#odin's very aware that he brought loki here in the first place so had the fratricide stuck some self-blame would be expected there

[nostalgia-tblr]

NGL I too would express my disappointment poorly if two of my three kids had turned villainous (I would, however, also question my own parenting skills at or even before the second murder-offspring incident, so...)

You know, I can't really blame Loki for kicking dad out at the end of The Dark World because these were the last words his father ever spoke to him:

Your birthright was to die as a child. Cast out onto a frozen rock. If I had not taken you in, you would not be here now to hate me. Frigga is the only reason you're still alive, and you will never see her again.

I mean if it were me, I would have been tempted to do a hell of a lot more than wipe his memory and stick them in an old folks home for a few years to cool his heels.

He banished all three of his children, but Thor was the only one who was given a cheat code to find his way home early.

[raineydays411]

Reunions

Bruce Banner x daughter!reader

Summary: You are finally reunited with your father. 

Your heart raced as you waited for Loki to return. 

Apparently, Thor escaped and took Hulk with him. You were happy that they found a way to leave this damn planet. Or at least get out of the vicinity of the Grandmaster. 

But now, the Grandmaster was upset, calling for Loki. Turns out, you’ve come to care for the man, more than you ever thought you would. 

So here you are, outside the Grandmasters throne room, ready to step in if needed. You have no idea what you’d do, but you’d step in. That’s when Loki came out. You jogged up to his side, not realizing that he was with someone else.

“Well? Are you alright? What happened?” You ask, looking at his face for answers.

“Darling I am fine. Are you okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” He teases, then he turns his attention to the woman next to you. 

“What have you done?”

“I don’t answer to you, lackey.”

Loki grabs her arm, “It’s Loki, and you will answer to the Grandmaster.”

“Um hey maybe you shouldn’t” 

Then, she pushed his arm off her, the two of them hitting each other resulting in Loki getting punched in the face. 

‘Hmmph” The woman says smugly. Annoyed, Loki pulls out a dagger. 

“Why would you help my brother escape with that green fool” He asks pointing the blade at her threatingly. She pulls out her own knife.

“I don’t help anyone.” Loki lunges at her, the both of them swiping at each other trying to land a hit. You watch anxiously, debating on whether or not you would step in. That’s when Loki gets her arm pinned, seeing her tattoo.

“You’re a Valkyrie?” he questions, she breaks his hold, but he disarms her. She, however, doesn’t need a weapon as he lands several punches on Loki, managing to throw him to the wall.

“I thought the Valkyrie all dies gruesome deaths.” Loki taunted. It was surprising to hear him speak like this. He has always been so kind to you, you forget how cold his personality could be. He had a way to get under peoples skin, dig into their deepest insecurities. 

The Valkyrie knees him in the chest and hold the daggers to his face. “Choose your next words carefully.” She threatens.

That was enough to get you to jump in. You kick the back of her knee, making her loose her stance. Shocked at the sudden assault, her state allowed Loki to move in.

“I’m terribly sorry. It must be a painful memory.” Then he strikes, placing his hand on her forehead. It looks like she was forced into a memory. He face turning grim as she is forced to remember what, you assume to be an awful memory. 

She falls to the floor, shocked at what she had seen. Then she recovered. Faster than what Loki expected and pinned him on the ground, promptly knocking him out. 

You cringe, that punch looked like it hurt. Suddenly she stands up. Turning her attention on you.

“Hey, I’m no Loki but I’m pretty scrappy.” You say, tense and prepared to fight. She scoffs at your words.

“I’m not going to fight a child. You’ll either come willingly or face the Grandmaster.”

You sigh, gathering your bags. “ Yeah, yeah, I’m coming.” 

She drags Loki, who is still knocked out and leads you outside the castle. 

“We have to hurry before the streets get busy. The Grandmaster has already announced the disappearance of his champion.” She says, walking briskly as you follow along.

“So...you helped Thor escape?” You ask trying to keep up with her.

“More like he tricked me. Like I said before, I don’t help.”

“Then why are you taking Loki? You could’ve just left him.” You inquire.

Valkyrie huffs and turns to you, “ You ask a lot of questions, kid.” 

“I’m a curious person.” You respond. You look around, the streets are already filling with people. They all are so diverse. It was different out here, seeing them in green and parading around masks and costumes of the Hulk. On Earth, people feared him. But here, he was...praised. 

“I have a question.” Valkyrie says, “How did a Midgardian child end up all the way out here, with this.” She gestures to Loki.

“I was looking for my father.” You say shortly, “Loki saw me panicking and helped me out. We’ve been together ever since.”

“hmm” she hums, “We’re here.” 

She leads you into a house, it was green and white, kind of like the other room Thor was imprisoned in. 

“You stay here.” She says dropping Loki on a small stool. She tied him with a chain she pulls out from no where. “ I have to go find that idiot.” 

Then she leaves you alone with a passed out Loki. 

You sigh, taking a seat next to a window. You pull out your phone and start listening to music. You don’t feel like writing so you just stare out the window. You start to song to yourself lowly, already bored of just waiting here.

Then you hear a groan. You turn to look at Loki, who was waking up.

“Y/n? What happened” He asks wincing in pain

“You got knocked the fuck out man.” You tease. “ That Valkyrie lady brought us to her house or something.”

“Are you alright? Did she hurt you” He says struggling with the chains.

“No, just threatened me and made me come with her. I would’ve anyway, I wasn’t going to leave you. Besides, she’s kind of hot.” You say, getting up from where you were sat and grabbed a random bottle that looked like a drink.

Loki looks at you weirdly considering what you just said.

‘Here” you said, holding the bottle to his lips, “ You must be thirsty.”

He drinks from the bottle but spits it out, “Ugh that's alcohol”

You look at him and then the bottle. 

“Don’t even think about it.” He warns.

“Aw man.”

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

Thor had just made it to the quinjet. He’s relieved to find that the jet still works.

“Welcome, voice activation required.”

He places his hand on the scanner.

“Thor.”

Access denied.

“Thor, Son of Odin.”

Access denied

“God of Thunder’

Access denied

“Strongest Avenger.”

Access denied

“Strongest Avenger” He emphasizes.

Access denied.

Thor grunts in frustration. Trying to rack his brain for any possible passwords or nicknames. He sighs realizing what it must be.

“Damn you Stark. Point Break”

All the lights turn on as the plane is activated. 

“Welcome Point Break.”

Thor rolls his eyes and starts working on starting the quinjet. 

That’s when the Hulk tears the back open.

“FRIEND STAY” He shouts, making his way inside the plane.

“Hulk no!” Thor shouts, trying to get him to stop wrecking the already damaged ship.

“ STAY!” Hulk shouts stubbornly. Thor starts desperately looking for a way to preserve the ship.

He clicks random buttons, in hopes of a miracle. That's when a video pops up.

“Nice work Big guy” Natasha's voice comes through, “ We don’t know where Ultron's headed but you’re going very high, very fast. We can’t track you...”

Hulk freezes. Then jerks around. He bangs his head against the walls, punches himself in the head. 

“NO BANNER.” Hulk shouts. 

Thor presses another button. And another video pops up.

“Hi daddy. It’s me.” Your twelve year old voice rings through the jet, “ Tony doesn’t know I’m in here, but I need you to hear this. Come home. Please, I need you. I don’t care if you’re the hulk or anything. I just want my dad…don’t leave me...” 

Thor can see emotion in Hulks eyes. He roars, desperate to stay as he is. 

“NO BANNER. NO”

He fluctuated between Hulk and Bruce. They both fight to gain control of each other. Till finally he collapses, shrinking down to reveal Bruce Banner, panting in exhaustion.

“Banner?” Thor says carefully, slowly placing a hand on the mans shoulders.

Bruce jumps, not aware of his surroundings. Thor hushes him, attempting to calm him down,

“Shh, shh the suns going down. The suns going down real low”

“Thor?” Bruce says panting.

“Yeah” 

“What happened to your hair?” 

“Oh some creepy old guy cut it off”

“It looks good.”

“Oh thanks” Thor says smiling.

“Where are we? Where’s Nat? How is she?”

Thor frowns, “Um, she’s good. I assume.” 

“What about Sokovia? Did we save the city?” Bruce asks 

“Banner, listen, Sokovia, Ultron. All that was four years ago.”

Bruce's heart dropped, “I’ve been the hulk for four years”

Thor winces, “I’m afraid so..”

Bruce looks down at the beads has wearing and takes them off. Then he freezes, “Thor, my daughter. Y/n..is she okay?”

“Of course, oh Banner she’s wonderful. She... she’s waiting for you.” Thor says, not knowing how to tell him that you were on the same planet. 

“I have to get home... I” Bruce stands up almost toppling over but Thor catches him.

“Banner there's something you should know...”

Bruce gets up and goes to the hand scanner 

“Bruce Banner”

Welcome, Strongest Avenger.

“What?” Thor says offended. 

Him and Bruce watch the footage from when he crashed on Sakaar. 

Thor sighs knowing that this was going to be hard to explain.

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

You sigh, after trying the fifth time to free Loki.

“What the hell are these chains made out of?” You grunt

Loki laughs, “Darling don’t stress yourself. We’ll escape in time.” 

You sigh and sit down next to Loki. 

“Was that you I heard singing earlier?” He asks, turning his head to face you. 

“Oh.. yeah, I do that a lot.” You blush, even though you’re a theater kid, you still get shy when singing in front of people.

“It was lovely.” Loki remarks not meeting your eyes. You smile, knowing not to make a big deal. You’re stomach growls. 

“There’s some fruit over there.” Loki says, “ They look about ripe.” 

You stand and walk towards the counter of fruit. It was just beyond the view of the door. You help yourself to the fruit. It was weird, like a mix of cantaloupe and a grape. You were about to offer Loki some when you saw him wipe his face of emotion and into an irritated look. Then the door opened.

“Surprise.” Loki said sarcastically. Then you see a can hit him in the forehead.

“Ow.” He says in a monotone.

“Just making sure.” you hear Thor say, walking into the place.

“Hello Bruce.” Loki says. 

You freeze, hearing your fathers voice for the first time in four years.

“So, last time I saw you, you were trying to kill everybody. Where are you at these days?’

“It varies from moment to moment.” 

You decide to make your presence known. You gulped and over your beating heart said, “ Don’t be such a drama king, you sound like an edgy middle school boy.” 

Loki smirks, looking towards you, but before he can say anything Thor cuts him off.

“Y/n! Thank heavens you’re alright” Thor says patting your shoulder. 

You smile up at him , avoiding your fathers stare, “Yeah I’m good, Lord of Thunder.” 

“Y/n?”

You take a deep breath, the room going quiet.

You slowly turn, facing your father, “Hi daddy...”

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

Bruce can hear his heart beating in his ears. He didn’t recognize you at first. He couldn’t have, the last time he saw you...you were a kid. This tiny little twelve year old that was barely in sixth grade. 

But here you are. His daughter, four years older. A teenager. He...He lost four years with you. He practically missed you growing up. Your first period, first day of high school. Here you were, on an other planet, dressed in some weird suit of armor, conversing with a man who tried to enslave Earth like he was an old friend. 

“Y/n?” He says in disbelief. You turn to him, slowly. Your face...you..you look just like your mother.

“Hi daddy” You say as your eyes start to water.

“Y/n” He says striding towards you and pulling you into a tight hug, “ Wha-what are you doing here? What are you wearing?”

“I came to look for you.” You respond, your face pressed into his chest. He pulls away, grabbing your face in his hands.

“God...look at you, you...you were just a kid..” He whispers tears filling his eyes. You smile sadly and nod. You really don’t know what to say, you’re relieved to finally see your dad but...it’s kind of awkward with all these people around.

“What is going on?” Valkyrie whispers to Thor as they watch the emotional scene play out.

“Oh, Y/n is Bruce’s daughter who hasn’t seen him for four years.” Thor simply says, “ Is that a dragonfang?!”

Valkyrie rolls her eyes at the topic change, “ sure is”

You roll your eyes, overhearing their conversation.

“ So, you were with Thor this whole time?” Bruce asks confused, “ why didn’t I see you?”

“Um actually I was with Loki..” you answer nervously, peaking over at Loki who looked annoyed to still be tied up.

“Did he kidnap you?” Bruce asks, “Thor, you let my daughter run around with your psychotic brother?!”

“ Hey!” Loki said offended. You giggle, always finding him being insulted amusing. You look at Loki's face, seeing an emotion in his eyes that you can’t place.

“Shh Banner stay calm” Thor says soothingly, “ in my defense I was enslaved and forced to fight.��� He shoots a glare at Valkyrie who was drinking. She rolls her eyes and picks up another bottle.

“Can we get back to the plan?” Valkyrie, “ Sakaar and Asgard are as far apart as any two known systems. Our best bet, is a wormhole just outside of city limits. If we refuel on Xandar, and we can be back on Asgard in about...18 months.”

“Nope. We’re going through the big one.” Thor says, pointing at the large wormhole in the sky. 

“The Devil’s Anus?” 

You snort at the name as your dad’s attention is caught.

“Anus? wait, wait, wait, whose anus?” Bruce says, letting go of you and walking to the two Asgardians.

“For the record, I didn’t know it was called that when I picked it.”

You walk up to Loki, and sit next to him looking out the window.

“That looks like a collapsing neutron star inside of an Eisen-Rosen Bridge.” Bruce says facing the window. 

“We need another ship, that one would tear mine to pieces.” Valkyrie says drinking from another bottle. 

“She’s right, we’ll need one that can withstand the geodetic strain from the singularity” Thor says.

You make eye contact with Loki, both of you realizing that the Grandmaster has a bunch of ships. You have a silent conversation with him, trying to convince him to do the right thing. Considering that the time you two spent there, he had you steal the access codes to the security systems with his guide.

You look up at the right second to see your dad and Thor fist bump. Kind of awkwardly but its nice to see him get out of his comfort zone. 

“There are one of two ships, one of top of the line models and...”

“I don’t mean to impose..” Loki starts, but Valkyrie throws her bottle at him, nearly hitting him but smashing into the wall instead. Loki slightly turns his body to shield you from the glass, even though you were on the other side. You glare at her from where you are sat.

“The fuck...” You start, but see Loki's face telling you to stay quiet. 

“The Grandmaster has a great many ships. Y/n here, may have stolen the access codes to his security systems,” He says proudly glancing at you. You blush as the three glance at you. Your father looking at you in confusion.

“And suddenly you’re both overcome with the urge to do the right thing?” 

“Heavens no.” “I’m literally just vibing” You both say at the same time.

“We’ve run out of favor with the Grandmaster. In exchange for codes and access to a ship, I’m asking for safe passage, through the Anus. For the both of us.” Loki concludes glaring at you when you laugh at the wording.

“You’re telling us, you can get us a ship without setting the alarms?” Thor asks

“Yes brother, we can.”

“Why don’t we just take the girl? She’s the one who knows  the codes.” Valkyrie asks glaring at the both of you. 

“Y/n is not going back to that retched place.” Loki states, “We both know those codes, and she stays far away, where its safe.” 

“Okay, can we just,” Bruce gestures for the team to meet up, “just a quick fyi. Y/n you too.”

You groan, getting up from your spot as Loki rolls his eyes. You walk over to the 

“ I was just talking to him, and he was totally ready to kill any of us.”

“He did try to kill me.” Valkyrie says. 

“Yes, me too on many, many occasions.” Thor adds, “ There was this one time when we were children, he transformed himself into a snake, and he knows that I love snakes. So I went to pick up the snake to admire it.” “

no” Bruce whispers

 “ And he transformed back into himself and was like ‘blegh its me’ and then he stabbed me. We were eight at the time.”

Bruce looked back at Loki in disbelief, and when you looked at Loki you can see a small smile creep up on his face. 

“Well, he’s never tried to kill me.” You chime in, “ He made me some soup thing when I got sick. “

The three adults looked at you in disbelief. 

“Sweetheart, he’s murdered people.” Bruce said. 

“Okay?? He’s my emotional support murderer. He hugs me when I’m sad.” You say rolling your eyes. 

Thor and Valkyrie look at you in confusion. 

“That doesn’t sound healthy.” Bruce mutters

“Dad, if Bucky can get a second chance then so can Loki” You say stubbornly leaving the group to sit with Loki.

“Who’s Bucky?”

“Guys, if we’re going to boost a ship we have to draw attention away from the palace.”

“Why not set the beast loose?”

“Shut up” “That's a terrible idea.”

“Hey, why don’t you start a revaluation?” You say.

The adults look at you again in surprise. 

“I thought of that “ Thor says.

“Well I said it first.’ You snipe back with a smirk.

“...You’ve spent too much time with Loki.”

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

[gloxiniaflower]

Some parts were rushed and not detailed enough, but this something I wrote to waste some time on.

My "Love"

Poseidon x male reader

No one never guessed that poseidon would be married to a male God.

Poseidon sat down with his husband and other gods, m/n had a bright smile present on his face. He was excited to finally meet other gods, Poseidon on the other hand was not having a good time.

"Oh~ I didn't know you had a husband~" Loki smiled, poseidon didn't like the way Loki spoke.

"I'm m/n!" He happily exclaimed, he did a little bow. Poseidon did like that gesture his husband did to Loki, the gods were caught off guard by that action.

"A god bowing to another god, what is the meaning of this poseidon." Odin demanded, poseidon turned to Odin but m/n got to answer him before poseidon.

"Its a sign of respect," m/n answered, his smile annoyed someone of the gods. "M/n, sit down." Poseidon demanded, m/n nodded his head and saw down.

The meeting went on and on for hours, they were talking about how they're was gonna be a party. M/n was mostly focused on what he was gonna cook. Finally the meeting ended, Invitations were being handed out in the morning then the party will be in 3 days.

M/n flew beside poseidon, he was telling poseidon about the rare fruit at the sacred tree. Whispers and be heard around them, possibly was getting annoyed more and more.

"I didn't know poseidon had a husband."

"Thats so embarrassing, he can do much better."

"Married to fairy...how disgraceful."

"Such a low-life fairy."

"Thats a god...he is a mere god."

M/n can hear the whispering, their hearts, their minds. He was fully aware of what everyone was saying, poseidon was annoyed by everyone including his husband.

When they got back to the kingdom, poseidon didn't utter a single word.

"I'm sorry..." m/n muttered, poseidon turned to m/n and sighed. "Next time you're staying." He glared at the fairy, today was humiliating for him. It was a big mistake.

M/n stayed quiet and went to their room, he read his heart. It was full on anger, he hated the way it sounded. He's changed his clothes and put on his night clothes, he put his wings away and got into bed. He walked into the washroom and stared at himself.

He looked much more younger, he was 5'4, he was mistaken for a kid multiple times. He continued to stare at himself, his long hair reached above his knees.

"Starring at yourself won't make you feel any better." Poseidon said as he changed, m/n turned to poseidon. "Why did you marry me?" He asked, poseidon sighed.

"That is a very stupid question m/n, I married you cause I love you for who you are." Poseidon hugged m/n, but m/n said otherwise. Poseidon lied, his heart said it.

M/n flew over to the bed and layed there, he was hurt.

•   M O R N I N G   •

m/n woke up and walked to the kitchen and saw the invitation sitting on the table, he walked over and opened it.

Only poseidon's name was written down, not m/n. He smiled and put it back, he flew up to the room to wake up poseidon.

"Poseidon, its time to wake up!" M/n loudly announced and open the blinds, poseidon slowly got up and stared at the fairy. "M/n...it's 7 in morning, come back to bed." He groaned, m/n flew to his side.

"But, you promised that we go to the garden." M/n whined 'I have better things to do.' Poseidon thought. M/n smiled "i'll go by myself, go ahead and get some rest." M/n exclaimed and flew out of the room. M/n smiled as he saw the flowers blooming, he missed the fairy kings forest.

He sat down and enjoyed the peace, it was calming. He knew this was gonna come to an end soon, all of it. All he can do was make the best of it while he can. He knew that other people hated him, maybe it was for the best to ignore it.

In a blink of an eye, poseidon was getting getting ready for the party. M/n helped him with his hair, he made sure poseidon looked his best.

"M/n, can you not read peoples minds and heart." Poseidon monotone voice made m/n froze, m/n smiled. "I can't, no matter how much I try...I just can't." He admitted, poseidon rolled his eyes at his answer.

"I'll see you after poseidon, be safe love you." M/n gave him a quick kiss and flew away, he flew to their room and collapsed on the ground. He quickly stood up and grabbed his weapon.

Today was their anniversary and poseidon completely ignored it, m/n was gonna go to to the spot they met. He was bringing his weapon along just in case something happened.

Hours passed and poseidon was waiting in the room, waiting for m/n. He was starting to get irritated, 2 more hours passed and he decided to go to bed.

The next day, shiva was yelling poseidons name. Poseidon groaned and looked to his side and saw that m/n wasn't there. He got dressed and walked to the front door, he stared at shiva with a glare. "What do you wan-" he was cut off by shiva pulling him.

Poseidon noticed they were heading to the building where Apollo lived, shiva didn't say anything to poseidon. When they got inside they saw Apollo and loki struggling, poseidon ran up the stairs and saw m/n bleeding.

"M/n let us heal you, if you don't then you'll die!" Loki yelled, m/n ignored them and flew out the window. Loki immediately flew after him, Apollo turned to the side and saw poseidon, he ignored him and ran past him and shiva.

"Shiva, tell me what the hell is going on." Poseidon demanded, shiva clenched his jaw. He didnt want to tell poseidon, he just couldn't. "What happened to m/n!" He yelled, shiva punch the wall out of anger. "I don't have time for this." Shiva muttered and ran off.

Loki, thor, beelzebub, shiva, and Apollo were standing infront of a huge tree. Poseidon was quick to notice the tree, it was the sacred tree. The sacred tree is where m/n was born from, it brought back memories of when he first met him. Everyone had found a way up the tree and saw m/n leaning against something.

"M/n..please let me heal you." Apollo begged, m/n stayed quiet. Poseidon had enough of this, no one was gonna give him a proper answer. "Someone tell me what happened and why m/n is injured!" He demanded, Loki clicked his tongue.

"M/n ripped out his wings, he is gonna bleed out and die. And it all your fault" Loki hissed, poseidon was taken back by what loki said. Poseidon turned to m/n and walked towards him "m/n I know you're mad at me and I'm sorry for the things I did." Poseidon softly spoke

"Quit lying to me!!!" M/n yelled, he fell to his knees and cried. Eveything was hurting, he was in the worst state. "He was better than you, he never made me feel like this." He sobbed, poseidon walked forward "who was?" Poseidon asked.

"Gloxinia, gloxinia was the only person who made me feel like I was on top. If only I didn't met you, if only I never married you...maybe then...he would still be alive." M/n sobbed, Apollo took the opportunity and held m/n in his arms as he injected the needle into his back.

"But, he wouldn't have wanted this. He gave everyone here, that is present in this room the droplet of life." Loki took m/n out of Apollo's hold and held him, everyone walked over to where m/n was leaning. Shiva looked at the corpse then at m/n, "you kept his body here the whole time." He softly spoke, m/n slowly stood up with loki aiding him.

"Gloxinia belongs here, this is where we came from. I refuse to take him anywhere else." M/n cried, no matter how many years passed...he couldn't get over it. "I hear what everyone thinks and says about me, imagine being in my position."

M/n slid the knife he had in his sleeve and stabbed himself, the heart. Everyone froze and watched as m/n smiled, loki grabbed the knife and threw it somewhere else.

"M/n!" Poseidon panicked and ran towards his lover, m/n felt everything draining from his body. The pain was finally disappearing, everyone was doing their best to heal him but nothing was working.

"Loki...Thor...can you do me one last thing for me?" M/n asked, thor clenched clenched his fist, loki nodded his head. "I want you to watch over the next fairy king, make sure he is happy...I trust you to do that for me... That's all I ask of you." M/n smiled

Loki felt no energy coming from m/n, he held him close and cried. He was someone important in his life, he loved him but he belonged to the heartless God. Poseidon had enough and stormed out, he silently cried and he walked away from the sacred tree. Everything he did and say to m/n made him feel regret, maybe if he was a bit more nicer...maybe then he'd be still alive.

Everyone was quiet, then they heard a soft cry. Thor stood up and walked to where the crying was coming from, thor picked up the infant and held it close. Loki lifted m/n and placed him beside gloxinia, it what he wanted...to be close by someone who loved and cherished him.

The gods stayed quiet, they're anger was at poseidon. It made them flare up in anger but they just couldn't hurt him, m/n cherish poseidon so they couldn't hurt him.

Now, they will protect the next fairy with everything they had. Anything to protect him from that heartless God.

[trashmenofmarvel]

Always Will Be - Ch 2

Pairing: Loki x TVA Agent!Reader

Series Warnings (18+ Only): Eventual Smut, Slow Burn, Violence, Time Shenanigans, Enemies to Friends to Lovers

Chapter Summary: You interview Laufeyson for his crimes against the Sacred Timeline. 

AO3

The journey from the elevator was uneventful as you led the variant down the long hallway. Other employees of the TVA also walked the hall, alone or in pairs, and they paid attention to the two of you only to make sure you weren’t in their path.

You kept Laufeyson firmly in your periphery, more to keep him from wandering than a belief that he would attempt to escape. You didn’t doubt that would come at some point, but it was a little too early for him to play that hand.

“Where are we going?”

The casual candor of his voice didn’t fool you, not when the sharpness of his gaze was heating the side of your face.

“If it’s to my execution, I would rather know ahead of time,” he added with false friendliness. “It’s just polite.”

“We don’t kill people, Mister Laufeyson.”

“I can’t suffer a liar.”

You stopped before a heavy double door, two Minutemen standing guard on either side of it, and turned to the variant.

“I don’t lie. That’s your department.”

His eyes darkened and genuine anger flashed in their depths, but then it was gone so fast you would have questioned it was there in the first place if you hadn’t known better.

But you did.

Both Minutemen opened the doors, and you led the prisoner into Time Theater 25. It was the same beige color as the rest of the wing, and the only pieces of furniture were a small, round glass table, two metal weave chairs, and a control monitor.

You indicated the seat to the left and said, “Please, make yourself comfortable.”

“I would be more comfortable with this collar removed.”

Out of the corner of your eye he moved, quickly and without warning. You slipped the remote out of your sleeve and thumbed the pad. In the blink of an eye, he vanished and reappeared where he’d been two seconds previously, as if he hadn’t moved at all.

“You’ll find time works differently here at the TVA,” you informed him. “Please, sit.”

He said nothing, the animosity wafting off of him in waves. You ignored him, setting the files of paperwork down onto the table before taking your own chair. He took his own, albeit more cautiously, his eyes narrowed in dislike.

“Let the record show this is the entirety of Loki Laufeyson’s life recording,” you began. “Formerly of Jotunheim, formerly of Asgard—“

“—and formerly of Midgard.”

His smile was sharp.

“I did spend quite some time there. Both in my youth, and well, more recently.”

“I’m well aware.”

“Just wanted to be sure you’re thorough in your interview. That is what this is, isn’t it? My intake interview?”

You ignored the curious tilt of his head, as well as his question, and turned to the control monitor. It was rather small, round and orange, almost reminiscence of the gumball candies invented on Earth.

You flipped a switch and the room dimmed just as a rippling image of light appeared on the wall, powered by the holoprojector.

“We will be very thorough, Mister Laufeyson, and we shall start from the beginning. This is your home world. And that is you.”

The image focused on something small, blue, and wailing. The prisoner as a child, dying and abandoned.

You had seen the reel hundreds of times, had scoured most of this variant’s life. So while the film played, you watched him out of the corner of your eye. It was curious that Laufeyson didn’t flinch at the sight of his infant self being left to die. His face was carefully blank, unreadable, and his eyes barely moved.

But there was a shift when the King of Asgard entered the scene. When Odin lifted the lost babe into his arms, his nose slightly crinkled at the corners.

It was the only obvious tell he gave for quite a while. Laufeyson was closed off, appearing almost bored as his adolescence played out on the wall. The two royal brothers had rowdy, adventure-filled childhoods, though Laufeyson often acted as his brother’s second shadow. He only excelled when given magical lessons by his adoptive mother.

He gave an eye roll or two during Thor’s coronation, and he actually yawned during the fight on Jotunheim. But his boredom fell away when blue stretched across his skin for the first time, inflicted by the touch of a Jotun. And he replaced the carefully constructed mask over the confrontation with his adoptive father, and the truth was revealed that his very identity had been a fabrication.

When the scene was finally over and the King had fallen into Odinsleep, an inexperienced and uneducated person might have believed Laufeyson was unaffected. That all of the events of his childhood were little more than entertainment for his amusement.

But it wasn’t. Having to relive those moments would linger in his mind, and that was the point.

He smirked whenever the scene changed to him displaying power over Thor and his companions while holding the temporary throne. He seemed to enjoy his adoptive brother’s exile to Earth, and there was no shame given for these childish displays. That’s what they were, the product of a child throwing a tantrum.

His mask started to slip again, but not at the timestamp you expected. Laufeyson flinched at the point of violent contact between the Destroyer and Thor, knocking him back and nearly killing him in the process. Would have, if not for Thor’s returned power.

You wondered if Laufeyson had wanted to murder his brother intentionally, or if he had underestimated the Destroyer’s strength.

You picked up a notepad and scribbled down the question. Unfortunately, the chronological record could only display events as they happened, not the motivation or intention of the actors involved. It was a relevant question to ponder later.

“What are you doing?”

You lifted your head to find the variant staring at you. You clicked your pen closed and put it on the table, keeping the notepad firmly in your lap.

“You needn’t concern yourself. Please, pay attention to the screen.”

His gaze narrowed but said nothing. It was a look you were familiar with, though not one aimed at you. It meant Laufeyson would also ponder the question for later, though with an agenda bent toward scheming and manipulation.

You would need to be careful, but not as careful as he needed to be. After all, he was the Time Criminal.

The battle between Laufeyson and Odinson drew a few chuckles and smiles from the variant, as if he were recalling fond memories. His expression flattened into boredom when the King arrived to prevent Loki from falling, and his face remained blank as he let go, falling into the wormhole the unstable Bifrost had created.

It was a show, all for your benefit. Proof that he didn’t care about those he had harmed, that he was above all of his past decisions.

Because of his put-upon apathy, you let the record continue to run. You knew what came next. He did too.

Laufeyson watched his past-self float amongst the stares, frozen and immobilized in the vacuum of space. He didn’t perish, Jotuns and Asgardians were too tough for that, but it wasn’t pleasant. The subzero temperatures, the negative pressure, the absence of air and light, all contributed to his silent suffering.

It was a pleasure compared to what happened after.

A massive, dark ship appeared on the horizon, pulling him onboard. Laufeyson barely had time to defrost (even Jotuns had a freezing limit) before he was fixed with an electric collar and thrown into a cell.

Laufeyson was left in the dark for days with no food or water. He was brought out only to be strung up by his wrists, asked questions he refused to answer, and then he was electrocuted until he was barely conscious.

He was returned to his cell, given nothing for warmth or sustenance, and the process began again several days later.

The present-day Laufeyson didn’t blink. Didn’t seem to breathe as he watched. His eyes were glazed over, skin pale under the harsh lighting.

Another round of torture, but this one was different. It was inflicted not by electricity, but by a blue stone. Not the stone he would use to splinter the timeline. This stone was actually yellow, and it commanded minds rather than physical space, but Laufeyson didn’t know that at the time.

All he knew was agony, delivered by the hands of the owner of the ship. A warlord from Titan that would not stop until Laufeyson begged to be allowed to serve.

And beg he would. It had already happened, was recorded with perfect clarity, and it would happen within just a few short hours of being exposed to the Mind Stone.

Laufeyson made a small noise, quiet compared to the distant screaming of his former self.

“What was that?” you asked at normal.

“I said stop.”

When you craned your head in his direction, he refused to meet your eye.

“I don’t want to see this.”

You put your pen down on the table and fully faced him, folding your fingers in front of you.

“Do you verbally acknowledge that you wish to skip the contents of your time with Thanos the Mad Titan?”

“Isn’t that what I just said?”

“A yes or no response is required.”

“Yes.”

He drew out the word in a growl.

“Do you verbally acknowledge that the Time Variance Authority is under no legal responsibility for memory gaps or incorrect memory recall for the time skipped during this interview process—“

“Yes.”

“Do you verbally acknowledge the contents that lie herein are accurate and complete—“

“Yes!”

He jerked his head toward you, his eyes reflective and bloodshot, teeth bared in a quiet snarl.

“It’s accurate, as you bloody well know, so unless you derive sick pleasure from the tortured screams of others, would you be so kind as to fucking skip it!”

His chest heaved, skin dotted with sweat, and he was half out of his seat with fingers clawing into the table hard enough for hairline cracks to splinter down the glass.

You had witnessed the variant become aggressive and hostile before, mostly against his adopted brother. Having the force of that fury directed at your direction was a much different experience.

You dropped your eyes and smoothed your tie, giving him a moment to collect himself. When you heard the shuffle of him retaking his chair, you lifted your head but kept your eyes on the monitor. With a few knobs turned and a switch flipped, the image on the wall, currently depicting Laufeyson kneeling before Thanos, supplicating him with promises of whatever he wished.

What Thanos wished was now being shown on the screen: the variant arriving on Earth to steal the Tesseract and prepare for Thanos’ full force to arrive.

Replaying the events of Earth Incident 327-A (colloquially known as the Battle of New York by Earth residents) garnered less of a response from the variant. He watched impassioned as his past-self led the Chitauri against the Avengers, and subsequently lost that battle.

“I really don’t see what all the fuss is about,” he said, gesturing vaguely at the screen as it displayed all of the Avengers seemingly threatening the audience. “A few humans perished. It’s what they do. Nothing to get excited over.”

You ignored the comment. He wasn’t, after all, under scrutiny for the lives he’d taken while under Thanos’ control.

No. The reason for his current incarceration came next.

The holoprojector displayed Alexander Pierce stopping Thor Odinson and Tony Stark, demanding Laufeyson and the Tesseract be remanded to his custody. The argument was interrupted as Stark went into a mild cardiac dysrhythmia due to Scott Lang sabotaging his Arc Reactor.

Lang then kicked the case containing the Space Stone towards another variant of Stark.

The only occupant of the room to notice was Laufeyson. Bruce Banner (as his Hulk persona) created the chaos needed for the Tesseract to be freed from its case, tapping lightly against Laufeyson’s boot.

You fully turned to the variant just as his past-self picks up the Tesseract, disappearing into a spacial rift and vanishing off the screen.

“On May 4th, 2012 at 11:39AM local time, a nexus event occurred.”

The variant rolled his eyes. You continued.

“Loki Variant L1130—“

His eyes narrowed.

“—by using the Tesseract to escape the Avenger’s custody, you created an unsanctioned timeline, and therefore have been deemed a Time Criminal. This timeline has been course-corrected by the Time Variance Authority, and it is my duty as your handler to determine whether you are to be assigned to a Time Cell or pruned.”

“Pruned?” He wrinkled his nose. “I believe the term you’re looking for is killed. I arrived at the same time as another man, and he refused to cooperate. Those goons melted him without hesitation.”

You slightly leaned forward, speaking concisely so there would be no misunderstanding.

“That ‘man’ was a variant, as are you. A being whose existence should never have come to be, and therefore, your life is null. Forfeit. It is by our grace that you even draw breath, and it’s my job to ensure you continue breathing from behind the walls of a cell.”

You leaned back and shuffled your papers in front of you.

“As I said before, we don’t kill people, Mister Laufeyson. Variants are not people.”

Something flashed within his eyes. You only caught a glimpse of it before it was gone, and then his expression was back to one of hostility.

“I deny the charges.”

You blinked.

“You cannot deny them.”

“I just did.”

“It is an irrefutable fact that you stole the Tesseract—“

“My apologies, but,” Laufeyson interrupted, not sorry at all, “did we not watch the same act of the play? Because I distinctly remember seeing a very tiny man stealing the Tesseract first, handing it off to what appears to be a second Tony Stark, who then tried to make off with it before a certain green monster deprived him of his ill-gotten gains.”

Laufeyson spread his hands, giving a toothy smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

“You may as well charge the Hulk with spoiling the timeline—it certainly wouldn’t have happened without his helpful input. In fact, bring in all the Avengers for crimes against the ‘Sacred Timeline.’ They’re just as guilty as I am, unless that goateed chap I saw happened to be Stark’s long lost twin brother.”

Laufeyson sat up straighter, staring you down.

“You speak of Time Criminals? It’s they you should be after.”

Then just as quickly, he crossed his arms and leveled you with an amused tilt of his head.

“Perhaps you could provide me with a taskforce and resources, and I could return and eliminate them for you. No? Nothing? Cat got your tongue again, darling?”

You rose to your feet, bracing the palms of your hands against the table as you looked him in the eye.

“You picked up the Space Stone and stole it, breaking the timeline. You did that. No one else. It was your actions that brought you here.”

It was not this Loki variant those words had been spoken to, but the smile was wiped from his face just as quickly. Deep down, he may have sensed an echo of those words. A phenomenon known as déjà vu to the common layman, when in reality it was something variants experienced from the Sacred Timeline they were no longer a part of.

Laufeyson also rose to his feet, leaning against the table to meet you in a staring match. He had height on you, and he took advantage of it to lean uncomfortably close.

“You speak of my actions as if you can possibly understand them. You think you know me by watching from a safe, comfortable distance?”

His eyes looked between yours, boring into them with an intensity that was unsettling. And when he spoke, his voice was low and deceptively soothing.

“I know what this place is. Your organization is shrouded in mystery, more of a legend than fact according to Asgardian historians. But Frigga, she should sense your constant manipulations, echoing across time. She forewarned me of what should happen if I come across your ilk. She thought you one of the greatest threats of the universe, but I? I see an amusing sideshow. The Time-Keepers have built quite the circus.”

He leaned in so close you could barely keep him in focus, his warm breath puffing across your face.

“And I see the clowns are playing their parts to perfection.”

You didn’t budge, refusing to cede ground and give him the satisfaction he sought.

“And in this metaphor of yours, where do you see yourself?”

His lips spread into a sharp grin, and he hovered closer.

“In the center of the ring, of course.”

For a moment, you thought he would close the rest of the distance. The sudden aversion of what he might do was so strong that you looked away first, backing off and sitting back down under the pretense of organizing your files.

“It sounds as if you cast yourself as the ringleader,” you commented, still shuffling papers. “The smartest of us all.”

“I am smart.”

“I know.”

He went silent as he slowly sat down, his expression open with surprise. The only one who had ever acknowledged his intelligence without it being an insult was his adoptive mother. Those who knew Laufeyson personally knew how intelligent he was and saw it as a threat to their ego.

You had no such concern, nor did you have an ego to protect. Laufeyson was smart, smarter than you by all accounts, but he wasn’t in control. You were. And that was something he still needed to learn, for his own sake.

“I believe we’ve discussed all that is required,” you said. “This interview is over.”

You stood from your chair and closed your folders, picking them up and tucking them into your arms.

Laufeyson mirrored your movement, rising to his feet, the movement quicker to catch up to you.

“Now, hang on just a minute,” he protested. “We’re not through here, not by a long shot. I demand to speak to someone with actual authority around here, because this is a mistake. I don’t belong here, and you don’t have the power to—”

Pulling out your remote, you rubbed your thumb across the dial, and an internal TVA portal appeared underneath Laufeyson’s feet. He disappeared into it with a cry before the beige portal vanished.

You adjusted your files, straightened your tie, and left the time theater. You had just enough time to grab a bite to eat before the next stage of Laufeyson’s intake procedure.

Next Chapter

[mimisempai]

I love you because you’re you

Summary:

Imagine Mobius confessing to Sylvie that his crush on Loki started when he watched his exploits as D.B. Cooper... Imagine Loki overhearing this conversation... That is enough to give ideas to our god of mischief to spice up their life...

https://archiveofourown.org/works/32516398

2214 words - Rating T

Other oneshots in the same series : Together, For all time, Always 9/?

Sitting at his desk, Mobius was watching Loki.

When he thought about everything that had happened, everything they had been through, and reflected on where they were now, he couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment.

Whether it was Loki or him, they had both had to deal with great changes in their lives. Both of them had to question themselves in a short period of time.

But they had managed to do it, together.

Mobius sometimes felt a kind of overwhelming elation when he stopped to think about their lives.

Order and chaos.

As he saw Loki walk away with the group of recruits he was training, he let out a sigh of satisfaction and dug into his files.

"Oh my... Mobius, you got it bad."

He looked up.

"Sylvie!"

The young woman was leaning against the doorframe of his office, arms crossed and looking at him with a smile, the usual spark of mischief in her eyes.

"Come in!"

She stepped forward to sit across from him.

The arrival of Loki in Mobius' life had surprisingly brought him another bond.

Sylvie had made a place for herself in Mobius' heart almost as quickly as Loki had.

He had found in her a dear friend, a sister at heart.

When you think about it, Mobius who had been betrayed by his closest friend, Loki who had never found a friend who accepted him as he was, and Sylvie who had not been able to create a bond with anyone during all her years on the run, it was clear that the bonds between them all could only be strong, whether it was friendship, love or brotherhood.

"What did you mean when you came in, or rather why did you say that?"

Sylvie leaned in, her chin in her hands.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe your goofy smile when Loki walks into a room you're in, your completely smitten look when you watch him work or do something else... Do you want me to go on?"

Mobius, embarrassed, raised his hand and said, "Stop! No! It's okay!"

"If it makes you feel any better, it's only me who sees it. After all I know you and I know perfectly well the bond between you. And even though Loki is an expert at masking his feelings, he's just as obvious as you are."

"I guess the fact that you've spent so many years running away, you've learned to watch people so you can preserve yourself." Mobius told her compassionately, fully aware that he had contributed to what had shaped Sylvie's personality.

"Mobius..." Sylvie sighed before continuing, "We've talked about this before, we each did what we had to do to survive or because it was what we thought we were made for. Now we're doing what we need to do to atone, to make sure it doesn't happen again. Know that I have long since forgiven you completely."

Mobius knew that he would still carry the guilt of what he had done at the service of the old TVA for a long time to come, and even though he didn't know at the time, that didn't stop him from being aware of his own responsibility.

He simply replied, "Thank you."

"Well! Let's pick up where we left off," Sylvie began in a lighter tone, "I'm a little curious Mobius, I have the feeling that your crush on Loki dates back long before you met him for real..."

Mobius knew that with Sylvie, there was no point in denying it, she knew him well, sometimes too well for his liking.

"Damn, why do you always have to be so perceptive?"

She shrugged, before adding softly, "it's just that you're very open, Mobius, when it comes to Loki or when you're with him."

"If you say so." replied Mobius, looking unconvinced even though he knew she was right. Odin's lie about Loki's origin had had such a negative impact on his life that Mobius was doing everything to be transparent. He would always do anything to preserve the trust Loki had in him.

"So?" insisted Sylvie, "Your little crush that became a big one… When did you realize it?"

Mobius, annoyed, replied somewhat curtly, "I didn't keep a diary you know."

"Okay, but there must be something about what Loki did or who he was that made you realize your attraction, right?"

Mobius muttered and seeing that Sylvie wouldn't let go, he reached into the only locked drawer of his desk, opened it and pulled out a file.

He took out a photo and slid it towards Sylvie.

She leaned over to take a closer look.

She gasped and her gaze went back and forth from the picture to Mobius several times.

"D.B. Cooper?!!"

Sylvie moved her chair over to Mobius' desk to be closer.

"Now, my little Mobius, I want to know everything."

Mobius sighed and rolled his eyes but complied anyway.

______

Loki had assigned their training missions to the new recruits.

"Miss Minutes, what time is it?"

"Loki, I already told you! Just because I'm shaped like a watch doesn't mean I'm here to be your clock!"

Loki chuckled, before looking at what time it was on the wall clock. He would probably never tire of teasing the IA.

He headed to Mobius' office, he had five minutes before his next assignment so he was going to take the opportunity to pay his lover a short visit, hoping Mobius would be alone.

As he approached, he noticed that the door was slightly open and he heard voices. "So much for the tête-à-tête." he muttered to himself and turned on his heels, a little disappointed.

But as he walked away, he heard his name. Of course, he went back on his steps discreetly and approached the half-opened door, taking care not to be seen. He was not able to look inside the office, but he could now hear the voices very well and recognized that of Sylvie who was conversing with Mobius.

"Okay, but there must be something about what Loki did or who he was that made you realize your attraction, right?"

He heard Mobius mutter in response, but knowing their dynamic by now, he knew he would answer.His answer was of great interest to Loki.

There was a moment of silence, then he heard Sylvie gasp and then exclaim.

"D.B. Cooper?!!"

He heard a noise, as if a piece of furniture was moving and then Sylvie's lower, but still distinct voice saying, "Now, my little Mobius, I want to know everything."

Oh yes my little Mobius, I want to know everything too.

"You didn't see the video of the whole scene where Loki pretended to be D.B.Cooper, I did. And I don't know if it's the charisma he gives off, or the suit, or the glasses, or the haircut, or that fucking wink, but it's the first time I've noticed my interest was far less professional than it should have been."

Sylvie chuckled and replied, "How? You Mobius? You the oh-so-perfect TVA employee?"

Mobius grumbled back, "Ex-employee first, and then perfect employee or not, I'm only human. I was on a diet and I ended up with a five-star meal under my nose, you can't judge me because it aroused my appetite."

Loki realized that the five minutes were over and returned to his appointment place, a little baffled by what he had just heard, but above all extremely interested.

An idea began to germinate in his head, he was not the god of mischief for nothing.

Mobius was not going to figure it out...

Loki moved forward with a much more energetic step, the prospect of an interesting evening motivating him for the rest of his day.

_______

In the evening, much later, they were making out like teenagers on the couch.

Loki had surprised Mobius with a candlelight dinner and they had spent an extremely pleasant evening and continued to prolong the harmony of the moment.

Loki had wrapped his arms around Mobius' neck and was sitting on his lap.

They separated only to catch their breath before reconnecting their lips again.

Mobius' eyes were closed. Loki swirled his tongue in his lover's mouth in an absolutely naughty way before planting kisses from his mouth to his ear and then whispering in a warm voice, "Open your eyes, love."

Unable to refuse anything to Loki in the state of arousal in which he was, Mobius complied.

He opened his eyes and gasped.

Inches away from him, looking at him through familiar sunglasses, was D.B. Cooper.

D.B. Cooper-Loki sitting on his lap.

He brought his face close to Mobius', lowered his glasses slightly and winked at him. Just like on the video.

Mobius swallowed and licked his lips.

Loki's mouth almost against Mobius', his eyes unfathomable behind the smoked glasses, Loki asked him with a deep and sensual voice, "So, is the charisma that I give off..." he gave a small perverse thrust.

"... or my suit..." he traced with his fingertips the lapel of the black jacket with a lascivious gesture.

"...my haircut" he ran his long fingers through his short hair in a suggestive way.

"...my wink," he repeated the gesture before putting his forearms on Mobius' shoulders and tying his hands behind his neck.

He whispered, "Is all this up to your expectations?" and then leant in to kiss him.

But Mobius, who had recognized the words he had said to Sylvie, had no intention of letting his god of mischief be in control any longer.

Even before Loki's lips could touch his, with a skilful twist of his back, he made them turn around and managed to reverse their position somehow.

Loki found himself lying on the length of the couch, his legs imprisoned by the knees of Mobius who ended up now astride him.

Mirroring Loki's moves, he kissed him and then in the same manner, placed a shower of kisses from his jaw to his ear against which he whispered, " Become Loki again, sweetheart."

Before his eyes, under a veil of green magic that flowed through Loki, Mobius saw his lover regain his usual features.

Loki pouted a little and asked sheepishly, "Didn't you enjoy it?"

Mobius put a finger on Loki's lips, "Shhh, I enjoyed it a lot, but there's something I want to know. How far did you spy on my conversation with Sylvie?"

"Hey!" protested Loki, "I wasn't spying, well not really. I just happened to overhear some of the conversation before I went back to work! I only heard your answer about D.B. Cooper."

"Then I'll tell you what I said to Sylvie afterwards." replied Mobius softly.

"I told him that D.B. had aroused my appetite, but the one that had captured my undivided attention and made me forget about all the others was this Loki."

He underlined his words by poking Loki's nose with the tip of his forefinger.

"So yes D.B. is handsome, but he pales in comparison to you Loki. The real Loki. D.B. doesn't have those gorgeous black curls..." he ran his hands slowly through Loki's hair, and letting them run down his fingers continued, "that are soft as silk. »

He gently stroked the outline of Loki's eyes with his fingertips, "D.B. doesn't have those indescribable blue eyes that change color with light, with time and with emotion."

He ran his thumb over the lower lip of Loki's half-open mouth, "D.B. doesn't have that smile you only have for me."

He gently kissed said smile, then resting his forehead against Loki's, he said softly, "Loki, you will never have to be someone else to seduce me, hell, you don't even have to seduce me since I am already completely seduced. I was lost the day you explained to me with a sad look that your destiny was to be a villain. Because in front of me I had the real Loki. You let me see who you were."

He closed the distance between them and put his lips on Loki's.

Unlike the previous kiss, it was a gentle and almost chaste one. A kiss of oath and renewed love to which Loki responded with all his heart.

Talk about mischief turning against himself in the most beautiful way. There were no losers tonight, only two winners.

Though a little later as his head rested on Mobius' chest, he couldn't help but ask, "So, no more D.B. Cooper?"

The hand that was stroking his head, paused for a moment before resuming as Mobius whispered with a smile in his voice, "Hm... I admit the idea of being bossed around by D.B. Cooper does raise some interest..."

"Tut-tut Agent Mobius... What a naughty boy!"

Mobius pressed a kiss on Loki's forehead and said mischievously, "It's not just you who can do and be whatever you want."

Only Loki's warm laughter against his chest answered him.

Later, lulled by the sweetness of the moment, Mobius drifted off to sleep.

The last thing he felt was a light kiss from Loki on his chest, and the last thing he heard was Loki whispering against his skin, where his heart was.

"Thank you for letting me be me."

⚠️🔞NSFW 🔞⚠️SEQUEL HERE : https://archiveofourown.org/works/32529109

_______

Not beta'd I hope you enjoyed it. 🥰

Now that I'm at the end, I'm thinking about a little sequel about DB Cooper-Loki bossing around Mobius😏😏

[blommis-writes]

A general review of Loki (2021) - !! possible spoilers ahead !!

(If you told my Scandinavia-and-Marvel-obsessed twelve years old self in 2011 that ten years later I would have been doing this she would have laughed in your face, and yet here I am.)

Until very recent times Loki stans were probably the only part of the mcu fandom that agreed on everything. That is, until the show came out. Now everywhere you turn on the internet there is discourse about wether it was good or bad, people arguing that that is not “our Loki” (tf man) so here I am with my own review.

Premise n.1: I am going to be as objective as I can because my field of studies is compared literatures a.k.a. I’ve studied penty of cinematic and theatral critique and, not gonna lie, the weak ass reviews I’ve read till now are all based on the writer’s personal preferences and therefore are fucking useless, so I’ll specify with a bold “personally” my own preferences as a fan.

Premise n.2: norse mythology also is my field of studies so I do have sources for those bits (ngl I’m so fucking delighted I chose to write my dissertation on Loki’s trickster archetype rn) but, but, here’s also a friendly reminder that Marvel’s Loki is only inspired by the mythological one and not a perfect copy of him

Premise n.3: with a second season coming, which is not really a second season but the continuation of the first (for those who don’t know: it was originally supposed to be only one 12-episode-long series but they had to split it because of the virus and shit), what people are doing is basically coming to conclusions without having the whole picture and that’s like a load of bs, especially if you are aware that the story is not fucking over yet. That being said, my review takes into account this.

So sit tight and buckle your seatbelts kids, cause it’s gonna be a long one.

Is Loki a masterpiece? no, there are lots of things that could have been changed or taken off the show without actually having to change the whole storyline.

But is it the worst show in the history of shows? aw hell no.

First of all, we need to place the characterisation he had in the movies:

- Loki causes mischief (Thor’s ruined coronation) but in doing so he does damage to himself too (finds out he’s adopted, cue huge breakdown) so he tries to do good (in his mind, by killing Lufey) then he “dies” (lets go after the fight on the Bifrost), then in a quick parenthesis he returns as a villain to the Avengers, loses the battle, and is brought back to Asgard. In TDW, he causes mischief (tells the Kursed the way to the stairs) but in doing so he does damage to himself (the Kursed kills Frigga) so he tries to do good (help Thor get revenge for their mother) then he dies. He returns once again revealing a fake death and causes mischief (imprisons Odin) but in doing so he does damage to himself too (Odin’s death frees Hela) so he tries to do good (helps Thor on Sakaar) then he dies once again, this time definitely. Notice a pattern?

That, my friends, is called a huge pain in the ass to write for your dissertation trickster sequence or trickster cycle. It’s a particular sequence that has it’s roots in the mythical Loki, one of the “original” trickster archetypes: basically, the trickster turns a situation upside down for his own benefit but in doing so begins a chain reaction that keeps on going as a cycle of mischief-benefits-negative side effects. An example of a trickster sequence in the myths that I luckily still had in my notes:

Trickster characters are really, really hard to write and characterize because of this, as there are only three alternatives:

1- The trickster dies, a definitive way to put an end to the cycle

2- The trickster keeps on repeating the unending cycle, thus becoming a really flat, boring and predictable character

3- The most difficult one (but also the most effective to get out of the cycle), an archetype switch. That means starting to write a long journey through which the character reaches another archetype, i.e. that of the Hero.

Of course after three turns of the cycle the marvel authors used the first option, killing off Loki, only to have a show about a version of him (from the Avengers movie) that had only gone through one cycle. Thus they had option two a.k.a turning the God of Mischief into possibly the flattest and most boring character ever, or option three a.k.a. the archetype switch. Guess which one they chose.

Many people think that the switch has been made to the archetype of the Hero and are angry for it because “it’s not our Loki” (which btw is total bullshit because the Loki from the show is similar to the one of the Thor movies, if we had to pick an impostor that would be the Loki from the Avengers which has a completely different characterisation from the others and is the only actual one that’s a villain whereas in TDW+Ragnarok he’s a helper and in Thor is neither one nor the other) but that is definitely not it. Personally, I couldn’t see yet any defining trait of a particular archetype so for that we’ll have to wait for season 2 (as I’ve already said, it would be unfair coming to conclusions without having the whole picture), though I’m one ninety-nine percent sure he’s not switching to the Hero one.

Now, on to the show’s characterisation.

- One thing I’ve seen a lot of is talk of “he’s so dumb, he’s not the cunning and smart Loki we know” and “ew Sylvie x Loki” (personally the selfcest ship also makes me icky, ngl) but boi lemme tell you something: it’s been said more than once that Sylvie as a character was added in stead of Amora the Enchantress, as a mix of Female Loki and, indeed, Amora herself. After the season finale personally I’m starting to think that she is indeed just Amora, but be it just her or a mix of her and Female Loki there is one thing that I feel like reminding: Amora literally enchants men to fall in love with her, so she can use them. Again, I can’t critique the show as a whole without season 2 being out yet, but let’s keep in mind that it is still a possibility, especially now that we know that in the last episode she did kiss Loki just to get to Kang.

- The catalyst for the archetype switch was in my opinion a bit too fast, but that was maybe the most effective way to do it. Why? Well, the only really good way to actuate it is a long arc, an arc for which the show definitely did not have enough run time for. So the producers got really smart, I’ll have to admit, and got the chance to use what was set up for them in Endgame with the fact that the Loki of the show is a past version, a variant: they showed the variant what would happen to him. If you were shown the things that were in the file, the death of your mother, your father, yourself, possibly your brother, (the file has never shown that Thor’s actually alive and well so it is safe to assume that show-Loki thinks that his brother is also dead), all of your race, wouldn’t your psyche be totally changed as a result of not only shock, but also of grief? And if you felt all of that while in an unfamiliar and hostile place, wouldn’t you attach yourself to the first familiar thing (Sylvie) too?

- In my opinion, another catalyst for the switch is the presence of Mobius. As I’ve said: shock plus grief plus being stuck in an unfamiliar and hostile place. The in comes the one person who is at least decent to you and it is again only natural to get attached, so when that person tells you that a villain is not all you are, and that you can be whatever you decide to be, you do start believing it yourself.

And at last, the LGBT+ rep:

- As a bi person who’s grown up with the mcu, you can imagine my joy in knowing that now Loki’s not only canon bi in the comics, but in the mcu too. I’ve read however many people lamenting that it’s only said, not shown, and honestly: same. But at the same time I’d like to raise awareness to the fact that it’s not probably the producer’s fault. I actually think they had to put lots of pressure on the studios to make him canon bi like in the comics, but in the end the last word is not theirs, it’s the higher ups at Disney’s. So yeah, was that just the bare fucking minimum? definitely. Should we be angry with the producers? hell naw. 

Point is, Disney as a society thinks of the money they can get by producing media, and when there are still countries in the world in which being lgbt+ is a crime, that would not buy disney’s products knowing that there is actual rep in there, that would be bad for business. So they did what they could get away with, a.k.a. “a bit of both” dialogue, that can easily be dubbed as a different one in countries that don’t want the rep.

Personally I am disappointed but not surprised, yet at the same time I can see as the huge step that is having a disney character that is officially canonically lgbt+, and who knows, maybe that will pave the way for others.

However, I think that the only thing we can do is just settle with that. Why? 

These were the most controversial points of the show (the other one is another load of bullshit cause you can’t go around yelling “The finale is unclear! Where did Renslayer go? The show sucks!” if a second season has been confirmed. It’s called a cliffhanger honey, look it up.), and most of them can only be solved definitely by waiting for s2, but on the whole the show is definitely not bad. Have you seen the photography? Have you seen the acting levels? The costume and make up? The fucking amazing Loki variants? It’s all really well done and the show as a whole does not deserve all the hate that it’s getting because of three unresolved points.

That being said, see ya’ll at season 2!

[imagine-loki]

Hiding in Plain Sight

TITLE: Hiding in Plain Sight

CHAPTER NO./ONE SHOT: Chapter 12 Final Chapter.

AUTHOR: wolfpawn

ORIGINAL IMAGINE:Imagine coming from a line of nobility or royalty and being in an arranged marriage with Loki in an attempt to strengthen your kingdom / alliance with Asgard. You’re not entirely on board with the idea but figured that the best you could do was to get to know your fiancé. You form an agreement with Frigga for you to pose as Loki’s personal servant for a few months so you can get to know who Loki really is – beyond the veil of his responsibility to the Asgardian throne, behind all the masks he wears when facing the public, to really know who Loki is behind closed doors as you slowly fall for each other.How long will you keep up the ruse with the God of Lies?

RATING: General Audience

NOTE: final chapter

Loki scoured his desks and shelves for those letters. When the knock came to his door, he gave a nod to Tatianna to open it. The maid, who had been working diligently with him in search of said letters, rushed over to check it was who she had been sent for. “The Postmaster, Lord Johan, Your Highness.” She introduced as the Postmaster came in. 

“Lord Johan.” The Postmaster bowed. “Prince Loki, I came as soon as I could.” “Thank you.”

“How can I assist you, Your Highness.” “My brother has informed me that three letters were brought to my rooms over a period of months from the Ljósáfar palace.” 

The Postmaster’s eyes widened. “You did receive such, Your Highness. I organised them for your rooms myself as I do all the mail for your family. They even had the name of the sender on them, the Princess Raven of Alfheim. Such fine writing she has too. Artistic and neat.”

Loki nodded and took little heed of the statement, It was well-known that the Postmaster was a graphophile, he supposed a few millennia of looking at different handwriting would turn almost anyone into one. 

“I have never received them.” The Postmaster’s mouth opened to speak. “I am not, for one moment, suggesting you to be telling me falsities, Lord Johan, I know of the due care you put into your work but also I know you have entirely no reason to lie.”

“On two of the three occasions, they came alongside other post. On the final one, it did not and I ensured they all made their way to your rooms. Because of their importance, I placed them in the centre of your desk rather than the usual place.” Loki’s eyes widened and he looked at his desk, which was kept clean for when it was needed for work matters but there was nothing on it at present. “It begs the question then, where did they go, and why would anyone do such a thing as to move them?” He looked at Tatianna as he spoke. The maid shook her head slightly. Loki did not suspect his maid. He questioned her for a moment upon returning to his rooms, asking her if she recalled such letters but she stated that she did not. He had no reason to suspect her, she did not have anything to gain from dishonesty and she had even been readying the rooms in case Raven was to be joining Loki in them. She had tidied shelves in case she too was a reader and had books to join Loki’s. She had gone through each and every item of clothing of his that she could find, discarding the damaged, repairing others making room for the new princess. If anything, Loki suspected she was half excited to have a woman to assist tending to. She loved fashion and hair meaning having a princess to assist with events would undoubtedly be something pleasant for her. “Tatianna, have you tried behind those scrolls?”

“No, Your Highness, I will try now.” She darted off to do that. “Do not forget, Your Highness, Her Majesty insists you turn up for dinner. Missing lunch was unacceptable, missing dinner is...well…” “Let me guess,  if I do not turn up, I will have Gungnir force me to turn up?”

“Something to that effect.” 

Loki rolled his eyes at his parents’ attempts at threats. “Very well, you keep searching.” She nodded and did so. “Where in the realms are they?” Loki muttered to himself. * The prelude to the dinner did not fair as badly as Loki had worried that it would. For most of it, he spoke with the Ljósáfar princes, all of whom seemed amiable in their own ways, but what he did notice was his mother looking worriedly at him, though he barely acknowledged her unless she spoke to him directly as he did not want to embarrass his family and that there was no sign of Raven. 

When dinner time arrived, he began to feel insulted that she had been able to avoid it while he was being forced to endure it. The fact that it was a public dinner made it all the worse. The whole realm would hear the announcement of the forthcoming wedding and she was not even present. What also caught his attention was the Vanir that Thor was clearly speaking within an intimate manner before the meal but who was sat down separately for the meal. He recognised her. She was of good personality but little on looks but she was from a powerful house and Asgard’s tie to Vanaheim had to remain strong so he suspected that she would be announced as Thor’s betrothed as soon as Loki’s marriage ribbon was tied. Raven was of far better looks and he knew from her knowledge of literature that she at least was not without a mind but he still felt angered by it all. 

Thinking in his own mind, he heard nothing of the talk around him. It was only when he noticed a severely tense atmosphere around him that Loki got pulled from his thoughts as a shadow came into view beside him. At first, he thought the tense atmosphere was from Raven, who finally decided to grave them with her presence but after a moment, seeing her meek demeanour, he noticed she was the subject of the tense atmosphere, not the instigator. Sitting beside him, she did not even try to look at him or engage him in any manner. 

“It’s good to see at least that your brothers and parents disapprove of your actions,” Loki growled lowly to her as the noise around them increased, allowing them some privacy to speak. 

“My parents do not care in the slightest about that. They were more worried about me embarrassing them by learning to sew and such than anything. They were simply glad that I was no longer there being of age and unmarried.” She stated in a monotone that still seemed to seep sadness. 

Loki frowned slightly. “So what has them all looking at you as though you are a disgrace?” His curiosity got the better of him. 

“I should not be in public at present. It’s disgraceful. They disagree with your parents insisting that this dinner go ahead, they felt it should have been postponed.”

“I am very much inclined to agree with that sentiment. Though, I doubt our reasonings are the same, are they?” 

“I very much doubt it.” She toyed with her hands. 

Loki watched the action carefully, realising she had been doing so with nervousness and anxiety clearly for at least the day if not longer from the marks on them. “You will pull the skin off if you keep doing that.” She stopped and put her hands to her side. “I’m curious, what happened to the woman that stormed my room today and called me a...was it a pretentious prick?” Raven’s eyes widened and she looked around at her parents, praying to every Norn that they had not heard. 

Loki studied her reaction. Thor’s and his mother’s words coming to the fore of his mind. They were both right, he didn’t like this more than he disliked a woman that would snap back. He didn’t like being called a pretentious prick but the silent and moping creature next to him was a thousand times worse. “So, you have left two things unanswered, how you shamed them enough to want them to call off this dinner announcement and where you hid the woman that barged into my rooms?” Raven said nothing for a moment, her tongue toying with her teeth as she considered her answer. “I should not have done that and I sincerely apologise for having done what I did to…”

“Norns, stop. I don’t want to hear it. Just answer my questions.” Loki hissed. 

“Because I am bleeding.” She said nothing more and waited for his reaction, awaiting disgust. 

Loki did not comprehend as to what she was referring to for a moment. He was going to insist that she head to the hospital wing for herself when it dawned on him what she was referring to. In his own mind, he thought to make a comment about it explaining her attitude towards him but he knew that was a cheap excuse. She had stated several times she was told off by her parents for being sarcastic and outspoken. Even when they were waiting for dinner to begin, her brothers had made comments on her behaviour being seeing as unlike other Ljósáfar women. “I am failing to see how that affects things. I am aware it is not an overly pleasant situation for a female but there are surely some things that can assist?” Raven gave a small smile at his innocence to the situation. “In Alfheim, high-born women are not seen while bleeding, or pregnant, or not until she is a certain date past childbirth, it’s seen as shameful and dirty.” “But they are basic parts of being female.” Loki didn’t even think over his reply, it came straight out of his mouth before he could process it. He looked at her, seeing the agreement in her eyes making him realise her earlier words on trying to see if she could be forced to continue such a life and how much they actually meant. Suddenly, he realised there was some sense to her actions. Insane as they were. He knew his and Thor’s lives were restricted by their positions in society, but what Raven was describing was nothing short of a form of imprisonment to him. “Obviously, it is different here. Mother did not retire from court until she was almost due my brother and myself.” He didn’t know why he used that example, she made it clear she did not like the idea of even having children but he wanted to settle her some bit. 

Raven merely nodded. 

As Loki was going to ask her about the letters, Odin rose to his feet silencing the room. He spoke on and on of the honour of hosting the Light Elves, the sharing of ancient magical knowledge and other such things, how they have been allies through several wars, nothing, of course, on the ones they were adversaries and other such words. No one spoke through the Allfather and when he ceased that speech, there was a cheer and raising of cups and tankards. When he spoke of the marriage, Loki gave a slight nod, as would be expected, while Raven looked around in a manner that she hoped offended no one yet knew it would offend her family terribly. When another cheer was made and another drink was taken, the talking began in earnest. 

Raven seemed to think to do nothing but swirl the contents of the cup. 

“Have you had mead before?” Loki found himself talking to her both out of boredom and curiosity. 

Raven shook her head. “It’s nice, though.” She kept her voice down. 

Loki pursed his lips. “Could the woman from today who sassed me please come out? Is there a button that activates her or is it only until a certain time of day, then at night, this meek creature emerges?” Raven’s eyes flickered toward her father, which Loki caught. “Ah, that explains things.” He leant closer causing her to shift slightly in her seat. “As of tonight, you realise you are supposed to adhere to Aesir norms, not Ljósáfar ones. Now, I need to discuss a matter with you.” 

“Regarding?” “Some letters.” Raven frowned at him. “It was brought to my attention today that you sent letters to me before this...charade.” Raven looked at him suspiciously. “I did. Three.” 

“Yes, Thor mentioned and the Postmaster confirmed.”

“And going by your reaction, you doubted this?” “I never received them.” Raven could not help pursing her lips in disbelief. 

“I did not.” “You leave all of your post on that platter, you never miss anything. I saw that myself.” Loki studied her carefully, seeing the disbelief in her eyes. “You think I discarded them without reading?” “You read everything, this I know.” “I never received them.” He stared straight back at her, his rich green eyes willing her to see he was being truthful. “The Postmaster placed them on my desk but I never got them.”

“All three escaped your notice?”

“It appears they did.” “One I would believe, three, I am sceptical.” 

“So was I when I heard such for the exact same reason,” Loki admitted. “Did you move them when you came?” “I...They would not have still been there by the time I came.” 

“But you did not see them in the room, since you organised things in it?” “No, you’re not listening, they would not have still been in existence. I used paper made with Cat’s Claw oil, meaning…” “It dissolves within a month,” Loki completed. “Why, though?”

Raven nodded. “Yes, I did not want private correspondence with headed paper to be at risk of forgery, so I use that oil. Don’t you?” “I will now.” Loki could not fault her logic. If anything, he was embarrassed he had not thought of it. “What did you write?”

“Nothing too taxing. What were the best books to understand Aesir court and history best? I had heard you were an avid reader, so who you enjoyed? What other hobbies you had, nothing too intimate. The first and second were similar as I thought you had not received the first for whatever reason. The last was a tad more abrupt. Then I stopped trying.” She toyed with her hands again. 

“You’re damaging your skin.” Loki admonished. “I am sorry your letters went unanswered. I don’t know what happened to them, I will find out but I did not ignore them.” “I believe you.” 

Loki could see she meant it. “If I had seen them…”

“We could be dealing with a different situation right now. Not that it excuses my actions.” 

Loki nodded slightly. 

“I am sorry for what happened. I truly wish I had not done such. But thank you for your concern also.” 

“Concern?”

“When I told you I would be leaving your service and I seemed upset, even though you were upset, you were adamant that if I was being mistreated, I could tell you. Even when you felt terrible for yourself, you showed concern for me, even when you did not like me. I think it showed me so much about you.” She gave a small smile. “Even if you think little of me as I truly am.” 

Loki was going to challenge that but he saw the slight smirk and playful glint in her eye. “Norns, you switch between two different demeanours faster than the Bifrost travels realms. It will be exhausting to keep up with.” “I think you forget that I know what you are like. We will be suffering together.” 

Loki chuckled to himself, thinking that this situation may not be entirely terrible if they tried. Seeing the hopeful look on Raven’s face, he suspected with some work, perhaps they could. 

Raven found herself looking at a certain someone staring at her disapprovingly in the crowded room. She took a moment to realise just who it was before giving the other woman a raised brow. For her part, the other woman seemed genuinely startled as to the Light Elf she had previously spoken down to. With Loki’s interest in the princess and the princess knowing full well who she was and what she had said, she knew there was no manner to get into her good graces under false pretences but also that the Light Elf knew full well about everything and could ensure she kept a close eye on such, so she looked at her food again. 

[valeriethepussycats]

Inside Out

Chapter 4

Pairing- Loki x Reader

Warning-cursing and childhood trauma

Your thoughts and other characters are in italics.

Flashbacks are in bold.

“The celebration had been going on strong for the last few hours, and there wasn’t an end in sight. Asgardians strolled through the streets, rejoicing the fact that the Nine Realms were safe at last. Friends laughed, kids played, and warriors recounted their many victorious battles.

Y/n,Gambit,Sif, and The warrior three are all drinking in the castle, until Y/n starts to get flashes of Loki. He was in the scorching sun day in and day out,and they deprive him of water for weeks, and someone used the mind stone on him. Outside her head all the glass bottles and wine glasses bust, and Gambit immediately looks over at Y/n and see the black vines on her arm but before he could make his way over to her but time freeze.

Y/n gets up and runs to the dungeon, when she gets there she just stands in front of Loki’s cell looking down at her feet. Having a hard time looking at him and not see what she saw.

“Y/n, what’s going on?” Loki said as he looks around and see everyone is frozen. “Are you doing this?”

“why didn’t you tell me....why didn’t you tell me you were tortured.” Y/n questioned.

Loki looks at Y/n with wide eyes. “How do you do know that.”

“The stars, our minds all of that is Connected remember. How you not tell me.” Y/n said with Infrequent blinking.

“I didn’t want you to see that.” Loki answered.

“You were alone before you came to earth.” Y/n said as a tear rolls down her face.

The Black vines starts to slowly climb up her arm and appear on her face. Loki see that Y/n is in distress from what she learned. He knows what will happen if he let her feel those emotions. So he walks up the to the shield and use his up most calming and soothing voice he could muster at a time like this.

“It’s ok I’m fine Y/n look at me look at me.” Loki pleased.

Y/n looks at Loki with an empty stare. “No it’s not fine.....you were tortured. You were tortured into do what you did on earth. You was being watched. Even if I was aware of what was going on with you there was nothing I could’ve done. Nothing you could’ve done cause if you would’ve said or done anything differently they would’ve killed you.”

“I tried my best to get to rid those memory. I knew you would be able to feel it.” Loki said.

“I never wanted to experience those feeling.....not again?” Y/n quavered. “Not again.”

“What do you mean by ‘not again’?” Loki dais with a firm voice.

“The people that took me did this to me they put someone else’s X-Gene inside of me and I have to learn how to control it....and when I couldn’t control it they would put a collar around my neck then throw me into a dark room. The feeling of loneliness every day inside that room...if it wasn’t for Gambit....” Y/n trailed off. But Loki knew what she was going to say.

“I’m so sorry. I am here.” Loki puts he’s hand on over the Barrier of the cell walk and Y/n copies his movement.

“The person that did that to you.” Robin started. “What was there name?”

“Thanos” Loki answered.

“Thanos.”

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

At that same time, back on Asgard, Heimdall, the all-seeing keeper of the Rainbow Bridge, stood at his post at the edge of the observatory, scanning the cosmos. He did not turn when Thor approached, but spoke as soon as the prince was behind him.

“You're late.” Heimdall announced.

“Merriment can sometimes be a heavier burden than battle.” Thor stated.

“Then you're doing one of them incorrectly.” Heimdall commented.

Thor chuckles. “Perhaps. How fare the stars?”

“Still shining. From here I can see Nine Realms and ten trillion souls.” Heimdall looks at Thor for a moment. “You recall what I told you of the Convergence?”

“Yes, the alignment of the worlds. It approaches, doesn't it?” Thor asked.

“The universe hasn't seen this marvel since before my watch began. Few can sense, even fewer can see it. A world that's infected can be dangerous. It is truly beautiful.” Heimdall explained.

They looks out into the stars. “I see nothing.”

“Or perhaps that is not the beauty you seek.”

Thor laughs. “How is she?”

“She's quite clever, your mortal. She doesn't know it yet, but she studies the Convergence as well. Even...” Heimdall stops as he senses something.”

“What?” Thor stressed.

“I can't see her.”

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

We see Jane being infected by the Aether] [after Jane is infected with the Aether she reawakens in the factory, she runs out to find Darcy has called the police.

“Jane! Where the hell were you?” Darcy exclaimed.

“Tell me you didn't call the police!” Jane inquired.

“What was I supposed to do?” Darcy asked.

“Not call the police!” Jane yelled.

“I was freaking out.” Darcy stuttered.

“You call the cops they tell the feds, the next thing you know we have Shield crawling all over area fifty-one-ing the place.” Jane proclaimed.

“Jane!”

“We had a stable gratification anomaly, we had unheeded access. Our only competition was ten years old!”

“Jane, you were gone for five hours!” Darcy disclosed.

“What?....”

Suddenly the weather turns, it starts raining and they hear the sound of thunder, Jane looks around her and puts her hand out.

“That's weird.” Darcy noted.

They see it's raining but it's not raining on Jane and Darcy, there's an invisible barrier protecting them, suddenly Jane sees Thor standing a few feet away from them, Jane hands her gadget to Darcy and walks towards Thor, as she walks away the invisible barrier follows her and the rain starts falling on Darcy.

“Typical.”

Jane walks towards Thor.

“Jane.”

“As she reaches him suddenly she slaps him hard in the face. “Sorry. I just needed to make sure you were real, it's been a very strange day.”

“Well, I am. Jane...”

Suddenly she slaps him again. “Where were you?!”

“Where were you? Heimdall could not see you.” Thor said.

“I was right here where you left me. I was waiting and then I was crying and then I went out looking for you. You said you were coming back.” Jane said in a level tone.

“I know, I know, but the Bifrost was destroyed. The Nine Realms erupted into chaos, wars were raging, marauding hordes were pillaging. I had to put an end to the slaughter.” Thor explained.

“As excuses go, that's not terrible. But I saw you on TV, you were...you were in New York! Fighting with Y/n.” Jane said without trying to sound Jealous.

But she was he was spending all that time with Y/n. Ok she was the only person that believe him but Jane did to (with reason).

Does Thor have Heimdall to look in on Y/n.

“Jane, I fought to protect you from the dangers of my world, but I was wrong, I was a fool.” Thor places his hand Jane's face. “I believe that fate brought us together. Jane, I don't know where you were or what happened, but I do know this.”

“What?”

“I know...”

“You do?”

“Do what?”

They lean in close and just as they are about to kiss Darcy interrupts them; referring to the rain.

“Hey! Is that you?”

Thor looks up and the rain stops.

“Uh...we're kind of in the middle of something.” Jane sigh of irritation as she look at Darcy.

“Um...I'm pretty sure we are getting arrested” Darcy replied.

Jane look over at Thor. “Hold that thought.” She turns and runs towards the police.

“Look at you, still all muscly and everything. How's space?” Darcy asked.

“Space is fine.” Thor answered.

Jane walks over to the police. “Excuse me?”

“Are you Jane Foster?” One of police officer asked.

“Yes.”

“Do you know this man?” police officer said referring to Ian.

“He's my intern. My intern's intern.” Jane answered.

“This is private property and you're trespassing, the lot of you. You'll have to come with me.” The police officer goes t grab Jane's arm but suddenly the force from the Aether creates a powerful force which pushes the officer and everything else away,

Thor runs towards Jane who's lying on the ground.

“Jane! Jane?” Thor said as he helps her stand. “You alright?”

“What just happened?” Jane asked.

The other police officer approaches Jane apprehensively. “Place your hands on your head, step back!”

“The woman is unwell.” Thor answered.

“She's dangerous.”

“So am I.” Thor disclosed.

Talking into his radio. “Requesting armed response officers to the scene.” Thor grabs Jane and pulls her closer to him.

“Hold on to me.”

“What are you doing?” Suddenly the Bifrost opens and Thor takes Jane to Asgard; Darcy looks up as they disappear

“Holy shit!” Darcy shouted.

Thor and Jane travel through the Bifrost and enter Asgard where Heimdall is guarding as always, Jane looks around her in amazement.

“We have to do that again.” she notices Heimdall for the first time. “Hi.”

“Welcome to Asgard.” Heimdall announced.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Returning to their homeland, Svartalfheim, Malekith kneels and grabs a handful of dust from the ground. “Look at my legacy, Algrim. I barely remember the time before light.”

Algrim places his hand on Malekith's shoulder. “Our survival will be your legacy.”

“The Asgardians will suffer as we have suffered. I will reclaim the Aether. I will restore our world and I'll put an end to this poisonous world.” Malekith replied.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Asgard.

Loki is laying down on his bed, think about what happened the other day. The way Y/n was angry for him and what he saw. He didn’t know if he deserve such passion. What has he done to deserve that from her.

Maybe Odin is right

Y/n appeared in his cell, looks over at her and see she’s looks upset.

“What’s the matter? Did you have a another memory?” Loki said sitting up.

“No.... I just had to say goodbye to Gambit that all.” Y/n said with a downturned head.

“Gambit, he’s alive?” Loki questioned looking shocked.

“Yes, he is. Why you asked me that?” Y/n wondered then realization hits her. “Did you see one of my memories?”

Loki nods yes.

“Which one?” Y/n said with an intriguing voice.

“He was dying.” Loki answered.

“Oh.....that one.” Y/n said in a small voice. “That day would ever be known as November 18th. That was the day I lost control...caused an earthquake and black out in the upper east of the United States.”

“What happened?” Loki wondered.

“I had a nightmare but it wasn’t like any other nightmare it was vivid. I the way his blood felt on my hands. I ever since that day my father was trying to find ways to conceal my powers and when he did I will get the senses when something good or bad was gonna happen sometimes it was painful sometimes it wasn’t.” Y/n explained.

“You’re the only person I’ve ever told that to.”

Loki walks over to Y/n and lif her head up with his index finger so she’s looking at him. “Why would you tell me?”

“I don’t know it just felt like the right thing to do.” Y/n answered smile. “That’s what you do when you care about someone you open up to them.”

“You caring for me only make things worst.” Loki said with his head down. “After your two weeks you will never see me again. You dealing with the feeling of yearning will not be good for you or your powers.”

“My powers?” Y/n said in a curious tone. “What makes you think I won’t stay on Asgard?”

“Y/n...you just got someone you care about back into your life and you would willingly leave them behind for me?”

“Gambit, with understand.” Y/n replied.

“You would hate to living here on Asgard.”

“No, I won’t because you’re here.”

Loki walks over to Y/n and lif her head up with his index finger so she’s looking at him. “Y/n, when your two weeks are up....you are going to have to let me go?”

“No..No I’m not letting anything go.” Y/n said putting some space between her and Loki. “And don’t you say if you love me let me go.”

“If you don’t you could hurt people.” Loki said walking up to Y/n hugging her from the back.

“Since when do you care about people?” Y/n asked sarcastically.

“Because your care about people.” Loki answered.

Y/n turns around and gives Loki Direct eye contact. “Don’t ask me to let you go because I won’t.”

“Y/n....” Loki said struggling to find the right words to say.

“I should go I have to met your mom.” Y/n said.

And just like that Y/n is gone and Loki stands there facial muscles tensing.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

As the Asgardian physicians study Jane and the force within her. “What's that?”

“Be still.” Eir said in a snappy voice.

Thor watches with one of the nurses as they examine Jane. “This is not of Earth, what is it?”

“We do not know, but she will not survive the amount of energy surging within her.” the nurse turns and walks away as Thor looks at Jane with worry.

“That's a quantum field generator, isn't it?” Jane asked.

“It's a Soul Forge.” Eir answered.

“Does a Soul Forge transfer molecular energy from one place to another?” Jane questioned.

Eir looks impressed. “Yes.”

Jane looks at Thor and whispers. “It's a quantum field generator.” Thor smiles at her.

Odin enters the room as the Thor looks on to Jane as she is being examined. “My words are mere noises to you that you ignore them completely?”

”She's ill.” Thor disclosed.

“She is mortal. Illness is their defining trait.” Odin replied.

“I brought here because we can help her.” Thor told Odin.

“She does not belong here in Asgard anymore than a goat belongs at a banquet table.“ Odin replied.

Jane sits up and looks at Thor. “Did he just...?” Jane started. “Who do you think you are?”

“I'm Odin. King of Asgard. Protector of the Nine Realms.” Odin answered.

“Oh. Well, I'm...”

“I know very well who you are, Jane Foster.”

Jane turns to look at Thor. “You told your Dad about me?”

“Something is within her, father, something I have not seen before.” Thor explained.

“Her world has its healers, their called doctors, let them deal with it. Guards, take her back to Midgard.” Odin said as two guards approach Jane and go to grab her, suddenly the energy force within her sets off again throwing the two guards aside.

“Don't touch her.” Thor said as he leans down and tenderly touches Jane. “Jane, are you alright?”

Jane nods her head, Odin inspects the energy force running through Jane's body and realizes it's the Aether. “That's impossible.”

“The infection, it's defending her.” Eir said in a shocked face.

“No, it's defending itself.” Thor corrected.

“Come with me. There are relics that predate the universe itself. What lies within her appears to be one of them. The Nine Realms are not eternal. They had a dawn as they will have a dusk.” Odin said showing Thor and Jane an ancient book. “But before that dawn the dark forces, the Dark Elves, reigned absolute and unchallenged.”

Thor reading from the book. “Born of eternal night, the Dark Elves comes to steal away your light. They were these stories mother told us as children.”

“Their leader, Malekith made a weapon out of that darkness, it was called the Aether. While the other relics often appeared as stones, the Aether is fluid and ever changing. It changes matter into dark matter and seeks out to host bodies, drawing strength from their life force. Malekith sought to use the Aether's power to return the universe to one of darkness. But after eternities of blood shed, my father Bor, finally triumphed, ushering in the peace that lasted thousands of years.”

“What happened?” Jane chimed in.

“He killed them all.” Odin answered.

“Are you certain? The Aether was said to have been destroyed with them and yet here it is.” Thor specified.

“The Dark Elves are dead.” Odin commented.

“Does your book happen to mention how to get it out of me?” Jane questioned.

“No, it does not.”

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Y/n is sitting crisscross apple sauce in her room’s balcony. Thinking about what happened between her and Loki.

Was that our first fight?

Y/n’s emotions were at a frenzy. She didn’t understand why Loki was acting like that. She wanted to be mad. Something happened to change his mind on everything.

What if i’m overthinking it Gambit did say I think and feel more then anyone else

Y/n let’s out a sigh of irritation.

“It’s ok if my thoughts run a mile but focus on one.” Y/n said closing her eye.

So am I supposed to just sit here.

Yes I am going to be spinning this day with my daughter

Y/n can hear Frigga’s voice clear as day. She doesn’t know if it’s was her inner or outer voice.

“I didn’t know Thor had a sister.” Y/n mumbled to herself.

Y/n gets a knock on her door and she opens it with the flick of her hand.

“So I see your trying to meditate that’s a good start.” Frigga said walking in the room. The door shut close as Frigga makes her way over to Y/n.

“Yes. But I’m failing miserably at it.” Y/n laughed at herself. “I learned that my mind is a satellite. I’m always going to pick up others people thoughts. So I had to learn how to store them in the back of my mind. But even then it still feels crowded.”

“You poor dear, I can not imagine how you feel but I think I can help. Close your eyes imagine everything in your head.” Frigga said.

Y/n takes a deep breath and closes her eyes.

“Now I want you to think of the similarities of Asgard and Midgard.” Frigga said.

“That’s kind of hard Asgard is beautiful while Earth only as hidden gems.....the sunset are beautiful.” Y/n answered.

“When you think of the sun, what do you think of?” Frigga asked.

“Warm light.”

“And what is light?”

“Electricity....and electricity is power.”

“How does one turn off power?” Frigga wondered.

“By flipping a switch.” Y/n grinned.

“Now turn it off switch.” Frigga told Y/n.

Y/n flips a switch off in her mind and everything going quite. She opens her eyes and looks up at Frigga smiling.

“It’s gone. It’s not crowded anymore. Thank you.” Y/n rejoiced.

A rainbow appears in the sky as all the clouds disappear. Y/n gets up from the ground and hugs Frigga, then immediately letting her go.

She’s a queen you have to remember that

“Oh I’m so sorry.” Y/n said with a downward gaze.

Frigga smiles. “Y/n, it is fine.” Frigga looks out and sees a rainbow. “That wouldn’t be your doing would is?”

“Sorry.” Y/n goes to fix the sky but Frigga stops her.

“I think it’s rather lovely.”

Y/n smiles at Frigga.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

back on Svartalfheim, in his ship Malekith plots his vengeance against the Asgardians.

“The Realms will be aligned soon.” Malekith takes out a knife and turns to Algrim.“You'll be the last of the Kursed.”

Malekith stabs Algrim in the stomach with his knife. “Let my life be sacrificed. The same as our people.”

“You will become darkness, doomed to this existence until it consumes you.” Malekith started. One of the dark elves places a molten rock in Malekith's hand and Malekith places it inside Algrim's stomach. “And then no power of our enemies will stop me.”

“I'll destroy their defenses and resurrect the universe.” Malekith looks to one of his dark elves as he carries a mask.

A/n- I can’t believe the Loki tv show season one is done. (Sigh) I guess I’ll be waiting.

[wrenhyperfixates]

Of All the Places

Chapter 13

Pairing: Loki x reader Series Summary: Washing up in a small town in Oklahoma was definitely not part of Loki’s plan when he came to conquer Midgard. There is one good thing about it, though: No one recognizes him as the one who just wreaked havoc in New York. So, Loki plans to recover from the battle and move on with his life. The only problem? He’s not sure he can leave you. Chapter Summary: Still in the custody of SHIELD, Loki hears some troubling news from his brother. He can only hope that there relationship is repaired enough to be allowed to help set things right. Chapter Warnings: pretty dialogue heavy A/N: Not too much happens in this one, but it’s setting up for the grand finale! The last chapter and epilogue will both be posted next week, so keep your eyes peeled. Updates every Friday. Enjoy :)

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

✥ Start at Beginning ✥ | ← Previous Chapter | Next Chapter →

Disclaimer: Gif not mine 

“And why in the Nine not?” Loki demanded of his brother, desperate to know why he wouldn’t be set free. “You said you believed me. Even after all this, was it still not true?”

“Of course it is true, but father will not allow it,” Thor explained, unable to mask the hurt in his voice. “He still demands you be brought back to Asgard.”

Loki frowned at that. If Odin had plans for him, he doubted he could weasel out of them. He wondered if you would ever find out what happened to him if he died. Probably not. Put up against the possibility of being made to live out his many years without ever hearing from you again, death seemed like the merciful option. He couldn’t handle any more torture and being kept from you would be the worst he’d gone through yet. Though the thought of you with anyone else, especially Denzel, made Loki’s stomach roil, he would rather that than you be lonely. Hopefully, you could be happy without him, even if he could not without you.

“Loki, I will speak with him. It will be alright, brother,” Thor assured him.

“So when do we leave?” Loki asked, trying to make himself numb to the pain he was feeling. He dared not hope that his brother could set everything right.

“As soon as you are cleared to leave Midgard.”

“May I make a request?”

“With all due respect, Reindeer Games,” Stark added, though the question was most obviously not addressed to him, “I don’t think you’re in the position for that.”

“I will hear you out, Loki,” Thor said, making no comment on Tony’s remark. “I cannot promise anything more than that.”

“I understand,” Loki anxiously agreed. “The family I was staying with, I do not need to see them again, but may I have some news on them before we go? Just to know they are alright?”

“I have already given you my word that no harm will come to them.”

“I am aware, but-”

Loki was cut off by the door swinging open. The young agent made a beeline for Fury, who was standing there observing the scene with his one good eye, making no remarks of his own. The God of Mischief arched an eyebrow as the agent whispered something in the director’s ear before the two walked outside.

“I’m still wondering why you care so much about a random family from Oklahoma,” Tony said. “What were you even doing there in the first place?”

“I must confess, it was not originally my choice. When I used the Tesseract to escape, I told it to take me somewhere safe,” Loki recounted. “I have not the slightest clue as to why it chose there.”

“Well, that explains how you got there, but why’d you stay?”

“I was,” Loki responded, clearing his throat, “persuaded.”

“In what way?” Thor puzzled.

“They did not know who I truly was, so they welcomed me with open arms,” Loki sighed. “I suppose I... I bonded with a few of them.”

“Yeah, they did all give glowing reviews of you,” Tony said.

“Wait. So you have heard from them? How are they? You must tell me. How is... everyone?”

Loki would not yet risk showing he had any particularly special connection with you, lest it put you in any more danger than you were already in. Thor and Tony exchanged a look, though, that said they could tell he wanted to know about a specific member. He hoped you hadn’t had to tell the agents too many details about your relationship. Somehow, it seemed like a mortifying prospect for them to know such a personal thing. Especially his brother. He was not yet ready for another heart to heart.

“They are all fine,” Thor hesitantly said. “Brother, I don’t suppose you bonded with one of them more than the others. Say, as something more than a friend. You can tell me, you know.”

Yup, Loki was right. Absolutely mortifying. Back on Asgard, he and his brother never really talked about relationships. Their own was already too far gone by the time they reached an age where they thought much about it. The trickster god still remembered his first kiss. It was with one of the palace stable boys. He’d even started riding more just to have an excuse to go and see him. Of course, Odin found out and deemed it improper. Loki never did find out exactly what had happened to him, but he remembered wanting to go and talk to Thor about it. Needless to say, he didn’t. But maybe, just maybe, this was an opportunity to make up for that. So, against his better judgement, Loki told Thor of his special connection with you, though not to the full extent out of the desire to still guard his emotions. Unfortunately, that meant Stark heard, too.

“Not a word out of you,” Loki menaced as Tony opened his mouth. Thankfully, he backed off, putting his hands up in surrender. “Thor, please tell me that they are alright. If they were hurt because of me... Well, just tell me how they are.”

“They are a little shaken up, I will admit, but they are ok. Safe. As I have already said, you have my word that they will remain that way.”

Loki choked out his thanks before Fury burst back into the room. That man was so unreadable that Loki couldn’t make out a single damn expression on his face. How he wished he could have that talent to be so guarded again, but once the floodgates were opened the first time, he never could quite get them closed again. Regardless, the raven haired man knew something was up—something bad. It was the same feeling he’d gotten the day prior, and look where he ended up. But he couldn’t be apprehended by SHIELD again, so now it was back to the question of what. But deep down, he knew. He whispered your voice so low that only Thor heard, and the thunder god shot his brother a concerned glance. Before he could say anything, though, Fury spoke.

“I need your asses out here now,” he said, addressing the two Avengers. “It’s urgent.”

“Wait, brother,” Loki called before he could exit. “I feel in my gut that there is something very bad happening to my beloved. You will tell me if that is the case, correct?”

“I do not know if that is wise.” Thor looked like he was thinking very hard, brows furrowed in concentration. The desperate, pleading look written plainly on Loki’s face must have convinced him because he finally relented. “But yes, I will. As soon as I can.”

Loki gave a quick nod of gratitude before Thor left again. Now that he was left alone in the room, there was very little stopping him from descending into a full on panic. If you were in any sort of trouble, it was undoubtedly his fault. He never should have done that to you. Then again, if he hadn’t stayed around you for so long, he would still be being crushed by the weight of loneliness. His heart would still be fractured. Perhaps it would have been better than having you violently ripped away from him, though. He feared this cycle of guilt and hypotheticals would never end.

He wasn’t sure if it was minutes, hours, or only mere seconds that passed before Thor was coming back in, but he was relieved to see him. After all, his thoughts were a very scary thing to be trapped with. Even scarier was the deeply worried expression upon Thor’s face.

“Brother?” Loki asked, though he was more nervous for the answer than he ever imagined possible.

“The Chitauri. They are back.”

“In New York? But you closed the portal, did you not?” A sickeningly horrifying idea occurred to Loki, and he swallowed thickly. “Is it Thanos? Has he returned? If he is here to make good on is threats to me, then I beg you, brother, just turn me over. It will be easiest, safest, for everyone.”

“If you think for one moment that I will allow that, you are further out of your mind than I suspected,” Thor raged. Loki was shocked into silence. Never before had Thor yelled at him like that. Sure, he’d shouted at him, but it was always because he was angry at him, or because he was pinning the blame for something on Loki. Not because he cared about him. Thor calmed himself down a bit before he continued explaining the situation. “The portal is still closed. We just did not actually round up all the ones that had already come through, apparently. And, they are not in New York, either.”

“Then where?”

Thor looked nervously around the room. “It hardly matters, brother. You will not be able to come.”

“Thor, where?” Loki growled.

“Oklahoma City.”

Loki sucked in a sharp breath and went pale as a ghost. There was only one logical explanation as to why they would be there of all places. Him. They must have tracked him somehow and were there to get revenge. But he wasn’t there anymore, thanks to SHIELD. And if they truly were tracking him, they wouldn’t stop at the city. They would keep going until they reached your farm. Until they reached you.

“Let me go. I can stop this.”

“Were you not listening to what I just said? You cannot come.”

“Brother, please,” Loki whispered, “I beg of you, just let me take care of this. What if it was your mortal who was in danger? You would stop at nothing to save her, I know. That is how I feel, except it is not only the one I care so dearly about. Yes, there is my beloved, and I would die a thousand deaths for them, but it is their whole family, too. I would give my life to keep them out of danger.”

“Thor,” Captain Rogers said, appearing in the door. “We have to hurry.”

“I am sorry, brother,” Thor told Loki before turning away. There was some look in his eye that Loki did not get a good enough look at to place, but he was certain he was trying to tell him something with it. Regardless, he turned and left. “I am coming, Captain.”

Helplessly tugging at the chains holding him to the table, Loki began to hyperventilate. He started cursing himself. If only he were a stronger sorcerer, then maybe these chains couldn’t restrain his magic. If only he hadn’t become so bitter and hopeless, then maybe he never would have let go on the Bifröst. If only his will wasn’t so weak, then maybe Thanos never would have gotten him to attack Midgard in the first place.

He gave up the futile struggle as the blinding anxiety slowly faded. Letting his head drop into his hands, Loki allowed himself a few quiet sobs before trying to clear his head. He needed a plan. For so long, he was ten steps ahead of everyone, but now? Now he was about a hundred miles behind, locked in a room, unable to protect you. But, no. He wouldn’t give up. He was going to get out. He only needed to think. Surely there were still some cards to play, right?

“Psst, brother.”

He looked up to see Thor sneaking back into the room. Maybe this was a hallucination. It was quite possible that he’d finally cracked under the never-ending pressure. Because, really, when had the God of Thunder ever done anything like this before? Though, the fact that he was unlocking the cuffs did seem to be in favor of the idea that this was a jail break.

“What are you doing?” Loki hissed, rubbing his now freed wrists, still not entirely trusting this wasn’t a trap.

“Is it not obvious? I’m freeing you.”

“Well, how daring of you, brother. I admit, I did not think you had it in you.”

“Yes, well, I can see how much you truly love your little Midgardian.”

“Nonsense. It is like I said, I am concerned for all of them. They did, after all, take care of me.”

“Oh, yes. I am sure that is it.”

Loki just rolled his eyes and made his way over to the exit. Almost every instinct in him was screaming to just teleport away from the scene, get to you as fast he could. The thing stopping him was that for once in a very long time, Thor wasn’t dismissing him. In fact, he was trusting him. He couldn’t just turn his back and betray that now, not if he had any hope of getting their brotherly bond back.

Banner was standing right outside the door as Loki opened it, making him jump a little. Before he could whip out a weapon, though, Thor was reassuring Loki that he was just standing guard during the break out. It was quite the strategic move, Loki thought, to have the one Avenger who could really do damage to him be right outside the door. Perhaps he wasn’t giving his brother enough credit. Or perhaps there were just others involved in this scheme.

Sure enough, after dodging a number of agents, the rest of Thor’s friends were waiting in the Quinjet. The tension in the air was palpable as they stood there in silence, sizing each other up. It was obvious Thor wanted to say something to get them all amicably chatting, but knew whatever he was going to say would probably just make things worse. Though the very idea made him gag, Loki knew what he must do if he wanted to reach you in time.

“I apologize,” he said, trying to make it sound completely sincere. “I know that I have hurt some of you—all of you—in some way. I cannot erase the past, but I am trying to do the right thing now. I was not in my right mind the first time we met. Let me prove that now.”

The Avengers all made eye contact with each other, communicating without words. It was agony waiting for their approval, both because he was anxious just to get to you, and it was sickening to have to be judged by them in such a way. Knowing that it was his only opportunity of helping you without complications, however, he waited with bated breath for their reply.

“Ok,” Romanoff finally spoke up. “We forgive you. For now, anyway. Right now, we have to get to Oklahoma.”

“Yes. Please, let us be on our way now,” Loki urged.

And that’s how the God of Mischief ended up flying around with the Avengers. At least he wasn’t chained up like the last time. It was, though, perhaps the most tense situation he’d ever been in. But it didn’t matter, not now. No, now he was on his way, and there was only one thing in his mind, repeating over and over like that one song lyric you can’t get of your head.

He was going to save you.

[lonelyghosts-stuff]

Loki-Character Analysis (and Rant lol)

Idk if anyone will see this and I frankly don't care too much, just kind of ranting and venting. (for context I am not necessarily in the healthiest head space as of now so my emotions could be more extreme than they normally would be)

Loki's death is really hitting hard for me again. The fact he went from a mischievous kid who just wanted his father's recognition, to sabotaging his brother's coronation to lead up to defeating the Jotuns for his father and proving himself worthy as Thor, in the process finding out his life was a lie and that he himself was a Jotun who was abandoned, to giving up his life only to be found by Thanos to be threatened and manipulated (idc what anyone says, Loki was definitely tortured during his time with Thanos. How else could you explain how sickly and gaunt he looked when he first showed up in Avengers?) to losing his mother and protecting a mere mortal just because his brother cared for her, also willing to sacrifice himself for her and his brother, to finally having a period of success, only to witness his father die, see his home destroyed, and then ultimately get killed by Thanos as he tried to kill him to protect Thor.

He had an arc. He grew. And then he died. While we will get Loki in the new Disney+ series, he will never be the same Loki unless they find a way to implant the experiences of the prime Loki into this one. While I have no doubt he will be shown key points of his alter variant self's life, seeing them from an outer perspective cannot substitute for the experiences themselves.

Loki was such a complicated character who, while sometimes seeming inconsistent, was consistently inconsistent within the nature of his chaotic and mischievous character. He cared. He wanted recognition and to be viewed as equal to his brother. Along the way he got lost and found and twisted even more. Notice how in Thor 1, he never killed anyone other than Jotuns. While he did endanger other humans, he never killed them despite being easily able to do so with the destroyer automaton. And when it came to his brother, he had the perfect chance to blast him, but resorted to a backhand; and while that could have proven to be fatal, when it came down to it, Loki couldn't bring himself to do it the easy way. Deep down he still wanted to be on equal terms. That's why when Thor returned to Asgard, Loki kept instigating Thor, trying to rile him up so he would fight him. He ended up resorting to threatening harm upon Jane just to get his brother to treat him as equal and a worthy opponent. He denied familial connection to Odin and Thor, trying to convince himself that the reason he will never be viewed as equal with Thor is that he is a Jotun, the "monster parents tell their children about". In the end, when Odin still wouldn't show any more sympathy to Loki or try to reason with him, instead just telling him "no", Loki gave up. He was willing to accept whatever happened to him when he let go and he fell into the collapsing portal of the bifrost.

Cut to the first avengers, he is clearly very changed. He's sickly, gaunt, and weakened, needing support just getting onto the back of the truck for Clint Barton to drive him away on. His eyes are sunken in, he's greasy and slow, and borderline sociopathic. He clearly experienced something that turned him into this. We already know the scepter influenced his mind and that Thanos threatened him eternal suffering that would make pain look sweet if he didn't get the tesseract. But I steadfast refuse any statement someone could give me saying he wasn't tortured or manipulated by Thanos or his followers. Loki quickly goes in for the attack when he arrives on Earth, killing without hesitation or regret. When Thor confronts him on Stark tower, for even just the most fleeting second, he pauses. He knows what he's done and that he's gone too far. Even when he doesn't back down, he doesn't try to kill Thor. He simply, or, well, "simply" stabs him and runs off knowing very well it would take much more than that to kill his brother.

When he is brought to Asgard for imprisonment, his pride and guilt eat away at him. He refuses to acknowledge what he did as wrong to anyone, but he is very well aware of his actions the weight of them. The person who affects him the most being his mother, the one who always showed love for him and Thor equally. He tries to hide this knowledge, denying her being his mother as well since he is of Jotun blood, but he cares for her greatly still and can't help but feel guilty for how she sees him now. He still strives for chaos and when the Dark Elves invade, he mischievously points them in the direction of the throne room, not knowing their full capabilities, but living for the potential chaos to ensue. Of course this leads to his dear mother being killed. Loki is furious, broken, and lost. His actions have gone too far, causing the woman he loved the most and felt loved him more than anyone else to die. Thor can easily see through his illusions proving that Loki has shown his adoration for Frigga enough that even Thor knows of it. When they finally get to the Dark World, Loki tries getting under Thor's skin again, but also in an attempt to understand him. He prods at Thor's feelings for Jane and reminds him that her life is but a brief moment in their own lifetimes. They bicker and scuffle on the ride to their destination, but it is ultimately resolved by Loki's declaration that Thor can trust his rage, his rage at Frigga's death. When there, we see Jane in direct danger twice. Both times, Loki throws himself in harms way to protect her, seeing her both as vulnerable but also something that Thor cares for. Loki then proceeds to save his brother's life, being willing to sacrifice his own for him as well. Knowing his wound is not fatal, but also being fully aware of his skills in trickery and illusions, not only does Loki trick Thor into believing he is dead, but he also takes the opportunity to try to relieve his conscience; he apologizes. He then follows it up by saying that he didn't do what he did to make Odin proud or acknowledge him, not this time. He did it for the one who truly cared for him and showed it, Frigga. This gave Loki the opportunity to discreetly get back to Asgard and exile Odin and take his place. Now, Loki got the respect and adoration he felt he deserved. But it would only last for so long.

When Thor gets wind of Loki's antics, they both find themselves eventually facing down Odin and him passing away, but not before telling them that he's proud of them and loves them. Even Loki tears up here. He feels somewhat that it's his fault for Odin's passing, but he also feels empty after finally hearing Odin give him what he thought he always wanted. Hela arrives and Loki tries to reason with her; perhaps thinking he can relate to her and handle the situation. Unfortunately, Loki and Thor get separated for a while, eventually reuniting, but on opposite ends of the social class on Sakaar. Loki could easily continue to bask in his new status over Thor, but still decides to help him when h found him in the waiting area for the fighters (even though he eventually tried to betray him later when he realized he could regain what status he had and that he viewed escape futile and pointless with Hela still around). In the end, despite him having the chance to escape and run off, he returns to Asgard to help fight. He even proves key in defeating Hela as he revives Surtur, also grabbing the tesseract on the way. He doesn't hide. He doesn't show bitterness. He returns to the ship alongside his brother. (despite how much Waititi gave a middle finger to the writing and characterization of the characters, I am still trying my best to piece good Loki moments from Thor Ragnarok and fit it into Loki’s personality given that Ragnarok is considered MCU canon).

Thanos attacks. He has Thor in a precarious situation, threatening to kill him if Loki doesn't give him the tesseract. Loki tries to hold out as long as possible, knowing the consequences of giving it to the mad titan, but eventually yields when he sees no other way to save his brother; after giving it to Thanos, he immediately goes to Thor's side to protect him. When Thanos took down Hulk, Loki realizes the only chance they have to get out of there alive is to use his trickery. He proclaims himself Loki, prince of Asgard and, most impressively, Odinson. He accepts who he is. He acknowledges he is the rightful heir to Jotunheim, but he also knows that, even if not by blood, he is Thor's brother, and Odin and Frigga's son. Unfortunately, he rushes to action quite recklessly, potentially undermining the power Thanos has already with even just the two infinity stones he as acquired. Loki is killed. Neck snapped from the pressure of Thanos choking him. He died trying to protect his brother. Trying to fight for the good fight. Died at the hands of the man who twisted him in the first place and promised him suffering if he didn't deliver the tesseract.

Loki may have started out as a dark antagonist, then to a twisted villain, and eventually progressing to an Anti-Hero, but he died a hero.

This just breaks me. He was such a loveable and complicated character. He had many faults, faults he battled with every day. When it came down to it, he threw his own life down for his brother.

It upsets me he died so quickly and seemingly so pointlessly within the first ten minutes of Infinity War. But he also served a great, if I may, glorious purpose. He brought the Avengers together in the first place, and died trying to make sure another one of them, and his own brother, could live on to fight and stop Thanos.

Loki will always be my favorite character and hero and villain simultaneously in the MCU. And I couldn't thank Tom Hiddleston enough if I got the chance for his stellar performance of this fantastic and complicated character who helped bring the Avengers together, even if unintentionally.

[doloresrojo]

Hel’s Daughter

Notes: Although I've never read one of his books, I was inspired by Rick Riordan. I also took some elements of different works of fiction, like Francesca Simon's "The Monstrous Child", the History Channel show "Vikings", Neil Gaiman's "Norse Mythology" and other sources. English is not my native language, so there might be mistakes when it comes to grammar and spelling.

Hope you like it.

The word miracle didn’t exist for the old Norsemen; the concept was foreign to them. If you wanted the favor of the gods you had to take it through sacrifice and blood, prayers were not enough. The gods demanded action. Hel, the goddess of the dead, ruler of Helheim, receiver of those who died an unworthy dead, believed this just as much as the Aesir and the Vanir; and yet, she couldn’t think of a better word to describe the baby that was about to come out of her womb. For thousands of years the gods and goddesses had roamed Midgard coupling with mortals leaving offsprings everywhere. So far, Hel had been the only exception when it came to offsprings. Nobody told Hel that she couldn’t conceive, she just assumed it, after all, half of her body was a corpse. She thought that she wasn’t supposed to produce life, it was not her domain. But having a child had always been one of her deepest longings.

Hel was a witch too, her mother the giantess Angrboda was a völva, and a powerful one; Loki had not chosen her only for her beauty and wickedness; power attracted Loki more than anything, and before being separated from her children she had thought her daughter well. Hel could cast a spell for almost anything, but her favorite was the art of illusion. Hel could make the left side of her body, the one that was a corpse, complement the right one. She knew that the other gods disdained her appearance, and she had used that to her advantage, she loved to play with them, but when it came to mortal men she knew that she had to conceal that part of her if she wanted their attention. So she presented herself as a beautiful Nordic woman: fair skin and smooth as the ice, green eyes like a meadow in the spring, scarlet red lips and long blond hair that reached down to her waist. She looked like a princess from a fairy tale, ancient and mysterious.

The father of her baby was a young Irish musician that was living in London, one of her favorite places. He wasn’t particularly ambitious, he hadn’t left Ireland trying to make it big, he was a wanderer and an artist, a good one for that matter. At first Hel had been attracted to his voice, raspy but comforting, like whiskey running through your veins; then as she watched him she realized that he was shy and he was honestly baffled when someone showed interest in him, and it wasn’t an act; she could see it through her left eye, that eye could only see the truth; he knew her as Sigrid and for one night they worshiped each other. Trough sex, Hel was able to feel the rush that only living bodies feel, the feeling that she couldn’t completely have on her own. And this boy was good at what he was doing, despite of his clumsiness and hesitation, once he got confident he became aware of what his partner wanted and delivered. He wanted to see her again and she didn’t oppose the idea, she told him that she would come back; but she didn’t, not because she didn’t want to, she was expecting his baby and she didn’t know what to do. Hel never thought that she would have to deal with such a human and mundane situation.

The pain was excruciating, she had known pain but never like this. The pregnancy had not been an easy one, for the majority of the time she had to stay in bed, more than once the baby tore her left side almost coming out before time. She believed that if the baby was born dead she would be more angry than sad, all that pain for nothing; she longed for a child, yes, but now she felt bitter. The fates had given her so much sorrow: a deformed body, an untrustworthy, narcissistic and negligent father, a family broken by the fear of others, a kingdom that resented her no matter how much she cared of her subjects’ wellbeing. So no, she didn’t believe that the fates will let her have a piece of joy; her own piece of joy. She could have a corpse baby, ready to be put to the ground. A living corpse, cursed to be a living dead. A monster, just like her and her brothers, destined to endure the wrath of the gods.

“Just one more push, daughter, it’s almost here”. Angrboda was assisting her. When Hel arrived to Nifelheim her mother was already waiting for her; she had been killed not long after the gods had come for them.

“Pray to the Bloodmother”. Said Modgud, the giantess that guarded Gjallarbù, and her friend, who was supporting her back and holding her from the armpits.

With a cry that declared war she pushed as if her life depended on it, she felt her left side finally being ripped apart, and she collapsed on Modgud; she felt herself being dragged to unconsciousness, then a memory came out of nowhere: She was back at Jötunheim, with her brothers in her room, she was lying on Fenrir looking at the view from her window- ice mountains and snow being carried away by the wind- Jörmundgandr coiled beside them with Fenrir's tail rubbing him. Her sanctuary. She was brought back to reality by a high pitched baby’s cry. She opened her eyes and saw Angrboda, astonished, looking at the new born. With tears falling down her face she said:

“It is a girl, Hel. A beautiful baby girl”.

Using her remaining strength she sat up and held her arms out for her baby. What she looked was a healthy baby demigoddess, with ten fingers and ten toes, an upturned nose and a lot of hair on her head. Chestnut hair and brown eyes, just like her father.

“Thank you, Bloodmother. She has her father’s looks”.

Hel kissed her daughters forehead and wept; they were tears of happiness, her baby lived. And that was also the problem: No living being could live in Helheim, which meant that she could not stay with her, she had to live in Midgard. Soon she would have to let her go. The fates truly despised her.

***

No matter how much she hated the three dreadful sisters giantesses, they had the answer to her questions. She swaddled her baby and went to pay them a visit at the foot of the tree of life, the Yggdrasil. The sisters were beautiful, three maidens in the prime of their youth, who could believe that they were ancient and feared by gods and mortals alike?

“You took your time, queen”. Said Urd, the Norn that commanded over the past. She was picking up branches and leaves that had felt from above.

“But alas, no one can escape their fate. Not even a god”. Skuld, the one that presided over the future said, she was looking at the well of fate, the Urðarbrunnr.

Hel looked to Verdandi, the one that ruled the present, waiting to see if she had also something to say. She didn’t even acknowledged Hel, she just took a branch out of a basket and snapped it. Hel flinched and held the baby tighter, Verdandi had just terminated someone’s life. Tossing the branch she said:

“Don’t make that face, Hel. You are the queen of Helheim, death shouldn’t make you flinch. It is natural”.

“She is a mother now. Nothing will ever be the same for her”. A smiling Urd said.

Condescending bitch, thought Hel. Maybe it was the nerves but she was feeling mocked by the sisters. Either way, they were talking as if she wasn’t present.

“I am here…”

“Oh, we know”. Verdandi sounded exasperated, bored even. “You want to know what awaits to your child. Put her in the crib”.

A crib appeared at Hel’s feet, carefully she set the sleeping baby in the crib and the sisters stood beside it. They looked at the baby for what to Hel felt like centuries and then stared at each other. Urd was the first to speak:

“Your daughter is not like any other child a god has ever had; she is special, one of a kind. She is the only child you will ever have; she comes from the barest place in the nine worlds and holds so much power. She will be pure magic, she will be the one who will tip the balance when the end of everything comes”.

“You mean?”

“Yes. Ragnarök”. The sisters said in unison.

Ragnarök, the twilight of the gods. The prophecy had done so much damage already to her family. Fenrir was in Asgard, chained with a sword stuck in his mouth and Jörmundgandr was forced to hold the waters of the mortal world with his tale already in his mouth.

“How?”

“That is yet to be seen. Just like you queen, her part in it is yet not defined”. Answered Skuld.

“You wretched… tell me what you know!”

“Hush now. We don’t have all the answers, you already knew that before coming here. And you’d be wise to mind your words, unless you want her to have a similar fate like the rest of your kin”. Verdandi reminded Hel that they could tamper with fate how they saw fit, so it was wise no to offend them so they would be on her side.

Hel took a breath and swallowed her anger.

“Forgive me… I am scared. I don’t know what to do to protect her”.

The sisters softened at Hel’s turmoil. Skuld and Verdandi went back to their places, resuming their work, Urd picked the baby up from the crib and gave her back to her mother.

“You already know what you have to do to protect her, your child is not safe. She is in a very precarious situation. There is only one place were Odin, and Loki, might not find her that easily; your powers will be useful for that. Not to mention your love for her, that’s your greatest weapon against everyone that comes to harm her”.

***

After leaving the sisters Hel realized that she needed to act fast. It was only a matter of time for everyone in the Nine Worlds to find out about her daughter's existence; she had cast an invisibility spell on the baby to prevent Odin from seeing her in his dreams but that wouldn’t last forever. Loki was still bound inside of a cave for what he did to Baldr, but the fates had mentioned him and that didn’t surprise her; the gods didn’t understand the full extent of Loki’s powers; bound to a cave with a venom serpent over his head was not enough to contain him. She knew the place that the sisters meant, the one were her daughter would be safer: Midgard. The world of the mortals had changed and with it also Odin’s ability to see everything there; mortals moved faster in comparison to the old days. A lot of things were happening at the same time in Midgard, it was hard for the All Father to keep his eye on them.

Hel was dreading this, to let the father know of the existence of their child, but she didn’t trust anyone else with her daughter’s safety. She had seen his heart, he was a good person; still, she knew that she was asking for too much. They had been together only once and he was young, clearly not ready to be a father. She had to try though; and if he refused, well, she could force him to do it, but she didn't want to do that, because she wanted her child to be loved. Hel's mother loved her, she loved all her children, but not Loki, he didn't know how to love anyone. She wouldn't let her child to be with an unloving father, that wound never heales. So if he refused, she would find someone else to take care of her child. There was no other way.

***

The father’s name was Ciaran, little dark one. He didn’t usually have nice dreams, he always dreamed of unpleasant or strange situations that left him feeling confused or disturbed. However, this dream was extremely different. He was in a place surrounded by rocky cliffs enveloped in green foliage; there were rows and rows of mountains surrounding the land like a belt or a fortress. The wind was cold but it wasn’t unbearable and even though they were near the sea the wind was dry, it could burn your skin. The land had also sterile patches; this place was a harsh one. He heard a surge of water, even though he was now far from the sea, he thought it was a waterfall but the sound was inconsistent; it was a geyser, there were hot springs too. Amazed, he touched the water, warm, it felt so real. He wished he could stayed there forever. Just when he thought that this place couldn’t mesmerized him more, he saw a volcano, and it was not dormant, smoke came out of it.

He loved this place, wherever it was, and he knew it was real, it had to; he didn’t think his imagination as vivid as it was could produce such a place. His favorite part was the beach, with its soft black sand; he sat there for a long time, seeing the waves come and go, breathing the sea breeze. He felt in so much peace.

Hel had been watching this whole time. She was the one who orchestrated this dream; Iceland had always had a calming effect on her, she hoped that he would feel the same way. She felt guilty, she was about to ruin his good spirits. Ciaran heard footsteps, when he turned he found the most beautiful woman in the world. Sigrid, the lovely Sigrid. He laughed when he saw how she was dressed: A long emerald gown with gold and silver embroidery, a black fur cloak as long as her gown fastened with a small gold chain, a copper choker of a snake that ate its own tail around her neck, her impossibly long hair was braided and on top of her head was a crown made of bones and stones. Now, his dream was getting more usual: Nonsensical.

“What’s so funny?” Hel asked, teasingly.

“Nothing… I’m just being silly”.

They didn’t say anything, they just looked at one another.

“You look beautiful, Sigrid”.

“Thank you. Do you like this place?”

“I do, I have no idea where I am but I love it”.

Hel stood beside him and scooped some of the sand in her hands.

“It’s called Reynisfjara beach”.

Ciaran’s eyebrows shot up to the top of his forehead.

“The what?”

Hel chuckled.

“If it’s better, you may say that you’re in Iceland”.

“Really?” Ciaran asked.

“Yes”.

This was a dream, he knew it; but if that was true then why did everything felt so real. The sand that he took form Sigrid’s hands, the smell of salt, the cold wind on his skin, and her. Specially her. It was just as the last time, so natural and effortless. As if to prove himself that she was in fact real, he cupped her left cheek; being in the land of dreams made him bold. She just stood still.

“Where did you go, Sigrid?”

How she wished that she was Sigrid, that she was a normal human woman that could venture to have a relationship with him. Hear him sing his beautiful songs with his lovely voice and caress his skin to sooth away all of his sorrows. But she wasn’t Sigrid and she’ll never be, and there were more important things to talk about right now.

“My name is not Sigrid, I’m not who you think I am”. She removed his hand off her cheek and took a few steps back. Closing her eyes, she let her glamour drop.

She couldn’t bring herself to open her eyes right away, so she listened. For a long moment he held his breath, he didn’t move, but his heartbeat sped up. When she finally opened them she saw him with his mouth agape and his eyes looked as if they were about to pop out of their sockets. He backed away from her in horror. If you asked anyone, they would tell you that Hel had no heart, because it was in her corpse side, she couldn’t feel anything there. That was not true, in that moment she could feel her heart breaking. Not wanting to hear hateful words from his mouth she broke the silence.

“I am sorry for deceiving you, I promise you I meant no harm. My name is Hel, Norse goddess of the Underworld, of Helheim, daughter of Loki and Angrboda. And I need your help”.

Ciaran looked at her with suspicion but also with interest, when they met he had known that something was different about her, now he knew what was it. She turned so her right side faced him maybe that would make things easier for him. He came closer and turned her so he could see her completely. Hel hated to feel evaluated, normally she would punish on the spot anyone that dared to looked at her like this; still, she let him, she owed him this much. He put both of his trembling hands on both sides of her face, the corpse side didn’t feel as he thought it would; the flesh didn’t come off at his touch, there was no stench, in fact, she smelled sweet, too sweet, it was hard to describe. The air around her was colder and her right side felt unnaturally soft.

“Is this not a dream?” He asked still holding her.

“It is, I used magic to enter your dreams. I brought you here because I love this place, it soothes me. I hoped that it would do the same to you, that made easier what I’m about to tell you”.

“There’s more?”

Hel removed her cloak, revealing that she had been carrying a baby in her arms this whole time. Ciaran looked at the baby and then at Hel, comprehension slowly making way to his mind. He opened his mouth but nothing came out, he just looked at the baby.

“I thought that I couldn’t have children, I had been sleeping with mortal men for centuries and nothing ever happened. I don’t know why it was different with you”.

Ciaran didn’t know what to do. Maybe Hel was being manipulative, she took the opportunity to put the baby over his chest, and luckily he took her, maybe more as a reflex than a conscious move.

“She is in danger. She needs to hide from the other gods and from my father, I talked to the fates before coming to you. Our daughter is meant to bring balance when the end of the world comes; she is not like any demigod that’s ever existed. She will be hunt down if we don’t hid her from them”.

“Did you just say the end of the world?!”

“I know it’s a lot to take. But if you accept to be her guardian I will help you; I will be watching over you both, I will instruct you, my treasure is more abundant than the one that Odin keeps in his halls, I will provide for you. Anything you need”.

Ciaran shook his head, this didn’t make any sense. He was just a regular guy, how in the world was he going to be able to protect a demigoddess?

“I don’t… how will I…” Then the baby opened her eyes. She had his mother’s eyes, his eyes. Fatherhood and motherhood were supposed to be different, or so he was told. Fathers were supposed to take more time to feel a bond with their children, it was normal. But now holding this baby, he felt it, he felt that bond. This was his baby and he was her father, he was certain.

“What’s her name?”

“I haven’t named her. I was hoping you would choose a name for her”.

“I always liked the name Felicity for a girl”.

Felicity meant happiness and joy, everything that Hel was not. It was perfect.

“I love it”.

Ciaran smiled and touched Felicity’s little face.

“Ciaran, do you think you can love her? I want her to be loved not just protected. Do you think you can love her as her father?”

“I already do”. And by the gods he did. It was insane but it was true.

“I’m going to need your help, Hel. You will have to teach me, I don’t understand anything that’s happening and I don’t know how I’ll protect her from gods and such”.

“I will, no matter what. I swear”. Said Hel fiercely. She put on her cloak and took Felicity, hiding her once more.

“It’s not dawn yet in London, go back to sleep, Felicity will be there in the morning. I need to say goodbye first”.

Ciaran nodded, he doubted that he could go back to sleep, but Hel made sure of that with a sleeping spell. He would need all the rest he could get.

***

Back at Helheim, Hel asked her mother and her servants Ganglati and Ganglöt to go to her treasure hall and gather enough jewels and valuable trinkets to secure a substantial income for a year. Angrboda took a look at her daughter and understood what she was about to do; it pained her, but it was the right thing. She kissed Hel and left, Ganglati and Ganglöt behind her, moving at the speed of a snail. Hel adverted her eyes elsewhere and when she looked back at where the siblings were they were gone; most likely, they were already at the hall waiting for Angrboda. They were one of Helheim’s greatest mysteries, to this day Hel doesn’t know where they come from or why they move so slowly as long as they are being watched.

She sat on her bed, Sick-bed, the very same bed where Felicity was born. She retrieved a silver pendant of a rune from a jewelry box. She dangled it over Felicity’s head, the pendant catching the light of the fires illuminating the room, her little brown eyes following it.

“This is the Hagalaz rune; it’s a rune that is associated with me. It represents the wrath of nature, destruction, trials and testing and crisis that leads to completion. If anything the fates said is true then it represents you well, my love… a god cannot always be everywhere at once, I certainly can’t; this pendant will be my eyes and ears, as long as you wear it I’ll be able to know where you are and if you need my assistance. Never take it off”.

Hel chanted the incantation necessary to bind herself to the pendant, green light poured out of her hand and danced around the pendant settling in the rune. Felicity watched everything with a serene expression, as if magic was already normal to her, as if she hadn’t been born a few days ago.

“Felicity, if only I could let you know how much this hurts me. I dreamed of you for so long, forgive me. This is not what I wanted for you, for the both of us… I don’t know what your father will tell you about me, but rest assured your mother loves you, and I am willing to tear everything apart for you”.

***

Ciaran woke up in the morning feeling rested; it had been a while since he had slept so well. He stretched and savored the feeling before remembering everything. He stood up and looked around his room, and there she was. Felicity, his daughter. A bag was next to her basket on the floor, he knelt and peeked at the basket, she was awake, and in her tiny fist she was holding something, he took a closer look and saw that it was a necklace, a pendant of a rune. Even he had heard of runes, and he knew that this was meant for Felicity to have. He opened the bag and found jewels, golden coins and precious stones, Hel wasn’t kidding when she said that she had treasure. Now it felt truly real. The dream that Hel had called upon felt real enough, but now it had materialized. Last night he was a musician that worked odd jobs to get by and was content with being aimless, and now, he was a father, a father of a demigoddess. Hel had not been very specific about the dangers that followed Felicity, and now him he supposed; how was he going to explain this to his parents? To his friends, he needed help, he had to go back to Ireland. This was not going to be easy, even with Hel’s help and support, but he was up for it. Whatever was coming he would face it, he would be there for his daughter just like his parents were there for him no matter what.

***

Verdandi saw everything as it was happening. Hel resumed her role as the queen of the Underworld, pretending that her heart and mind were there, Loki was struggling and raging in his bonds and Odin was vigilant as always, but still unaware of the existence of Felicity. The father was preparing to go back to his homeland with his kin. He didn’t know what awaited them. Not even her and her sisters knew for sure. The pieces on the board that was Ragnarök were scrambled. Some of the pieces were still set in their rightful place: Fenrir was still going to kill Odin and Odin would kill him in return, Thor and Frey would perish as well, and so would Loki. Hel’s role was still unchanged; she would provide her father with an army of the dead but it seemed that the rest was up to her. After Ragnarök the world will be reborn, a new order will come; that’s were Felicty’s part comes in to action. She will either lead the gods in this new world or she will return to the giants what was taken away from them so long ago, as their ruler. Why was she the one bestowed with so much power? Simple, this girl had inherited the power of Ymir. Everything came from Ymir; the giants, the world as we know it, and even the gods. Odin and his brothers had killed Ymir, little did they know that had Ymir wanted to they could have killed them in the blink of an eye. They were nothing compared to Ymir, but Ymir had chosen to sacrifice themselves so marvelous things were born. Ymir was great, and the greatest thing about they was the purity of their heart. But Felicity was not Ymir, and it was yet to be seen if she possessed the same purity of heart. None of this worried Verdandi, whatever this girl happened to decide to do with her power was… unimportant. As long as the outcome was unchanged, the rest didn’t matter.

[lokiodinsonofasgard000]

Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Mobius M. Mobius

Prologue:

The man in the suit walked a bit ahead of them as they trailed behind “They offer you a position to work with them?” Loki asked looking ahead with a low voice “Affirmative. I'm assuming you also?” (Name) asked in a low voice also “Mmhmm… however, something doesn’t feel right about this place” Loki confessed.

They continued to walk and (Name) too the time to look him up and down and held an amused smile, Loki arched a brow and looked at her “What’s so funny?” “Nothing just odd to see you in that. You look so normal, granted a prisoner uniform of sorts. But so normal” she chuckled “I mean you’re a quote on quote “god” so seeing you so ordinary is just odd that’s all” “Keep amusing yourself darling” he said rolling his eyes at her “In all fairness miss the whole god like Asgardian attire” she mocked lightly. Loki gave her a small smile then smirked “won’t change the fact I could kill you right now if it were for this suppressor” “So you are just an ordinary man, give or take 5,000 years?” “I am not that old. I’m 1,048” Loki exclaimed, almost offended.

They finally arrived at this large door. Walking in it was a conference room with a large oval table. Loki and (Name) shared a look with one another  as the man in the suit asked them to take a seat, the two prisoners sat side by side “Now let me understand something. Looking through your personal files there’s no mentions of you two ever meeting. However it’s a little tricky with multiple timelines that had recently been created…” spoke the man “Sorry to interject just now but. What even is your name?” (Name) asked him “Oh my apologizes Mobius M. Mobius” he introduced himself before getting back to talking “so I want to know the chemistry you both displayed before you capture...it’s unheard of, unforeseeable” “With all due respect agent M. but when two people are in life or death situations it is natural to try and work together and get out hopefully alive.” (Name) held her expressionless look “Well say what you like but there was chemistry no doubt.”  Mobius shrugged “The idea is that we have you both work for us, (Name) would serve as more of a babysitter for you, Loki. Your reputation is known to be wavering on your alliances, and proved so in your possible futures?” “I beg your pardon?” Loki asked now engaging in the conversation and a bit offended of the suggestion of him needing a babysitter.

“If you look at this hologram projector this was you up till now, 2012. Captured by the avengers and was to be taken to your location point; for Odin’s judgment back on your home world, Asgard. However, 2018 from 2023… things go downhill from 2018 onward” Mobius spoke with grim in his voice.

Both Loki and (Name) watch Loki’s original future unfold. Loki being sent to life imprisonment, the Almother dying protecting Thor’s girlfriend, Jane. Loki’s first ‘death’ as he takes over Asgard; send Odin onto Midgard in a retirement home. Thor and Loki get Odin, but the Alfather dies. They find out they have a sister, goddess of death, Hela. The day of Ragnarok and the end of Asgard and lastly Loki’s second and final death, by Thanos’ hands- “The sun will shine on us again, brother-”

“That’s enough!” (Name) slammed her hands on the desk.

Loki stared at her in confusion. Although it was a hard pill to swallow to know he lost so much and despite trying to redeem himself it was short lived. But the death of his mother was the most effective one. Loki for once was silent. “That’s enough! You claim to hold balance and here you are showing him his ‘true’ future!” she yelled “the repercussions are absolute! Showing his future he will now try to prevent it as soon as you allow him to step foot out!” “Now agent (Name). Loki’s death is in a way a fixed point. It needs to happen. He is one of the biggest threats of the T.V.A and the multiverse time continuum. As long as Loki ceases to exist in 2018 it does not matter what time, day or location all that matters is that he is dead” Mobius explained calmly “That’s obscured! Granted Loki is dangerous, but surely he was shown to change his ways. In the end he chose to save his people of Asgard-” “He gave Thanos the space infinity stone!” Mobius spoke with a raised voice “To save his people!” (Name) snapped

Loki watched as this Midgardian woman fought for his future self. It shocked him, although aware that in this moment; he was not that person that had redeemed himself. But seeing someone genuinely fight for him brought a sense of warmth that he felt from only his mother. “So let me get this straight Mr. Mobius. If I take your proposition and conditions, you will have me get rid of other threats to the multiverse timeline, that is too hard to do yourselves. Inevitably after that you’d send me back to my time of 2012, to follow the said script and die of Thanos’ hand...and if I don’t I’d be a wanted man” Silence (Name) gave Loki an exacerbated look which he returned a look to tell her to trust him. Clenching her jaw tight she sat back down “More or less...but there is a catch” “Go on” (Name) hissed out “Well the end game is that you both kill Thanos… before he collects the stones but we would still have to kill you in 2018”

-

-

“Here are you. Your uniforms” Mobius spoke, handing them both a pile of clothing “before you get changed and we take off the restraints we do need to do one little procedure...follow me” Loki and (Name) walk with Mobius and walk into what looked like a medical bay. The two weren’t sure but they were seated in these chairs and automatic metal restraints came up. The two started to struggle in their seat “We already said we join this stupid organization” snapped Loki “Oh we know. But we need to put a space and time GPS bio-implant to make sure to track both of your whereabouts at all time... through time and space” Mobius explained as two people in white walked over to them and started to inject some kind of thing in their forearms.

Once the whole procedure was done the two changed into their uniforms in their separate change rooms while Mobius waited for them outside. When they finished up and in their new uniform; khaki trousers, blue button up and a dark navy tie and black closed shoes. Loki was wearing a T.V.A tan coat while (Name)’s was being tied around her waist as she rolled up her sleeves “The trousers are hideous” (Name) mumbled out “Agreed” Loki said quietly, giving a small smile. She looked at him with a raised brow. She wasn’t sure why he was smiling ‘he’s planning something’ she thought. She looked to Mobius as he started to show them around the compound. (Name) was emotionless as she was lost in thought until she hear Loki’s smooth voice “You remind me of someone back on Asgard” Loki quietly “Hopefully not a lover of yours. Wouldn’t want to damage your ego when I turn you down” she said half jokingly “Oh gods no, she is a very strong warrior” Loki chuckled “and don’t flatter yourself, I would never stoop so low to fall for some Midgardian wench” “I’ll ignore that last part. I’m surprised honestly, from what Asgard has been described and what has been on your file Asgard seems so medievalesque. So I’m surprised a woman would be allowed to fight. Given the whole prim and proper attitudes” she said rather casually. Loki stared at her a little baffled by her sudden friendly and casual attitude “It’s not common but is accepted we- people of Asgard tend to overlook gender and focus on your abilities as an individual.” (Name) took notice of his hesitation and frowned lightly. Their conversation fell for a moment. “Your file says Asgardian. You were raised as any other Asgardian, jötunn or not you are Asgardian.”  (Name) said with a small shrug “but what do I know, I am just a Midgardian”

-

-

Chapter 5: Day One Begins

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

tapestry 👑 XVII

Warnings: eventual dark elements (tags to be added as fic continues)

This is dark!(king)Steve and explicit. 18+ only.

Summary: King Steven had a wandering eye but you never thought it would fall upon you.

This Chapter: The trial continues.

Note: What’s up all my thot-lovers and barnacles bitches. 💋 😉 We’re still watching some shit unfold here and this trial is gonna get unreallll. But I’m excited to keep going and to have something to feed you thirsty thirsty ho. Just a little longer... erm, I don’t know exactly how long tho.

<3 Let me know what you think with a like or reblog or reply! Love ya!

masterlist

In the days following King T'Challa's testimony, several witnesses were placed on the stand. Though their authenticity was questionable, they were heard with the same silent awe as the first to speak.

Prince Loki had brought a physician from Asgard who had served the royal family since his father, Odin's, reign. He swore to have examined Eleanor before she was sent away to the marry Steven and had found her virtue broken, though the document presented did attribute this to unknown but surely innocent circumstances. What else could he have written when the king's signature would seal the declaration?

Next, a chamber maid who served Eleanor when she was a princess still. The woman had no papers or letters to present and if she did, she'd not have known their contents. 

She stated that Eleanor doted upon her betrothed and spoke of her future as queen with girlish cheer. That she did blush when the prince's name arose. That the princess did divulge that she had "surrendered her heart and body" to him and that she did speak of them as husband and wife already.

Ellis presented several more documents provided by Asgard and its royal prince. A copy of the original betrothal, several letters which upheld its validity over the years between Odin and T'Chaka. 

And the most damning, a letter in Eleanor's hand addressed to her mother written after her departure to marry Steven. In it, she spoke of her lingering feelings for the other prince and her hesitation to marry the second. Though she did not question the union outright, her youthful fears were presented as knowing deception.

You watched, barely able to conceal your despair. The pit deepened in your stomach as you watched the queen stand before her accusers and her judges, head held high despite all she faced. You knew you could never be her; you could never face anything so terrible as such and indomitable force. She hadn’t slipped since her first day on trial. Her shoulders remained still, her figure straight, head held high.

And when the issue of Eleanor’s marital fealty was thoroughly dissected, the court turned its attention to the accusations of treason. On the fifth day, Lord Ellis called forth Ladies Mabel and Diana. Mabel was first, her face drawn and sullen. She was led to the stand as Ellis asked her to tell the truth and nothing more. Marion bent her head as she began to pray quietly beside you.

“Lady Mabel,” Ellis began as he looked up from the podium. “How long did you serve Eleanor of Asgard?”

“Near five years now, my lord,” Mabel answered in a small voice. 

“Mmm,” He looked down and his eyes roved over his notes. “And it was her who did request that the king arrange your marriage to Lord Wilson?”

“It was.” She replied as she brought her hands together before her. “The queen always did see her ladies married well.”

“So you would say she was generous? She has sewn no ill-will between you?”

“I would say that,” Her voice quavered and she looked behind her to the audience. She stared at her husband as a hush took over the court. “She was ever kind to me and all the ladies.”

“All her ladies?” Ellis nodded and flicked the corner of a page with his thumb. “Every single one?”

“Well…” Mabel’s voice trailed off.

“To return to my previous point, as she was so courteous, you would have no reason to speak unkindly of her would you, to lie about her for any reason?”

“No, I w-would not,” She looked to the queen and gulped. Eleanor stared at the dimming window. “I wouldn’t lie, my lord.”

“And so when you say she was kind to all her ladies, would you include in that one Lady Y/N?” You fidgeted at the mention of your name. You hid your face as you listened.

“I only ever saw the queen treat her well.” Mabel said.

“Even as she did meddle with the lady’s saddle on a hunt this past autumn?” Ellis suggested.

Mabel was silent. She gripped the podium before her and hung her head. She did not respond.

“Lady Mabel?” Ellis urged and Mabel shook her head. “Were you aware that Eleanor of Asgard did arrange for this lady to have a wild horse and an altered saddle that day?”

Mabel sniffed and didn’t move. The court waited as her shoulders began to shake. She nodded at last. You could hear her weeping.

“Lady Mabel, you must answer aloud so that the clerk may record your response.” Ellis chided.

“Yes…” She spoke softly at first and lifted her head. She gulped harshly and cleared her throat as she wiped away her tears. “Yes, I did know.”

“And how was it that you knew of the queen’s ploy?”

“She told me of it.” Her voice threatened to crack as she wrung her hands.

“When did she tell you of it?”

“After...after the incident.”

“What incident?” 

“The one in which the lady was thrown from her horse,” The tears bubbled again and Mabel hiccuped. “She didn’t mean her any harm. She didn’t. She only meant to frighten her.”

“And did you ever know Eleanor of Asgard to have any ill intent for anyone else?” Ellis asked.

“I…” Mabel couldn’t answer as she sobbed.

“Did she ever wish harm upon her husband, perhaps?”

Another sob. “I… Only…”

“You may tell the court. You will not be punished for your honesty.” Ellis coaxed. “Did she ever devise any other schemes? Against her own husband?”

Mabel was quaking. She could barely form words as her body rattled. “She… she… she did… send… poison to the king….” She spoke so quietly and yet you heard her clearly, as did the entire audience. 

“And how do you know it was her?” Ellis led her as he leaned on his podium eagerly.

“She… told… me.” Mabel swayed as she clutched her hands together. The queen pushed her shoulders back.

“And why should she tell you that?” Ellis wondered.

“Because she told me everything. Because…” She gasped. “Because… she was…my friend.”

“And did she tell you of why it was she would do such a thing? Of why she would conspire to kill her own husband?”

“Sh-she hated him,” Mabel stuttered. “She said so very often and when he came to her as a husband did, she did deny him because… she could not stand to lay--to lay next to him.” Her voice squeaked and she shuddered as she covered her tear-stained cheeks. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”

She kept her face buried as she repeated the words over and over. She shook so much you were sure she would collapse. The court was deathly and still. Shadows fell over the figures at the centre of the scene as the sun began its descent.

“Please, take the lady away. She is much overwhelmed,” Ellis feigned concern as he touched his chest. “I think that is quite enough, Lady Mabel.”

You looked to the box where the king sat. Steven’s eyes were bright as he watched a guard escort Mabel from the stand. He leaned over to T’Challa who turned to whisper in his ear. Prince Loki did not betray his thoughts as he looked down his long nose. You were startled however to find that he looked upon you. His cheeks twitched as if he would smirk before he drew his attention away.

“If the cardinals and your highnesses should allow it, I should think a brief recess would be in order.” Ellis intoned. “And we shall have our final witness of the day thereafter.”

“I should think it a wise idea,” The cardinal who seemed the leader of the party agreed as he rubbed his large stomach. “A day such as this has been most taxing.”

The royals nodded in approval and Ellis announced the recess. No one moved until the queen was led from her podium and out the side door. You watched her go, her steps as long and certain as any day she had sat the throne. 

You looked away as the door closed behind her. King Steven was the first to rise and the entire chamber was upon their feet within second. He searched between the bodies until his gaze fell upon you and he gave a slight nod. You did not look away; could not for you feared what should happen if you were to offend him. If you were to fall from his favour.

Surely, if these were the consequences for a queen, you could not meet any better.

👑

You were due for another day on the bench. You were tired and did not relish any further testimony. You found it hard not to think of Mabel and her distraught confessions. And Diana who followed with a similar display. Both had implicated their queen and friend, though both those titles would seem to have been relinquished.

You walked with your father. He had come to you early that morning to deliver a letter from the king. You had been want to set it aside and continue to the court if only to have it done with. He did not allow your delay and reproached you until you opened it. He read it after you did and grinned at the king’s still infatuated words. You smiled if only to conceal your distress.

As you swept through the halls beside him, you were quiet. You let him rant until he was silent and clung to the lull of his words. You did not dare fuel his lectures of your future; more importantly, of his. There would be much talking that day, as there was every day.

You turned the corner and came upon another pair in the hall. You nearly faltered as you recognized the dark-haired prince of Asgard and his burly guard just behind him. He stood with his eyes upon a large hanging. As you came upon him, you curtsied and your father bowed. Prince Loki did not look away from the map painted on elk skin.

“Lord Willis,” He said without a glance. “My lady. I assume you are upon the same path as me.”

“We are, your grace,” Your father answered and you tried not to squirm at his weaselly tone. 

“Oh, but they do always find reason to delay, so why hurry?” He mused. “Do you see these mountains?” He pointed to the skin.

“I do, your grace,” Your father turned to look alongside the prince. You peeked over his shoulder but did not near the Asgardian.

“Do you know of their history?” He asked. “Of who does claim them?”

“Why, your grace, I do see that they bear the crest of King Steven and his ancestors on this map.” Your father answered diligently.

“Upon this map, yes,” The prince smirked and you squinted at the pointed range upon the skin. “But not every map.”

“Your grace, is that not The Beak?” You ventured. “The mountains that house your ancestral temples? Those carved by the unblessed?”

He slowly turned his head, at last looking away from the map. He grinned as he stepped back and approached you. “The lady is right. Well-educated, I assume. And do you know then the answer to my first question?”

“The mountains are claimed by many; our people, yours, and those of Wakanda.” You replied. “Though for how many times they have changed hands, it cannot be said to who they belong.”

He nodded and lifted a brow. “Clever lady, indeed. You do prove the rumours true. At least those ones.”

“Rumours?” You repeated.

“I do know of you, my lady,” He affirmed. “And your alleged part in my purpose here.”

“And you would believe the whispers of a court you are unfamiliar with?” You blinked and pressed your lips together before you righted yourself. “Your grace.”

“I do not, but I know there is truth beneath each lie, merely contorted and exaggerated for effect,” He swept a strand of his dark hair back. “And the same can be said of the truth. That it can be bent to fit our needs.”

“Perhaps,” You said evenly as your father returned to your side.

“The line between truth and falsity is thin and not so firm as we should like it,” Loki reflected. “As many lines which constrain us prove to be.” He lifted his chin and looked down at you. “Shall we walk together then? Since we do seek the same destination?”

“As you wish, your grace,” Your father answered keenly but the prince didn’t so much as look at him. You bowed your head in ascent and Loki turned to walk beside you.

“Your grace, are you enjoying your visit?” Your father cajoled.

“As much as I can, given its purpose,” The prince said dully. 

You walked silently between them as they continued their courtly dialogue. The forced amiability of politicians. You did not miss the prince’s green eyes as they peeked at you. You ignored him and carried on. He must have loathed you for your role in his sister’s current circumstance, though he seemed happy enough to sit and watch it unfold.

“Well, my lord, it seems I must be away,” The prince turned as you came upon the doors to the courtroom. “I have lingered far too long. My lady,” He smiled again as he looked to you. “It was… an intriguing meeting. As brief as it was.” He stood straight and resumed his usual cool stature, “Take care.”

You watched him go and took a deep breath as he disappeared through the door. Your father squinted at you as you crossed your arms. He kept away from the other lords and ladies who waited without.

“You do not like the prince?” He asked.

“I haven’t reason not to,” You said. “I find him… cordial enough.”

“But you do seem perturbed by him.” Your father insisted.

“I do find it hard not to wonder how he can be so jaunty as he watches his sister face such an unfortunate ordeal.” You countered. “How he can let his sister stay silent as she is faced with such accusations..”

“His sister did refuse his aid,” Your father lowered his voice and beckoned you away from the crowd. “The Prince and his kingly brother did come with an offer. If she would admit to her crimes, she would be met with exile. Upon their bearing and that of her name, she would walk away to isolation and a slight taint.”

You frowned and stared dumbly at your father.

“But she does insist upon her innocence and if she cannot prove it, then she will face whatever fate the See decides upon.” You father shrugged. “So is the lot of a woman who cannot mind her place.”

“Is it?” You growled.

“It is,” He smirked at you sourly. “On women who would try to outpace a king; who would toy with him and deny his will.” You bristled as he stepped closer. “Remember this, daughter. Remember that if you should fall, we will all fall with you.”

“But you could’ve never risen without me,” You rebutted.

“And we will not remain unless you appease him,” Your father hissed. “So keep him happy and we’ll all be content.” His nostrils flared as he scowled. “And we might just keep our heads long enough to revel in it.”

Your father drew away suddenly and looked over your head. He smiled and you turned to follow his gaze. Lord Ellis and several other council members approached. You stepped back as you were quickly forgotten.

“My lords,” Your father greeted. “I see you are well this day.”

You backed away and shook your head at your father’s act. He was truly repulsive. You joined the other ladies who waited along the wall and clasped your hands together. Even if he was entirely false, your father had played the game well. He knew the court and its deceits better than any. And he was right. 

The only way to save yourself was to keep King Steven happy.

[honestsycrets]

Mirror, Mirror III: Particularly Useless

❛ pairing | ivar x reader, implied!ivar x freydis

❛ type | multi

❛ summary | you’re panicking. and panicking. and panicking. and ivar isn’t helping.

❛  tags | verbal arguments, OI reference, body swap, witchy themes, pregnancy mention, time traveling, some fighting, confusion and anxiety.

There were two conclusions you came to. 

One.) You had been dreaming as a result of leftover enchiladas-- of which Ivar had scrunched his nose up at-- and of which you had told him he had to taste to understand the intricate flavour combinations of. He and his sour skyr could never understand! (Then again, the skyr wasn’t half bad after you bothered to try it.)

Or Two.) This was very much real and whatever happened when you had cracked your fist in that mirror had splintered whatever curse was there and by proxy sucked you in thinking, just maybe, it was Ivar trying to break out. It seemed… plausible, right?

After all, the Ivar standing before you was much different than your snarky asshole of a… mirror-mate. Ivar 2.0-- or wait, maybe original Ivar-- cocks his head at you. He has a familiar glint in his eyes, masked by a love that makes your skin run clammy and cold, holding the deep blue fabric under your fingers. It’s more luxurious than anything you could imagine. Ivar reaches up to fix something in your hair. It takes a moment to register that its a tiara that sits on top of your head, etched in gold that rivaled the hair that tumbled down your back. 

“Freydis?” 

“Sick! I’m just-- sick,” you walk around him on the creaking boards, pulling yourself into this ancient bed with god-- was that animal fur? You pull yourself to lay down on pillows stuffed with down feather and stair up at the drab naturalistic ceiling. Your Ivar could have at least told you about his wife. 

“Is it Baldur?” 

“Huh?” you say, then snap back to the reality that yeah-- that stiff belly of yours was full with his son. You pick the tiara from your head and settle it down upon your belly. Ivar hobbles closer, settling his palm on your belly. 

“Baldur.” He looks at you, pulling in skepticism, but you crack the weakest smile, suppressing the painful anxiety that wants to disguise itself in crass laughter.

“It-- it’s my head. I hit it-- I,” you excuse. “I should… sleep.” 

Ivar smooths his hand over your stomach. “Rest. I’ll be with Hvitserk.” 

Hvitserk-- that’s a name you recognize. At least your Ivar mentioned something relevant. He leans down with the aid of his crutch, placing a kiss that reverberates warmth across your forehead. You must have inherited her squishy feelings too. 

“Goodnight, Ivar.” 

As you descend into sleep, it all fades to black. The room is dark and heavy in its quality. As if it is its own little world of its own. There’s heavy darkness, almost stifling, before a laugh. It reverberates in the room, almost shaking you loose from the bed. You tug the blanket up over your head. 

“You like that?” 

That… was not the demon woman. Drawing the sheets over your head down, you realize that before you is the ancient mirror disembodied from the wall, and Ivar-- but your Ivar-- teases your cat with a chunk of cooked fish in a plastic tub. 

“Uh, excuse me?” You push the blankets away, suddenly aware of your belly all over again, waddling toward the edge of the bed. “Are you giving him fish?” 

“Cats eat fish.” Ivar quips. 

“That! That isn’t the point.” 

“Then what is?” Ivar asks, lifting his eyebrows upon his pronounced forehead. 

“You’re SUPPOSED to be finding me a way out of here!” 

Ivar angles his jaw down, and his jawline is so fucking pronounced. Almost aggravatingly so, how handsome, and peppered with stubble as it was. You’re so done with him already-- and the flush of feelings about him? Those, you remind yourself, aren’t yours. These have to be his wife’s feelings.

“And how would I do that when you are in my wife?” He stops, dropping a sliver of fish over your cat’s fuzzy head. His tone has taken on a spiteful quality judging on the way he leered at you: as if you were the embodiment of everything he hated. Maybe you were. “My very dead wife-- and my very dead son, I’ll remind you.” 

“I don’t know!” you shriek. “But if I thought I didn’t know how to do anything before--” 

“Don’t worry. Freydis was a particularly useless queen.”

“Shut up.” Your hand wanders toward your stomach. A very dead son, you think, then settle your hand over the growth. Whatever was in there-- wasn’t dead. It felt as if you had a fish in one of those carnival bags because you feel him move. “Hate to tell you, but he’s very not dead. What kind of name is Baldur anyway?” 

Ivar drags a long sigh, shifting his head to face you. He visibly shutters as if the memory is front and center, bringing him back to the past where apparently, you were. “Baldur was the son of Frigg and Odin. He was the best of their sons. Radiant. Until…” 

“Until?” 

“Loki manipulated another into shooting him with mistletoe.” 

“Mistletoe?” You snort obsequiously. “You named your son after someone who was murdered and didn’t think it’d go wrong? In any way?” 

Ivar pulls himself up from the ground, holding the side of his calibers as he stabbed into the ground. And yeap, not getting that deposit back, not in the slightest. “It wasn’t meant to be prophetic.” 

“Oh right, right. He didn’t think he’d be the one to straight-up murder his son!” 

He had enough. His hand snapped to the side of his slacks, thrusting the perfectly kept axe at the mirror. It collapses into a hundred bitty pieces on the floor. Rather than sucking into the mirror, though, the axe repels into the wall beside your bedroom window. The shards pull back together. 

“That didn’t work.” You lament, dropping back onto your bed, and it suddenly occurs to Ivar that your little trick to rile him worked-- until it failed. “I’m stuck as this blonde! What do you think happens next, huh? I’m going to be stuck here until you kill us?” 

By the way he rips the axe from the wall, flipping it over and over, as if he doesn’t know what to say-- you have your answer. He really didn’t know what came next. You suppose if he had, he wouldn’t be stuck in that mirror for over a thousand years.

“Be careful what you say.” You glance up from your position on the bed. He goes on. “He isn’t as stable as I’ve become over the years.” 

Said the man who literally launched an axe into a self-healing mirror. He scowls as he hears the thought enter your mind. You’ve forgotten he could do that. “He thinks he’s a god.” 

“A what?” It humiliates him to even say the word. His forehead pulls in wrinkles as he battles to explain. 

“We don’t have time. You are asleep here and now, but when you wake up… you will have to live my wife’s life. There isn’t much time.” 

Your fingers rub your temples. “Esta bien just-- stay there.” You sigh, working out what exactly to tell him. He knows your daily activities. Work-- no work, quarantine. You thank god for the able excuse that a plague has brought. “There is food in the fridge and a remote for the television.” 

He glances at the thing behind him, raising his eyebrow. He’s seen you do this a hundred times and still. “And your uncle?” 

Fuck. Your uncle. 

“Just text him.” You excuse. “He won’t bother you yet.” 

“Text how,” Ivar holds up his hands, flickering his fingers. “I don’t know how to write in your language. I don’t take it he knows Old Norse?” 

“Ivar. If I spoke Old Norse--” 

“Fine.” He holds up his hands. “Find the seer,” he says. “He will help.” 

Before you can ask him, the all-encompassing black takes ahold. Suddenly you’re there again, staring right back up at the ceiling. It’s many timber beams are years away from your reality at home with soft colours and an itty bitty rented bedroom. A shield sits above the bed illuminated by the presence of many expensive candles. You turn over, rolling onto your side to take a look at it. Burgundy red, with black spikes, and a line of sunshine yellow. It’s then that it registers. It’s easy when its Ivar in your room, because you know him, but you don’t know this man. Or this strange new-- wait, old -- world.

You’re on your own now. 

The last thing Ivar wants to do is look at the mirror. 

He’s been trapped inside for a millennium and some change, seen the change through the bounty of beautiful women, and their dresses shifting from long to micro-short. He’s wondered what his mother would have looked like. What Freydis-- would have looked like. His finger hovers above the silverwork: then, like that, pulls away. 

“What do you think, huh?” he gazes down at the kitten, mewling between his calibers. He lifts his tiny head at Ivar. “No, come. I don’t know how it happened.” 

He knows he has to get you out. Somehow. The kitten hops on the window ledge, and Ivar hobbles closer, watching the bodies of men shifting below. Sleeping in full chain mail and metal wouldn’t be comfortable-- 

You wouldn’t mind him snooping around, would you? 

“Queen Freydis-- we should go back.” 

That little slave girl is obnoxious. At first, you thought that she was just skeptical of you, but she trails your steps on the way out of Ivar’s great hall like an second shadow. The seer’s house, as an old woman said scurrying away from you, was in town. Anyone else you tried to speak to was respectful, but quick to get away from you. All except your little girl.

“King Ivar will return soon. You should be resting, he was quite worried about you. And-- and the baby,” she chirped, ten steps ahead of you thanks to this aggravating long dress. Thankfully men and women alike were careful about walking around you in long strides. Fear, you thought. Some women were more brazen, calling you Freyja, and you had no knowledge of who the fuck that was. 

Wasn’t her name Freydis? Maybe it was a nickname. Or maybe you’re just stupid, your mind said unhelpfully. When you almost tripped over your skirts, you hiked them up in flushed anger. It was enough that you had to look like a doll. You refuse to be pushed around too. 

“If you are so worried, you go get him.” 

“Me?” she stopped. 

“I’m too tired to walk back, eh? Go.” You flash a hand at her, making a motion with your index and middle finger of legs walking, then flick your hand up. “Let me go see this eh-- sear.” 

“Seer?” 

“That’s it. I hear he is very old and wise. He might tell me to get rid of you, Agni. Like I am tempted to do right now,” you sat your hand on top of your pregnant belly. It was cold, you knew. The people rushing by knew that too, frightened for the girl. But if it got her gone, that was all you wanted to do. 

“I--” she bends her head down, kicking around the dust at her feet. She’s thinking a little too hard. You could see the sparks flying. Then she shakes her head, kicking off. “Stay here, please.” 

As if that would happen. You wait until she slipped into the full crowd to turn the corner, face to face with the strange looking grey timbered house. Again, people are looking. There’s no mistake now, you’re sure of it. They’ll all know where you went. No problem.

“C’mon kid, off to the creeper’s keep.” 

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[themilky-way]

the motive {loki odinson}

gif credit: astouract

pairing: loki odinson x female! reader

summary: he takes pleasure in the way you react to his words. it’s a fun game up until you’ve had enough, and everything he’s wanted is sitting before him. based on the morning by the weeknd.

warnings: was supposed to be hella implied nsfw but i guess i got soft halfway through BUT i redeemed myself so ha 😼. anyways, minor nsfw themes and language, so caution. tiny, TINY angst oops. we kinky in dis one 

author’s note: i started school again so getting more works done will take a bit longer but i’ll try to write as much as i can! anyways hope this satisfies y’all 😌

-------

it had started out as a joke. a fun little game that would bring him some sort of entertainment during his stay on earth. and while it did work fairly well during the first few weeks, he never thought it would transition into this-whatever the hell this was.

loki was cunning and devious; it was part of his nature that would never cease to exist within him. he enjoyed causing some trouble here and there if it meant he kept a molecule of sanity. so when thor suggested he stay with him at the avengers tower, he thought he might explode. living in a humongous multi billionaire house with the people who wanted him dead? it was a set up. it had to be.

for loki, the first few weeks had been tolerable. he’d wake up in his assigned bedroom, fix himself a mediocre breakfast once the kitchen was empty, and then scurry up to a quiet place. he discovered that he could do as he pleased whenever the compound was free of residents, and since the avengers had much bigger threats now, he didn’t have to worry about them spying on him. it was false freedom, but he could live with it.

when he’d have such luxury, he would sometimes walk down to the common room to settle with a good book. sure, it may appear to be a boring pastime, but it wasn’t as if loki was going to throw an exuberant ball without tony’s permission. not that he was a man- dare he say god-of seeking approval, but it was common courtesy, for odin’s sake! he had morals he needed to follow, thus requiring him to partake in hobbies that would not get him in trouble.

however, when he came across a particular mortal one night, the values he sought after vanished. it’s as if they never existed at all, and once again the laws of time and space defied him. you were there, taking up his entire field of vision in just an oversized t-shirt. could it be your partner’s? loki questioned. it most likely was, yet he found himself hoping it wasn’t. in that moment, it didn’t help that his mind had stopped functioning. when you stepped into the kitchen, the shirt hiking up slightly with every step, his body didn’t allow him to look away. his novel was discarded far away on the couch, and his hands searched for some type of cloth to grip. it was here, with your body bent over and curiously searching through the refrigerator, that his carnal instincts heightened. then, his knuckles turned white when you finally noticed him.

“oh fuck, hi,” you gasped. the glass bottle you were holding dropped, but it knew better than to actually hit the floor. seconds after catching it, you turned to look at the stranger in front of you. “didn’t see ya there.”

loki tried-really tried-to think of a good reason not to bend you over again, on that lovely kitchen counter your fingertips were dancing on, and take you right then and there. perhaps it might seem a tad bit rude? would such an action be impolite? the right answer was yes: it was absolutely all of the above. a first date is necessary to win the heart of a lady, and then a couple more to build a friendship. the relationship would come naturally, with given time, of course. in his head, the god was scoffing at how eager he was to win this clumsy, beautiful creature. he was one who took what he wanted-whenever he wanted-and didn’t look back. but loki was confined to the dull walls of the compound, and apparently so were you. he needn’t worry, for time had joined his side once more; he’d get to know how sweet you could taste, how your mouth would mindlessly shudder out his name, and the man couldn’t be more thrilled.

“are you able to speak?”

the simple question reached him, and when he searched for the source, he came face to face with you. you were standing in front of him, in all your delicious glory, and it almost broke him. still, he was deceitful; you couldn’t know that. “of course i speak, you fool,” loki shot back.

“okay, well, you didn’t answer me back there,” you pointed out. your hands were neatly clasped behind you, excitedly rocking back and forth on the heels of your feet, when you extended a hand for introduction. your name confidently slipped out, giving loki the most tender smile anyone could offer him. “pleased to meet you, sir.”

sir. the name stirred something up inside him, and he wasn’t able to tell if he’d accidentally let out a moan upon hearing it. did you know how innocent you sounded? how ravishing you appeared right now-with the soft skin of your thighs drawing out the patterns he so wished to kiss, or how the outline of your bosom prominently showed itself through your clothes. he stopped himself, though, before he could cross the line between observant and creepy. the last thing he wanted was to make you feel uncomfortable, having had the same dreadful feeling for far too long during his lifetime.

“don’t call me that.” the hand you were holding out was covered by his own. the handshake was quick, not too harsh or loose, but just adequate. he said his name, and he found himself missing the feeling of your skin against his.

“why?”

“because it’s not for you to say.” a lie. a very well calculated one, at that. he may be properly forged in the art of deception, but right now he wasn’t quite sure he passed the test. if he could grant permission to any woman to use the term of endearment, it’d sure as hell be you.

“alright then,” you mildly laughed. “i’ll just have to find a name i can call you.”

after that, loki realized that his source of happiness ultimately came from you. he enjoyed the unlikely bond you both had, one that formed because of the god’s inability to keep it in his pants. it was awkward at first-with everything you did or said locked in his mind wherever he’d go-but the confidence he always carried with him returned at one point.

today, loki never forgot to let you know what you did to him. this was it. the game he sought after since his inherent arrival at the tower. this was the adrenaline, the crazed connection he’d been hunting for centuries. it ignited something-between the two of you-whenever loki’s mouth would hover over your earlobe, whispering just how agonizingly slow he could take you. he never mentioned how he’d go about doing it, leaving you to wonder which part of him would fulfill the deed. oftentimes, loki didn’t even have to say anything. if he was feeling particularly shy that evening, and the team was all there, all loki would do was pat his knee. if you want to, if you really need to, you can finish on my leg. the simple image of it would have your hand between your legs that night.

“loki, what the hell.” you found him inside your dorm one particularly rainy night, lighting the candles you kept on either of your nightstands. “i keep my door locked for a reason, y’know. and stop wasting my candles.”

“i can’t help myself, darling. they smell quite lovely,” loki smiled. it was sincere, adoring even, and the way he took comfort in your tiny space brought a light tug to your stomach. you stayed still as you watched his tall form stride over to you. a small breath caught in your throat when loki peered down at you, and he caught it. he knew what he did to you, and he gained a new sense of pride at just how quickly he could make your knees go weak. his thumb and index fingers suddenly-gently-lifted your chin higher so your eyes could lock together. his own searched for something as if to look for the answer to his next question.

“you’re aware this isn’t just strictly physical, right?”

quite frankly, you were not in the loop even a little bit. “what?”

the tiny whisper made him want to carve out your lips with his own, slow, and taunting, and hard. he refrained for the time being. “think hard on it. there’s no rush.”

“no, i get what you meant. it’s just” you shook your head, prompting loki to let go of his grip. “i dunno. i thought you didn’t catch feelings, let alone for me.” loki let out a hearty laugh which forced a goofy grin onto your face. you liked seeing him like this. happy.

“i’m not stone cold, darling. you’re the only one i’ve ever had an infatuation with, though. well done, you seem to have captured my heart,” he joked. you giggled with him as you lightly shoved his chest, but loki caught your wrist before you could take it back. the kiss he brought to the inside of it had you swooning. a childish, girly feeling, yet you couldn’t care less. the both of you stayed there for a while and casually chatted until it was time for loki to head out. that night, you hardly got any sleep.

-------

ever since then, loki acted as if he didn’t remember it. he went back to his cocky self, not that you minded, but some simple recognition would’ve been nice. the days lapsed as they did before: loki doing everything in his divine power to make you ache for him. it worked, no matter how hard you avoided it, but soon you stopped trying. your body demanded for loki to touch you. to give you more than a simple brush of his lips to your wrist, yet he gave you anything but. and so you set out to change that.

it was the late hours of the night, with your team comfortably dispersed amongst the common room. movie night was in full effect, and no one had the intention of looking away from the gory film that was currently playing. you were seated next to wanda, the man you wanted painfully too far away from your reach. he didn’t have any clue you were angry with him, nor were you going to tell him. he was a thoughtful man, he’d figure it out.

you blinked away only to be met with his gaze. it was sharp, hungry. he looked you over as his tongue dipped out to run along his lip, biting it once he finally saw what he wanted. you’d be lying if you said it didn’t arouse you. of course it did; the poor man would rail you straight into this couch right now if he got the chance to.

you looked away, fearing vulnerability, and somehow managed to make it to the end of the marathon. you all said your farewell’s and deparated to your designated corridors, and just when you were about to close your door, a hand stopped it.

he pushed himself inside without much resistance from your own part. you stepped back and allowed him to close it, suddenly feeling a bit small. he looked at you then, the hunger replaced by confusion.

“is everything alright?” he inquired. no it’s not. you won’t shove two fingers into my mouth and tell me how good i’ve been.

“is everything alright-” you scoffed, “no it’s fucking not, loki.” you ran your hands through your hair and looked down, finding the decorative tiles on your floor quite intriguing.

“hey, woah, look at me. tell me what’s wrong, sweet.”

“that. that’s what’s wrong, loki. it’s the way you can tease me whenever you want, and call me sweet names and expect me not to react. you give me nothing to work with, for fuck’s sake!” a couple tears ran down your cheeks unbeknownst to you, but loki was quick to hold your face in his hands. his thumb wiped the drops in quick, tender-like motions and he crumbled at the way you focused on him.

“i’m sorry, darling. my intentions were never meant to bring you harm, much less sorrow. how can i fix this?”

“i need you to, fuck i-” you took a couple of breaths. “i need-want-you to touch me. to make me feel good, in all the ways you know how.”

loki chuckled quietly, a proud, defiant smirk curving along his lips. “is that what this is about? why, you could’ve just asked. no need for a tantrum.”

rolling your eyes, you tried to look away from him, but his hands began traveling to the curve of your neck, a lonely thumb parting your lips. he pried your mouth open and slipped it inside, letting the noise hidden in the back of his throat escape when your tongue wrapped around him. “is this what you wanted?”

your own luscious moan filled the room, and you felt his thumb push harder against your tongue.

“use your words, angel.”

an enticing gasp. “yes, sir.”

[alirhi]

I don't know why I'm even still posting these here...

Title: Winter's Frost Chapter: 23/? Fandom: MCU Rating: R to be on the safe side Pairing: Loki/Bucky Summary: Loki never told anyone the real reason he became so obsessed with Midgard. Much better to let them think he wanted to hurt his brother than draw their attention to the one thing in the universe that makes the God of Mischief truly vulnerable.

The best thing the Avengers did was not force Loki and Bucky to sit through yet another 'are you sure? No, like, really, totally sure?' debate when they brought Fury up to speed. At Thor's request, Loki pinned Fury in place and dug through his mind. Once he was satisfied that the squawking, agitated spy really had nothing to do with HYDRA, he nodded to the others and walked away.

"Okay, what did I miss? I don't remember approving the addition of a mass murderer to the Avengers."

"I'm definitely not on Team Loki, but just for the sake of accuracy – I'm pretty sure at least half the members of this team you did put together have racked up a higher body count. Each."

Loki smiled to himself, but didn't pause to listen to the rest of the argument he knew was starting. The Avengers didn't trust him, not yet, but Thor and Bucky did, and Rogers trusted Bucky while the others more or less trusted Thor. The truce among them was tenuous at best, but at least they were willing to try. Disinterested in their politics, he returned to the suite Stark had somewhat grudgingly provided him and his beloved with until things could be sorted out.

"Can he be trusted?"

"No," Loki answered simply as he sank into Bucky's lap and kissed him. "But he didn't know about HYDRA, and he's willing to stand against them."

Bucky smiled, combing his fingers through the other man's long hair. "Good start, I guess. 'The enemy of my enemy' and all that..."

"So much debate and bureaucracy," he lamented, rolling his eyes. "I wonder if it wouldn't be better if I just tracked the things down myself and brought them back."

"It would certainly be faster," Bucky admitted with a shrug, "but I dunno about better. I know they're all 'just humans' but I still don't love the idea of you poofing into enemy territory with no backup."

Loki grinned, trying not to laugh. "'Poofing'?"

"'Teleporting' has twice as many syllables and I'm lazy. Deal with it." His ageless soldier grinned as well, but it was short-lived. "They're bound to have those things under heavy guard, aren't they? I'd really rather you have a team at your back if you're gonna go after them."

Opting not to tell his mostly-heterosexual love what a 'pouf' was, Loki let the joke die and shook his head, focusing on the matter at hand. "Do you really think they'll bring either of us along when they finally reach something akin to consensus on what to do?"

A playful grin that reminded him so much of their time together in the 40s lit up Bucky's pretty face. "I think watching them try to stop us will be funny as hell."

Loki chuckled and the two settled into a companionable silence for a while, each lost in his own private thoughts. He just barely felt Bucky tracing little invisible patterns up and down his arm and, with a smile, changed from the suit he'd been wearing into a tee shirt. Something about just being able to feel Bucky's skin brushing against his own was so comforting. They'd had so little time since Siberia to simply be together like this; to reconnect and get to know one another again. They weren't the same men who had fallen into an unexpected, all-consuming whirlwind romance nearly seventy years earlier. When the dust settled, would the connection they'd formed before all this upheaval still be there?

"Do you feel trapped?"

The soldier's voice was so soft and timid, Loki almost thought he'd imagined it, but the briefest glance at his handsome face dispelled that notion. He smirked, shaking his head. "No, Stark can't keep me here. I'm sure by now he knows that. Why, do you?"

Bucky shook his head, still looking troubled. "That's not what I meant. It just occurred to me... I just remembered when you told me you could shapeshift; turn into a woman, if you wanted, among other things. I guess I thought I was being romantic, or whatever... I definitely thought I was being kind..."

"I sometimes did, then," he explained softly as he caught on to what his love was having so much trouble putting into words. "But it wasn't because of you. It was kind of you to say what you did-" With a half-hearted smile, he nudged him, pleased to receive a slightly less strained smile in return. "-And quite romantic. With all that you were struggling with, to have you brush off the offer of something akin to normalcy and say you loved me regardless very nearly brought me to tears."

"Why did you feel trapped, if that wasn't it?"

Sighing, Loki dropped his head onto Bucky's shoulder and cuddled a bit closer. "Because of Odin, and Thor, and... everyone but Mother and Sigyn, really. What little respect I ever managed to pry from them vanished like smoke in the wind as soon as one of them saw my female form. Then I was back to being a joke; the pitiful clown who would never be a 'real man.' Certainly never a warrior."

"So Sigyn has seen that side of you?" He could hear the teasing smile in Bucky's voice, and relief eased the tension in his muscles that he hadn't until then been aware of.

Answering his tone rather than his words, Loki drawled, "Yes, you juvenile pervert, we've made love while I was in my female form, as well."

"I thought you swore you'd never read my mind."

He laughed and kissed Bucky's neck, loving the way it made the man beneath him shiver. "I didn't have to. I 'read' your tone."

Snorting, Bucky kissed his jaw. "Alright, fair enough. So... do you still feel trapped now?"

Loki shook his head. "Once I learned of my true heritage – well, once I had a moment to think and grasp what it meant – it sort of brought things into sharper focus for me. I stopped caring about earning the respect of a man who'd lied to me for my entire life, and it occurred to me, at last... I don't think it ever had anything to do with whether I'm a man or a woman, not for Odin, at least. I'm Jotun; he decided long before I was born that my entire race is the enemy. Nothing I do will ever be good enough for him."

"Then why did he adopt you in the first place?"

"To one day have a Jotun King with Asgardian values." He sat up to look Bucky in the eye, and melted a little at the horror and empathetic pain he saw there. "He drove the Jotuns back, kept them trapped in their own realm, but he couldn't make Laufey bow to him. Even defeated, my father refused to submit to Asgardian rule. Odin claimed he planned to use me to 'forge a lasting peace,' which really only means to raise me to hate everything about my own people and see the nine realms through Aesir eyes, and then place me on the throne. A pawn wearing a worthless crown."

With a tired, wry grin, Loki added, "The problem is, of course, I'm still not Aesir. I don't see things the way Odin does and never have; not overall, at least. I don't...really know what to think or how to feel about Jotunheim now."

"Let's start with keeping Thanos from destroying it, so you can take some time to figure that out." Tears in those breathtaking blue eyes, Bucky threw his arms around him and hugged him tight enough that had Loki been human, he'd likely have broken several ribs. Being one of the few living things on the planet stronger than his lover, Loki took great care not to hurt him as he squeezed back, smiling.

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