by so fast, you feel like you’re ur about to faint-

No, I must get to him!

Finally you reach the Astronomy deck, almost tripping over yourself as the vertical stairs become flat wood. You stagger to the side, letting out a donkey like wheeze before dragging your exhausted body to the railing separating you from a perilous drop. Wincing at your screaming thighs you shakily get both feet on the top railing, strangely well balanced despite the the narrow metal ledge. For a minute you stop to catch your breath, appreciate the wind blowing against your non-standard uniform, tousling your hair.

The view, it’s fantastic, he would love it.

“For fucks sake man will you stop!” You startle, almost losing your balance before unsteadily turning round to face an exhausted Sebastian as he shakily climbs the last few stairs, one hand grasping at a stitch in his abdomen the other pulling himself up on the railing like it’s the hardest thing he’s ever had to do.

“Please!” He begs, pink faced, drool dripping from his mouth as he openly pants like an energised dog.

Gross.

Well, kind of hot but the only one you want to see drooling is still a fair distance away.

“What in Merlin’s name is going on up-oh my heavens!” Proffesor Shah shrieks as she almost trips back down the stairs she’s hurried up, seeing you standing on the ledge.

Before the Indian women can gather herself, you fling out your hands and fall back, letting gravity drag you down.

“Noooo!!” Sebastian wails in heartbreaking despair, his single word ending a sob while Professor Shah lets out her own agonised cry at seeing a student fling themself off the Astronomy tower.

You close your eyes as you drop, knowing that despite the pain they will undoubtedly recover.

Especially since you whip out you broom and mount it in one fluid motion, returning high enough for both others to see you as you speed towards your destination.

Realising what you’ve done, Sebastian let’s out a furious, horse bellow of ‘YOU LITTLE CUNT!!’ While Professor Shah sounds like she’s having a heart attack from your sudden re-emergence.

You swing off your broom as soon as you reach the front entrance to the clock tower and immediately regret stalling for so long as a practise round of crossed wands has started. It seems several students from potions had come straight here. Natty and Eric are duelling Hector and Charlotte.

With a furious cry you storm in, drawing all attention before sending a Depulso that sends Charlotte flying across the room, Levioso Hector straight up into the swinging pendulum with a reverberating clang. You sprint at Eric who’s face screws up in terror before morphing to pain as you drive your fist across his face then shoulder him into Natty sending the girl falling with a shriek.

There!-finally he’s right in front of you!

You can’t help but let out a low raspy gasp as you stagger towards him.

He’s frozen in either confusion or fear and oh god he smells like smoke, the resulting smoke of magic crashing into brick and stone mixed with leather from the quidditch gear he wears when flying.

And rubber from that damn rubber ball he bounces with such skill it-oh Merlin his confidence is so hot.

“…Can I help you.” He finally manages to squeak out, rubber ball rolling across the floor while he stares paralysed at you.

You’re rather paralysed yourself. The clean pale face, curly black hair, kind brown eyes-he’s so damn cute.

“I-I know your still setting up the next round of crossed wands but…I’d like to suggest a matchup?” You manage to say, stumbling over your words as you gaze into those deep eyes.

He nods dumbly, soft lips parted.

Cute.

Swallowing your fear you step towards him, you tower over him by nearly an entire foot but he isn’t scared, house of the brave and it suits him. Slowly you raise your hand and clasp his smaller one in it.

“I was thinking…me and you? Maybe at Hogsmeade sometime?” You say, desperately trying not to let your voice shake.

There’s a brief moment as he glances at your combined hands before he slowly closes his fingers around yours. Then he smiles at you.

“I’d like that.” He says softly.

Slowly, with small movements your heads come together until you’re inches away from a kiss-

“WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK ARE YOU DOING!?!?”

Unfortunately your tender moment with Lucan distracted you from hearing Sebastian catch up with you once more and you turn around straight into a stupefy.

You get a weeks detention. Sebastian ends up with a total of four weeks. A week for every time he attacks you in the hallways over the following week. However it isn’t the only thing that happens continually that week.

Natty ‘accidentally’ uses her Animagus form and slams her back hooves into you with enough force to send you into the black lake While your standing on the boardwalk. Imelda curses your broom. Charlotte jinx’s you in charms, Hector sends you dirty looks and Garreth tries to poison you but stops at the last minute before you drink your ‘pumpkin juice’ because you comment that you like his hair.

He says he thinks what you did was mean through his sobs but is willing to forgive you because he’s never received such validation.

Sad.

Regardless, as you stare into Lucans warm brown eyes while you share a smoothie in a little cafe in Hogsmeade, you think it was worth it.

Of course you can’t go much further then a snog because Professor Weasley kindly informed you that ‘He’s twelve and if it goes further then kissing I’ll rip your balls off and feed them to the Kneazles’ all while managing that gentle smile of hers.

But hey, you’ve promised him at some point you’ll cross wands.

[swan-of-sunrise]

Loki and the Cosmic Sorceress’ Spellbinding World Tour (A Spellbinding-Verse Interlude)

Summary: Loki and (Y/N) embark on a month-long trip to visit a dozen of the most beautiful and unique libraries in the world, each stop jam-packed with plenty of adventure, excitement and romance for the God of Mischief and the Cosmic Sorceress.

Pairing: Loki X Reader

Word Count: 11.7k

Warnings/Disclaimers: Disclaimer for a depiction and discussion of PTSD and its symptoms.

A/N: As promised, here's a not-so-little one-shot chronicling Loki and (Y/N)'s nerdy but well-earned vacation! If you haven't already, I recommend checking out the Spellbinding Playlist; I added a song from each country they visit and they're all great, so go ahead and give it a listen! Thank you so much for reading and I hope that you enjoy! (And a special shout-out to @mostclevermiss​ for giving me such wonderful inspiration and for being an overall awesome person, I hope I did El Ateneo Grand Splendid justice!)

~ Loki and the Cosmic Sorceress’ Spellbinding World Tour (A Spellbinding One-Shot) ~

1. Biblioteca Vasconcelos Mexico City, Mexico June 25th, 2016

Although the first of the twelve unique libraries they’d be visiting during their globe-trotting, month-long vacation, the Biblioteca Vasconcelos was far from the most glamorous or inviting of the dozen. The exterior of the building did little to stand out as a center for knowledge, with concrete walls and steel fences holding in the surrounding vegetation, but the inside was truly an impressive sight; a crisscrossing array of expandable metal shelves filled the cavernous interior and open-air balconies of each of the seven levels overlooked the entire library, and sunlight filtered in through the large skylights and slatted side windows. Musicians were playing their instruments in the garden and teenagers practiced a dance routine near the glass facades on the ground level while inside, patrons were reading, studying and conversing with one another as they enjoyed the warm summer day. Loki and (Y/N), however, were taking a small break from admiring the unusual architecture and vast literary collection to help a certain friendly neighborhood Spider-Man with his schoolwork.

“I thought that Parker started his summer vacation yesterday,” Loki remarked, thumbing through a book of Mexican history as he leaned against a nearby bookshelf. “Didn’t he tell us all that he passed his final exams with high marks and that he qualified for the next grade’s advanced placement Spanish course?”

(Y/N), who stood at the railing of the fourth floor’s balcony and carefully filmed the floors below them, glanced away from her smartphone’s screen and smiled. “Peter’s an overachiever; he knows that his new Spanish teacher always assigns her eleventh graders a cultural report on Mexico, so…”

“He’s planning his report out ahead of time, hence why he asked that we film as much of our stop in Mexico as we possibly can.” Loki concluded and when his fiancée nodded, he let out an appreciative hum. “Impressive. I’ll never understand how that child manages to find the time to patrol the city as its friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, achieve high marks on nearly all his schoolwork, work on various experiments with Stark and Doctor Banner in the laboratory, maintain multiple friendships…”

“And do it all while somehow keeping his aunt out of the loop,” (Y/N) added as she panned her smartphone to capture the level they were standing on. “I speak from personal experience that sooner rather than later, aunts will always find out the truth. When I was sixteen, I thought that it would be a good idea to let one of my friends secretly pierce my bellybutton; naturally, it became infected and I was finally forced to tell Aunt Evelyn about it. She didn’t ground me or judge my obviously poor decision, but she did take me to the doctors and help cheer me up by telling me about the time she decided to over-tweeze her eyebrows right before taking her senior portrait.”

With a chuckle, Loki set the book back onto the shelf and crossed his arms over his chest. “It would seem that you and I were both quite the rebels in our youth. I was only beginning to learn how to wield magic when I decided that I wanted to grow a beard to rival Thor’s, but I miscalculated the strength of the spell and covered my entire body in hair; my mother was forced to reverse the spell I’d used and afterwards, she promised to never speak a word of my little misstep to anyone, but especially not to Thor.”

“Well, sweetheart, I think you’re handsome just the way you are.” Smiling, (Y/N) held her phone in one hand and rested the other against his smooth cheek before giving him a sweet kiss; Loki hummed in approval and while he kissed her back, his arm slipped around her waist and his long fingers teasingly traced patterns along the material covering her bellybutton, smirking in triumph when she pulled away to shoot him a reprimanding look. “You know as well as I do that there isn’t a piercing there, Loki.”

Loki shrugged, his grin widening when his fingertips slipped beneath the hem of her shirt and she stifled a small gasp. “I know, darling, but it’s awfully tempting to imagine if there was, isn’t it?”

(Y/N)’s lips were ghosting over his when the familiar voice of Peter Parker timidly called out, “Um…I-I think you might’ve called me by accident, Miss (Y/L/N)…” Their eyes widened in alarm and their attention quickly shifted to the phone clutched in (Y/N)’s hand. “I’m just…I-I’m gonna hang up now but thank you guys so much for filming the library and have fun on the rest of your vacation! Bye!”

The flustered teenager abruptly hung up and as they exchanged matching looks of guilt, Loki thought of the children that they hoped to have someday and sent them each a silent apology for all the embarrassment that their lovesick parents would force them to endure.

2. Biblioteca Nacional do Brasil Rio de Janerio, Brazil

“‘In 1755, a massive earthquake nearly destroyed the city of Lisbon, killing somewhere between ten and one hundred thousand people, turning hundreds of buildings into rubble and becoming one of the deadliest natural disasters in history. One casualty of the momentous event was the seventy thousand volume Royal Library in the demolished Royal Ribeira Palace; soon after the earthquake, King Joseph I of Portugal organized construction of a new Royal Library.’” (Y/N) read aloud from the well-worn travel brochure in her hands, briefly looking up from the paragraph she was reading to glance down at the grand reading room below. “‘Fear that another earthquake would devastate the new collection of volumes and the Napoleonic Wars reaching the borders of Portugal finally pushed the royal family into fleeing to the Portuguese colony of Brazil with their book collection in tow.’”

“Thus, creating the largest library in Latin America.” Loki leaned his forearms against the balcony’s railing and met (Y/N)’s gaze with an amazed smile. “It’s truly incredible how they were able to amass such a collection in less than three centuries.”

“I actually learned how they did it in one of my college courses! Back in 1907, it was decided that each publisher would send one copy of each new publication to the library, to grow Brazil’s bibliography in order to preserve national language and culture. It’s not the only library that’s implemented such a practice, of course, but is that a genius idea or what?”

Loki’s grin widened as he nodded in agreement. “It certainly is. Is that one of the policies you’ll be enacting once you complete your work on Alfheim’s public library, your royal highness?”

She playfully bumped her hip against his and leaned on the railing beside him. “It certainly is.”

After Amirah agreed to become the next Queen of Alfheim and informed (Y/N) that she’d be declaring her Defender of the Realm and Alfheim’s representative to the Nine Realms, (Y/N) began to brainstorm various ways to strengthen the realm’s cultural appreciation while simultaneously educating the Light Elves on nearly a thousand years of history they missed while trapped within Freyr’s barrier of Alf Seidr. She recalled the conversation she’d shared with Myriani and Hagen about her mother on the night she arrived at the rebel’s base camp, where Myriani revealed that Layeia’s dream was to establish a library for all Alfheimians regardless of social class; she planned to fill it with books from each of the Nine Realms in the cosmos, but she sadly died before her dream could come to fruition. Now that Amirah sat on the throne and Alfheim was beginning to heal, (Y/N) knew that there was no better time to finish what her mother started.

“I was skimming through your travel brochure just before our dinner reservation yesterday, and the Teresa Cristina Maria photograph collection that this library curates caught my attention; perhaps you could start a similar collection on Alfheim and fill it with photographs taken of various planets and people across the galaxy?”

Shrugging the small backpack off her shoulders, (Y/N) tucked the guidebook away and pulled out a spiral notebook, jotting down Loki’s suggestion before giving him a chaste kiss on the cheek. “That’s a brilliant idea, sweetheart!” She let out a low whistle as her eyes flicked across the page, noticing how nearly every line filled with messy scribbles and half-formed ideas for the ambitious undertaking. “You know, I really have no idea how I’m supposed to get all of this done without cloning myself or somehow messing with the space-time continuum.”

Loki’s arm wrapped around her shoulders, and he gave her upper arm a comforting squeeze. “Establishing a library this grand will undoubtedly take time, darling. If you go about things the way I know you want to, then the library will never truly be finished; it’ll continue to flourish and grow with each new generation, much like the very library we’re standing in, and it’ll be just as magnificent. And if you still feel overwhelmed, you can always create a committee to help you oversee the library’s development.”

“…I suppose it doesn’t sound so stressful and hopeless when you put it that way.”

Her fiancé’s tender smile widened in triumph. “Good. You’ve more than earned a lengthy and relaxing vacation, and it’s my solemn duty to ensure that you enjoy it to its fullest; that includes making sure that beautiful mind of yours remains free of any worry.”

“Oh, my savior!” She pretended to swoon, bursting into a fit of giggles when Loki easily caught her and began pressing kisses across her face. “Okay, okay, I surrender!” He captured her lips in one final kiss and when he pulled away, she rested a hand against his cheek and smiled up at him. “Thank you.”

“For what, my love?”

“For being you.” Loki’s cheeks flushed pink at her sentimentality and her smile widened. “C’mon, let’s finish exploring here so we can return to the hotel and get ready for a night of drinking and dancing!”

3. El Ateneo Grand Splendid Buenos Aires, Argentina

After taking a long sip of his capuchino, Loki sat back in his chair and let out a satisfied sigh. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that I died while heroically defending a library and that this bookshop is my personal Valhalla.”

“Mm-hmm,” (Y/N) hummed in agreement after taking a large bite of her jamón y queso. “I know that it sounds like an exaggeration, but this is hands-down the best ham and cheese sandwich I’ve ever eaten. I have to learn how to make this when we go back home…well, I should probably hone my cooking skills first before attempting something this tasty.”

“I’ll happily teach you how to cook just as soon as you teach me how to bake that delicious chocolate cheesecake of yours. You know, the one that you baked for Doctor Banner’s birthday party?”

“Deal.” Finishing her sandwich and taking care to wipe her hands off with her napkin, (Y/N) began sifting through one of the many stacks of books they’d piled beside their café table while Loki continued to enjoy his coffee. El Ateneo Grand Splendid, the world-famous bookshop occupying the inside of a former opera house, certainly lived up to its name; the opulent décor of the opera house, from its frescoed ceilings and detailed trimmings to its elegant balconies and lush red stage curtains, blended with the traditional features of a standard bookshop to create one of the most stunning book-buying experiences in the world. The empty boxes had been converted into private reading rooms with comfortable armchairs, the upper floor housed various exhibitions and displays, and the stage had been taken over by a small café, thus creating Loki’s absolute favorite bookshop in all the Nine Realms. “Which one do you think Sam would like more, the book about the history of shrimping in Louisiana or the joke book?”

Loki considered her question for a moment as a smirk played on his lips. “Wilson would enjoy learning more about the history of his hometown’s way of life, but I think that he’d find even more entertainment in the joke book.” His fiancée nodded and set the joke book aside, continuing to sift through the rest of the books she’d gathered over the several hours they’d perused the bookshop. “Darling, your enthusiasm is always a joy to behold but isn’t your Midgardian holiday season still six months away?”

“It is, but it’s never too early to begin holiday shopping!” (Y/N) beamed and Loki’s heart warmed at her excitement. “Besides, I love any excuse to find new books; el tiempo que se disfruta es el verdadero tiempo vivido.”

“‘The time that is enjoyed is the time that it truly lived,’” Loki translated with a grin. “I concur; we’ve certainly been enjoying ourselves on this vacation, and we’ve only visited three out of the twelve libraries we’re scheduled to see.” Loki noticed his fiancée flexing her ankles beneath the café table and gave her a sympathetic look. “Although, we might’ve been overly ambitious yesterday, touring the entire Biblioteca Nacional Mariano Moreno and taking that tango class all in the same day. If you’d like, I can begin packing our things tonight while you take a relaxing bath and afterwards, we can even call room service and order some flan mixto.”

The corner of (Y/N)’s lips curved upwards in an almost reluctant smile. “Well, I do love flan mixto and a bath does sound positively heavenly…the only problem is your lack of patience when it comes to packing.”

“It wouldn’t frustrate me so much if I could just use my magic, but we vowed that we would try to keep this a superpower-free vacation and I won’t be the first one to break down and use mine.” A flicker of amusement crossed his fiancée’s face and he let out an indignant huff. “You don’t think I can go an entire month without using magic?”

She shrugged noncommittally. “You’ve relied on magic for centuries, whereas I’ve only been using Alf Seidr for a little over a year. It stands to reason that you’d be the one to break down first.”

“But you forget, darling, over the course of those centuries I’ve developed impeccable control over nearly every aspect of my existence; all I need to do is sit back and wait out your more impulsive Midgardian half.” Sitting up in his seat, Loki set his cup of coffee down onto the table and gave her a wicked smile. “Perhaps we should make it a contest? If you win, I’ll have to watch whichever film or television shows you choose for an entire year and if I win, you’ll let me plan our honeymoon. Deal?”

“All right, deal.” They shook hands and Loki watched as (Y/N) turned her attention back to their stacks of books. “We should probably start whittling these down; I don’t think that Tony will appreciate if we have an entire pallet of books shipped to the tower…”

4. Bibliotheca Alexandrina Alexandria, Egypt

“Now that’s quite the view, innit?”

(Y/N)’s head snapped up from her cell phone but the scathing retort she’d prepared to level at the presumed catcaller died on her lips when she looked over at the man standing nearby; he was around her age, with a light olive-toned complexion framed by a wild head of dark curls and a muscular build almost hidden beneath the tee-shirt and oversized thin jacket he wore, and his deep brown eyes were examining the intricate carvings etched into the Bibliotheca Alexandrina’s gray Aswan granite exterior. The awestruck expression on the man’s face as he stood and took in the impressive architecture before him made (Y/N) smile and prompted her to approach him. “Makes you wish that the original Library of Alexandria was still around, doesn’t it? There’s no telling how massive it would be today if the Romans hadn’t burned it down.”

The man emphatically nodded. “One of the world’s biggest tragedies, that was; obviously not the worst of the lot, of course, but just thinkin’ about all that knowledge and history and how it was just erased from the world in the blink of an eye by Julius bloody Caesar…well, I can’t help but think that all those senators might’ve been onto somethin’ when they did the poor bugger in.” She burst into laughter at his unexpected words and even he started to grin. “Yeah, I can’t say that I’m fond of those Romans. The Egyptians, though, they were bloody geniuses; they invented the world’s first organized irrigation system, pioneered the use of canals and irrigation channels to water farm fields far away from the Nile River, built the pyramids by developing and using complex mathema-” He stopped talking and a sheepish smile spread across his face. “Sorry, I’ve just been prattling on here and I never properly introduced myself. My name’s Steven, Steven Grant.”

“(Y/N) (Y/L/N).” She shook Steven’s outstretched hand. “So, what brings you to the Bibliotheca Alexandrina?”

“The antiquities museum, actually. I’m a museum tour guide back home in London and this museum’s been on my bucket list for quite a while.” Steven glanced down at her engagement ring before looking back up at her. “Vacationing with your husband? Alexandria’s a great travel destination, innit?”

“My fiancé, actually, we’re taking a month-long trip to visit a dozen of the largest and most beautiful libraries in the world. I’m a former trainee librarian, you see, and we first met at the library where I worked…”

Steven beamed. “That’s so sweet, it’s like one of those Hugh Grant romantic comedies! Which other libraries have you two decided to visit?”

Before (Y/N) could answer, Loki walked up to them with two tickets in his hands and a curious gleam in his emerald-green eyes. “The next planetarium show starts in about a half an hour, darling, so that leaves us plenty of time to explore.” He turned to Steven with a polite smile. “And I see you’ve made a new friend. I’m Loki, (Y/N)’s fiancé.”

“Steven Grant.” They shook hands but the British man’s dark brown eyes narrowed in concentration. “Sorry, bruv, but have we met somewhere before? You look awfully familiar-”

“Loki of Asgard…” A disembodied voice called out, its deep timbre reverberating in the air around the three of them and causing a chill to go down (Y/N)’s spine. “It’s been many years since we last spoke.”

A yelp of surprise escaped (Y/N) when a towering skeletal figure appeared behind Steven, its human body wrapped in mummification linens and its decayed bird head staring pointedly down at them as it clutched a staff in its hand. She instinctively summoned her new Cosmic Sorceress uniform, her glasses switching into their invisibility mode as the shimmer of magic engulfing her body faded away, and two swirling balls of vivid purple Alf Seidr appeared in her hands, and she took a defensive stance while Steven gasped in shock. “Oh, my days…you’re the Cosmic Sorceress! I-I’m a bit of a fan, actually, you’re my absolute favorite Avenger.” The British man glanced over at Loki with an apologetic smile. “No offense, bruv.”

“None taken, Mr. Grant.” Loki returned his attention to the creature standing before them. “Ah, Khonshu. Still taking on avatars to protect the travelers of the night and dispense your cold justice against the evildoers, I see.”

“Unlike my fellow gods, I will not abandon humanity and leave them to evil’s mercy; I was once fully prepared to dispense my justice against you, God of Mischief, but it would seem that you changed your villainous ways on your own.” Khonshu turned to (Y/N) and cocked his skeletal head. “I have not seen a Light Elf in many centuries, nor have I seen one who wields the ancient Alf Seidr so easily.”

“The Cosmic Sorceress’s actually only part-Alfheimian; her dad was an American bloke and her mum was an Alfheimian princess, and they fell in love when she traveled down to Earth for the first time.” Sensing everyone staring at him, Steven’s ears turned pink and he stammered out, “I might’ve read that piece that Time Magazine did on you last month once or twice…”

Loki rested a calming hand on the small of her back. “Khonshu, this is (Y/N) (Y/L/N), the Crown Princess of Alfheim and one of Midgard’s Avengers. (Y/N), this is Khonshu, the God of the Moon; the old bird hasn’t been too fond of my more mischievous schemes here on Midgard, so I’ve faced the wrath of a handful of his Moon Knights. Who knew that using magic to create illusions of unidentified flying objects in the sky is equivalent to threatening the travelers of the night?”

Unable to fully process everything she was seeing and hearing, (Y/N) didn’t lower her hands or relax her defensive stance, the Alf Seidr swirling around her hands continuing to glow brightly as she slowly spoke. “Khonshu…like the Egyptian God of the Moon?”

The god inclined his head. “Indeed. I can sense the blood of Lady Astrid flowing through your veins; she was an honorable goddess, one of the very few whose company I took pleasure in.” (Y/N)’s eyes widened in disbelief as she glanced over at Loki, who gave her an ‘I’ll explain it later’ look but before either of them could reply, the wall of the library split open to reveal a stone tunnel etched with glowing Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. “I apologize for the sudden departure, but we’re needed for a meeting of the Ennead. Farewell, Loki Odinson and (Y/N) (Y/L/N).”

The God of the Moon vanished in a puff of smoke and Steven flashed them a grin. “Well, it was really nice meeting you two, so cheers!” The British man cheerily waved and hurried into the tunnel, but not before (Y/N) caught him mumbling under his breath. “No, I was not fanboying over her, Marc, don’t be a knob…”

Steven Grant disappeared from view and the wall closed behind him, returning everything to its normal state; finally lowering her raised arms and willing away her magic, (Y/N) summoned her street clothes and glasses before turning to face her amused fiancé. “So, Egyptian gods and goddesses are real, and you shamelessly antagonized one by creating illusions of UFO’s?!”

“Yes, and yes,” Loki answered with a chuckle, his arm wrapping around her waist as a teasing smile played on his lips. “I expect you have many more questions for me, my love, but first…” He leaned closer to her and murmured in her ear, “It seems as though you’ve lost the little wager regarding our magic.”

“…Oh, dammit.”

5. Mafra National Palace Library Mafra, Portugal

With each stop on their rather unique vacation, Loki found himself learning more about the different ways Midgardians valued and maintained their collections of literature. The opposing techniques used by each country or culture truly fascinated him, but even a bibliophile like him was taken by surprise by certain practices; the Mafra National Palace Library was one of the finest in all of Europe, with nearly forty thousand volumes in its collection that dated back to the 14th century and impressive Rococo-style architecture, but its valuable books were defended from bookworms and moths by-

“Bats?” Loki’s jaw dropped in surprise and he looked up from the brochure he was skimming through at (Y/N). “They allow bats into the library at night to control the pests that might damage the books. Aren’t there more technologically advanced ways of protecting antique book collections?”

“Well, most libraries use mixtures of ethylene oxide or methyl bromide, and in some instances, they even use low levels of gamma radiation for pest control. From what I can assume, they’ve been using bats for centuries and since they work so well, they’ve just continued to utilize their…um, unique talents.” His fiancée shivered and cast a wary glance at a nearby wooden bookshelf. “Bats have always creeped me out. They’re useful to an ecosystem and they’re not really scary when you look at them, but when I was little, Aunt Evelyn and I watched this cheesy horror movie called The Abominable Dr. Phibes and there’s this scene with a bunch of giant bats…urgh, I had nightmares for days after that.”

Loki gave the hand he was holding a comforting squeeze. “I suppose we’ll have to add that film to the list of media our children can’t consume until they’re at least twelve.”

They continued exploring the grand library hand-in-hand and in comfortable silence, and it wasn’t until they were nearly done that (Y/N) finally spoke. “How many children do you imagine us having someday?”

Loki brought their joined hands up to press a kiss onto her knuckles. “That all depends on how many you imagine us having someday, darling.”

“C’mon, sweetheart, you can tell me! How many?” (Y/N) smiled as his ears began to turn red in embarrassment. “Oh no, it’s not a crazy number like eight, is it?”

“Norns, no! That’s far too much mischief for even you and I to handle…” He chuckled, hesitantly glancing over at his fiancée before continuing. “I suppose that I’ve always imagined us having four children.”

(Y/N)’s eyes widened in surprise. “Four? I guess it’s not exactly a crazy number, but I was thinking more along the lines of two; theoretically, our children will inherit our magic and I’m not too sure I want to be outnumbered by underage magic-wielders who’ll almost certainly take after their father and his mischievous ways.”

“Deny it all you’d like, my love, but I know how you adore my mischievous ways; need I remind you of how you were woken up this morning, or of just how loudly you voiced your overwhelming approval?” Looking more than flustered by his rhetorical question, she shoved her shoulder against his and he smirked at her endearing bashfulness. “That being said, I see your point about being outnumbered. Perhaps we could meet in the middle and make it three?”

“I’m not entirely opposed to trying for three…” (Y/N) smiled up at him as she swung their joined hands back and forth. “I do hope they end up inheriting your smile, though.”

“My smile?”

She nodded. “Mm-hmm, it’s so warm and charming but with a hint of playfulness, it’s one of the first things I noticed about you when we met.”

Loki felt himself grow warm at her sweet and unexpected compliment. “Well, I was hoping that they inherit your beautiful eyes. The way that they sparkle and catch the light, it’s enchanting.” They stopped in front of a large, gilded mirror and he moved to wrap his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder and grinning as they both looked at their reflections. “Two things are for certain: our future children will be just as beautiful as their parents are…” He pressed a soft kiss onto the slope of her neck and lowered his voice while one of his hands moved to rest over her stomach. “And you’re going to look even more spectacular than you already do while carrying them.”

A nearby huff of disapproval interrupted the kiss that (Y/N) had attempted to instigate and caused them both to look up at the two older American tourists glaring at them for their public display of affection; instead of dropping his arms and stepping back, Loki pulled (Y/N) even closer and cheekily called out to the judgmental pair, “What can I say? Libraries make my fiancée here terribly insatiable!”

Both American tourists sputtered in indignation and (Y/N) muffled her giggles with the corner of her sweater while Loki pressed a triumphant kiss onto her forehead and pulled her further into the grand library.

6. Bibliotheque Nationale de France Paris, France

“I can’t say that I’m a fan of this particular library’s exterior design,” Loki quietly remarked as they moved ahead in line to see one of the Bibliotheque Nationale de France’s most remarkable exhibits. “But its interior is certainly something to behold.”

(Y/N) nodded in agreement. “One of my professors back in college used to rant and rave about this library’s original design; it was intended to be largely made of glass and be illuminated with mostly natural light, but the books were exposed to the elements and they were forced to amend the design to include wooden shutters that cut down on the sunlight and protected their collections from any more damage.”

“At least the Globes of Coronelli weren’t damaged by such controversial architecture.”

They made it to the railing surrounding the enormous celestial globe and admired the precise detailing of the star constellations that covered its surface. “Did you know that these were commissioned by Louis XIV only after he found out that the Duke of Parma owned a pair? The Sun King was so jealous of the duke that Vicenzo Coronelli was brought in to construct an even better set of globes for him. They’re even personalized just for him; the terrestrial globe over there is a manifestation of the Sun King’s worldview and this celestial globe shows the stars that appeared in the sky on the day he was born.”

A smirk formed on Loki’s face while she talked and once she finished, he replied, “This Louis XIV reminds me a little of Stark. You remember that weekend retreat to his Long Island home last summer, don’t you? Stark grew annoyed that Barnes was building a nicer sandcastle than his, so he developed a computer program overnight and had some of his Iron Legion suits construct a fifteen-foot-tall fort out of sand and shells; there was even a drawbridge, if I’m not mistaken.”

“Yep, that’s our Tony,” (Y/N) chuckled and reached into her purse for her cell phone before beginning to take photographs of the globe. Her lips curved upwards into a small smile when she spotted the unicorn amongst the other 17th century constellations, both happiness and a familiar pang of sorrow filling her at the sight of her mother’s sacred symbol; the horned creature personified both love and war and after defeating Tarian and saving the Nine Realms from destruction, she officially inherited the symbol of her mother. I wonder what new symbol I would’ve picked if I decided to become the Queen of Alfheim, she thought with a hint of ruefulness.

“You would’ve made a wonderful queen in another life.”

She glanced over at Loki with a knowing smile. “That’s sweet of you to say, Loki, but you might be a little biased.”

“Perhaps, but I’m over a millennium old and in all that time, I’ve seen countless kingdoms rise and fall because of the incompetence of their rulers. Your mother’s ideas and plans to improve her realm were undoubtedly innovative, but your unique heritage would’ve helped you see her vision to fruition and your compassionate nature would’ve healed Alfheim after centuries of turmoil.” Her fiancé turned back towards the celestial globe and studied the constellations as he continued, “Your reign could’ve even outshined the Allfather’s.”

(Y/N) wrapped her arm around his and leaned the side of her head against his shoulder. “With a Prince of Asgard by my side, I’m sure that it would’ve.” Loki arched a curious brow at her. “In another life, one where my parents defeated Tarian and I was crowned the Queen of Alfheim, I think that we would’ve found one another.”

“My beautiful romantic…” He nuzzled his cheek against the top of her head before taking her hand and pressing a kiss onto her palm. “We would’ve caused quite the scandal in this other life, you know, the enchanting Queen of Alfheim and the roguish Prince of Asgard. A love affair steeped with passionate desire, intense melodrama, and political intrigue.”

“Sort of like Queen Anne and the Duke of Buckingham’s secret romance in The Three Musketeers,” (Y/N) pointed out before smiling to herself. “But hopefully with a happier ending than the one Alexandre Dumas wrote.”

“Naturally.” Pulling back slightly, Loki’s intense emerald-green gaze held hers as his expression softened and filled with such tender emotion that her heart swelled at the sight. “(Y/N) (Y/L/N), in this and every other universe you’re the only person I’ve ever truly loved, and not even the Norns themselves could keep me from loving you.”

(Y/N)’s fingertips brushed against the cool band of his engagement ring and she gave him a teasing grin. “Now who’s the romantic?”

“Well, when in Paris…” With a mischievous smirk, Loki suddenly dipped her and silenced her peals of laughter with an overly-dramatic kiss on the lips; as quickly as it started, her fiancé righted her and gave her a playful wink as he took hold of her hand. “C’mon, let’s finish up here. I want to explore a beautiful city with a beautiful woman on my arm.”

7. The British Library London, England

The British Library in the city of London was truly a sight to behold. Not only was it the national library of the United Kingdom and a beautiful architectural achievement in a city filled with dozens of stunning buildings, but it also possessed an impressive collection of rare books and literature that could be viewed by the public every day; original copies of Beowulf, Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, Jane Austen’s History of England, Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre and Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures Under Ground were among its more famous items on display, but the reason that Loki and (Y/N) selected that particular library to visit was because of one very special treasure: William Shakespeare’s First Folio. The couple first bonded over their shared love of the Bard’s plays and they were beyond excited for the opportunity to see the first collected edition of his works with their own eyes; unfortunately, their enthusiasm had begun to wane after the long and challenging night they’d spent in their hotel room.

For the first time in almost a month, Loki had been startled awake by the sounds of (Y/N)’s terrified screams and the thrashing of her limbs underneath the covers. He tried everything he could to wake her from the nightmare she was trapped in but finally succeeded when he pulled her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her; she clutched tightly to him while she sobbed into his chest and Loki soothed her as best he could, whispering words of comfort as he rocked her back and forth and held her securely against him. Once she’d calmed down a little, (Y/N) told him between shaky breaths that she’d dreamt of the horrors she’d witnessed during the Battles of Alfheim and Boston, specifically the moment of her father’s murder at Tarian’s hands; she refused to fall back asleep and when Loki suggested that they stay at their hotel, she insisted that she was well enough for their scheduled visit to the British Library.

“The nightmares are an intense expression of the body working through traumatic experiences,” Sam explained to Loki shortly after (Y/N) had regained consciousness in the hospital. “They’re a normal symptom of her PTSD and I’ll warn you now, they’re something that she’s gonna be grappling with for a while. Healing from a traumatic experience takes time, Loki, but sticking to a consistent sleep routine will at least help her rest at night.”

We’ve visited seven countries over the span of nearly three weeks, Loki thought to himself with a twinge of guilt, the inconsistency certainly hasn’t helped her out. Glancing over at (Y/N) as they walked through the library’s rare book exhibit, he took note of the bags under her tired eyes and her slumped shoulders, and the sight of her looking so exhausted caused a lump to form in his throat. As they finished walking through the special collection room, a plan quickly began to form in Loki’s mind; he led her down the aisles and between the large bookshelves, claiming that he needed to find an armchair so he could sit down to fix his slipping sock, and they soon found one in a remote corner of the library.

“As incredible as it was to see one of the only two hundred and thirty-five copies of Shakespeare’s First Folio, I think I was more awed by those original handwritten lyrics from The Beatles.” Loki pretended to adjust his sock while he continued. “You know, I attended one of their concerts once.”

(Y/N) cracked a tired smile. “Was this before or after your little D.B. Cooper escapade?”

“Before.” With a chuckle, he reached for her hand and began rubbing his thumb over her knuckles. “It’s a shame that the library’s collection of lyrics didn’t include my personal favorite.”

“Which one’s your favorite?”

“Take a seat and I’ll tell you,” Loki challenged as he gave his thigh a pat and his fiancée arched a single brow. “Don’t worry, darling, I’ll cast an enchantment so the library’s other patrons won’t see or hear us.” A hint of apprehension filled (Y/N)’s eyes but she relented, seating herself on his leg and allowing him to hold her around the waist. “Close your eyes for me, please.” Her brow furrowed a little as she complied with his request. “Thank you. Now, take a deep breath for me; can you smell the scent of old paper and leather surrounding us? Feel the warmth of my body against yours and hear my heart beating in my chest?”

She nodded. “Mm-hmm.”

“Good. Keep breathing for me, my love, and focus on the different sensations you’re experiencing.” After pressing a gentle kiss onto her brow, Loki rested his cheek against her head and began to quietly sing to her. “Here comes the sun, doo-doo-doo-doo, here comes the sun, and I say it’s all right. Little darlin’, it’s been a long, cold, lonely winter…little darlin’, it feels like years since it’s been here. Here comes the sun, doo-doo-doo-doo, here comes the sun, and I say it’s all right.”

While he sang, he could feel the tension beginning to leave her body and he silently thrilled at the success of his plan.

“Little darlin’, the smile’s returning to their faces…little darlin’, it seems like years since it’s been here. Here comes the sun, here comes the sun, and I say it’s all right.”

(Y/N) nuzzled her face against his chest and with a fond smile, Loki removed her glasses for her and she murmured her thanks against the fabric of his button-down.

“Little darlin’, I feel that ice is slowly melting…little darlin’, it seems like years since it’s been clear. Here comes the sun, doo-doo-doo-doo, here comes the sun, and I say it’s all right.”

To his relief, her breaths began to even out and her body was nearly limp in his tight embrace. By sleeping inside a place that evoked comfort and safety to (Y/N), Loki prayed to the Norns that it would be enough for her to get some proper rest and vowed to stay right there until she did. “Here comes the sun, doo-doo-doo-doo, here comes the sun…” His lips brushed against her brow once again and he smiled down at his sleeping fiancée as he finished singing the hope-filled song. “It’s all right…it’s all right…”

8. Stadtbibliothek Stuttgart Stuttgart, Germany

“Loki, you’re being absolutely ridiculous-”

“It’s Thomas, darling, and no, I’m certainly not.”

(Y/N) arched an unimpressed brow at the man who sounded like Loki but who certainly didn’t look like him; her fiancé cast an illusion over himself before leaving their hotel room, now appearing to everyone as a tall man with light-brown hair, pale blue eyes and a neatly trimmed beard who went by the name Thomas. It was a disguise that Loki often used while on more secretive missions, but she had a hunch as to why he’d decided to adopt it during that specific stop on their vacation. “It’s been four years since…well, since your admittedly dramatic display here in Stuttgart. I don’t think that anyone here will recognize you and even if there’s a chance they might, you can always wear a hat or glasses instead of-” She gestured at his changed appearance. “-all this.”

Loki bit his lip and shook his head. “Your optimism is admirable, but I’d rather put my faith in my own illusions than a simple Midgardian disguise that only serves to fool the weak-minded.”

“Then what about-?” One of the Stadtbibliothek Stuttgart’s patrons shushed their raised voices and after murmuring a brief apology in German, (Y/N) grabbed onto Loki’s unfamiliar arm and pulled him down a deserted aisle before quietly continuing. “What about our promise not to use any unnecessary magic on this vacation?”

“The last time I visited this city, I mutilated a man’s eye and held over a hundred people hostage; in this specific instance, I’d say that the magic is warranted.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “And being jump-scared by the ten-foot-tall skeletal and partially-mummified remains of the Egyptian God of the Moon isn’t? Loki, if you didn’t feel ready to visit this city again, then why on Earth didn’t you say anything sooner? We could’ve picked another library to visit in literally any other country-”

“Because I wanted to come here and make amends.” Loki’s blunt answer took her by surprise, and she watched with widened eyes as her fiancé’s shoulders sagged in defeat and he leaned against the bookshelf across from her. “I planned on coming here as myself and delivering one of the many checks that my charity wrote out to various institutions and organizations throughout the city; I wanted to do it as a way of apologizing to the people of Stuttgart for my actions that day, but once we arrived…”

He trailed off and (Y/N) nodded in sympathy, stepping forward and cautiously taking one of his hands in hers. “I wish you’d told me, but I understand why you didn’t. I also understand why you’re feeling guilty, but I think you’re putting too much of the blame on yourself; Thanos did unspeakable things to you and forced you to carry a weapon that influenced your actions, actions that can therefore only partially be blamed on you.” The illusion he wore slowly melted away as he finally looked up at her and she gave him a soft smile. “You’re a lot braver than you give yourself credit for, sweetheart. If donning an illusion makes you more comfortable, then that’s okay but if you still want to present that donation as yourself, then the Cosmic Sorceress will be right by your side when you do.”

Emerald-green eyes studied hers for a long moment and she watched as the anxiety melted away and was replaced with a look of adoration; he rested his free hand on her waist and guided her closer before pressing his lips to hers. When they finally broke their kiss, he rested his forehead against hers and brought his hand up to caress the skin of her cheek. “If I’m brave, then it’s because you give me the strength to be so, darling.” His thumb caressed her cheekbone as he leaned back and smiled. “I’d be honored to have the illustrious Cosmic Sorceress accompany me.”

“Illustrious, hmm? You sure do know how to sweet-talk a lady,” (Y/N) grinned and with a flick of her wrist, her blouse, jeans and sneakers were replaced by her improved purple and black uniform, and she felt her face begin to warm under Loki’s intense gaze. “What?”

“Just admiring my favorite Avenger and her brand-new battle uniform.” He adjusted the banded purple tiara resting above her brow and winked. “You know, I haven’t properly showed you how much I appreciate the new design of your uniform…”

(Y/N) bit back her smile at his suggestive comment. “Shameless flirt.” Giving his cheek a sweet kiss, she stepped back and watched as a golden shimmer engulfed his body, dissipating to reveal his gold, green and black Asgardian armor. “C’mon, my favorite Avenger, let’s finish up this mission so we can sightsee and have some alone time back at the hotel.”

9. Stockholms Stadsbibliotek Stockholm, Sweden

“This is hardly the worst thing that could happen during a trip to this particular library,” Loki called out over the din of battle to (Y/N), who was busy fighting off a group of Hydra agents near the library’s staircase. “Anything’s better than reading all those Norse mythology books and seeing how inaccurately Scandinavian Midgardians recount my life! Your precious Rick Riordan is no better, writing an entire trilogy of books that portray me as the villain and Odin as the benevolent ruler that the heroes all look up to…”

(Y/N) laughed, kicking one agent back and parrying away another’s strike with an electrified baton before slamming the hilt of her sword against his head. “I guess that means that the story about you playing tug-of-war with a goat isn’t true? You know, the one where you competed by tying a rope around his horns and your-?”

“Certainly not! Only a drunken idiot like Fandral could concoct such a tall tale,” He dodged an attack and slashed an agent’s weapon in half with one of his daggers. “And before you ask, Thor was the oaf who made up the one tale about the horse!”

“C’mon, sweetheart, it’s a little hard to believe that every single one of the myths that you supposedly inspired are all made up by Thor and his friends! Is at least one of them partially true?”

Loki heaved a weary sigh. “Perhaps, but you’ll have to guess which one it is because I vowed never to speak of it again!”

With a wave of (Y/N)’s hand, a trio of Hydra agents were engulfed by wisps of Alf Seidr and slammed against the wall, the force of the impact shaking the bookcases lining the balcony overhead; she quickly thrust her hand up and used her magic to stabilize the teetering structures, and Loki blasted a column of ice at an agent who was aiming his gun at her. “It’s not that story about cutting off Sif’s hair, is it?” Loki stubbornly remained silent and (Y/N)’s brow furrowed in disapproval. “Oh, Loki…”

“I know, I know, what I did was awful but, in my defense, I was young and quite foolish!” He aimed his hand at the ground, forming a sheet of ice that spread out and tripped up two more agents. “It’s taken a couple of centuries, but I think that Sif’s finally begun to forgive me for it!”

The battle was over with as quickly as it had begun, with (Y/N) and Loki defeating the last of the agents, whose unconscious bodies were strewn across the vast reading room of the library. Loki waited for (Y/N) to sheath her sword before examining the small cut running down the exposed skin of her bicep and using his magic to heal it, taking a moment to look her over and sighing in relief when he didn’t see any more injuries. “Leave it to Hydra to find a way to disrupt our vacation.”

Chuckling, (Y/N) reached up and brushed some wayward snowflakes off his Asgardian armor, unaffected as always by his imposing Jotun form. “They did sort of ruin our visit to this particular library…but it resulted in me learning more about your youthful misdeeds that you always pretend not to remember, so I guess that’s a plus.”

“Not to me, it’s not, but I’ll feel better about it if you promise not to tell our friends about that particular incident.”

“Of course I won’t,” His fiancée was smiling as she wrapped her smallest finger around his. “Pinky promise.”

Loki grinned at her adorable gesture and leaned down to give her a kiss, but a sudden shattering of glass startled them out of their playful conversation; they both raised their magic-filled hands and looked up to see a figure rappelling down into the Stockholms Stadsbibliotek from the shattered skylight, and Loki inwardly sighed once he recognized the figure clad in tactical gear.

“Oh, hey guys.” Clint gave them a jaunty wave with his bow once he detached himself from his rope. “I was just droppin’ in for a quick visit.”

(Y/N) smiled a little at the archer’s joke and walked over to give him a hug. “Let me guess, Hydra tracked us here after our public appearance in Stuttgart the other day and thought they’d try taking us out while our defenses were lowered?”

“Pretty much. Fury got word that they’d move in on you today, so he pulled me off a recon mission in Prague to have your backs; I told him you’d be able to handle yourselves but then he made it clear that I was sent more so to keep an eye on you.” Loki and (Y/N) exchanged a befuddled look and he elaborated, “He figured that you wouldn’t be very happy after having your nerdy vacation crashed by Hydra.”

Willing himself back to his Asgardian form, Loki surveyed the aftermath of their ambush and snorted in amusement. “Well, I suppose that Director Fury was correct on that front.”

The tactical team Clint was leading entered the library alongside a squadron of local law enforcement and as they began to take the unconscious Hydra agents into custody and secure the scene, the archer turned to them and grinned. “Wanna get some lunch after we finish up here? Nat told me that Fem Små Hus has some pretty tasty reindeer, I’ve always wanted to try some…”

10. Saraswathi Mahal Library Tanjore, Tamil Nadu, India

“These paintings are incredible…” (Y/N) breathed in awe as she reverently studied the intricate artwork adorning the ceiling of the Saraswathi Mahal Library, admiring the vivid colors and sweeping lines that merged together to form the image of a bull and an elephant. “Isn’t it amazing how after over five centuries – five hundred years – this beautiful building and all the rare manuscripts it houses are still here for people to enjoy and learn from?”

“It certainly is,” Loki agreed from his spot beside her. “After all that Asgard’s been through in the thousands of years of its existence, I’m still astonished that so much of its art has remained intact; the same can also be said for Alfheim, a realm that’s suffered twice as much as any other.”

Lost in thought as she stared up at the impressive display above her, it took her a moment to sense that she was being watched; she looked over to see her fiancé watching her with a tender expression on his face and she felt herself begin to warm under the weight of his loving gaze. “What is it?”

“You reminded me of a Sanskrit poem I once read.” Loki walked up to her and reached up to adjust the pink rose she’d tucked behind her ear before softly caressing her cheek. “‘The moon tries every month in vain to paint a picture of your face-’”

“‘-And, having failed to catch its grace, destroys the work, and starts again.” (Y/N) finished with a smile that only widened when Loki’s head tilted to the side in puzzlement. “It’s also a quote from one of my aunt’s favorite Bollywood films, Youva Prem; it’s what the main character says to his love interest when they meet for the first time. Aunt Evelyn kind of had a thing for Kingo Sr., but I always liked Kingo Jr. more.” A sudden flash of emotion crossed Loki’s face that (Y/N) took for slight jealousy and she pressed a kiss onto the hand that held her cheek. “Hey, Kingo Jr. might be the prince of an impressive familial Bollywood dynasty, but I happen to have an even better prince right here.”

Giving his head a small shake, Loki huffed out a quiet chuckle and took her hand, intertwining their fingers as they continued walking. “I’m not exactly a jealous man, darling, but certainly not where the infamous Kingo is concerned.”

“Wait a minute, do you know Kingo Jr.?”

“Oh yes, I’m quite familiar with Kingo Jr., and Kingo Sr., and every single version of Kingo that has ever graced the Silver Screens of Bollywood.” (Y/N) frowned in confusion but her fiancé continued on before she could ask any questions. “After our little interaction with Khonshu and his new Moon Knight, I told you about some of the other very-real gods and goddesses that Midgardians believe to simply be myths created by their ancestors; Kingo happens to be one of them, an Eternal created by the Celestials and imbued with cosmic energy thousands of years before even I was born. He and his fellow Eternals spent all that time protecting humanity and once their mission to eradicate all of Midgard’s Deviants concluded, they parted ways and traveled the world. Because he loved humanity so much and had quite the flair for the dramatics, Kingo became an actor and for over one hundred years, he’s posed as his own male descendants to continue acting in Bollywood.”

(Y/N) stopped walking as her mind struggled to process the vast influx of information. “You’d think that I’d be used to knowing that humans have never been alone in the universe by now…” She wrinkled her nose in distaste. “My aunt and I had a crush on the same actor?”

“Darling, I just told you that a group of synthetic beings created by the universe’s oldest living creatures have been secretly inhabiting Midgard for thousands of years, and you’re more concerned that you and your aunt once shared a similar taste in men?”

“Yes, because right now that’s just about the only thing I can focus on that won’t give me a headache.” With a weak sort of chuckle, (Y/N) squeezed his hand and urged her slightly amused fiancé to keep walking alongside her, breathing in the scent of jasmine flower and sandalwood incense that permeated the air. “So, how did you become acquainted with Kingo? You didn’t shamelessly antagonize him like you did with Khonshu, did you?”

“No, I met him during the early part of the nineteenth century when Thor and I once snuck down to Midgard for a bit of fun; he was performing in an acting troupe at the time and he very nearly talked us into joining them, but Mother had Heimdall bring us back to Asgard before anything happened. Since then, she always makes sure to regularly check in on her sons while they’re off-world.” While (Y/N) hummed in interest at his insightful anecdote, Loki began to playfully swing their joined hands back and forth. “Truthfully, I’m a little offended that you assume I always seek to aggravate others upon meeting them for the first time.”

(Y/N) struggled to suppress her growing smile. “Well, I apologize for making such an unfair assumption, I must’ve been thinking of another God of Mischief.” He rolled his eyes but still pressed a kiss onto her cheek while she giggled and led him over to another of the library’s impressive wall murals. “So, are any of these other Eternals famous people in disguise?”

“No, just Kingo. The others tend to shy away from the spotlight…although, Thena did have a short fling with King Arthur during their visit to Camelot.”

“…I’m sorry, what?!”

11. Hakone Honbako Kanagawa, Japan

Romanoff: Has (Y/N)’s virtual consultation started yet?

Romanoff: If it hasn’t, can you give her a heads-up that Luke Jacobson can be a little…intense? She’s exactly the sort of client he loves to work with – super-powered, well-connected and stylish – but that doesn’t mean that he won’t be a little short with her.

Romanoff: Especially since she’s contacting him for a custom wedding dress and not a superhero suit :/

Marking his page, Loki set his borrowed copy of Kenji Miyazawa’s Night on the Galactic Radio aside and leaned across the bed to catch a glimpse of (Y/N); she was sitting at the table on their suite’s terrace, wearing her earbuds and listening carefully as she focused on her laptop’s screen. When Natasha heard that (Y/N) needed help finding a wedding dress, the spy used her various underground connections to garner (Y/N) a consultation with Luke Jacobson, a high-end fashion designer based out of Los Angeles who specialized in creating custom uniforms and suits for super-powered individuals. The designer’s schedule was so tightly booked that the only available appointment that (Y/N) could take was a virtual consultation at the tail-end of their vacation, the day after their day trip to Tokyo’s Minato Library; she was reluctant to book it out of guilt for intruding on their trip but Loki convinced her to in the end, promising her that he’d find ways to keep himself occupied during her consultation. With a small smile, Loki picked up his cell phone and typed out a reply to the concerned spy.

Loki: It seems to be going well so far; (Y/N)’s eyes haven’t begun glowing purple yet. This Midgardian designer would be an utter fool not to take her on as a client.

A moment later, Natasha replied with a moving picture of a frog puppet nodding in agreement and Loki snorted in amusement before setting his phone down and flopping back down onto the bed, his eyes scanning the bedroom that any bibliophile would fall in love with. Hakone Honbako was a library-themed hotel nestled in the mountainous hot-spring region near Tokyo, filled with over twelve thousand books and cozy reading aisles throughout; hand-selected books were included in each room while television sets were nowhere to be found, allowing guests to fully immerse themselves in their personal reading paradise with limited distractions. It was a peaceful lull in their jam-packed vacation, and one that Loki intended on enjoying to its fullest; on the other hand, the free time also forced Loki to finally consider a difficult conundrum of his.

“The intellect of a millennia-old god but the inability to make a damn decision,” He muttered under his breath, reaching for his phone and pulling up the tentative guest list for their wedding; their Midgardian friends and teammates made up the majority of the list, with small groups from Asgard and Alfheim making up the rest of it, but the number of guests was not what filled him with so much apprehension. Loki couldn’t decide whether or not to invite Odin to his wedding, or if a small part of him even secretly wanted the Allfather to be there to witness such a momentous occasion in his adoptive son’s life.

“It’s a decision that’s entirely up to you, brother,” Thor reassured him on the night before his and (Y/N)’s flight to Mexico. “Weddings can often times bring a family closer together, but that’s certainly not their true purpose; yours and Lady (Y/N)’s wedding day should be a grand celebration of your love and not a day of angst and strife.”

An uncharacteristically diplomatic answer from Thor but insightful nonetheless, he thought with a contemplative hum, closing his eyes and drumming his fingers against his stomach while he pondered his situation. The events of the past several years – the revelation of Loki’s true heritage, the near destruction of Jotunheim at his hands, Odin’s repeated rejections and his clear disrespect of (Y/N) – served as sound reasoning for barring the old man from the wedding. For over a thousand years before them, however, Odin Allfather had been the only father that Loki had ever known; he was often times distant and hardly hid how he favored Thor, but he was still his father and one of the few people he’d always imagined attending his future wedding.

Loki was so preoccupied in his own mind that he didn’t register that he wasn’t alone until the mattress dipped and (Y/N) snuggled up against him. “Guess who’s going to be wearing a custom Luke Jacobson wedding dress down the aisle?”

“Oh, darling, that’s wonderful!” He pulled her closer to him and pressed a congratulatory kiss onto her brow, smiling as he took note of the happy gleam in her eyes. “Natasha warned me that Jacobson might turn you down; I was afraid that the Black Widow would travel across the country to pay him a visit and personally introduce him to her Widow Bites.”

(Y/N) laughed and her fingertips began to trace absentminded shapes along his chest. “Well, he seemed a little temperamental at first, but I was able to win him over with my natural charm and no-nonsense attitude.”

“Both of which you possess in great abundance.” Taking in the warmth she radiated and the sweet scent of her lilac perfume, Loki’s eyes drifted closed and his fingers slowly intertwined with hers. “You have an exceptional gift for handling challenging individuals with nuance and composure, my love.”

He felt her smile as she nuzzled against the skin of his neck. “It’s nothing, really; I just refuse to lower my self-worth by giving into people like that.”

Loki’s eyes blinked open and while he fully absorbed his fiancée’s words, realization slowly washed over him; he valued himself far too much to bow down to custom and expectation, so why in all the Nine Realms would he do so on a day so important to him? To Hel with Odin, Loki thought as he pulled (Y/N) closer and closed his eyes once again, it’s about time that old fool realized that his actions have consequences. “Thank you, darling.”

“For what?”

“For simply being you, and everything that goes along with that.”

12. Central Library Vancouver, Canada

(Y/N) looked up from her guidebook with a bright smile. “I want to start a book club in the tower.”

Loki, who was preoccupied with admiring Vancouver Public Library Central’s exterior architecture and its striking resemblance to the Colosseum in Rome, didn’t take his eyes off the building they’d spent all afternoon in as he distractedly asked, “Did something about this particular library inspire your new endeavor?”

“Mm-hmm, the Vancouver Public Library used to sponsor a citywide book club called One Book, One Vancouver; the library staff would be presented with four titles by the organizing committee and select one title at a time for the club to read. It was a fairly popular program but according to this guidebook, the book club was discontinued in 2010.”

“I think it’s a wonderful idea, darling, but I’m not sure how our teammates will feel about it.” Tearing his eyes away from the building, Loki rested his ankle on his knee and gave (Y/N) a small smile. “Besides Romanoff and her newfound fondness for audio books and Lang’s habit of reading all the books that Cassie tells him she’s read in school, none of them seem to have much of an interest in reading; I honestly wouldn’t put it past them to consider a book club some sort of punishment.”

She chuckled but shook her head. “Actually, I was thinking of opening it up to the entire tower; everybody from agents and scientists to chefs and custodians could join and once a month, we could meet in the ballroom and discuss the latest book before choosing another. It’s okay if the others aren’t interested in joining themselves, but they might always agree to help out a little; Clint could bring his famous homemade lasagna to a meeting or two, and Peter could even earn some volunteering hours for his college applications…” Her brows rose in surprise when she pulled her battered spiral notebook out of her backpack and noticed that nearly all the pages were filled with scribbled-down ideas inspired by their globe-trotting vacation. “I might have to buy myself a new notebook when we get back home…” A melancholy feeling washed over her at the thought of their amazing vacation coming to an end; after everything they’d seen and done as nothing more than just two book-loving tourists, it felt strange to go back to being world-famous Avengers and she’d be lying if she said she wouldn’t miss the anonymity.

Judging by the little line that formed between his brows, her fiancé must’ve been thinking the same thing. He draped an arm around her shoulders and brushed his thumb against the skin of her arm while she finished jotting down her latest batch of ideas, waiting until she was finished to finally speak. “Darling, do you recall the first time you brought me along with you to your weekly visit to the children’s ward?”

“How could I forget?” (Y/N) smiled fondly at the memory. “You were so afraid that the children wouldn’t want to meet you and that they’d be too scared of you to listen to me reading aloud to them. But when they saw you, they were so excited to finally meet my Avenger friend I told them all about that they barely paid any attention to me.”

Loki chuckled. “They did spend quite a long time interrogating me and taking turns trying on my battle helmet, but they eventually settled down to listen to you read. You read part of The Wizard of Oz to them that day; it was a charming story, of course, but one specific line stood out to me. ‘No matter how dreary and gray our homes are, we people of flesh and blood would rather live there than in any other country, be it ever so beautiful…’” A soft smile played on his lips as she allowed him to pull her closer to him. “‘There is no place like home.’”

As cheesy of a quote as it was, (Y/N) felt her saddened mood begin to brighten a little; she missed their friends and although she spent the past month reflecting on how different her life would’ve been if she’d gone on to become a librarian, she missed helping people as an Avenger. It’ll be nice to have some normalcy back in my life, she silently admitted before flashing Loki a smile of her own. “Since this is our last night in Vancouver, we should go out and do something special, something that we can only do here and nowhere else. Any thoughts?”

“Our hotel’s concierge mentioned several activities when we first checked in, so we can always ask her for recommendations.” After giving her a brief kiss, Loki stood and pulled her to her feet, his hand clutching tight to hers as they started off towards their nearby hotel. “The doorman warned me that Cambie Bar’s been closed indefinitely, something to do with a man using metal claws in a drunken brawl last night…”

13. New York Public Library New York City, New York

In just one month, Loki and (Y/N) traveled to twelve countries on five separate continents, visiting a dozen of the world’s most beautiful and unique libraries and a handful of popular destinations for bibliophiles. They enriched their knowledge of several fascinating cultures, explored each and every beautiful city they visited, got the opportunity to meet several kind and interesting people, and found plenty of inspiration for the library they were planning on establishing in Alfheim’s capital city. Loki wasn’t sure how it was even possible to fall deeper in love with (Y/N), but somehow over the course of their globe-trotting vacation he did; now that the coronation of Queen Amirah and their well-deserved break were behind them, he could scarcely wait for the day they were to be wed and he’d finally be able to call her his wife.

“It’s hard to believe that it’s only been a little over a year since we first met,” (Y/N) remarked, a fond smile on her face as she looked over at her old desk, no doubt recalling the memories of their weekly talks and all the shy, stolen glances shared between the both of them. “Strange, isn’t it, how in such a short period of time, two people can freely give their hearts over to one another and somehow just know that they’re the one that they’ll spend the rest of their life with?”

“One of life’s greatest mysteries,” Loki agreed, bringing their joined hands up to press a kiss onto her knuckles. “All I can say is that I never believed in the concept of true love until the moment I laid eyes on you.”

His brows furrowed in confusion when his fiancée suddenly dragged him down the nearest deserted aisle, making a sound of surprise as she held his face between her hands and captured his lips in a fiercely passionate kiss. Quickly overcoming his shock, he slid his arms around her waist to gather her up against him and allowed her to press him back against the bookcase, giving himself over to her fervent kisses and suppressing his groans of approval when her fingers carded through his hair. He stopped her as she started to pull back, bringing a hand up to cradle her cheek and caressing his lips against hers in one last slow kiss before allowing her to pull away; they were both struggling to catch their breaths, but he found himself working overtime to regain his voice when her warm (Y/E/C) eyes opened and met his.

“You have no idea how often I sat at my desk imagining doing that to you.” (Y/N)’s fingertips traced along his cheekbones, and she gave him a breathless smile. “I’m glad I finally got the chance.”

“Well, you’re free to do it again wherever and whenever you’d like, darling.” Grinning, Loki leaned his head back against the bookshelf and glanced around the portion of the New York Public Library they were tucked away in. “It’s a shame that we were only able to visit twelve libraries during our vacation…thirteen, if you were to count this one, but still…”

His fiancée’s smile remained intact. “Then why don’t we try to make this our own yearly tradition? You and I, visiting a dozen of the world’s most interesting and beautiful libraries together?”

“And what happens when we inevitably run out of libraries to visit?”

“We start visiting a dozen of the galaxy’s most interesting and beautiful libraries.”

Loki’s shoulders shook with laughter as he began peppering kisses across (Y/N)’s giggling face, but their cell phones suddenly chimed in their pockets before they could continue any further; when they both reached for their phones, a brief message from Steve Rogers appeared on their screens:

The Captain: Mission alert. Extraction imminent, meet at the tower in 10.

“It would seem that the God of Mischief and the Cosmic Sorceress are officially back on the clock,” Loki remarked with an exaggerated sigh before offering his fiancée his hand to take. “Ready for another adventure, darling?”

“With you, sweetheart?” (Y/N) laced her fingers around his and gave his hand a gentle squeeze that was accompanied by her breathtaking grin. “Always.”

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

Spanish Translation: El tiempo que se disfruta es el verdadero tiempo vivido-The time that is enjoyed is the time that is truly lived.

A/N: Now that we've seen their vacation, it's time that we finally see their wedding! I'm not sure when I'll be finished with writing the wedding, but it's definitely coming so stay tuned for that lol thank you all so much for reading and commenting! I’ve created a Spotify playlist inspired by this series, and I’ll be updating it every time I upload a new chapter. Enjoy!

Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2wx8TZwpDN0l33tES3W3Nk?si=5fcb3ef04de544e7

A Spellbinding Wedding

"Spellbinding" Masterlist

Tagging: @nexiva​​​​​​​​​ @ravenclawbitch426​​​​​​​​​ @cminr​​​​​​​​​ @confusedfandomwriter​​​​​​​​​ @momc95​​​​​​​​​ @nickkie99​​​​​​​​​ @austynparksandpizza​​​​​​​​​ @brooke0297​​​​​​​​​ @a-laufeyson​​​​​​​​​​ @outoftheregular​​​​​​​​​​ @itscomplicatedx​​​​​​​​​​ @0-artemis​​​​​​​​​​ @vivloki​​​​​​​​​​ @crowleysqueenofhell​​​​​​​​​​ @groovy-lady​​​​​​ @mostclevermiss​​​​  

[doom-dreaming]

Blue Team Beach House: Overview

So you're a supersoldier in the UNSC and you're being ordered to take mandatory R&R and for the first time in his life, your squad leader doesn't finagle some way to avoid this. But you're sick of being shipped off to places that aren't built for you (because there was that one time you broke a whole couch) but the UNSC hasn't gone out of its way to make a vacation resort for Spartans (because when do they ever go on vacation, right? Ha.) And you're sitting on a lifetime of hazard pay, more money than you know what to do with, but hey...actually, this time you do know what to do with it. You're gonna build a house on the prettiest white sand beach in the galaxy, specifically for you and your Spartan siblings because if the brass is forcing you to take some shore leave, then goddamn it, you're gonna take that literally.

Welcome to the (actual, official) series of Blue Team Beach House posts. If you made it through that whole opening paragraph and still don't know what I'm talking about: I want Blue Team to fucking relax, so I imagined a (beautiful, unrealistic) timeline in which they'd be able to custom-build a vacation home to use when they need a break (and to eventually retire to? Like I said, unrealistic).

The idea is that they'd do their best to tailor it to their own preferences and truly make a place designed by and for Spartans. And then I started thinking about this so hard I had to build the dang thing in Sims. So that's what this is. It's me showing off pics of a fun beach house build and bullshitting about why the architecture and design are (mostly) Spartan-Approved(tm) based on what we know about them from Halo canon. And if you're wondering, yeah, I do things like this for fun more frequently than you'd think.

CONSIDERATION 1: LOCATION

Spartans are always thinking strategy. They can't turn it off. So naturally, if they were making a place where they'd be relaxing - somewhere they'd have their guard down - they'd want it to be naturally, geographically safeguarded, in case there were an attack (hey, you never know). What's better than a narrow strip of land from the front and a reef in the back to discourage access from the water? They wanted to have an anti-aircraft missile system on the roof, but their design team said no. They settled for solar panels instead. (Note that the roof edging the third floor is also made of solar paneling. We know green energy is standard in the 26th century.)

CONSIDERATION 2: FUNCTIONAL ARCHITECTURE AND EFFICIENT USE OF SPACE

They might have the funds to make this a reality, but that doesn't mean they're going to build superfluous balconies when they can just use the roofs of the floors below for deck space. It keeps things compact without being cramped.

Also, see those pretty wood slat facade pieces on the corners of the first and second floor? Not only are they a nice design touch, but they're also makeshift ladders. Need to get to the roof very quickly from the outside? Climb the fucking walls. Let's be honest, they'd do this for fun.

CONSIDERATION 3: OUTDOOR SOCIAL AREAS

It's canon that John is a little claustrophobic. Yeah, he can fight it off, but he doesn't like spaces that are too small for him. I'd venture a guess that this is common for most Spartans, just by virtue of them being nearly seven feet tall. That said, given the options, I think they'd much rather be outside than inside, even if that inside was built to their standards of comfort. What's better than a nice big porch to hang out on and enjoy the gorgeous tropical weather?

Glass railings keep their view open and unobstructed - great for defense (again, you never know). The furniture is sturdy, either sculpted metal or durable wood (with the exception of some pieces that don't have to support a Spartan's-worth of weight). These themes will show up in other areas of the house, too.

Oh, and the vertical wall planter in the corner? Strawberries. What's better than a self-sustaining food source to cut down on trips into the city for groceries? This is only the tip of the iceberg on edible plants, by the way. Just wait.

Things stay well-lit at night, because even though they can see near-perfectly in the dark, it's easier to relax when you know what you're looking at. And while those palm trees are nice landscaping, they're also great for climbing (and coconuts).