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boop-le-snoot · 3 years

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PARTY FAVOURS I CHAPTER 28

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TWs/SUMMARY: Hulk interaction Hulk interaction Hulk interaction. Plot is thickening. Feelings. Operation Baby Thief! A wild Coulson appears. Lokireader besties <3 There's just a lot going on.

Bruce hulked out within minutes of my confession.

As I stood in the middle of the common room, partially hidden behind Loki and scrunching the fabric of my hoodie, I had no choice but to observe the reactions of various Avengers to the fact someone might have... Predictably, Sam, Tony and Stephen looked like kicked puppies. I trusted Loki to handle that part. Steve, Bucky and Natasha had murder on their mind and Thor, Pietro just stared at me, aghast.

I noticed the tinge of green before anybody else, perhaps, because I'd been used to automatically seek comfort from Bruce. My interactions with Hulk, however brief and few and in-between, were positive. As much as they could be with a someone's alter-ego that possessed the emotional intelligence of a twelve year old. So I could safely say that what startled me was the noise of Bruce transforming and not the Hulk himself.

The Hulk growled, zeroing in on me - I remembered of Loki, who stood frozen, and their mutual disregard. The decision was prompt - I stepped out from behind the Asgardian, waving shyly at the large green creature. He was LARGE. Like, I could comfortably sit on one of his shoulders.

"Hey, Hulk. I'm alright, don't worry big guy," I took unhurried steps towards the agitated creature. He seemed to be satisfied with my statement, giving me another once over and growling quietly in the back of his throat. An idea struck me: "Wanna get out of here? The gym has more space, we can sit and talk there."

The stares I was getting were downright incredulous. Here I was, an average human being, fearlessly making my way over to the destruction machine that was the Hulk. I knew he wouldn't hurt me - on purpose.

"No," He growled. "We find bad man. Then Hulk smash." The green creature raised, I had to admit, valid points.

"It's going to be pretty boring though. We have to sort through the security footage, then probably traffic cams, then hold Steve back from going in there in Terminator mode..." I listed off all the logical steps of the investigation until I reached the Hulk. My neck was going to get a crick in it from tilting it so I could see his face. "I'd rather..." I didn't get to finish my sentence as I was suddenly picked up. One large hand gently cradled me to Hulk's chest, akin to a kitten, the other hand landing right under my butt.

I heard a collective exhale from the team, acutely aware of the way they were eyeing me and Hulk.

"Boring," The green creature agreed. His face briefly contorted in what I perceived to be an intense thought process. "Necessary." The word had to come from Bruce; it slipped out with difficulty off the Hulk's tongue, stiff.

"Not you too, big guy," I giggled-slash-groaned, giving a playful slap to the hand wrapped around me. "Fine. Let's get this over with." I looked around in search of a spot for Hulk to park his butt somewhere. The ceiling was barely tall enough for him to comfortably stand.

I needn't have worried as he simply sat down cross-legged right where he stood, still holding me to his chest. "Now," He announced, looking expectantly at Tony.

The engineer chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief. "Yeah, you're right, big guy. Let's find this sonuvabitch." Tense snorts and sounds of agreement filled the room, drowning out the noise of Tony tapping on his keyboard and communicating with Friday.

I poked Hulk in one green, large finger. "Maybe I could sit on your shoulder?"

He nodded, letting me crawl all over his green, hard chest and arms to sit on the large expanse of his left shoulder. It was comfortable as far as shoulders go; inwardly, I squeed like a mad woman. I was friends with the Hulk and I was sitting on his shoulder! Lost in my fangirling, I absentmindedly began messing with his dark hair, only noticing it when satisfied rumbling started coming from his chest. The Hulk was... Purring?

"Puny Banner upset," Hulk declared shortly after the team found the man who drugged me and started tracking his movements. It wasn't someone who'd been invited to the party, which meant there was a serious security breach - it was all hands on deck kind of situation.

"Yeah, I can understand that. I'm pretty upset too, the hangover I got was terrible, I threw up in Loki's apartment," I said, frowning. "And my boys are going to mope now," I rolled my eyes.

"Banner says he will talk with them," Hulk replied, placing hand over my legs. "Hulk will help Banner."

I couldn't help it, I snorted. "Gonna smash some common sense into them?" He grinned at me, too mischievous for someone who was described to be a mindless destruction machine. "I think they're beyond that."

"I can hear you two talking shit about me and I do not appreciate it," Tony piped up suddenly, shooting us a hurt look. To be fair, his shoulders looked considerably less tense and the cloud over his face had dissipated by a little bit. Me and Hulk managed to erase at least some of the guilt away. I think. Stephen, however, still remained frowning and closed-off.

"You're stupid, Tony." Hulk answered, sounding a little bit smug. I gaped at the exchange together with Natasha and Steve. It seemed like Hulk's sense of... Humor was a novelty.

"Hey, don't pick on my dumbass white boys," I chastised the green... Man, side-eyeing him. "Only I can pick on them. If someone else does it, I'mma throw hands if I have to."

"Puny," Hulk replied petulantly, poking me with a finger, making me sway in my spot. I rolled my eyes fondly, settling in to mess with his hair again for the sake of having something to do with my hands. The brief exchange helped to get my overactive brain off the case but the tranquility didn't last very long.

Natasha and Bucky left to interrogate the guards responsible for the security breach, Loki shooting me an apologetic look and following the two. I smiled back, knowing the Asgardian wasn't fully comfortable being around the Hulk due to his previous experiences with the big guy.

"Wait, hold on. That guy. I know that guy." As an array of faces appeared on the large screen, a familiar pair of mismatched eyes stared at me from it. Hulk tensed under me and the team turned towards me expectantly as I shrunk slightly under their combined gaze. "The one with anisocoria - with the weird eyes. He works at a coffee shop near my school, actually he only started working recently, few months ago. He tried to flirt with me but Peter said he felt weird about the guy so I stopped going to that café." I explained the situation as eloquently as I could, seeing Clint's eyes widen at my story.

"Are you sure?" Stephen Strange raised an eyebrow. "Because that man is a mercenary that we have been looking for months."

I felt my heart skip a beat. "A what now?" My ears were ringing. Hulk growled quietly under me, evidently sensing my distress.

"A hired man," Clint typed on his phone rapidly. "Mostly sells not-so-harmless trinkets on the black market. Hydra, AIM, you name it. Anything for the highest bidder." Clint muttered. "I'm calling Peter, maybe he can tell us something more. This is an Avengers level threat." The Hawk's jaw was firm and his face was hard.

"Already on it," Tony looked shaken. I understood him - someone like that had invaded his tower, his home. Hell, I myself felt like someone had spit right in my soul. It was my home, too, to some extent.

"Let me down please, Tony needs a hug," I whispered to the Hulk, who begrudgingly did as I requested. I padded over to Tony, wrapping myself around him, burying my face in the crook of his neck. He always was my comfort; expensive cologne and motor oil filled my senses as my arms clutched at his chest from behind. I didn't expect reprocitation - Tony wasn't the one for emotional vulnerability.

"He could have gotten you," He whispered, almost inaudibly, fingers shaking where they typed rapid-fire commands.

"Bold of you to assume I would have gone down without a fight," I answered as calmly as I could. "He is either dumb, or reckless or has nothing to lose. Planning a coup in the middle of your tower..."

"Or he's showing us that he can just do that," Clint supplied unhelpfully. "The guard who let him in just has been found dead and his family is missing. Natasha texted, she's calling in SHIELD. This is now Operation Baby Thief."

I couldn't help the snort that escaped my lips. "Baby Thief, really?"

"Nobody's stealing Princess," Tony barked, finally turning his head and pressing a sloppy kiss to my cheek. "Not if I have to do anything with it."

"I will make sure the pathetic mortal scum never walks," Thor finally piped up, voice low. In the distance, the harsh noise of thunder and pouring rain echoed through the city.

I frowned but withdrew from Tony, finally feeling well enough to do something. My hands itched to help and as appealing as snuggling with Hulk appeared, my brain had gone straight into overdrive. "Should we take a blood sample to find out what he dosed me with? It's not Roofies, and the hangover is too shitty for it to be anything like Ecstasy." I mused out loud, pacing in the small space between the Hulk and the nearest wall.

"That is a sensible idea," Doctor Strange piped up, giving me an appreciative look. "We'll wait for Romanoff," One angry look at his own scarred, shaking hands, Stephen went back to the book he was reading. He needed a hug, too, I decided.

"Puny Banner will do it," Hulk suddenly announced, reaching out for me.

I obliged, giving the green giant a hug. "Maybe we can go play in Central Park once it's warmer, whatcha think?" I looked up at him, brain just so full of different things. Ideas bounced off one another like ping pong balls.

The Hulk grinned and... Well, I didn't see the transformation, my eyes shut themselves as soon as I felt the flesh under my palms begin to shrink and expand. It wasn't that I was afraid, rather, the feeling was so bizarre that my racing brain had to automatically shut down in fears of being overstimulated.

"Hi," Bruce supplied meekly, an adorable blush staining his cheeks. I didn't resist the urge to kiss and hold him close, and we stood there with him holding up his pants with one hand and clutching my hoodie with the other until Tony cleared his throat.

"You good, Brucie-bear?" The engineer gave a distracted smile towards us, not taking his eyes off the keyboard.

"Yes, Tones," The scientist replied easily, adding with a frown: "I'm glad me and Hulk finally agree on something." With that, he departed in the search of normal pants and the tools needed to acquire my blood sample.

I gave it without much fuss, waving to Bucky, Natasha and Loki that had returned with a middle-aged, balding man in tow. The shared look of amusement between Steve and Bucky and the man's starry-eyed look towards the Captain let me deduce it was one Agent Coulson, the very same man Tony couldn't stop telling stories about, the one with the Captain America trading cards.

So, mayhaps, me taking place in Stephen's lap while Bruce filled up three whole vials full of my blood wasn't exactly the smartest way to go about it. Tony found it amusing, Steve was shaking his head in fond annoyance and Stephen himself struggled to maintain his indifference, yet, the blush betrayed him.

"Agent, what brings you to our humble abode?" Tony snorted, seeing the man raise an eyebrow at the display of affection.

"Operation Baby Thief," Coulson replied with a sigh. "I see the Baby is secure. Keep it that way." Oh, the man was cheeky. I liked him already.

"The Baby has a Tony, a Sorcerer Supreme and a Hulk," I retorted haughtily. "And a functional brain. Fuck that guy."

"Indeed," Coulson snorted. "Tell me, what do you know about the Hamptons incident?"

I blanched, immediately tensing. Bruce withdrew the needle and pressed a bandage over the wound, running gentle fingers over my arm. Everybody must've noticed my surprise, turning to me with their faces full of expectation. Stephen's touch was calming, slightly trembling at the nape of my neck.

"Not much, to be honest. I was about thirteen when it happened and my mother tried to hide it from me," I chewed on my lip, looking away. "What I managed to find out is that there was a robbery that resulted in two deaths, my father being one of the suspects because he was high as hell on coke and he was found sleeping in the same room as the open gun safe," I recalled the memories of mother angrily screaming at dad, calling her law firm colleagues late at night. "I don't need a law degree to know the evidence was flimsy. Dad got a drug charge, his buddies got the same and both the killer and the gun were never found." I exhaled loudly, tapping my foot on the floor, supressing the need to pace.

Coulson nodded, opening a thin manila folder and producing an image of a small, wooden box with carvings that looked like runes on it. "Have you seen this object?"

I felt my blood run cold, my vision swam. "Yes," I swallowed dryly. "That's my end-of-the-world box. I buried it in my grandparents' backyard two years ago."

"End of the world?" Coulson asked, alarmed. "Did you open it?"

"No," I shook my head negative. "I found it in my room at one point and every time I looked at it, it felt... Wrong. Like it was a glitch in a computer game. I couldn't sleep, so I stuck it in my closet and that gave me terrible nightmares and sleep paralysis. I took it with me when I went to visit Gramps and buried it three feet deep under the cherry tree." My hands were shaking once again; I had forgotten about the box but my body remembered the primal, untameable terror that I experienced in it's proximity. At fourteen years old, I just thought I had an overactive imagination or something, too many horror movies, hormonal storms.

"That is a magical artifact," Stephen's voice was quiet and concerned. "A very dangerous, destructive at that. How long were you in it's presence?"

"About nine months, give or take."

"And you didn't open it once, not even a little bit?" Tony had caught on the trend, almost a hysterical edge to his voice.

"No, and I think I know why," I looked to the side. "I saw Wanda on the TV, and, like, magic was confirmed to be real, so I guess I was sure whatever is in there, it wasn't good. During that time, my parents told me I was sleepwalking but I can't remember any of it. I might have wanted to get that box to someone of your... Specialty," I briefly messed with the sleeve of Stephen's shirt, exhaling loudly when his hand grasped mine and held it with care. "I think that box messed with my head... Because I swear that I had no recollection of it until you brought it up," I realized suddenly, my eyes shooting up in blind panic. What else have I forgotten?!

"That is astonishing," Loki's baritone exclaimed. "Nine months is a long time to resist the pull of such a strong artifact." My best friend stated with a great deal of respect.

People in the room started talking all at once. Stephen and Tony declared I needed to get checked out by a professional - Tony meaning s doctor and Stephen meaning a healer of the magical kind; Bruce scooted over and pulled my frozen body in a solid hug; Steve and Bucky planned out to get the box from my grandparents' house, debating whether to take Loki or Thor with them; the SHIELD part of the team discussing the intel and further plans to catch the rogue mercenary.

The door opened quietly.

"Hi everybody, hello Mr. Stark," Peter was disheveled, his ratty backpack in one hand and an enormous sandwich in another. "Got here as fast as I could. What's up?"

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anavantgardener · 3 years

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Frost and Mischief Ch. 8

Summary: The seven friends find their way into trouble after Elska’s note leads them on a dangerous path. Loki gets a little to close to losing his new friend for his own comfort.

Pairing: OC x Loki

Warnings: fluff, violence

Word Count: 3,776

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Return of the Witch

The Warriors Three, Sif, Thor, Loki, and Elska all found themselves in Thor's chambers, mulling over their next move. The parchment, now unfolded and smoothed out, lay in the center of their usual dinner table. Elska sat, legs crossed, in front of the hearth; she drew designs out of ice on the brick, watching them melt as soon as they hit the stone.

"Meet me at midnight. Alone." Scrawled in calligraphic handwriting, an address in the middle district below the simplistic instructions.

Sif had relayed their encounter to the group, and Elska had told them of her brief experience, as well.

"I must go," Elska finally exclaimed from her spot on the floor.

"Absolutely not!" Thor stood from his seat, knocking the chair to the floor.

"You truly are insane to even think of the possibility," Fandral pinched the bridge of his nose, eyes closed as he spoke. Sif nodded vigorously in agreement.

"Essentially, you want to ignore this opportunity to uncover whatever scheme is taking place within our city?" Elska was astonished at their lack of understanding her point. "Asgard could be imminently threatened by whatever this meeting is in relation to, and yet you all see fit to wait it out and ignore all chance to halt it before it begins. Not to mention the repercussions of blatantly disregarding whoever did send this message." She tried to use her own safety as a means of convincing.

"At least here we can protect you, El," Volstagg was softer with her. At this, Hogun nodded.

"Yes, and at least here we won't learn a thing of whatever plot may be unfolding," while her words were sharp, her tone was that of a gentle warning. "I am going, and that is decided."

"Then we will accompany you," Thor stated matter-of-factly.

"Have you forgotten it specifically states I am to go alone?" Elska stood and pointed at the word on the parchment.

"Have you forgotten that you have a Master of Magic in your midst?" Loki, who had been silent up to this point, rose from his seat and crossed his arms.

At his words, the six others exchanged glances, all carrying different tones of worry and thrill.

Secretly, Elska was displeased with this development. Rather myself be the one in danger than my friends.

*****

Elska looked at the moondial by her window. An hour to midnight, enough time for her to get to the main hall a bit early. Before she opened her door to leave, she cast an enchantment ensuring she wouldn't be seen before she wanted to be.

Closing her door as silently as she could, Elska glanced around her surroundings to ensure she hadn't alerted any guards that might be nearby. Finding the coast to be clear, she began tiptoeing her way to the main hall, where Sif, the Warriors Three, Thor, and Loki had agreed to meet her.

Elska's head was on a constant swivel, her nerves on high alert. With each step she took, she grew more and more paranoid. Several times she could have sworn she heard someone behind her, but each time she looked, she saw no one. She probably would have arrived to the main hall even sooner had she not been attempting such stealth.

Rounding the final corner, she found her friends outfitted in complete armor and weaponry. They were apparently expecting a fight. Meeting each of their eyes, she gave a quick nod to the group.

"Well, shall we begin our trek?" She huffed, offering a small smile. Not waiting for an answer, she turned and the group began to make its way out of the palace.

Elska could only guess at how long they'd been walking before they arrived to the farming villages at the outskirts of the middle district. Upon their arrival to the villages, Loki cast his enchantment over all except Elska, shrouding them in shadows and invisibility. She would continue this journey technically on her own.

As she walked on, she wished she knew enough about magic to detect its traces; at least she would know where they were as she ventured closer to the small cottage that was her destination. Their absence increased her anxiety tenfold.

Soon enough, she reached the address from her note. Awaiting her was the rogue guard who delivered the note.

"I believe you said the note was not from yourself, yet someone greater?" She summoned a smirk from deep within her, masking her fears.

Snorting, he opened the door and shoved her inside. Elska resisted the urge to look behind her and seek out signs of her friends; it would only alert her newfound company to their presence.

Entering the home, she was greeted by an unexpected sweet smell, as if someone had been baking some sort of pastry, and warmth from a large stone hearth. Candles scattered throughout the room Elska now found herself standing in, each one a different color than the last. Moving closer to the blazing hearth, the light exposed a figure in the corner of the room, seated, hands folded, eyes patient.

Turning to face the seated figure, Elska realized it was a woman. She was draped in golden silk, a crown of flowers and bones adorned her head. She looked to be the queen's age, and as she stood, approaching Elska, the light from the hearth brightened her face, revealing colorless eyes lacking both irises and pupils. Scars and tattoos alike peeked above the top of her drape.

"I have been long awaiting this moment," the woman breathed as she crept closer to Elska. "Watching you grow from worlds away."

"I suppose I should find myself flattered," Elska tried to back away, but found herself blocked by the guard who brought her.

"Funny girl," the woman motioned Elska to sit at a table in the center of the room. "Are you hungry?" She waved her hand over the table, various cakes and biscuits scattered over it.

"I cannot lie, they smell quite enticing," Elska spoke politely and articulately, seating herself, but not reaching for the offered desserts.

"But you are nervous they may be laced with some poison or potion," a smile playing on the woman's lips, she sat across from Elska as the words left her mouth. Her voice was pleasant, a soft melody.

"One could hardly blame me, my lady," Elska bowed her head. "A secret rendezvous with someone I haven't had the pleasure of meeting, I believe anyone would be on edge."

The beautiful woman laughed, a bell-like sound.

"My, you are polite, aren't you," she tilted her head.

Picking up a biscuit, Elska shrugged her shoulders lightly. "Perhaps it is my etiquette training in the palace," she said before taking a bite. The flavors danced across her tongue as a wonderful warmth spread throughout her body. A child-like giddiness filled her spirit, and she couldn't contain her smile.

Sensing her delight, the woman nodded, encouraging Elska to finish her biscuit.

"Tell me, Elska, have you heard the legend of Gullveig?" she asked the girl as she took another bite.

"Once," Elska replied, finishing off her biscuit and debating another. "Her torture led to the war between Asgard and Vanaheim."

"I believe you mean tortures," the woman corrected with a sickly sweet tone as she began, rising from her seat and making her way around the table. Running her thin fingers through Elska's hair, the woman's close presence sent shivers down the girl's spine, and she felt as if a snake was wrapping its body around her head. The emotion was vastly different from the one she felt just moments ago. "Three times Odin burned her, three times she lived through it. Now, she stands before you, carrying a new name. I am Heior," the woman, identity now divulged, finished her statement.

Elska's jaw dropped slightly as the recognition zipped through her mind. This was Gullveig, renowned seeress, highly talented in the ways of magic. Caught performing dangerous enchantments in Asgard, the All-father punished her by burning her three times over again. It only contributed to the already growing tension between the Vanir and Aesir gods.

Elska was dumbfound, clueless as to how to react.

"How sweet, she is struck silent in adoration," Gullveig danced over to her guard, clapping her hands. Tapping him on the nose, his appearance changed and Elska recognized him as the prisoner who she'd seen sentenced.

"I do not understand, the All-Father led us to believe you dead," as Elska tried to stand, she found herself unable to move, struggling and shaking as if there were straps keeping her in the chair. Her limbs felt as if they had been replaced with stone, and anxiety set in once more as her fingers began clawing at the wood her hands rested on.

"Do not be afraid," Gullveig's voice was syrupy, a sort of sweetness that slowly trudged through each word. She drew out her words, and as she spoke, it felt like rocks were chafing against Elska's bones. The young woman writhed in her seat, fear constricting her ability to think logically, the spell being cast on her body contradicting the words being spoken to her.

"Please stop," Elska's voice came out in a gasp, the futility of her efforts setting in.

"Then listen," Gullveig eased whatever spell she'd been casting, but ensured the girl in front of her remained without movement. Seating herself across from Elska, she maintained eye contact with her.

Elska breathed a sigh of relief as she devoted all her efforts to focusing on what the seeress was saying, unable to determine just how nefarious Gullveig truly was..

"I know who you are, I know your heritage, I know the despicable thoughts filling the minds of every Asgardian when they look at you," Gullveig rested her head in her hands, giving Elska a falsely pitiful pout. "I have had my eye trained on you for nearly three hundred years, just waiting to see what such an interesting hybrid would become."

"You see me as a weapon?" Elska asked, the wheels in her mind spinning.

"If the All-father were smart, he would, too," Gullveig stated. "The Asgardian people, they have not the slightest clue of what you are capable of, the power of the giants and Valkyries running deep through your veins. You could freeze their hearts with one look, so why don't you? What stays your hand?"

Aside from my inability to master my own capabilities? Elska quipped to herself.

"My love for my home, my desire to see Asgard thrive with acceptance," Elska surprised herself with her ability to compose comprehensive sentences. "I know it starts with me."

"Please, you know they will never see you as one of their own," Gullveig rolled her eyes.

"They do not have to," Elska began. "Why should they? I am no Asgardian, you said yourself my blood is that of Jotunheim and the Valkyries. One needs not be the same to be accepted."

"Your words are purely deception," Gullveig shrugged. "Perhaps your mind believes what you speak, but your heart does not. You know what you desire, and you know it is unattainable in Asgard. That is why I offer you the chance to end the Realm Eternal, side by side with me."

Elska could not help but consider what the witch was saying for at least a moment; did Elska truly believe that she could achieve acceptance within Asgard? And if she didn't, what then? What would come of her once the Warriors Three and the princes grew tired of her, realizing the truth of her abominable heritage.

Abominable, yet a heritage she was proud to have.

"This is a golden opportunity to reclaim your life, to take your fate back from Odin and those insolent royals, to make your destiny whatever you wish it to be," the seeress's eyes were wide with passion, emphasizing her point.

"They are not as insolent as you think," Elska said under her breath, her thoughts drifting back to her friends waiting just outside.

Outraged by her comment, Gullveig rewarded Elska's statement with a stinging slap across the face.

"My fate belongs to the Norns, and I am quite comfortable with that," Elska's words were steel as her face jerked back towards the witch. As Elska's anger rose, she glared at the woman in front of her. Her words were packed with bravery even as her eyes brimmed with tears, cheek still aflame from where she was hit.

Gullveig released a ferocious scream of anger. As she stood, she slammed her fists down, causing Elska to flinch. Readying her hand for another slap, the seeress was halted as a loud series of bangs came from above them. Heads whipped upward as the noise continued. Beside them, seemingly out of nowhere, the hearth fire grew and grew. Gullveig and the thief began backing away.

“Loki…” Elska whispered so only she could hear, knowing the sudden increase in flames must have been his doing. Still unable to move, she felt the heat begin to blister her skin.

"What in the Nine Realms is this?" Gullveig screamed, an insane look in her eye. Grabbing her henchman's arm, she snapped her fingers and they vanished, leaving Elska alone to burn in the growing blaze.

Letting her emotions overcome her, Elska became frantic. Her friends were not aware she had been cursed, they wouldn’t know she hadn’t the ability to move, to escape the raging fire on her own. She did not know which was worse, the pain, the fear, or the regret in coming to this meeting. Despite the hatred the All-father felt for her, Elska began praying that he deliver her friends out of this situation. Did the Aesir acknowledge prayers from Devourers?

Then, Elska felt herself being pulled from her seat and hoisted over someone's shoulder. Unable to see who had a hold of her, she began shrieking.

This is it, they’ve come back to kill me, keep me quiet, she thought to herself, waiting for the end, but it never came. As she was carried out into the night, her unknown captor set her down in a grassy area behind the cottage. Still powerless over her limbs, she watched helplessly as the mystery being ran back to the house.

Eyes fixated on the house, Elska heard stirrings in the grass around her. As her gaze continued, she watched as the flames were tamed, dying down to embers. Eventually two men retreated from the wreckage, making their way toward her and she realized they were the two princes. Reaching her, Loki allowed his enchantment on the beings around her to fall, and Elska realized that the stirrings she heard a few minutes ago were only Sif, Hogun, Fandral, and Volstagg standing guard around her shuddering body.

"What in Odin's name were you thinking, challenging her like that?" Loki yelled at her as she cried. "She would have killed you in an instant, you’re damn lucky we were there." Loki gave her the same look a parent gives a child who has just touched a hot kettle. The others stood silent, watching the scene before them unfold.

"Why are you just laying there?" he asked, frustration evident in his tone.

"I cannot move," Elska said in a weepy whisper. Realizing her situation, Loki knelt next to her and placed his hands on the side of her face. Closing his eyes, Elska watched as his lips moved, but no sound came out. The counter spell. Within moments, she had regained her mobility.

Mobility regained, she rose and pulled Sif and Thor, the two closest to her, into a tight hug. She threw her arms around the young prince, pulling him close to her. Within seconds, Hogun, Volstagg, and Fandral joined the bundle. Noticing Loki had yet to come over, Volstagg reached the couple feet over to the man and yanked him into the embrace. Stunned, Loki's arms sat at his sides before he registered what was happening. Slowly, he lifted his arms and leaned his head on the shoulder of the body in front of him.

"I did not know what would happen," Elska already felt the guilt seep through her bones as she whispered to her friends, still clinging to them. "I never thought this would become something so big."

"None of us did," Sif whispered back.

"We are all safe, and that is what matters," Volstagg added as the friends stood in the embrace, appreciating the safety and companionship of the moment.

*****

On their way back to the palace, the seven debated how best to inform the All-Father of the night's occurrences. They came to the conclusion that the best choice was to first inform the queen, then allow her to inform the king while they awaited the consequences.

Once they finally returned, Vosltagg, Fandral, Hogun and Sif returned to their own chambers for the night. Thor and Loki, however, accompanied Elska to hers. Immediately upon arriving to her room, Elska went to her bathing chambers and retrieved a healing salve for her burns. Lathering and wrapping her wounds, she returned to her main chamber and stood at the window, looking out at Asgard. The eldest prince came over and took Elska's hands in his own, taking a moment to gather his thoughts.

"If we had lost you tonight, had Gullveig successfully stolen you away in any sense of the word, the people of this realm would have mourned you, whether you believe that or not," Thor released her hands and stood. "Sif, the Warriors Three, myself and my brother, we would have mourned you. I know you already know this, but I must emphasize it to you. You are our friend." He paused. "Besides, who else would be there to ice over our enemies." He gave a hearty laugh.

Then, he bid her goodnight, leaving Elska alone with Loki once again. The exhausted man was sitting at the foot of her bed, leaning against the bedpost with his eyes closed.

"Loki?" she whispered, walking over to sit by him.

"Hm?" he remained in his relaxed state.

"I am scared," Elska looked at her hands, ignoring the desire to peel the skin off her quickly healing blisters.

"It took you long enough," Loki quipped, getting a pathetic laugh out of Elska. "You are safe now, and I think you have learned you are not alone in this fight."

"I know," her eyelids were growing heavy as she climbed into her bed, sinking under the covers. "I am so sorry, Loki. You do not deserve how horrid I have been to you."

"There is no need for apology," he opened his eyes, watching her struggle to maintain consciousness. A light smile appeared on his lips as he maneuvered himself closer to her. "I most definitely have deserved at least a bit of it."

"I find myself quite baffled by you, my prince," she whispered.

"And I, you," Loki's voice equally quiet. "Perhaps time will ease such notions." Watching the young woman's eyes flutter one last time, he ensured she was adequately covered before standing up to leave. "Goodnight, my dear friend."

"Sweet dreams," Elska's words were barely comprehensible.

*****

Loki, Thor, and Elska had told the queen of the night's events first thing in the morning. Hearing their story, Queen Frigga brought down a wrath of punishment on the three so severe one would have thought Ragnarok came right then and there. Truthfully, Elska found the situation oddly comforting in that it felt... familial. Here she was being scolded alongside the two princes as if she was the queen's own daughter. Although, where the other two handled the situation with ease, Elska had been quite frightened by the queen's anger - she'd never seen such an emotion from the woman.

The queen had relayed every bit of their story, down to the tiniest detail, to her husband. Upon hearing it, he immediately sent for the prisoner they previously thought was the thief. Now that they knew the magic that had likely been cast, it did not take very long for Loki to reverse it. Elska was not allowed to interfere in the counter-spelling; Once King Odin learned Gullveig had sought after an alliance with her, he trusted Elska even less than before.

"I cannot believe she has returned." the All-father said, rubbing his beard. He had repeated that sentiment a minimum of four times since hearing of Gullveig's appearance the night prior.

I would think the All-father was accustomed to old enemies plotting their revenge, Elska remarked to herself.

"We knew she was not dead," Queen Frigga replied. "We always knew it was a possibility."

I suppose that's an easy detail to keep from your city, the lady in waiting seethed,

"And what in the Nine Realms could she want you for?" he spat in Elska's general direction, refusing to look at her.

"Perhaps she is like the queen in that she does not underestimate my ability," Elska's nerves of steel had apparently returned. After a gentle nudge from the queen, she continued, more politely this time. "She said she had been watching me for hundreds of years, curious what someone of my heritage could turn out like. She believes I have some sort of exceeding power. I believe, in referring to me, she preferred the word 'weapon.'" She cocked her head with a mischievous grin on the last word.

"I see," King Odin paid her gesture no mind, still stroking his beard as if it were the key to the biggest secrets in the Nine Realms. "We will need to increase guard numbers in every district immediately. Do not spread this information around, though. If our people find out about this, their fear will only complicate the matter."

"If you believe that, then you truly underestimate the strength of your own people," Elska snapped at the All-Father. "Do you honestly have so little faith in them?" She began approaching the throne only to feel a hand hold her back, this time Thor's. Looking over to him, he gave her a gentle shake of his head, attempting to dissuade her from her current course of action.

"Are you quite finished?" King Odin glared daggers at the young woman.

"Yes, my king," Elska spoke through gritted teeth.

"Good, then," as the king spoke, Loki returned with a guard who now looked quite bent out of shape.

"I present to you our guard turned prisoner turned guard," the youngest prince informed the group as he grew closer.

"It is good to be able to speak once again, All-Father," the guard knelt before the king. "I have information that may be of use."

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philosopherking1887 · 5 years

Text

Letter to Tom Hiddleston

As I posted before I saw Tom in Betrayal in London, I wrote a letter (composed on the computer then transcribed by hand on nice stationery, which caused some flare-up of my tennis elbow...) to give to him after the show. I didn’t get into the stage door line fast enough to be able to see Tom; he only went partway down the line before going back in. (I’m not sure if that was his idea or his handler’s. Charlie Cox, meanwhile, did go all the way down the line; I got his autograph on my program and a couple of photos of him, though not with him.) But some house manager/handler person was collecting letters, cards, and gifts, and when I asked skeptically whether he would actually give them to Tom, he said, “100%”. So in theory, Tom actually received this and might read it. Maybe it was dumb, or presumptuous, or outright rude, but I expressed my condolences for what the MCU did to his character. If Tom isn’t actually as depressed about it as he seems, it won’t matter -- he’ll ignore it like the rest of the nonsense fans probably write to him -- but if he is, maybe it’ll help a little to know he has allies.

Anyway, here’s what I wrote.

---------------------------------------

Dear Mr. Hiddleston (or Tom, if I may),

I’m a philosophy postdoc at [redacted], in London for an on-campus interview for a lectureship at [redacted]… which actually isn’t until next week; I extended my trip a few days on the front end so that I could catch one of the last shows of Betrayal before the run ended. It’s more than a little silly, but I’ll admit that a large part of the reason I was hoping [redacted] would invite me for a visit no later than mid-June was so that I’d have an opportunity (or excuse) to come see you act in person.

Like many people you’ve heard from, I’m sure, I became a fan of yours through your portrayal of Loki. I was blissfully ignorant of the MCU until 2015, when a friend invited me to see Avengers: Age of Ultron. My interest was piqued when I learned that Joss Whedon wrote and directed it, since I greatly admire his work. So of course, because I wasn’t raised by wolves, I had to go back and watch all the previous MCU films in chronological order. I wasn’t really hooked until I watched Thor, but not because of the title character.

Loki’s story was deeper, more tragic, more Shakespearean than I expected from a comic book movie, even in this golden age (though perhaps not from one directed by Kenneth Branagh). It was striking that the villain (seemingly) died not as a direct result of his wicked actions, in the Wile E. Coyote-like fashion favored by Marvel and Disney movies, but by suicide, prompted by his father’s rejection. He was three-dimensional, flesh and blood, and never lost the audience’s sympathy even in his cruelest moments—like Shylock, Cassius, or Macbeth. Then, when Loki turned up again in The Avengers, more desperate and ruthless but fundamentally the same proud, wounded spirit, I was fully drawn in. (Whedon’s incisive writing certainly didn’t hurt.)

I needed to know who played Loki with such poise, charm, and pathos. After getting caught up on the MCU (including another nuanced, twisty, show-stealing appearance from Loki in The Dark World), I needed to find more of your work. I watched Unrelated, Archipelago (ouch), The Deep Blue Sea, and the Henry installments of The Hollow Crown. I went to see Coriolanus when it was shown in a local movie theater; I watched Crimson Peak, The Night Manager, and I Saw the Light when they came out.

And the amazing thing all of these performances had in common is that you disappear into each role, inhabiting each character completely. You make the most diverse characters equally believable, from the selfish frivolity, with an undercurrent of sadness, of Freddie Page or Prince Hal to the grim inflexibility of Caius Marcius to the inscrutable chameleon Jonathan Pine and, of course, the mercurial, self-destructive Loki. When you speak Shakespeare, the words flow as naturally as if you grew up in Elizabethan England, and the meaning comes across so lucidly that I feel like I did, too. I had no idea what Coriolanus was about when I went to see it (generally not recommended with Shakespeare), but I found myself as effortlessly caught up in it as if it were an episode of Game of Thrones. Nonetheless—and this is what drew me to your work in the first place—you put the same kind of thoughtfulness and conviction into the most (apparently) frivolous roles that you do into Shakespeare.

I haven’t heard anyone say this or ask you about it in interviews, maybe because they know you wouldn’t be able to say anything publicly if you agree or maybe because there are so few people who feel this way, but I want to express how sorry I am about what was done to your character, how thoughtlessly all your masterful work and dedication were thrown away—in Infinity War, yes, but even more insultingly in Thor: Ragnarok. Maybe I was just imagining it, but I sensed from your comportment during the press for Ragnarok, however gamely you talked up the humorous new tone (you are, after all, a professional), that you weren’t entirely happy with the way Loki and (to an even greater extent) Thor were “reinvented”—or, more accurately, bowdlerized, made into caricatures rather than characters: Loki was turned into an effete, hedonistic cartoon cut-out “trickster” who betrays people for shits and giggles because it’s “in his nature”—completely disregarding, or rather attempting (successfully, for most audiences) to erase, his complicated, compelling motives for his misdeeds in previous films; and Thor was turned into a compassionless, narcissistic bully (however much the movie tried to make out that Loki was the narcissist) and, to use some technical terminology, a fratty douchebro. This mean-spirited retcon, which gleefully mocked its predecessors and the people who liked them (especially with the parody of Loki’s death scene in The Dark World), was not the conclusion to the trilogy that Thor, Loki, or their fans deserved. It was not the conclusion you deserved, after the heart and soul you put into the character.

All that is to say: even if Marvel didn’t understand or appreciate what they had in your Loki, some of us do, and we are grateful for the dignity and compassion with which you incarnated a character who suffered from emotional abuse, social ostracism, and mental illness (Ragnarok cannot make us believe that all of these problems are mere “childish fixations,” to quote the director, or a lazy failure to “grow and change”). I hope the Loki TV show turns out to be worthy of the character as you, Branagh, and Whedon shaped him, not another cynical effort to cash in on Loki’s fans while making no secret of the contempt in which we are held, especially because most of us are female, and bowing to the dislike of the Reddit crowd that can’t understand why a cerebral, slightly androgynous, morally ambiguous character is more appealing to women than the standard self-certain male power fantasies (must be because women always go for assholes, right?). I haven’t decided yet whether I want to subscribe to Disney+ so that Marvel knows exactly how many people care about Loki, or boycott it in protest of how the MCU has treated Loki and his fans. Maybe I’ll compromise by using someone else’s login…

To conclude (finally; we academics tend to wax long-winded): Thank you for all your magnificent work, which clearly demonstrates your respect for both your craft and your audience. You’re a true artist, and you manage to elevate everything you act in (your eyebrow movements furnished most of the sincere pathos in Ragnarok). I hope you will continue to act both in the theater, which is obviously your true passion, and in film and TV so that your work is accessible to a larger audience. Or do more of those National Theatre Live things; best of both worlds.

Sincerely, etc.

#letter to tom hiddleston #tom hiddleston #tom hiddleston as loki #tom hiddleston's acting #anti thor ragnarok

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lokidokiliteratureclub · 5 years

Text

Frostbitten (Chapter Two)

Y/N L/N is a child of a Jotun and an Asgardian. She spends her life hidden in the dungeons of Asgard, with no one to talk to other than one of the princes- a man who seems completely incapable of leaving her alone and entirely unable to give up on helping her. Y/N and Loki Odinson have always been inseparable, it seems- even when there is a cell wall, or a village, or an entire kingdom between them.

Even when he disappears, even when you run away, and even when his world falls apart; you are inseparable.

Previous Part

Heads up!! You may look at some things in this chapter and be like: what the heckity sheckidy how is that even possible, or you may think it’s perfectly normal. Just know that if you do see something strange, it’s probably something I did intentionally. Maybe it’s not. When this series is over, if I’ve yet to answer a question you have, message me.

"Your magic is so beautiful," you murmur, watching as the illusion of a dove soars overhead before coming to a swift stop on your shoulder, batting its wings at the air to slow down. "It's so real."

You reach a hand out to touch the bird, and it fades to nothingness in a flash of green light. Loki smiles at your compliment, gazing softly at you through tired eyes. "You don't seem like one to think that reality is beautiful," he murmurs, tilting his head. "Your reality is pretty awful."

"I'd like to think I won't be here forever." There's no ice beneath you. No frost at your hands and no damp cold on your clothes. In this place, with this man, this sort of calamity takes over you, and all the ice inside you stays where it should, awaiting command. "They locked me up because I couldn't control myself, right? You help with that." In a demonstration, you clasp your hands together, building up a small shape in your palms with the ice. When you remove your hands and set the ice piece on the ground, it's a semi-accurate ice sculpture of the very same dove Loki had created seconds earlier. He looks over it, sighs happily, and then returns his gentle eyes to you.

"Your magic is a reflection of who you are. Mine showcases my ability to lie- to convince anyone of the absolutely impossible. It's flashy, flexible, and absolutely fake. Yours...” he contemplates, then smiles again. “Yours changes with your emotions- it can be completely under control or can buzz around with the strength of an anxious lion. It’s powerful, disguised, almost, and, well,” he leans forward, reaching out to touch the sculpture, his hand pausing just before the energy barrier, as if he thought for a minute that the world didn't separate the two of you, that there would always be a wall of energy or a cage of ice between you, “beautiful.”

Your lips curve upward as you watch him, his body relaxed and oddly soft compared to how sharp and sleek he usually dresses. He must have been too tired to change.

"Other than complimenting me, what brings you to the dungeons so late at night?" You ask, capturing his eyes in yours and reveling in the little burst of fluffiness that grows in your chest at his comments. "It's awful late. You look exhausted."

He rubs his eyes. "I've just been a bit restless lately. Besides, it's always good to see you.” The genuine care in his words lightens the weight of your heart. “Have you been reading lately?”

“Only every minute you’re away,” you respond nonchalantly, shrugging. “I feel better after each book you bring. Smarter. Like my eyes open a bit further.”

He nods. “That’s why-”

He’s cut off by a sharp blow to your ribs that knocks you off your bed and out of your head, onto the floor.

“Damn- thing-!” Someone swears as you open your eyes, bracing yourself on your arms and lifting yourself to your knees. The man yelling, a bald, bearded, armored man, has a dark blue, swelling wound on his hand- assumingly where he grabbed you. You have just enough time to process what’s happening that you plunge out of the way when he charges, shooting to your feet and swaying clumsily toward the back of your cell.

“What are you doing?!” You manage through weak vocal cords, hands trembling from the adrenaline. Your head is whirling from the sudden wake-up. Everything looks a bit blurry and everything feels a bit heavy. “I didn’t- you can’t touch me!”

“You’re being relocated, and I sure as hell can.” He commences toward you again, and you carefully put your hands up in surrender.

“I’m not trying to fight,” you say shakily. The spot on your ribs where he hit has already begun to ache, but you disregard it for the sake of the circumstance. “I’m a frost giant. My skin will burn you if you touch me directly.”

“Make it not!” he commands. “I’m not thick-skulled, I know that Jotuns can control that ability.”

Before you can counter that, another man strolls into the chamber, looking troubled. “What’s taking so long?” Thor grunts, gazing between you and the man impatiently. “Is she being hostile?”

You note the sword at Thor’s belt, and try to keep your breaths uniform and steady. “I’m not-”

“See what she did to my hand?” the man answers first, holding up his evidence. “She burned me, your majesty.”

“I can’t control the temperature of my skin!” You assert loudly, earning a raised eyebrow from Thor. “Most Frost Giants can, but I’ve been locked up in this cell for most of my life, and for that reason, it can be difficult for me to control. I’m not trying to be hostile!”

Thor stares at you and then holds his hand out to the other man in the cell. “Give me the cuffs,” he grumbles quietly. The man does at once, and then Thor fords the room to you. He seizes the bedsheet off your bed and wraps one hand in it several times over before grabbing your wrist and closing the first cuff around it, repeating the process with the second. He looks to the other man, almost scowling at him when he says: “I realize this is unfamiliar ground for you, Hogun, but we’re on a schedule. My father will have us all beheaded if we don’t keep up.”

Hogun looks at you, then at Thor, and then sighs, nodding. “Yes, of course.”

He drops the bedsheet, now layered in frost, to the ground, looking to you. “If you try to run, I’ll kill you,” he states simply, and he’s not lying. You offer a simple shrug, and he turns around, walking straight through the barrier. Hogun follows, and when you see that they’re clearly waiting for you to follow, you walk into the yellow film- and for the first time, come out in one piece on the other side. It’s a pity that you’re too busy wondering what in Hel is going on to appreciate your “freedom.”

They start up the stairs, and you follow in their wake, trying not to think about the fact that this is the first time you’ve climbed up stairs in fourteen years. You keep a steady pace with Thor and peer over at him while you’re walking, clearing your throat.

“Where am I being moved?” You ask him, and he responds with an uninterested sideways glance. “Or, don’t even tell me that. Just tell me why.”

“I don’t have to tell you anything,” he returns, scoffing.

“You don’t have to,” you confirm, and he raises an eyebrow, “and if you’re not going to answer, why don’t you tell me...” You purse your lips. “Oh! How’s your brother? The greasy, green one? Loki?”

The three of you appear over the edge of the stairway, stepping through a doorway with guards on either side. The room you walk into from there is mostly marble, with large, towering columns looming above you and murals displaying the kingdom’s history on the ceilings. It’s beautiful, and maybe even tear-jerking. You’d be sobbing if you weren’t too busy trying not to freeze the ground under your bare feet. Instead of marveling at the beauty of the castle, you lower your eyes and continue walking, listening carefully to your breath. You can’t afford to go into sensory overload. The Royals never “relocate” prisoners, so you have a feeling this is a high-stakes situation.

“Loki is...” Thor studies you, confused at the question, like he’s surprised you even know who his brother is. “Loki is fine.” He takes a slightly wider step than you, pushing ahead, a subtle assertion of dominance. “Sleeping, probably.”

“Actually,” says a familiar, comforting, unbelievably beautiful voice from behind you. You spin around, maybe a bit too fast, and that’s the thing to really push you over the edge. You have to bite down on your tongue to keep from crying out with joy, and you have to lock your knees to stop from sprinting over to him and tackling him to the ground. “I’m wide awake.”

Loki is wearing battle armor instead of more casual attire, missing only his helmet to complete the ensemble. It’s a complicated assembly of green, black and gold, fit with metal in all the right places and leather in all the right places, if you want to think that way. For what is not the first time, you wish to touch him. To shake his hand, or kiss his cheek, or try that thing that the Asgardians call “hugging.” You have a strong, almost killing urge to seal the gap that has kept you apart for all this time, and you’re so close. No barrier. No guards- other than his clueless brother and that Hogun guy.

It’s a shame the ice is still there to keep you back.

He gives Thor a polite but obviously condescending smile, not looking even for a moment at you, to avoid speculation. Thor tenses, looking his brother top to bottom, and then steps in front of you.

“Brother.”

“Yes, Thor?”

“I wasn’t expecting you to be here.”

“That’s funny. I knew full well that you’d be here.” Loki nods to Hogun, earning a terrified wave in return. “Hogun,” he greets, and then finally, finally looks to you, “Y/N.”

“Your Highness,” you respond, and he comes way too close to smirking. Your heart gives a friendly little tug.

Thor looks very confused and very threatened. “You know the prisoner?”

“Of course I know Y/N. Don’t you?” he frowns sarcastically, tilting his head. “We visit the dungeons at least once a year.” Then Loki takes a stride to his brother’s side, sending you a quick wink when no one is watching. “Where are we going?”

“I believe there’s a bit of a misunderstanding, brother. You’re not going with us. Father said-”

“Oh, I’m not?” he gives the fakest, most mocking look of disappointment ever, and you stifle a laugh with a fake cough into your arm. “Damn. Alright, then. I was really looking forward to going with you to...” he looks over the group, sizing everyone up, “...march into war?”

This is a really good way for Loki to figure out where Thor is going, you realize. Lokis coming on this trip, one way or another.

Thor straightens his armor’s chest plate. “No, we’re going to Jotunheim. Please move out of the way, Loki.”

You, Loki, and Hogun all do a double-take at once, and both of the men say, in unison:

“Jotunheim?”

“That’s incredible,” Loki says, but you see something in his face that lets you know he does not find this situation incredible. You certainly don’t find the fact incredible. Your blue goes suddenly a shade paler. “Does this have something to do with Laufey’s belief that she is his child?”

This is a really good way to figure out why Thor is going where he’s going, you realize. Again, a genius move by Loki. God, he’s good.

Wait, what did he say?!

“Come again?” You say out loud, probably a bit too loud, staring wide-eyed between the two princes. “My father was a war prisoner.”

“That’s enough!” Thor yells, taking a large step toward Loki and staring him down. “Know your place, brother. Leave us.”

Loki pauses before leaving, giving Thor his signature oh, I’ll be back smile and turning swiftly down the corridor, sparing you a short glance as he walks off. It gets very quiet. Hogun clears his throat, shuffling between his feet.

“Are we really going to Jotunheim?” asks Hogun, sounding borderline terrified.

“We are,” says Thor, signaling to you, then himself. “You’re staying here. Let’s keep moving.”

He heaves a sigh of relief, and you continue walking. You don’t even try to stop the trail of ice that follows you. It’s useless. Your thoughts fly and spin and bounce off the walls of your head, sending tremors down to your hands, which clench tightly into fists to stop the shaking.

You turn out into a palace courtyard, and the two men stop at the stables. Thor knocks twice, and out come three horses, one of the three unmounted- the other two occupied by Lady Sif and a man in armor of blue and silver. His eyes, a light shade of brown that nearly match the hue of his hair, scan quickly over you, then go to Thor, who is mounting the unused horse.

“Did any of you put any thought as to where our cargo will reside on the journey?” he asks, and his voice is deep- just a bit gravelly. “Because, judging simply by the trail of ice that seems to be following her, there weren’t any other frost giants to teach her how to control her emotions.”

He knows that the ability is linked to emotions? Then he must be a scientist. A researcher. That’s good, because Hogun and Thor clearly are lacking in this field of expertise.

“Oh. No, not really,” says Thor, as if it’s just now occurring to him that this is a problem. “Won’t she kill the horse?”

The man dressed in blue grunts, rolling his eyes, and then sweeps himself off of the horse. “Hogun, fetch a clean blanket from the horses’ stables, would you?” He approaches you, his eyes lingering on the ice beneath your feet for a moment. “Oh, and some boots, while you’re at it.”

Hogun rushes off.

“Arvid Eirikson,” he says, and you stare at him with blank eyes for a moment before realizing that he’s introducing himself. His hand is outstretched to you. He’s wearing gloves. “I’ll be leading this entourage. And while it won’t be a particularly long one, I feel you should at least know whose hands your life is in.”

You hesitate, lifting your cuffed hands toward his, and he shakes it before you can decide to back away. Frost sparkles on the outside of his glove when he pulls his hand back, but it melts in an instant. “Y/N,” you speak in return. “I’m not Laufey’s child,” you add for good measure, and he laughs aloud.

“Yeah, no shit.”

“Shit?” says Thor from atop his horse, raising an eyebrow. “I am unfamiliar with this term.”

“It’s-” Arvid makes a face, then stops speaking, shaking his head. “Odinson, have you not taken Midgardian Culture lessons?” Thor blinks, then tilts his head. “How can you not be educated on a planet you’re one day to watch over? Midgardian culture is fascinating.” More awkward silence."It’s a deprecatory term. A curse word.”

Thor then understands. “You’ve cursed the prisoner?” Or not.

Arvid rolls his eyes, looking to you and quietly muttering: “For the record, he and Lady Sif are only here so it looks like we care about this ordeal. I’m here to keep everyone alive. If either of them takes the lead, ignore them, and follow me. Me only. Understand?”

You blink twice, glancing at Thor, who looks actually terrified, and then back at Arvid. You straighten your back, glaring at him. “If you thought I was going to follow him into battle before, you’ve underestimated my intelligence.”

To your surprise, he grins instead of cutting your hands off. Then Hogun appears again, striding out of the stables with a blanket and a pair of oversized boots. He hands them to Arvid, who drops the boots at your feet and tosses the blanket over your shoulder. “Cover as much of your skin as you can. If you kill Orpheus, I’ll have you hung.”

“Orpheus?” Thor questions, once again confused by the man’s language. “Of what origin is this name?”

“Greek,” he says, and when Thor continues to act confused, he adds: “Midgardian. It is the name of a mythological being.”

“Ah,” he nods, grinning at the prospect. “I see. So you named your horse after the god Orpheus, who I assume is a very powerful being, to put on display his great strength and nobility.”

Arvid laughs at this. “No. I named him Orpheus because Orpheus was a dumbass, and my horse is a dumbass.”

Orpheus snorts as if offended by this remark, and tosses his head.

You slip into the much-too-large boots and, with quite a bit of effort considering your hands were cuffed, throw the blanket over your shoulders, surrounding your upper body and much of your legs. The little skin which the blanket and boots do not cover is on your knees, which stand out starkly against the black material of the cloths. Arvid doesn’t hesitate to sweep you up as soon as you’re done, ignoring the quiet yelp you release at the sudden contact. He carries you bridal-style over to Orpheus before beginning to mount you onto his back. You expect him to climb on along with you, but instead, he strides over to Thor’s horse, lifting himself onto the steed. Thor, puzzled and quite alarmed, begins to shuffle and stir in the front of the saddle. “Arvid, I’m not sure I understand what you’re doing-”

“I’m mounting your horse, obviously,” he responds briskly, swinging his leg over the horse and giving you a strange hand symbol from afar, which involves him making a fist and leaving the thumb straight upward. “Is everyone ready?”

“If you don’t mind me asking, why are you on Thor’s horse?” asks Sif, who has been mostly silent so far. “Does the prisoner even know how to ride a horse?”

“Those two questions come to- uh- come to mind for me, as well,” agrees Thor, who looks equally panicked at the fact that you’re on your own horse and Arvid’s on his horse. “I hardly think I’m the one who needs help riding-”

“She’s supposed to be royalty, is she not?” Arvid looks at you, and for a moment you consider the idea that he may be Loki in disguise, but that possibility exits as quickly as it comes. Loki always complained about Midgardian studies. He’d be completely uninterested in their curses or cultures. “And I’m supposed to be a weak old man. We have to play the part.”

“Prisoner, can you ride a horse?” asks Sif, still concerned.

“Anyone can do anything if they believe in themselves," you answer with a wink, lightly digging your heel into the horse's side. This was a mistake, because now the horse is galloping at full speed toward the forest. "I LIED," you yell as Orpheus jumps over a rock. "PLEASE HELP."

"Orpheus, you son of a bitch, get back here!" Arvid yells through strangled laughter, watching the horse whip angrily around and stomp back toward the group. You hold stiffly onto the horse’s reigns as he stops beside the other horses, seemingly glaring at his owner. “Follow,” says Arvid, meeting the eyes of the horse, before looking back to Thor and Sif. “Alright, kids. You know where we’re headed.”

And with that, Thor makes a strange sound of aggression, flicking the reigns and sending his horse into a quick, swift gallop. Sif does the same, falling in behind them, and Orpheus follows after, hooves tossing dust on either side of the dirt road you travel on. The movement of the horse jostles you and you find yourself being tossed repetitively up and down with each bound. It’s uncomfortable, but not enough to make you move.

“Arvid, you locked my brother’s stable, correct?” Thor calls over the clopping hooves, staring straight ahead.

“Of course. I also locked every other stable, plus the main exit. Why? Does he seem to be considering escape?”

“He’s going to try,” Thor says. You try not to smile at the fact. “I fear he may succeed.”

“Loki can’t go anywhere without a horse,” Sif calls, her horse galloping up beside theirs. “I wouldn’t worry. He hasn’t the key.” Then she adds: “Why isn’t he allowed to come, anyway?”

“Father wouldn’t say.”

The horses make a smooth transition from the dust onto the hard ground of the Bifrost, the gentle clopping escalating into rough, clacking sounds. Orpheus accelerates slightly, falling into line beside the others as you near the end of the Bifrost, a golden dome-shaped structure with doorways on every side. The horses slow, then stop completely, halting at the center of the room. A dark-skinned, golden-eyed man turns to face us, looking over each face and each animal before giving a stiff nod.

“Hello,” he says. “I see that the Allfather and Allmother sent the five of you?”

“That is true,” says Thor proudly, puffing out his chest. “We’d like a safe passage to Jotunheim, Heimdal.”

“Of course,” he says, and then draws a sword from his belt, shoving it into a contraption beside him. “Be aware that I will only reopen the Bifrost if it does not put our homeland in imminent danger, or if the Allfather says otherwise. I will not leave the Bifrost open, as it will destroy the realm it is left open into. Is that clear?”

“It is,” says Thor, and Arvid rolls his eyes. “We will not disobey.”

Heimdal nods, thrusts the sword sideways, and steps back. A gateway on the far end of the room whirs, then opens, revealing a glowing, spiraling circle of.. uh, death. You assume it leads to Jotunheim.

Holy mother of all realms, you're going to Jotunheimen.

"Alright. Dismount." Arvid slides of Thor's horse and Thor follows after, Sif close behind. You swing your leg over Orpheus and fall clumsily to the ground, quickly picking yourself up after. Arvid grabs hold of your arm and takes the blanket from you, dragging you toward the portal with said blanket tucked under his arm. “Is everyone ready?”

“Yes,” says Thor, grinning widely, clearly looking forward to whatever is on the other side.

“Yes, sir,” says Sif, nodding stiffly and taking a deep breath.

“My opinion is likely not relevant, but no, I’m not ready at all,” you say, terrified.

Thor ignores you and steps into the glowing death spiral. Sif follows behind, squeezing her eyes shut. You look to Arvid, who stares patiently down at you.

“Go,” he says. “I’ll follow shortly.”

You’re not waiting for him, you’re waiting for Loki.

Still, you stare forward, close your eyes, and step in after the others. The trip is short, but like falling upward. You shoot through space in a tunnel that appears to be made of crystal- strong, but seemingly fragile. Your boots fly off your feet in the journey, and your hair whips around your face, all the way until your not-very-smooth landing on the cold, hard terrain of Jotunheim.

Before you get up and look around, you feel a gentle tap on your shoulder.

“I got the stable key,” Loki murmurs smugly, just before Thor catches sight of him.

You can’t help it. Your face splits into a grin.

Frostbitten Tags:

@natalia-rushman @what-inspirational-name @jessiejunebug@fandomdestroyer @a-new-schematic @iris-suoh @pandacookieowo @givememyskittlesback @awesomefandomsunited

#loki x reader fluff #Loki Laufeyson #loki x reader #loki (marvel)#loki fanfic #loki odinson

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veliseraptor · 5 years

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Do you think Loki has always had self-harm tendencies? Even before his fall and the knowledge of his true parentage?

I do, yeah.

I headcanon that Loki always struggled with depression (and assorted other things) even prior to the events of Thor - that his mental health issues were long-standing well before then, and largely untreated/unacknowledged, for a variety of reasons.

I don’t think there’s much of a framework for mental health issues on Asgard outside of the dichotomy of “madness/sanity” and possibly some sense of PTSD/shell shock in warriors. I’ve had Loki refer to his own experience as “periods of melancholy” and I think that’s sort of the perception - that Loki has “moods” and that’s what they are, and that’s all they are.

I also think Loki wouldn’t acknowledge himself as having any deeper or more persistent problems - he would and does perceive it as a flaw in himself, as a weakness or, at its more severe, a madness. So it’s something to keep hidden and keep to himself.

There was probably a period of time when he was younger that was less true - when he was more open, especially to Frigga and probably also Thor, about when things were rough and the mess in his head, as best as he could verbalize it. But as he got older and that kind of emotional expression became less acceptable, he closed in on himself and walled a lot of that off.

And while I think a lot of Loki’s worse tendencies amp up a lot after the events of Thor, I think probably they were extant before then - including self-harm, though probably less severe, and I think sometimes it manifested less blatantly but more as periods of recklessness and disregard for his safety. That gives him some plausible deniability, as it were.

#loki's a goddamn mess #aggressively headcanons #self harm cw #lovely little loki #conversating

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marypoppinswasmyfatherbitches · 5 years

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I found the way Gamora acted in Infinity War really sad. I mean,in the Guardians movies,girl was "An evil planet guy that can warp reality is messing with my friends, I can handle it". But when it comes to Thanos,Gamora is terrified of him to the point of asking Peter to euthanize her. We heard of the awful things he did to her. Besides,I find really interesting that Gamora threatened Mantis with a broken jaw(that hurts),and felt the need to defend her from nonsense Drax said to her.

Wow, these are all really interesting points, parallels, and questions. I apologize that it’s taken me over a week to respond. Winter tends to put me in funk, plus I wanted to take time to really think about the wording of my answer. I do really appreciate any kind messages, especially so unique and respectful. I’ll try to answer both best as possible.

Of course I technically agree that Gamora’s scenes, narrative, lines, and mindset in Infinity War were incredibly sad. “Sad” as in tragic and heartbreaking. But if you mean, the way I think you’re implying, “sad” as in “regressive” or “cowardly” or “out-of-character” (meaning, “It’s so sad how the writers changed and ruined such a good character), I don’t see it that way at all. I think her plan, her actions, and what she sadly made Peter promise were perfectly fitting. It may not seem like it on the surface at first, but it was unbelievably brave and made sense given the circumstances.

In comparing the events to how Gamora reacted to Ego in Volume 2, I understand what you meant, since it’s true that Thanos and Ego are extremely similar in their cruelty, manipulation, using people as tools, disregard for life, twisted versions of love, and overall genocidal nature. ;) But the villains’ goals, and the plots of the films, are still very different, and the situations the Guardians, especially Gamora, are placed in are very different.

For starters, Gamora (and Peter and Nebula and all the others, except for Mantis) had just met Ego. Gamora didn’t fully know or understand what he was capable of, or the extent of his power. Her first thought after finding the skeletons, after learning Ego’s true intentions from Mantis, and realizing Peter was in serious danger, was probably an instant adrenaline rush to save her best friend and do whatever else they could to stop this evil celestial guy. She’s a good and moral person, and at the time was a newly-adjusting hero. There was no time to think or plan, just act. There was literally no reason in that situation for Gamora to ask someone to kill her. Ego wasn’t after her personally, she had no secrets for him to extract from her, and she wasn’t a lifelong expert on his methods and personality, hadn’t been fearing for years him coming back for her. The situation was much different with Thanos, where Gamora knows him inside and out. She knows his game, knows his goals, and knows just how goddamn powerful he is. One conversation with Mantis about Ego isn’t equivalent to a lifetime with Thanos. Ego was a sudden new baddie they had to take down right now (not only because he was torturing Peter, who she loved, but also because, by using Peter as a battery, the expansion and destruction was already taking place without a moment to spare).

And before going back to Thanos, I want to throw in there real quick that even if Gamora did understand more about Ego and had known about him for years, I think her first instinct still would’ve been “take him down, fuck him up” because again, he had Peter. There’s an insane adrenaline high you get when someone you love is in trouble. It doesn’t mean she wasn’t afraid, or knew for certain she could handle it, facing a fucking god. Of course she was scared. It’s natural. But she did it anyway, because getting their friend back was all that mattered. “Leave no one behind. Give me my insufferable, vain, sweet and dorky douche leader and friend BACK, you creep!” She’s extremely protective of our Star-Lord. ;)

But back to the events in Infinity War, I don’t think Gamora reacted that differently. When Thor told them Thanos was headed to Knowhere, Gamora didn’t refuse to help because “I/we can’t handle it.” She didn’t huddle in a corner of her bedroom. She didn’t try to fly the spaceship as far away as possible. She had an extremely similar “Let’s do it!” attitude as she did with Ego, if not a touch more afraid and less confident, for the factors I already mentioned - she knows this monster extremely well, and had probably feared for 4 years him coming for her, for Nebula, for Peter, for her friends and new family. It’s a fear that’s plagued her nightmares for a large chunk of time, and now it could become a reality. And yet she STILL said, “We need to stop Thanos!” not “Count me out.” She knew what they had to do, and wasted no time. Unlike on Ego, they weren’t already on the planet, and they had some traveling to do to get to Knowhere, and that gave her time to think and plan and make Peter swear to do something dreadful if things went badly. IF. Not definitely. IF Thanos captured her. She never said, “If we see Thanos, kill me.” or “Before we get to Knowhere, kill me.” or “I’d rather you kill me than do this mission.” No. It was “If Thanos gets me, kill me.” She didn’t want to die, didn’t say or believe her capture would undoubtedly happen. She just knew it was a possibility. Once they got to Knowhere, she went against Peter’s plans to go right so that she could fight Thanos hands-on, stabbed and tried to kill him herself. She was just as badass and brave as in Volume 1 and Volume 2, against Ronan and Ego.

The only difference you point out is that she asked Peter to kill her, and yes, that was huge and upsetting and awful, but that was only if captured, and again, it wasn’t a cowardly move whatsoever, but an extraordinarily brave and selfless and in-character move. Not only did Gamora refuse to be Thanos’ tool any longer, but she knew that he would be able to get the location of the Soul Stone out of her. She didn’t know that he had Nebula, that he would torture her sister to get the information, but she knew he could get it out of her somehow. Thanos and Gamora both know each other psychologically, so what she made Peter swear, despite breaking her heart (and the audience’s hearts), was one of the smartest, bravest, most tactful plans. It wasn’t her fear overtaking her. I feel like that’s the interpretation of a movie viewer who doesn’t understand what she’s been through or who she is. Honestly, that decision was Gamora looking at the situation logically, a situation she likely never stopped imagining since her escape, and resigning, if captured. It wasn’t because she was scared, it was because she saw it as the only solution to stop him from getting all 6 stones. She was trying to save the universe. To save all those random, innocent lives. So I think it worked.

But ya. Very sad. I still tear up, both watching it, and at all the unspoken implications. :(

Okay, tackling your point about how Gamora treated Mantis in Volume 2 seeming contradictory in different scenes, which shouldn’t take nearly as much time. :P And since you continued it a little bit in your second message, I’ll copy/paste that here so others (and yourself) know what’s what.

Continuing. Okay,Mantis had a scary power activated by touch,but one wouldn’t want to defend someone they threatened with maiming (?) from nonsense like “ugly”. Or maybe I’m missing something. Anyway,I love this blog. 💓💖

Again, interesting point, but I don’t see these two things as contradictory either. Yes, Gamora threatening Mantis with a broken jaw if she read her emotions by touching her was harsh and unnecessary, but…1) It’s possible Gamora was exaggerating and wouldn’t have literally hurt Mantis, and2) Even if Gamora was dead serious, and would have reacted violently if her privacy was invaded that way, literally breaking Mantis’ jaw or arm, Gamora had just met Mantis and didn’t instantly trust her, and3) Gamora is (even moreso back in the beginning of Volume 2) an extremely closed-off and private person, with very complicated emotions, and has been constantly training herself to hide and guide those emotions practically her entire life. To Peter, Mantis reading his emotions was odd and awkward and embarrassing. To Gamora, it was more than scary, it was fucking terrifying. No one is allowed inside her head. It seemed at the time, the only person she ever opened up to was Peter, and even then she had a lot of communication issues and was deflecting very often, still keeping so much hidden. It was a natural reaction to “If I touch your wrist, I’ll know what you’re feeling.” In Gamora’s eyes, pre-romantic-relationship, pre-major-events-of-Volume 2, has-only-been-out-of-Thanos-clutches-for-a-few-months Gamora’s eyes, that’s a big fuck no you don’t. It was an in-the-moment reaction, but it didn’t mean that she hated Mantis or deep down really wanted to hurt her. It was simply her first instinct to stop this stranger from getting into her brain, especially in front of an audience (Peter and Drax). Gamora doesn’t even understand her own emotions, she’s not gonna have them spelled out by this weirdo. :P

Cut ahead to later when Gamora is softer to her and says, “You’re not ugly” and scolds Drax - I think that was fine and fitting. I know not much time had passed, and at this point Gamora was trusting Ego even less, so a viewer might think by extension, Gamora was trusting Mantis less. And I think that’s a little bit true, since she admitted she could tell Mantis was hiding something, but Gamora could also probably sense that Mantis was genuine in her naivete and innocence, and was being used and brainwashed by Ego much like how Gamora and Nebula always were by Thanos. Aside from that, Gamora is just kind and sweet toward those that seem like they need defending, or those who are childlike and innocent (her sweet and precious goodbye to Baby Groot when they first left Berhert that morning to go with Ego rings a bell). Gamora and Drax disagree and bicker a lot, as do all the Guardians, and Gamora just instantly wanted to protect this poor girl from his bluntness, from anyone needlessly hurting her feelings. Gamora’s a nice person, despite how she can often become cold and defensive, and wouldn’t tolerate Mantis touching her and using her powers without permission. (Plus, Gamora didn’t scream at Drax, just gave him a ‘Hey, come on, that’s not nice’ glare and tone.) Both scenarios, again, felt natural.

WOW, that was a way longer response than was probably warranted, but your messages made me think a lot! I hope I expressed this well. If I think of any more points, I’ll add them later. I’m sorry again that these friggin’ essays took almost 2 weeks. I don’t want to seem like a hypocrite, excitedly telling folks in my FAQ to please send me messages, and than seeming like I don’t pay them much attention. I’m just a procrastinator, especially during this horrid season. ;)

Thank you so much for the sudden messages, and saying that you love the blog! I’m super glad! Very appreciated and flattering. It’s neat to learn that you value my opinion enough to send me these thoughts and questions! ^_^

(I’ll respond to your newer message about that infamous scene with Peter on Titan, and how Gamora likely would’ve reacted if the roles were reversed, at a later time. Probably Sunday. I hope that’s all right. Take care!)

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worstloki · 2 years

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F, V, W for the fanfic ask?

F: Share a snippet from one of your favorite dialogue scenes you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.

I don't have 'favourite' dialogue scenes, so I've picked a random one that's unposted

this is from the 20k tesseroki fic i never posted bc it was too wholesomely self-indulgent. now it's being reworked into a dark!tess fic out of spite.

“Ah.”

Tess hears Loki exhale heavily and then there’s silence; trepidation accompanies every heart-like beat as he waits for an answer, for he does not think that can be all.

“...I am not sure that I do as well,” Loki eventually confesses. “I do love you, and likely far more than I should a friend, but I... I don’t know. I don’t really want anything more, nor would I exactly recommend expecting that to change.”

“What if I don’t want anything more?” he asks, hopeful.

Loki scoffs harshly. “That negates the point.”

“What if I’d just like to hold hands more often, or the right to show off you’re mine, or an excuse upon which to blame stealing space in your bed?”

“I can hardly stand to be in the same room as myself.” Loki is calm but there is tension in the air, his voice quavers ever so slightly, his magic coils tight around his core as if braced for an expected blow. “I assure you anything more than what we have would be a lost bargain.”

Tess considers letting the odd vehemence stay, but decides it would be better not to. It was not as if he would force Loki into anything, or as if what he feels for him is transactional besides, and he’d be happy to remain friends—he loves their friendship—but from what he understands, mortals and Aesir both have convoluted concepts of what more means.

It is an honourary title at best and an unfulfilled promise at worst.

“We wouldn’t have to change anything,” Tess insists firmly. He disregards bringing up that they do already in all technicality share a bed. Loki has an aversion to speaking of it. Tess does particularly use it for sleep more often with Loki being right there, however.

“I can assure you with large amounts of certainty that I will not reciprocate love that equals yours,” Loki warns, stonily.

“Loki,” Tess laughs softly, squeezing the hand in his, “Love isn’t an amount, and if it were, it would not differentiate by type.”

“I know that,” he snaps. “It’s just embarrassing to explain that I don’t fall in love.”

“I will love that which you want to give and that which you don’t.”

“What if it’s not about wanting, or what if I have nothing I want to give.”

“Then I’ll savour that too,” Tess replies heartily. He looks at Loki hoping he knows that he understands— and he does: that people love differently and he may be overwhelmed by this progression.

“This won’t end well,” Loki mutters.

“Only one way to find out,” Tess says, happy to have gotten Loki to agree.

V: If you could write the sequel (or prequel) to any fic out there not written by yourself, which would you choose?

Currently I want the presumably post-Ragnarok recovery fic of something along the lines of noncon/dubcon grandthorki - All the such fics I’ve seen end after the secxy stuff, and in some cases emotional turmoil too, but I want them to figure out how to be bros again after both the years gap before Ragnarok and the events on Sakaar. Just... where do they go from there. I want others having no idea why Thor and Loki are acting strange and how they get used to being around each other again. All the recovery through their issues in the sweet sweet setting of the Statesman where Bruce Heimdall and Valkyrie are around managing their own things but also going 👀 at them because they don't know. All while Thor and Loki try co-ruling without breaking down every afternoon and are forced to try and support each other when neither is in a decent mindset to do so.

An example of such fics are keep me forever, tell me you want me and love you, but I'm going down by Lise but since I'm not very into writing explicit stuff it'd be a sequel :P

Obviously I’m more comfortable with writing crack though so the ones I'll actually end up writing continuations/prequels for in the foreseeable future are all comedy :D

W: Do you like more general prompts, or more specific ones?

Either are good! I think specific ones make it easier to follow the prompt without going a completely unexpected direction, but I prefer general ones because you can take them in completely unexpected directions :)

#thank you for asking the letters! :D #i am now going to look the other way #not out of embarrassment or anything #just becaus #e #i may sustain too much damage and that would not be so good

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teabq · 5 years

Text

Endgame Meta Part 4 of Who Knows

Ok, we’re past opening weekend so going to put very soft spoilers outside of the read more. But again, SPOILER warning both for plot points from the film and for ranting about certain aspects of it.

To recap so far, again with soft spoilers:

Endgame Meta Part 1: In which I discuss how Endgame is a magic trick that makes you think you’re getting something that you’re not.

Endgame Meta Part 2: Bullet points on things including, but not limited to, Steve, Tony, Natasha, Pepper, and the handling of time in the movie.

Endgame Meta Part 3: Bullet points on the handling of time, LGBT characters, female characters, Hulk, and Steve.

Now for part 4, which is going to be about this interview with the writers Markus and McFeely. Or, as I like to call it:

CALLED IT. I mother fucking CALLED it. The five year time jump was PURELY to put the characters where they wanted them to be with exactly zero thought or care given to how they got there.

What amazes me is that M&M have had MULTIPLE MOVIES to put everyone in place. The last movie of a series is not when you do the wacky what if scenarios to jerk them into the position you want them to be. This is when we’re supposed to be getting closure on what’s already been established.

What gets me is the utter disregard for the ideas of 1) characterization and 2) show don’t tell. Prof Hulk is the best (worst?) example of this. That these guys would look at all the history of Bruce and Hulk and see it as something that would purely be resolved in a science montage?? We’re talking two separate characters! Characters who have had an antagonistic relationship! THE SCIENCE DOESN’T FUCKING MATTER.

The issue with Bruce and Hulk wasn’t what exact gamma formula gets them to merge, it’s WHY WOULD EITHER OF THEM WANT TO. As of Endgame the answer to that is and remains WHO THE FUCK KNOWS? SHUT UP, PROF HULK GAVE SCOTT TACOS, ISN’T THAT WHAT WE’RE ALL HERE TO SEE?

Likewise the complete misunderstanding of Thor’s arc as “all he ever does is fail.” Yes, he’s suffered LOSS, but that’s different from FAILURE. Dudes, I don’t even GO here as far as being a Thor stan (like him fine, he’s just not my fav) but even I can tell you that Thor’s arc has been about him growing as a person and becoming a true leader.

Which isn’t to say the guy can’t suffer trauma after everything that’s happened. Odin knows he’s earned it! But that’s different from saying he’s a total failure at everything he’s ever done.

And of course we get confirmation that all M&M thought of with Thor is “Ha ha, he’s fat and drunk! Isn’t that HILARIOUS?” Man, credit to Hemsworth for managing to insert pathos and gravitas into characterization beats that were there purely to mock someone with PTSD. Compare the treatment of Thor in Endgame with Valkyrie in Ragnarok: both Asgardians who suffer PTSD, both trying to deal with their trauma with booze, both with comedy beats, but only one which treats the concept of that trauma as something to respect. (Hint: it ain’t Endgame.)

I’d say don’t get me started on the Natasha of it all but holy FUCK. She was supposed to be a shut in? Really? I’ll grant that it at least explains why they were framing her as somebody we’re supposed to feel sorry for. I got that we were supposed to think she was pathetic when I first saw the movie, but what I couldn’t get was WHY. As far as I could see she was stepping up to lead when nobody else would, and was organizing much needed heroing efforts. I got that the whole underwater earthquake exchange with Okoye was supposed to indicate that Nat was being hyper vigilant but again: TRAUMA.

Likewise I’m annoyed after my allowing for a reasonable mistake in having 3 separate “women be making sandwiches” scenes, it was apparently entirely intentional for Nat only being able to put together a peanut butter sandwich for herself to mean that she is so lost and pathetic and her life has no meaning. God forbid we interpret it as 1) she’s got SHIT TO DO, 2) nobody said Nat was a cook in the best of circumstances, and 3) hey maybe five years after HALF THE UNIVERSE VANISHES it’s harder to get Fresh Direct deliveries than it used to be.

Speaking of which, I could go into so many rants on that five year time jump. Here’s the thing: I’ll happily do the MST3K principle if you want me to. Case in point: I’m not going to question why everybody in the final battle had communicators because the reason is the movie needs a way to have the characters talk to each other while scattered about the field. It’s not important, it doesn’t influence the plot, it’s easily handwaved and we all move on.

However, when you put issues with the five year time jump IN THE TEXT then you need to address it. Don’t show me abandoned boats surrounding the Statue of Liberty if you don’t want the audience to draw conclusions from that. On the most basic level you’re saying “look at how empty and devastated the world is.” Okay, great, well if the world is empty and devastated, why are people playing Fortnite? (other than the obvious paid for product placement) Why are kids bopping around cheerfully asking for Hulk selfies? Why is Pepper Potts curled up on a couch reading about compost instead of reviewing reports about the efforts of Stark Industries to help rebuild?

What gets me is that we have REAL WORLD EXAMPLES of huge loss to draw from. Not to belittle the events of it but 9/11 alone shows how the loss of thousands in a single location has an impact on the psyche of those in the area, the day to day life, and the economy. It’s nearly two decades later and if people treated the memory of 9/11 as an excuse for a day at the beach it would be considered offensive. You’re telling me only five years after HALF THE UNIVERSE DISAPPEARS and the memorials to the vanished are little more than a visual curiosity people stare at? Nobody’s got an emotional attachment? Nobody’s leaving flowers? Nobody’s sitting on those benches sobbing their eyes out?

And that’s just if we take the shots of devastation at face value. Give it two seconds of thought and you realize the entire fucking planet should’ve fallen apart. Randomly removing 50% of all living humans (for the sake of argument) would’ve destroyed EVERYTHING. Nothing would’ve been able to function. Those abandoned ships mean no trade is happening. Who’s running the government? How is stuff getting manufactured? How are things being moved place to place?

And that’s just if we limit it to humans. When we throw in the other living things like birds and such then we realize the environment is fucked too. We’ve all read about how screwed we are if bees vanish. Well thanks, Thanos, you got us halfway there!

And again: I’d happily handwave IF THE MOVIE LET ME. I thought the purpose of the scene of Steve’s therapy group was to imply that everyone in the world was having problems moving on. While watching it for the first time I was fully prepared to take that scene as an explanation for why bringing everyone back after five years wouldn’t be as problematic as it seemed. But then the movie went on to show that, actually, outside of Steve’s therapy group and the Avengers themselves (minus Tony and Bruce, who are doing just fine), the world is a-ok!

Which is why, in an odd sense, it’s comforting to read that interview and be told no, you’re not crazy. They gave no thought to any of this whatsoever and never even cared. “Wouldn’t it be funny if Thor was fat?” writ large.

And the sad thing is that nothing is going to discourage them or anyone from doing things like this all over again. The movie made over a billion opening weekend. Why ever change?

#Avengers Endgame #Endgame Spoilers #meta #MCU #spoilers

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iamanartichoke · 5 years

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As you're definitely the "more in character than the canon" fanfic writer, I was wondering if you have any advice for a noob fanfic reader who wants to try their hand at writing, but feels they don't know any characters well enough to write fanfic of them. Despite consuming tons of media, I feel like the only characters I know well enough to write about are those in my own works. But I would love to write fanfic because I know it would help improve my writing! Any advice would be appreciated!

I’m sorry it has taken me a couple of days to answer this,honestly I’m so blown away by this descriptor that it’s made my brain freeze upa little, lmao. Also I feel like I’ve answered a couple of asks about getting intowriting fanfic, but I can’t find them to save my life, or I’d link them; I’msure I was in a much better brain-space when I wrote them, so I apologize ifthis response falls short.

First of all, I think it’s awesome that you want to startwriting fanfic to practice writing. Everyone starts somewhere and fic is a safeplace to start because playing in someone else’s sandbox kind of gives you acushion to practice with characters/settings/ideas that are more fleshed outthan what we might be able to come up with on our own. However, I alsounderstand what it feels like to feel more at ease with your own characters,because you don’t have to worry about knowing them well enough or portrayingthem correctly – they’re yours, and by default however you write them is alwaysgoing to be correct.

That said, I want to stress that I really don’t think there’sa wrong way to write fanfic. Bydefinition, fanfiction is used to explore characters that we love in a waythat, for whatever reason, the source material doesn’t allow. Whether it’sfleshing out a character that is given limited time and development on screen,or if it’s to take our favorite characters and put them into situations that wewant to see, we’re creating something beyond the limitations of the establishedcanon and the freedom and ability to have “wiggle room” is an inherent part ofwhat fanfic is.

Loki is especially good for fanfic because he’s somultifaceted and complex and there are a lot of ways to explore that. Ofcourse, Loki has a history and a basic personality, but even those things varydepending on the particular incarnation of Loki you’re interested in – MCU Lokiis different from Marvel Comics Loki is different from myth Loki.

We take the core idea of who Loki is and we expand upon it inour own fics, and not all of the interpretations are going to be the same. Andthat’s okay – it’s great, even, because fic never feels stale or overdone, evenif the plot is one that’s been explored before. In all the fic I’ve read, I’vecome across a lot of different interpretations of Loki that all, in thecontexts of their stories, ring true. Some Lokis are funny and sly; some Lokisare quiet and withdrawn. Some Lokis take more liberty with his mischief andtendency toward manipulation, especially when it comes to Thor; some Lokis focusmore on the emotional vulnerability that he displays when he’s been wronged orwhen he feels unstable. And so on and so forth.

Sadly, the Loki we were given in Infinity War very much didnot feel like Loki, and that’s because the core of who he was had been changedso drastically due to the writers trying to shoehorn him into a plot thatbetter served other characters. At his core, Loki is not foolish, and yet thewriters chose to have him make a foolish decision (to attempt to kill Thanoswith nothing more than a knife, rather than using any of his powers). Loki hasnot been shown to come to terms with his very complicated history with Odin, either,yet the writers chose to have him declare himself “Odinson” before his death,as if he magically reached that point all by himself.

The flaws in the writing, in the case of Infinity War,happened because Loki was handed over to writers who either fundamentally did notunderstand the core of who Loki is, or they seemed to deliberately have Loki dothings that went against his established character because otherwise, theirplot wouldn’t work. (Which is kind of telling of the quality of writers – but,I digress.)

My point is, as long as you don’t fall into the trap ofdisregarding the core of Loki (or whichever character you’re writing ficabout), your interpretation can’t be wrong. It only starts being wrong when, asin the case of Infinity War, the character is undermined and sacrificed for thesake of a larger plot. Fortunately, that’s not really a thing that happens infic – or if it is, I have yet to see it. (Which is also kind of telling aboutwho should be hired to write for Marvel and who shouldn’t be – but, again,digression.)

This is getting very long-winded and I apologize. tl;dr: myadvice is to consider the character that you want to write about and just gofor it. If you’re consuming large amounts of media, then you probably havepretty good ideas about who these characters are – whether you’ve watched themovies or the shows or read the books or whatever the case may be. Don’t getcaught up in worrying about whether your version is “in-character” or not; itprobably is, and interpretations vary.

Also, allow yourself the room to explorethe character and let the character shift and change as you learn more aboutthem (or if you had ideas about them that you later changed your mind about). When I started writing Loki fanfic, with Sanctuary, I jumped inhead-first with literally no idea what I was doing. I liked Loki and I had avague idea in my head, based on the movies, and it just started spilling out. I wasn’t on Tumblr yet andI hadn’t yet really been exposed to theories and headcanons and meta, and Ithink I was literally halfway through that story before I started to feelcomfortable with my version of Loki and started smoothing out some of thekinks.

So literally, just go for it and have fun with it and enjoy yourself andthe story you want to tell, and you’ll be fine.

Thank you for the ask!

#asks #charlotte replies #writing #charlotte writes #loki pokey artichokey #loki fic #fanfic #i'm going to make a tag #for writing advice #and call it #writing advice #i'll go back and try to edit the tag into similar posts as this #so i can find them later #a nonny mouse #i will never be over loki #charlotte bitches about iw

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talkingstarwars · 6 years

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Last Jedi positives and negatives, plus predictions for Episode IX!

Alright, enough time has passed and I think it’s okay for me to finally give my spoiler thoughts on The Last Jedi and predictions for the future (plus I haven’t had time to write something here specifically until now!)

Right out of the gate: I like The Last Jedi. I think I like it as much as The Force Awakens, but I like each film for very different reasons. TLJ took way more chances and was much more subversive than TFA, which I greatly appreciated. However, there are so many problems that I have with this movie. I know that sounds really negative, but here me out! I love Star Wars, but I also love movies. Upon first viewing I watched The Last Jedi as a Star Wars fan, and the second time I looked at it with a more critical eye.

Let’s get the problems I had with the movie out of the way first.

1) I hated everything that had to do with Canto Bight. Like, legitimately hated. It dragged upon the pacing and every time they cut back to it, I found myself checking my watch and hoping they’d go back to something more interesting. I thought its “message” was too on-the-nose and delivered poorly. It felt so prequelish and cartoony to me that I rolled my eyes more than once. I like Finn. I kinda like Rose. They were not serviced properly at all. Finn was one of my favorite characters and I felt like he was reduced to an ultimately meaningless side quest. Honestly, I look forward to fast forwarding through all the Canto Bight sequences once I get my hands on the Blu-Ray. And before you tell me the deeper meaning of the sequence, listen: I got it. I got everything that they were trying to say, but the execution didn’t work for me. It was too long, too. 45 minutes on that dumb planet felt like 90. Also, some of the effects look a little wonky, especially when Finn and Rose were riding those horse things through the city streets.

2) Leia’s Superman moment. It really pains me to say this because I miss Carrie Fisher with my whole heart and she gave a hell of a performance in this movie. But it was just to weird for me, seeing her fly through the stars like that using the Force. I’m glad that she used the Force but jeez, it was strange and took me out of the moment.

3) Snoke’s death. Alright, so this is a tough one. I love, love, love the manner in which Snoke died (more on that later), but I can’t help but worry about what this really means. The Force Awakens told the audience which questions to ask and what questions were important; one of those being “who is Snoke?” He was set up as this Big Bad™️ and was killed by almost nothing. Look, I know this whole movie’s deal was “subverting expectations” and being “unexpected”, but this is a mistake that the prequels had. Killing off your villains too early doesn’t give your main character a good motivation to keep fighting. Think about it: if Darth Maul hadn’t died and was the ancillary villain throughout the prequels, there would have been more emotional weight in Obi Wan’s journey (don’t @ me with that “but Maul was in the Clone Wars TV show!” Let’s keep the talk to movies, but I do love TCW a lot.) I think Snoke needed to be a driving force for Kylo Ren in his struggle with both the Dark and Light Sides. Clearly I don’t know what is going to happen in Episode IX, it could be the greatest story ever for all we know, but for now I thought the character of Snoke was, quite frankly, wasted. I felt no impact when he died, other than the impact that came with the rest of the scene. I wish we had known more about him, that’s all! One line of dialogue about who Snoke was or “he’s like, super crazy powerful with the Force because of X, Y, and Z.” I needed more from Snoke to feel any weight/impact when he was killed. What had already been presented to me about Snoke (which wasn’t a lot, I think we can all agree) was not enough for me. Maybe we’ll learn more about him in a book or a comic or in Episode IX.

4) Right, so where the hell were the Knights of Ren? Again, something that was presented as important to the audience in The Force Awakens and was not elaborated on. I think this- coupled with my previous ramblings on Snoke, the revelations about Rey’s parents, and some other story beats- show that there is a lack of a complete vision with this story. I appreciate the fact that Lucasfilm is letting storytellers tell their stories, and have creative freedom over projects (for the saga films, not the stand alones apparently). That being said, it didn’t feel like JJ Abrams and Rian Johnson collaborated and compromised as much as they should have. Look at Marvel; each story can stand alone but there is clearly an overarching story. I understand that this is “Rey’s journey”, but it would be nice if there was a supervisor (à la Kevin Feige) overseeing this saga. Yes, I understand that many feel as if the Marvel films are formulaic, but one must see that they’re still letting filmmakers tell their stories (see Thor: Ragnarok. That was 100% a Taika Watiti film.) It felt like there was a large disconnect between The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi. If the Marvel analogy didn’t satisfy you, let’s look at the original Star Wars trilogy. George Lucas did not direct all of those movies. He did not write all of them. But he was the head of story development, and they all felt connected and like there was one overarching narrative. These are just my opinions, mind you! For me, I wish that there was more connective tissue between 7 and 8 and that certain story threads weren’t dropped/disregarded.

5) This is a slippery slope, and not completely a negative, but sometimes...sometimes Rose didn’t work for me. Overall, I thought she was a good addition to the saga and Kelly Marie Tran is a DELIGHT, but her line delivery was a little rough and her one-sided affection for Finn fell completely flat. This was a super minor issue! Don’t hate me, please. If you loved everything about Rose, awesome! This movie is yours to enjoy and pick apart, and you should never change your opinions based on those of others. Live your life.

6) Ah, Luke Skywalker. One thing: I don’t believe for a second, based solely off of what we know about Luke’s character, that he’d ever consider killing his nephew. Just hear me out, please, I know this is a iffy subject for most fans. Specifically, I don’t think Luke would have ever turned on that damn lightsaber, even for a moment. I know we’ve seen Luke straight up MURDER fools (see Jabba’s sail barge) and we’ve seen him tempted by the Dark Side (see when he was tempted to kill the Emperor or when he was tempted to kill Darth Vader.) Almost killing Vader and thinking about murdering Ben Solo are completely different. Vader had actually done all those horrible things; Luke only saw a glimpse into the future of Ben Solo. One of Yoda’s chief lessons to Luke was that the future is always in motion. Luke would have had hope, he wouldn’t have thought (even for a second!) that killing the son of his sister and best friend would be a good idea. Luke would have spoken to him, Luke would have tried to make amends. Vader, Ben Solo, the Emperor, those drunk idiots on Jabba’s barge; all different scenarios. All in all, I didn’t agree with this decision with Luke’s character. Oh well, it’s not my choice, it’s not my story, as much as I would like it to be. I’m a Star Wars fan, and I love these characters so so much. Still, it’s okay to formulate opinions about things you care about.

7) I could live without DJ. Honestly I thought they wasted Benicio Del Toro’s talents. I think he was much more suited for either a Resistance official or Knight of Ren, not some stuttering Lando Calrissian antithesis. I get the lesson he taught to Finn about arms dealing, but his character got on my nerves. Maybe it was just intensified by my dislike for Canto Bight.

8) The plot device of “the characters didn’t communicate” is cheap. I am, of course, referring to Holdo not informing Poe about what she was up to. Was Poe a lower ranking official? Yes. Still, Holdo must’ve known that he was still one of Leia’s most valuable soldiers. She could have told him something! This could have avoided Canto Bight and cut down on the film’s long run time. This would have given a stronger relationship between Holdo and Poe, further showing how he will be trusted with the future of the Resistance.

Here’s a quick run-down of other things I had a problem with:

Hux was even more of a cartoon character, and it was annoying

The fact that Rose stopped Finn from sacrificing himself! It could've been a really powerful moment but she came in with an out-of-left-field message that doesn't mean anything because they had no chemistry! (And I'm not referring to the purposeful awkwardness; this is just them together in general.)

The fact that Poe said “big ass door”

Final Finn/Phasma confrontation, mostly because Phasma was still grossly underdeveloped and showing part of her face did very little to humanize her.

Luke throwing the lightsaber over his shoulder like the legacy of his father and his past meant nothing! I understand that Luke wanted to be left alone, but even he still had a heart. He should've taken it and grumpily walked away instead of throwing the damn thing so nonchalantly.

GEEZ, DID YOU ACTUALLY LIKE ANYTHING FROM THIS FILM?! Yes, yes, I like so much about this film! Let me explain all my positives!

1) That Luke and Yoda scene put the biggest smile on my face. That was bonafide Empire Strikes Back puppet Yoda! I love the message Yoda gave to Luke, I love how he bopped his former trainee on the head with his walking stick, and I loved how they burned the Force tree. Honestly, it’s one of my favorite Star Wars scenes of all time, I think. It felt so organic and genuine, and I loved every minute of it. That was the kind of moment and dialogue that makes me love Star Wars!

2) I loved that Rian Johnson TOOK CHANCES. He managed to keep my guessing through the movie and presented us with situations that expanded the Star Wars story. One of my biggest complaints with The Force Awakens (which is shared with many) was that it felt so familiar. I appreciate the Rian Johnson made this film his own. And yes, I liked the Force-projection that Luke did at the end (aka Force doppelgänger or whatever.) I lost it when Luke brushed his shoulder in his confrontation with Ben Solo. Gold. Pure gold.

3) The Rey/Kylo Ren team up fight is a top-five Star Wars moment for me. What a battle. Especially in a filmmaking perspective; the fight choreography was exquisite and the wide shots of them back-to-back taking on the Praetorian guards looked SO GOOD. Also, I was tricked into think that this was Ben’s turn to the light side, and was promptly misdirected. Nice job, Rian; you got me. What an emotional, rage-fueled battle. It shows us the obvious compatibility of the two, their interconnectedness, and the sad truth of their separation. You cannot have light without darkness. Somehow, in some way, those two- they complete each other.

4) Porgs. I am pro-porg. Porgs are friends, not food. Thank god they did not go the way of the Gungan.

5) We got a force-bond, people. Not gonna lie, this might be one of my largest positives with the film because it was one of my predictions that came true... Anyways, I loved every interaction of Rey and Kylo Ren. Even the shirtless scene, which was obviously just to show the audience that Rey could see him- it was only for this, nothing more, clearly. Still, these two are the heart of our story; our Skywalker and our Scavenger. The light and the dark. Yin and yang. Peanut butter and jelly. The dynamic duo, if you will.

6) There were some damn good space battles. This includes: the opening bombing run, Kylo Ren almost blowing up the Resistance bridge, the outmatched Resistance fleet trying to flee to Crait, Holdo sacrificing herself for the Resistance. I like my space battles. (Although, to be fair, the bombs “dropping” in space bothered me a bit. Oh well, screw physics.)

7) Amilyn Holdo is a good character. This is because I am bringing outside knowledge about her with me when I view this film, which makes her death more impactful. I do think it’s unfair to the audience at large when people say “if you only read the book this moment in the movie would be better.” I think that’s a little annoying; you shouldn’t have to read a book/comic to understand a character. The film should give them their due. Was Holdo, in terms of the film, a little underdeveloped? Yes. That doesn’t take away from the impact of her sacrifice and devotion to the cause.

8) There were a lot of good lessons in this film, including, but not limited to:

Failure is the greatest teacher

You can come from nothing and still be something

Your worth does not lie in your past

Forge your own destiny

Don’t drink green milk from strange aliens

9) This movie made me excited for Rian Johnson’s trilogy and Episode IX. It was, like I said, effective in expanding lore and making the universe feel bigger! I mean, it’s also not like Lucasfilm doesn’t already own my soul. I will see everything they put out.

10) I liked the circumstances surrounding the reveal of Rey’s true lineage. Would I have liked her to be a descendant of Obi Wan Kenobi? Of course. Would the story be elevated by the parallel of a Skywalker training a Kenobi vs a Kenobi training a Skywalker? Possibly. Was I a tad bit disappointed when Rey actually turned out to be a nobody. Yes, and I won’t deny that, but the more I dwell on it the more I like the decision. I read some article that summed it all up perfectly: not only was that the hardest thing for Rey to hear at the moment, it was the hardest thing for the audience to hear as well. Considering the circumstances, this was a critical point in the bonding of Rey and Ben. It also further develops the theme that you can come from anywhere and still be a hero (just look at Broom Kid at the end.) I also think this moment revealed the dangers of speculation; we, as dedicated Star Wars fans, sometimes need to take a step back and realize that this story is not in our hands. I know a lot of the disappointment that stemmed from this movie came from the fact that people’s theories were not made a reality. This is not healthy film going! I am a victim to it. Still, all that being said, The Force Awakens and JJ Abrams pretty much told us to speculate about where Rey came from; she was important, her lineage was important. How could her strength with the Force be explained otherwise? Well, Rian Johnson took over and he gave us the answer; just not the one we were expecting.

11) Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill were so good in this movie. I miss Carrie so so much, and Mark brought such a good energy to the film as a beaten down, tired Luke Skywalker. Their “reunion” made me smile so much. Love you, Carrie.

12) Kylo Ren is a complex, compelling, and damaged character portrayed impeccably by Adam Driver. Every time Kylo Ren came on screen we pulled back a layer of his psyche and got to understand why he is the way that he is. I soaked up every minute of his screen time. If you still think he’s a whiny kid not worthy to be amongst the likes of Vader, the Emperor, and Maul as a great Star Wars villain, I respect your opinion but I'd have to politely disagree. Driver, once again, gives a great performance.

Alright, so I'm just going to spare you from reading anymore and do a quick list of the rest of the things I liked:

battle of Crait

Resistance ship going through Snoke’s ship at lightspeed

Chewie cooking a porg

Luke and R2 in the Falcon

Kylo Ren force-slamming Hux against a wall

Hux getting force-choked by Snoke

Hux getting taunted by Poe

Poe Dameron, in general

Billie Lourd as Connix

Droids!

References to other movies (palapatine reference specifically)!

Everything about the Luke/Kylo fight: the brushing of the shoulder, the fake-out, the dialogue, everything

Luke ended where he began: with twin suns. Beautiful imagery.

And much more!

So, thanks TLJ for making the last month or so of my life consumed by Star Wars debate (which, if I'm being honest, isn't new.) I had a ton of fun at the movies, and now we throw ourselves right back into speculation time! So, here are my predictions for Star Wars Episode IX: Legacy of the Force (lol just a filler title don't have a hot scoop here):

Ghost Luke will guide Rey. Other ghost appearances to be aware of are: Yoda, Obi Wan, and Anakin Skywalker (who will appear as a man/machine hybrid and talk to Kylo Ren, not Rey.)

Kylo Ren will be redeemed.

Rey will start a new order of Jedi

Poe will take over the Resistance

Rose will become a pilot

The Knights of Ren will come out to play, one might be planning to betray Kylo, which might help him be pushed towards the Light Side

Ben Solo will die, but die a redeemed man, probably whilst trying to protect Rey

Chewie will die.

Leia’s funeral will be at the start of the movie, I will be crying my eyes out.

The Resistance will emerge victorious, but it won't be a...happy victory, per se.

We’ll learn more about Snoke

Rey will eventually build her own saberstaff using the crystal of Anakin’s saber

Resolution on Rey’s force vision from TFA

Rey will use the Dark Side but not give in to full temptation

The minds of Rey and Ben will be linked once more. Probably if Rey ha to track Ben down, she’ll open her mind to him or something like that

Lando Calrissian will come back

We will visit at least one planet from the Original Trilogy, because this is JJ Abrams were talking about and he doesn't want a lot of change. I think it’ll probably be Endor because that's where Luke cremated Vader, and I’d imagine that's a very important place for Kylo Ren

Is that too much to pack into one film? Absolutely! Did I already warn about the dangers of over speculation? Hell yeah, but like I do all the time I'm going to ignore my own advice! Speculation is all a part of the fun.

So, I hope you enjoyed The Last Jedi. And if you didn't like it, cool. I hope we can all just get along. Still, I’d be happy to duke it out. Meet me on Crait, where salt is more plentiful than it is in the voices of legions of angry fans.

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darknessnav · 6 years

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About Darius

You should view my webpage ON A COMPUTER. Or use DESKTOP VIEW setting in your mobile WEB-BROWSER. Not the Tumblr app. So I can’t be bothered with posting the images that go along with this since you can’t be bothered to go to the proper platform. (Sorry, mun is annoyed about this.)

“This one’s tale is one most unknown. He is not known for the tall tales of a clever wit and tongue. He is not known well at all. Niflheim of the timeless bore this one. Muspel was his womb. This one was not born of flesh and blood. This one came from whispers in the depths of a mirror’s mind. The whispers of dark desires, of murder, of lust, and of depravity. For that reason, the names most tied to I are that of darkness. If darkness were to have a face, I would be that face. If darkness were to want a voice, I would speak in its name. Darkness is cold and calculating and darkness is in my veins.”

Darius is not Loki as one would know him to be. He is not Loki in myth nor is he Loki in Marvel. He is his own entity. He is the darkness that was harbored in another, manifested in jotun form. He has no family. He has no home. Darius wanders the streets of the only realm he knows, Earth, or what he would call Midgard.

He has no goals or missions in life, only just to experience until his dying breath. He does not understand pain and emotion as we would. He does not understand sorrow and anguish. These things are unknown to him, and though they try to leave their mark on his dark soul, their efforts are in vain. His are the desires of a madman, of a psycho, of a killer. What actions he wants to take, he takes them. He does not give himself time to think of the consequences.

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Warning/disclaimer: ALL OF THIS basically. Please read prior to interacting with this muse!

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Name: Darius Eirik Manngason (Manngason = “son of no one”) Nicknames: Loki, Dalie, Blueberry, Smurf, Dark One, Once-Thought, Dark Incarnation, Loki Loptrson Wishlist Nickname: None; he gives no fucks toward names Birthday: January 17th (Zodiac Capricorn) Age: Physically 5 years (his body was created July 23, 2012), looks like mid-thirties, contains the wealth of knowledge of Loki, so acts much older than either of the previously listed ages. Ethnicity: Jotunn (Frost Giant) Height: 6’4” (male) / 5’8” (female) Weight: Approx 635lbs (but feels like 200lbs with his levitation spell) Body Type: Darius is much unlike the stereotypical build of Loki. His frame is thick with muscle, yet he is still ‘small’ by Asgardian standards for warriors. When compared to someone like Thor, Darius would still appear small-framed. However, Darius stands physically taller than Loki by two or three inches, making him eye-level to Thor. Darius possesses a thicker, squarer jawline, and his eyebrows looks more chiseled and prominent than that of Loki’s. Skin color: Deep blue, close to ultramarine blue in Jotun form, pale white/alabaster (like humans) in Aesir form. Eye Color: Red with red sclera in Jotun form, green eyes with white sclera in Aesir form. Hair: Raven black, mid-length hair Scars: A large yet subtle scar across his stomach/abdominal region and a smaller more prominent one over his sternum. Burns: No Over weight: No Under weight: No Other Physical Traits: He has markings all over his body in his Jotun form that are akin to very thin, raised lines, giving him a somewhat tribal appearance. However, the thin lines are easily unnoticeable as they are so thin and barely raised. One would likely have to be looking for them, or they must be under some harsh lighting’s angle. Smells like: Differs based off of the shampoos/body washes he uses, mostly consisting of sandalwood, citrus, or cinnamon. Without the influence of shampoos/body wash, he would have a “freezer burn” kind of smell. Speech Traits: Deep voice, he speaks as though he has an accent, yet the accent is no definable match to any existing accents. Stance: He has a very rigid stance, appearing taller than he is, which is very tall. His feet are about 24 inches apart when he stands. Walk: He has something of a saunter-like walk, very casual and relaxed no matter the place or occasion. He walks with confidence and as though he has extreme familiarity of his surroundings. Common Gestures: Occasionally, he may tap his fingers on his side. He often shifts his weight from one foot to another every few minutes. He tends to move his head around as though he is looking for details. When exposed to many sounds or scents, he will sometimes close his eyes as he is very over-stimulated by his senses. Facial Expressions: He has a very unreadable face. It hints at multiple feelings, yet the eyes tell you that feelings are not present. He sometimes scowls, he sometimes look perplexed, and sometimes he even looks upset or depressed. Clothes and Shoes: He isn’t particularly picky about clothes. He will generally stick to flannel shirts that button up, although sometimes he will wear a thin long-sleeved or sleeveless undershirt, generally black in color. The flannel shirts tend to be vibrant red plaid shirts. He will wear an array of jeans, the most of which will be dark blue, grey, or black. Cosmetics: He doesn’t use too much, being a low-maintenance sort of fellow. He will occasionally use some oil to slick his hair back. Education: Religious education, Apprenticeship, Non-traditional education. Self-taught, very intelligent. Financial Status: Wealthy Lives in: an abandoned insane asylum located in Finland with no immediate neighboring buildings/residencies. Languages Known: English, Finnish, Swedish, Ancient Norse, Icelandic, Norweigan, Jotun, Asgardian Relationship Status: Single Sexual Orientation: Omnisexual, Sexuality: Sexually adventurous, experienced, promiscuous. Romantic Orientation: Romance repulsed Religious views: Atheistic, believes in an afterlife, believes in reincarnation, aliens exist (he’s proof of them). Beliefs: He believes that nothing matters. This is his biggest belief. One can spend their life trying to accomplish a great many things, however in the long run, their actions will be forgotten. They will be forgotten. The future will not remember them, no matter what. Perhaps some surviving documents will last for centuries, however Darius believes nothing lasts forever. Family: He has NO parents, NO siblings, and four children. Twins by Thanos and a daughter by an alternate Loki named Layla (all childrens’ whereabouts are unknown), and one son by simactire named Icarus (Dalie’s not allowed to see said son because of reasons…) Classification: He is an emotionless homicidal, suicidal, cannibalistic, sadistic, psychopathic sociopath. Reputation: He is well known to be violent and dangerous. Motto: “I don’t care.” Moral Code: He has no moral code. Fears: He has none. Strengths: He is physically strong. His logical thinking often puts an end to irrational emotional impulses. Weaknesses and Shortcomings: His apathy is very disruptive in his day-to-day actions. He also feels mildly uncomfortable at anything mentioning the heart. Personality Flaws: Paranoid, Schizoid, Antisocial. Severity of each is noticeable and somewhat disruptive. Desperation: He isn’t exactly desperate. His apathetic view on life disables any yearning. Most and Least Self-Serving Actions: Sex is the most self-serving thing he does on a frequent basis. He enjoys the way it feels and disregards what his partner feels. Least self-serving would be to help anyone else. He sees no point in doing that. Prejudices: He will look at someone and throw stereotypes at them in a very rude way. He will call a woman who has had many partners a slut. He will call a man who lays with another man gay in an offensive way. He belittles women, believing that being male is just more fun. However whether he actually feels this way is unknown. In truth, Darius does a lot of things mainly to get a rise out of someone. He will be mean, nasty, and cruel, do nearly whatever it takes to upset someone. Secrets: He has no secrets. He is a very open and free type of guy. He does not worry so much about the consequence of others knowing what it is he does. However, he does not offer such information freely. Usually one has to ask, otherwise he will not talk. Secrecy about Personal Information: Open and honest. Reliability of Memory: Eidetic (though due to rising mental conditions, some memories have been erased) Sense(s) of Humor: Vulgar, Complex, Dark, Physical, Openly displayed, Unique, and Passive (provides commentary) Special talent(s): Not possessing any fucks to give about anyone or anything. Images That Remind Me of Darius: Linked here. (To prevent lag in this page’s loading) Struggling With: Obtaining fucks to give.

Myers-Brigs Personality: ENTJ || Info: [ LINK ] & [ LINK ]

MIND - This trait determines how we interact with our environment.

83% EXTRAVERTED

ENERGY - This trait shows where we direct our mental energy.

72% INTUITIVE

NATURE - This trait determines how we make decisions and cope with emotions.

90% THINKING

TACTICS - This trait reflects our approach to work, planning and decision-making.

63% JUDGING

IDENTITY - This trait underpins all others, showing how confident we are in our abilities and decisions.

88% ASSERTIVE

{ SKILLS }

(Ratings out of 10, zero being none at all, one being very poor, five being average, and 10 being beyond excellent.)

Attack: 10/10

Physical Prowess: 10/10

Strength: 10/10

Fortitude: 10/10

Intelligence: 9/10

Endurance: 9/10

Weaponized Combat: 9/10

Speed: 9/10

Magic: 8/10

Defense: 8/10

Resilience: 8/10

Perception: 7/10

Raw Force: 7/10

Historical Knowledge: 7/10

Mental Health: 6/10

Hand-to-Hand Combat: 6/10

Range: 6/10

Grace: 5/10

Charisma: 4/10

Strategies: 4/10

Persuasion: 3/10

Teamwork: 1/10

Leadership: 0/10

{ TRAITS }

—— POSITIVE ——-

Determined, Open-Minded, Attentive to Detail, Analytic, Curious, Generally unbiased, Calm, Unfazed, Unperturbed, Unprejudiced, Brutally honest, Takes responsibility for his actions, Courageous, Authentic, Very alert, Bold, Very tolerant of others, Very creative in his numerous endeavors, Hard-working.

——- NEGATIVE ——-

Very apathetic, Very impulsive, Violent, Abusive, Menacing, Spiteful, Can be confusing, Unpredictable, Bullying, Mentally unstable, Disconnected, Unfaithful/Disloyal, Extremely malevolent, Indulges heavily in addictive substances, Abuses alcohol, Complete lack of deference, Reckless, Impatient, Unempathetic.

—————————————————————————-

{ LIKES }

COLOURS: Blue, green, silver, red, black

SMELLS: Vanilla, satin sheets, grass, citrus-y, earthy, sandalwood, spicy

FOOD: Veggies mostly. Very home-grown things, Boston cream pie, popcorn

FRUITS: Pomegranate and peaches

DRINKS: Water, freshly-brewed tea, and fresh lemonade

ANIMALS: Dogs/wolves, ravens/crows, snakes

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES? yes [ ✓ ] || no [ ] favourites: Vodka, Whiskey, Absinthe, and rectified spirits.

HOBBIES: picking flowers, murder, messing with people, a little torture here or there, and collecting violins

—————————————————————————-

{ OTHER DETAILS }

SMOKES?: yes [] || no [] || sometimes [ ✓ ]

MEDICINAL DRUGS?: yes [] || no [] || sometimes [ ✓✓✓✓ ]

NARCOTICS?: yes [] || no [] || sometimes [ ✓ ]

DRINKS ALCOHOL?: yes [ ✓✓✓✓✓ ] || no [] || sometimes []

DRIVER LICENSE?: yes [] || no [ ✓ ]

PILOT LICENSE?: yes [] || no [ ✓ ]

EVER BEEN ARRESTED? no [] || yes [ ✓✓✓✓✓✓ ] almost []

INDULGENT FOODS?: yes [] || no [] || sometimes [ ✓ ]

SPLURGE SPENDS?: yes [] || no [] || sometimes [ ✓ ]

GAMBLES?: yes [] || no [] || sometimes [ ✓ ]

_____________________________________________________________

Aesthetics:

[ COLOURS ] red. brown. green. blue. pink. black. silver. gold. grey. metallic. royal blue. strawberry red. charcoal grey. apple red. navy blue. crimson. blood red. cobalt blue. ultramarine blue. maroon. midnight blue. periwinkle. bronze. copper. scarlet red. mahogany. cherry red. indigo. azure. cyan. sepia. hot pink. mauve. arctic blue.

[ ELEMENTS ] fire. ice. water. rain. snow. moon. stars. cold. frost. moonlight. dusk. twilight. midnight. sunset. dewdrops.

[ BODY ] claws. long fingers. lips. bruises. scars. scratches. wounds. eyes. hands. sweat. muscular. slender. hair. athletic.

[ WEAPONS ] dagger. spear. poison. throwing axes. knives. throwing knives. powers. magical items. magic. words. sewing needles. sledgehammer. crowbar. brute strength. flame thrower. shears.

[ MATERIALS ] gold. silver. diamonds. sapphires. emeralds. metal. leather. velvet. denim. brick. glitter. blood. latex. zirconia. garnet.

[ NATURE ] roses. daisies. tulips. petals. thorns. flowers. tundra. rain forest. caves. space. chrysanthemums. belladonna. crystals. autumn. winter. mist. fog.

[ ANIMALS ] wolves. black panther. owls. vultures. snakes. spiders. fish. sharks. dogs. praying mantises. crows. ravens. dragons. komodo dragons. ladybugs. gazelle. bats. scorpions.

[ FOODS/DRINKS ] salt. wine. champagne. hard liquor. spices. apple. orange. watermelon. fruits. meat. fish. caramel. nuts. cinnamon. banana. spinach. seafood. vanilla. vodka. moscato. sangria. juice. honey. pineapple. cantaloupe. tangerine. lemonade. pecan. hazelnut.

[ HOBBIES ] gardening. smithing. fighting. cooking. sewing. electronics. technology. video cameras. movies. violin. guitar. harp. motorcycle riding. running. science.

[ STYLE ] lingerie. armor. cape. dress. suit. tunic. vest. shirt. boots. heels. leggings. trousers. jeans. skirt. jewelry. earrings. necklace. bracelet. ring. pendant. hat. crown. circlet. helmet. scarf. neck tie. brocade. cloaks. corsets. doublet. chest plate. gorget. bracers. belt. sash. coat. jacket. hood. gloves. socks. masks. cowls. braces. watches. glasses. sun glasses. visor. eye contacts. makeup. platforms.

[ MISC ] balloons. bubbles. cityscape. landscape. light. dark. candles. war. peace. money. power. percussion. clocks. photos. mirrors. pets. diary. fairy lights. madness. sanity. sadness. happiness. optimism. pessimism. loneliness. family. friends. assistants. co-workers. enemies. loyalty. smoking. drugs. kindness. love. loss. hugs. kisses. cruelty. blood. torture. sex. sea shells. specimen jars. medicine bottles. bones. antlers. marbles. healer. killer. liar. dreams. nightmares. angels. demons. meditation. chimes.

STORY TIME:

Darius’ real name is Loki Loptrson. He was created by Loki (specifically my muse, LokaTattur, a.k.a. LiefullyLoki) and in some ways or another he /is/ Loki.

Darius started out solely as a thought in Loki’s mind. By this, I mean he was the dark voice in LokaTattur’s mind. We all have a dark side, we all have that little voice or conscious half that knows it’s wrong but won’t stop you from thinking of doing an evil deed. It’s your own will power that prevents you from acting out on your dark thoughts.

Darius is those dark thoughts, that whim you never let yourself take. In this particular case, he’s that for LokaTattur, or as he once was called “Liefully.” (My original Loki blog was LiefullyLoki, Darius came later and his original blog was DalieIsInYourCloset.)

My precious Liefully had once been so beaten and tortured by Thanos for a bargain he never made (his identity was mistaken since there are so many Lokis out there), that he didn’t nearly die, he truly did die. He was fortunate that another Loki, AsgardianOutcast, cared enough about him that he wasn’t willing to let Liefully stay dead. He bargained with Hel to free Liefully.

Ever since that time, Liefully was never the same again. He got PTSD, he got it really bad. Asgardian was there for him, though. And while Liefully changed into this new person, Asgardian loved him and protected him all the same.

One fateful week, Asgardian had to return to his own universe (because every Loki lives in an alternate reality) and was gone for a week because he had to go to war with another realm (he was king of Asgard). Liefully would’ve been fine spending that week alone.

The problem came in the form of Thanos.

Thanos returned to Earth to find Liefully, he started threatening those Liefully cared about to tell him where Loki is. This caused Liefully to completely snap. And Darius stepped in the place of this broken god and wielded control over Liefully’s form. Liefully was so out of sorts, he allowed his dark thoughts to manifest, become stronger, and become violent. His logic was if he could push away everyone he loved, they’d be safe from harm. They were only in danger because Loki cared about them. So he let Darius, who was only just the dark thoughts in his head at the time, take over and be as vicious and violent as he wanted all in an effort to push them away, to deter them.

Asgardian came back, and it was good that he did. He was able to snap Liefully out of it, where no one else, not even Loki’s brother, could.

But Darius didn’t want to go away. He didn’t want to recede. He had a taste of life and he wanted more. Since he knew everything there was to know about his mind-sharer, he used that to press all of Liefully’s buttons, the ones that would make him break, make him snap, so that Darius could get control again.

It wasn’t working. Asgardian was there and he was watching over Liefully carefully. Darius was soon only able to communicate with others when Liefully chose to rest. He then encountered another Loki, TheWickedLoki, who gave him a deal. Wicked would give Darius the body he wanted and Darius would do what Wicked wanted.

Darius took this deal. So, soon after, he was born to his very own body from the use of magic and the blood and hair of Loki (Wicked and yet another Loki’s hair/blood sample).

Fully grown, Darius had all of Liefully’s memories and no idea how to feel. The memories were like movies to Darius. He could see them, hear them, but he could not feel them, not smell them, not taste them. Liefully’s memories were, for the most part, useless to Darius.

However, he used a lot of them to be able to articulate, to be able to construe things, like knowing fire burns without having to feel it. This led to one factors of Darius’ fearlessness. He knew things that he didn’t have to experience. He because a highly rational thinker, disabling the needs or natural inclination for all emotions.

Darius originally had no emotions. But as time went on, he gained life experiences that he couldn’t get from Liefully’s memories. He learned what pain felt like, he learned what meat tasted like, so on and so forth. Over time, he learned many of the things we learn in our infancy and childhood.

While Darius is indeed a grown male, he is also much like a child, still learning a lot of things. His curiosity leads him to do strange things. As the once-thought of Liefully’s dark side, Darius has carried out many of the cruel acts that Liefully would think of but never dare do. So Darius’ dark inclination is because of his origins. And his behavior is due to his lack of experience in so much that we take for granted. Of course, he’s also just a big douche-bagel who loves pissing everyone off or freaking everyone out.

Darius’ weaknesses are very hard to see when one speaks with and interacts with him, but he too suffers greatly from the split. He longs for the solitude he was immensely used to. Being in his own body, Darius has learned much to his dismay that he cannot turn away from his physical senses and signals and sometimes these olfactory senses drive him mad. The silence, darkness, and solitude of Loki’s mind was an experience Darius had taken far for granted and has never been able to regain as a result of the split. Granted, he has learned to live with his olfactory senses, he stills longs for that peace of the mind.

Additional Info:

Darius was also severely desensitized to everything because he carried with him a copy of all of Loki’s memories and knowledge when he gained his own corporeal form. He has the knowledge to know the cause and effects of so many things yet he doesn’t have the feelings (physical or emotional) that are tied to the knowledge he has. One example of this is: You know that cutting your hand means it will bleed. For Darius, he has this knowledge. But before he was given his own body, he didn’t know the sensations that were tied to this. Thus, he was mentally ready for a cut of the hand and the sensations caused by the action didn’t train him to avoid being cut. Instead, when Darius experiences a cut of the hand, he registers the tingling sensations of the nerves telling him of pain, he feels his hand getting hot as blood rushes to the spot, he feels the way the cut skin reacts to any flexing movements done to it. Instead of having every desire to avoid it, these feelings make him curious. He already knows the consequences of a cut, but he doesn’t necessarily know the sensations tied to them.

So, in short, Darius doesn’t function like Loki at all. He might have Loki’s blood, Loki’s memories, and Loki’s knowledge of magic, potions, and spells, but he’s not Loki. He’s only part of Loki. Both he and Loki are parts of one another, yet they act as separate wholes.

(Daria = Darius’s female name)

Common Misconceptions About Darius:

Emotions (this one is long): A lot of people are very used to a character that possesses emotions, even if they’re hidden/masked. For Loki, most expect him to be angry when he brings pain to others, even if he’s clearly laughing maniacally as he does it. Your instinct is to assume he has some kind of negative emotions burrowing deep within that cause him to do what he does. Everyone has the instinct that behind every action and saying, there’s some emotion driving it. Darius wasn’t born like a normal individual. He didn’t have a childhood. He didn’t develop a brain like we do. Darius was born in the mind of another, completely devoid of feeling emotions toward what he could hear and see and having the wisdom and comprehension of one who has already learned the rewards and consequences of their actions. He was designed to function without emotional bias. After he was kind of transplanted from one mind to his own body to control, this is when Darius began developing his own olfactory senses. He’s still learning a lot! But for the most part, his mental state was developed before he obtained a physical form, so he processes everything very differently from others!!! We know not to do certain things because of their consequences, like sticking your hand in a fire burns and hurts. For Darius, he knows full well the consequences for his actions, but instead of fearing getting hurt, he finds it a mind-boggling function of the physical form and tries to understand it by doing that which most would learn not to do when they were young. He’s not biased by emotional responses because he has not developed emotions enough to have emotional responses. So he doesn’t feel afraid to get hurt, he doesn’t have any phobias and worries about one thing or another because he didn’t develop like a child would. Despite being incredibly intelligent and calculating, there’s a whole lot he doesn’t know, a whole lot that he didn’t have the benefits of a childhood to develop so while he is most certainly a full-grown adult, he is also a child about many things, emotions being one of them. He has himself psyched out to think he can’t feel and when you have never felt emotions before, it’s very hard to identify them within yourself. Every emotion he learns is heavily tied to the physical indicators of that emotional response. And since he has a lifetime stuffed in his head that’s completely devoid of the emotional context of each memory (we’re talking about Loki’s memories, not Darius’ memories), he’s come to expect that level of emotional magnitude, which is no feelings. To him, a lot of things are like watching a film. He can see what’s happening and hear what’s happening, but he has no emotional context for those things so what he sees doesn’t inspire emotional responses. So to put things simply, Darius is almost completely lacking in emotions. He’s learning them slowly, but for now, he hasn’t felt the full emotional spectrum.

Getting angry: A lot of people are very used to being able to piss someone off by calling them names or drudging up unfavorable memories for that individual or even physically poking and prodding them until they burst with rage. Well, that stuff doesn’t work on Darius. Being one that lacks the ability to feel irrationally emotional over things, calling him names are either interpreted as “Duh” or “That’s weird, but okay.” You can totally call him a blueberry or a smurf, he isn’t going to get mad. His thought process works this way: “Oh, I see what you’re doing there. You’re calling me a blueberry because my skin’s blue.” And insinuating names that most would find insulting like “retard,” he just sees the misconception of the name. It’d be like calling a cat a dog. The cat doesn’t care what you call it, even if that’s an incorrect identification of the animal. It’s going to continue going about it’s catty business. As far as Darius is concerned, you can call him a horse-fucker (since people sometimes mistake him for Loki who once did the deed with a horse) and all he thinks is “Well, I didn’t fuck a horse, so you’re wrong. That’s on you, not me. -shrug-” Darius has absolutely no emotional response that will drive him to want to contradict someone’s accusation of him. Someone can be like “I bet you can’t do that!” and he’ll respond with “Yeah, I can.” and if they say “Prove it!” He’d just be like “Why? I don’t care if you believe me or not. That doesn’t change the fact that I can do what I said I can do.” It’s another misconception that he feels grumpy. He might act and sound grumpy, but he’s rarely in this negative end of the spectrum.

Murderer’s gonna do what a murderer’s gonna do: A lot of people think “Oh shit, Darius is a murderer, he’s a psychopath, he’s sadistic. Fuck, my muse is doomed.” Nope, that’s not quite so. Sure there’ll be times where Darius will blatantly hurt your muse, but he gets a lot of fun from picking them apart psychologically. He loves to try to figure out what makes people tick. So you can expect him entering in conversations with muses and be several replies in without having made any actual life-threatening actions or threats toward your muse’s life. He may be a murderer but murdering takes energy and sometimes he just doesn’t feel like murdering, sometimes he just wants to talk. I’m not saying that’s a good thing! Sometimes he uses conversation to learn of someone’s weaknesses and insecurities so he can use that against them later. He’s a man without a plan, but he acts like someone who knows exactly what he’s doing. He’s strange like that. Besides, one of his most popularly repeated sayings is “Dead things are no fun.” He gets a lot more enjoyment in ‘experimenting’ on others. He loves to test the boundaries and

My muse is going to annoy the fuck out of him: This is really similar to getting angry, being that it’s nearly impossible to annoy Darius. All the usual tactics one can employ to annoy someone don’t really work on Darius. You can’t talk his ear off, he’ll listen patiently. You can’t insult him, he wouldn’t care. You can’t drudge up bad memories, he doesn’t have them. You can pull pranks on him and he’ll usually respond in the most anti-climactic way. A most commonly referred to example is the time an Anon decided to dunk hot salsa all over him. He didn’t get mad, he was more like “Really? What a waste of salsa.” No “WHY DID YOU DO THAT, YOU LITTLE BITCH, IMMA WRONG YOUR NECK.” It was just “Darn, I just took a shower too. Guess I have to go take another one now…” That’s not to say it’s impossible to annoy him. The ways in which Darius functions.

Reverse Psychology: It generally doesn’t work on him. You’ll never know if saying “Leave me alone” will make him want to stay and continue causing trouble for your muse or if he’ll be like “Okay, bye.” Likely, if he knows what your muse wants, he makes the conscious choice of whether or not he wants to give it to them. It’s going to be a 50/50 chance. If your muse tries to psyche him out by stating something to the opposite of what they want him to follow through with, chances are he’ll follow through with that thing the muse told him to do. This is really complicated and I can’t give any solid examples as to what I mean. It’s a little like Princess Bride, that scene where Westley and the balding guy had a duel of witts. Darius is Westley in that case. Your muse will likely lose one way or another.

He’s dark, he’s into the kinky shit: Not necessarily. He gets off on feeling power but he doesn’t exactly get a hard-on if it’s clear your muse is in pain. He likes knowing he’s in control and hates not being in control. He’s not a Dom, he’s an attacker, there’s a huge difference. Mainly being, there’s no such thing as a safe word for him. He’s going to do what satisfies his carnal needs and will probably make little effort to ensure his partner is also enjoying things. This doesn’t mean he’s into hand cuffs, leather, whips, chains, etc. He’s a little less easy to pin than that. It doesn’t mean he’s not open to those things, but usually he’s going to do things his way or he’s going to leave and find someone else to “play” with.

FACECLAIMS

In case anyone’s confused… Darius is blue skinned and his eyes are solid red. Darius’ skin has thinly raised jotun marking all over his body. Like this:

He has TWO male face claims. One is Tom Hiddleston (as Loki):

And the other is Ian Somerhalder (as Damon):

The reason for this is because Damon has a lot of mannerisms that are very Darius-like to me. But in my mind, he still looks like Tom Hiddleston’s Loki, regardless of the face claim.

Darius’ female face claim is Eva Green (in various roles):

Quirks my muse occassionally has (note: quirk definitions not written by me):

Smoking: the action or habit of inhaling and exhaling the smoke of tobacco or a drug.

Binge drinking: the consumption of an excessive amount of alcohol in a short period of time.

Drug abuse: the habitual taking of illegal drugs.

Night Owl: a person who is habitually active or wakeful at night.

Early bird: a person who rises, arrives, or acts before the usual or expected time.

Negative attitudes: a philosophy of approaching life with criticism and pessimism.

Swearing: the use of offensive language.

Inspecting fingernails: a common body language sign of boredom.

Foot and finger tapping: a common body language sign of stress/impatience.

Nose touch: a subtle body language sign of deceit.

Flipping hair: a common body language sign of craving attention.

Cracking knuckles: a common body language sign of readiness.

Hands behind back: a common body language sign of confidence.

Finger pointing: a common body language sign of authority.

Hands on hips: a common body language sign of readiness.

Hands in pockets: a common body language sign of mistrust/reluctance.

Frequent touch: a common body language sign of warmth/familiarity.

Jaw-clenching: a common body language sign of hostility.

Eye-rolling: a common body language sign of irritation.

Head-tilt: a common body language sign of interest.

Whistling: to emit high-pitched sound by forcing breakthrough a small hole between one’s lips or teeth; usually to a tune.

Humming: make a low, steady continuous sound like that of a bee; usually to a tune.

Photographic memory: the ability to remember information or visual images in great detail.

Paranoia: a mental condition characterized by delusions of persecution, unwarranted jealousy, or exaggerated self-importance, typically worked into an organized system.

Exaggeration: a statement that represents something as better or worse than it really is.

Quick-witted: showing or characterized by an ability to think or respond quickly and effectively.

Interrupting: breaking the continuity of a conversation with one’s own statements.

Gambling: to play games of chance for money; bet.

Melancholy: a feeling of pensive sadness, typically with no obvious cause.

Fidgeting: to make small movements, especially of the hands and feet, through nervousness or impatience.

Skeptical: not easily convinced; having doubts or reservations.

Abbreviating: Giving others nicknames/shortening names/giving pet names.

guess who doesn’t give a fuck about your opinion

1 note · View note

sidrisa-blog · 7 years

Text

Power and Magic

Pairings: Loki x Reader and the lightest Sif X Thor

Chapter: 8/104 Easier

Warnings: the usual: sex, death, and violence with light smatterings of misogynoir

Summary: The princes come with their exalted Father arriving amidst a hail of pomp and pageantry all parties would rather forgo. This is war, where men die, their blood purchasing land and peace until it’s time for more men and more blood. But your mother adheres to the old rules of hearth and hospitality. The Lords of Asgard must be given their due despite the grim business precipitating their arrival. It is too bad they don’t deserve it. There is nothing to recommend him, Loki, Prince of Asgard. He is rude and cold and childish. You try to find some merit in him. You find none. Exactly none. But maybe, after trial and tribulation,

You will.

You close your book, the fifth one from Loki in as many nights. He’s brought more now that he’s reading for two. Some are picture books, most are in fact, the strength in your arm improves as you throw them back at him, cursing him and asking him for a real one which he always provides.

But today you are tired of reading.

You make no small talk with your nurses who come to care for you. You’re silent as they take assessments, check your temperature, make sure the ewer of water by your bed is full and your linens are clean.

You stare beyond them. Ignoring the food they bring you. Watery porridge. Maybe this time it’ll have barely instead of oat. They feed you like a horse you realize. Either Loki’s making another joke or Lady Frigga doesn’t think you’re well enough for food with more substance.

You stare at the large window on the far side of your room. Snow is on the sill, melting slowly in the sun’s glare. You feel cold despite your blankets and the roaring fireplace.

You miss the sun, the open sky, wind. You miss your horse and the heft of your halberd in your hand. You missed running trails on Cephalus, and conducting drills with the Cavalry.

You miss your home. You want to go home.

Loki’s left your uncle’s letter by your nightstand. He is silent when he places it there, avoiding your eyes, putting just outside of easy reach. So you’ll have to stretch for it. So you’ll consider how much it’ll make you hurt to read it.

That’s why it sat, the broken seal of your house--a rearing horse--taunting you as you can just make out the neat script of your uncle. You weren’t ready to hurt yet.

You still aren’t.

But you’re so desperate for a touch of home, even if it stings.

You read the letter and a new emotion settles in your chest--a dragon come to roost in your heart.

Anger.

But the leadership of the land has spoken. My sister was a tyrant and her daughter has all the hallmarks of following in her footsteps. I wanted a bloodless changing of the guard, my niece and her supporters prevented that.

“You filthy LIAR!”

In your rage, you tear the sheets off your bed, rip and throw your pillows. You shatter your water pitcher against a wall and you are proud you can throw that far. You reach for something else unable to do anything but destroy what’s in your reach. You pick up a book, the pages flutter. You want to rip them out, rip them up. You could. You want to but you don’t. Because these were gifts.

So instead of tearing your books apart, your actions tear your body apart--exertion ripping open one of your scars.

And you bleed.

That’s how he finds you, you and your room a ruined mess.

“What is this! Horse girl what have you done? Here, let me see.”

He reaches for the wound across your belly. There’s magic in his hands to heal it but you seize his wrists before he can touch you. “Leave it.”

“Unhand me wretch before you bleed all over me and the carpets! My mother would have my head if she found out I let you exsanguinate in our guestrooms.”

He passes his hand over your scar, your injury sealing up. It re-stitches and it is a nasty purple and deep red, noticable even against your darker hued skin.

You watch him the entire time, the concentration on his face, the slight quirk of his lips that doesn’t quite tilt enough to be a smirk. He looks fascinated with the way his magic knits your skin--a child with a toy that hasn’t grown tiresome yet. Everything about him makes him seem like a jagged spear of ice. The severe cut of his cheekbones, the cool stare in cool green eyes. His lips are pale as is his skin, with hair that looks like the darkest, coldest parts of midnight. You’re surprised, then when his hand is warm on your flesh.

You shiver and he mistakes it for a wince.

“If you stop squirming it will hurt less.”

He makes his touch gentler as he curls his hand around the wound to finish repairing it. The magic feels good, warm. That it's coming from Loki makes it hard to fathom. Makes him hard to fathom. Why would he spare you anything at all?

“The nurses tell me you assisted your mother when I was first brought here. Why?”

“Mother’s orders.” He mutters.

You are soft. He thinks your skin is soft. So soft he can't stop the errant slide of his thumb across your newly knit scar.

“Speaking of mothers, I didn’t think yours a tyrant you know.” He pulls away from you completely and rises. “A fool maybe, but no tyrant.”

You don't let him get far, you seize his wrist and hold. “Will Lord Odin send me back? You know if he does I’m as good as dead.”

Your hand is a distraction. Your damnable softness is a distraction. He pulls away harshly. “Oh I know.”

You’re cold when he makes you let him go. “That would please you wouldn’t it? Me going back or dying. Ragnarok would come for me first and you get to win your stupid bet.”

He doesn’t answer right away. He can’t. Neither the affirmative nor the negative answer feel right. He deflects.

“You think Lord Odin cares? Whether you live or die has nothing to do with him. The enemy is defeated and everything else is internal politics. Does it threaten Asgard or her stability? No?”

Loki makes a dismissive gesture with his hands. “Then he doesn’t care. And neither do I.”

“I will make him care.” You swear with iron conviction that brings a smirk to the prince’s lips.

“You?” Scorn saturates, drips, from his words. “You can barely walk. Hel you can barely throw a proper tantrum. You’d have better luck persuading the sun not to rise or for Heimdall to shut his eyes.”

He’s right. If Lord Odin cared about your life or your birthright he’d have an army at the gates of your capital by now. Loki confirms what you knew but chose to ignore, holding onto hope that it wouldn’t prove true. That you are alone, friendless, and weak.

“Shut up!”

This is better. He likes you better this way, angry and foolish. You're easier, he thinks, to comprehend when you're screaming at him. He can deal with anger and derision and sarcasm. Those emotions are more familiar to him, recognizable, manageable. He meets anger with sarcasm, derision with disregard and sarcasm with simply more sarcasm. He doesn’t know then, how to handle the utter confusion that took hold of him just moments before when he liked the feeling of your skin under his hands.

“Hard truth isn’t it princess? To know you’re never getting your kingdom back.”

“Shut up Loki Odinson or I swear--”

“Going to ‘geld my gilded tongue’?”

“And then some.” You growl.

This is easier too. To be angry. To focus your directionless rage onto the closest, easiest target. That way you don't have to think about how goodhis hands felt. Or remember how long it's been since someone's touched you like that.

Loki stands a few paces away from your bed. “Come on then. Here, I’ll help you.” He opens his hand and reveals a dagger. “Come take this from me and make good on your promise. Make me care little princess.”

“That’s mine!” Your father’s dagger! “Where did you find it!”

“That Hava woman thought enough to pack away the family silver when you fled. This was among those treasures.”

“Return it to me! Now! You snake!”

“Come take it, horse girl!”

“It is mine!”

“Then come take it! Why should anything be just handed back to you because you own it? How can you call anything ‘yours’ if you can’t defend it? Not this dagger, and certainly not your bloody kingdom!”

He goes too far! Too bloody far!

You lurch forward from your bed and onto your feet. You knees wobble but you remain upright, propelled forward by the dragonfire in your chest.

“I will bleed you dry Odinson!”

You move one step, then two. Loki observes you, the smirk curling higher on his lips. “You walk like a newborn foal. But that’s to be expected isn’t it?”

He laughs when you scream, reaching your arms for the dagger held extended towards you, taunting you. But you get within reach, one more step and you’ll have him and your father’s heirloom.

You take it.

But Loki takes a step back.

His sudden movement unbalances you and you fall forward, the foal crashing back to her knees.

He clucks his tongue. “Shame. You were so close.”

“You cheated Liesmith!”

“Life’s not fair little princess.”

“Don’t call me that!”

He tucks the dagger into the folds of his leather armor, chuckling at you as you crawl, dragging your near useless legs behind you. “I’ll continue to hang onto this for you. Consider it incentive to get the foal on her feet again.”

You stop struggling to stare at him. “You’re going to leave me like this?”

“Give me a reason not to.”

You scream, frustration making your skin hotter than a furnace even on the icy marble tile. But Loki looks at you, nonchalant, waiting for his reason.

You can’t will your legs to work, forcing this will see you bedridden for longer but...you try something different.

“Your mother will kill you if she finds out about this.”

Loki blinks, the smirk in his face flattens as he considers this, finding you not far from the mark. Frigga wouldn’t kill him outright, she might come close for something as egregious as this. But more than that, it’d disappoint her, which might as well kill him.

“Well, when you’re right,” He crouches before you and rips the tangled sheets away from you. He wraps one arm around your shoulders, the other he tucks under your knees. He then lifts and you come off the ground easy, lighter than air.

When you met him back home, you figured you could best him in a fight. He’s leaner than his brother, smaller in about every way. Weaker. You realize now, how wrong you were, whatever he lacked in size, he made up for in density. He’s all wire and lank but that wire and lank could crush you with a light squeeze.

“Oh,” is all the noise you can make when lifts you effortlessly from the floor. Holding you, like princess. He smells like leather and the oil polish that keeps it black and shiny. He smells like icy winter air and petrichor-- the smell of fresh rain striking stone.

“At least you’re not as heavy as a horse, despite the look.”

You’re not, he thinks. You’re bony, practically a skeleton. He knows you’re still weak but you could probably regain your strength faster if they fed you more than barley porridge. He’ll see to it that you are.

“I have a name.”

“I know. But I like mine.”

“I’m not a horse. And I want my dagger back!”

“Excuse me? My dagger?”

“You mean mine. ”

“Oh I meant what I said. It’s mine until you can take it--”

You shift in his arms, you have to keep one wrapped around his shoulder to steady you but the other is free to work. Since you’re so close, it doesn’t take much to reach for him, pressing your soft! hand to his chest and waist before finding your dagger in a breast pocket. You pull it free and close your hand around it like a vault lest he try to take it from you again.

“Clever.” Is all he can say, surprised he managed to find even that word.

You are no great beauty, he thinks with you so close. The Lady Sif or pretty much any of the court’s noblewomen could best you in looks. He thinks your face is statuesque, not for any feat of Divine Craft, but because you remind him of stone. You have a warrior’s mein, focused and sharp, but you don't possess Thor’s softheaded lust for battle.

Plain faced as you are, you have a cunning about you that amuses him. Leveraging your momentary weakness into a strength, you took your dagger from him unawares.

“Since I am at your mercy. Can I ask a favor?”

“Of course, whatever favor you neigh at me though, I’m not obliged to grant it. In our ledger you still owe me.“

You scoff and roll your eyes, you’re sure that whatever this ledger is, it will remain unbalanced. “Will you take me to the window?”

Loki complies with a heavy sigh, as though you asked for something far more laborious than a trip five steps to the left. The window has a cushioned sill, perfect for midday naps in the sunlight with a book, or sitting comfortably observing the martial practice fields below.

He drops you, rudely. It jars your bones a bit, but you're unhurt.

“Next time drop me from a little less height.”

“I'm a prince of Asgard not your beast of burden!”

It’s night, clear and cold, ice frosting just on the other side of the glass. But oh! The moons are full and the stars dust the sky like salt spilled on a black table cloth. You gasp softly, your palace is amidst great trees, the sky obscured by a canopy the Sages say are older than Ygdrassil and far more lovely. But you love the sky, night or day, sunshine or stormy so this...is the first true comfort you've had since waking.

“Thank you,” you breathe and it sounds like true gratitude.

Loki pauses, forced to admit he was wrong again about you. You are no great beauty only because you bury it deep, revealed only in the grooves and wrinkles of your smile.

“You're welcome.” He answers you, the sentiment genuine.

#power and magic #loki fanfiction #loki x reader #loki x black!reader #mcu fanfiction #dear god if i end up reading this 104 chapter behemoth again #stars help me

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