#reverse thanos snap

[thesoulsofthedarned]

So I finished the Farewell Rayashki event:

Wow, what an amazing event. Probably one of my favorites in Reverse 1999. I loved watching the story of the townspeople of Rayashki fighting back against Zeno to protect their home with the help of a down-on-her-luck researcher unfold. This was probably the first event story in this game that got me feeling emotional. I think what contributed so heavily to my enjoyment and investment in the story was how we got to familiarize with the town itself, from it’s backstory, to the lives the residents that live there.

Back before 1.8 released on global, I never had much of an opinion on Vila. All I really knew about her was that she was a top tier healer mermaid who liked talking about freedom and stuff. But man, this event story really warmed me up to her as a character. She’s such a lovely teacher for the children of Rayashki, always encouraging them to be open minded and learn new things (kinda reminds me of teachers I used to have). Vila’s also such a brave leader for the people, not afraid to speak her mind on the unfair treatment Rayashki was facing at the hands of Zeno and rousing the townsfolk to band together to find new ore to support the town. I also really liked her relationship with Windsong and how she encouraged Windsong to not give up on her dreams. And that’s not to mention her backstory of being shunned and scorned by humans and rusalka alike, yet being able to find a place where everyone could live in harmony in Rayashki. Such a great character :)

Avgust was such a cinnamon roll. Just about every appearance he made on screen was a delight to watch. He’s got such an odd yet endearing way of interpreting the world around him and that made for some excellent chemistry for him and the other characters. He’s so strange yet so cute at the same time, it’s no wonder my sibling went for him on Vila’s banner (they got Vila but not Avgust btw).

Windsong was definitely the MVP. At first I assumed she’d be like Yelan from Genshin: cool, alluring, mysterious, all the typical tropes you’d expect from a woman like her in a gacha game. Turns out she’s almost nothing like I’d expect. Windsong at first was awkward, anxious, not confident that the study of ley lines will even make a comeback due to past experiences. She was on the verge of giving up, yet throughout the story she’s able to finally prove the study of ley lines can be a valid and useful field with the help and encouragement of the townspeople. Watching her become a teacher for the kids at the school was also heartwarming to watch. Also watching Windsong tell that Zeno guy where to shove it was also pretty satisfying, seeing her developing friendship with Vila and the rest of the town was sweet, watching her slowly helping the town achieve their goals and subsequently reach her own and finally coming to her own as a researcher was so cathartic aaaAAA-

Overall, this event was incredible, thanks in no small part to the excellent writing. I absolutely love this story, and I can’t wait for it to rerun :)

[imagine-you]

I Will Avenge My Ghost [Bucky Barnes/Reader]

Summary: Your sacrifice on Vormir was meant to be your end. You did it for love. You did it for family. And you had no regrets in your decision to be the one to jump instead of Steve. But you never expected to wake up in Wakanda and you certainly never thought that you would still lose Steve and your sister in the years since your death. While you can't get Steve back, you're determined to figure out what happened to your sister and you end up dragging Bucky along for the ride. Your questions lead you to Westview, a sleepy little town harboring a dark past, and a witch named Agatha Harkness. Will you find what you truly seek down, down, down the Witches' Road or will Death finally come to claim you?

Word Count: 3.4k

Author's Note: I was going to hold off on this, but I watched episode seven and I had so many feelings I literally wrote this last night. If you enjoy this and would like to see this continue, please let me know!

Read On AO3

When you jumped off the cliff at Vormir, the decision had been easy. It had been a long five years without your sister and you would have given anything for Wanda. You would also give anything for Steve, and if this brought you closer to winning the war against Thanos and bringing all the lost back, then you would do it.  

A sacrifice of love was needed and you had nothing but love to give for those two. You couldn't live in a world without Steve and while he wanted to do the noble thing, you knew you would never be able to go on without him. So, you used your power one last time to push Steve far away from the edge of the cliff and then threw yourself over it. 

As you fell, you could hear Steve crying out for you. You always assumed your life would flash before your eyes like everyone claimed it would. But all you saw was Vormir's sky eclipsed by Steve reaching over the cliff's edge, as if he could still reach you. And then you saw nothing at all.  

You didn't remember hitting the rocks below, but the only people on your mind as death rushed to meet you were Steve and Wanda. Steve, selfless and sacrificing, and how much he yearned for his best friend, the person who truly understood him above all else, Bucky. And your sister, who had drifted away into dust and oblivion after losing the love of her life. Wanda, who had been forced to kill Vision, only to have it all be for nothing. Her grief had sent shockwaves through you and you would never forget the raw pain that had radiated off her after losing Vis. You couldn't bring Pietro back, and while his death would always weigh on your mind, you knew that you could bring Wanda back into the land of the living. 

You would make it right. You had to. Even if this was your end, then at least it meant something. At least it was used to save countless others.  

Death flowed endlessly around you in glimpses of life and snatches of memories, remembered and forgotten. They fell right through your grasp, never yours to begin with, but a tether to the world you longed to revisit. You fought and struggled, pulling at strands and words, willing them to materialize. You followed a lead, a road, that appeared before you and at the end, you expected to find Death. 

No one will ever be tempted by the darkhold again. 

I miss you. God, I miss you so much. 

I got my dance. I owed her that. I owed myself that. 

I can't feel you.  

We can't reverse death. 

You're gonna need me. 

Immortality never meant anything to me before, but I suppose you’re not mine after all. Not yet, at least. Don’t say I never did you any favors.

You didn't expect to wake up.  

You felt breath expand your lungs and you sat up with a gasp. You didn't know where you were or what had happened to you, but all you could think was that you failed. You had traded your life for the billions of others that had been snapped away by Thanos. If you were here, alive, then it had all been for nothing.  

"Hey, hey," someone was saying, and you could feel hands on your shoulders, but you didn't want to lift your head to try to see who was attempting to talk to you. "She's freaking out here. Don't you think you should do something, Shuri?" 

"And what would you have me do, Bucky? This might not even really be her. I thought her magic was blue." 

"It was," someone said. Bucky, you realized. It was Bucky who had you by the shoulders. "Hey, doll," Bucky tried, bringing a finger up to tuck under your chin and force your head up.  

You met Bucky's eyes, trying to make sense of what was happening. He hadn’t been wrong. You were freaking out, but it wasn’t going to do you any good now. You needed to figure out what the fuck was going on.  

"Bucky?" You tried, your words coming out as a rasp. "Am I alive?" 

Bucky looked like he was torn between relief and confusion. "Yeah, you're here with us." He gestured at the other two people in the room. You recognized one as King T'Challa's sister and you had already known Sam.  

"How did I get here? I died on Vormir. Or...I thought I did. I don't remember dying," you told them, trying to remember what happened. Death hadn't felt like an end, more like a journey. You had felt, all the while, like you were being lead somewhere. Maybe, you couldn't help but think, it was bringing you here.  

"We don't know how you got here," Sam interjected. His arms were crossed and he was wearing a new suit. It wasn't his usual Falcon getup. It was more reminiscent of Steve's, showcasing red, white, and blue with a star on the chest. The shield was strapped to his back, and you started to panic again.  

"Where's Steve?" You quickly let your gaze shift from Sam to Bucky again. “Bucky, where’s Steve? Did he make it? God, I gave up everything for him and if he still died...,” you trailed off, letting the thought go unfinished. It didn’t bear thinking about.  

Bucky turned to throw a look over his shoulder at Sam. You couldn't see Bucky's expression, but you could sure as hell see Sam's.  

Grief. Remorse. Apology. Pain. 

"No," you denied with a quick shake of your head. "I jumped so he would live. I jumped so he would get to have a life." You could feel a strange new energy thrumming along your limbs, and you didn't know how to contain it. You felt restless, an urgency rising within you that you didn't know how to quell.  

"He did," Bucky assured you, finally looking at you again. You felt like his hands on you was the only thing keeping you together, so when he made to draw away, you latched onto his shirt, pulling him closer. "Okay, okay," he soothed, moving to sit on the edge of the examination you realized you were lying on.  

He was treating you like a frightened animal, and you didn’t know how to feel about that. You were torn between seeking comfort in the familiarity of him and lashing out for letting you be so vulnerable. It wasn’t his fault. He was only doing what he could for you, but you were caught between anger and fear, and nothing good ever came out of that particular combination.  

"Then what happened? Where is he?" You demanded, looking from Sam to Shuri and back to Bucky again.  

"He...," Sam paused at another look from Bucky. "Well, she's gonna find out eventually." 

"What?" You snapped, hating that everyone in the room knew something you didn't. "What happened after I jumped?" 

"We defeated Thanos and the people he snapped away came back," Bucky told you, giving you the tiniest hint of a smile when your shoulders began to slump with relief. Before he started talking, his lips twisted to the side in a grimace and you knew he was about to throw you back into the deep end. "But, you've gotta realize that winning that war nearly destroyed Steve. He told me what happened on Vormir and he told me what he wanted to do."  

You were briefly distracted by a shimmer in the air around Bucky. You hadn't realized it before, but the air around him seemed to faintly glow red. As he spoke, it shifted to a light blue, and you were so distracted by the sight that you missed his next words.  

"You alright there, Maximoff?" Sam called, breaking you out of your fascination. The air around Sam seemed to glow just the slightest hint of green while Shuri had a purple aura around her.  

"I don't know?" You answered, ducking your hand to look at your hands. You felt off, somehow. You had never really been the same, not since losing your parents at a young age and having to look out for your younger brother and sister. After being subjected to experiments by sadistic scientists and coming out the other side with superpowers, you figured you would never lead a normal life. Steve had been the closest thing you had ever gotten to a fairytale ending and now he was gone.  

You felt unmoored, adrift, in this new reality and you were waiting to crash down again. You only hoped you would be given the opportunity to brace for impact when the time came.  

A light danced across your fingers, your magic beginning to flare up with your frustration. You had never been anywhere on your sister's level, your magic blue where hers was red and chaotic. But you had also been able to tame a flame and throw objects around with just a thought. She would always be the more powerful of the two of you, but you had held your own well enough in a fight.  

The magic that pushed up beneath your skin to pool in your palm was no longer blue, but orange.  

"Huh," you breathed, no longer able to accept that you were rooted in reality. "This is the weirdest dream ever." You finally looked back up at Bucky, catching his worried expression. "You think this is what I'm seeing before I die?" 

"Doll, that's what I've been trying to tell you. You did die," he stressed, tightening his grip on your shoulders. "There was never a body. Steve wanted to bring you back, but you just weren't there." 

"The soul stone must have claimed her. It did require a sacrifice," Shuri observed with a thoughtful noise. "I could tell something was happening. There was just too much energy and while I thought it was your sister, it turned out to be you swirling around in the air like a ghost. I still have no idea how you corporealized and got here from Vormir, but you're living and breathing," she assured you, gesturing towards a monitor you realized was showing your heartbeat, oxygen levels, and other vitals.  

There were too many worries crowding your mind and you tried to sort them out. You thought if you could just focus, then maybe something would start to make sense.  

"Steve?" You tried again, not able to accept that he might be gone.  

"He passed on," Sam said, his tone somber and apologetic. “Wasn’t that long ago, but I’m sorry to tell you, he’s no longer with us.” 

Bucky shot him a glare, but you shook your head.  

"No, tell me," you demanded, trying to force yourself to breathe. “I’m not going to get anywhere with you hiding things from me.” You wanted to scream and rage, but you weren't sure what your magic would do if you gave into the instinct. It was new, something you had to relearn, and you didn't want to hurt Bucky, Sam, or Shuri because you couldn't control it.  

"He, uh, well," Bucky started with a wince. "He had to bring the stones back to their original homes. He told me before he left that he was never going to be able to save you. Your death was tied to the fate of billions and there was nothing he could do to get you back. The soul stone wouldn't return you, but the time stone could still give him a life. It could help him right some past wrongs and regrets." 

Bucky stopped talking, but you didn't need him to continue. You could almost see it playing out like a movie in your mind. Steve searching for you one last time on Vormir only to be informed that you were no longer there. Steve leaving and finding Peggy. Steve finally getting his dance. Steve getting his happy ending.  

Without you.  

You pulled away from Bucky, your hands curling into themselves as you felt your power build up. A brilliant, blinding orange light caressed your skin and you threw your hands out to the sides, releasing everything that had been building up.  

You let out a scream, throwing your head back as you attempted to claw back control from the wild impulse of your magic. It was untamed, no longer held under your will, and you felt like it would tear you apart. It was lighting you up from the inside and you were distantly aware of the smell of smoke and flame.  

Someone was shouting your name, attempting to bring you back to yourself. But all you could feel was pain and the agony of losing Steve after all was almost too much for you to take.  

Someone wrapped their arms around you, trapping your arms at your sides. It was enough to pull you out of your grief, the surprise of being so fully embraced while you were feeling like a bomb that had finally gone off shocked you into finally reeling your magic back in and storing it away.  

Bucky had you in a tight hold, but it wasn't restricting. It was comfort and reassurance and understanding.  

 “You couldn’t have done that before she burned a hole through the floor?” Shuri wondered, sounding exasperated.  

“Where do you keep your fire extinguisher?” Sam wondered, his voice drifting away as he searched for something to put out the fire that was still raging on the floor.  

"I know," he was whispering, ignoring all the alarms you had accidentally set off. You could hear Shuri cursing and Sam rifling through a cabinet. "I know, alright? It hurts. It hurts me too," Bucky confided in you, keeping his voice low enough so only you could hear him. “But you’ve gotta keep it in right now. Just for now. And then I’ll get you someplace where you can let it all go. Once we know you’re okay,” he added after a moment.  

 You let your arms wrap around Bucky's waist, resting your head on his shoulder. He brought a hand up, letting it curl around the back of your neck, holding you in place. You could feel tears tracking down your cheeks, but you no longer wanted to cry. You had gotten your answer, and while it wasn't what you wanted, you couldn't begrudge Steve a happy ending. Not after everything he had given up to save the world time and again.  

 You absentmindedly reached a hand out, drawing on the flames and letting the fire fall into your hand. You closed your hand into a fist, letting it die.  

“Neat trick you’ve got there. You couldn’t have done that sooner?” Sam asked, finally brandishing a fire extinguisher that was no longer needed.  

“Perhaps we should give them a moment,” Shuri suggested to Sam. “Why don’t you come look at these readouts with me?” 

“I’m not a toddler. You don’t have to distract me,” Sam grumbled, but he dutifully followed Shuri to the other side of the room, leaving you and Bucky with a small measure of privacy.  

"I'm sorry," you muttered into Bucky's shoulder, letting yourself only focus on him. "I'm sorry he left you. He really loved you, you know." 

"Yeah," Bucky huffed out on a humorless laugh. "He really loved you too." 

You stayed like that for a while, soaking up Bucky's presence while everything fell apart around you.  

"Sam's Cap now?" You checked, knowing that if Sam wielded the shield, then he had taken on the mantle. “He’s good for it.” You knew that if Steve had passed on the shield to Sam, then it was with very good reason. You had always assumed that if Steve retired, then Bucky would take on the role of Captain America, but looking at him now, Bucky just seemed tired. Maybe he didn’t so much want to play hero as he wanted to simply stop looking over his shoulder at every turn waiting for his past to resurface.  

"Yeah," Bucky answered, finally pulling away enough to look at you. "You missed a lot while you were gone, you know." 

"How long has it been since I died, Bucky?" Steve was gone and Sam was Captain America and Bucky seemed less constrained, but still wary. It was a monumental change, but you had a sinking feeling it was only the tip of the iceberg. 

"Years." Bucky watched you in silence for a long, drawn-out moment. You heard the door open, but didn't bother to see if it was admitting someone new or if Shuri and Sam had finally had enough of pretending they weren’t eavesdropping on your conversation with Bucky. "Look, there's something I should tell you, but after how you reacted to Steve, I don't know how you're gonna take this." 

"What are you--" 

"I almost didn't believe it," someone interrupted, and you finally looked over to see Stephen Strange standing in the doorway. "It's miraculous is what it is," he continued, not aware of the way you tensed at his presence.  

There was something dark in the air around him. It looked as if something had latched on to him and was content to be a passenger. You didn't know why you were literally seeing people in a new light, but you knew that whatever had happened with Stephen wasn't good. It was like it had left a stain on his soul. 

"Stephen," you greeted with a nod of your head. "What the hell happened to you? You’re...different," you decided, watching how the inky wisps attached to his aura pulsed at your words. You couldn’t tell if it was something separate or if it was simply a part of Strange now.  

Stephen's brow furrowed in confusion. He shot Bucky a look and then Sam and Shuri. "Did you--?" He let the question hang, waiting for them to answer. 

"No," Shuri told him, watching you in interest. "She's changed. Her power has evolved with her death." 

You swung your legs over the side of the table and let yourself stand. Bucky reached out to help you or hold you back, you weren't sure, but you waved him off. Another question had come to mind, and you instinctively knew that Stephen would have something to do with the answer you were seeking. Shuri had mentioned your sister earlier and now she was all you could think about. Why did Shuri it was your sister trying to materialize? Wasn’t Wanda alive? You would never get Steve back, and you would never want to rip away whatever peace he had stolen for himself. But Wanda would need you. Wanda always needed you. If something had happened to her in your absence, then it was your job to find her and help her.  

So, you met Stephen's gaze and held your head high, not wanting to show even a hint of weakness.  

"Where's my sister?" You asked, daring him to lie to you. You could see a flicker of uncertainty in his expression as you advanced on him. You could feel the tempting crackle of your power tingling along your fingers. You longed to see Wanda, knowing that she would be the only thing keeping you from truly falling apart. Your sacrifice had cost you more than your life. It had cost you Steve. And you would be damned if it also cost you your sister.  

You felt like your soul was reaching out to her, your entire being aching to pull her back into your orbit, but there was a strange emptiness inside you. It was like she was drifting further away from you by the second.  

Stephen met your gaze, never letting it stray. "What do you know about the darkhold?" Stephen finally responded after what felt like an eternity waiting for any news about what had happened to your sister. 

It wasn't what you wanted to hear and you couldn't help but lash out with your magic. It had been coiled, ready to strike, and who were you to deny it when you finally had a worthy target?  

You had expected to simply push him with your power. It had been a familiar defensive response before your death, but now your magic seemed to take hold of the reigns. It curled out away from you and wrapped around his throat. You could hear his breath cut off and Bucky was calling your name, but you didn't care.  

There was only one thing you cared about at the moment and Stephen Strange seemed to hold all the answers.  

So, you decided to give him one more chance and posed the question that had overtaken your mind.�� 

"Where's Wanda?"  Additional Author's Note: If you'd like to be tagged, just let me know!!

[crypticemerald]

THIS IS SO FUCKING COOL!!!

messy something something

[shepherds-of-haven]

I love seeing texts where it's like "Blade materializes/dematerializes" because it made me imagine him just reverse Thanos snapping himself into existence lmaooo

Lol! I more imagine it like a slow phase out, like 😶‍🌫️

[sserpente]

Memories to Enemies 🎃

Synopsis: The TVA is no more—not like it was before, anyway. When the multiverse breaks free, Loki finds himself back where he belongs, on the verge of claiming the throne of Midgard and this time… this time he finishes what he started. But while he’s gained so much, he’s lost even more, for there was one thing the chaos of the timelines had not fixed—it hasn’t brought you back to him. You, the mortal he had refused to fall for until he realised it was too late all along. He never stopped searching for you after Thanos snapped his fingers and now, with so many timelines at the tip of his fingers and a tempad in his pocket… you were out there somewhere and he will find you. But when he finally does… he realises that not only are you the leader of the very rebels aiming to end his ruling, you are a Variant. And you don’t remember him.

A/N: HAPPY HALLOWEEN, people! 🎃 Requests from two anons. There are no spoilers for Season 2 in this. I’ll have some more spooky Halloween Imagines coming up this week (I hope), I just didn’t manage to get any writing done as I had initially planned because I spent the whole weekend queueing at Comic Con, haha!

Words: 2407 Warnings: smut

Additional NSFW warnings: edging, very light dub-con

“The rebels are causing trouble again, my king.”

“Which is to say you are unable to deal with a bunch of disobedient humans?” Loki looked up, legs spread on the makeshift throne in what used to be Stark Tower. He lifted his chin, his menacing glare all but intimidating the former politician, now reduced to nothing more than a lackey.

“N-no, of course not. I just thought you should know. They… they made it to the lower levels of the tower last night.”

Loki narrowed his eyes, leaning forward a little. “Who did?”

“The rebels, their leader… we caught her face on camera but… security managed to overwhelm them. I believe they were trying to plant explosives somewhere in the building.”

“Where are they now?”

“They’re being held in the cellars.”

Loki rolled his eyes. “You should have led with that, you fool. Send them up. No… bring me their leader. I believe it is time we have a little chat about where her… loyalties lie.”

The politician nodded and excused himself. Silence filled the room after he left and Loki sat back again and sighed. Those rebels were hardly a threat to him but if they had made it to the tower… he would have to up his game and patch the holes in his security. A spell or two should suffice. Possibly something that would make any uninvited guest grow mushrooms all over their body should they trespass.

If only… he sighed once more. If only he had you by his side. You had always loved this time of the year, made him hand out sweets for children and carve out pumpkins. After all this madness… he still had not found you again. You had been snapped away in the sacred timeline, so he had found out… and even though the now-forgotten Avengers had reversed the titan’s doing, you remained unfound, out of his reach. Wherever you were… he would tear every single timeline apart until he had you back by his side. Would you be overjoyed, to see him where he belonged? On the throne, ruling as he was meant to be?

“The prisoner, my king.” The politician returned after the metal elevator doors swung open yet again, dragging with him a young woman who carried herself quite regally despite her predicament. She lifted her head, her hair revealing her face…

Loki’s face dropped. It was you. You… you were the rebel foolishly trying to put an end to his reign? Desperation and relief paired with anger and disappointment, the sadness that had been residing deep in his heart after he had lost you not quite going away. Something was off.

“Leave her here. Get out.”

“No security, my king?”

“I can handle a mortal woman. Now get out.”

The politician nodded and left without another word all the while you kept on staring at Loki as if you were ready to plunge a dagger into his chest any moment. You probably were—and it broke his heart a lot more than he would have liked to admit.

Your eyes widened when he spoke your name. “So you already know me then.”

“Know you? I have been looking for you for years, pet.”

You blinked. “Pet?”

Loki’s face fell when he realised. You did not know. You did not recognise him. You did not… love him yet. It mattered little, now did it? He would make you love him again, he would restore your memories. Were you a Variant? Had you met him? Had Thanos’ horrors taken your memories? He had to find out, needed to find out.

“You will not believe me, of course. But you were in love with me. I lost you when Thanos snapped his fingers. My path, too, changed. That is a story for another time. Come here, pet. It is so good to see you,” he purred.

Containing his emotions and his excitement had never been so difficult. He all but longed to jump up from his throne and sweep you up into his arms, holding you close until you struggled to breathe. But he didn’t. He wanted you to come to him. Only you remained frozen in place. He could practically feel the defiance radiating from you.

“I’m not falling for your stupid tricks, Loki.”

The God of Mischief smirked. “Would you like me to prove it, pet? Ah, let’s see… I just so happen to know you love Halloween. Carving out pumpkins… handing out sweets to children… watching scary films and eating this disgusting snack you call popcorn… and of course, how could I forget, the hot chocolate with small marshmallows and whipped cream on top? It’s reserved only for months that have the letter ‘r’ in them, no?”

Loki watched with great satisfaction how your lips parted in shock. He stood, taking a step forward. “What else… ah…” He tilted his head. “There is a particularly sweet and sensitive spot on your body that has you absolutely feral for your lover. It is… right… here.” He took another step and brought his hand up to brush his thumb over the spot right below your ear. You shivered, clenching your jaw.

“Lies… y-you’re… you’re tricking me.”

“No tricks,” he purred, “only treats.”

To Hel with the restraint. With a low growl, Loki pulled you close, lifting you off your feet. Your rather pathetic resistance died quickly once you realised that you weren’t going anywhere. Loki was too strong—you’d do well to save your strength for when it truly mattered. But… did you want to?

Why, on Earth, was there a part of you that enjoyed his touch? The way he looked at you… so full of hope and lust… that could not be acted, could it? To win over the leader of the rebellion, make her compliant… was that his plan? Or was he telling the truth?

And if he was, then what would have ridden you to dedicate your life to stopping him at all cost? Heavens, last night, you had attempted an assassination.

Loki put you back down on your feet once you reached his bedroom. He had redecorated, of course. Everything was green and gold, even his bed sheets. It looked… beautiful. Homely, almost and faintly familiar.

A shiver brought you back from the depths of your mind when Loki sneaked his hand under your shirt, slowly pushing it up.

“Do you truly think it’s a coincidence you react this way to me?” He tilted his head, smirking when you flinched at his fingertips ghosting over your bare stomach. He was right. He was so right and you hated it. Part of you wanted him—right here and now. The other part was seething and then, yet another… wanted to give in to his advances out of curiosity.

“Why… why don’t I remember then?”

“Your guess is as good as mine, pet. We will restore your memories. You could be a Variant—a version of yourself from another timeline who has not yet met me. We will worry about this later. I missed you.”

He sounded so… genuine, so full of relief. It was not hard to believe him. But how could you? You hated this man, you loathed how he had taken Earth for himself and declared himself its ruler… you would never kneel before him… right?

Why were you questioning yourself? Perhaps… perhaps it was for when you gazed into his blue eyes, you detected just how troubled his soul was. There was more to this than tyranny. More than a hunger for power.

You ceased to resist when he pulled your shirt off of you. Mesmerised, dazed… perhaps even charmed, you lifted your arms for him to remove it and then allowed him to make short work of your trousers. Only a few more moments passed until you stood completely naked before him, breathing heavily.

His kiss was soft when he held your chin with two fingers, almost as if testing the waters. Your eyes… your eyes fell shut. Why… how did this feel so good?

“Give in to me, pet. Let me show you.”

You bit your lower lip. “I’m supposed to hate you.”

He chuckled. “Why yes… We can speak about your little rebellion after I have had my fill of you. You always longed to be by my side, pet. What changed?”

“I don’t know you.” And perhaps that was the reason. You did not know him. Did not yet see behind the mask. Would things be different if you did? You could have tried to kill him the very moment you stepped out of the elevator. So why hadn’t you? Would you, under different circumstances, support his cause? Aid in his rule? Rule… by his side? That was such a silly thought, wasn’t it?

And yet… even though the arrogant god kept calling you his pet… the way he looked at you made you feel like he regarded you as his equal. Maybe your subconscious knew that there was more to it. Maybe your soul had recognised him.

“Then I will make you know me again. You, my darling, are the one good thing that has ever happened to me. I will not give you up.”

You swallowed, unsure of whether you should regret the words that left your lips next. “S-show me.”

“With pleasure.” Loki smirked, lifting you up once more. The warm leather of his armour against your naked skin made you whimper but it was gone within a heartbeat, melted off his body in a green hue of his magic. It felt tingly, familiar… as if you’d felt it a million times before.

The God of Mischief crawled above you, spreading your legs as he did. Skin against skin, he towered above you like the king he was, his raven hair framing his handsome face. You resisted the urge to reach up and stroke his cheek—just about, for when he leaned down and assaulted your neck with his lips, you dug your nails into the soft bed sheets instead, fighting, desperately, for composure your body was eager to give up.

Every touch, every kiss… it felt right. And you were craving more.

A gasp escaped your lips when Loki sank his length into you with but one deep stroke—it was both out of pure bliss at his size and surprise at how wet you were. How had him undressing you slowly done that?

Deep and languid thrusts soon drove you to the brink of madness. No one… no one had ever fucked you as well as Loki was fucking you right now, and the fact that he seemed to know exactly what turned you on almost filled you with fear.

The intense eye contact, the gentle touches, the soft dominance radiating from him… without a doubt he would pin you against the bed if you so much as attempted to flip around and ride him instead without… without asking for permission?

You whimpered at the thought, eyes rolling to the back of your head. You were close already. Loki was working his magic… firm and yet gentle, you felt it teasing your clit, applying just enough pressure to bring you closer and closer to climax. Once he had you there, right on the edge, the delicious pressure eased, his rhythm speeding up.

“You’re enjoying it…” Loki purred—his tone smug, if anything. You groaned.

And then, once again… he pushed you toward that blissful cliff only to stop—again—right before you could fall. You realised soon enough what he was doing. He was edging you. No one… no one knew about your filthiest desires and kinks. So how did he? He really was telling the truth, wasn’t he?

You pretended to hate this but you loved it… loved how he was in control of your pleasure, able to take it away if he so wished… urgh.

“What is it, pet, hmm? Did you want something?” His strokes were relentless—how he managed not to rut into you like a beast you had no fucking clue.

“P-please…” you choked out, “…let me cum.”

Loki tilted his head. “I think you can do better than that.”

Another grunt on your end but this time, you were ready to throw hands—only the God of Mischief above you didn’t let you. The invisible force tormenting your clit wrapped around your wrists like invisible shackles, holding them in place.

“Please…” you repeated, “…I need to cum. Stop… teasing me…”

“Let me hear it one more time, pet. Scream for me.”

A groan of frustration escaped your lips. All helpless beneath him, there was nothing you could do but endure his torturing treatment. Your toes curled, that all too familiar knot in your lower stomach tightening…

“Oh, fuck, please, please, PLEASE! Just… LET ME CUM ALREADY!” Loki chuckled—he chuckled and then, finally, the delicious pressure on your clit returned. And this time… it didn’t stop again. You tensed up, all air knocked from your lungs as your orgasm washed over you. Contracting around Loki’s cock who did not stop rocking into you for a second, fucking you right through your moment of utter bliss until he too, came.

Loki’s moans were quite possibly the sexiest thing you had ever heard as he buried himself inside of you as deep as he could, coating your walls with his seed, twitching and jerking.

He rested his forehead against yours then, eyes closed—content, at ease… and so unlike what you had expected from a tyrannical ruler.

This… it had felt like your bodies were made for each other. Perhaps they were.

“I want to remember. I want you to prove to me that you’re not the evil tyrant I imagine you to be,” you said, breaking the silence.

Loki chuckled. “Hmm… ever so demanding, pet.”

“Why are you calling me that?”

“Because it turns you feral, am I not right?”

You bit your lower lip. Yes, damn it, he was right.

“We will find a way to restore your memories, I swear it. You are mine.” You shivered when he spoke your name. “You are the very reason I am not a tyrant. Whatever you see, whatever you believe… Midgard is in good hands—it is your home realm, after all.”

“So I’ll just have to trust your word? The word of a Trickster?”

Loki smirked. He knew. He knew that your heart already did.

"Yes. Now then... shall we carve a pumpkin together, pet?"

A/N: Party hard tonight! 🎃

[scarletofhufflepuff]

My new favorite au? Bruce Wayne adopting Peter Parker. Or at least, an au where either Bruce(or Batman, or at least the Batkids) or Clark(as Superman) befriend him when Peter is Spider-Man. I blame the following fics and their fantastic writing for this:

Dark Matter by mysterycyclone, Spider-Man Reborn by Karireiin, and the series of fics titled “Convergence”(with the first Fic in the series being titled “Unforeseen Consequences”) also by mysterycyclone.

These fics are a very good read, I highly recommend them.

I didn’t want to crowd my post with too many words so I added the break up above to hopefully avoid that. Here I just wanted to add the summaries of each fic I recommended.

Dark Matter:

“The last thing Peter sees is Tony's horrified, heartbroken expression leaning over him. The guilt in his eyes is almost worse than the burning pain that's taking Peter apart piece by piece. The world starts to go dark.

There's a flash of gold and green. For one moment, he finds himself standing amongst the Guardians and others. And then darkness again. It feels like blinking; an extended period of nothingness that ends as abruptly as it begins. One moment there’s nothing, the next there’s light.

“Easy,” a woman says. Her words are gentle, and carry a slight accent that he can’t place. "I'm called Wonder Woman. What's your name?"”

Spider-Man Reborn:

“The spell Dr. Stephen Strange cast did not only make the world forget Peter Parker- it unmade him.

Peter is reborn in Gotham, born into a new family with a second chance at life. Could he save them from Parker Luck before he loses his family again? Can Peter survive Gotham and it's Rogues?

————

Incomplete: Part 1 is done but it splits to two separate endings which are still being written.”

Unforeseen Consequences:

“Tony Stark saves the world. He dies minutes later. Peter comes back from the battle to a world that’s changed three times over: first with the Snap and his death, the next with the Reverse Snap that ends the Blip, and one more change, courtesy of an accidental thought during the Reverse Snap: the unification of two separate universes into one. This last results in a physically larger planet, and several new cities, fully formed and inhabited, popping into existence around the world. Gotham City. Metropolis, Keystone City. A few others.

Peter takes this news the only way he can: he accepts it and moves on. So he does. Peter is still reeling from the war against Thanos, but he keeps pushing forward. The realities of this new world find him later, when he visits Metropolis with J. Jonah Jameson for a conference.”

[saiyanprincessswanie]

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Female Reader

Summary: You are haunted by nightmares

Warnings: Nightmares, Angst, mention of past and future deaths. No happy ending.

Word Count: 561

A/N: This is my first fic in 3 months. Please be kind with reviews.

Also thank you to my beta readers @nekoannie-chan @lfnr-blog-blog-blog @geekygee01

In and out, rapid breaths.

You woke suddenly from your sleep. Tears falling from your eyes, gasping for air as a chill clings to your body. The same nightmare plagued your mind once again leaving you feeling alone in the dark. But you weren’t alone as you felt a body shift behind you. He always seemed to know when the demons in your mind were causing you trouble.

“Sweetheart, just breathe in through your nose, out through your mouth. That’s it keep it slow”, Steve says as a comforting arm wraps around you. The tears still fall as you try to control your breathing. 

In and out, slow deep breaths.

You were at the point of a breakdown over the horrors you dreamt of. Images danced in your head of all the death and destruction you saw when Thanos came to earth. Screams echoed in your head as people were lost. There was nothing you could do to fix it. No matter how hard you fought, death surrounded you. You felt you had blood on your hands, no it wasn’t blood but dust of those who were lost.

In and out, slow deep breaths.

His warm, firm hand rubbed soothing circles on your back as you let out a deep sigh. You knew Steve struggled as well and had his own nightmares. Those of seeing Bucky die in front of him yet again haunts him daily. But Steve doesn’t say anything about it. Steve is here comforting you, trying to soothe your soul. He could easily kick you out of his bed over these nightmares but he stands firm you’re not going anywhere. Steve is your light in the darkness.

Your head leans back onto his shoulder and he kisses you softly on your forehead. The chill is now gone, chased by his warmth. Your breathing is slowing down as the screams in your head disappear. 

Your heart clenches in your chest, this is unconditional love. You and Steve have been together for many years now. The man out of time who needed a friend and confidant. You can recall all the nights he needed you and now he is here with you. 

In and out, slow deep breaths.

Your mind starts to slow down and you embrace your lover. Things were going to get better. Tomorrow your mission is to reverse the snap and bring everyone back. It had to work, this is what you’ve been training and planning for. Whatever it takes is the mantra everyone repeats like a prayer. Your friends will all be back. This has to work.

In and out, slow deep breaths.

You lay back down on the bed cuddled up with Steve. He whispers encouraging words as he continues to rub your back and give light kisses to your face. Steve knows that any sacrifices made tomorrow will help them succeed.

Your breathing is slow and even as you fall asleep in the warmth of his arms. Little do you both know that you won’t see past tomorrow. A sacrifice will be made for the sake of the planet. The one chance that Doctor Strange mentioned will come to fruition. All Steve can do tonight is savor the moments he has right now for you. He won’t be able to save you from the demons this time tomorrow.

In and out, last breath taken

Tag List:

@americasass81

@caffiend-queen

@charmed-asylum

@denisemarieangelina

@fictional-affairs

@georgiapeach30513

@get0verit

@hollybee8917

@joannie95

@jobean12-blog

@jvanilly

@labella420

@lfnr-blog-blog-blog

@madscape

@mdemontespan1667

@mrsmischief209

@mycrazyasslikestoread

@nekoannie-chan

@notyourtypicalrose

@patzammit

@princessofdarkwinter

@rayofdawnworld

@reneeenders

@sweater-daddiesdumbdork

@wolfsmom1

@what-is-your-plan-today

@missvelvetsstuff

@jtargaryen18

[kandisheek]

FIC REC WEEK 30 – FIX-IT

The abyss by amaryllis (Lillyo)

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rating: T Words: 917 Tags: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt Tony, Protective Steve

Summary: It's his biggest nightmare. He falls, wakes up... and is the only survivor. In nights like these it's Steve who catches him and brings him back to light.

Reasons why I love it: The love Steve feels for Tony is so palpable in this one, it's amazing. This fic conveys so much emotion, and I love how Steve takes care of Tony, it's super sweet to see. Go and check this one out if you haven't, I'm sure you'll love it just as much as I do!

from you, me by seadawnknight

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rating: NR Words: 2,261 Tags: Angst with a Happy Ending, Grief, Hurt/Comfort

Summary: This is how it starts: with Steve holding the weight of the world on his shoulders, mourning three and a half billion lives he couldn’t save. This is not how it ends.

Reasons why I love it: This fic is breathtakingly beautiful. The writing style feels like poetry, it flows so well, and the non-linear storytelling is absolutely spectacular. I can't believe how underrated this fic is, so I really hope that you go and check it out, because it deserves all the love in the world!

It Hurts Like Hell by agathaharknness

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rating: T Words: 3,755 Tags: Angst and Feels, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Endgame

Summary: Carol Danvers is Steve's only hope to see Tony again. If he's alive.

Reasons why I love it: This fic fits so seamlessly into canon it's like it was cut from the movies. The angst is so raw, and I really love Steve's inner monologue throughout all of it. And of course, the hopeful ending is absolutely beautiful. I love this fic, and I bet you will too!

What If... by Starlitverses

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rating: G Words: 5,623 Tags: Multiverse, Steve & Morgan, Angst with a Happy Ending

Summary: ‘There must be a world somewhere, where the snap or your fight or any of the things that led us here didn’t happen. Maybe everything would change.’ Steve goes back in time to return the stones. On his way, he changes a few events in certain times to make sure they end better than his own timeline. A different world where thanos never attack, where the snap doesn’t happen. A world where Tony Stark survives. A world where Steve and Tony fall in love.

Reasons why I love it: Aaaah, this is so sweet! I especially loved Natasha here, she's such a badass. Those branching timelines are super interesting, it's so cool how each of them plays out. And the ending is amazing, the exact kind of bittersweet that I adore. Please go and read this one, it's so good!

Conductivity by felisnocturna

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rating: T Words: 4,243 Tags: Angst, Open Ending, Grief

Summary: The train taking Tony to California breaks down in the seemingly abandoned ghost town of Timely. Or: After Steve's death on the courthouse steps, Tony is about to witness another tragedy. This time, he sees it coming, but even that might not change anything - not least because he is pretty sure that it's all just a hallucination.

Reasons why I love it: This is such a cool idea for a multiversal crossover! I love how 616 canon and 1872 canon play off each other here, I'd read a million more words in this universe. And I really enjoyed the role reversal and the angst that comes with it, it's super well-written. Definitely check this one out, it's fantastic!

[inevitably-johnlocked]

Hiiiiii

Do you have any fics where john or sherlock are mutants/ have powers?

Hi Lovely!

OOOOOOOHHHH I love this; I have a few fics that could be qualified as "CLOSE" to mutations and superpowers, but not 100%. I have a lot more "changelings" than anything else. I've compiled together some of the ones on my MFL list as well, but I can't guarantee that they're mutants in them since I haven't read them.

If anyone has any fics that they can suggest, please do! I'm kind of into MCU fics right now so if I can have Sherlock-style in there too, that would be awesome! PLEASE let us know if you have mutant or Superhero Johnlock fics!!!

MUTATIONS or SUPERPOWERS

See also:

Magical Realism Where John is the Powerful One

Telepath / Empath AU

Hybrids and Shapeshifters

Soaring Above by Corporate_cards (G, 394 w., 1 Ch.  || TRF, Light Angst, Superpowers) – "Have you ever though about having a super power...?" Part 2 of the Random Things I've Written In Class -- Johnlock series

The Frost Child by twistedthicket1 (M, 9,994 w., 2 Ch. || Frozen-ish AU || Magical Realism, Christmas, Angst, Fluff, Powerful John) – In a world where people are born with a Gift of varying levels, simple John Watson is the last person one might look at when thinking of any strong Magick capabilities. Hiding comfortably in the shadow of Sherlock's brilliant deducing abilities, John is content to keep it that way...

Conductivity by Coquillage Atlas (K,11,051 w., 8 Ch., FFNet || Fantasy and Friendship) – John Watson, alone in London with a healing power he can hardly bear. A description of his life with magic, before and after Sherlock. SEQUELS: Resistance || Reciprocity

Invisible by chappysmom (K+, 25,947 w., 11 Ch., FFNet || No Slash, semi-canon compliant) – John had had the knack for as long as he could remember. It wasn’t that he could become invisible, exactly. The laws of physics worked quite well in his vicinity, thank you very much. It was just that people tended … not to see him. SEQUELS: Still Invisible (ASiB) || Too Visible (THoB) || Invisible Once More (TRF)

Left by lifeonmars (M, 45,153 w., 9 Ch. || Magical Realism, BAMF!John, Slow Burn) – John Watson is left-handed. He’s tried not to let it affect his life, but as any Lefty knows, that’s almost impossible.

Out There by DiscordantWords (T, 131,695 w., 10 Ch. || X-Files Fusion || Past Soldier John, Panic Attacks, POV Alternating Present Tense, Anxious John, Canon Adjacent, Deductions, Obsessive Sherlock,, Travelling, Sherlock’s Family, Jealous Sherlock, Mind Palace John, Awkward Flirting, Kidnapped/Abducted John, Semi-Reverse Reichenbach, Worried/Anxious Sherlock, Hospital, Slow Burn, UST, Case Fic, Government Conspiracy, Aliens, UFOs, Mutants, Mutual Pining, First Kiss, Coma John, Forehead Touching, Hand Holding, Drinking/Bars, Past Jolto) – FBI Special Agent John Watson, medical doctor and army veteran, is assigned to assist eccentric genius Sherlock Holmes with paranormal investigations on the X-Files project.

How to Build a Heart out of Ashes by Teumessian (E, 144,931 w., 31 Ch. || Changeling AU || Slow Burn, Drug Use, Mentions of Child Abuse / Bullying, Mentions of Student/Teacher Relations, Uni-Age) – In an AU where a small number of the population become Changelings at a young age, at 17 John Watson believes he's destined for Normal life but then the Change takes him and he is sent to the Baker Institute. There he meets Sherlock Holmes.

MARKED FOR LATER

(I Love You) Infinitely by helloliriels (T, 20,072+ w., 14/16 Ch. || WiP || Marvel Cinematic Universe AU || Post-TRF, Post Infinity War, Not Endgame-Compliant, Super Humans, Happy Ending) – With a snap of his fingers, Thanos had caused the heartache and loss of half a planet's population. And Watson, of all people could have kissed the glove that did so. Part 2 of the Liriels Chaptered Fics series

Trenchcoats and Capes by jomochi (T, 35,275 w., 3 Ch. || Superhero AU || UST/URT, Mutually Unrequited, Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn, Love Confessions, Secret Identity, Hero John) – He’s twirling a strand of hair around the finger of his other hand. His coat, which honestly looks more like a cape than anything, is spread out beneath him. His chest rises and falls slowly with calm breaths, the tight black material of his suit stretching to accommodate the movement. John has seen many pictures of him but not one did him any justice. The sight before John is breath-taking. It isn’t right. Evil shouldn’t look this good.

The Alchemystics by elwinglyre (E, 69,014 w., 16 Ch. || Full Metal Alchemist Omegaverse AU || Non-Traditional ABO Dynamics, Major Character Injury, Angst, Human Transmutation) – Since youth, Sherlock was forced to hide who he was from the world. That time has ended. With the world torn apart, he must embrace who and what he is: an alchemystic and an omega. Fortunately, he finds another, John Watson, who is a true compliment to himself. With Watson’s help, Sherlock strives to obtain what’s needed to right the world. But the past, present and future aren’t aligning, and what is needed to succeed comes at a high cost: for to gain, something of equal value must be lost--that is Alchemy's First Law of Equivalent Exchange. No one knows this lesson better than Sherlock. He’s lost his father, his brother and his arm attempting to bring his mother back from the dead. What will he need to sacrifice to save the world?

The Destruction of Ice by All_I_need (E, 91,682 w., 28 Ch. || Psy - Changeling Crossover/Fusion || Changeling John, Psy Sherlock, Murder Investigation / Case Fic, Slow Burn, Touching, Forced Lack of Emotion, Silence Protocol, Sci-Fi Elements) – The year is 2081 and Sherlock Holmes never expected to encounter a threat to his Silence, the conditioning that keeps him sane and unfeeling. John Watson, on the other hand, never thought he'd find a flat in London. He certainly didn't expect to find one that comes with a Psy flatmate: brilliant, emotionless and more intriguing than John would like. When a series of brutal, random murders shakes London to its core, it is up to them to stop a vicious psychopath - preferably before Sherlock's latest experiment gets them both killed.

A Vintage Exceptionally to Your Liking by EmmyAngua (E, 95,334 w., 19 Ch. || Alternate Dimensions AU || S3 Fix It, Lies, Angst, Pining Sherlock, Superpowers, Domestics, BAMF Mary, Hiatus, First Time, Magical Realism, Slow Burn, Colliding Universes, Moral Dilemmas, Betrayal, Mary’s Past) – Sherlock and John met seven years earlier than canon and fell in love. When John dies, Sherlock is introduced to the concept of alternate dimensions and given the opportunity to visit a different universe where he can have a second chance with a new John Watson. A love story across alternate dimensions.

[skylarinfinity]

thanos : i am inevitable [snap his fingers]

male reader : uno [holding golden reverse uno card]

[thanos slowly turn into a dust]

tony : [looking at male reader with jaw drop] holy shit male reader, you're a genius!

tags lists @sonicqaulan @graysonfriggason @thebettermaximofftwins @sloanalistair @acienthazard @starlinggoldeneyes @ortegaolsen @wednesdaywanda @sandwichmarvel @gardenofmarvel @wanda-cabin-natasha-jacket @panandinpain0 @badblondebisexualboy

[film-in-my-soul]

No Better Version of Me

Fandom: Captain America

Pairing: James “Bucky” Barnes/Steve Rogers

Rating: T

Word Count: 26,839

Chapter(s): 3/3

Summary: Like Steve’s got a shooting star fused to his pulse (and hell, it just might be), he makes a wish.

Thanos is stopped from making the snap. But just because Steve managed to save everyone else, it doesn't mean he can save himself.

Writing by @film-in-my-soul | ReformedTsundere

Art by @koreanrage | koreanrage

Done for the @stuckybangs's 2024 Reverse Bang

[thesoulsofthedarned]

Omg It’s Name Day :D

Wait what do you mean the storm-

AND WHAT DO YOU MEAN AVGUST WENT MISSING?!

[missvelvetsstuff]

The Wrong One

Steve Rogers x Reader, Bucky Barnes x Reader

Reader meets Steve while he's on the run and sticks by him, thick or thin. Until he sees Peggy Carter again.

5. Reversal

Warnings: swearing, angst

When Scott Lang showed up at the compound, almost a year after her miscarriage, Y/N was starting to think she might be pregnant since she had some symptoms but she didn't want to tell Steve yet and get his hopes up. A home pregnancy test the next day came up positive but she wanted to wait for a blood test. She was able to get in to see the doctor while Steve and the team were working on their plan to reverse the snap, Y/N was having blood drawn and an ultrasound.

With the blood test results and ultrasound picture in hand, she headed towards the compound from Stark Tower. When she was halfway home she saw an explosion, then another and she knew it was at the compound. As much as she wanted to go make sure Steve was ok, she knew she would only be a liability and didn't want to risk the new life she carried, so pulled over at a diner and watched from afar.

As she watched, she heard birds and saw people appearing out of nowhere and she realized whatever the plan was must have worked. That gave her hope but the ongoing fighting meant something must have gone wrong. She knew Thanos was dead but someone wasn't happy about the Avengers activities.

When the activity seemed to have calmed down she tried to call Steve, then Nat but both went to voicemail so she left them both a message and ordered a lite dinner. She ate then waited for Steve to call while watching the news with everyone else in the diner.

Once the diner closed she still hadn't heard from either of them and was unsure of what she should do. She decided to get a room at the motel near the diner and hope to hear from Steve. Thankfully the time on the run had her in the habit of keeping a go bag in the trunk of her car.

She slept fitfully, her worry for Steve crept into her dreams and every time she woke, she checked her phone to make sure that she hadn't missed any calls or messages.

In the morning, after the expected bout of sickness, she showered and went back to the diner. While she ate a light breakfast at the diner she decided that she should just go to the compound to find out what happened.

Her stomach fell as she approached, the place looked totalled, and her eyes filled with tears because she couldn't imagine everyone had survived the fight that caused that kind of damage to the buildings.

There was a group of well armed agents at the front entrance who checked her id against a list of names before opening the gate manually and allowing her in.

She drove past what was left of the Avengers residence and saw Steve talking to a crying Pepper with Bruce and Clint nearby both red eyed. Bucky and Sam were arguing about something stupid.

Y/N felt her heart pounding out of her chest at the sight of her fiance and quickly pulled over. She was so anxious and excited that she fumbled with the door before she stumbled out and called his name.

Steve looked up and felt some relief that she was ok but realised that he hadn't thought about her once since early the day before. Between the fight and seeing her, his mind had been distracted. He felt a little guilty but couldn't get Peggy out of his mind.

Y/N walked over to him as quickly as she could, getting around the debris that was everywhere, and practically threw herself at him. She felt more tears and wondered when she would run out.

Steve hugged her back but she noticed how tense he was and pulled away

"Steve? Are you alright? I've been so worried, what happened?" She looked around, smiling at Sam and Bucky "Whatever you guys did must have worked"

Steve nodded, still tense "Yeah, it worked but we lost Tony and Nat."

She pulled him close again "Oh Steve, I'm so sorry." The tears fell down her face, she had become good friends with Nat over the last 5 years. She didn't know Tony as well but she liked him and thought of the family he left behind.

Steve squeezed her and felt a few tears fall down his face before he pulled back. "Need to find a place to stay tonight, Pepper said you can stay at the cabin with her and Morgan but it's not safe for you here." He kissed her on the top of her head and walked away.

"Steve! Wait. Where are you going to stay? Why don't you come with me?" She didn't mean to whine but she was feeling very insecure and afraid to let him out of her sight.

He turned around and smiled "I'm sorry sweetheart but we need to secure any sensitive materials here and it's too dangerous for you. I'll call you." And he was gone.

Y/N went to the cabin with Pepper and helped take care of Morgan. She didn't know her very well but tried to be supportive and what she thought she would need if she ever lost Steve. She also helped clean and held Peppers hand while she made arrangements for a memorial.

She didn't hear from Steve until a few days later when he came up to the cabin for Tony's memorial which fed into her insecurities. He was still obviously tense but she shrugged it off as repressed emotions over the loss of his friends. They stood next to each other but felt miles apart. She tried to grab his hand to hold but he pulled away every time so she wrapped her arms around her waist in a weak attempt to comfort herself.

As everyone talked and ate she stood apart, not feeling like she was really part of the family and not wanting to intrude on their grief. Her morning sickness didn't limit itself to the morning so between that, the anxiety and grief, she couldn't eat. She found a seat in the shade on the outside of the crowd and sipped on a bottle of water.

Bucky noticed that Y/N wasn't with Steve, who was talking to Sam and Clint, so went to make sure she was ok. He wondered if Steve had told her anything about the last few days but doubted it. The whole time they had been working on cleaning up the compound Steve hadn't shut up about seeing Peggy.

Bucky had tried to ask him about Y/N, the woman that had been by his side for the past 6 years but Steve just brushed him off.

After looking for a good 15 minutes, Bucky found her, sitting by herself. "Hey Y/N. Are you alright all by yourself here?"

She gave him a strained smile "Of course. I don't really know anyone very well and Steve seems to be fine without me." and stood up "I was thinking about going to lay down for a bit, I've had a headache since I woke up."

Bucky looked concerned "Can I get you anything? I can see if Pepper has something for the pain."

She shook her head and looked at him sadly "No but thank you for checking on me, Bucky. I doubt he will notice but if Steve asks I'm in the cabin."

"Why wouldn't he notice, doll?"

She shrugged "I don't know, he seems distant. I'm sure it's grief." And headed inside.

Steve didn't notice and that night Bucky asked him about it as they set up a temporary camp in some of the rooms of one of the older buildings but Steve blew him off, insisting it was nothing. They talked for a couple of hours before crashing around midnight.

Y/N woke up when the sunlight came through the guest room window and hit her face. She smiled in the light before she remembered the last few days and the smile fell. Steve had practically been ignoring her since Scott showed up at the compound.

She shook off the bad feelings and told herself it would be a good day. Maybe she would have some alone time with Steve and could tell him the news. Pepper had figured it out already thanks to morning sickness but she promised to keep it to herself.

Y/N thought maybe her and Steve could talk about plans for the future. Maybe finally get married. She got up and took a hot shower after her stomach calmed down, then went to make breakfast for Pepper and Morgan.

After they ate she went looking for Steve and found him dressed in a quantum suit, getting ready to return the infinity stones.

She called out to him and he looked surprised when he saw her there. "Hey, Y/N, I didn't expect to see you this morning."

She smiled at him "I know things have been crazy but I was hoping we could spend some time together after you return the stones."

Steve kissed the top of her head then pulled away to look at her, he examined her face "You know I love you, right sweetheart?"

She giggled nervously, unsure of the look in his eyes "Of course I do, I've just missed you."

Steve looked away "I know, just let me finish this last thing. I promise we'll spend some time together." and stepped up onto the platform when Bruce was ready.

She smiled at Bucky who looked uncomfortable as Steve disappeared and didn't return when Bruce called his time. Bruce was panicking until Bucky pointed over at an old man sitting on a bench by the lake.

Sam turned to look at Y/N, then the old man with concerned eyes.

Y/N looked where Bucky was pointing and furrowed her brow at the older man. She felt her heart stop and started shaking her head, whispering

"Nnnoo, no. It can't... Hhheee wouldn't...." She looked to Bucky, her eyes filling with tears and begging him to tell her it wasn't what it looked like but he just shook his head sadly before looking at the ground.

Steve walked up to her "Hey sweetheart."

She looked at him in horror, feeling like she couldn't breathe. "Steve? What did you do? What's going on? Why...."

The words caught in her throat, it was obvious what happened but she didn't want to believe what she was seeing.

The heartbreak was washed away by anger and she clenched her fists so hard her nails dug into her palms..

Her voice rose "Answer me, Steve? What the fuck did you do?"

Steve stepped towards her and tried to take her hands but she pulled away from him "Sweetheart, I-"

She snapped "Stop calling me that dammit! What did you do?"

He looked at her sadly "I went back to where I belong. To the love I lost when I dove into the ice all those years ago. I've sacrificed so much, I deserved that much."

She started picking at her fingernails before she looked at him "Peggy Carter." She stayed coldly "After more than five years together you went back for a woman you kissed once?"

Her voice went higher "I went on the run to be with you, followed you all over the earth. I became a fugitive for you! And after all that you leave me for a woman you kissed once decades ago?

What about What I deserve, huh?

You Fucking Bastard. Don't look for any forgiveness here. I hate you Steve Rogers."

He reached for her again and she backed up then stumbled on some tree roots, making a soft "Oof" when her backside hit the ground. After a moment she scrambled up and looked around to gain her bearings. She saw Steve talking to Sam and shook her head again before turning around and breaking into a run until she found her car. She clumsily tried to open the car door, cursing as she sobbed until she finally opened the door and slid in. She saw Sam striding towards her and quickly started the engine, throwing it into gear before peeling out and away from the compound. Away From Steve.

Sam stopped when she pulled away, shaking his head as he walked towards Bucky. "I'm guessing Steve didn't tell her?"

Bucky shrugged "I thought he did but it sure didn't look like it. Maybe we should give her some space and call her later."

Both men tried to call her, even asked Pepper to try but Y/N never answered their calls or texts and less than a week later her cel number was disconnected and they lost her.

Chapter 6

[fanficimagery]

Once a Weirdo, Always a Weirdo

After finding yourself in a normal living situation, HYDRA has to go and ruin it by targeting the local school for outcasts and weirdos.

Words: 8K Author's Note: I take no credit for Reader's rant towards the Avengers. It all belongs to Marcel Gerard of The Originals. Wednesday AU where *SPOILERS* Tyler's Hyde was never activated and Miss Thornhill doesn't work at Nevermore. Also, it's canon that Xavier falls fast and it's no different here lol.

At the Avengers Compound, you sit on a barstool at the bar and watch as all the superheroes and their scientist friends continue to mingle even after all the paparazzi have left. You had been summoned to attend an event for some good publicity after helping reverse Thanos' snap, and to be honest you would rather be anywhere else but here.

When they had first brought you and your brother in, you'd been ecstatic to leave behind all the experimentation and poking and prodding some evil organization put you through. You'd gone in a normal teenage girl and came out a weapon who had no control over her abilities. The Avengers took the both of you in, shielding your identities from the government and even the papers, and helped you adjust to everyday living.

But just when you thought you had found a group of people who could understand you and possibly keep you company, you realized they merely thought of you and your brother as children who needed training here and there. Invitations to hang out or even to just talk were brushed aside, and you only ever got to spend time with the older superheroes when they needed your help.

Losing your brother during a mission you never should have been on was strike one, ignoring your cries for help after his death was strike two, and being pushed to the back burner yet again even after you did a lot of the work in helping them defeat Thanos is strike three. So, when the superheroes all laugh at some stupid joke Tony Stark no doubt has just told them, you down the rest of your Cherry Coke and decide to finally take a stand.

Walking towards the central core group of Avengers, you pull your compound clearance badge out from your back pocket and toss it on the glass coffee table that's in the middle of the group. Talking and laughter ceases, and everyone glances at you. "I'm out." You say.

As you turn to walk away, Tony huffs and draws your attention back. "What do you mean you're out?"

"It means exactly what you think, Stark. I quit. I'm done."

"You can't just quit."

"And why not?" Against your will, your eyes start to fill with tears and Tony's jaw drops in surprise. The tension thickens as you glance between every so-called Avenger. "I've done everything that you have asked of me. And for what?"

"Excuse me?" Tony asks, offended you'd say such a thing.

"I joined your stupid team," you say, glancing between him and Steve. "I left what little friends I managed to make in the dust because that's what you all needed."

"YN…" Natasha softly calls out to you and you stare at her with your bottom lip trembling.

"I fought for Earth. I kept Peter breathing," you cry, angrily swiping at your tears as your emotions finally bubble over. Then glancing at Doctor Strange, you sneer at him. "I even kept Ebony Maw from piercing your cold… black… heart. I did everything!"

"Sweetheart…" Bucky takes a step towards you in hopes of calming you down, but you take a step back with a shake of your head.

"Anyone who's not an official Avenger is nothing to any of you. Nothing."

"That's not true." Peter Parker steps forward then, his earnest expression giving you pause. "YN, you are an Avenger. You're my- you're my friend. You're one of the best of us."

"No, I'm not." You take a step back. "Not anymore."

As you turn to walk away, no one utters a word.

No one dares to interrupt you when you're packing your bags, and no one stops you when you walk out the front door.

Only when you're outside the compound gates do you allow yourself to exhale in relief, but that relief is short-lived when you realize you have no idea where you're going to go.

"Oy vey," you mutter. You really should have thought this through more.

Six Months Later

When you'd left the Avengers, you thought you'd travel the states for a while before you found a place to settle in. Instead, you found yourself in a small town by the name of Jericho that was only a few hours away from where you left and found a little Bed and Breakfast whose owner gave you a deal for a semi-permanent room when she found out you had no family and no place to go. All she asked in return was that you help her out since she was getting up there in age and couldn't move like she used you. You easily agreed.

For a half a year, you never strayed too far from Josie's B&B. The older woman was surprised you knew your way around leaky faucets and could replace the inner workings of a toilet, and you nearly gave her a heart attack when she found you on the roof replacing missing shingles, so the ceiling didn't leak when it rained.

The B&B didn't get many visitors, but you noticed an uptick in people willing to stay there after you started tackling the overgrown lawn and making the place look more inviting.

"I'm heading out," you tell Josie one morning. "Do you need anything?"

"No, my dear. I'm fine."

"Well, I have my phone on me. If you need anything, just call. I'll pick it up on the way home."

Home.

You never thought you'd have a home again, but that's exactly what Josie's given you. And if her pleased little smile is anything to go by whenever you refer to the B&B as home, she knows it too.

"Alright. I'll see you later."

Jericho is such a picturesque little town that it never ceases to amaze you when you walk around town. You've wandered around every now and then, but you always kept to yourself. The only place you did visit was Weathervane Cafe, but only during the nighttime hours when most locals would be safely tucked away in their homes.

The cafe is the exact place you're heading to this morning, though, intent on getting a hot cup of coffee and a breakfast sandwich.

When the bell jingles upon your entrance, the barista glances up from the book he'd been reading.

"Hey!" Tyler, who you'd gotten to know a bit since you started visiting, smiles as you walk up to the counter. "You're here early. You want your usual?"

"My usual coffee, yes," you say while taking a seat on a stool by the front counter. "And can I have a breakfast sandwich?"

"Sure. Coming right up."

It doesn't take Tyler long to get your order ready and you're surprised when he joins you at the counter with his own sandwich. Then again, there was only two other people in the cafe and Tyler obviously wasn't busy.

"So, what brings you in this morning?" He asks.

"Hunger." You take a bite out of your egg, ham, and cheese sandwich, groaning in delight as you cross your eyes. Tyler huffs in amusement, watching you wash the food down with a careful sip of coffee. "And I just wanted to get out. Stretch the legs, y'know?"

"Yeah. How's Josie?"

"Josie's good." You eat a bit more, wiping the crumbs away from the corner of your mouth. "She's enjoying the B&B now that people are booking her rooms."

"None of that wouldn't have happened if it weren't for you."

You shrug. "Maybe." You eat the last of your sandwich, frowning when there's no more. They really needed to make their sandwiches bigger. "Hey, can I have another?" You ask him.

"Sure." Tyler chuckles as he quickly finishes off his sandwich, moving back behind the counter to grab you another one.

When he hands it over, you happily dig in while he refreshes your coffee.

You're halfway through with your sandwich when Tyler's wiping down the counter and the bell above the door jingles. You watch as Tyler glances up and don't even need to turn around to know who it is. Tyler's smile tells you all you need to know.

"You're here earlier than normal."

"Hello, Wednesday," you muse. She takes a seat to your left and you smile at her. Her deadpan expressions were something that threw you off when you first met the girl, but you grew accustomed to her sometimes-morbid humor and the odd threats here and there. "What brings you in?"

"Coffee."

"Her boyfriend," the person to your right says at the same time. You turn towards the voice, surprised to see another guy around the same age as Wednesday and Tyler. When he gets a good look at you, he seems to sit a little straighter while running a hand nervously through his shoulder length hair. "Uh, hi. I'm Xavier."

Your lips twitch while you give him a quick little nod. "YN." Then looking at Tyler, you ask, "Can you get me Josie's special to go please?"

"Sure."

"Why are you here?" Wednesday asks.

"Hunger and fresh air. Why are you? Shouldn't you be in class, young lady?"

Wednesday's eyes roll. "We're the same age."

You chuckle and then Xavier's drawing your attention once more. "I'm sorry, but are you new here? I've never seen you around before."

"I got in a few months ago. I just prefer to wander when the moon's out, but I was extra hungry this morning."

"She's totally a vampire," Wednesday says.

And while you find amusement in her words, Xavier's eyes widen as he apparently takes her seriously. "She's joking. See?" You flash him your teeth. "No pointy teeth in sight."

Before either of your companions can say anything, someone passes behind you with a scoff. You glance over your shoulder to find an older woman sneering at Wednesday and Xavier, and then turns a softer look towards you. "You wouldn't want to be hanging out with the likes of them, dearie. There's lots of weirdos around here thanks to that freaky school who allows them out and about."

Your eyes subtly narrow as you turn on your stool, plastering on the most condescending smile you can. "Ma'am, I am the weirdo." She frowns at you, and you quickly lean forward, snapping your teeth at her. She gasps and dramatically backpedals away from you, and you roll your eyes while turning back around. Tyler is shaking his head in amusement at you. "What?"

"You're a menace." He pushes forward Josie's usual order and you take out a twenty to cover both your and Josie's breakfast, then shoving a ten into the tip jar. "Thanks."

"No problem." Taking one last gulp of your coffee, you grab up Josie's order and then stand. "Well, it was nice meeting you Xavier," you smile at him. Then glancing at your friends, you say, "Tyler, I'll see you next time. Wednesday…" you trail off, grinning, "don't make anyone cry before lunch time."

"No promises."

You laugh as you take your leave, heading back towards Josie's. You've had enough socializing for the day.

On rare occasions, Josie likes to leave the B&B and walk around Jericho. Even more so now that she has you to escort her around. The locals are happy to see her, even if they have to paste on smiles for you. Apparently, your little confrontation with Mrs. Clementine inside Weathervane was hot gossip for a couple of days and now everyone was quite skeptical of you.

You're walking down Main Street with Josie's arm hooked through yours when she stops you in front of a salon. She stares up at the salon name, lips pursed.

You stare at her, softly grinning. "Are you looking to change things up, Josie?"

"Yes. I believe I am." You see her reach up with her other hand, lightly touching at her salt and pepper colored hair. "I'm thinking of a new color and cut."

"Well, you deserve to pamper yourself. The B&B has been doing great."

"It's all thanks to you, dearie." Josie looks at you, patting your hand with a smile. "Now why don't you go hang out with that Tyler boy while you wait for me. It'll take a while."

"Yes, ma'am."

You escort Josie inside the salon, making sure she's taken care of before you leave her alone. Then walking back outside, you head towards Weathervane Cafe to bother Tyler. Only before you get there, you nearly run into Xavier as you turn the corner. His hands loosely wrap around your biceps, trying to steer you to the side as he immediately apologizes.

He glances at you and then does a double take, and you grin. "Xavier."

"YN." He slowly smiles, letting his hands fall away to sheepishly tuck away in the pockets of his jacket. "This is twice in one week. Tyler said it's rare you're out in public."

"Tyler said, huh?" You ask, arching an eyebrow. "Been asking about me, have you?"

"Maybe." His lips twitch in amusement. He glances around and sees you're alone. "Are you grabbing lunch this time?"

"I was just going to annoy Tyler, but I think I can eat. I just dropped off Josie at the salon, so I have hours to kill."

"Cool. Do you, uh, do you want some company?"

"Sure. Let's grab a burger somewhere and then take it to Weathervane. I like the atmosphere there best."

Side by side, you and Xavier head towards the only diner on Main Street to buy your lunch, and you can't help but chuckle whenever you glance up at him. You knew he was tall, but the height difference between the two of you is very obvious when you're this close to one another.

The two of you get the same thing- a cheeseburger and fries- and take it to go.

At Weathervane Cafe, you and Xavier take a seat in a booth near the door and wave at Tyler when he notices you're there. The two of you unpack your food, splitting the ketchup packets and then digging in.

"So, YN…" Xavier muses. "Why Jericho?"

You take a bite of your burger, chewing thoughtfully. "It was just supposed to be a pitstop," you settle for saying.

"Oh? Where were you supposed to settle then?"

"Anywhere." You shrug. Xavier meets your gaze then, chewing slowly. You say, "I was staying in Upstate New York for the last few years. These people had taken me in and… I don't know. It just felt like I overstayed my welcome with them or something, so I left."

"You left?"

"Mhm. I for sure thought I'd end up traveling further, but I stopped by Josie's B&B to figure out my next direction, and I just never left. I think Josie realized I had no home, so she gave me one. I'll never be able to fully repay her for it."

"I don't know about that," he muses. "I'm pretty sure Josie was only months away from shutting down the B&B, but then you walked into her life and completely transformed the place. I don't think any of us have seen her as happy as she is now."

You blush at his slight praise, and he grins. You busy yourself with your food before asking, "So Nevermore Academy? What year are you in?"

He seems to perk up a little, probably happy that you're interested to talk about his schooling rather than putting the place down. "My last year, actually. I'm pretty bummed I'll have to leave soon. I'm hoping the principal offers me a teaching position for the art program."

"You any good?" You wonder.

Xavier huffs and turns to open the bag on the seat next to him, pulling out a sketchpad. He sets it atop the table and quickly flips through the pages until he lands on one of his sketches.

And wow. He really can draw.

On the page is a charcoal drawing of who you assume is a group of his friends (you're only assuming they're his friends because the uniforms are a bit of a dead giveaway, plus Wednesday is there so yeah) sitting around a concrete fountain. "Oh wow. Xavier, this is amazing."

You study the sketch a bit more and when you look up at him, you fight off a grin at his reddening ears and neck. "It's nothing."

"You're talented. Own it." He huffs and eats a bit more since he doesn't know what to say. "Now I just want to get this out of the way, so don't think I'm digging or poking fun or…"

"Go on."

"Nevermore Academy." Xavier grins, wondering when you were going to bring it up. "Is it really a school for gifted children or are the locals just a bunch of assholes?"

"Are you really asking me that after you just rolled with the punches when Wednesday called you a vampire the other day?"

You shrug. "If aliens and deities exist, why can't vampires and werewolves and other beings?"

"Fair enough." He takes a sip of his drink to clear his throat. "Nevermore is a school for outcasts. There are vampires, werewolves, sirens, psychics, and people with other special abilities."

"Cool." You smile and toss a fry into your mouth.

Xavier, however, stares at you in shock. "Cool? That's all you have to say? You're not even going to ask what I am or what I can do?"

"If you want to tell me, you'll tell me on your own time." He can only blink at you while you continue eating. You watch as he carefully tries to read your expression, gauging your reaction to what you just learned. Then he glances around to make sure no one is paying him any attention before holding his hand out over his sketchpad. His eyes close and you frown, and then sudden movement on the paper catches your attention. You gasp as you stare at the sketch that's now come to life- his friends on page, with the exception of Wednesday, laughing at something that had been said. "Xavier," you then breathe in awe. You chance a look at his face, his eyes now open as he sheepishly smiles. "You're amazing, you know that?"

He chuckles. "It's just a moving picture. I can actually bring animals and insects to life to where they crawl off the page, but I didn't want to freak you out."

"You'll have to show me one day," you say.

"Yeah. I will."

You and Xavier continue to talk even after your food is gone, and he ends up buying pastries for dessert. Tyler joins you every now and then when he doesn't have a customer to tend to, and before you know it Josie is entering Weathervane Cafe to show off her new do.

Gone is the salt and pepper hair that fell to her mid-back in a low ponytail.

Now, she sports an edgy bob with an undercut and her hair dyed platinum with just a hint of purple at the ends.

Your eyes widen. "Josie?!"

She beams at you. "Do you like it?"

You gape and Xavier chuckles. "I- I love it! Are you kidding me?! You look great."

"Stop it." She laughs, bashfully waving off your words.

"She's right, Miss Josie," Xavier says. "You look great."

Josie glances at him, eyes lighting up. "Ah, young Mr. Thorpe! Hello there. You were not the boy I was expecting YN to bother."

"Josie," you grumble.

She laughs at you. "I'm only teasing, dear." She winks at you, and you quietly whine in embarrassment. "Anyway, I just thought I'd let you know that I have plans right now so you're free to do as you please."

"Are you sure? I can always-"

"It's a date, dearie. I doubt you want to chaperone Mr. Sinclair and I."

You're back to gaping and you only snap out of it when you see her glance out the window. Outside is who you assume is Mr. Sinclair, a handsome man in his late sixties and is beaming and waving at Josie. "Oh. Go Josie," you then cheer her on for bagging a handsome one.

Xavier snorts as she lightly swats the back of your head. "He's too old for you." You laugh and she wrinkles her nose, chuckling with you. Then, "Well I should get going. Have fun you two."

"Bye, Josie," you and Xavier muse. As Josie takes her leave, you notice a pep in her step as Mr. Sinclair meets her halfway and leads her to his car.

"Huh. Who knew a haircut could bring forth all the confidence in the world out in her."

"See? I told you," Xavier says. "You gave her a new outlook on life. You don't have to repay her for anything. The two of you are good for one another."

You shake your head at his words, watching Josie laugh in the passenger seat of the car. "Maybe."

"No maybes about it." You huff with a roll of your eyes before glancing over to meet his gaze. "Now come on. I hear there's a fair going on. Let's go see what hideous stuffed animals we can win."

Though you continue to claim that you're not a social being, Josie finds herself hiding her smiles whenever Xavier shows up to see if you're free to hang out. More and more you find yourself roaming the town of Jericho with the boy, hoping that your slight attraction to him stays just that. A slight attraction.

But the more time you spend with him, you knew it was going to be a losing battle.

His smile was far too adorable to not completely fall for.

Then one night, after having dinner at an Italian bistro, Xavier's chuckling over how full you are. You pushed it when you had dessert and now he's laughing at your pain.

"Why didn't you stop me?" You moan, pulling a beanie down atop your head.

"I did! I told you to stop."

"Should've tried harder."

Xavier waits until you're settled before offering you his arm, and you're quick to hook your arm through his and practically lean all your weight against him as you walk down the sidewalk. You're moaning and groaning, and he's more than content to listen to you whine.

"I'm never eating dessert again."

"No?"

"Nope."

"But what if it's cheesecake and has that strawberry glaze you seem so fond of?" You open your mouth to retort but let it snap shut a moment later. "Or chocolate covered strawberries?" You groan a little. "Or-"

"Okay! I get it." You pout as he smirks down at you. "I'm a sucker for desserts. It's just my choice in dates that's apparently abysmal. What kind of lousy date doesn't stop me from overeating?"

Xavier's quietness surpasses a moment longer than usual, but before you can ask what's wrong, he asks, "Date? So, I wasn't reading too much into us?"

"Do you see me hanging out with any other guys?"

"Well, there is Tyler."

Your eyes roll. "As if I'd want to get on the bad side of Wednesday." Xavier huffs a laugh as you press into his side, knocking him off balance. "And besides, he's not my type."

"That's good to know."

"I'm sure it is." You mockingly tease him.

The streets of Jericho are quiet, locals coming and going from their own nights out on the town. You're about to turn the corner of one of the streets when the screaming starts, slowing you and Xavier. The two of you tense and look around, backpedaling a few steps when you see people running.

Then gunfire rings out.

"Get down!" Xavier pushes you towards a car, ducking behind it. "What the hell is going on?" He wonders while peeking over the trunk.

"I don't know."

Though your heart is beating rapidly, and you don't want to deal with whatever is going on, you know you need to get to the bottom of whatever is happening. As long as you've stayed in Jericho, nothing has ever happened that would make you out yourself. Now, however, you're not so sure you can walk away from tonight with your secret intact.

With the lull of gunfire, you slowly crawl out from behind your hiding place.

"What are you doing?! Get back here!"

"No. I need- I need to see," you say. Glancing over your shoulder, you meet Xavier's wild gaze. "Trust me."

"YN-"

Not letting him finish, you hurriedly make your way behind another car on Main Street. Xavier is quick to follow, staying close to your side. People start screaming again, glass shatters, and more people run off. The glass windows to Weathervane Cafe have been completely shattered and you see a handful of men in dark clothing and face masks milling about.

"Shit. They have Kent and Divina," Xavier mumbles. And sure enough when you look, you see that two men have each knocked out individual tossed over a shoulder as they walk out.

There are some older locals that get caught in the streets, but after being looked over, they're threatened to keep moving.

"Nevermore students," you realize. "They're taking Nevermore students."

"But why?"

You frown as the militarized men bind the students, placing a metal contraption over each of their mouths. One of the men turns just right and the emblazoned logo on the side of his helmet makes your stomach drop. "Fuck, fuck, fuck. This isn't good," you mumble.

"What?"

"Xavier, every student at Nevermore is gifted. What are Kent and Divina's gifts?"

"They're, uh, they're Scales. Sirens."

Sirens. Hydra just got their hands on two sirens! 

"You need to get back to the school."

"What? Why?"

"Xavier, just trust me." Your hand reaches for the necklace that you rarely bring out from under your shirt, the miniature arc reactor hanging rather innocently from a silver chain as you yank it off. When you squeeze the arc reactor between your thumb and forefinger, it glows blue and you're quick to shove it into his hands. "Take this and get back to the school as soon as you can. Tell your teacher there's a dangerous threat and they found out about the gifted teenagers. Lock the school down."

"What are you-"

You reach for Xavier's face, grasping his face between your hands and pulling him in for a kiss. You linger there for a few seconds before pulling back, gaze darting between his eyes as you watch him try to catch up. "Go. The necklace is an SOS beacon. When the good guys arrive, give them my name. Tell them Hydra's taking gifted children. They'll help protect the school."

"W-What are you?" He asks.

Smiling sadly, you tuck the left side of his hair behind his hair. "I used to be a superhero. Now I'm just… lost."

"YN-"

You quickly peck his lips once more, grinning softly. "Go. I'll explain everything later."

"What are you going to do?"

"Distract them." A small explosion has you and Xavier ducking even lower. "Go, Xavier! Get back to the school now. Protect your friends."

Another explosion sounds, sending debris raining down over you and Xavier.

Xavier falls to his stomach, watching the feet of scurrying people on the other side of the vehicle you're hiding behind. But when he glances back for you, you're gone. He wildly glances around only to find that you're nowhere in sight.

"Well shit."

. . . .

Xavier bursts into Principal Weems' office, panting and heaving and shrugging off the hands of coach Vlad.

"Mr. Thorpe!" Weems stands tall, aghast at the behavior of her usually well-behaved student. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Lock… lock down the school," he says. "Jericho- it's under attack."

"What?"

"Lock the school down!" He then shouts. He shrugs off coach Vlad's hands when he tries to restrain him again. "Kent and Divina have been taken. They're targeting Nevermore students. You need to gather everyone somewhere safe and lock the school down!"

Principal Weems looks to coach Vlad, eyes widened, before addressing Xavier again. "Are you sure?"

"Pretty damn sure. I saw it with my own two eyes. They sedated Kent and Divina, bound and gagged them, and threw them into the back of a van. Other Jericho locals got caught, but after a quick look over, they were released. They were also setting off bombs and shooting up Main Street."

"Vlad, gather the teachers and round up the students. I want a head count of who's here and a list of names of those missing. I'll contact the sheriff."

"Done."

Xavier's left alone with Weems, and he stumbles forward, showing her the necklace before she can reach for the phone. "There's one more thing."

Her eyes land on the pulsing blue light. "What is that?"

"Emergency beacon. My… friend activated it. She said the good guys will come here and that we needed to explain that Hydra is taking gifted children. She said they'd protect the school."

"Do you trust her?"

Xavier takes a moment to think on it before he nods. "Yeah. Yeah, I do."

"Okay then. Gather the archery team and anyone capable of handling a bow. Get those with telekinesis while you're at it. We'll leave the sheriff's department to handle Main Street and hopefully these good guys will be here soon. We'll hold off any threat until then."

"Yes, ma'am."

Xavier rushes off to do as he's been told, finding his friends along the way. He finds Tyler with Wednesday and Enid, and fills them in about what he's seen. They're shocked and Tyler hurriedly gets his dad on the phone to let him know he was okay.

They find Bianca and Yoko, and the two girls are livid when they realize their friends have been taken. Enid rushes to find Ajax and Wednesday grabs Eugene by the back of his shirt to drag him along with the group.

Coach Vlad and a few other professors are directing students to the main dining hall, urging the older students to barricade windows. Xavier picks out those who can help defend the school and has them load up quivers with arrows to prepare for a fight.

Principal Weems takes those prepared to defend Nevermore out front, and everyone spreads out. The evening is eerily quiet so it's easy to hear anything out of the norm. So, when a sudden whooshing sound gets louder and louder, everyone tenses and looks upward.

"What is that?" Bianca asks, silver eyes scanning the sky.

"I'm not sure." Xavier's eyes dart all across the sky, his gaze catching something glinting. "There!"

But just as everyone pinpoints what he's seen, the object lands right in front of them.

It's Iron Man.

"Holy shit," Eugene utters. "Iron Man!?"

"Uhhh…" Iron Man's face mask dissolves, and Tony Stark frowns at the assembled group of teenagers and a handful of adults. "I gotta be honest. I'm at a complete loss here."

"YN." Xavier blurts and Tony's gaze immediately zeroes in on him. "YN said you could help."

"Help with what, kid?"

He digs the emergency beacon out of his jeans' pocket, showing him. "W-We were on a date and Hydra attacked Main Street. They took two of my classmates and were setting off bombs! She thinks they're coming here."

"Okay. Time-out." Tony gives the universal gesture for a time-out. "You were on a date with YN?"

Wednesday, Tyler, Enid, Bianca, and Ajax all look at Xavier and he blushes under everyone's stare. "So not the point right now, Mr. Stark."

"Right. You're right," he smirks. "We'll talk later." And then glancing at Principal Weems, he asks, "You in charge?"

"I am." She smooths down the invisible wrinkles in her skirt, clasping her hands in front of her. "I am the principal here at Nevermore Academy."

"Alright, so care to share with the class why Hydra would be taking your students?"

"Nevermore Academy is home to children with… special talents," she settles for saying.

"Mhm. Just how special are we talking?"

"The two students they've taken so far are sirens," Xavier says. "They have the gift of persuasion."

"So, in other words, Hydra's got their hands on two future weapons. Any other talents they'd be after?"

"We have vampires, werewolves, gorgons, psychics, and students with other special talents," Principal Weems says.

"To someone like Hydra, it's like Christmas has come early." Tony sighs and taps at his ear. "Park the jet and meet me out front. It's a school and Hydra has their eye on it."

Everyone stands around in a tense filled silence until around the back of the school, Captain America, Hawkeye, Black Widow, the Winter Soldier, and Spiderman all jog forward.

Tyler watches everyone in fascination before leaning towards Xavier. "YN knows Avengers?"

"Apparently."

When all the adults are gathered, Captain America takes over. He speaks plainly with Principal Weems, telling her all she needs to know. Hydra has a habit of kidnapping people, torturing them until they break, and then wiping their minds clean to make the ultimate weapon. They had been in possession of a stone that would give certain individuals powers, but ever since they lost that stone there's been chatter that they'd moved on to finding children with powers already in order to mold them in their favor. And up until now, Hydra hadn't made a move.

Enid suddenly perks up, brushing her hair behind her ear. Glancing towards the main road leading up to the school, she says, "We have company. Several vehicles are heading this way." All the Avengers glance at Enid, wondering how she could possibly know that when she flicks her nails, letting them turn into talons.

"Cool!" Spiderman exclaims.

Enid beams at him while the other Avengers shake their heads at him in fond amusement.

One, two, three- a total of seven Humvees roll up outside of the school gates, but only one is brave enough to drive their Humvee through the gate to knock it down.

"Here we go again," Tony mutters right before his mask covers his face once more.

Individual after individual unload from the Humvees, weapons grasped in hands.

"That's alien tech," Clint says.

"Of course, it is," Bucky utters.

"Bianca." Principal Weems beckons the girl forward. "If you will." She gestures towards the oncoming threat and the younger girl nods.

Stepping forward, Bianca takes off her necklace before inhaling deeply. She can feel her vocal cords slightly vibrating as she says, "Stop."

But the men merely chuckle, one of them tapping at his ear. "Not gonna work on us, girlie."

She blinks in surprise and Xavier quickly tugs his friend behind him.

"Sirens, get inside the school," Principal Weems says. "Hide."

Five students break off from the group, rushing back towards the school. The Hydra men chuckle, shrugging as if that were no big deal. As if they'd get to them sooner or later.

"The Avengers are an obstacle, but it is an obstacle we'll overcome," the Hydra goon in charge says. "Gentlemen, take your aim."

Weapons on both sides are raised, but just as Hydra pull their triggers, another individual is landing in front of the Avengers and Nevermore students.

"YN?!"

Hands and eyes glowing red, you raise your arms in front of you to shield the barrage of bullets and energy beams that had been let loose. You're panting and heaving and have to blink blood out of your eye from a gash above your eyebrow.

When Hydra ceases their attack, you lower your arms with a sneer. "Did you really think it was going to be that simple? You made a mistake coming after my friends."

"Little witch," Hydra goon number one coos. "You're coming with us with all this is said and done."

"Like hell I am. My mind is my own now and Hydra will never make me do their dirty work again."

"You say that now."

Before you can shield yourself again, a bullet catches you in the shoulder. The force of the bullet sends you whirling back with a yelp and then a piercing howl rips through the air.

The sound of gunfire and energy beams fill the air, as well as shouts from Captain America for the kids to get inside the school. Hands steady you and when you glance upward, Xavier is staring down at you with wide eyes.

"What are you?"

The question comes from your left and see Wednesday staring curiously at you. "I. Am. Pissed. Off."

Ripping yourself out of Xavier's hands, you turn around and throw up a shimmering red shield between the two groups. Then marching forward, you start tossing energy ball after energy ball at the Hydra goons, uncaring if they're knocked unconscious or dead. Your feet start glowing and with one large stomp, a wave of red energy shoots outward in front of you to knock the Hydra men off their feet.

"Enough!" They immediately try climbing back to their feet and you wrap red energy around them. Squeezing your hand shut makes the energy wrap tighter around them, and you only let up when a hand falls onto your shoulder.

"That's enough, YN. We'll take it from here."

You can hear voices telling you to stop, but your blood is running hot. After the confrontation on Main Street and getting knocked around, being shot, and having Hydra get beyond the gates of Nevermore, you're absolutely livid.

"YN, stop! You're killing them."

Words aren't registering and the gathered Avengers and Nevermore students shift uneasily.

Xavier doesn't like the expressions the Avengers are starting to sport, glancing at each other warily and having an unspoken conversation, so he takes matters into his own hands. He boldly rushes in front of you, hands grasping your face before he's leaning down to press his lips to yours.

"Ho-lee shit."

Xavier keeps his mouth pressed to yours, turning you little by little until your back is to the Hydra men, and he only lets up when he feels your hands fist into his shirt near his waist. Slightly pulling back, he keeps his face close to yours as you try to catch your breath. "Are you back with me?" He murmurs.

You gulp. "Mhm."

"Good. You scared us there at the end."

"Xavier?" You blink slowly.

"Yeah?"

"I don't feel so-" But you never get to finish your sentence because your eyes roll into the back of your head and your body goes limp.

"Shit." Xavier easily catches you. "I need some help over here."

The Winter Soldier steps forward, and it takes everything in Xavier to not shrink back at the intimidating man. He passes YN over to him and the Winter Soldier easily hoists her into his arms. "That bullet needs to come out," he grumbles.

"The infirmary." Principal Weems steps forward then. "We can take care of her there."

"Show me."

Principal Weems nods and then looks over her students. "Children, with me. Let the Avengers do their job in peace."

Everyone follows Weems towards the dining hall, but Xavier, Wednesday and Tyler follow her and the Winter Soldier to the infirmary to keep an eye on their friend.

A consistent beeping wakes you and your eyelids flutter open. You groan at the brightness of the room and then groan again when you attempt to roll over and your entire body aches.

"Easy. Easy," a voice soothes. You turn towards the sound of the voice and are surprised to find Xavier sitting there. "Welcome back. You've been out for a few days. It's probably why you feel like shit."

You grimace as you raise your hands to rub at your eyes. "What happened?"

"You got shot and lost a lot of blood while you demolished those Hydra guys."

You wince. "You saw that, huh?"

"Oh yeah."

"I'm sorry."

"For?"

"Not telling you about me."

Xavier chuckles as he leans forward in his seat, reaching for your hand. "You're a complete badass. Why would you be scared to tell me you could do all that?"

You shrug and then glance around the room you're in. "Can I have some water?" Xavier quickly finds a pitcher of water, pouring some into a cup for you. He helps you drink a few sips and then lets you lay back down. "What do you already know?"

"Just that you used to be an Avenger. Spiderman, the Winter Soldier, Black Widow and Hawkeye were really worried about you."

You smile softly before it slowly falls. "They rescued me and my brother from Hydra," you tell him. "We were orphans Hydra had kidnapped off the streets. They pumped us full of serums and then made us hold a glowing stone that eventually gave us our powers."

"A stone gave you powers?"

"Yeah. We were one hundred percent normal until Hydra got their hands on us. They used to say my brother was fast and I was weird. I guess I'll never outgrow that label now. Once a weirdo, always a weirdo, I guess."

Xavier huffs a laugh, his smile slowly falling at something you said. "Your brother was fast?"

"Oh. Uh, yeah. He had super speed. When the Avengers took us in, they showed us how to be the good guys. We were on a mission and my brother sacrificed himself to save Hawkeye and a child."

"I'm sorry."

"Thank you. I kind of lost myself after he died, and I never really found my way back. The Avengers were supposed to be a family, and they are, but it was a family I didn't quite fit in with. The only time they really acknowledged me was when they needed something. I couldn't live like that anymore."

"So, you came to Jericho."

"Technically I was just passing through," you tiredly muse. "But then I met Josie, then Tyler and Wednesday, and finally you. This place is the first place that's felt like home since my brother died."

"Well hopefully Jericho continues to feel like home. They really did a number on Main Street."

"Yeah. That was partially my fault," you guiltily admit. "I got a little carried away flinging the bad guys around and trying to catch their bombs in order to lessen the damage." Xavier chuckles as you wince. "Is everyone okay though? Your friends?"

"Everyone's good," he assures you. "The Avengers think they came here looking for the sirens specifically, but they were no match for you. You're scary when you're pissed off."

You laugh and then groan, pulling your hand from his to lightly swat at him. "Don't make me laugh."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Xavier smiles as he leans forward, capturing your hand once more to press a kiss to the back of it. "Now do you think you're up for some company? Principal Weems would like to speak with you. As well as the Winter Soldier and Spiderman."

Your nose wrinkles. "They the only ones that stayed behind?"

"Yeah. The second Iron Man and Captain America started talking over the merits of training the Nevermore students, Hawkeye and the Black Widow marched them out and told them to not stick their noses in a school that was perfectly functional without government supervision."

"Good." You manage to fight off a wince as you sit up, groaning only a little. "As grateful as I am that they rescued me, they are not the greatest mentors. I would advise anyone with stars in their eyes for the Avengers to really do their research before committing to become a superhero."

"I think the only ones who were super impressed by their presence were Eugene and Ajax. You have nothing to worry about," Xavier tells you.

He ends up calling a nurse and she situates your bed so that you can properly sit up. Then after adjusting the blanket over your lap and getting you another cup of water, Xavier leaves to retrieve your guests and Nevermore's principal.

The tallest woman you've ever laid eyes on walks in behind Xavier, and you have to remind yourself that it's not polite to gape. But something in your expression must show your awe because when you glance at Bucky, he's smirking at you.

"I am going to make this quick and simple so that you may converse with your friends and get back to resting," Principal Weems says. Her no nonsense attitude makes it so you can only nod at her. "I thank you for keeping my students safe. Nevermore Academy will always welcome you should you find yourself in need of a place to go."

"T-Thank you."

Principal Weems smiles at you and then glances at Xavier. "Mr. Thorpe, classes start back up in five minutes. Do not be late."

"I won't." Principal Weems takes her leave and then Xavier glances down at you, eyes wide. "Shit! I have to go. I'm so sorry."

You grin at him. "No worries. I'm not going anywhere it seems."

"Mhm. Yeah." Uncaring for the two Avengers at his back, he rushes forward and gently grasps your face between his hands. The kiss is short and chaste, but makes you blush nonetheless. "I'll see you after classes are done for the day."

"See you." You watch as he collects his purple and black striped blazer from the chair he'd been sitting in earlier, quickly donning it before grabbing up his bag and practically running from the room. When you glance at Bucky and Peter (who quickly lets his face mask dissolve as soon as Xavier is out of the room), your eyes narrow at him. "Not a word."

"Look at you," Bucky muses. "You leave us and you get yourself a boyfriend."

Your head falls back a little as you quietly groan. "I didn't plan to. It just... happened."

Bucky takes Xavier's vacated seat and Peter sits on the edge of your bed. "How did you even find this place?" Peter asks a little too excitedly. "This school is crazy!"

You shrug. "I only knew about it because of Wednesday. She told me the school's name, but I never knew it was a school for gifted individuals. I only found out that fun fact after I started talking to Xavier."

"And Xavier's the boyfriend?" Bucky asks.

"He's… something," you say. At both their knowing expressions, you sigh. "We've been hanging out, but tonight was the first time we really called it a date. Then Hydra got kidnap happy and you saw how that ended."

"Yeah. He totally kissed you to bring you out of your murderous rampage." Peter huffs in amusement. "You're lucky Clint didn't stay behind. He kept looking at that Xavier guy distrustfully and mumbling about teenage boys and hormones. Natasha had to remind him you actually weren't a kid anymore."

"Clint's a good guy, but if he tries to pull the dad card, I'm kicking his ass."

"Fair enough." Bucky continues to stare at you until you squirm under his gaze. Eventually, he asks, "Are you happy here?"

"Yeah."

"You find what you were looking for?"

You can't help but smile. "Yeah. I did."

"Good."

You smile at him and then look at Peter who looks close to bursting. "Anything else, Petey?"

"Can you introduce me to the gorgons?" He blurts. "I really want to meet one!"

"You're going to have to wait on that, unfortunately," you say. "I only know Xavier, Tyler, and Wednesday."

"And what are they?"

"Tyler's a normie, as far as I know. I'm not sure what Wednesday is because I've never asked, but Xavier can draw something on a piece of paper and then bring it to life. It's so cool."

Peter deflates just a little. "Well, if you get to know a gorgon, can you introduce me then?"

"Sure, Petey."

"Yessss."

Bucky shakes his head at the teenaged Avenger before looking back at you. "Well now that we know you're good, we should be going. We've all got paperwork to complete and Hydra to interrogate."

You grimace at him. "Have fun with that."

"I will."

Bucky and Peter both hug you before they leave, and then when you're left alone you settle back down in the bed.

You're sure your other friends have questions after witnessing what they did, but that's a problem for another day. Right now, you need rest. And food. But Xavier will most likely bring that later.

Until then, you were going back to sleep.

[could-they-be-a-pro-wrestler]

EVENT POLL: 30-MAN ROYAL RUMBLE FOR FICTIONAL CHARACTERS TIME! (part 6)

[mimisempai]

Take a chance on us

Tony wakes up in a hotel room with a hangover.

First observation: he is not naked.

Second observation: he is not alone.

Third observation: he can't remember anything he did the night before.

But why is he wearing a wedding ring?

Sometimes things are not what they seem...

Notes

This is only my second fanfiction for Loki/Tony, and watching Infinity War and Endgame, I wanted to see them happy, both of them and start a series of one-shots about their relationship.

On AO3

6257 words - Rating G

The first thing Tony noticed when he woke up was that his head felt like it had been pierced by a drill and his stomach was yo-yoing.

Despite his closed eyes, he could feel that it was daylight, but he didn't dare open them right away for fear of aggravating his headache. He tried to collect his thoughts, but had absolutely no recollection of what had happened the night before.

At least he was still dressed.

He tried to recall the events of the previous night and suddenly remembered some parts.

Thor's bachelor party.

He and Jane were supposed to get married on Asgard, but Tony had insisted that he at least experience it the human way.

That's how Thor, Loki, Bruce and Rhodey had ended up in Las Vegas, all paid for by Tony for two days and one night.

So what happened between last night and this morning?

Finally deciding to be brave, Tony slowly opened his eyes, letting them slowly adjust to the light. Recognizing the hotel room, he carefully slid to the top of the bed and just as carefully sat against the headboard.

It was then that he realized he wasn't alone in the bed.

His heartbeat quickened slightly as he turned very slowly to avoid aggravating his headache. At first, all he saw was a figure wrapped in the white sheet. For a moment, he hoped it was Rhodey. After all, it wouldn't be the first time he spent the night with his best friend. But the long locks of black hair peeking out from under the sheet quickly proved him wrong. 

This hair could only belong to one person.

Loki.

What had happened last night?

It was then that his stomach decided to rebel, preventing him from further assessing the situation and forcing him to run to the bathroom.  A few minutes later, as he refreshed his face and his thoughts with large gulps of water, Tony reflected on the situation.

Loki was in his bed.

He had spent the night with Loki.

Him and Loki.

In the same bed.

His forbidden dream.

Quite a twist of fate.

Of course, he'd often thought about it. 

Not at first, of course.

After all, Loki was the god who had thrown him out the window, so you couldn't blame Tony for being a little wary, even if Loki had been a big help against Thanos.

But in an unexpected way, the god of mischief had wormed his way into Tony's heart.

After Thanos, they had all taken new paths, their perspectives had changed.

Against all odds, Tony had survived, though his right arm and the right side of his face bore the marks of using the stones to reverse Thanos' snap. 

His greatest fear finally gone, he had left the Avengers to the younger members under the supervision of Captain Marvel. He occasionally lent a hand as a freelance Iron Man, but he preferred to stay in his workshop in the Tower and devote himself to his inventions. Finally, he could do what he loved without the sword of Damocles hanging over his head. Pepper, who had remained SI's CEO, and he had broken up for good; they were better friends than lovers, and she had realized she couldn't change him. 

Thor, for his part, had matured and taken responsibility for Asgard, preparing to take his place on the throne vacated by Odin, aided by Frigga's wise counsel, and to marry Jane. 

He had actively campaigned for Loki's forgiveness on both Asgard and Earth. This, Tony's testimony, and Loki's actions during the final battle had convinced people of the god of mischief's sincerity, and Loki now acted as an intermediary between Earth and Asgard to coordinate a space defense in case of future attack.

When he came to Earth as part of his new role, Loki lived in Stark Tower, and so he and Tony became so close that Loki would come even when he had no diplomatic reason to do so. 

"Boss, Loki just entered the tower."

"I don't remember him having a meeting today."

"He doesn't."

Tony put down his tools, wiped his hands on his jeans, and mostly ignored the feeling of eagerness he felt.

"Loki asked if he could join you here."

Tony looked at his current project and sighed at the thought of having to stop.

"Tell him he can come."

Moments later, Loki walked through the workshop door. 

Okay, Tony had to admit it, Loki in Midgardian garb was a sight for sore eyes. 

Of course, Tony was only thinking that because he appreciated beautiful things.

There was absolutely no other reason behind these incongruous thoughts.

"Hey Lokes, what brings you here?"

"I just felt like visiting a friend."

"A friend? Oh, you mean me?"

Loki laughed softly.

"Who else, Stark?"

Tony put his hands on his hips and countered, "If we're friends, why don't you start calling me by my first name?"

"Anthony?"

Tony wanted to refuse; only his mother had ever called him that, and the memory it brought back was sometimes painful. But... there was something heartwarming about hearing it in Loki's deep, warm voice.

He nodded, "If that's what you want. Or Tony. The choice is yours."

Loki sat down on the workshop couch and asked, "So, Anthony, what are you working on?"

That was all Tony needed, and he launched into a detailed explanation of what he was creating. He stopped after a few minutes when he saw Loki's amused expression and asked, "Am I boring you? I'm sorry, I've said too much again."

He turned to his workbench and looked a little dejected. He was used to it. There were few people who could stand to listen to him talk about what he was passionate about, and even fewer who understood him. It had been a long time since he had accepted that, but coming from Loki, he didn't know why, it stung a little.

He heard Loki stand up and felt a hand on his shoulder, "Hey, you're not boring me. I was just amused by your excitement. So go on, show me."

Tony asked, "Are you sure? Don't force yourself just because you feel sorry for me."

Loki came to stand in front of him and replied with a raised eyebrow, "Since when do I do things I don't want to?"

It had only been the first of many times since. Sometimes Loki would join in, sometimes he would watch, sometimes he would read when he saw Tony needed quiet. 

It was only natural for Tony to develop deeper feelings for Loki, but he had always refused to give in to them. 

Tony had no family left and counted his friends on the fingers of one hand. The idea of risking his precious friendship with Loki for something that probably wouldn't last had kept him from crossing the line. He was too used to relationships being cut short because people inevitably left him. So he wasn't going to risk losing Loki that way, and he'd locked his feelings deep inside his heart, never to think about them again.

Until now.

Closing his eyes, he tried to remember what had happened the day before, and most importantly, why Loki was in his bed. A few fragments came back to him, like flashes, but nothing that would allow him to reconstruct the end of the evening. 

Staggering a little, he emerged from the bathroom to find that Loki had not changed position and seemed to be sleeping as soundly as before.

Feeling his heart racing, Tony thought he'd better find something to ease his headache first so he could think with a clear head. He looked around the hotel room and found his bag, thinking that with any luck he'd have something to ease his pain. He rummaged through every pocket, and sure enough, in the last one he found a half-full blister of Advil.

He took a tablet and returned to the bathroom to swallow it with a sip of water. On his way back to the bedroom, he heard his cell phone vibrate. He quickly grabbed it, glanced at the bed to make sure the noise hadn't woken Loki, and then turned on the screen to see that he had several notifications.

Rhodey

Tony, buddy, are you all right?

Received 11:00 p.m.

Rhodey

No answer? 

How much have you had to drink? 

Received 11:15 p.m.

They'd spent the evening together so why was Rhodey asking him that?

Rhodey

I'm starting to get worried. 

Call me as soon as you get this message!

Received at 11:30 p.m.

Bruce

So boys, are you enjoying yourselves? 

How's the wedding night going? 😏

Received 01:30 am

Bruce

Rhodey doesn't believe me, 

you better come to breakfast 

before he comes kicking down 

your bedroom door!

Received at 9:30 a.m.

Rhodey

Tell me Bruce is kidding!

Received at 9:35 a.m.

Tony read each of the messages with growing confusion, and only understood their meaning when he opened Bruce's last message, which contained a single picture that made him gasp in shock.

He and Loki were holding hands and smiling broadly in front of what appeared to be the altar of some kind of chapel. The banner above their heads left no doubt as to what had just happened.

Congratulations on your wedding!

Without thinking, Tony stood up, grabbed his jacket and bag, and left the room without looking back. He wasn't one to run from problems and had always faced them head on. But to discover that he'd married one of his best friends, the object of his fantasies, and not remember it at all, was too much to face, with a hangover to boot.

In the hallway, he leaned against the wall and breathlessly dialed the number of the only person who could help him.

" Rhodey?"

"Tony, for God's sake! Where are you?"

Tony breathed a sigh of relief as his friend's voice continued: "What happened?"

If only he knew.  But sensing the concern in his friend's voice, Tony simply replied, "It would take too long to tell you over the phone. Where are you?"

"We're at the breakfast table in the downstairs dining room."

"We?"

"Me and Bruce."

"And Thor?"

"Looking for his brother."

Not having the strength to take on several people, he asked Rhodey, "Can I see you alone?"

Rhodey must have said something to Bruce because Tony could hear whispers but couldn't make out the words. Rhodey spoke again, "Meet me at my bedroom door on the sixth floor."

"Yeah, I remember that," Tony muttered.

"All right then. See you then."

Tony slipped the phone into his pocket and headed for the elevator. When he reached the hallway where his friend's room was, he saw Rhodey waiting for him at the door. He quickened his pace to join him and when he was in front of him, he said, "Rhodey, I think I've screwed up." 

Rhodey just looked at him and nodded, then replied enigmatically: "Only time will tell."

The two friends entered Rhodey's room in silence, and once inside, still in silence, they sat for a few moments without saying a word. Then Tony, now that he had calmed down, realized his state. He was wearing his clothes from the night before and probably smelled of alcohol, if not something worse. 

A little embarrassed, he says weakly, "Before we start, can I... can I take a shower? I feel awful."

Rhodey nodded gently and said, "Go ahead. And if, as I think, you haven't swallowed anything yet, I'll have some coffee brought in for you."

On his way to the bathroom, Tony exclaimed, "You're the best!" 

With a look of disgust, he tossed his clothes into a corner and, after adjusting the water temperature, gleefully slipped under the steaming stream. The hot water seemed to wash away not only the dirt of the previous night, but also the remnants of his hangover.

He heard the bathroom door open and Rhodey said quietly, "I'll put some clean clothes on you at the sink."

Tony thanked him and finished his shower.

Once dry, as he put on the jeans and clean t-shirt Rhodey had brought him, he tried again to remember the night before. 

But everything was still such a blur.

Tony remembered in detail what they had done, their time at the slot machines, his talk with the manager because Thor had been hitting the buttons with the same force as his hammer, the fact that Loki had had to be moved away from the roulette wheel because he had used magic to make it stop on the right number.

Then Tony remembered the restaurant and finally the nightclub where he and Loki had laughed at Rhodey as he tried to give Bruce and Thor a sense of rhythm on the dance floor.

He also remembered that they had shared several drinks.

Now he remembered Loki's gentle smile and the gleam of mischief in his eyes as he tried to use magic to upset his brother's balance.

He remembered the heat in the club that had driven him to consume gin and tonic after gin and tonic, unaware of the devastating effects of that alcoholic beverage. After the third, everything in his head became very hazy. 

He had another flash of Loki's hand on his and reflexively lifted it to look at it. 

He gasped as he realized it was wearing a ring.

A wedding ring.

He had never worn a wedding ring before.

He had to make sure.

After hastily dressing, he left the bathroom and, ignoring Rhodey, went to his phone. He reopened Bruce's latest message and pressed on the photo, zooming in on his and Loki's entwined hands.

There was no doubt about it.

Loki was wearing a ring as well.

He murmured, "So it really happened..." 

Rhodey asked worriedly, holding out a cup of coffee: "Are you all right, Tony?" 

Tony took the cup, sat down on the sofa and replied, running his hand over his face, "Honestly, I don't know... do you... do you know anything?"

Rhodey shook his head, "I know what Bruce and Thor told me, and the... picture."

Tony took a sip of coffee and sighed, "Damn! I was really hoping this was a joke, but this..." he pointed to the ring on his left hand before continuing, "and what you're telling me confirms that it really happened.

"You really did marry Loki," Rhodey declared bluntly.

Tony took another sip of his coffee.

"I don't know what to do, Rhodey... This is so messed up."

Rhodey replied barely audibly, "...is it that bad?"

Tony, not sure if he had heard what his friend had just said, asked, "What?"

Rhodey shook his head, "Nothing...were you able to talk to Loki?"

Tony bit his lip and replied, "No, I ran away. I'm such a loser." 

He let his head fall into his hands as Rhodey put a hand on his shoulders and said quietly, "I don't know what to tell you.... I'm not in your situation. But running away, Tony... can you imagine him waking up in your room? And besides, he might not remember anything."

Lifting his head, Tony sighed again, "Yeah, I know. Besides, we're all going home in the same car later. I know I'll have to face him sometime. I just wish I could remember how we got there."

Rhodey insisted, "That's why you need to go back and talk to Loki."

Tony nodded and stood up, "You're right, it's not like me to run away like this."

"And yet..." Rhodey replied in one breath.

"What?" asked Tony confused.

"Forget it. Go now."

"Yeah, I'll go right now, maybe I can soften the blow."

Just as he was about to step through the elevator door, he heard Rhodey's voice calling out to him, "Tony, wait! I just got a message from Bruce, Loki is with him and Thor in the dining room downstairs.

As he spoke, his friend joined him and they entered the elevator together. A little later, they sat at the table in a somewhat awkward silence until Rhodey scolded Bruce, "I don't understand why you didn't stop them!"

Bruce smiled and sarcastically replied, "First of all, they're adults, and secondly, I thought they were so cute, and thirdly, by the time I saw them, it was already too late."

"But Bruce! They were drunk!" 

They all gasped as Thor slammed his fist down on the table.

Loki and Tony exchanged glances, a little annoyed that they were talking about them when they were right there.

Apparently Tony had had enough, because he intervened: "We're here, so stop arguing about nothing. Now that it's done, let's deal with it like adults. I'm sure this isn't the first time something like this has happened here, so we'll work it out."

Tony caught Rhodey's eyes on the two of them and saw that he had the same expression on his face that he had every time there was talk of ending the marriage. 

As if he disapproved.

Bruce spoke up: "As far as the law is concerned, you shouldn't have too much trouble getting this marriage annulled. You were drunk, so you were technically incapable of giving valid consent in the eyes of the law. "

He turned to Thor: "See, it's not that dramatic after all."

Thor growled, shook his head, then Rhodey replied, still with the same strange look, "Okay, so we just need to get the papers, and when we get home, you can get the marriage annulled."

Hearing Rhodey say those words made things more real and Tony tried to ignore the pang of regret he felt in his heart.

But he had no reason to. Even if there had been something between him and Loki, Tony was far from ready for such a commitment. But the question didn't even arise.

There was nothing and there never would be.

He glanced at Loki and was surprised to see his friend look at him strangely before quickly looking away.

Rhodey stood up and said, "Right, I'll go get the papers, you get your things ready and we'll meet at the car in two hours as planned."

Tony couldn't help but find Rhodey's tone particularly cold, but he figured he was probably imagining things. Besides, he still wasn't thinking clearly enough to analyze the whole thing. Bruce stood up: "I'll go with him. Since I was a witness, maybe I can help. Come on, Thor, it's your brother's business."

Tony and Loki looked at each other and laughed slightly at Bruce's lack of subtlety in leaving them alone.

When it was just the two of them, Tony reached for his cup to calm himself down and asked Loki softly, "Are you okay?"

Loki shook his head, "I feel like Mjolnir is constantly hitting my brain, but otherwise I'm fine."

Tony reached into his pocket and handed Loki an Advil tablet, but Loki shook his head and replied, "Nothing I can't cure myself."

Tony sheepishly replied, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have left like that this morning.

Loki shook his head again: "Honestly, I don't think I would have reacted any differently if I had woken up first. You know what really happened yesterday?"

Tony replied even more embarrassed: "I don't remember anything after my third gin and tonic."

Loki replied, "Me neither. When I try to remember, it's a black hole. I guess we'll never really know the end of that story."

Tony sighed, "I suppose."

A silence fell between them, neither of them able to fill it. Tony's throat tightened as he felt he'd lost the connection he had with Loki. Unable to bear the tense silence between them, he drained his cup of coffee in one gulp and stood up.

"Well, I'm going to my room to rest and pack. See you later."

He didn't wait for Loki's answer and was getting ready to leave when he heard his friend calling softly, "Hey, Tony..."

Tony turned immediately, unable to stop himself from feeling a little bit of hope rising in his heart.

"Yeah?" 

"Is that..." Loki paused, then shook his head before continuing, "No, forget it, it's not worth it."

Tony asked, confused, "Are you sure?"

Loki nodded, "Yes, yes, don't worry."

Disappointed, Tony turned on his heel and left the dining room for good. 

Everything went as Rhodey had planned.

Thor and Loki returned to Asgard together, and Loki returned some time later to finalize the annulment at a notary's office.

The process didn't take long.

Two signatures and that was it.

No more marriage.

As if nothing had ever happened.

Loki and Tony exchanged a few words on the steps of the notary's office. But the complicity they had before all this was gone. They greeted each other awkwardly, promising to see each other again soon, but both knowing full well that this would not be the case.

Everything had changed.

Tony watched Loki walk away for a long time, hoping he would turn around. But the god never did. He couldn't stop his throat from tightening at the thought of what might have been, while the envelope of annulment papers in his hand was a stark reminder that it was too late.

So he turned around and went home.

Alone.

**********

Time had passed since the annulment.

Weeks turned into days, then months.

Loki no longer came unannounced.

He only stayed when he had official meetings, and then only as long as was absolutely necessary.

Most of the time, Tony shut himself away in his workshop, because the sight of Loki and what he had lost was one loss too many that he didn't want to face.                               

So life went on, because that was who Tony was, moving on no matter what. 

His circle of friends hadn't grown, and he could always count on his pillars, Rhodey, Bruce and Pepper.

The only ones who knew everything about him, even his regrets.

The only ones who supported him in everything he did and never judged him.

Just like today.

They were both there with him.

It was their eyes he first met when he heard the first note of the wedding march echo through the church. Bruce winked in encouragement and Rhodey gave him a thumbs up. Tony took a deep breath, tightened his bow tie, smoothed his jacket, and looked from his friends to the crowd.

He couldn't help but smile inwardly at the strange distribution of people in the church. On his side, with no family left and very few friends, there was no one but his two best friends and a few colleagues. On the other side was a crowd of people he didn't know. 

His eyes continued to wander and fell on the woman who had just come through the door on her father's arm.

Pepper. Beautiful in her white dress, she smiled softly and looked happy.

He watched her walk down the center aisle until she stopped in front of him. She kissed her father before he symbolically gave Tony his daughter's hand with a friendly nod.

Tony and Pepper then stood facing the priest, who addressed the crowd: "My friends, we are all gathered here today to celebrate the union of Pepper and Tony."

As the priest seated them for his sermon, Tony's mind was filled with memories he thought he'd never find again.

Loki stumbled as he rose from the booth and Tony, also staggering, got up to help him walk, "Come on, I'll walk you back to your room."

Arm in arm as best they could, they exited the hotel nightclub and headed for the elevator when Tony suddenly exclaimed, "Oh look, a chapel, it says they get married at all hours of the day and night!"

Loki laughed, "You want to get married?"

Tony, staggering, replied, "Don't laugh at me. I've been dreaming of becoming Anthony Stark Laufeyson ever since I met you."

Loki chuckled again, "Me, I want to be Loki Stark. It's much classier."

This time it was Tony who laughed, "Pfff, let's be Loki and Anthony Stark Laufeyson of Midgard."

They both burst out laughing, then Loki said in a challenging tone, "I dare you to marry me, Anthony Stark." 

Tony held his gaze, took his hand and led him into the chapel, then stopped because Loki tugged at his hand and, looking surprisingly sober, said, "Tony, promise me that tomorrow you won't have forgotten anything. 

Tony stepped forward, took Loki's face in his hands, planted a soft kiss on his lips, and said in a loud voice, "I promise you won't forget anything either."

But in the end, they had both forgotten.

And now it was much too late.

"Stand up, please."

Tony was jolted from his thoughts by the priest's voice and stood with everyone else.

"We will now proceed with the exchange of consents. Pepper, Tony, please hold hands."

Pepper's warm hand grasped his and the priest turned to her, "Pepper, do you take this man, Tony, to be your husband, to live together in marriage, will you love him, comfort him, honor him and keep him, in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy, as long as you both shall live?"

Pepper took a small breath and answered in a clear, strong voice, "No."

Tony heard the crowd gasp, echoing his own gasp.

"Pepper...?" 

She looked at him, still smiling, "Tony... look around..."

"But... what... what are you..."

Pepper, whose smile never left her lips, repeated insistently, "Look around, please.

Tony could only obey and turned around. He couldn't hold in another gasp.

The church was empty.

No one was there. 

Even Rhodey and Bruce were gone.

When he turned back to Pepper and the priest, they were gone too. Only he and she remained.

Shocked, he asked Pepper: "But why? I don't understand. What's going on?"

Pepper raised her white-gloved hand and gently touched Tony's cheek, saying softly, "Tony, you don't belong here. This isn't your place. We've had our time, we've loved each other, we've been happy, but it's time for you to take your chance.  Your happiness lies elsewhere, and deep in your heart you'll remember that."

Stunned, Tony tried to intervene: "But, Pepper... I..."

Pepper shook her head and added, "You'll remember... Go away, Tony, and be happy without regret. Don't be afraid... it's all right, I'm happy and now it's your turn."

She leaned forward and said softly, "Close your eyes now."  Throat tight, he obeyed and Pepper whispered in his ear, "Go to him," then he felt a brush against his cheek and a final whisper, "Open your eyes now."

He heard Bruce's and Rhodey's voices echo, telling him the same words in turn.

"Open your eyes now."

Suddenly, Tony opened his eyes and he was no longer in the church.

It was night and he was in bed. 

He looked around and reality began to unfold before him.

He murmured, stunned, "Was it... was it a dream?"

The hotel, the wedding, Loki, Rhodey, Bruce and even Pepper.

All of it! A dream?

Tony sat on the edge of the bed and thought, remembering his dream. 

So he realized the biggest inconsistency.

The fact that he had been drunk.

He'd been sober for several years.

Everything became clear.

He muttered to himself, "No wedding, no annulment, Loki and I are still friends. "

Even though it was only a dream, the feeling of loneliness he'd experienced when he didn't see Loki anymore was still alive in him. But luckily, it had only been a dream.

He muttered again, "But why did I have this dream?"

As soon as he asked himself that question, he knew exactly why. 

The dinner with Loki the night before.

**********

Tony left his workshop and took the elevator straight to his suite. 

Loki was staying at the Tower tonight and they had planned to spend the evening together. 

Tony wanted to look presentable for dinner with his friend, with no ulterior motives of course.

He took a quick shower, changed into something casual but still stylish, and then headed downstairs to the living-dining room.

Once there, he couldn't stop himself from gasping.

The table was set for two, there were candles, the air was filled with a delicious scent, and the room was enveloped in soft music.

Seeing Loki leaning against the kitchen counter, Tony walked over to him and said, "Loki? What is it, why..."

Loki handed him a glass and took one for himself and said, "It's non-alcoholic. And to answer your question, I'm in the mood for a change."

"Change?"

Loki winked at him and replied, "Change is good sometimes, isn't it?"

He raised his glass and, approaching Tony's, said enigmatically, "To change."

Tony, a little confused, clinked his glass against Loki's anyway and repeated, "To change."

The evening passed pleasantly, with them chatting, debating and having fun as usual. The only change was that Loki touched him more often.

He grazed his hand when he served him, or his shoulder, or the small of his back when they finished the evening on the sofa, or when he walked toward him to the elevator. He also stood closer to Tony when they went upstairs to their bedrooms.

Again, when the elevator doors opened, Loki put his hand on Tony's lower back and walked him to his bedroom door.

Tony, a little unsettled, said in an amused tone, "Are you walking me home?"

Loki stood in front of him and said gently, "That's what people do, isn't it? After a date."

Tony swallowed before asking almost in a whisper, "A date? Was it a date?"

Loki leaned over and, resting his hand on Tony's cheek, said softly, "It is if you want it to be."

He closed the distance between them and pressed his lips to Tony's in a soft kiss.

Tony didn't really have time to react because Loki had already stepped back. He still had his hand on Tony's cheek, and caressing his cheek with his thumb, he said softly, "The change I was talking about is moving our relationship towards something more intimate. I know what I want, but I want you to take some time to think about it. I'll be waiting for your answer when you're ready." 

He ran his hand down Tony's cheek before saying in a low voice, "Good night, Anthony."

**********

Tony had stood on his doorstep for a long time, watching Loki walk away until he entered his room. Instinctively, he touched his lips before entering his suite. 

You didn't have to be Freud to know that his dream had been provoked by Loki's words and Tony's agitated brain. Before falling asleep, Tony had done nothing but think about Loki's words. He'd turned them over and over, thinking about the consequences, good and bad. Especially the bad ones.

As a result, his subconscious had produced this incredible dream. 

Fueled by his fear of committing again. 

Fueled by his fear of losing someone he loved.

Fueled by every flaw he knew he had.

Because he knew that this time, at least he felt it, he'd have a lot more to lose.

But wasn't it worth it?

Did he want to avoid, as in his dream, becoming permanently attached to Loki for fear of losing him?

Although he hadn't heard it that way in the dream, Tony imagined the exchange of consent if the marriage with Loki had taken place.

"Tony, do you take this man, Loki, to be your husband, to live together in marriage, will you love him, comfort him, honor him and keep him, in sickness and in health, in sorrow and in joy, as long as you both shall live?"

Tony had his answer.

Of course he wanted it all. 

With Loki.

What he had to lose if he didn't want to commit to Loki was greater than what he could lose if it didn't work out. After all they'd been through, separately and together. After all the tragedies they'd both been through.

After all the risks he knew.

It was like flying for the first time.

He'd already done it.

He'd already fallen.

He'd gotten up again.

"Yes, I want it all. I don't want to wait."

He got up, put on only his sweatpants, stormed out of his room and rushed to Loki's room.

He banged on the door.

"Loki, Loki, open up!"

He heard a rustling behind the door, which quickly opened to reveal a Loki who was obviously getting out of the shower.

"Anthony?"

The god then asked in a worried tone, "Are you all right?"

Tony swallowed, moved closer to him and grabbed his hands, words rushing to his lips: "I need to say something, but I might stutter, I might not make myself clear, and I..."

Loki interrupted, saying in a soothing voice, "Anthony... hey, easy... calm down. Breathe."

"Yeah, I'm breathing. Okay, I can do that."

Tony took a long breath and said, his voice thick with emotion, "I want you to be the most important person to me. I want to be the most important person to you. I want to be able to call you without pretext, without reason. I want to work hours in my workshop and have you looking at me or working with me or gently scolding me because I'm working too much. I want to do all the things I don't know yet that people do when they're together because I never took time to do it and I want it with you. I... I..." 

His throat tight with emotion, Tony had to stop. 

Suddenly, he found himself pressed against Loki's chest and the God of Mischief whispered into his hair, "I get it, Anthony. I get it."

Tony had his hands up and whispered against Loki's chest, "I want..."

"Yes?"

"I want to hold you back, can I?"

Loki murmured, "Go ahead. "

Tony put his hands on Loki's back and squeezed and squeezed and squeezed. Loki in turn squeezed him and whispered, "Yes, elskan min... yes..... "

Tony squeezed harder.

Loki whispered into his hair, "It's endless, isn't it? "

Tony nodded against Loki's chest. 

The god whispered into his hair, "Does that mean you're ready?" 

Tony, unable to speak, nodded again, and they remained entwined outside Loki's bedroom door for long minutes.

Then Loki gently pushed Tony aside and raised his hands to cradle his face before leaning in to press his lips to his. This time, the kiss lingered. The God of Mischief's fingers slid through Tony's hair, pulling him against him as he kissed him hungrily. They parted several times, only to reunite their mouths again and again, as if they hadn't had enough.

Which was probably the case.

When they finally parted long enough to catch their breath, forehead to forehead, panting, Loki murmured, his voice tight with emotion, "I know that you, like me, have weighed the pros and cons, and I also know that, like me, you have probably seen the cons first, because you and I are both gifted at considering the worst. But..."

"But the now is worth more than a future that isn't here yet."

Loki nodded, and now that he'd opened his heart, Tony was no longer afraid, so he eagerly wrapped his arms around Loki's waist, pulling him in turn to meet their lips again in another heated kiss that made the God of Mischief moan into his mouth.

They didn't even know how long it had been since they started kissing. Only when they felt they couldn't breathe did Loki slowly pull away, just enough for them to catch their breath once more.

They were panting, mouth to mouth, their breath warm and their hearts pounding, not just from the kiss they'd just shared, but from all the emotions that were running through them.

Then, as he dragged Tony into his room, Loki captured Tony's lips again, but this time the kiss, though filled with the same passion, was soft and slow, with none of the frenzy of the previous one. It was a kiss that celebrated the new nature of their relationship, rooted in their budding feelings for each other.

When they broke apart, Loki sat on the bed and pulled Tony between his legs. He wrapped his arms around his lover's waist and pressed his face against his belly as Tony leaned down to kiss his hair and locked his arms behind Loki's back.

Tony asked innocently, "Tell me, you had nothing to do with what I may have dreamed last night?"

Loki looked up, a look of genuine confusion on his face before he replied, "No, not at all. I don't even know what you were dreaming about. Why?"

Tony shook his head, "Nothing..."

Then, becoming serious again, he asked, "Loki, what do we do now?"

Loki let go of him and lay down on the bed, holding out his hands to Tony, who immediately came and snuggled into his embrace.

The god tightened his arms around Tony and murmured into his hair, "We live, Anthony. We live. We'll figure out the rest as we go."

Tony hummed against Loki's chest.

It suited him.

Who knew, maybe a part of his dream would come true and one day a ring would adorn both their fingers.

But the important thing was the now.

He and Loki.

The fragile beginning of something beautiful.

Because they had taken a chance on themselves. 

Because they had taken a chance on each other.

_________

Still not beta'd

Still not my native language

Still hoping you'll enjoy this story  🥰

Still thanking you for bearing with me 😝