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swan-of-sunrise · 2 years

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

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

Pairing: Loki X Reader

Word Count: 11.7k

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2. Biblioteca Nacional do Brasil Rio de Janerio, Brazil

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“For what, my love?”

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

3. El Ateneo Grand Splendid Buenos Aires, Argentina

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

4. Bibliotheca Alexandrina Alexandria, Egypt

“Now that’s quite the view, innit?”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“…Oh, dammit.”

5. Mafra National Palace Library Mafra, Portugal

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“My smile?”

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

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

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

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

6. Bibliotheque Nationale de France Paris, France

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

7. The British Library London, England

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Which one’s your favorite?”

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

She nodded. “Mm-hmm.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

8. Stadtbibliothek Stuttgart Stuttgart, Germany

“Loki, you’re being absolutely ridiculous-”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

9. Stockholms Stadsbibliotek Stockholm, Sweden

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

10. Saraswathi Mahal Library Tanjore, Tamil Nadu, India

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“…I’m sorry, what?!”

11. Hakone Honbako Kanagawa, Japan

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“For what?”

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

12. Central Library Vancouver, Canada

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A Spellbinding Wedding

"Spellbinding" Masterlist

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

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