#same with time loops because my brother in christ what do you MEAN the universe was so fed up with your pining bullshit it put you in hell

[andi-o-geyser]

god i love fanfic tropes. "ah yes the truth telling curse will only let you return to normal when you confess to your crush" says WHO. GOD?? THE AUTHOR?? BULLSHIT. MAKE THEM KISS ANYWAYS THOUGH

[kenzieam]

The Tutor - Chapter Two

Pairing: AU Bucky X Levi

Rating: M (my usual, lovelies)

Warnings: language, drama, angst, mentions of abuse

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@iammarylastar​​​​​​​​​​​ @captstefanbrandt​​​​​​​​​​​ @jewels2876​​​​​​​​​​​ @moonbeambucky​​​​​​​​​​​​ @badassbaker​​​​​​​​​​​ @everythingisoverrated​​​​​​​​​​​ @jeremyrennerfanxxxx123​​​​​​​​​​​ @oliviastan17​​​​​​​​​​ @igothroughphasesalot​​​​​​​​ @sashli​​​​​​​ @lorilane33​​​​​ @pinknerdpanda​​​​​

I KNOW I’M MISSING TAGS, PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANT IN

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Levi the jock needs help in high school and her twin brother, Steve, volunteers his newest friend, Bucky. Seemingly just to piss her off, Bucky accepts but soon realizes there’s more to the Levi than she lets the average spectator see.

There’s some definite movement in this chapter, my lovelies.... Enjoy!

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Word Count: 2700+

“Are you going to Clint’s Halloween party?” Levi asked, looking up from her notebook. Her grades had improved steadily in the last few weeks and she truly didn’t even need a tutor anymore, but neither she nor Bucky had brought this up. Their tutoring appointments had morphed into mutual study sessions that were an unspoken commitment; every day that Levi didn’t have some type of practice she and Bucky would wait for each other outside of school after last class and walk over to his house.

Levi had even adopted his bean bag chair as hers and was currently sprawled in it, her long legs pretzeled and resting on the edge of his desk, auburn hair coiled into a messy topknot. Bucky was lounging in his desk chair, his feet resting on the desk against Levi’s and was twirling a pencil idly in his hand as he considered her question.

“I doubt it, why? Are you?”

“I don’t know… it’ll probably be the same shit as every other time. I mean, Olivia Newman will get drunk and puke on her entourage, Kendall Simmons will get in a screaming match with her boyfriend, Ethan Michaels and then they’ll end up fucking in the bathroom-”

“Fun.” Bucky commented dryly.

“Trenton Steele and his stoner buddies will accidentally set fire to something. Someone will dare Clint to jump naked into his pool again and he’ll treat us to a helicopter show first-”

“Jesus, is that what happens at these parties?”

“You’ve never gone to one?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Well, although it sounds like fun… I have better things to do.”

“Like what?” Levi teased, mischief dancing in her eyes.

“Like tutoring losers.”

“Ouch, touché.” Levi winced dramatically, then sobered. “Do you really think that? I’m a loser?” There was a new depth in her voice, as if Bucky’s answer really mattered to her.

Bucky looked up in surprise, frowning slightly. “No. Lev, that’s not what I meant. I don’t think you’re a loser,” he paused, weighing his next words. “But I do like hanging with you more than going to parties.”

“How would you know? You’ve never been to one. You might be right up there with Clint.”

Bucky shook his head, the corner of his mouth quirking up. “What did you get for question four?” He asked, effectively changing the subject.

*********************************************************************

By eight pm Halloween night, Bucky had taken his two little sisters around trick-or-treating then fed them supper and put them to bed while his mom answered the door to ghosts and superheroes non-stop and was now up in his room, the door shut and a slasher movie queued up to watch. He wondered how the party was going and whether Levi had gone with anyone, then told himself to shut up.

It didn’t matter what Levi did.

They studied together and that was it, she didn’t think about him any more than he thought about her and, come the end of the year, she’d jet off on the scholarship he’d helped her get and that would be all. Bucky would end up in community college because, although they were financially secure again after his mom had landed the well-paying job that had brought them to this town, for too long after his dad had died, they’d struggled, financially and otherwise. There had been too many nights it had been Bucky caring for his sisters while his mother mourned silently in her dark bedroom and, while a scholarship was definitely possible, Bucky couldn’t stand the thought of leaving them. The hero worship gaze from eight year old Maddy and six year old Sarah as he stepped into daddy shoes for them, reading them stories and scaring away bedtime monsters while their mom struggled to gain back both financial stability and confidence in herself to survive without her husband were something he couldn’t and didn’t want to walk away from. He would live at home and continue to help while he went to school, even if there were more and better opportunities out there for him.

Thinking about his dad made his left arm ache and Bucky rolled his shoulder with a grimace, considering going downstairs to warm up the hot pack he would then wrap around it to try and stave off having to take a painkiller but a knock at his door interrupted his thoughts.

“Trick or treat?” Came a playful call and Bucky felt a rush of surprised delight, striding to the door and yanking it open.

“Lev? I thought you were going to Clint’s party.” He grinned, stepping back so Levi could enter.

Levi sauntered past, swinging a loaded treat bag. She was dressed in a tight green tank top and camo cargo pants with heavy army boots and, as she turned around, Bucky saw ‘Major Babe’ printed on the shirt. The shirt was cut high on her hips, exposing bare skin above her web belt and the thin straps of some strange black harness looped over the swell of her breasts. A set of WW1 era pilot goggles perched on her head and two black grease lines darkened her cheekbones, as if she was about to go duck into the bushes for reconnaissance and she grinned widely at him.

“I hit up the neighborhood instead,” she laughed. “You wouldn’t believe the difference in handouts when the dads answered the door instead of the moms.”

“I can imagine.” Bucky replied, swallowing hard. Levi had never worn something so tight or revealing before in front of him and Bucky felt an unwelcome heat rise in his chest. Sure, he’d noticed that Levi was a female and attractive, but it had never really hit him until now just how much so.

Mischief sparked her amethyst eyes into windows to galaxies and her grin was infectious. She shook the bag. “You have a bowl or something?”

Bucky ran downstairs for a big mixing bowl and when he returned, Levi poured the bag into it, humming happily to herself as she stirred her fingers through, searching for her favorites. The sight of all that bare skin was way too distracting for Bucky right now and the reason why it was so distracting was something he didn’t want to think about right now either, so he strode to his dresser and pulled out one of his long-sleeved Henley’s.

“You cold?” He asked, hoping the universe would have mercy on him.

“Mm, yeah. Just give me a second.” Levi disappeared and Bucky heard the bathroom door close on the second level. While she was gone, he turned in a distracted circle, searching for something to do, something to divert his suddenly itchy hands.

I wonder if her skin is as soft as it looks. His inner voice, turned traitor, mused quietly and Bucky firmly told it to fuck off.

Levi reappeared, the black greasepaint scrubbed off her face and pulled on the red shirt then took the bowl, collapsing onto Bucky’s bed, leaning against his headboard with a groan of contentment.

Forcing himself to act normally, for Christ’s sake he’d sat beside her innumerable times before without spazzing, Bucky sat beside her and grabbed the remote, turning on the movie and accepting the bowl of candy Levi passed to him.

His right hand gripping a sweating glass bottle of pop, Bucky let himself get lost in the movie and the candy bowl ended up pushed down between their knees. For lack of any other place to put it, he rested his left hand on his thigh but it only made him more aware of where Levi’s right hand was and, about halfway through the movie, he gave up fighting the new voice in his head. Tentatively, he reached over, still watching the movie and brushed Levi’s hand. She jolted slightly, glancing at him, but didn’t pull away and Bucky eased his hand into hers, their fingers interlinking, palms touching. They glanced at each other almost shyly, but neither spoke and they looked back at the movie, both hoping the other couldn’t hear the increase in their heartrates.

Nearing the end of the first movie, Bucky felt Levi rest her head against his shoulder and little frissons of delight shivered up and down his spine. She didn’t move when the first movie ended, and Bucky bent to look into her face. She was half asleep and smiled dreamily at him.

“Let’s watch another one.” She whispered.

“Okay,” he whispered back.

Within a few minutes, Levi had fallen asleep, her breathing steady, her body completely relaxed against his. Bucky kept watching the movie, feeling a strange mix of enjoyment and relaxation; a shy hope that movie nights became another part of their friendship.

Feeling ready to nod off himself, Bucky glanced at his cell phone and saw it was closing in on 11:30. He texted Steve and asked if the twins had a curfew.

Yeah, midnight. Why? Steve answered almost immediately.

Levi and I were watching a movie and she fell asleep.

That’s where she is, I was texting her but no answer. 😊 Want me to swing by and pick her up?

Yeah, okay.

Okay, give me ten minutes and watch out, she doesn’t like being woken up.

Laughing emojis made Bucky wonder if Steve was serious or not, but either way, he needed to wake the supposed beast, so he stopped the movie and leaned over slightly.

Unwillingly he noticed how nice her hair smelled, like apples and some type of light flower and Bucky gritted his teeth, telling himself firmly to piss off.

“Lev.” He murmured quietly. He reached over with his right hand, the one not still clasped in hers and pushed at her thigh, just enough to jostle her slightly. “Levi, wake up.” He pushed again, a little harder and squeezed her hand at the same time, his lips brushing her temple.

Levi inhaled sharply, her eyelids fluttered and gave a sweet little moan. Before Bucky could pull back, she tipped her head up, eyes still closed and pressed her lips to his. Electricity shot though him at the union and he went rigid in shock for a moment, before surrendering into it and kissing her back. The connection was sweet and tender but all too short as her head tipped again and Bucky pulled back reluctantly, eyelids fluttering and a blissful smile on his lips. He opened his eyes, parted his lips to speak, to tell Levi how hot and sweet she was, to confess that maybe he was already falling for her a little bit and how he wouldn’t mind at all doing that again but froze as Levi remained silent and ice shot down his spine as he realized she was still asleep. Pulling away in mingled embarrassment and shame, Bucky dropped her hand like it was on fire, his heart slamming in his chest.

Shit. SHIT. Now what?

“Levi.” He said louder, his heart thundering in his ears. “Wake up.”

Levi jolted slightly, lifting her head and opening her eyes. Bucky felt a flash of terror as her eyes locked on his – what the hell was she going to say, what was he going to say? - but she only yawned and stretched.

“Mm, what time is it?” She asked, running a hand through her hair.

She didn’t remember kissing him. That was somehow worse.

“Uh, 11:30.” Bucky stumbled for words, a strange sense of disappointment flooding him. But why? Hadn’t he just dodged a bullet? This would just complicate things, it was better all around that Levi didn’t remember kissing him and Bucky didn’t mention it again.

Then why did that make him feel so empty?

Levi yawned again then reached over and punched him gently in the arm. “What? Why are you looking at me funny? Was I snoring?”

Bucky shook his head, scrambling off the bed and cursing himself internally for his complete lack of chill. He valued Levi’s friendship way too much to fuck it up by catching feelings or getting all touchy-feely but still, for those few seconds when their lips had been touching, their breath mingling, Bucky had felt… complete.

“It’s almost midnight-”

“Shit!”

“No, it’s okay. Steve’s on his way to pick you up.”

Levi sagged with relief and Bucky cleared his throat uncomfortably. The subject hadn’t really come up lately, but Levi hadn’t taken any more ‘sick’ days or shown up to school with suspicious bruises either.

“How has that been, with your stepdad?”

Levi sank back on the bed, crossing one leg under the other and lounged back against his pillow. Bucky clenched his fists, fighting the urge to sit down beside her, to cradle her face and brush his thumb along her cheek, pull her close for another tender kiss, to breath in her scent and maybe whisper his newly discovered feelings, heart pounding as he hoped desperately that she perhaps felt the same.

“Good, actually. I mean, my grades have gotten way better and, I don’t know, I’m calmer at home now. I don’t push his buttons and he doesn’t push mine. We still argue but it never gets out of hand like before.” She pulled distractedly at the bottom of his shirt, which Bucky privately thought looked way better on her than it ever did on him. “I’m not kidding myself that it will actually last though. I’m still getting out of there, going for the scholarship. Let Mom be happy with him, I’ll visit on major holidays.”

An unexpected pang in his chest at her words, Bucky swallowed, searching for something to say. Stay, he wanted to beg. Stay here, with me. But he couldn’t ask that of her, he didn’t mind his cage, but Levi was too beautiful a bird to be held.

Her phone buzzed and she glanced at it. “Steve’s here.” She rose gracefully then pulled at the bottom of the shirt to remove it.

“No, keep it.” Bucky blurted.

Levi smiled, and was that a touch of sadness there? “Better not show up at home wearing some guy’s clothes. Steve always has an extra hoodie laying around.” She removed his shirt and laid it on the bed.

Some guy?

Levi darted forwards and, before Bucky could process what she was doing, pecked his cheek gently. “Thanks, Bucky. I had fun tonight.”

Bucky cleared his throat before managing, almost gruffly. “We should have movie nights more often.”

Her smile lit up his room, or maybe he was just finally noticing how it always had. “That’d be fun, yeah.” She winked at him before turning to leave.

“Don’t eat all my candy.” She teased and then she was gone.

**********************************************************************

Bucky’s new awareness of Levi continued as did his keeping it a secret.

Movie nights were added to their friendship but, by some unspoken agreement, they’d not held hands again and, while Levi had fallen asleep a time or two, she’d never sleepily answered his gentle nudges to wake with a sweet, dreamy kiss either.

Today, the two of them were going Christmas shopping after classes ended. Levi had been introduced to Bucky’s little sisters one day after school a while ago when Bucky had tried juggling watching them and studying with Levi, and they’d all just ended up chilling on the couch watching Frozen. The girls absolutely idolized Levi, gazing at her like she was some kind of Disney princess and she was going to help Bucky pick out the perfect presents for them.

Steve was waiting outside when they emerged, lounging against the brick wall of the school and called out when he saw them emerge.

“Hey.” He yelled, moving to step towards them, but his phone ringing caught his attention suddenly. Frowning, he put it to his ear. “Mom?” His expression went from confused to alarmed. “Mom, slow down!” His eyes flicked up to Levi’s before he started speaking again. “No, slow down… what happened?” Levi reached his side and he grabbed her upper arm to hold her still as he continued to shout. “Brock? What… Mom, calm down, we’ll be right there.”

“Steve, what the hell?” Levi screeched. Bucky stood rigid at her side, staring at Steve with wide eyes, compelled to comfort Levi somehow, to hold her, but frozen in place.

Steve stared at the phone in shock for a beat before looking up at Levi with disbelieving eyes.

“Brock is dead.”

[dyslexicsquirrel]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Iron Man (Movies), Captain America (Movies) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Steve Rogers & Tony Stark, Minor or Background Relationship(s) Characters: Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, James "Bucky" Barnes, James Rhodes, Sam Wilson (Marvel), Pepper Potts, Carol Danvers, Happy Hogan Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - High School, Post-Serum Steve Rogers, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Fluff, Schmoop Summary: Tony Stark hated jocks… or he had until the new kid transferred to their school.

Stony Bingo 2019 round 2 (square S1) Prompt: stretching

Tony Stark hated jocks. It’s a truth universally accepted at their school. Everyone knows not to ask him to go to pep rallies or football games or donate to the Get Insert Sports Team New Uniforms fund. He’ll laugh at you and go back to doing something more important, which is anything other than that.

Tony Stark hated jocks… or he had until the new kid transferred to their school. His step brother was another matter. “Bucky” Barnes was a rude, sarcastic guy and this school only had room for one of those and Tony was already filling that spot, thanks. But Steven Grant Rogers? (He might have had his friend Pepper who volunteered in the principal's office find out his name) Well, he was another story.

Steve (that’s what everyone called him Tony had found out) was the kind of blonde and blue eyed that should have been boring, but he somehow made the most attractive thing Tony had seen in, well, ever. He was tall and built in a way that usually put him off (read: hates jocks), but Tony kept finding his eyes drifting to him whenever they were in the same room.

He played football, was the damn quarterback, for Christ’s sake, but none of that seemed to matter. Tony wasn’t sure who he was anymore.

On top of being stupidly good looking? Steve was also a genuinely nice guy. He wasn’t mean to anyone, stuck up for the kids who got picked on, in fact. He said hello to people in the halls, had a laugh that was infectious, and a smile that brightens a room (and since when did he spout flowery crap like that?). There had to be something wrong with him; Tony was convinced.

“Why are you so determined to find a flaw in this guy?” Pepper had asked him a few days ago and Tony hadn’t been able to answer her.

“Because he doesn’t want to be attracted to a meathead,” Rhodey has piped up from the other side of the table at lunch.

“Don’t call him that,” Tony had automatically defended and then wanted to smack himself when Rhodey smirked and Pepper blinked at him. “Oh, just shut up both of you,” he’d snapped and left the cafeteria.

So, Tony May have ended up spending the last couple days <strike>spying</strike> investigating Steve Rogers to find out what was wrong with him. The only problem was that Tony 1) hadn’t found any hidden flaws (he really seemed to be a hot, nice guy who just happened to be a jock) and 2) he saw Steve stretching before practice yesterday.

Blame stupid, teenage hormones maybe (he might be a genius, but he was still a high school senior), but Tony’s brain short circuited. He’d been walking past the practice field, ostensibly on his way to somewhere else, reading a book for cover, when he glanced up and there was Steve, bent over, touching his toes.

The guy had a really nice ass. And in those stupid, tight football pants he was only now starting to appreciate? Well… yeah. He might have become a tad obsessed.

He watched all the scheduled practices (covertly) and he might have (not on purpose) found out what days Steve came to school early to work out and he might have, (once—accidentally) ended up at a football game with Pepper, who was dating some kid in marching band named Happy.

“Why don’t you just talk to him, Tony?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he told her, pretending to read so no one would notice him watching the game. Pepper had scoffed, but let it drop and ignored him the rest of the night. Tony had not watched Steve throw around a stupid ball in those. Damn. Pants.

Tony thought he’d been so smooth and stealthy, but if he had been Steve wouldn’t have just walked up behind him and said, “Hey,” now would he? Tony squeaked, and if that wasn’t embarrassing enough, slammed into his locker when he turned around.

“Are you okay?”

“I,” Tony started, but had to clear his throat. “I’m fine.”

“Okay.” Steve was still frowning at Tony with his perfect face, looking at him with concerned blue eyes.

He stood up straighter, pushing his shoulders back. And because he was feeling unnerved what came out of his mouth next was a snarky, “Can I help you?”

Steve blinked at him, tugging on the straps of his backpack. “Well, actually.” He started blushing. Every higher power save me, Tony thought because the guy was legit blushing. “I was wondering if you had a date for prom.”

“What now?” That sentence didn’t make sense.

“Prom. Uh, are you going? I mean, would you like to go. With me.”

“You’re asking me to prom?”

“Yes.”

“You’re asking me to prom?”

“Yes,” Steve said again, now sounding uncertain and Tony didn’t blame him.

“Why?” The question shot out of his mouth with no authorization from his higher brain function.

“Because,” Steve struggled to answer and Tony felt his shoulder start to slump. This was some pity thing or a joke and he felt stupid for even one second thinking Steve would like him, but guess what? He didn’t need Steve’s pity or him to like him. But thenSteve said, “Because you’re smart.” His head jerked up, eyes finding Steve’s. He looked so earnest. “And you’re cute.” Steve thought he was cute. “And, uh, also because my brother said you’ve been checking me out so I figured I had a shot.”

Stupid Bucky. And stupid him for thinking he had been so secretive about it. Tony rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest, but he admitted, “I might have. Once or twice.” He bit his lip. “You really think I’m smart?”

“Tony,” Steve huffed, chuckling. “You’re like the smartest kid in school. Of course, I think you’re smart.”

“And cute?” He started to smile and took a step closer so they almost touched.

“Yeah.” Steve’s hands tightened around his backpack strap.

Tony grinned, reaching out to grip Steve’s letterman jacket. “Okay, I’ll go to prom with you.”

And that was how Tony Stark, hater of jocks, ended up dating the quarterback of the football team. Prom was a big group affair. Pepper and Happy, Rhodey and Carol, Bucky and his boyfriend from his old school Sam (who drove two hours to get there—Tony was impressed by his dedication). They all met at his house and piled in a limo after his mom took a million pictures and his dad told them to make sure to be back on time so he didn’t have to pay the driver overtime. Steve bought Tony a corsage, not a boutineer, and it was perfect. They danced and laughed with their friends and maybe, Tony would admit to himself, Bucky wasn’t really that bad. And if Tony and Steve snuck off to make out in a coat closet, well, what the chaperones didn’t find out wouldn’t hurt them.

The last year of high school was so different from the previous three and not just because he was wearing his boyfriend’s letterman jacket, his boyfriend who happened to be a jock. He was happy in a way he couldn’t remember being before. It wasn’t all Steve, a relationship hadn’t suddenly fixed all his problems, but he definitely helped. Steve still blushed when Tony kissed him in the halls and it was just too cute.

Tony was going to MIT in the fall and Steve got a full ride to Boston College cause sports. They’d only be like four miles away from each other (Tony might have Googled that).

They were sitting in the bed of Steve’s pick up one night, Tony cradled between Steve’s arms and legs, his back against Steve’s chest. “I was thinking…”

“Hmm?” Tony prompted when Steve trailed off and didn’t pick back up.

Steve propped his chin on Tony’s shoulder. “I was thinking that maybe, at some point, we could move in together.”

Tony shifted around until he could see Steve’s face. “What?”

“In Boston.” Steve hesitated, biting at his bottom lip. “Not right away, but eventually. Maybe. If you wanted.”

Tony turned until he was on his knees and looped his arms around Steve’s neck. He kissed him, playing with the hair at the back of his neck. When he pulled back it was just enough to speak, keeping his tone light and teasing. “You’re asking me to move in with you.”

Steve did smile or joke back. He looked Tony dead in the eye and said, “I love you.”

Tony blinked at Steve for a moment then leaned back and smacked him on his chest. Steve looked at him with wounded eyes, hand pressed to the spot Tony had smacked even though it couldn’t have hurt because Tony barely tapped him, but Tony felt a goofy smile trying to break through the frown he tried to keep up to make a point. “You’re telling me this now?”

“Yeah, why?”

“It’s not exactly that romantic m. We’re sitting in your truck which is parked in my parent’s driveway and my mom is probably watching us from the window.” Tony gestured to said window and there was a tell tale flutter of a curtain.

“Anywhere with you is romantic, babe,” Steve declared, hands coming to rest on Tony’s hips under the letterman jacket which Tony was wearing even though it was summer and it was hot. He didn’t like taking it off cause it was Steve’s and they couldn’t be together 24/7 for practical reasons.

“That’s nice, but this means I can’t kiss you the way I want.” Tony poured and let himself be pulled in to Steve’s chest and wrapped in Steve’s arms. “I love you, too,” he said softly into Steve’s neck.

They sat like that for a while, wrapped up in each other, but of course Tony couldn’t just let it rest. He sat up. “And of course I’ll move in with you. Maybe sophomore or junior year. I want to take advantage of that meal plan my parents are going to buy me—”

Tony broke off with a shout when Steve started tickling him and he ended up flat on his back, panting laughs, with Steve braced above him. Steve nipped at his lower lip. “Your mom can’t see us now.”

“Give it a few minutes,” Tony said rolling his eyes. “She’ll come out to check on us because she probably think we’re having sex and the neighbors will be so scandalizes.”

There wasn’t a lot of light out here, but Tony knew that Steve was blushing. He huffed a laugh, pressing their foreheads together. “Just shut up and kiss me.”

So Tony did.

[fugitivestogether]

okay like no real spoilers for the new Loki series but oh my god

I know Loki likes to listen to himself talk but does he ever actually realize what he’s saying? this is pre-dark world/ragarok/infinity war Loki, btw so ofc he hasn’t gone through that development yet but STILL my god Loki you lil dumbass i love your dumb guts but AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH EDITING THIS BECAUSE I’M LIVECAST COMMENTING BUT-- oh my gosh, it’s incredible the amount of influence Thor has on Loki - take it away on this Loki variant and maaaan it’s a different story but it’s kinda cool to see he’s uncomfortable when faced with the shit he’s done??? He was also under the control of the mind(?) stone or tesseract so...hm. We’ll see how this Loki develops. OKAYFJSDA KLFJDSKLFJDSLKAF LOKI AS DB COOPER IS SO FUCKING HILARIOUS AND STUPID wtfffffff it fits him so well. dumbass of the century oh god WHAT DID HE MEAN BY HEIMDALL AND BROTHER AT THAT LAST BIT WTF WERE THEY DOING??? DID THEY LET LOKI OUT OF SIGHT FOR LIKE A MINUTE??? the idea that Loki’s just been...fucking around on Earth out of sheer boredom for a good part of his life is...oh god you problem child you. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH i’m so sad that they included that REALLY HEARTBREAKING moment with him and Frigga because WTF  that’s the last thing he said to her before she died and skdfl;asdkfl;dkfl;dklfdk l I super hope that Loki gets good development again where he realizes he’s stuck in a cycle. I JUST WANT HIM TO GROOOOOWWW I can see now that SEEING his mom getting killed is gonna lead to some changes...but will it be the same as hearing about her death and realizing that conclusion himself? That in his anger and little temper tantrum that he threw and cycle of self and outward hatred, he killed one of the only people who actually ever loved him??? NOOOOOOOOOO this is hard to watch GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD I’M GETTING ANXIOUS HOW DID THEY MANAGE TO MAKE MY BOI FEEL EVEN WORSE ABOUT HIMSELF I MEAN LIKE I KNOW IT’S NEEDED AND EVERYONE NEEDS THAT SWIFT AND HARSH KICK IN THE ASS BUT DAMN HEARING THAT ALL YOU’RE GOOD FOR IS TO BRING OTHERS SUFFERING AND TO NEVER ACHIEVE IT YOURSELF AND THAT OTHERS WILL SUCCEED FROM YOUR LOSS IS SO HEARTBREAKING???? I just wanna hug my boi and tell him that yeah it fucking sucks  AAAAAANNNNND he’s back to being a dumbass OH LOKI Thor really was right about the cycle thing I mean I know they gotta develop him all throughout the series but still. Mobius was onto something there. I really hope that they become friends...Loki could use some actual ones ; __ ; ALSO POOR CASEY WTF WHAT’S A FISH YOU LITTLE PRECIOUS BAGEL YOU Omg the tons of infinity stones as PAPER WEIGHTS lmaoooooo also is that fucking lightsaber in the drawer oml mmmyeah you know you see they PLAY that music that has Loki in awe like he’s questioning everything and gonna do a change in himself but in reality I think we all know that one he says ‘is this the greatest power in the universe’ with that tiny shaky little voice he actually means ‘IS THIS MY NEXT CONQUEST!??!’  BIG SIGH OH FUCKING GOD I’M CRYING BECAUSE LOKI IS CRYING WHEN HE GOES BACK TO SEE FRIGGA DEAD WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY HE LOVES HER SO MUCH AND NOW HE KNOWS HE PLAYED A PART IN HER DEATH BC HE CAN’T BREAK FREE OF THAT LOOP AND WILL HE LEARN!!?!?!? OH MY GFUCKING GOD!!!!!!! HE SAW THE PART WHERE ODIN SAID HE LOVED HIM AND HE SEES HIS FACE WHEN HE SAYS THAT AND NOW LOKI IS AUDIBLY CRYING AND I CAN’T TAKE THIS SOMEONE HUG HIM PLEASE ahHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH FUCKING CHRIST HE SEES THE PART WHERE THOR SAYS HE LOVES LOKI BUT HE JUST DOESN’T SEE LOKI CHANGING OH GOD WHY IS THIS HAPPENING MY HEART CAN’T TAKE THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HE SEES HIMSELF BREAKING FREE AND HE SEES HIMSELF MAKING A DIFFERENCE TO HELP THOR BUT HE SEES HIS OWN DEATH AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH dude, he doesn’t see Thor crying over his body.... you can see him get angry again. he’s scared but angry. and does he think Thor died with him!?!????!?!?!? Oh god.... yeah he’s pissed off. but also like...if that time variant’s Thanos went into the future...doesn’t that mean that technically, this time variant Loki...and anyone that died at Thanos’ hand after he took the tesseract...wont they now NOT die? since that Thanos was killed in the future, and the original timeline variant Thanos was also killed? Unless that’s supposed to happen. So how was Loki escaping not part of the plan if the Avengers going back into time was hunky dory?????? dude Loki straight up admits he has no control and he’s so afraid of that and just wants control and he points to HIMSELF when he says ‘weak’....wow. Loki’s had a pretty rough day. very needed...but rough. I was like half expecting it to be the case but also not to be the case. I knew it was gonna be him that they had to hunt down. I freakin knew it. 

[zenzoidman]

Save that which was Lost

“Save that which was Lost” - 32nd Sunday after Pentecost, Sunday of Zacchaeus Luke 19:10 - For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. (KJV) What was lost? I’ll offer some thoughts on that in this sermon. In my last sermon, I talked about how quantum physics has revealed God in every atom of our being. We literally would not exist unless the energies of God were constantly sustaining our existence. Our existence and that of the entire universe is not just a one-and-done kind of a deal- God is ever present with us through his energies and, of course, as the Holy Spirit in believers. As St. Paul affirms, “... in him we live, move, and have our being…” Acts 17:28 (ESV). This is not just a theological fact, it is also a scientific fact. Now we're going to look up, like Zacchaeus did, and see God in the Big Picture- in the cosmic Edenic Plan of salvation. "Save that which was lost.” Like so many things our Lord says, he packs dynamite into simple little statements that can be easy to gloss over. When you probe his statements just a little with your mind and heart, they explode! This is one of those statements. It is an eschatological statement-- concerning ultimate things, the consummation of God's of plan for our salvation with Christ's incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, the gift of the Holy Spirit, his return, our glorification, and the restoration of Eden-- the New Israel. Let’s unpack all this. So what was lost? Well, if you’re a Jew living in that Second Temple period, Christ’s statement would have elicited several things in your mind that were lost: The united kingdom of Israel and their lands The tribe of Israel along with the 9 other tribes when Judah returned from Babylonian exile The original Eden where the Most High God and his heavenly hosts lived together with humans But, of course, it’s bigger than all of these. Adam and Eve broke communion with God in Eden and were cast out. Theologically, now there was a separation between God and humans. The Eden story-- and the rest of the Bible-- shows a connection between geography and communion with God but not in the way most of us think about it. It’s much bigger than a patch of earth delineated as the location of the garden of Eden. The theological message of the Bible, with the land conquests in the OT (militarily) and NT (by spreading the Good News of Christ’s Resurrection), is a retaking of the fallen world where we are partners with God in this conquest. As we’ll see in a bit, the Fall affected far more than just Eden or planet earth-- the entire known universe was affected. The reconquista of our universe begins here on planet Earth, Ground Zero for the Fall. This is Divine Geography. When Adam and Eve partook of forbidden knowledge in Eden, death entered the world. Romans 5:12 “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men…” (ESV). Another way we see that death has entered the world is in thermodynamics where everything tends toward maximum disorder and the lowest lowest energy level. Engineers call this Entropy. We actually use it to design refrigeration systems (Fun Fact to Know and Tell). Entropy is a manifestation of death. It takes a constant input of energy to counteract entropy. A simple example: a living person dies and their body begins to decay. The cells of their body break down to molecules and the molecules to atoms, the lowest energy state with maximum disorder (entropy) of their former body. The entire known universe operates under this Law of Entropy (emphasis on "known"). So at the Fall, death entered the entire known universe. The universe is vast and old. They don't know how vast because they don't see an edge or anything like that but there are about 15 billion stars. The Big Bang occurred about 14 billion years ago. A tiny point of matter inflated rapidly to form what we know as the universe today. Because of the effects of entropy, energy loss, gravity, etc., scientists expected to find that the rate of expansion of the universe was slowing. They actually found something profoundly shocking: the expansion of the universe is accelerating! So scientists did some more probing and number crunching and deduced the existence of this thing called Dark Matter and Dark Energy (DM/DE) throughout the universe. These are not theological terms. They called it DM/DE because we can't measure or detect it directly with any of our current instruments. Now here's the kicker: turns out that everything that we can see and detect with instruments in the entire vast universe is only about 5% of everything else that's out there! The other 95% is this DM/DE. As I mentioned, we can't measure or see it directly- its existence is deduced by the effects it has on what we can see. The existence of DM/DE explains why the rate of expansion of the known universe is increasing instead of decreasing. So then what is this stuff we call DM/DE that comprises the other 95% of the universe? Bottom line answer: we don't know. It does not seem conform to our known laws of physics- otherwise we could detect it directly. This is also evidenced by the fact that the rate of expansion of the known universe is increasing, contrary to our known laws of physics. It’s important to point out, too, that this DM/DE stuff-- whatever it is-- doesn’t exist “out there” somewhere, as though our known universe is in a bubble. No, the DM/DE “universe” is interpenetrated with our universe. It’s in the room with you right now. Here's a thought: maybe the DM/DE part of the universe was unaffected by the Fall-- not subject to death and entropy-- and the universe we do see and detect is in a type of quarantine. Maybe the plan for us, as human image-bearers of the Most High God, is to redeem the known (fallen) universe from quarantine and re-join the rest of the universe, to re-join the heavenly hosts there. This kind of gives a whole new perspective on St. Paul's account of being caught up in the third heaven: “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows.” 2 Corinthians 12:2-4 (ESV) Also gives a whole new perspective on who Christ is and the real scope and meaning of the catholic or universal church. Isn't it amazing that, in all our astronomical searching, we've never found any other detectable life in the known, vast universe? Maybe it’s because, as a result of the Fall, we either killed it or prevented it from coming into existence in the first place. Maybe the DM/DE universe is teeming with life! Maybe this is the unseen realm of angels and all the other heavenly hosts “invisibly present here with us.” What were Adam and Eve doing in Eden? They were gardening, of course. In the ancient Near East conception-- a desert culture-- gardening wasn't just mowing lawns and trimming hedges. It was tending new and precious life! Our divine destiny, as human imagers of the Most High God, is to nurture new life throughout the universe- the New Eden and the original Edenic vision. It was God’s plan for us from the beginning. It's a holy and awesome job that we are called to do. We are to minister to that life and be their priests, offering them up to God. We will name them, like Adam did-- we give them meaning. That is our priestly role and destiny as the body of Christ. In other words, we will be going to the stars just not in the way science fiction portrays it, which is really just a modern, high tech aspiration of the old motive behind the Tower of Babel. No, we will be doing it with God and according to his original Edenic vision. In our lives as Christians right now, we are still gardeners. We are practicing for our destiny as cosmic gardeners when we’ll be nurturing new life all over the universe. We do this now in our lives by nurturing the life of Christ in our own lives, in each other, and in non-believers. We are gardeners of our own hearts through prayer, fasting, repentance, studying scripture, all the other spiritual disciplines the church gives us. We are gardeners for each other by coming together for worship and in fellowship by affirming and encouraging each other in the faith. As St. Paul says in Ephesians 5:19 “...addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs…” (ESV). In other words, avoiding vain, empty, or divisive talk when we come together as the Body of Christ. And we are gardeners for non-believers in our lives by not hiding our faith or being ashamed of it but rather sharing it with them, planting the seed of faith in Christ. We heard an interesting verse in the Epistle today: 1 Tim 4:9 “...because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.” (ESV) Savior of all people. Hmm, sounds like universal salvation so no problems, right? All paths up the mountain lead to the same peak? Actually, no. This is not a statement of universalism. Rather, it is a statement of uniqueness. As in, “there is no other savior for anyone.” In other words, this other group of people “over there” doesn't have a different savior. And there's no other “savior” coming later. Christ is it. This is why we say we're living in the end times. Imagine you are suspended in space and you’re looking at a planet that’s covered in thick, black, scabby plates. Out of the corner of your eye, you see a point of light like a comet rapidly zoom in and pierce the scabby sheath over the planet. You keep watching for the longest time and nothing seems to be happening. Finally, the black scabby covering is blown off and the most brilliant light bursts forth from the planet, extending instantly throughout the entire universe. All things are made new and suddenly you find yourself surrounded by legions of luminous beings that you’ve never encountered before. They tell you that they’ve been here all along but you couldn’t see them until just now. In the story, the planet is our Earth, the comet is Christ, the transformational explosion of light is his glorious second coming, and the luminous beings are the heavenly hosts, the kingdom of heaven. We are living in that period of time from when the comet enters the planet to the explosion of light. That is why we say we are living in the End Times. The cure (Christ’s incarnation) has been administered and is doing its work. We are part of that work. The cure must work through us and with us, as believers, as the body of Christ. When is Christ coming back? Wrong question! Since we are in the end times now, the right question is what should we, as the believing and faithful Body of Christ be doing? I’ve already touched on that point. We are blessed and privileged to be living in this unique and final chapter in human history. It also means that, as Christians knowing the truth, more will be expected of us. We are created in the image of the Most High God. This means we are free, as in we have free will and are free to make choices. But, although we have free will, we are not free agents. In other words, we are not sovereigns. We will belong either to Christ or to a high order angelic being who is in rebellion to Christ (and who has already been judged, condemned, and defeated by the Cross). Colossians 2:14 “...by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.” (ESV) Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (ESV) The Satan-- the adversary, the lord of the dead-- has a claim on every soul that comes in the world. This is why in the last line of the Lord's prayer we ask God to deliver us from the evil one. What's the first thing we do before every Baptism? An exorcism. Why? To release that claim of the adversary. Once released, we are not free to go on our merry way as though we are unattached. As our Lord tells us: “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation.” Matthew 12:43-45 (ESV). Once released from the claim of the enemy we turn right around and "put on" Christ in Holy Baptism and so pass over from death to life because we have entered into the Resurrection by faith. That faith is our choice to make-- it is how we “opt in” to God’s plan of salvation. We are free to choose either death with the lord of the dead or life in Christ, the giver of life. There is no other choice. But we are free to make that choice. Not making a choice IS making a choice... for death. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (ESV) In other words, the only other option is death. So choose life! Okay, how do we do this? Zacchaeus shows us the way. We stop being obsessed with the mundane things of the world and look up. Each of us climbs the tree of our own cross and fixes our eyes (hearts and minds) on Christ. This means we have to stop living like the Gentiles, preoccupied with earthly cares-- what will I eat? what will I drink? who got elected?-- and instead start living the new life in Christ and telling others the good news about Christ. Simply being baptized and taking communion does not guarantee that we will be cosmic gardeners in the new Eden. As the Lord said through Isaiah, “... this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me..." Isaiah 29:13 (ESV). Where are our hearts when our lips approach the chalice? Not just at that moment, but all the other moments throughout each day of the week? It's not enough to pay lip service to believing in Christ- that belief has to inform and shape the thoughts we allow to dwell in our hearts and minds, the kinds of things we pay attention to, that we allow to enter our minds, the kinds of things we talk about, and what we actually do. It is a daily walk with the Lord that informs and permeates everything in our life. Baptism and communion are awesome gifts but we still have to do our part. Our Greek fathers called this synergia- a cooperative working with God. Zacchaeus' heart was already converted before he even climbed the tree; he had already repented. Think about it: Jesus had just healed Bartimaeus near Jericho where Zacchaeus lived so no doubt everyone was talking about him as the Messiah. Everyone had heard of him, which is why Bartimaeus called out to him “Son of David”- another Messianic title. The Lord knew the heart of Zacchaeus just as he had earlier known Nathanael’s (Jn. 1:48). That's why he called Zacchaeus in the first place. Zacchaeus' announcement of restitution to Christ were confessions of something that was already a reality in his life. He believed in Christ which prompted words and action- repentance. His announcement of restitution and a radical change in his life and behavior were tangible fruits of his repentance. St. Zacchaeus accompanied St. Peter on his travels and followed him to Caesarea. Peter appointed him the Bishop of Caesarea in Palestine. He was living the new life in Christ, preaching the Gospel and shepherding others in the new life-- living the life of a cosmic gardener right here, right now. We commemorate St. Zacchaeus on April 20. Holy Hierarch Zacchaeus, pray for us sinners! Rdr. Socratis Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church Claremont, NH January 2017