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lovelybarnes · 3 years

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god- l. laufeyson (part 2)

pairings: loki laufeyson x reader, platonic!tony stark x reader, mentions of nick fury warnings: language and minor angst about: part 2 to god a/n: i apologize for taking so long to post it, i was having trouble coming up with the little details and honestly just writing overall but it’s up!! and another bucky fic will be up tomorrow or saturday!!

loki is suspicious after you leave. in the- admittedly short- time he’s been shoved away and locked in a cage to rot, he had seen you all of two times, and he was enthralled. flabbergasted, too, surprised that a simple mortal managed to stay hidden in the deep parts of his brain and refuse to leave. you were… interesting, just as you had described him: not as a villain, or evil, or horrendous, but captivating; unbelieving that he would do anything for no good reason.

whether that was true or not was still up for debate, so he had yet to decide if you were incredibly intelligent or the simple, stupid mortal he thought you all to be. nevertheless, he found himself slightly disappointed when you left, waving goodbye to him and tucking your book under your arm. while he tried to dissolve the sensation, tony stark came bounding in, standing as close as he could to the glass barrier. stark barked words that loki didn’t care much for, ignoring the man. he could see you wince from inside the elevator, a sliver of your face still available from the closing doors.

“hey, hey!” stark barked, snapping his fingers at loki. the god tilted his head at him, “yes?” he asks, voice dripped in more annoyance than usual. “that girl who just came out of here?” stark started, while loki took a minute to examine his words, “girl,” was she not an accomplished avenger? he thought tony of all people would show the respect that loki thought none of them deserved. “if you even think about doing anything to her, i will bring in the big guy to slam you around some more. you remember him? or do you need a refresher?”

loki nearly scowls at the mention of hulk, body reminding the strange ache that was left after the oaf slammed him into the floor. he only chuckles lowly, though, “how much do you distrust a fellow avenger to believe they cannot handle themselves?” loki muses. tony scoffs, shaking his head, “i really don’t think you’re in a position to question me.”

“i’m a god. i am always in the position i wish to be in,” loki reminds, making tony roll his eyes, “you’ll never see her again if i can help it. and i can,” he says. “oh, but i like her!” loki rebuts, riling tony up, “so sweet, don’t you think?” tony freezes, abruptly turning around and slamming a hand against the glass, “you will not lay a hand on her. i’ll make sure of it.”

“i seem to remember midgardians can usually do as they please,” loki replies smoothly. “and you really think she’ll want to spend time with a monster?” tony questions. loki smirks, “i suppose i simply have a feeling.”

tony is seething when he comes to your lab, having switched with steve to come talk to you. you’re humming along to a song he doesn’t bother to recognize. “you’re in a good mood,” tony observes. at the sound of his voice, you turn, taking your earbuds out and grinning at him. you press what he assumes is the pause button on your phone, “tony! i’ve actually been meaning to ask you something,” you begin. tony raises an eyebrow to tell you to continue. “it’s about loki,” you continue, anxious about his reaction. the man pauses, exhaling softly, “oh. i know what you want to- i’m so sorry for doing that to you, y/n. i promised that i wouldn’t put you with him and we should’ve been more prepared. it won’t happen again.”

the confusion is clear on your face, vocally affirming it with a “huh?”

“that’s what you wanted to talk about, right? babysitting loki?”

“well, yes, but no, it actually wasn’t bad, i wanted to bring up the idea of maybe allowing him books? or maybe music or something, i can’t imagine going from having any book at your fingertips to none at all. also, he’s not getting enough food and i wanted to talk to you abou-” tony stops you with a raised hand, “what?” you recognize the conversation won’t end too well, so you try to phrase your words in a way that tony won’t get too angry at. “i just- when i was watching him, i thought we could be a little less… cruel.”

“with the guy who tried to take over earth?” tony retorts, you sigh softly, already beginning to feel resigned. “he still deserves to eat,” you defend weakly, “come on, tony, please? i’ll watch over him myself when he’s listening to music or reading or eating and i’ll take it back when i have to leave.” tony shakes his head, “someone will always be watching, and it won’t be you.” you frown, “why? don’t you trust me? i’m an avenger, tony. i’m not weak or useless, it’s just watching over someone who is literally in a cage. he can’t even escape.” tony’s about to say no again, so you press, “how come nick fury- man who doesn’t trust- trusts me enough to do that but you don’t?”

tony’s fingers squeeze the space between his eyebrows, eyes closed. he contemplates the effects if he refuses, no doubt ending in the thinning-by-the-minute thread that is your trust in him completely snapping.

“fine,” he finally agrees, and your frustrated frown melts back into a relieved small smile, “but everything you give him has to go through someone else first. i don’t care if it’s fury or hill or romanoff or me, but it has to be approved.” you nod quickly, “yes, of course.” tony raises a finger, “and, you will watch him the whole time. you got yourself into this, kid. i trust you can protect yourself from him if you ever need to.” you agree, “absolutely, and, uh-” you reach into your bag, pulling out the book finnegan’s wake, and your old ipod, equipped with a single downloaded song and earbuds plugged in. “i actually have already chosen a book and a song that i think he would appreciate during the time he tells me himself what he would like and while it gets approved, and um,” you push the objects toward tony, a surprised look lining his features, “since you have time now… the ipod has only that one song and i doubt he can do anything with either of the items, although i’ll be here if he does.”

“you picked these out for him?” tony questions, and you nod again, “i don’t really know him, i doubt anybody does, but i thought james joyce was a good guess considering.” tony looks from the objects in your hand back to you, before sighing and grabbing them. “i want to break free?” he asks, holding up the ipod. you feel your cheeks heat, “music is hard, i went for the obvious.”

tony exhales, looking down at the book, “fine, both are approved.”

“what, you’re not gonna check to see if i carved out a hole into the book and put the tesseract in there so he could escape?” you ask sarcastically, taking back the items while he rolls his eyes. “no, i trust you.” you grin, “you better. there’s no reason for you to not,” tony agrees with you softly, genuinely feeling bad while he kisses your cheek in goodbye. “steve was just called on a mission and needs a replacement, so you better get down there. bowser isn’t in a good mood today.”

you huff out a light laugh at the nickname, cradling your dear books and tangling your fingers in the cords of the earbuds while you walk to the elevator. you catch your bottom lip between your teeth while you watch the numbers blink above the elevator doors, nerves from your choices finally making a home in the pit of your stomach and making your grip tighten on the items. you really don’t know him, and one of the few things that you do know about him is that he isn’t the nicest- although you think it probable that it was warranted- which begins the inkling of regret of your carefully-picked choice to form. you try your best to push past it though, attempting to reassure yourself through the fact that loki’s reading options are limited, and as evil as everyone (including him) claims he is, you suspect (hope) that there is something in him that can’t simply disregard kind gestures. you suppose that theory is from what thor has told you about frigga. you hope it’s correct.

the elevator dings, knocking your thoughts off their destructive railroad and your attention to the shield guard wearily eyeing you and what you carry. “hey, wally,” you greet, shooting him a smile as you walk over to him, pulling your id card from your pocket. “what’cha got there?” he asks, sitting up straighter in his chair to look closer at you. “a- already approved by tony stark- book and song for loki. you know how much he had access to in asgard?” you question. he shakes his head, and you sigh, “me neither. but i imagine it’s a lot, and i don’t think he’s been introduced to our books yet.”

wally stares at you for a few seconds, before pursing his lips, “already approved by stark?” he checks, “already approved by tony,” you repeat. “just no ear things. don’t want him to choke somebody,” he instructs, holding out his hand. you oh quietly, hurriedly pulling off the headphones and putting them in his hand. wally only nods then, trusting you enough to not ask for any more reassurance, and pressing a button next to him to allow you into another elevator. the ride is much shorter, and you bounce on your heels, fidgeting with the edge of the book.

you barely recognize when the doors part, the slick-haired god already examining you. “in asgard, it is strongly discouraged to damage books like you are doing,” loki states. you stop your picking, dropping your hand and walking inside. “hello to you too, loki.” the god ignores you, instead focused on what is in your arms. “i thought any pleasantries for you weren’t allowed down here,” he says, eyes focused on your ipod. “ah, not if you ask nicely,” you reply, standing next to the chair, “and, these aren’t for me.”

you set your own book down on the floor- a very cliche wuthering heights, but it was either that or romeo and juliet, and you’d prefer not get caught reading about a forbidden romance while watching a villain- and hold up the one for him, grinning. “so i don’t know much about asgard or its books because thor hasn’t budged yet on taking me, but from what i can gather, you have little to no media from here, right?” loki ducks his chin suspiciously in response. “so i can imagine you haven’t read shakespeare, or james joyce, which reminds me a lot of you, so…”

you offer no more explanation, putting the book on your chair and showing him the ipod, walking closer to the glass. “this is an ipod. it’s used to play songs offline, and i picked one out for you. i don’t know if you’ll like it because i don’t really know what type of music you like or if you like it at all-” you pause, finally recognizing how long it had been since he’d talked. “but, uh, i hope you do.”

you look up at him then, unsurprised to find him already staring back at you. “you did this for me… why?” he queries skeptically. “i told you before; i imagine it’s difficult to go from everything to nothing in a day. and i think it must be boring to be trapped in there all day with nothing to do.”

loki still looks distrustful, but you grab the book, pulling out the key card to open his food slot. “i can’t leave these in here after i leave, but i’ll stay until you finish both,” you assure, pushing the book through the small gap. your ipod is still in your hands as you walk back near him. he looks at you for a few moments longer before his eyes flick to the book. “and there are no… explosives? poison of some kind in that?”

you shake your head, “no, of course not.”

loki narrows his eyes at the paperback anyways, walking towards it apprehensively. “when you want me to, i can teach you how the ipod works and you can listen to the song. it’s by a rock band called queen,” you babble, watching as he slowly observes the book before picking it up at an even more leisurely pace.

“i’m going to go sit over there now. just let me know if you need something,” you can’t seem to stop talking, so you focus instead on your legs moving you back to your seat, picking up your novel before sitting. you’re about to ramble on about something else again, until you notice the publication in loki’s hands, slightly panicking at the immediate rush of satisfaction and happiness it gives you when he opens the first page.

you try to avoid the sound of turning pages when you stay stuck on the same sentence, too concerned about why your neck decided to warm when the god accepted your favor.

“you can play it,” loki voices suddenly, almost as if reading the loud thoughts about your decision on the song. he looks up at you, “reading is usually accompanied by light music, but i suppose i could listen to rock.”

you nod, pressing a button on the small device that makes the beginning notes bounce off the walls of the room. your fingers gently tap along to the beat on the edge of your page without your noticing, too used to the melody to not react. you try not to look too hard at loki to watch for his reaction, too interested if he’ll like it or not.

after the first minute passes by and he doesn’t object to the sound, you count this as a win, allowing yourself to relax into your chair and actually read the words lined on the page, discovering them to make a lovely combination. you only notice when the song ends when loki speaks up, “it is okay,” he compliments, “i enjoyed it. i think i’d enjoy your so called queen.” you chuckle softly, “i thought you would. do you have any favorites here so i can add them for next time?”

“no,” loki responds, not taking his eyes off the page. “i’ll find some for you, then,” you promise, then press play on the ipod again, not missing the tiny quirk of loki’s lips, making you way too giddy than you should be.

after it has been over six hours and loki has barely finished finnegans wake, you’re completely sure he took extra time to read it; whether it be to absorb it better or simply have more time with it in his hands, you don’t care, pride swelling up in your chest because you did something right for him. he hadn’t complained about the repeated song, and you can’t blame him. the sounds are a lot more entertaining than the cold silence that usually occupies the space where he resides.

you ask loki more about what he thought, attempting to coerce him into telling you his preferences, until tony is calling you up.

you’re about to leave, both books and ipod in hand when you pause.

“y/n,” loki starts, and you realize it is the first time you’d hear your name out of his mouth. you decide you like how it sounds in his voice, not disregarding how you shouldn’t. “yes?” you answer instead, meeting his eyes. “thank you.”

you swallow, surprised at the genuinity in his voice while you nod, “it was no problem.”

loki finds it disturbing how much he dislikes seeing you walk away.

#loki laufeyson #loki friggason #mcu loki #reader x loki #loki x reader #loki x you #loki x y/n #mcu loki x reader #mcu loki x you #loki laufeyson imagine #loki layfeyson x reader #loki layfeyson imagine #loki laufeyson x you #tony stark #avengers x reader #avengers #avenger!reader

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warrioreowynofrohan · 3 years

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Okay, I have thoughts about the new MCU Loki show, but especially about Mobius (perfect name for a guy whose job is protecting the timeline, by the way).

SPOILERS!

That was a master class in interrogation/deradicalization/recruitment. Possibly the best I’ve seen.

First off, there’s the usual TVA protocols - and I’m highly amused that an organization with extremely futuristic technology and an amazing-looking city deliberately designed their system on a 1980s-bureaucratic aesthetic, right down to the old-style animated video. It’s like they considered every single style from every single time people, country, and planet and decided that Earth-style-1980s-bureaucratic would be the most demoralizing.

Then Mobius comes in all friendly-like. And while that starting point is just standard good-cop-bad-cop, everything he does from then on is just outstanding. And we can reasonably assume that Mobius is coming in knowing everything about Loki, from his entire history and future to his psychological profile - after all, he’s been hunting other-Loki for a while now!

First off, Loki starts with threatening him, and Mobius is giving him absolutely nothing; just cheerful, casual agreement, ‘sure, why don’t you start with burning down my office,’ none of the fear or anger that threats are intended to provoke. At the same time, he takes Loki on a route that makes it unmistakeably clear just how impressive the TVA and their technology is; it’s on a level well beyond even Asgard, and it’s clear that Loki is picking up that the world is a good deal bigger than he’s accustomed to thinking about, and he’s a much smaller player in it than he believed. Mobius takes this moment of discomfiture as an opportunity to reassure Loki, present himself as a friend and build rapport; set up the feeling of ‘we’re on the same side here’. See, Mobius finds the bureaucratic system annoying too! And then, in the elevator, he mentions offhand that he just saved Loki’s life. He engages Loki in banter and wins a few exchanges.

In the cell, he starts off talking to Loki while facing away from him, and talks in an distracted tone. Rather than a standard interrogation setup with the interrogator trying to drag out information and the prisoner trying to stay silent, this creates a situation where Loki is trying to get his attention - as he just observed, Loki loves talking (and attention) - while also giving Loki an opening to attack, an attack that is immediately not only foiled but time-reversed, and which Moebius brushes off casually, thereby reinforcing that Loki is absolutely no threat.

To get Loki to start talking, he encourages Loki to try to manipulate him for future gain; after all, that’s Loki’s best available strategy under the circumstances, and not one he’s averse to (see: Grandmaster). He again emphasizes that Loki isn’t dangerous. He offers him unspecified benefits (he sounds like he is promising to let him go if he cooperates, but there is in fact no firm promise). And this gets Loki talking - especially since the questions are about himself, Loki’s favourite subject.

Now Mobius pulls out some truly incisive questions. (Note that this wouldn’t have worked without all the prior TVA stuff - it works because Loki is bewildered, wrongfooted, and placed in a situation where he’s got zero control. If you put Loki at the end of Avengers in a room and asked him those questions, he’d just laugh at you.) ‘What do you plan to do when you’re free?’ - which immediately reveals that Loki doesn’t want to do anything in particular with power; he diesn’t have any, like, policies; he wants power because it makes him feel powerful and successful. Then he butters him up with ‘I’m a fan; why limit yourself to just ruling?’

While the rest of the fandom is freaking out about Loki’s reaction to the MCU clips, the line that got me was his one about freedom: “For nearly everything living thing, choice breeds shame, and uncertainty, and regret. There’s a fork in every road, yet the wrong path - always taken.” Hello, projection! It’s a great window into Loki’s thinking in The Avengers (albeit a retconned one). “I’ve made terrible choices for myself that made me miserable, therefore I should make all the choices for everyone else” is of course a nonsensical idea, but Loki’s not operating on reason, just emotion.

The Mobius pulls out the video clips, first emphasizing Loki’s lack of success, and then pushing harder with “Do you enjoy hurting people?” Making him look at his actions from outside his own perspective. He keeps pushing, until Loki looks genuinely uncomfortable with his actions, and then, to counter the clips of him failing at conquest, invokes his title as ‘god of mischief’ and shows him succeeding at something genuinely mischievous. Be who are you really are. Be what you’re good at.

When Loki diverts from the topic at hand to rant about the TVA and his inevitable ascent to power, Mobius shows him the real outcome of his choices: imprisonment, and his mother’s death. Loki’s clearly emotionally affected, and Mobius presses his advantage; this is the first time in their entire interaction that he’s raised his voice. But Mobius then immediately returns to calm, and plays his masterstroke. Your predetermined role in the world is to cause pain and suffering. Is that what you want? It flips the narrative: suddenly, Loki returning to his quest for power and rule is compliance with the established order, and becoming a better person is defiance of it.

I don’t know if Loki’s escape is genuinely an error by the TVA, or if this is something orchestrated; the former is more probable, but the latter is a possibility - it’s seeing Infinity Stones thrown in a desk drawer like junk that takes Loki to the breaking point.

After the escape attempt, Mobius, in another great move, leaves Loki alone in the room rather than resuming the interrogation. It’s practically a guarantee that Loki will look at the rest of his future - there’s nothing else to do in the room, and it’s an irresistible opportunity - but at this point it’s more effective for him to feel that he’s acting freely that for Mobius to actively show it to him. And he’s also, obviously, more able to engage with his emotions when there’s no one else there (though the TVA is certainly observing him remotely, he’s not thinking about that).

And only then, when Loki’s coping with all those new realizations - both that his family loved him and that his life ended pointlessly - does Mobius come back. And then he at last gets genuine emotional vulnerability from Loki and, even more stunning, an admission of wrongdoing: that he’s been acting as a bully, harmimg others so he can feel strong. And it’s at that point, when Loki acknowledges himself a villain and is unhappy about it, that Mobius can make the offer of Loki helping on the case and have it feel like something he’s doing for Loki.

It’s the same deal it was at the beginning - help the TVA or die - but it feels very different to Loki. An opportunity rather than a threat. A choice he’s been given to do something different with his life.

And all this is nested within an episode that’s about the illusion of choice. Impressive.

Short version - I don’t see Mobius as Loki’s new best friend. I see him as a man who’s very, very good at his job. And I love competent characters.

I could be misreading it - I frequently read more into superhero movies and shows than is actually there - but that’s how it’s looking to me now.

#mcu loki #loki spoilers #loki show #moebius #mobius

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midnightsnace · 3 years

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A Thousand Worlds

Summary: Fix it fic of sorts after the trauma that was episode 6 of the Loki series. Loki is in pain after discovering Mobius doesn’t remember him. He’s been living in apocalypses to avoid capture by this new TVA until he formulates a plan to get his Mobius back.

Rating: T for later chapters

Emotional angst.

Chapter One.

Chapter Two.

“And so that’s where I grew up, the ends of a thousand worlds.”

The ends of a thousand worlds. The words of his accomplice echoed through the god’s mind as he fiddled with the straps of his worn and tattered holster. The fluorescent above him flickered with every gust of wind that battled against the sides of the building that Loki was crouched down in. He slid his long legs out against the tiled floor in front of him and sat with his head propped against the wall. He sighed. Loki tapped his foot on the door of the space he was hiding in to close it, drowning out the cries of fear from the people outside in their final hours of life. There he sat waiting for the tempad to charge. Alone. Living in another world where every person he met would be dead by the end of the day. Another world where Mobius didn’t exist. His Mobius.

Was this what it was like? For her? To never be able to stay in one place for more than a day? To always see the same faces riddled with fear as they awaited their painful fate? To only know destruction, screaming, fires, earthquakes, the literal gates of hel? To be utterly alone with your only desire to live in the hope that one day your glorious purpose would be fulfilled?

Glorious purpose.

Loki scoffed. The god didn’t know what his purpose was anymore. Taking down the TVA was a complete failure. The chances for fixing the mess they started seemed impossible now as branches grew and new timelines erupted, with endless TVAs to monitor every universe. At least, that’s what Loki assumed. He knew next to nothing about what they had unleashed. It wasn’t the same TVA. Different hunters, different analysts, different ruler. Many he recognized, but they were still different people. They weren’t the same. She wasn’t the real B. He wasn’t his Mobius. And Loki was at a complete loss on how to find them again.

The first tempad he stole only brought him back to the place he snatched it from. The same Time Variance Authority where Mobius didn’t remember him and not a single file existed for Loki Laufeyson, God of Mischief, God of Outcasts, God of Lies. Even when he dragged the analyst through the timedoor into the roxxcart parking lot to access his memories, nothing existed of him. No laughter over silly metaphors, mischief at pompeii, not even the memory of their first encounter in the elevator. It was like they never met. This led to Loki wasting away their days hopping from one disaster to the next until his brain racked up a solution. The TVA never once did follow him. Why would they? No one remembered his brilliant discovery about the apocalypses. He could run free. But as the days whittled by, the hope Loki had began to fade into nothingness.

For awhile he kept track of the places he went and the time that had passed.

Day 1 - I finally stole a tempad and left that dreadful place. I came here first. Hoping I’d see you. But I guess that’s not how time travel works in apocalypses. No trace we were ever here. The storm reminded me of my brother. I hope to see him again one day. Now that I know we could have been friends. Everything was eventually going to be okay.

Day 24 - I’ve been sitting in a coffee shop awaiting the earthquake of 2098. Met a lovely redhead with the most peculiar of tattoos. But alas! Little does she know this friendship could never blossom in the wake of death!

Day 37 - I miss him. My brother. The pain that solitude brings makes me think of home more often. How ironic that the very place that caused me the most pain I miss. But anything is better than this. So today I visited home right before its destruction. I saw my brother. I saw Thor from afar. Oh how I wish I could have talked to him somehow and tell him i’m sorry for being such an ass.

Being there brought back memories of the silly metaphor he made using Mobius’ lunch. The corners of Loki’s mouth crept into a smile at the thought. But that smile faded away in the next second and was replaced with tears.

Day 56 - I went to Pompeii again. I stood in the shadows. I tried to picture your expressions of skepticism at my insane ideas. I tried to picture how your face lit up with pride and joy when you realized I was right. I wish I could have stayed longer but I never can anywhere I go.

He whistled like a bird before he exited through the time door.

By day 125 he had lost his will to live again. It was their fourth visit to Lamentis-1. Perhaps it was a mistake on his part to journey here once more and feel both the pains of betrayal and heartache at the prospect of never seeing Mobius again. The second time they had visited Lamentis, the god decided to stay until the very last second with the false hope that maybe him facing death would create a nexus event. His mobius would come find him and save him at the last second. But the time door never came. Maybe it was because he knew there was a chance to escape and he could take it. Or maybe it was because there were so many time branches no one would care to fix a world that was about to end.

“You were always meant to be alone.”

And so this time Loki threw the tempad to the ground and waited. He watched as the lethal disaster unfolded before his eyes once more, ready to die. Alone. Alone with no one to assure him everything will be alright in the face of death. Not a single soul would know he was gone. No one would care.

But at the last second they saw something on the tempad that made them change their mind. A glimmer of hope.

Any hope Loki had, a glorious purpose he had left to fulfill, it was in finding Mobius. It was the only desire left that fueled him to keep existing. He was all that mattered. His only friend. The only person left among the universes who trusted him and saw beyond his flaws. The only person left who hadn’t betrayed the fragile levels of trust the god could give. He was his hope that one day, he wouldn’t have to be alone.

And so he found himself walking the streets of New York in the summer of 2197, on the brink of some disaster he knew nothing about. Not a single idea when it would happen, where it would occur, and what he was doomed to witness. He saw something that could potentially lead him to his destination. The tempad had given him an alert for an aura match - two of the same people in one place. An oddity. Something that wasn’t supposed to exist.

They weren’t just any entity either. They were registered hunters in the TVA database. Which meant one had to be from another universe.

And he knew the TVA would be coming for them.

He had to get there first.

Loki speed walked down the sidewalk frantically scanning his surroundings for any clue as to what was happening. He couldn’t read any signs of fear or confusion on the faces of those who passed him. He didn’t know how much time he had.

Upon hearing shouts of anger, Loki broke out into a run across the street towards the source, dodging every dystopian vehicle that nearly collided with him in the process. It was coming from the roof of the parking tower. With a snap of his magic, Loki teleported himself to the top, hiding behind a parked vehicle to assess what he was working with.

There were two agents standing about 10 feet away who looked nearly identical, one waving her arms frantically while the other looked on stoically, possibly from shock, with a pruning stick in hand. Loki locked eyes on the tempad fastened to the belt of the frantic one. Then he glanced at the one in the other hunter’s hand.

Well shit.

Now he had to figure out which agent had jumped from the other timeline. He quickly flashed himself closer to the two, but not before one caught on that someone was there.

“I was given orders by a man to…what was that?” one of the hunters asked.

Loki crouched down farther on the other side of the wall. He reached for a dagger, ready to pounce once their suspicions subsided. They listened intently to the words from the first hunter for the first clue on who to attack.

“He sent me here to grab this,” the hunter pulled up someone on her tempad, “entity and leave. Those were the orders given to me. So if you’ll excuse me.”

The other hunter planted herself in front of her clone. “I can’t let you do that. Not until you’ve told me everything I want to know. How are you me? How is this possible?”

The first hunter was from an alternate timeline. Loki took that as his cue. But before he could sneak behind the hunter, he was shot backwards by a blast of energy from a ring of light.

Out from the ring stepped a peculiar man with graying hair who was wearing blue robes and an assymetrical cloak that sparked the curiosity of the confused hunter. Within a split second, the portal closed behind him. Loki laid very still on the concrete and held his breath in the hopes that the man would believe him to be dead.

“You know I can tell when someone is playing dead.”

Loki grimaced and winced as he heaved himself off the ground. He came face to face with the strange man, his hand lingering in the air where he placed the pocket for his dagger.

“You.” was all the man said.

“Am I supposed to know you?” the god questioned.

“You always manage to show up in New York again at the most in-opportune times.” The man raised his hands and Loki mimicked his movements, summoning his daggers in place.

“I’m gonna assume we’ve met before sir, perhaps in the future? I don’t know! And i’m terribly sorry about New York! Look let me explain…” they lowered their hands in their attempt to make peace with the angry man in front of him.

“Dr. Strange.” He kept his fist in the air, golden sparks flying from whatever spell he had in mind to attack the prince with. “And until you prove otherwise Im going to assume you are here for hostile reasons.”

Loki blinked. Well he’s kind of not wrong, they thought.

“Well I’m afraid I can’t prove anything else.” and with that the god blasted the sorcerer into the nearest column with their magic and teleported across the space.

Loki noticed that one of the hunters had disappeared. He assumed she had returned to the TVA. The other was charging towards him fast. He whipped out his daggers to face his attacker, but suddenly his feet were dragged out from under him and he hit the concrete hard. He was being dragged backwards, body scrapping against the concrete. So fast, that the god could barely think about what was happening to him.

When he came to his senses he cut the magic ropes with his powers and rolled across the ground. So he was dealing with another magic user, this “Dr. Strange.” Loki teleported again before he was up on his feet to where he was standing directly behind the hunter.

“D-11…” Dr. Strange said with a hint of caution in his tone.

So this was the man Hunter D-11 was working for. Before the hunter could turn around to face them, Loki snatched the tempad off her belt and snapped himself to the furthest side of the building. Dr. Strange reacted quickly and stood his ground in front of Loki, prepared to attack again.

“Loki, perhaps we can work out some type of deal. What is it that you want? Maybe I can help you. Maybe we can reach a compromise.”

Offer him a deal? Nah.

“I’m done trusting people I’ve just met. All they ever do is stab me in the back.” he conjured the time door behind him.

Strange titled his head. “You do realize we can follow you right straight back to the TVA?”

Loki turned to face him and D-11. “You’ll never find me. You won’t know the first place to look.” The time door closed with Loki inside of it, before the two even had a chance to reach their hands out to follow the god.

…….

And that’s how Loki had ended up here. At Roxxcart again, waiting for the new tempad to charge up before hopping through timelines again.

He breathed in deeply as he felt the bubble of excitement, relief, and happiness build in his chest for the first time in months at the prospect of achieving his goal. Being reunited with the only one who mattered: Mobius. His Mobius.

But as he released his breath in a sigh, his chest tightened again and worry clouded his mind. What if this didn’t work? What if this was just another dead end? What if this was just another one of the countless TVAs that might exist in the vast multiverse?

At first, all Loki felt was sadness and regret in the days following Sylvie’s betrayal. But now all he felt was anger boiling deep inside him. That same unwelcome feeling he experienced after discovering his father lied to him. The feeling that harbored in the abyss of Thanos’ chambers. The feeling that never left his soul until Mobius looked him in the eyes and assured him that he didn’t have to be the villain in his story.

She had taken everything from him and he was afraid he couldn’t wash away the resentment this time. He wanted desperately to feel anything besides the pain he had known for the past year.

He needed to feel love again.

“He cares about you.”

Loki couldn’t wait any longer. He picked up the tempad and tapped the time door request for the TVA home base. He drew in a shaky breath as he paused in front of the portal.

This was it.

He was either about to be reunited with his greatest source of happiness, or find himself hiding in apocalypses again for months as he searched for another plan.

And he would do it. He would search through a thousand worlds to find him.

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mimisempai · 3 years

Text

Every time I look at you, I fall in love again

Summary:

As he gazes at his sleeping lover, Loki remembers the moments where he fell in love with Mobius.OrFive times when Loki's heart pounded in a special way and once when it pounded in a familiar way.

Notes:

Tumblr request : a 5+1 - it could be about moments in their relationship where Loki falls more in love w/ Mobius

https://archiveofourown.org/works/32821156

2084 words - Rating G

For once, Loki woke up this morning before Mobius.

Leaning on his hand, he took the opportunity to watch his beloved while he slept.

As he gazed at the sleeping features of his lover, he was once again taken aback by the strength of his feelings.

Loki had little or no experience with love, so he had nothing to compare to what he was experiencing with Mobius right now.

No one had made him feel the way the man made him feel.

It was as if Mobius had wrapped his roots around Loki's heart little by little but without imprisoning him.

Mobius' love had set him free.

In return, Loki's feelings had taken root in Mobius' constancy.

Sometimes Loki liked to think about how his feelings had developed, because it had all happened so quickly that he had never been able to enjoy those stolen first moments.

It would be hard for Loki to say exactly when he had begun to notice that his relationship with Mobius was different from any relationship he had had before, but what he was sure of was that no one had ever been able to see through him as quickly as Mobius.

"I don't like to talk."

"But you do like to lie, which you just did. Because we both know you love to talk. Talkie-talkie."

Honestly, at that moment, Loki thought fondly, if he hadn't been so angry at being found out, he would have laughed.

As a matter of fact, it had become a fond memory for them. Whenever Loki would go into one of his grandiloquent tirades, Mobius would simply make this little gesture with his hand and would mouth "Talkie Talkie"

" You don't know anything about me.

"Maybe I'd like to learn."

It was probably at that moment that Mobius had begun to touch something in Loki that no one had ever touched. The fact that anyone would even bother to genuinely learn about him was in itself new. Except for his mother and Thor, most people had always assumed the worst of him.

"Honestly, I'm actually a fan. Yeah. And I guess I'm wondering why does someone with so much range just wanna rule?

Mobius had been the first to make him question himself.

Of course, at the time, he was not at all receptive to what Mobius' words really meant.

It had taken him some time to admit the truth.

The moment he had admitted it, the naked truth, without any more artifice, he had been ready to receive the final blow, the ratification of his vileness, but no, nothing like that.

"Because it's part of the illusion. It's the cruel, elaborate trick conjured by the weak to inspire fear."

"'A desperate play for control.' You do know yourself."

"A villain."

"That's not how I see it."

That's not how I see it.

At that moment, Loki's heart had pounded for the first time.

The man in front of him had seen all the lowliness that Loki was capable of and yet he did not see him as a villain.

From the first hours of their meeting, he had made it impossible for Loki not to love him and from then on, his feelings had grown exponentially.

As he walked down the path of his memories, Loki continued to gaze at Mobius as he slept. A small miracle in itself for Loki.

Knowing who Loki was, Mobius slept in his presence. The perfect image of absolute trust.

Loki sometimes still had trouble feeling worthy of such trust.

Seeing him sleeping like that, he thought of the day when he himself had first fallen asleep in this way with Mobius.

The day he fell a little more in love with Mobius.

It started with Mobius taking the blame for the failure of their first mission together, when it was all Loki's fault. They could have just pruned him, but no, Mobius had pleaded his case to Ravonna.

Then Loki had presented his theory to Mobius, admittedly with a rather shaky metaphor, even ruining one of his lover's favorite dishes.

"Well, here's a fun theory. You lure me out into the field, and then you stab me in the back. And that's a theory I don't wanna test."

"I'd never stab anyone in the back. That's such a boring form of betrayal."

"Loki, I've studied almost every moment of your entire life. You've literally stabbed people in the back, like, 50 times."

"Well, I'd never do it again, because it got old."

Mobius laughed and chose to follow Loki's theory, even though Loki had given him no reason to believe in him until now. Even though his theory was based on almost nothing, Mobius had chosen to believe Loki.

Then they returned from Pompeii and something happened that had never happened to Loki, he had fallen asleep. Loki, who was distrustful of everything and nothing, had simply fallen asleep in the presence of someone he hardly knew. As if his heart had understood before his mind that he had nothing to fear from Mobius.

When Mobius had woken him up, Loki's heart had pounded for the second time, and it wasn't fright that had caused it, but the realization that Loki was falling in love and falling deeply.

As he looked up from his contemplation of Mobius, Loki's gaze fell on the photo that lay on his nightstand. A memory of their first vacations, when Mobius had finally realized his dream. In the middle of the paradisiacal decor of an island in Midgard, Loki had taken this photo of Mobius piloting -at last- a jetski. So much joy on his face.

Another thing that made Loki fall in love a little more: the passion of his lover for some small insignificant things.

Josta, salad, jet-ski...

"You know, some things... Actually, most things in history are kinda dumb, and everything gets ruined eventually. But in the early 1990s, for a brief, shining moment, there was a beautiful union of form and function, which we call the jet ski, and a reasonable man cannot differ."

"You ever been on one?"

"No... No. I think a TVA agent showing up on a jet ski on the Sacred Timeline, that would create a branch for sure."

"Oh it'd be fun, though."

"Yeah, it'd be really fun."

"So, why read about them?"

"It just helps remind me of what we're fighting for."

The expression Mobius had had at that moment, when he had said something like that with such candor had made Loki fall even more.

And his heart had pounded for the third time.

While he had sensed that what would happen next would destroy what Mobius believed in, Loki had not been able to stop himself from wanting to protect him and his happiness, and to hope that one day he would be able to realize his dream.

With his eyes on the photo commemorating a very real memory, he felt a sense of satisfaction, because his lover had been able to realize this dream and Loki had been there to witness it.

"Loki... Don't go..."

Loki's eyes returned from the picture to his lover, whose features were now tense, probably from a nightmare.

"I'm here love, I'm not leaving. I'm staying with you."

Saying this, Loki gently strokes Mobius' cheek and his expression immediately relaxes. After a few seconds,he was sleeping peacefully again.

Loki didn't need to read Mobius' mind to know what he had dreamed.

He had known that he had taken a huge risk when he had decided to follow Sylvie and he had known that the reunion with Mobius would not be easy.

After all, he had betrayed him. But of all the acts of betrayal that Loki had been guilty of, this was the one that had cost him the most. Because of the feelings he was beginning to have for Mobius.

But what he hadn't imagined was that Mobius would almost turn into a jealous lover, even though at that point they didn't have that kind of relationship at all.

Loki had been incredibly surprised that it wasn't Loki's betrayal that had hurt Mobius the most, but the fact that he had made a connection with Sylvie.

"Come on. Look at your eyes. You like her."

"You like her. Does she like you?"

"Both of you were just swooning over each other."

"It's breaking my reality right now. What an incredible seismic narcissist. You fell for yourself."

"I'm supposed to believe your terrorist girlfriend"

"What, your female self that you have some demented crush on…"

Loki's heart had pounded for the fourth time when he realized what it could mean. He had fallen a little more at the thought of Mobius, at the thought that the man might be jealous, at the thought of what it might mean about Mobius' feelings for him.

Then there had been that moment of grace, the exact moment when Loki had known that he was definitely in love with Mobius.

For the first time, when everything was against him, someone had chosen to believe in him. That someone was Mobius.

Even though he was clearly angry with Loki, he still listened to him and chose to believe him.

Despite Loki's attempts at manipulation, betrayals, and mistakes, Mobius renewed his faith in him and spoke those words that were imprinted in Loki's head.

"You could be whoever, whatever you wanna be, even someone good. I mean, just in case anyone ever told you different."

Loki's throat tightened as he was overwhelmed by the emotion of the memory.

Mobius had no idea how many wounds he had healed in Loki at that moment.

After what Loki had done, where Odin and Thor had not forgiven him, not only had Mobius forgiven him but even more amazingly, he had shown that he believed that Loki was capable of being good, of doing good.

At that moment, Loki's heart did not pound once, but thousands of times, at full speed. Because of the joy and love that filled it.

The sudden disappearance of Mobius just afterwards had been all the more cruel. Because at that moment, they didn't know about the Void and Loki had thought Mobius was lost forever. He had been devastated.

He couldn't help but touch Mobius' face, gently so as not to wake him, then he whispered softly, "You too Mobius, do not ever leave me."

They had found each other again.

When he first saw Mobius after he thought he had lost him, it only confirmed Loki's feelings for Mobius.

The way his heart had pounded at the sight of the one he loved was impossible to ignore.

So when they had to part once again, Loki had not been able to resist the pull of his heart, and instead of grabbing Mobius' hand, he had taken the man in his arms.

Loki had held Mobius in his arms many times since that moment, but he would never forget the feeling of that first hug. The feeling that the universe was in place. That he was where he belonged, that he was home. He had expressed without words all that he felt and Mobius had answered him in the same way. They had to part again, but this time the bond between them was undeniable and unbreakable.

They had to go through a lot to finally enjoy their love, without the sword of Damocles, without the threat of the end of the world, or of a multiversal war over their heads, but they had made it. They were here now.

With each passing day, Loki fell a little more in love.

The Midgardian saying, I love you more than yesterday and less than tomorrow, had become his.

Because every time he looked at Mobius and realized the love they shared, he felt like it was stronger.

Mobius moved in his sleep, making the sheet slide off his shoulder.

Loki could not resist and leaned over to kiss the bare shoulder. Mobius woke up and turned to face Loki with a sleepy smile on his lips.

"Hey there handsome," Mobius whispered to Loki, gently kissing Loki's cheek. Loki's heart fluttered in a familiar way now, at such gentleness and at the adoration he read in his lover's eyes.

"Hey love," whispered Loki.

Mobius kissed him, his lips pressing lazily against Loki's. Loki smiled and kissed him back, happy.

Together they enjoyed the delights of a perfect, quiet morning.

_________

All other one-shots of this series here : X

As always, bear with me as it is not beta'd I hope you enjoyed it 🥰

#Lokius #loki series #loki #mobius m. mobius #lokius fic #moki #wowki #time husbands #time frost #established relationship #memories #5+1 things #lazy morning

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theravennest · 3 years

Text

Hot Loki Take: Sylvie was Right

*Spoilers for all of Loki the series up to and including ep 6.

Sylvie was right to kill He Who Remains and free the timeline.

I’m deadass.

He Who Remains forced reality into an endless cycle between a time of Order (he rules as dictator) & a time of simulated and controlled "Chaos" (his Conqueror variants wage war). I say this “chaos” is simulated because when you think about it, it’s chaos that He Who Remains arranges himself by manipulating Lokis.

He Who Remains is so fucking sus but for some reason people are just tripping over their own feet to believe everything he says and vilify Sylvie for killing him.

He literally tells them (and us) that his methods are deceptive and we know for a fact that he’s willing to murder trillions upon trillions of people, planets, and realities to get the outcome he wants. Yet some are still believing everything he says cuz he said maybe 4 things that were truthful, I guess, and cuz he’s cute. Some of us are so blinded by the fear/anticipation of Kang the Conqueror’s arrival, we are letting him bamboozle us.

He Who Remains perfectly and personally tailored the Ordered period of the timeline to produce this exact Sylvie and this exact Loki, had them meet/influence each other, and then had them travel to the end of time...to him.

Now Lokis by nature are agents of chaos and could suddenly swerve left, so to speak, for no reason. So let’s assume I believe that He Who Remains didn’t 100% know what they would choose once they crossed the Threshold (if the Threshold he described is even real, tbh). He also so carefully molded both of their entire lives for that moment in the Citadel. He may not have known 100% but he knew at least 90% of how they would react to everything he said and did when they were both pushed to this place/mindset.

Notice how he teed them up for the fight that ended in his death:

Manufacturing a scenario where they would meet via the TVA’s variant pursuit.

Manufacturing a scenario where they would travel to the Void and meet Alioth.

Kid Loki being in just the right place to give his sword to Loki.

Miss Minutes appearing to menacingly offer an obvious devil’s bargain.

Him slyly telling Sylvie that she can’t trust Loki, putting it into her head just before he gives them his ultimatum.

All of these thing practically gift wrapped that ending to the Loki on Sylvie fight.

Let’s elaborate.

What was even the point of Miss Minutes offering to re-insert them into the same Sacred Timeline with both getting their hearts’ desires there?

Not more than ten minutes later He Who Remains told Loki and Sylvie to their faces that he manipulated all this for the sole purpose of making them choose between taking over as rulers of the TVA or killing him and ushering in a Multiversal War. Neither of those choices would result in re-inserting Loki and Sylvie back into the timeline.

So what is the truth? Why waste precious moments with a creepy Miss Minutes menacing them in that vestibule scene?

Notice how Miss Minutes’ words pushed Loki further onto his path of no longer wanting power or a throne but desiring to change his attitude about himself and the universe. Notice how her words conversely pushed Sylvie into balking at the idea of accepting another “fictional” life after a lifetime of being manipulated and made her double down on her mission to free the timeline and get revenge.

Sylvie has the ability to see memories but interesting how he kept her distracted by condescending to her and provoking her, just stoking the fire to make her react negatively. (Interesting how he was far more focused on Sylvie’s reactions than Loki’s, most likely because he needed her to kill him for his plans to work.)

Now I don’t want to completely shift responsibility for her choices away from Sylvie. In truth, if she had held in her vengeance for let’s say an hour and trusted Loki a bit more, they could’ve sat down to talk about things and maybe found a third solution other than starting a Multiversal War or ruling the TVA that still could’ve even allowed her to get revenge. (More on the ultimatum later.)

But I can’t blame her for losing her cool, either. He Who Remains made damn sure she would burn as hot as possible because he tailor made her life to give her the personality he wanted. And any other version of her out there who might have made a different choice would’ve already been pruned.

He Who Remains tells Loki and Sylvie straight up that he set them on their particular life paths because he needed them to be “changed by the journey” to ensure everyone in that room was in exactly the right mindset to do what was needed to “finish the quest” and presumably “slay the dragon,” aka Him. (Notice the parallels to the speaker narration just before episode 2′s fight at the Ren Fair.)

We don’t know! Sylvie never enchanted him to read his memories because she was so filled with rage and Loki was too busy trying to stop her, he didn’t think to do it either. And we’ve already established that He Who Remains trained them that way. Nothing that happened in that office was without He Who Remains’ influence and meddling.

Another nail in the coffin that convinces me that He Who Remains is a no good dirty liar is Renslayer.

If He Who Remains’ end goal was to either have the Lokis choose to rule the TVA or destroy it and thus end up with no memory of her previous TVA judge role/life, why did he send Miss Minutes to Ravonna with files that caused her to pack her bags and search for what she calls “free will,” AKA the one in charge?

I’d bet dollars to donuts that when the next season rolls around the only people who will know what’s going on and still have their memories will be Loki, Miss Minutes, Sylvie, and Ravonna. (Maybe Kang the Conqueror will know as well but I could see it going the other way too. I’m 50-50.)

He Who Remains was planning something by pushing Ravonna the way he did. Does he want her out of the TVA so she doesn’t lose her memories when everything resets? Does he want her to go find the Conqueror version of himself? I mean, at this point, practically everyone knows who she is to Kang in the comics, so let’s not pretend that’s not an option.

Another thing to think about...it’s super suspicious that he was so eager to make them believe he’s one of the “good versions” of Kang and all these others are much worse while giving absolutely no evidence of that outside of an interactive blob powerpoint, a quirky attitude, and a couple of sad, weary faces????

Who’s to say He Who Remains isn’t playing the long game and always manipulates his variants to eventually give him the chance to seize control of the multiverse?

Who’s to say he’s not one of the Kangs that wanted to conquer too? Funny how the “pure of heart” Kang is the one who still wrested control of all reality, killed off every other timeline with a weapon of mass destruction, installed a fascist time bureaucracy, and set himself up as the dictator. Sounds an awful lot like some conqueror shit to me, just saying.

Even wilder theory: what if this really is the same Kang the Conqueror but at the end of his life? We only have hhis word that he’s a variant. He Who Remains tells Loki that this fight is for the “young and hungry.” Maybe the “young and hungry” he’s referring to is not Loki and Sylvie at all but his literal younger self. Perhaps he set up this entire cycle of chaos and order so that he can perpetually live, conqueror, rule, die, and start all over again? Reincarnation, as he says...

But let’s set that wild theory aside for a moment. Let’s circle back to the Multiversal War debate and say it really is is caused by an infinite amount of his variants.

I think it’s hella sus that He Who Remains was so insistent that Loki and Sylvie only had two choices to resolve this riddle: Multiversal War or running the TVA almost exactly the way he did while maintaining only a single timeline. Those are definitely not the only two options they had. In fact, I could probably name 1-3 other options off the top of my head right now:

Keep He Who Remains alive while learning how he manipulated time and using those skills to slowly unleash the multiverse while killing every version of Kang to prevent him from existing as either conqueror or dictator.

Kill He Who Remains, take over the TVA, and slowly change it to something not horrific or even build a brand new system for governing time.

Kill or keep He Who Remains, still take over the TVA, slow rollout the Multiverse and kill or prevent every Kang along the way.

(I’m not saying these aren’t also morally questionable options, I’m just saying they are different from the two choices He Who Remains presented.)

But let’s say these options I suggested are not feasible. I just randomly came up with them ten minutes ago so it would be fair if they were picked apart logically.

So let’s contemplate this, instead:

Why should we assume/believe that a Multiversal War is actually a bad thing again??? Why are we assuming that He Who Remains’ Sacred Timeline really saved reality from total collapse?

Assuming he told the truth about his motives, maybe he was just...wrong about the end of reality. Maybe he saw what he thought was the conclusion to the Multiversal War coming and erroneously believed it to be the end of everything but actually it was the multiverse sorting itself out and everything would’ve been fine after.

We (and He Who Remains too) will never know because not only did he not show any evidence to back up his claim that reality was on the brink of collapse, but he himself never allowed things to play out naturally. Whenever the end of the war comes to the brink of something, he always panics, weaponizes Alioth, and traps the universe in his cage of Order with the TVA.

Even more controversial take...maybe the collapse of timelines and the end of everything should be allowed to happen. Maybe the natural cycle of reality is to build and build, splinter and splinter timelines, until it collapses and starts all over again from the void.

Nothing is created and nothing is destroyed, all things exist in a cycle so why should the multiverse be any different?

After all in all, in all three possibilities an infinite number of timelines is destined to suffer and die. Whether it be during the Kang-controlled Order period, Kang-controlled fake Chaos period, or the unrestrained natural Chaos that collapses in on itself...an untold amount of people are dying anyway. There’s only one of those scenarios that has actual unrestrained free will where those people get to exist how they want, make choices they want (even bad ones) for as long as they can.

(Personally, I’ll take that over what the Kangs have wrestled the multiverse into.)

I’ll just take this moment to re-iterate: trust nothing He Who Remains says. He’s a known liar and manipulator, and unlike Loki he has done absolutely nothing to actionably show he’s not still lying or to show that he’s trying to change outside of some sad looks. It’s all pantomime, bruh. Like, the pageantry of it all astounds me.

Is he maybe telling some truths? Sure. But that doesn’t mean he’s not using the truth to manipulate everything. It’s an illusion, I’m telling y’all! He was up to no fucking good.

Sylvie was far more right to kill him than to not. Loki, Sylvie, & team (prolly also the latest Avengers lineup too) now just need to find a way to break this Kang cycle.

#loki #loki laufeyson #sylvie laufeydottir #kang the conqueror #he who remains #loki spoilers #mcu #mcu spoilers

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ohmygoodnessgraciouss · 3 years

Text

Reality Check - Chapter 8 Part 2

“We’ll take care of it from here, L/N. You aren’t allowed back in.” Hayward said.

“What do you mean I’m not allowed back in?!” You yelled, frustrated. You spent all day talking to him just for him to tell you that there’s no plan where you go back.

“I can’t risk having you under Maximoff’s magic again. For all we know she’ll use you to destroy us. You’re done here.”

“But I have the best chance of going back in.”

“I don’t care. Woo, escort her out of here. I don’t care where she goes but she can’t stay here any longer.”

Jimmy nodded solemnly, holding out a hand to you. Still angered by Hayward’s words you stood up from your chair abruptly, pushing Jimmy’s hand out of the way. “You don’t get to make that choice for me. I’m going to find out what’s going on inside the hex.”

Hayward glared at you before raising a hand to his earpiece, muttering something you couldn’t hear. He left the room as two guards came in, grabbing you by the elbows. “You can’t do this!” You yelled out to Tyler. “I will find my way back into Westview!”

The guards began leading you down the halls as Darcy, Monica, and Jimmy all watched. They didn’t know what they could do to help you. You watched the hallways carefully, making sure you knew exactly where you needed to go once you broke free from them.

They led you outside, towards one of the trucks. They threw you in before you could do anything, locking you into place with a set of handcuffs. You huffed at them as they moved to the front of the vehicle. One of the men sat behind the wheel, adjusting the mirror. “Where are you taking me?” You asked them.

Their answer sent shivers down your spine.

“To a place you won’t be able to come back from.”

The drive was long, about two hours if you counted the seconds correctly. The place they were talking about looked like a prison. The walls were easily forty feet high, glaring down at you as if you were merely an ant. The men dragged you into the building, leading you down yet another hallway. You half expected a light to flicker on the way.

The end of the hallway had a large desk with a woman sitting behind it. She glared up at you from her seat, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose. “Is this the mutant you were telling me about?” She asked, almost disgustedly.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Bring her in, take her to the confinement room,” She sighed and handed one of the guards a key.

“The what room? Do you people even work for S.H.I.E.L.D?” You turned to look at them, seeing their empty expressions. They nudged you, forcing you to walk down a new hallway.

“We work for S.H.I.E.L.D, but we work for another agency as well.”

“Another agency? Dare I call you H.Y.D.R.A agents?” You tried to keep your brave face on, but it was hard knowing that you were being taken somewhere you didn’t know by people you didn’t know.

“A group even more powerful than H.Y.D.R.A ever was. We handle mutants like yourself more specifically. Haven’t you noticed that you’re completely drained of your power right now? The cuffs are made to fit you perfectly, drain you of any energy you may have.” Your eyes widened in fear.

“So what’s the point in having me?”

“Right now? We’re just here to make sure you don’t mess up the timeline.”

“How would I mess up the timeline? The Avengers worked with time travel weeks ago and now you’re saying we could still be altering timelines?”

“Precisely. In fact, you could be altering it even more than you ever realized. With your powers, if you were to come into contact and team up with the Scarlet Witch again, you could corrupt the entire multiverse.”

“Multiverse? The Scarlet Witch? I don’t even know what you’re talking about right now!” You exclaimed.

“It’s for the best you don’t then. Don’t worry. We’ll only keep you here until The Scarlet Witch is revealed. It shouldn’t take too long. We’ll see you soon, L/N.” They pulled off your handcuffs and shoved you into a room. Before you could race out of it, they locked the door.

The room seemed to be made out of a metal. It was all just metal, cold, and eerie. A bed was in one corner, a desk with very few books, and a toilet and sink were on one side. The other side had a chest, you assumed it was probably filled with blankets or pillows. Whatever the room was made of, it had to have been made out of the same metal as the cuffs. You still felt drained by it.

“What do I do now?”

A week had passed and you found yourself sitting by the desk, reading a book. You felt like you were going insane there. A man would bring you food twice a day, giving you a small smile each time he did. You merely glared at the man and waited until he was gone before you would eat. It was always something a small. A sandwich, an apple, maybe a bottle of water. It was always on paper plates and paper napkins, ensuring you wouldn’t have anything sharp or heavy.

“Good news,” The man greeted you one day. You watched him with a careful eye. “The timeline is almost restored, meaning you’ll be free soon enough. It should only be another day or two. I enjoyed our time together, even if you don’t. Many of the people who show up here are less than pleased and they would insult me quite a bit. I would prefer a nice conversation, after all I am just the messenger, but I’ll take what I can get.” He placed the plate down. A granola bar and a ham and cheese sandwich. Predictable.

“Hopefully tomorrow is the last day we’ll see each other. I look forward to it,” He smiled once more before leaving.

You looked down at the plate, picking at the granola bar. What were you to do now?

The next morning you woke up, waiting for the man to appear once again. He was a friendly face at least. Given you hadn’t seen anyone else all week you were almost kind of glad to see somebody each day. You were positive you would start hallucinating at this rate.

The door opened for the first time today, but it wasn’t the man you were waiting for. It was a different man. One you hadn’t seen in a week. His mischievous grin was as wide as ever, his black hair was pulled back behind his ears. He wore a Gucci suit. Of course he did.

“Did you miss me, darling?” He asked, raising his arms up as if he expected you to run to him.

You looked at him with wide eyes. “How are you here?” You asked him.

“What do you mean? I know I’m dead in this timeline but surely you knew it was me inside the Scarlet Witch’s reality,” He chuckled.

You stood up, walking to him slowly, scanning his face for any kind of flaw. Any indication that someone was pretending to be him. “The Scarlet Witch’s reality? Don’t you mean Wanda’s?”

“Wanda, Scarlet Witch, same person, just different names. Now, I’m a little disappointed to hear that you couldn’t see through my illusion, but I can’t say that I’m surprised. You were never one for noticing it after all.”

“You were in there all along?” You asked breathlessly.

“Of course I was! Scott was never a man who lived in Westview. He was merely someone I made up so I could be close to you. I needed to help set the timeline straight. The T.V.A would have had my head if I couldn’t do it.”

“Who’s the T.V.A?”

“The Time Variance Authority. They’re the ones who locked you up here, despite my arguably great reasons why they shouldn’t,” He spoke bitterly. “But, I had to help them with this timeline. I’m from a different timeline. One where Thanos hasn’t snapped away half of the universe. I escaped using the Tesseract.”

A lightbulb seemed to flicker on in your head. Of course it was him! Bruce told you about what had gone wrong during the “Time heist.” He mentioned how Loki managed to escape in 2012. “You’re working for them?”

“Not anymore,” He winked. “I extracted some of the Scarlet Witch’s magic before she took off with the Darkhold.”

“Wanda has the Darkhold?!” You almost screeched. Through your readings on Asgard you learned of the dark magic the Darkhold possessed. It was known for corrupting people’s minds when read. Considering your friend was already unstable enough to create a false reality you were terrified by what she could do if she had the book.

“Shh!” He hushed you quickly. “There are still people in the building. But yes, she does. Don’t worry, I’ve seen the rest of this timeline. She’ll be alright with help from the Sorcerer Supreme. But you hold no important place in this timeline anymore.”

“What do you mean by that?” You asked.

He walked up to you, close enough to place a hand on your waist comfortingly. “Y/N,” It brought tears to your eyes to hear him say your name once more. “I want you to come with me.”

“Where would we go?”

“Anywhere. We can go anywhere you’d like. This timeline, another, somewhere on Midgard or somewhere far away from it. But I’m asking you to run away with me. I know you may be frightened by the idea, especially because I’m not the same Loki you used to know, but I don’t want to live without you. This is our chance to finally have a life together. Free from Odin, from Thanos, from everyone! We could finally be together.”

You searched his eyes for any lies. It wouldn’t be the first time he betrayed someone he loved, but you couldn’t find an ounce of betrayal in him. He was being completely honest with you. You smiled slightly, tears brimming your eyes. “Loki, I have friends here. Family. Knowing that Wanda is out there with the Darkhold is terrifying me.”

“And you can see her again, I promise you. But for now we must leave. You won’t see her for quite a while, but,” He hesitated for a moment, debating whether or not he should tell you the next piece of information. “But you will see her again. She’s going to use the Darkhold to cross the multiverse. We can safely see her again, but right now we have to go.”

The two of you looked out of the room quickly as you heard yells coming down the hallway. The T.V.A was close now. They were planning on arresting both you and Loki. “What do you say, Y/N?” His eyes were pleading, begging you to go with him.

You took a deep breath, wiping your eyes, before grabbing onto his hand. The other hand, that was still on your waist, tightened his hold slightly. You smiled up at him. “Let’s go,” You whispered.

He returned the smile, before saying one last thing to you.

“Oh, how I love you.”

Yeah, no, I’m with Wanda on this one. We’re not ending it like that. Reality Check is far from over. Happy April Fool’s, everyone.

Part 2 will be out tomorrow.

@emberfulclass @momoneymolife @high-priestesss @hailey-the-heathen @mochminnie @dpaccione @intricate-melody @lindseyrae20 @storminateacup15 @ilovemollyweasley @bookgirlunicorn @chims-kookies @austynparksandpizza @yikesdameron @littleladdty @three-eyed-snail @kymera-casterwill @justsomerandompersonintheworld @followthepastelcloud @11mb0 @carolinesbookworld @from-hel-i-with-love @grimalkynslee @boywivlove @prettysbliss @youreobsessedwithmarvel @th3gl1tt3gram3roff1c1al @luthien-t @lokilove3000 @treblebeth @weclassygirl @justfangirlingaround @drpepperobsessed @how-does-this-work @prideofnewberk @matterdontminduntildone @brynthebulldozer @shittyfuckinweeb

#loki x reader #loki laufeyson #odinson #fanfic #fanfiction #romance #action #adventure #thor #wandavision #maximoff #wanda #vision #wandavision spoilers

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nikkoliferous · 3 years

Text

Phase One: Avengers (Part One)

With everything being about the LOKI series right now and me dreading it, I figured I'd distract myself by finally posting my thoughts on the Phase One: Avengers novel, which I seem to recall somehow being way worse than the Thor novel? I'm not completely convinced this thing wasn't ghostwritten by Taika Waititi; that's all I'm saying. Anyways, here we go.

(Quick note: please be aware that this overview is significantly Thor-critical. If that sort of thing bothers you, I do not recommend proceeding. You've been warned. Lol)

Let's start off with a friendly reminder that SHIELD had four hours to evacuate before Loki showed up, shall we?

Dr. Selvig read an energy surge from the Tesseract four hours ago,” Coulson was saying.

“I didn’t approve going to testing,” Fury said.

Coulson nodded. “He wasn’t testing it. He wasn’t even in the room. Spontaneous event.”

So either they're grossly incompetent or grossly negligent, but either way those deaths are on them at least as much as they're on Loki. If not more so.

“It just turned itself on?” Hill sounded skeptical. Fury, as usual, was less interested in how they’d gotten there than in what they were going to do next.

[...]

Selvig acknowledged him briefly and then returned his attention to the monitoring equipment. “Director, the Tesseract is misbehaving.”

“Is that supposed to be funny?”

“No, it’s not funny at all. The Tesseract is not only active, she’s… behaving.”

Fury didn’t comment on the doctor characterizing the Tesseract as female. He also wasn’t interested in Selvig’s notions about its personality. It didn’t have a personality. It was a cube containing energy, and all Nick Fury wanted was to know how to control that energy. “I assume you pulled the plug.”

Fury having no intellectual curiosity explains a lot, tbh. Like how he thinks Loki "kills because it's fun", even though nothing about their prior interaction indicates that. Like, at all. Loki killed only the agents who were attacking him. Because he felt threatened. If he indeed killed for the fun of it, he would have taken them all out and been done with it. Doing so would have both entertained him and made for a much smoother getaway.

“She’s an energy source. We turn off the power, she turns it back on. If she reaches peak level—”

“We prepared for this, Doctor. Harnessing energy from space.”

“We’re not ready. My calculations are far from complete. And she’s throwing off interference radiation.”

Fury watched the Tesseract in its circular containment shell. Eight separate energy sensors built into a frame supporting that shell were designed to measure and conduct that energy. Those sensors in turn rested on stainless-steel support scaffolding. The whole setup sprouted cables and conduits. These were there to supply energy to the Tesseract in a controlled fashion so Dr. Selvig could analyze its reactions. Now they were all shut down, as Dr. Selvig had said, but even so, the Tesseract glowed with a fierce blue energy. It was starting to spill onto the sensors, arcing like electricity. But it wasn’t electricity. It was something much more exotic.

I also find it curious/amusing/something that Fury later accuses Loki of "stealing a force [he] can't hope to control". YOU'RE DESCRIBING YOURSELF, NICK. YOU'RE THE ONE WHO CAN'T CONTROL IT AND HAS BEEN ARROGANTLY PRETENDING YOU CAN.

The man looked up at them and smiled as he stood. He was not a large man, not remarkable in any particular way. He had long black hair and wore black leather clothing, similar to what Fury was wearing. However, he wasn’t a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. Fury didn’t know where he had come from.

I beg to fucking differ lmao

Fury had the Tesseract in a steel carrying case and was taking a step toward the door when the stranger turned to him and said, “Please don’t. I still need that.”

Kudos to Loki for not forgetting his princely manners even while completely off his rocker. Lol

“This doesn’t have to get any messier,” Fury said. He glanced quickly around, trying to figure the fastest way out.

“Of course it does,” the stranger said. “I’ve come too far for anything else.”

TELL US WHAT YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH, LOKI. INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW.

“Loki?” Dr. Selvig said. He stood up from helping one of his fellow doctors, who was barely conscious. “Brother of Thor?”

“We have no quarrel with your people,” Fury said.

Loki acknowledged Selvig and then returned his attention to Fury.

By "acknowledged", the author means he rolled his eyes so hard he saw his own brain lmao

“I come with glad tidings,” Loki said. “Of a world made free.”

“Free from what?” Fury asked.

Turning back to him, Loki said simply, “Freedom. Freedom is life’s great lie. Once you accept that in your heart…” As he spoke the word “heart,” he turned and touched Selvig’s chest with the tip of his scepter, just as he had with Hawkeye. Selvig gasped, and the same change came over his face that Fury had seen in Hawkeye’s. “You will know peace.”

He's not simply deranged, you know. For Loki, this is actually true. He has never been free in his entire life, and won't be at any point after this either. Yes, there was also the torture and the mind control at play, but even underneath all that, is it any wonder he was vulnerable to the Thanos cult's brainwashing?

Hawkeye had been looking around the complex. Now he stepped up to Loki. “Sir, Director Fury is stalling. This place is about to blow and drop a hundred feet of rock on us. He means to bury us.”

Loki looked back at Fury, who said, “Like the pharaohs of old.”

“He’s right, the portal is collapsing in on itself!” Selvig called out from the monitors. “We’ve got maybe two minutes before this goes critical.”

Friendly reminder, once again, that Loki wasn't even aware the PEGASUS facility was on the verge of collapsing—let alone the cause of it.

“Well then,” Loki said. He glanced over at Hawkeye.

Without a word, Hawkeye drew his gun and shot Nick Fury once, dead center in the chest.

Two things:

1) Every time I see this scene in gifs, all I can think of is, "Pull the lever, Kronk." 🤣

2) So how does the direct mind control of the sceptre work anyway? Because Loki never actually gives Barton a command here. So does he sometimes communicate with his minions telepathically (sort of like The Other does with him), or does Barton just intuit his intent here, or what?

Maria Hill saw Hawkeye come out of the lab into the garage with Selvig, a liaison officer, and a stranger carrying a spear. He looked more like one of the people they’d been recruiting into the Avengers Initiative than an ordinary technician or S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. “Who's that?” she asked.

*sigh* In a just MCU, this would have been foreshadowing.

She jumped into a jeep and headed after them. Other S.H.I.E.L.D. vehicles followed, filled with agents. They roared along the underground access road that led up to the surface in the New Mexico desert. She was gaining on them and firing as she drove. Sooner or later, she’d be close enough to have a good shot at the stranger.

He had other ideas, though. When he saw the pursuing convoy get too close, he pointed his scepter at them. The tip of it flared bright blue, and a bolt of energy lashed out from it, striking the vehicle in front of Hill and shattering the right side of its passenger compartment. The vehicle slewed around and flipped, rolling and landing sideways across the road. They were blocked.

Interesting of Loki to go for the passenger compartment instead of the driver. Was anyone even sitting there? Just one more example in a long string of Loki being inexplicably merciful to his enemies, I guess. 🤷

They got around ahead of the truck, and Fury leaned out of the helicopter’s side door. He fired, emptying his clip. He could tell from the sparks that some of the bullets had hit, but he was too far away to see if they’d done any damage.

His real target was Loki, but he was protected by the cab of the truck. Fury couldn’t get a good shot at him.

Did Fury already forget that Loki is bulletproof, or...? I mean, I guess that's fair. Earlier, Hawkeye goes to draw his sidearm only minutes after the narration points out that the bullets already fired at Loki had bounced away harmlessly.

Leaning over the truck’s roof and keeping low, however, Loki could get a good shot at the helicopter. A blue bolt lanced out and struck the helicopter’s rotor assembly. All the control mechanisms went haywire, and the helicopter spiraled down out of the sky. The truck drove underneath them as they were about to crash, close enough that Fury could see the gloating expression on Loki’s face.

Haha, good for him.

“Coulson, you know that Stark trusts me about as far as he can throw me,” she said.

“Oh, I’ve got Stark,” Coulson said. “You’ve got the big guy.”

Oh, Natasha thought. That big guy. She said something in Russian. It wasn’t polite.

This has nothing to do with Loki. It just made me laugh.

Nick Fury had called an emergency meeting of the World Security Council. They needed to know what had happened with the Tesseract, and they needed to know what he planned to do about it. He brought up holographic images of all the WSC members, with their faces and locations hidden. He did not know who they were, but S.H.I.E.L.D. reported to them.

Well, that doesn't sound problematic at all, does it?

“The Avengers Initiative was shut down.”

“This isn’t about the Avengers.” That wasn’t strictly true, but Nick Fury was no idiot. He wasn’t going to show all his cards to the World Security Council when he didn’t even know who they were.

I'm glad he at least recognizes the stupidity of working for people he doesn't know, but uh... debatable, otherwise. Lol

“This isn’t about personality profiles anymore,” Coulson said. He wasn’t giving up, and that irritated Tony even more than the fact he’d showed up right when the celebration of Stark Tower was supposed to be starting.

*cough*DIVA*cough*

Loki watched Dr. Erik Selvig work, preparing the Tesseract for the next phase of his plan. Technicians and soldiers scurried about on various errands. Loki did not know the details and did not care. They were beneath him. He had his eye solely on the greater prize. It was time to consult with the Chitauri and begin the next phase of the preparations.

Really? You expect me to believe that Loki, the master tactician with "a cunning mind far exceeding Thor and Odin’s", couldn't be bothered to know the details of his own plan? Um, how about no?

Deep space and a field of stars surrounded this rocky world. Pale blue lights glowed where the Chitauri had built their fortress. They gleamed in a set of stairs that climbed to the topmost tower. That was where Loki had made his bargain with the Chitauri: They would be his army and he would open a path to Earth for them. Once Earth was his, and Asgard as well, he would turn the Tesseract over to them.

At least that was what he had promised.

1) Who said anything about Asgard...?

2) Indicator that Loki never planned on actually turning over the Tesseract? I don't know why you'd include this line otherwise.

“Let them gird themselves,” he said. “I will lead them in glorious battle.”

“Battle?” the Chitauri warrior snorted. “Against the meager might of Earth?”

“Glorious,” Loki repeated. “Not lengthy. If your force is as formidable as you claim.”

He had intended to anger the Chitauri, and he had succeeded.

Personally, I saw this less as intending to anger and more as "Loki has no self-preservation instinct and literally cannot help himself". What's to be gained by intentionally pissing off The Other here?

“You don’t have the Tesseract yet.” The Chitauri leader rushed at Loki and stopped just short of him, claws raised. Loki did not move.

“I don’t threaten,” he said, though he was doing exactly that.

LOL

The Chitauri leader backed down but only a step. “You will have your war, Asgardian,” he growled. Then he too decided to make a threat. “If you fail, if the Tesseract is kept from us, there will be no realm, no barren moon, no crevice where he cannot find you. You think you know pain? He will make you long for something as sweet as pain.”

Loki flashed back into his awareness of Earth. He took a deep breath. The Chitauri did not frighten him… but he would have been a fool if he had not possessed a healthy respect for their leader, the mad Titan known as Thanos. For it was Thanos who had given Loki the scepter, and Thanos who had rallied the Chitauri to Loki’s cause… and Thanos who wished to possess the Tesseract for his own monstrous ends. One did not bargain lightly with Thanos—and one certainly did not fail to meet the terms of such a bargain.

Love how this book just repeatedly glosses over the obvious fact that Loki was tortured. In the first chapter, it makes zero mention of his stumbling or other signs of being weakened. Here, it completely omits the pain WE ALL SAW The Other inflict on him. Fuck this narrator, seriously.

Steve had a moment to look around. The commanding officer appeared to be a woman with short dark hair reeling off orders from near the center of the bridge. “S.H.I.E.L.D. Emergency Protocol 193.6 in effect,” she was saying after a series of status orders and acknowledgments. Steve didn’t know what protocol that was. At the moment, all he knew was that he was on a flying aircraft carrier… and wasn’t that enough? Amazing.

[....]

The Helicarrier disappeared from view. From the inside, it didn’t look any different, but Steve saw monitors from satellite feeds, and on those, the Helicarrier had simply become invisible. He corrected himself: He wasn’t just on a flying aircraft carrier. He was on an invisible flying aircraft carrier. The future was pretty… cool, was the word everyone used now.

I'm not the biggest Steve fan, but I will admit to finding his childlike awe over the Helicarrier slightly adorable. Lol

Side note: is someone on this thing coordinating with Air Traffic Control? I... really hope so.

“What did it show you, Agent Barton?”

Barton turned to look at Loki. “My next target,” he said.

Loki nodded. “Tell me what you need.”

Barton took one his bows out of a case and snapped it into shape with a flick of his arm. “I need a distraction,” he said. “And a biometric ID.”

Why the change from "eyeball", I wonder? Seems random. Lol

Inside, Loki had been mingling with the crowd, taking on the appearance of an ordinary man with a walking stick. But as the president of the museum, one Doktor Heinrich Schäfer, began his welcoming speech, Loki decided it was time to make a dramatic entrance. He tapped the walking stick on the floor and it became his scepter. Immediately, to get the crowd’s attention, he aimed it at the nearest museum security guard and fired.

This... didn't happen?? At all??

Loki strode the rest of the way down the stairs and manhandled Schäfer over to a stone altar that was one of the museum’s prized ancient Norse relics. He slammed Schäfer onto his back, forcing a machine over his face. Schäfer cried out in pain and surprise as the machine shone blinding light into his face, holding his eyes open.

On the one hand, confirmation that Loki did not actually shred this dude's eye and he's probably fine. On the other hand, the author completely made up what just happened literally two sentences ago, so their credibility is a little suspect at the moment. Lol

A police car, alerted by the commotion, raced toward him. He blasted it with his scepter, and it spun out of control and crashed.

ACAB!

The crowd froze. Slowly the crowd knelt, and Loki reveled in their submission. “There,” he said. “Is this not simpler? Is this not your natural state? It’s the unspoken truth of humanity, that you crave subjugation. The bright lure of freedom diminishes your life’s joy in a mad scramble for power, for identity. You were made to be ruled. In the end, you will always kneel.”

He's talking about himself here. We all get that, right?

An old man in the middle of the crowd stood. Loki paused in his speech to regard this individual. Around him, all the copies of himself also looked at this old man.

“Not to men like you,” the old man said.

“There are no men like me,” Loki said.

No lies detected.

But Loki was tougher than he looked. He struck back with the scepter, forcing Captain America to parry until Loki found an opening and slammed the butt of the scepter into Captain America’s midsection, knocking him down. Captain America threw the shield again, but this time Loki was ready. He knocked it aside. It fell ringing to the stones of the plaza, and Loki had the tip of the scepter against the back of Captain America’s neck before the soldier could get back to his feet.

Correction: If he'd actually been trying to win, he would have used the tip. (Narrator: he was not trying to win).

A sudden storm rose around the Quinjet. Natasha looked at the instrument panel. There’d been no warning of heavy weather. “Where’s this coming from?” she wondered out loud.

At first, she thought that Loki was responsible. But that didn’t appear to be the case. He looked more nervous than anyone else on the jet.

Loki has Thor-induced PTSD. Understandable, tbh.

Thor let Loki fall well before they got to the ground.

Because Thor is an asshole.

So hey, as long as we're here, let's review how each member of Loki's family responds to the realisation that he's survived his suicide attempt.

Thor- manhandles him, angrily demands to know where the Tesseract is

Odin- refuses to even use his name, implies he should have either slaughtered him as an infant or left him to die

Frigga- tells him not to make things worse (fucking rich coming from the woman who exacerbated his trauma immeasurably by thrusting the throne upon him when he was at his most vulnerable)

Wild, man. I wonder why Loki's convinced his family doesn't give a shit about him. They seem like such loving people to me.

“I remember a shadow,” Loki said bitterly. “Living in the shade of your greatness. I remember you tossing me into an abyss. I who was and should be king!”

Because you would have destroyed Asgard, Thor thought. Just to impress our father, you would have annihilated all the Nine Realms. “So you took the world I love as recompense for your imagined slights? No. The Earth is under my protection, Loki.”

1) Actually, he was trying to save Asgard... from a war that YOU started, numbnuts. He went about it all wrong because he was having a fucking mental breakdown, but at no stage did he even really endanger Asgard, let alone come close to destroying it.

2) Um, what? Where the fuck in Loki's plan was annihilating anything other than Jötunheim? I see Thor shares his friends' impressive conclusion-jumping skills. Not surprising.

3) Thor, I mean this truly and without reservation: go fuck yourself.

Loki chuckled. “And you’re doing a marvelous job with that. The humans slaughter each other in droves while you idly fret. I mean to rule them, and why should I not?”

He... has a point.

“You think yourself above them?”

“Well, yes.”

At least Loki is honest about his condescension, Thor. You should try it sometime.

Suddenly furious, Loki raged at Thor. “I’ve seen worlds you’ve never known about! I have grown, Odinson, in my exile. I have seen the true power of the Tesseract, and when I wield it—”

“Who showed you this power?” Thor interrupted. “Who controls the would-be king?”

And he will never bring this up again. Ever.

Stepping right up to his brother, Thor shouted back. “Not here! You give up the Tesseract! You give up this poisonous dream!” Then he softened. “You come home.”

“I don’t have it,” Loki said. Furious, Thor brought Mjolnir to his hand, ready for battle.

Thor's sort of a one-solution kind of guy, huh? Somebody help me out here, because he's "changed" but his first instinct when he's not getting his way is still to react with intimidation and violence. Funny how that works.

Tony braked and skidded to a halt as the Asgardian rolled away from him, tearing up trees and brush as he went. He got to his feet and extended a warning hand. “Do not touch me again,” he said.

Oh, what's the matter, Thor? Do you not like being manhandled? That's weird because you sure do seem to enjoy doing the manhandling. 😕

“If he gives up the cube, he’s all yours. Until then…” Tony’s faceplate clamped back down. “Stay out of the way.”

He turned to walk back to a place where he could make a clean takeoff. “Tourist,” he muttered.

That was the last straw, apparently, because the next thing Tony knew, the Asgardian’s hammer had hit him about as hard as he’d ever been hit in his life. The force of the blow carried him through the trunk of a tree and laid him out flat in the dirt.

Please note that Thor was not being attacked. He once again used offensive violence against someone who hurt his feelbads. "Changed", my rear.

“Then prove it,” Cap said. “Put that hammer down.”

“Uh, no, bad call,” Iron Man said. “He loves his hammer—”

The Asgardian interrupted Tony by smashing him out of the way with a backhand swing. “You want me to put the hammer down?” he roared, and leaped high into the air, bringing his hammer down toward Captain America.

And again—not in any immediate danger, simply reacting with violence to something that made him angry.

“Oh, I’ve heard. A mindless beast. Makes play he’s still a man. How desperate are you, that you call on such lost creatures to defend you?”

“How desperate am I?” Fury echoed. He walked slowly over the catwalk to stand in front of Loki. “You threaten my world with war. You steal a force you can’t hope to control. You talk about peace, but you kill because it’s fun. You have made me very desperate. You might not be glad that you did.”

This is called 'projection', kids. Projection, and making up stories about your enemies so they're easier to hate. Fury needs to show his work.

Loki knew he had been heard throughout the ship. He could hear the echoes of the speakers, and even if he had not, he always knew when people were listening to him. That was part of his power, to make them listen… and to make each of them hear something just a little different. Just what he wanted them to hear.

This doesn’t mean anything, does it??

Perhaps he was in a cage right now, but he had been in cages before. Not once had one been able to hold him for long.

This... has to be a reference to his time with the Black Order, right? There's certainly no basis for such a statement pre-2011.

Or the author is just on crack. That's very possible.

Thor took a step toward Bruce. “Have a care how you speak,” he warned. “Loki is beyond reason, but he is of Asgard… and he is my brother.”

“He killed eighty people in two days,” Natasha pointed out.

Citation needed, please.

“Well, I promise a stress-free environment. No tension, no surprises…” As he spoke, Tony walked behind Bruce and gave him a little zap with an electrical instrument.

“Ow!” Bruce said.

Tony looked closely at him. “Nothing?” He’d been testing Bruce to see how well he controlled the Hulk. The little shock hadn’t provoked any kind of unusual reaction, which Tony seemed to find a little disappointing.

Ok, but what exactly was Tony's plan if Bruce had Hulked out here? lmao

“Steve,” Bruce said, “tell me none of this smells a little funky to you.”

Cap looked back and forth between the two scientists. Bruce could tell he was struggling with something… but he also wasn’t going to share it. He was too much of a good soldier for that.

🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄

“Yeah. I’ll read all about it.”

“Or you’ll be suiting up with the rest of us.”

Bruce shook his head with a regretful smile. “No, see, I don’t get a suit of armor. I’m exposed. Like a nerve. It’s a nightmare.”

Bruce has BPD. Lol

No, you guys don't understand. That's literally what it feels like.

Thor watched over Coulson’s shoulder as the agent showed him S.H.I.E.L.D.’s current files on Jane Foster. When he had learned that Loki had captured Erik Selvig, his first thought had been of Jane. Thor had destroyed the Bifrost to save the Nine Realms, but he had also cut himself off from her… or so he had thought. It was a terrible decision to make, sacrificing love for duty—yet Thor had done it. If necessary, he would do it again. He hoped it would not be necessary, though, and that was one reason why he had asked Coulson about Jane.

Oh my god, Thor. You spent like, three days with her, max. And people call Loki the dramatic one...

Thor looked out into the sky, gathering his thoughts. “When I first came to Earth,” he went on, “Loki’s rage followed me here, and your people paid the price. Now, again. In my youth, I courted war.”

“War hasn’t started yet,” Fury said.

1) Correction: when your daddy threw you to Earth like a sack of trash down a cosmic garbage chute. You were not here on vacation, bro.

2) No, Loki's rage followed your treasonous friends.

3) LAST YEAR. YOUR 'YOUTH' WAS LAST YEAR.

4) *committed mass murder over an insult

“You think you could make Loki tell us where the Tesseract is?”

This possibility hadn’t occurred to Thor. “I do not know,” he said. “Loki’s mind is far afield. It’s not just power he craves. It’s vengeance, upon me. There’s no pain that would pry that need from him.”

1) Opposing Thor = being crazy. Noted.

2) Not everything is about you, buddy. At the risk of repeating myself, this is the guy I'm supposed to believe learned humility? Really? Where?

3) Please note that Thor does not object to torturing Loki because it's immoral or because the thought of hurting Loki pains him. He objects because he doesn't believe it will work.

Thor held Fury’s gaze. It was not the first time he had looked at a one-eyed man who posed him a difficult question. “What are you asking me to do?” he asked, wanting Fury to be clear and to own his words.

“I’m asking what you are prepared to do,” Fury said quietly.

“Loki is a prisoner,” Thor said. He thought Fury was testing him, seeing if he would violate his ideals to find out something they all needed to know. But Thor would not.

"I'm okay with physically assaulting prisoners if they make me mad, but I suddenly draw the line at torture. Even though my 'ideals' didn't appear to be a concern two sentences ago."

If I feel like being generous to Thor, maybe he initially hoped Fury would back off if he just said torture wouldn't work, and then Thor wouldn't have to risk appearing... soft? Weak? I don't know.

“But you figured I’d come,” she said.

“After,” Loki said. “After whatever tortures Fury can concoct, you would appear as a friend, as a balm. And I would cooperate.” It was a typical approach. Cause misery, and then let someone appear as a friendly face. The miserable person would say anything to keep this friend. Loki had seen strong men break this way, many times.

I'm not sure why the author felt the need to depersonalize this by talking about other men. Loki knows this experience intimately. It's what he's endured his entire life at the hands of his "loving" family. The torture just wasn't physical then as far as we know.

An interesting story, Loki thought. She has much to atone for. He could hear some of her memories, from before her first encounter with Barton. Little girl, he thought, you’ve done some very bad things. And now you think you owe Clint Barton your life… but there is more to it. Loki could tell there was something in her mind that he was not quite uncovering. He pushed a little more.

Is... is this text implying that Loki can read people's minds/memories even without touching them?

“Can you?” he asked. “Can you wipe out that much red?” He listed for her some of the things he knew she had done. “Dreykov’s daughter… São Paulo… the hospital fire? Barton told me everything.” This was a lie. Barton had told Loki certain things about Romanoff, but he was also guessing some others.

He... guessed the details of these very specific incidents? What? lmao

He pushed ahead. Now that he understood her, he could break her. “Your ledger is dripping, it’s gushing red, and you think saving a man no more virtuous than yourself will change anything? Pathetic. You lie and kill in the service of liars and killers. You pretend to be separate, to have your own code, something that makes up for the horrors, but they are part of you and they will never go away.”

He's talking about himself again. 🥺

For some reason, this book skips right over the part where Loki threatens both Barton's and Natasha's lives. Not sure why; the author clearly has no problem depicting Loki as an unhinged psychopath most of the time. Oh well, whatevs.

Loki couldn’t understand how she had gathered her composure so quickly—and then he did understand. She was a superb actress! Or not even an actress, for he could see through a conscious performance. She was something else. She had been broken down and remade so many times, with so many identities, that she could put them on and take them off at will. And Loki had gotten lost in those emotional costume changes.

He had been outwitted by a mortal. Unthinkable.

Yeah, phew, it's a good thing Natasha figured it out in time. Otherwise, something terrible might have happened—like Bruce Hulking out and rampaging through the Helicarrier. Oh, wait...

“I was wrong, Director,” Cap said. “The world hasn’t changed a bit.” He looked angry and disappointed. Captain America was a big believer in shooting straight and telling the truth. He didn’t like spies and he didn’t like lies, and now he saw he was knee-deep in both.

This novel's hero worship of Steve Rogers is going to kill me. 🙄

“I’d like to know why S.H.I.E.L.D. is using the Tesseract to build weapons of mass destruction,” Bruce finished.

“Because of him,” Fury said, pointing at Thor.

“Me?”

“Last year, Earth had a visitor from another planet who had a grudge match that leveled a small town,” Fury said. “We learned that not only are we not alone, but we are hopelessly, hilariously, outgunned.”

Has anyone figured out yet how this line doesn't conflict with Captain Marvel? Is Fury lying to hide her existence for some reason? Or is this just one of those things that we're supposed to shrug and pretend wasn't retconned?

“A nuclear deterrent,” Tony said. “Because that always calms everything right down.”

“Remind me again how you made your fortune, Stark,” Fury said coldly.

On the one hand, yes, good point. But on the other hand, he... stopped making them? So clearly, he no longer thinks they are a good thing?

And also, not to gloss over his past sins, but wasn't Tony born rich? Lol

“I thought humans were more evolved than this,” Thor commented.

Tony turned on Thor. “Excuse me, did we come to your planet and blow stuff up?”

Didn't Fury say this in the movie? Why did the author give the line to Tony instead? There are all these... weird changes in the story that are so minor I have no idea why the author made them. Very confusing.

Just like that, all of them were arguing. Cap and Tony were nose to nose, while Bruce and Natasha fired remarks back and forth. Thor stood off to the side, contempt plain on his face.

'Cause he also thinks he's superior to humans. 🙃

Tony and Cap squared off over an argument that they couldn’t even remember starting. Tony was still mad about the last thing Cap had said to him… whatever it was.

In case there was any doubt about the sceptre being the reason everyone starts losing their shit with one another.

Cap stood his ground. “Big man in a suit of armor. Take that off, what are you?”

Tony had an answer ready for this one. “Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist.”

Hey Steve? You know he invented the suit, right? Like. The suit is literally him.

“Put on the suit,” Cap said. “Let’s go a few rounds.”

Steve putting out big Joe Biden, "listen, fat..." energy here lmao

Thor laughed. “You people are so petty… and tiny.”

Thor, my dude. You literally started a war over being emasculated in front of your friends. I don't think you get to judge other people for being petty.

Fury could see things were spiraling out of control. He started trying to get them all back on track. “Agent Romanoff,” he said, “would you escort Dr. Banner back to—”

“Where?” Bruce interrupted. “My room? You rented my room.”

Nobody had said it out loud, but they all knew the cell currently holding Loki was designed for the Hulk.

What was their plan for containing the Hulk if necessary after sticking Loki in his cage, anyway? Did they even have one?

“Dr. Banner,” Cap said. “Put down the scepter.”

Bruce looked down. He hadn’t even known he’d picked it up.

Why does that sound familiar...?

Even though he could see what was going on, the hostility in the air was still thick enough that Bruce didn’t know whether he could back everyone down… or whether he could back himself down. He could feel tension rising inside him. He could feel the monster trying to get loose.

And yet none of them so much as considers the idea that the sceptre might be having a similar effect on Loki? Ok then.

But even though he was now refocused on the mission, the others still bickered. Loki had gotten into their heads, sowing discord and setting them against each other.

lmao I'd just like to note that Loki didn't actually do anything. This was all them and the effects of just being near the sceptre. #ThanksLoki

“The Tesseract belongs to Asgard,” Thor said.

Why, though?

“I’ll go after it,” Tony said.

“No you don’t,” Cap said, stepping into his way. He wasn’t ready to forget the way Tony had insulted him.

Ok, first of all, you started it. But also, seriously, Steve, that's your number one priority right now? Earth's mightiest heroes, ladies and gentlemen... lol

I have apparently managed to hit the paragraph limit, so we'll return after this short break, I guess. 🙈

↪️ On to Part Two

#there is a lot of salt here please remember to drink plenty of water #loki meta #loki #thor #tony stark #steve rogers #bruce banner #natasha romanoff #clint barton #nick fury #avengers assemble #mcu #phase one: avengers #thor critical

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nw1984 · 3 years

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Loki Series Meta/Theories

Variants

Variants --> Step off that path --> Creates a nexus event --> Gives off Nexus Energy

Variants (in general) give off Variance Energy --> Which is how the TVA can detect and tract a rogue Variant and still not know who they are

If a rogue Variant (i.e., ‘Sylvie’) enters a point in time but has yet to do anything to change it, it will still create a branching timeline (I assume on the foundation that they aren’t supposed to be there in the first place); they will still give off Variance Energy but no Nexus Energy (i.e., as seen in Wisconsin during the Ren Fair. The Minuteman said that there was a “Variant detected” which led them to the tent but “no Nexus energy”)

If a rogue Variant (i.e., ‘Sylvie’) enters a point in time and has done something to alter the course of the ‘sacred timeline’ (i.e., give a young girl a piece of candy from 2050) than it will create a branching timeline; they will still give off Variance Energy, and, in theory, the event should give off Nexus Energy. (i.e., in France 1549, the Hunter says that the murdered team was “respond[ing] to a routine Nexus Event” = should equal the presence of Nexus Energy)

Temporal Aura: Is described like a time-travel fingerprint/DNA, which is specific to each Person (and there for all of their possible Variants).

In the first episode, while in France 1549, Mobius tells a Hunter to scan the Anachronism (Kablooie) for “sequence period and any hints of temporal aura” à The Hunter says “you know we won’t find anything.”

By 1x02, after the attack in Wisconsin, B-15 says “we’ve grabbed enough temporal aura to know its our Loki Variant”

How? By the time the first episode happens the attack in France 1549 had been the “6th attack that week”, and by the Hunter’s comment, there hadn’t been any Temporal Aura left behind in any of the previous attacks. So, how did they manage it?

IF Sylvie is truly Lady Loki, it would explain why their Temporal Aura’s match

IF Sylvie isn’t truly Lady Loki, and she really is a creation of his (as she is in the comics), in which he gave his own energy for (think a clone), it’s possible, that like DNA, they would be similar enough to read as the same.

IF Sylvie isn’t Lady Loki or some creation of Loki’s, then she must be managing to copy or duplicate his somehow.

Anachronisms: Are things that aren’t supposed to exist in a current time (i.e., the Kablooie candy; the weird device/weapon from Oklahoma (from the 3rd Millennium))

Sequence Period: A test that is run on anachronisms to determine where they are from in the timeline (i.e., it was run on Kablooie to determine the years it was produced on Earth)

Reset Charges: “Prune the effected radius of a branch timeline, allowing time to heal all its wounds”. Loki says it’s a nice way of saying “disintegrate everything in its vicinity”.

How exactly the Reset Charges work and to what extent they are effective is something we can’t confidently say at this point. We still don’t even know what happens after the Reset Charge does its job. Based on the name, it sounds like the device should ‘reset’ the area to the moment before a person stepped off their chosen path. However, from what we saw in Wisconsin, the Reset Charge appeared to disintegrate objects and people (but the ground remained), not reverse time. I think it’s possible that when a ‘Nexus Event’ occurs, it gets built from the center of the ‘Nexus Event’ and outwards. In other words, this new timeline, for a while, only consists of the area immediately affected by the Variant or ‘Nexus Event’. As the side effects of those Variant’s actions cascade (i.e., the butterfly effect), the more this new reality expands. Mobius himself explains that “Nexus events destabilize the time flow. The Branch is still changing and growing so you have to show up in real time”, which would support my theory. Because, unlike the Sacred Timeline, this branched timeline isn’t fleshed out yet. You can’t move back or forward in time, because it’s not stabilized yet – meaning, the future isn’t written. They say that Reset Charges work on “the effected radius” of a branched timeline, because it really is only a small amount of time that has been affected. This explains why it’s so easy to “prune” a branched timeline – and also why there’s a time limit. We know, from Loki’s lessons with Miss Minutes, that once a Nexus event/branch timeline goes past the ‘Red Line’, the TVA can no longer reset the nexus event. This ‘Red Line’ could possibly be the point at which this branched timeline has become to fleshed out for erasing that one small radius to effectively destroy the entire timeline itself. Almost like, it will take on a life of its own. I also think that the level of the ‘Nexus Event’ or what the Variant did, effects how fast the branch grows. This would explain why they had several minutes in Wisconsin before they mentioned it growing too close to the ‘Red Line’, and yet when ‘Sylvie’ ‘bombed’ the Sacred Timeline, the branches escalated rather quickly. Because instead of removing something that was never supposed to be there, she’s removing things that should have been there.

The Infinity Stones:

Why are there so many?

It makes sense, considering their immense power, that they would be a popular source of timeline branches?

Why don’t they work in the TVA?

Despite the propaganda that the TVA might want to make you (and Loki) believe, it has nothing to do with the “formidable” power of the TVA itself. Instead, it has everything to do with LOCATION. Though many of the details regarding the ‘infinity gems’ in the comics can get confusing and changes depending on the writer, one reoccurring theme is that they can only work in the universe it originated from. So, if someone were to travel outside of the current universe (i.e., to a parallel universe AKA different timeline), the ‘infinity gems’ would become powerless. In fact, Endgame does make reference to their ‘infinity stones’ limitations. The Ancient One says that the Infinity Stones "create what you experience as the flow of time”, which alludes that they are, at least, bound to the nature of time itself (and, in extension, to that specific universe alone). Now, the Ancient one uses the term “reality” when she speaks of “branches”, but we can assume, based on what we know from Loki, that what she’s really talking about is branched timelines.

Where is the TVA located?

While that still remains a mystery, its likely that it exists outside the flow of time itself (Think Legends of Tomorrow). If that is true, then once a stone is confiscated from a Variant and taken to TVA headquarters it would become ineffective. Moreover, if the stones/gems are tied to the timeline/universe itself, then if the specific ‘branched’ timeline (potential multiverse) they were retrieved from, is pruned – per protocol – then that would make them useless even if Loki was able to reenter the ‘Sacred Timeline’.

What does that mean for dimensions?

Now, we know from Doctor Strange, that the ‘infinity stones’ are still able to work in dimensions that exist concurrently in that same timeline (Afterall, Strange was able to create a time loop after entering the Dark Dimension to defeat Dormammu). So as long as time is still matching up, the stones appear to be in good working order.

This focus on “chaos”

Chaos is mentioned several times throughout the first episodes of Loki. I wouldn’t be surprised, that like Thor, he comes into more than just his Mischief moniker and injects chaos back into this world of “only order”. If new universes are considered chaos in terms of the TVA, then by recreating the multiverse – and therefore reestablishing free will – Loki would be considered the origin of all chaos.

#loki series #loki series spoilers #loki series meta #loki meta #loki laufeyson #loki odinson #sylvie lushton #sylvie laufeydottir #lady loki #loki 1x01 #loki 1x02 #loki theory #TVA #Mobius #ravonna renslayer

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marvelsimp · 3 years

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The New Kid: Friend or Foe

The New Kid Masterlist

Ch. 5

Genre: Fluff? Pairing: Peter & Lesbian!reader, Avengers & Reader, (eventual Wanda x Reader it’s a slow burn) Warnings: violence(training), blood, stabbed, strong language Description: Y/n is getting used to living in the tower and makes an unlikely friend Reader’s Powers: Healer, telepath, and empath. Word Count: 2278

“You can’t pull your punches, Y/n/n. In a real fight, you’re gonna have to fight for your life.”

“You know my whole power set is pacifist.”

“That’s why I have to train you,” said the slightly annoyed red-haired woman. “Now get your head in the game and let’s go again.”

You scoffed; you were frustrated that you had to do this. That you had to learn how to hurt people. You took a moment to stretch and you both went back into your fighting stances to start again.

You went to punch her face, but she dodged, she then raised her leg and tried to kick but you caught her foot. She quickly got her foot free before you could do anything with it. This went on for a while, you both got some good punches and kicks. You did land on your ass a few times, but you got up each time and went back to it.

“Time out”

Thank god.

Steve walked in. Oh god no. You knew what was coming, you were gonna have to fight Steve. You very dramatically fell on the floor and spread out. “Come on, Nat. This is creeping up on child abuse,” you laugh.

You earned a chuckle out of both of them. Steve stood above you and offered you his hand to which you accepted. Nat went onto showing you some simple moves to help you fight someone bigger than you after about an hour you finally got to go and get a shower and really start your day.

The last week and a half passed by quickly. Peter stayed at the tower for the first few nights but went back home once school started. But he would come after patrol and he still video called during homework, like usual.

Most of your time was spent in one of the labs. You have been helping Tony with one of his suits as a way for him to familiarize you with the machines and programs. Bruce did less hands-on work he worked on calculations for his own projects and did some work for SHEILD. You went down to the Med Lab a few times to give Dr. Cho some blood samples or some information about your powers. She took a small sample of skin, fat, and muscle from your thigh, but it healed within a minute like nothing ever happened.

You also spent some time in the gym, which you hated but the others made it a little more fun. You were really only doing it to get ready for training with Nat. When you first went in you had no clue what you were doing. Sam, Bucky, and Steve were doing some training exercise when you entered but Sam quickly saw your very clueless face and walked over to help.

“Hey, kid.”

“Hi.”

“I’m assuming you have no clue what you’re doing? You look as clueless as I would if I went up to the Tech Lab.”

“That obvious?”

He let out a chuckle. Sam gave you some stretches to warm up and then showed you how to use some of the machines. He gave you advice on how long to use each machine and told you that if you needed anything just yell. The rest of your time in the gym you watched the three men do whatever they were doing. Sam and Bucky’s bickering was very entertaining and so was Steve yelling at them to focus. You were there for around an hour every day until Nat started to train you. You very quickly learned that you grew muscle faster than the average person and you weren’t sore for very long.

When you weren’t in the lab or the gym you were probably in your room playing a game or you were talking to Wanda while she was making a meal. “So, are you the assigned cook?” you joked. You’d only ever seen Wanda prepare meals since you got here.

Wanda just shook her head, “Not really. I just enjoy it, so I usually am the one to cook. But Bruce sometimes cooks and so do Steve and Bucky. When I first joined I helped Steve add a bit of flavor to his meals. Thank god I didn’t live in the 40s.” She laughed a little, you love her laugh and smile, they seem to make the room a little brighter.

You weren’t a cook yourself so you didn’t help too much, but you would talk to her and get her something if she needed it but usually, she’d just use her powers.

That’s really the only time that you see Wanda, most of her day is spent training. She’s Strange’s apprentice. You still haven’t met him, for someone who can make portals you’d think he’d pop in at some point. You asked Wanda about seeing him, but she told you that you need to be invited or it needs to be something important. She warned against pissing him off because it takes a while to get back on his good side. But she told you she’d mention it to him.

You got into a rhythm of training, breakfast, tech lab, lunch, med lab, tech lab, supper, and Video games, the library, or more time in the tech lab. It was rarely thrown off. Every few days someone would go out for a mission or return from one. Nat only missed two training sessions, so Bucky stood in. You enjoyed training with Nat, but Bucky made sure to put some fun into it. At first, he seemed so cold but after some warming up, he really was just a big Teddy Bear. He can still be an ass though.

Your days stayed on this loop for another week until Thor returned with Loki. No one fully trusted Loki so Stark ended up putting a tracker on him that Wanda enchanted so that Loki couldn’t remove or deactivate it… he was not impressed. Well, he was, just not pleased.

“You must be Lady Y/n,” Loki smirked.

Thor whacked the back of Loki’s head. “Be good,” he whispered.

Loki just let out a mischievous laugh, “Don’t worry brother.” Loki turned back to you, “So you’re the one who discovered me? I wouldn’t expect a mere mortal would be able to find me out... not even THE Scarlet Witch did.”

“You’re impressed?” you scoffed. “Or maybe a little jealous.” You knew that he’s the god of mischief and you aren’t gonna deal with any of his shit, you’ve got enough going on.

“No,” he defended, “Just interested.”

“I’m a telepath and empath,” you explained, “and a healer.”

“Oh! So, you cheated!”

“What do you mean cheat? Your thoughts were so loud you were giving me a headache!”

“I will get my revenge.”

He’s going to so annoying, isn’t he?

Loki was surprisingly quiet over the next week until you went to the tower’s library.

The library itself is a whole floor, it has a copy of every book you could think of. It even has a librarian who is almost constantly putting up new releases. It’s a bookworm’s dream.

You wanted to find a physics book or two and you weren’t against finding a new queer fantasy book. You returned your books and asked Mx. Anderson where you could find what you were looking for and they quickly gave you directions and suggestions.

You found and picked out a few physics books and then made your way to the young adult section. The queer books have a rainbow sticker on the spine. You picked out a few then headed to leave, you walked into the “classics” section and there was Loki on a couch reading with a pile of books next to him.

“Hey,” you smiled.

“Hello,” said the Asgardian who didn’t even look up from his book.

You bent down a little to sew the cover of the surprisingly thin book. “Oh, you’re reading Shakespeare!” He was reading Hamlet. “My favorite is Romeo and Juliet. Have you read it yet?” He finally looked up from his book. “No,” he seemed a little confused, “But I did read a few others of his work and I think that is in my stack.” He turned to find it. “It has such odd language compared to the rest of you.”

“They were written like four hundred years ago,” you explained, sitting next to him.

“Ah, language does change quite quickly.”

You nodded in agreement.

“What are you reading?” he said pointing at your stack of books.

“Oh, uh um. These big books are physics books, and these smaller ones are fantasy romance.”

“Hmm, you don’t seem to be one who reads romance.”

“Well, I’m really more into it for the fantasy elements but I do enjoy a good romance.”

He gave you a smirk,” Besides Romeo and Juliet and any of Shakespeare’s works. Do you have any recommendations for me?”

You went on to recommend some classics and some more recent books. He listened to every word and asked a few questions. You didn’t stay long; you were tired and just wanted to dive into one of your books. You would usually be in the lab at this time, but it was nice to have a few hours to yourself before dinner.

“Knock, knock,” said a voice at your door.

“Hm?” you looked up. “Peter!” you set down your book and ran to him for a hug. It had been a while since Peter had come to the tower. He hadn’t even been introduced to Loki, formally that is. ‘How’s my favorite bug!”

Peter let out a laugh, “Good! You’re acting like we don’t talk every day.”

“Video calls and in-person are completely different things! Anyways what are you doing here?”

“It’s Thursday aka movie night.”

“Oh, yeah!”

You and Peter walked out of your room and went to the common space to eat dinner.

“Lady Y/n,” said a booming voice.

“Yes, Thor!”

“Would you and the Man of Spiders like to sit next to me and my brother?”

“Yes, we’d love that,” you laughed.

“So, you’re telling me that you’ve never had ice cream!” you practically yelled at Loki.

Everyone was surprised with how comfortable you and the trickster were with each other, especially Peter.

“What’s with you and him?” Peter whispered.

“We bonded over books,” you whispered back. “Your girlfriend would like him.”

Peter smiled, he’s pleased that you’re getting along with everyone and most of all that you’re happy.

The rest of the night was nice, it was just like the last two movie nights. Dinner, talking, movie, and then Peter had to leave to finish his homework or go on patrol.

The next week was just like you had gotten there but Loki had decided that it was a perfect time to really embrace his title. He started to pull little pranks, nothing too bad or really anything that went beyond a little annoyance. Or at least he didn’t until today.

It was Saturday so you slept in because you thankfully did not have to go to training. You were about to leave when you noticed a box on your desk. It was about the size of a backpack. So, you decided to open it and when you looked inside there was a black cat with emerald eyes. Who got you a cat? You like cats and like…thanks? But still, who would get you a cat out of nowhere? You picked up the cat and as soon as you did it started to transform, and you felt a sharp pain in your side. The cat continued to transform into of course… Loki. The raven hair man quickly sprinted out of your room to the common area.

You looked down and there was a fucking kitchen knife in your side.

“You bitch! I like this shirt!” you yelled while running out of your room.

When you entered the common room, Loki was nowhere to be seen. But Nat, Bucky, and Steve were there. “Where did he go?”

“Who?” Nat turned around and saw the knife in your side. Her eyes widened, then she looked fucking pissed. “What the fuck! Are you okay?” The men's emotions followed the same track.

“Oh yeah,” you said nonchalantly. You pulled the bloody knife out of your side. Some blood soaked into your shirt’s fabric, but you weren’t worried. But you do like this shirt… that bitch is gonna pay.

“Do you want me to kill him?” said the brunette man bluntly.

“Don’t worry, I got this.” You rushed into the elevator and told Friday to take you to Loki.

The elevator lowered to the Library. Of course.

“Sorry, Mx. Anderson!” you yelled while running by their desk. “There will be yelling and possibly blood shed!” You already know where he is. He’s in the classics.

There he was sitting on the couch, nonchalantly reading the Iliad.

“You’re a fucking bitch you know? I really like this shirt!” you waved the knife in your hand around.

“Oh please. You’re a healer, you’ll be fine.”

You crossed your arms, “LOKI. My fucking shirt.”

He raised his arms in defense. “It just a blood and a slight rip.”

You walked up to Loki and took off your shirt, thankfully you were wearing an undershirt that you didn’t care about. You handed the shirt to him. “Fix it then.”

He accepted the shirt and scoffed. “Fine.” He waved his hand over the shirt and it was now good as new.

“See, that was easy.” You grabbed the shirt and started to walk away. “And don’t stab me again! I think two assassins would very happily kill you!”

NEXT CHAPTER

Ice Cream or Blood

#The Avengers #avengers #loki #avengers x reader #reader-insert #x reader #lesbian reader #avengers x platonic!reader #peter parker #peter parker x platonic!reader

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lliblo · 3 years

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MV23 Do You Like Snakes?

Prompt:

After the Battle of New York and Loki escaped with the tesseract the god of mischief decided hiding in plain sight was the best course of action as he debated about what to do next. Now that he was snapped out of Thano’s manipulation caused by the mind stone he started to feel remorse for his deeds. He never wanted thing to go this far, never wanted to attack Midgard, he only wanted to show his father he was just as worthy as Thor, though considering his actions maybe everyone was right to think he was never fit for the throne.

Loki found himself in a tiny pet shop in the back end of Queens. It was owned by an old man who he didn’t bother to learn the names of and didn’t even seem to notice the addition of a black snake to his collection of reptiles. Loki has some reservations about how effective this hiding place was, seeing as it was a pet store after all, but after two years of disgusted looks and general uninterest from the patrons, Loki settled into his self exile sure that no one would ever purchase a snake like himself.

Or so he thought.

One day a boy walks in with his aunt. He seems down. Loki can almost see the gray cloud following the boy around.

“I know you’ve always wanted a dog but our apartment won’t let us have anything outside a tank, but there are all sorts of other animals? What do you think of a hamsters?”

The boy just shrugged. Loki suspected it was the lack of a canine that brought the boy’s mood down, but he couldn’t find the will to care. Being a reptile he was a slave to some of the desires, one being curled up on his rock enjoying the heat lamp.

The boy wanders around the shop and eventually find himself in front of the green eyed serpent. The aunt suggested a turtle or a frog seeming to have the same distaste for snakes as the rest of humanity.

Loki scoffed at the notion that he was only worth $50 of the mortal money, still the boy walked out with Loki, god of mischief and being responsible for so many deaths, in a 12’ by 8’ cardboard pet carrier that was a little too small for him to be comfortable.

Luckily the ride wasn’t too bumpy, the boy seemed to be taking general care not to cause to much movement to the box in transit. And after laying curled up for nearly an hour as another box was opened and something was assembled. He was gently poured out of the pet carrier and into a comfortable sized tank that was bigger than the one he had at the pet shop. Decorated with a fake stick with leaves that was designed to climb and a large comfortable looking heating rock (technically not safe for snakes but whateves) all layered with wood shavings to hide under as well as many other places of his choosing.

The boy just watched him. The air of sadness still surrounded him but he did smile at Loki occasionally as he watched the god explore his new confinements.

Loki found himself curling up on the rock and facing the boy as he looking him over.

“Hello,” the boy greeted, he gave a small smile at the snake and Loki, “my name is Peter, and this is my room,” Peter motioned to the small room behind him, it was big enough for a bed, desk, and a dresser with a comfortable walking space but that was about it. “I hope you like it here, sorry if you liked the pet shop better, but I promise to take good care of you!” The boy brightened up slightly, “you didn’t have a name at the shop so it’s probably good to give you one now, what do you say?”

Loki froze after the boy spoke, he wasn’t aware that snakes had the ability to communicate on Midgard, maybe that’s why people disliked them so much? Too human speech but to different in body. In all honesty it made sense to Loki, so he spoke.

“I’m pretty sure the old fool at the pet shop wasn’t sure I was there, so he never bothered with a name. I wouldn’t mind a new one,” his mouth didn’t move and a snake didn’t have the proper vocals for words so he used a bit of magic to project his voice to Peter. He assumed the other snakes had this ability, not an uncommon one in the universe…

So his mistake was understandable.

“Y-... did you just talk?” Peters she’s we’re wide now, his face nearly pressed against the glass.

Loki mentally cursed himself for being so foolish, but as the god of mischief he was good with rolling with things. “I’m a special breed.” He provided lamely.

A story in which Peter accidentally adopted Loki as his pet snake.

Takes place before he become Spider-Man and because the avengers messed with time, Peter’s parents were never killed when he was young, instead they died later in life a few years after the battle at New York. Moving in with his aunt and uncle they try to cheer him up by getting him a pet for his first birthday after his parent’s death.

Loki unintentionally helps Peter through his grief and even his struggles with becoming Spider-Man (Kinda intentional)

They become secret bff’s. Peter doesn’t tell anyone about his talking snake but he does have a habit of taking him to all sorts of places. Gets in trouble with sneaking him into school.

Names him Skywalker, (or Anakin?) but uses Sky for short. It’s not until Peter almost gets himself killed that Loki reveals himself out of necessity.

When Stark shows up Loki distrust him and says that the man is only using Peter to fight a battle he has no right being in.

Peter doesn’t listen so Loki sneaks his ways into Peter’s luggage and has to reveal his presence to the Avengers during civil war after Peter is almost killed by the fight. Thing end differently then they would have in real civil war. Steve and Buck get away, but the rest are stunned and left to think they just killed a child in their battle, only to have Loki use his magic to protect the kid until Peter can be dug out.

Thor is called and Peter fights for Loki to be released trying to help him not be sent to prison.

I mean this one basicly spells out the plot so not so much of a prompt but still. Fun idea! Also it goes to note this was created before the Loki series sooo yeah. Loki is a snake and its a classic found family.

My Fic

Link: AO3 - https://archiveofourown.org/works/27988506/chapters/68553960

Summery:

Time travel is a fickle thing. The Avengers accidently let Loki escape in one of the timelines though they leave that for the native Avengers to deal with. With the tesseract in hand, Loki makes and impulse request and finds himself in front of a Pet Shop. Having no where else to go, he hides among the Midgardian creatures. He never expected this path to end with him learning what he had been missing about the word 'Family.'

Peter Parker was allowed to pick one animal to take home as a new friend. Out of all the animals, it was the pitch black, green eyed snake that caught his eye. Imagine his amazement when he got home to find out it could talk.

Rules for Use:

Feel free to expand or alter if this inspires you!

Repost a link to your fic on this post (I wanna read it!!)

Give proper credit and link this post in the fic itself (Pretty please?)

Return To: LlibLo’s Fan Fiction Prompt Index

#Marvel Comics #marvel #marvel fan fiction #Loki #peter parker #loki is a snake #snake #fanfiction #fan fiction #marvel fanfic #marvel fanfiction #fanfiction prompt #writing prompt #prompt #snakes are fun #loki and peter #found family #mv23

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dtrhwithalex · 3 years

Text

TV | Loki (102)

102: THE VARIANT

D: KATE HERRON. W: ELISSA KARASIK. Original Air Date: 16 June 2021.

Non-spoiler-free recap and review of the second episode of LOKI, which airs every Wednesday on Disney+.

RECAP

We open this episode in what looks like the medieval period, but turns out to be a Renaissance Fair in the 1980s. Another TVA team has been deployed in the search of the rogue Loki Variant and is promptly attacked by said Variant. Taking control of HUNTER C-20 (SASHA LANE) similarly to how we have seen Loki do during THE AVENGERS, the Variant eliminates the team and leaves the Fair through a time-window, taking C-20 with them.

Hunter B-15 and her team, as well as Mobius and Loki travel to the event to investigate and reinstate the sacred timeline. During the investigation, Loki plays at analysing his rogue counterpart, but Mobius sees through his stalling for time, and calls for the timeline to be restored. Hunter C-20 is declared MIA.

Back at the TVA, Mobius meets with Ravonna Renslayer to discuss the failed mission and the risk Mobius is taking with using Loki to find the Variant. Mobius insists Loki is, if not trustworthy, still useful to them. He tasks Loki with researching every Loki variant that has ever existed and "bans" him to the archives. Begrudgingly studying the files, Loki eventually tires of reading the exact same thing over and over again, and attempts to read up on the secrets of the TVA. However, his attempts are foiled by the Archivist, who only allows him to read one file -- his own.

However, in reading the file, Loki finds out about the events of RAGNAROK and realises that this is the key to finding the Variant. Disrupting Mobius' lunch to explain his theory -- and ruining Mobius' salad in the process -- Loki convinces him to go to an apocalyptic event such as Ragnarok to test the theory that, because of the complete destruction, nothing able to create new timelines would actually register as such. Reluctantly, Mobius agrees and takes him to Pompeii in 79 AD shortly before Mount Vesuvius erupts. Despite Mobius' warnings, Loki does as he does best: he creates chaos. He frees goats, throws things around, tells the people of the imminent eruption, that he is from the future -- and to Mobius' surprise, none of it registers as a deviation from the timeline.

Returning to the TVA, Loki and Mobius attempt to narrow down the specific apocalyptic event the Variant may be hiding in. However, it is not until Mobius remembers the child from the French church, that they are able to do so. Using the specific brand of chewing gum the Variant gave the child to create a specific time-window, Mobius and Loki find the one plausible catastrophe: New Haven, Alabama in 2050, destroyed by a hurricane.

Once on location, Loki is paired with Hunter B-15, despite Mobius' objections. While Mobius and the other Hunters take to the refugee camp, they search the store and come upon a single shopper. Touching him he drops to the floor and the possessive energy is transferred to Hunter B-15. Loki realises that this is the Variant, using their powers to, essentially, make ventriloquist puppets out of other beings.

While Loki tries to find out what it is the Variant wants, and offers up his own secret plans -- infiltrate the TVA, gain their trust, be granted an audience with the Time Keepers and take them out, ultimately wanting to rule the TVA himself -- Mobius and his team find the traumatised C-20. Although strongly disoriented, C-20 is able to reveal that she gave up the location of the Time Keepers to the Variant.

Meanwhile, Loki discovers that the Variant has been rigging the entire store with the time-reset devices. As they go active and vanish through individual time-windows, the real Variant reveals themself to Loki: the VARIANT (SOPHIA DI MARTINO) is a blonde, female version of Loki. Shocked by this revelation, Loki watches as the Variant opens another time-window and vanishes. Hearing Mobius and the Hunters approach, Loki makes a decision and follows the Variant through the time-window, which closes before Mobius can reach it.

As the time-reset devices vanish, the TVA registers anomalies and the agents monitoring the screens watch as multiple new timelines branch out of the sacred timeline, leaving only one conclusion: the timeline is being bombed. Watching her own screen in shock, Renslayer grabs her Hunter gear and leaves her office.

FAVOURITE MOMENTS

There were quite a few moments in this episode that I really loved. I adored this vibe of 'Loki Has A Day Job'. His whack-a-mole fight with Miss Minutes was a lot of fun. I loved the scenes in the archive, his somewhat flirty attempt at getting the Archivist to let him read classified files (also shushing the lady behind him? Hilarious). His chaotic energy and great Latin speech in Pompeii was absolutely fantastic too. God of Mischief indeed.

And I just adored all the banter scenes with Mobius. They have such a great buddy-cop dynamic, I really love it. The whole salad scene was just A+ comedy (also big yay for Casey!!). Their conversation about existence and free will was so good, too. And I adored the scene where Loki explains the difference between the two powers of projection. What a nerd. I love him.

I thought the reveal of Sophia di Martino as the Loki Variant was amazing. I think it's really interesting that this doesn't seem to be a version Loki himself was expecting to meet, which I'm sure will make for some great moments between the two in upcoming episodes.

Oh and, of course, lest I forget: setting the opening fight between the Variant and the TVA team to Bonnie Tyler's "Holding Out for a Hero"? Whoever made that choice is an absolute genius.

FAVOURITE CHARACTER(S)

I mean, Loki, duh. But I also really enjoyed Ravonna Renslayer in this one. I am really intrigued by her character and I can't wait to see more of her -- especially in action. Also I am very curious about her and Mobius' relationship. I smell history.

QUESTIONS, CURIOSITIES

Do all Hunters know the location of the Time Keepers? Or did the Variant have to keep nabbing them until finding C-20 who had the information they were looking for?

Also I am not entirely sure about the Variant being played by another person. I mean I get it from like a visual storytelling perspective, that it is easier to have two different faces when Loki and the Variant interact, and like, from an acting perspective too. I get that Loki is a shapeshifter, so whatever body he assumes does not necessarily have to look like himself -- in this case Tom Hiddleston -- and I guess some people would have complained about him playing a female version of himself as being drag or a mockery thereof or something, but... I don't know, I am just not entirely sure about it. It just feels very gendered, somehow, if that makes sense. A very "gender is tied to body" kind of thing. But I'm gonna wait until I see more of it before forming more of an opinion.

OVERALL IMPRESSION

An absolutely brilliant and compelling second episode of this show. I am enjoying it tremendously. I completely adore the Loki we get to see in this show and the character dynamic between him and Mobius is so funny and so well done. Loved the reveal of Sophia di Martino as the rogue Loki Variant, and I cannot wait to see more of her in this role. Next Wednesday cannot come soon enough!

[still image taken from imdb page of the episode]

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iamnotoriginalphil · 4 years

Text

The Thrill of Coffee (Loki x Reader)

Synopsis: You hate your new barista

Words: 1918

Warnings: some swearing

**GIF not mine**

You’d been coming to this coffee shop for years now and you’d never seen the man behind the counter before. He was leaning on the counter, smiling at the woman at the front of the queue, his eyes sparkling. You sighed, tapping your foot, looking at your watch. You looked up again, catching his eye. He winked at you.

His hair was drawn back in one of those hideous man buns you only ever saw on pretentious hipsters. It was dark in comparison with his pale skin, his eyes the only bit of colour on him. His long fingers plucked a cup up, writing a name on the cardboard. You rolled your eyes as the woman giggled, a flush appearing high on her cheeks.

And so the process repeated with the two people in line in front of you. You huffed, staring up at the ceiling, not enjoying the way this peacock was primping and preening in front of all these customers. All you wanted was your morning coffee, not some sleaze ball trying to flirt with you for a bigger tip.

“What can I get you, love?” he asked once you were at the front of the line.

“Coffee. Black,” you said.

“Surely a beautiful woman such as yourself would like something,” he paused, his eyes sweeping over you, “sweeter.”

“Coffee. Black,” you said again.

He chuckled, picking up a cup, holding the pen poised above it, looking at you from under his long lashes. You gave him your name and he wrote it on the cardboard in an elegant hand. You scoffed, handing over the money. He dropped the coins into your outstretched hand which you promptly dropped into the tip jar. He flashed you a large smile but you walked off before he could say anything.

You took the coffee when your name was called, hoping you wouldn’t be seeing this new barista again any time soon.

He was there the next morning.

And the one after that.

He slipped into your morning routine as smooth as silk, becoming the first person you interacted with almost every day. You hated it. Every morning you’d walk in, the place clogged up as this man, this infuriating man, insisted on flirting with every person who passed through. You’d wait an exorbitant amount of time as he smiled and winked, earning all kinds of attention from strangers. Each time it was your turn to place your order you’d ignore his flirting, giving the same order you gave every day and your name.

Eventually he stopped asking for your order and your name. He’d greet you with your order, your name written followed by a heart. You’d ignore his other questions, taking it and handing over the money, making sure to leave the change in his tip jar. Just because you found him to be insufferable didn’t mean you weren’t going to tip. You weren’t a monster.

And then he showed up on Saturday afternoon.

You’d realised he always took the morning shift, but whenever you passed by in the afternoon he didn’t seem to be there. A few months after his initial shift you decided you wanted the coffee without the annoying personality serving it to you and the only way you could get it would be to go there in the afternoon.

You sauntered in, letting out a sigh of relief when you saw Mandy behind the counter. She had been your usual barista in the mornings before her replacement showed up. She waved to you. You pointed at one of the tables and she nodded, giving you thumbs up.

You settled at one of the tables, pulling out your book. You figured if you were going to be there, you may as well enjoy it as much as possible, and that included relaxing in the shop, savouring your favourite cup of coffee. You settled back, thumbing through the well worn pages to find your place.

A cup was set down in front of you with a clink. You looked up, ready to thank Mandy only to be confronted with a pair of blue eyes, framed with long lashes. You recoiled, clutching the book to your chest. He smiled at you, settling himself in the chair across from you. You frowned.

“Can I help you?” you asked, resting the book spine up on the table.

“Ah, Dickens. That is a classic,” he said, leaning back in his seat.

You didn’t bother to respond to that.

“Come on, not even a smile?” he asked, giving you one of his.

“What do you want?” you asked.

“To enjoy the company of much a beauty,” he replied.

“Then you’ll be left disappointed,” you snapped.

“Do you have a problem with me, love?”

“Are you only just now realising that?”

He quirked an eyebrow at you, leaning forward over the table, his hands clasped together. You drew back, not enjoying how close he was getting. He grew serious, the smile slipping from his face.

“You always tip me,” he said.

“Because I’m not an asshole,” you replied.

His eyebrows drew together as he pursed his lips. His finger began to tap on the tabletop, setting a rhythm that set your teeth on edge. You slammed your hand down on top of his to stop his incessant tapping. He looked at you from under his lashes.

“Why do you have a problem with me?” he asked.

“Do you know how frustrating it is to wait for ages in a line while you flirt with every single person who passes through the front doors?” you asked, “and you act as if the fact that you’re hot makes up for the inconvenience you cause.”

“You think I’m hot?” He looked much happier at the change of topic.

“That’s not the point,” you said, “you don’t have to flaunt like a preening peacock to inflate your ego.”

“I take that as a compliment,” he said.

You sighed, pinching the bridge of your nose. When you opened your eyes again he was grinning. You rolled your eyes. He turned his hand over from underneath yours, holding your hand. You tried to tug it away but he tightened his grip.

“Could you let go?” you asked.

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m enjoying it too much.”

You huffed but didn’t bother to try and tug your hand away again. You assumed he’d soon get bored and let you go. If you ignored it then it would go away.

“Your only complaint is that I use my good looks to get more tips?” he asked.

“My complaint is you hold everyone up while you feed your ego by seducing every person you cross paths with. All I want is my damned coffee, not a sleaze ball trying to make himself feel good by making doe eyes at strangers,” you snapped.

“You’re not a stranger. I see you everyday,” he said, giving you a smile.

“And yet I don’t even know your name.”

The smile slipped from his face again and he pouted. You ignored the way it caused guilt to flood your system.

“But I wear one of those little name tags,” he said.

“And I’ve never read it,” you replied.

“Not even once?” he asked.

“That would require me looking at you for more than a moment,” you replied.

“You’ve been looking at me an awful lot today,” he said.

“You’re hardly letting me ignore you,” you sighed.

“Don’t be like that, love. I know you’re enjoying the attention,” he said.

“I was enjoying my solitude more,” you replied, picking up your coffee cup with your free hand. He was still insisting on holding the other one.

“If it annoys you so much, why do you keep coming here every morning?”

“This is the best coffee in the city,” you replied with a shrug.

“So you admit I’m good at something,” he said, smiling brightly at you once more.

“I admit this place has the best blend in the city,” you replied, “you have nothing to do with it.”

“I have everything to do with it.” He squeezed your hand and your pulse jumped under his touch. You averted your eyes from him.

“You know what I think?’

“I couldn’t care less about what you think,” you said, your eyes snapping back to him.

“I think you like it when I flirt with you. I think you like it so much you pretend to hate it because the other option is far scarier. I think I make your heart beat just that little bit faster. And I think you’re jealous when I flirt with all the other customers and that’s why you hate it so much.”

“Yeah, well I think you have no idea what you’re talking about,” you spat, managing to wrench your hand back from his grip.

He lent back in his chair, pushing his loose hair behind his ear. You took a long drink from your coffee, doing your best not to look at the man sitting across from you.

“It’s Loki, by the way,” he said, the corner of his mouth turning up as your eyes flitted over to him.

“What is?” you asked.

“My name,” he replied.

“And when did I ask for it?”

“I know you wanted to know.” You wanted to wipe that smirk off his smug face.

“Right. Well, you have successfully ruined my Saturday so I think I’ll be going now,” you said, standing up.

He watched you go, his eyes like a heavy weight on you as you passed out the door. You got almost down the block before you felt a hand grasp yours. You jerked around, raising your fist as if you’d be able to punch anyone effectively. Blue eyes were twinkling as they looked down at you.

“So now you can’t contain it to the coffee shop. You have to assault me on the street too,” you said.

“You left your book behind.” He shook it at you, “although perhaps you did that on purpose to ensure I’d chase after you and do the gentlemanly thing of returning it.”

“Go fuck yourself.” You snatched the book out of his hand, ready to storm off if he hadn’t plucked it from your grip again.

“That wasn’t very ladylike,” he said with a pout, “I think you owe me a thank you.”

“I don’t owe you shit,” you said.

“For a first date I’d say this is going rather well.”

You blinked, not even sure what to say to that. You couldn’t understand how delusional this man must be to think this in any way qualified as a date. You’d never seen anything further from a date.

“I’d quite like to go on another,” he said, grinning at you, “that can be your thank you for returning your book.”

“This wasn’t- We weren’t- What?”

“I’ll pick you up at 8pm tomorrow night,” he said.

You watched him walk away, your brain trying to compute what had just happened.

“You don’t know where I live,” you shouted after his retreating back.

He held up the book, shaking it again at you. Of course, you had been using an old envelope delivered to your flat as a bookmark. You growled turning around to walk home. You had to pretend as if there wasn’t a tiny thrill at the thought of the barista taking you on date the next night.

And you definitely didn’t like it when he flirted with you.

Tags: @sheridans-dynamos @tumultuous-love @juniperbab @internetgremlin @true-queen-of-mischief @sev7en @fleurs-en-ruines @lokilover2000-blog @hakuoyuki @el-eldritch @foreverbeingthunderbuddy @fuckthatfeeling @libellule2001 @thefallenbibliophilequote

#writersmonth2020 #loki #loki imagine #loki x reader #loki x you #marvel imagine

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yet-another-fan-girl9 · 4 years

Text

Inhuman (1)

Summary: All beings in the universe have a soulmate except for Midgardians. People can hear their soulmate in their heads. For almost five hundred and fifty years, Loki believed that he had no soulmate until 1513 when a Midgardian princess was born. Will fate be kind to them or will the universe tear them apart?

Warnings: violence, language, hella historical inaccuracies (I tried to do research but then got lazy), maybe some AOS season 2 spoilers(?)

Word Count: ~3400

A/N: Yay! The re-write is here! I changed it so now there are flashbacks and stuff and the chapters are longer! I’m also posting this chapter a day early because of reasons. Anyways, enjoy!

[New York, New York, March 2024]

‘Soulmates?’ You had never heard of the concept.

‘We are destined to be together. The universe made it so.’

You shot up in bed, a light sheen of sweat covered your body. Loki’s words replayed over and over in your head. You hadn’t heard his actual voice in so long but it was still as clear as if he was speaking to you now. It had been twelve years since you had seen him in Germany and he had tried to take over.

‘We are destined to be together.’

The words echoed in your mind. ‘Destined’ huh? Well, if you’d learned anything from the past four hundred and eighty-six years that you were not with Loki, it’s that the universe does a shit job at keeping you together. You ran your fingers through your hair, easily smoothing out the tangled mess. It was too early to think about Loki.

You slipped out of the silk sheets that covered your king-sized bed in your two-level, top floor Upper East Side penthouse. You were very proud of how far you had come. The view was amazing. You could see some of Central Park from one side and the stereotypical New York skyline from another.

As you walked out of your room, you caught your reflection in one of your full-sized mirrors. And that was definitely a nice view. When you came out of Terrigenesis almost five hundred years ago, you quickly discovered that you were now the blueprint for a perfect person. Straight, white teeth, surprisingly tameable hair, and clear, unblemished skin were some of the visually obvious changes. In addition to your perfected looks, you had increased senses, healing, strength, endurance, and your favorite, pain tolerance. Oh, and don’t forget you basically look twenty-five forever.

You checked your phone while you made breakfast in the kitchen downstairs. There were a couple of emails from your employees on their latest jobs. You opened one from Max, your right-hand man. You were reading over some job offers he had handpicked for you when you got a text from the man himself.

Bringing up some donuts!

Max was the only person from work to have access to your penthouse. He was your best friend. The two of you had met when you were at Afterlife nearly fifteen years ago. He was an Inhuman as well. All of your employees were Inhumans, using their specialties to carry out their jobs. Max had the power to change surfaces. It was a strange power, but he had learned to make it very useful. He could cause his pursuers to slip on the suddenly ice-like ground or climb up a glass skyscraper.

“Hello, bitch! I brought donuts!” Max called from the elevator.

“I’m in the kitchen!”

Max walked in holding the goods. He always wore eccentric color-coordinated outfits. Even the times you saw him in stealth mode, he had to have some lace or frill somewhere. Today he wore a mixture of neon green and pink with matching eyeliner.

“Are Cosmo and Wanda disguising themselves as your clothes?” you asked.

“Haha,” he deadpanned. “I knew you were going to say something like that. You’re so fucking funny. Soo…” He plopped the three large donut boxes onto your kitchen counter. “Have you heard of the Avenger’s new quote-unquote recruit?”

“Um, I think it’s your job to keep tabs on heroes.” You opened the nearest box and happily pulled out your favorite donut.

“Okay. Number one: I’m not speaking to you as your right-hand, right now, but as your friend.” He held up his finger. “Number two: it’s not really a job if I do it in my free time anyways. You’re paying me to do something that I do on an hourly basis.”

“You stalk the Avengers on an hourly basis?”

“No? Anyways, number three: it’s Thor’s brother. It’s your Loki.”

“What the fuck?” you choke on your donut. Max was the only person who knew you that you and Loki had a history. And that’s all he knew. Nothing about soulmates or all that shit. “What the fuck, Max? Did you try to use donuts to soften the blow? Stop laughing.”

“I-I wish I had caught that reaction on camera,” he said in between fits of giggles.

“Haha,” it was your turn to deadpan. “Fuck, man. I guess we just have to double our efforts to keep ourselves off of their radar.”

“Do you think they’ve forgiven him for New York?” Max composed himself.

“I mean, they must have if they’re letting him join the team.” You chanced another bite of your donut.

“But lots of people haven’t.”

“Lots of people still haven’t forgiven Barnes,” you pointed out. You didn’t know when or why Loki had attacked New York. That Loki was nothing like the man who you had grown to love back in the 1500s. But you were nothing like that girl either.

“Have you chosen a new job from the list I sent you?” he changed the subject.

“No, not yet, and you have a little…” you motioned to the corner of your mouth.

Max got the hint and wiped some powder off of his mouth. You noticed the sprinkling of grey that was mixed into his curly black hair. He displayed the last fifteen years proudly while you remained unchanged. Max was the closest you’ve been to someone in a long time, and just like everyone before him, you would outlive him. But you would remember him. You remembered everyone. You remembered everything.

Right now, you thought of Agnes, your first real friend. She was your handmaiden and you had met right before everything went to shit. She had helped you cope after you underwent Terrigenesis, although you hadn’t known what it was back then. She had helped you run away and even died for you. You had only known her for nine years, but you compared everyone to her. Max held second place, right after Agnes.

“I think we should take the Senator’s offer,” Max said, jolting you out of your memories. He pulled up the offer on his iPad. “One million to off his upcoming competition.”

“Damn,” you whistled. “He’s desperate, isn’t he? Is there a deadline?”

“No, but I assume we should get it done quickly.”

“Send over the info.”

🌹

You shoved the flower into Jake Morano’s mouth. Blood from the bullet wound in his forehead trickled down until it turned the perfect, white rose red. You snapped a quick photo on your burner phone to send to the Senator as confirmation. With a huff, you looked around the apartment. Mr. Anderson had put up a fight, although it didn’t do anything to deter you and Max. A few glass awards were in pieces on the hardwood floor, family pictures were shattered, and the wall behind you held a couple of bullets from Anderson’s gun.

“All good?” Max asked from his location by the computer. He was deleting all footage of you being there. And everything else, just to be safe.

“Yep.” You walked over to him, your boots making a satisfying clicking on the ground, and proudly displayed the picture of the dead body. “Got the confirmation picture for the Senator. How’s it coming?”

“Almost… there. We’re good to go.”

The two of you left in your favorite black Lamborghini. Unfortunately, you actually had to drive places now that Gordon was dead. You followed his advice, though, and bought a plane along with four other sports cars, a helicopter, and a couple of motorcycles. You knew how to operate every single one of them. What else were you supposed to do except for establishing your contract killing empire?

🌹

Loki stood in the middle of his assigned room with his hands on his hips. It certainly was much nicer than the last prison the Avengers had kept him in. They may say it wasn’t a prison but the twenty-four-hour surveillance from Stark’s new AI said otherwise. Even though it was nicer than the shitty glass cylinder from twelve years ago, it was empty. Thor had shown Loki the few things in his room: books, photographs, and his own goddamned merchandise.

Would Loki have his own merchandise one day? Everyone was redeemable as shown by Romanoff and Barnes. Maybe there would be plastic replicas of his helmet? No, Loki thought that was stupid. Only heroes got merchandise and heroes had to show up to events and sponsor health drinks or whatever the fuck they do. Heroes had to be nice.

Nothing good ever came from being on Midgard. Most recently, there was his father dying, although what followed was worse. Before that was the attack he had been forced to make on the city. And the first time he had ever come to Midgard had ended with disappointment and heartbreak.

Loki sighed and waved his hand to conjure green and gold accents, sheets, and blankets. At least there was color in the room now. No doubt the AI had reported that he had used his magic. He hoped it had also told them that all he did was improve the room, he didn’t need anyone talking to him at the moment.

“Good afternoon, Reindeer Games,” the AI echoed through the room. Loki glowered at the sound of Stark’s nickname. “There is a meeting in Conference Room Five that the entire team is required to attend.”

Loki hadn’t the faintest fucking idea where the conference rooms were. He left his room and caught sight of his brother and the Valkyrie. The God of Mischief followed the pair down to where the meeting was taking place. Did he really want to go? If he wanted to be part of the team he would have to. He preferred the Revengers, though. While it had lasted. It was smaller.

Everyone was sitting around the long table. Of course, Loki would be the last to arrive. Stark and Barton both glared at him when he entered. Understandable. Romanoff remained impassive, but Loki knew she would bash his head in the first chance she got. Rogers had to remain positive that Loki could be redeemed because if the Norse God could redeem himself, then so could Barnes. Bruce had warmed up to Loki on the journey to Midgard. None of the newer members of the team outright hated him, but they were still cautious around him.

Loki found himself sitting in between his brother and Bruce. Stark went up to the screen at the front and everyone fell silent.

“This is Jake Morano.” The screen turned on to show a dead man with a rose stuffed in his mouth. “He was going to run for Senator against this guy.” The screen changed. “This guy is William Anderson, a very corrupt Senator. In the last month, Morano began to gain a lot of support including a sponsor from us. Well, a sponsor from me in the name of the Avengers.”

“Are you implying that Anderson killed Morano?” Rogers asked.

“I’m saying that Anderson hired someone to kill Morano.” The screen changed again to display multiple bodies left with a rose in their mouths. “I had F.R.I.D.A.Y. do a quick search of bodies with roses found in their mouths and we found a shocking amount of similar deaths. The first ones dating back to the nineteen twenties. More recently, some of the deaths have happened at the same time on opposite sides of the globe. Deaths include, but are not limited to, shooting, stabbing, poisoning, drowning, burning, missing organs, being found stuck in a wall, and looking like a suicide. They all have a white rose soaked in blood in their mouths.”

“Are you sure it isn’t a serial killer?” Wilson questioned.

“Yeah, it’s probably not the same guy,” Romanoff pointed out. “Especially if it goes back to before Steve looked like that.”

“It’s gotta be an organization,” Barnes guessed. “Been around for a while, a couple of deaths happening at the same time, and one constant MO.”

“Loki?” Everyone looked at the God of Mischief when Stark said his name. “You’re technically a part of this team now. What’s your opinion?”

“Barnes is probably right,” Loki said after a moment’s hesitation. “The locations are all over the place and there are many different ways the victims met their demise.”

They nodded and Loki returned to silence.

“Alright, game plan.” Stark clapped his hands. “We have to get Anderson into an interrogation room. Round one is the good cops: Steve and Sam. When he doesn’t crack, and he won’t, we up the intensity. Nat and the Manchurian Candidate will do some intimidation. If he still doesn’t crack we can send in Wanda, or even Reindeer Games if she’s not comfortable, to search his mind.”

“Are all Midgardian politics like that?” Loki heard the Valkyrie ask Thor after the meeting. Thor only shrugged so she turned to Bruce.

“I mean, I haven't been here in a while but it’s always kinda been fucked up.”

Only an hour after the meeting, Anderson took out one million dollars in cash. Stark tracked him to a small cafe where he was going to, no doubt, pay the assassin. The team rallied, but of course, Loki wasn’t going. Apparently, he wasn’t ‘cleared’ yet. The only other people staying behind were the Valkyrie, Thor, and Barton due to a recent injury.

Loki went to his room to sulk, although he told everyone he was thinking. He didn’t want to be here. Maybe he wanted to go somewhere that reminded him of home with tall buildings that reached the sky…

🌹

"Hello, (Y/N)." Loki’s voice was as smooth as it was in your head, but it was different. The only way you could describe it was that it was solid. It felt less intimate. Like he could bless others with his words, but it was more special because he was here.

"Loki," you breathed.

"You look more beautiful than I ever could imagine." He stepped closer.

You touched your hair self-consciously. There were multiple knots, and it probably looked like one of those bird nests the dogs always knocked out of trees. You had woken up in a hurry and your hair being trapped in the hood of your cloak probably didn't help.

Then it occurred to you that you were wearing only your nightgown, and you tightly wrapped your cloak around yourself. Loki wouldn’t hurt you, but no man has seen you in an outfit so revealing. Still, you took another step closer.

"I do not know what to say." Fortunately, your voice didn’t shake or waver as you had feared, but Loki could probably feel your nervousness.

You both took a final step closer. You reached up and cupped Loki's face in your hand which tingled slightly when you made contact. You admired his sharp features and bright blue-green eyes. Then you shivered in the cold winter air. Loki noticed and pulled you into a hug. You leaned into him and felt a shiver, a different, better shiver, shoot through your body.

“You’re real.” Your soft voice was almost lost in the biting wind. “I was so scared that I was dreaming.”

Another goddamned dream about Loki? You groaned into your pillow and pushed a few damp strands of hair away from your face. Why now, all of a sudden? Was it because he was so close? Just a few hours upstate in the Avenger’s compound.

Pushing the dream aside, you stretched and got ready for the day. You had sent the photo to the Senator, who you had learned was very fucking corrupted, and he replied with a location. That changed your plans a bit, you hadn't physically met a client in decades, but it was for the better for multiple reasons.

The first reason was that the cafe he had chosen was next to a flower shop where you got your supply of roses. The second reason was that it meant his apartment would be empty. While you went to get the money, and eventually kill Senator Anderson, Max was going to rob his house. It wasn’t something you’d usually do, but honestly, the shitty asshole deserved it.

Your lips were painted red and you wore your usual boots and a leather jacket. Your regular hair was hidden behind a pink and green wig, courtesy of Max. A baseball cap and large sunglasses further hid your appearance. Though if somebody knew your face, the hat and glasses did nothing. There were multiple knives hidden on your body as well as a handgun tucked into your waistband and a pocket pistol in your, well, pocket.

As you walked into the cafe, Izzy, the auburn-haired florist, nodded to you. She had Botanokinesis, plant manipulation, so your supply of white roses was never low. Every once in a while, Izzy would take a job but she had told you she was very happy in her shop.

You noticed the Senator immediately. He still wore a suit and the sunglasses did nothing to hide his identity. There were two young women behind the counter and you suspected that the four other ‘customers’ were too buff not to be the Senator’s security. Anderson had his back to the door which meant you would have to get past his security to get out. You zeroed in on the black briefcase on the ground by his feet.

“Senator,” you greeted and sat down across from him.

“You can’t possibly be the one I talked to,” the asshole replied. “You’re just a girl.”

“Well of course I couldn’t be,” you rolled your eyes behind your heavily tinted glasses. “My boss is too busy and smart to meet you in public.” He didn’t notice your sarcasm. You pulled out the burner phone and showed him the messages as proof. “Now, I’m also busy so if we can get this over with?”

“Sure, darling.” He put the briefcase flat on the table and pushed it towards you.

“Open it.” Even though small boobie traps wouldn’t hurt you much, it wasn’t a piece of information you wanted to give him.

Anderson sighed and complied. Then you turned it around to quickly inspect the contents. One thousand one hundred dollar bills. Hello Mr. Franklin. You nodded in satisfaction and comically rubbed your hands together to inconspicuously grab a knife that was hidden up your sleeve.

“Thank you, Senator. That will be all.”

You closed the case, stood up, and plunged your knife deep into his left carotid artery. As his security descended upon you, you pulled the knife out and his neck satisfyingly squirted blood. The Senator collapsed with his hands clutching his wound desperately. The pool of blood rapidly grew underneath him.

The two baristas screamed behind the counter and the Senator’s security drew their guns. You flipped the small table for cover as bullets pierced the cafe’s window behind you. Perfect. Just a bit more.

You pulled out the handgun from your waistband and with practiced ease, shot three of the four goons. The last one got the bloodied knife to the face. You elbowed the already damaged window and it finally broke, raining glass down on you. Ignoring the small cuts, you jumped out of the cafe through the window as a familiar red and gold suit landed in front of you. Why the fuck were the Avengers here? What about Loki?

You darted into Izzy’s shop and she played her part well, screaming that you had run out the back when you had actually gone into the side room. You listened as the Avengers followed her directions. One person, maybe it was the Black Widow, stayed behind to help calm down the seemingly hysterical Izzy. If she wasn’t so happy at her shop and she didn’t want to work directly for you, she could be a great actress.

You rolled back the rug on the ground to reveal a metal trapdoor. You entered the code to unlock it and climbed down into the darkness. Behind you, you heard the trapdoor’s magnetic lock click back into place. Two centuries ago, you had tunnels dug underneath Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens for easy getaways. If you went… that way, you would end up in Sandra’s souvenir shop which was a couple of blocks away from your penthouse.

With a million dollars in one hand and a handgun in the other, you walked down the concrete tunnel.

Taglist:

@kaithehero @liliannyah @andreasworlsboring101 @oatballsoffury @aberrant-annie

#inhuman #loki x reader #loki x soulmate reader #loki #mcu #marvel #avengers #Captain america #steve rogers #iron man #tony stark #hawkeye #clint barton #natasha romanoff #black widow #wanda maximoff #scarlet witch

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philliamwrites · 3 years

Text

i could make it holy, make it fine (pt.1)

Fandom: Persona 5

Pairing: Akira/Akechi

Tags: #domestic fluff, #kissing, #wedding, #persona 5 royal spoilers

Words: 1.7k

Summary: Goro can't believe his first marrital dispute will be about the plastic cat dolls in front of their café whereas Akira is a simple man with simple needs like laying out black napkins and wearing a dress.

Note: Part 2 (work in progress) | Inspired by ‘Make it Holy’ by The Staves.

i could make it holy, make it fine

“Quick, don’t think. Black or red?”

“The napkins stay blue. Now shut up and don’t move.”

Black curls fall to the ground with each snip snip of Goro’s scissors. He tips Akira’s head back with a knuckle to check that his hair is the same length. Not that anyone could tell if it wasn’t once his hair dries into its usual curly mess. Goro assumes Akira gave him this task just to have an excuse to stare at his face from close-up—as if he doesn’t do it at any given chance anyway regardless of day or time.

That is the luxury of living in a place they feel comfortable enough to lower their defences. Goro is still trying to learn calling such a place home.

Warm hands roam over his legs, demanding his attention. “What are you thinking about?” Akira asks and presses his chin into his belly, looking up. After seven years, his features have grown sharper and more elegant like the dagger he used to wield. Sometimes Goro looks at him and the sight of beautiful, beautiful Akira Kurusu steals his breath.

“That you look like a twelve-year-old after shaving.” He pushes Akira’s wet hair out of his face and flicks his forehead, then steps out of his grasp. He crosses their bathroom to take the broom leaning against the wall in the corner, only to unceremoniously drop it in Akira’s lap. “Now clean your mess. I’m done.”

He leaves the room before hearing a response, brushing off stray black hair from his shirt and pants. Now he has to vacuum again. Why Akira asked him to cut his hair instead of booking an appointment with a professional is beyond him, but it does remind Goro, as he tugs at the end of his ponytail tickling the nape of his neck, that he might need a cut as well. The shop stays closed anyway during their preparations, so now seems the best time to get things done they usually can’t while tending to the café. Repairing the creaking floorboard behind the counter, washing the dark, vintage curtains hanging in their back office. Even though Akira is against it, they need to sort out which maneki-neko lining the front of their entrance they want to keep and which to throw away. He can’t believe his first marital dispute will be about dusty plastic cats.

The blow drier starts in the bathroom. Akira’s head peeks around the corner, the hot air whipping his hair left and right. “Goro, can you check the mail? Ann’s postcard might have arrived.”

Goro shoos him away like a fly. On his way to the stairs leading down to the café—a feature Akira insisted on during their apartment hunting to pay homage to his old home—he passes their kitchen where he puts a kettle on the stove for another round of coffee. So far, he’s only had benefits to be engaged to one of Tokyo’s most popular barista.

Leblanc is abandoned and quiet. He won’t ever admit it oud loud, but he’s glad Akira didn’t change the name after inheriting the business from Sojiro. Anything different would have been blasphemous. But while it is the same name, Leblanc’s replica lives with touches that scream Akira’s name. Bookshelves line one wall opposite the entrance, filled with every book he’s read during Highschool. Customers come and pick one and in return leave a book they have at hand, constantly switching up the collection. Then there’s people complimenting the amazing replicas of famous contemporary artist Yusuke Kitagawa on the walls, asking Akira where he bought them. But if Akira is known for his delicious coffee, he’s famous for his secrets.

Opening their post box, bills and two cards fall out. The first shows The Louvre lit at night. Ann’s curly handwriting is unmistakable, leaving a short message that she’ll arrive a day before the ceremony. The other card has a simple flower design and one word on its back.

Congratulations. — M.

Goro stares at it for a solid minute. It’s been long since he’s seen this handwriting, but he does remember it from torn-out diary pages inside a place that had blindingly white walls and tasted of despair and bitter endings. He takes everything upstairs where he finds Akira with dried, adorably messy hair.

“I didn’t know you still hang out with Dr. Maruki,” he says, voice neutral as he drops the cards and bills on the table where Akira has already spread out coffee and biscuits from Haru’s shop. He considers the card, absentmindedly stirring his cup. “I don’t. Sumire might have told him.”

“Not that I really care.” Goro drinks from his cup, eyeing Akira from the side. He’s draped over his chair like a Pre-Raphaelite painting. “He’s not invited.”

“I doubt he’ll come. Wouldn’t be too much fun if you stabbed him with the cake knife.”

Goro snorts, but the image does bring a faint grin out of him. It is a time though he doesn’t think too fondly of; a time when he’d felt too much at once and too little words managed to express that. He remembers when Loki and Robin merged into Hereward and the surprise that Robin never really left his side, always with him; the light, the good, the innocent and childlike fantasy to become a hero one day. The night he spent under Akira’s covers; limbs entangled, secrets and fears shared in quiet whispers, thumbs wet from drying tears both pretended were never shed.

After they defeated Maruki and destroyed the Happy World, Goro woke up in his bed, dizzy and disoriented, still sore from the fight. While staring at his white ceiling, he counted his heartbeat. Every thud in his chest was like a bird trying to take flight out of an ebony cage no one built a door into. He’d only have to tear his chest open and it would be free. It would return to where it longed to be, a little café tucked away in Yongen-Jaya.

Instead, Goro got out of bed, donned his winter uniform and went to meet Sae Nijima to discuss the terms of proving Shido’s guilt and his arrest. Again. He spent half a year in juvenile hall until Akira paid his bail with the remaining savings from their Mementos ventures.

“You’re crazy,” Goro had said when he met Akira outside, everything he used and owned during those six months shoved into a single plastic back.

“I missed you,” Akira had replied and now, seven years later, they’re doing what Goro never allowed himself to dream of; never showed interest in until meeting Akira Kurusu.

“Will our suits be ready?” he asks now, downing the rest of this coffee. He usually hates when it gets cold, but Akira’s blend is still enjoyable.

“I’ll check my e-mails later. They should have replied by now.” Akira watches him, tapping a slender finger against the kitchen desk. “I still think one of us should wear a dress.”

“You also think we need a champagne pyramid which we can’t afford.”

“Okay, perhaps not that,” says Akira. “But I would make a radiant bride.”

Goro doesn’t doubt that. If he takes an afternoon off and searches long enough, he’ll surely find the drag cop outfit somewhere in the attic—a real attic, this one—from all those years back. Maybe he can ask Akira to wear lipstick again when it’s time to seal the deal during the ceremony. He can’t think of anyone who would object to that.

“That’s your cue to say ‘Truly’.” Akira carries both empty mugs to the sink, a slight pout adorning his face. Goro rolls his eyes. He waits until he passes him on his way out to hook a finger through a belt buckle and pulls Akira with a sharp tug on his lap. He blinks in fake innocence. “Oh?”

“I prefer you looking good in a dress stays between us,” Goro says, shimmying his hands under Akira’s shirt—wrong, Goro’s shirt—where they rest on warm, soft skin.

Akira thinks about it. “What do I get in return?”

“No divorce papers.”

Generous as always.”

“It’s a deal then.”

On cue, Akira’s head bends and finds Goro’s mouth. Kissing Akira is still the same as seven years ago: hot, addicting. Like breathing air for the first time after staying underwater for hours. His hands roam over spots he knows where bruised long, long ago and Akira reacts like they never disappeared. Like they never left the Metaverse. Still sixteen and eighteen and too busy bruising their knuckles and knees fighting for their own justice instead of settling down and taking their time unravelling each other. It still manages to untie a tight knot within his chest. He could spend all day kissing Akira. He should spend all day kissing Akira.

One, two, three tugs on his ponytail and Goro reluctantly relents to free Akira’s bottom lip from between his teeth.

“We should give you a cut as well,” Akira says, curling the end around a finger. Goro shows his surprise by raising one eyebrow.

“You’d be okay with that?” he asks. He’s started to believe Akira’s fixation on his hair—drying it after a shower, braiding it when he’s bored, burrowing his hands in them when he cums—is a religious thing, though the prospect of it being short, feeling the cool breeze on the back of his neck during summer and not bothering to brush it every hour to untangle any knots, is appealing.

Akira wears a dreamy sort of look—though, no. That’s just him being horny, probably imagining Goro with shorter hair and all new discoveries it might bring as he gently scrapes his scalp. It’s as good as any answer. He pushes Akira off his lap and rises as well, turning left and right to stretch and make his joints pop.

“Fine, but if you mess it up, I’m going to shave you bald.”

They share a single look, thinking of the only person they know with a bald head and Goro regrets his words already, hates the face of the man he never wants to remember flashing before his eyes.

Akira takes his hand and squeezes. “I’m going to make you the most handsome man alive, promise.”

He allows Akira to lead him to the bathroom, the objection that his task will be hard so long as he breathes on his lips.

Five more days. Five more days and the most handsome man alive will be his.

#philliamwrites #ao3 #fanfiction #persona #p5 #persona 5 royal #p5r #shuake #goro akechi #akira kurusu #ren amamiya #persona 5 joker #p5 joker

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rayegunn · 3 years

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Updated Asgard speculation

So, this is kind of an update on my last mega-ramble speculation post, you can go read it for the full (very long) explanation of WHY I think this, but the TLDR version is basically that I think that in Marvel, the lives/fates of the Asgardians are governed by an in-universe narrative with pre-defined roles that starts anew every so often (not the Ragnarok cycle, that's a cycle within this larger cycle, it's different) when there is a new King. So when Thor became King, a new cycle began, and right now all the characters are finding themselves in new roles. I correctly predicted that Thor would have to formally give up his old role and Mjolnir, to allow someone else to fill that role (he had been trying to do both roles, but that is not possible) and that Mjolnir was trying to force the issue. I think Loki will be his replacement. I know some people will find that hard to believe, but there has been a lot of foreshadowing and setup for that if you read close.

SO. The new bit of speculation comes after seeing the solicit for issue 18. This speculation has a bit less to back it up, it's more a couple epiphanies i had, and what i think could work, so I think it is not as likely as all the roles stuff, which has some very clear elements supporting it, but still. I just like writing these posts out to get all my thoughts in order, of other people like them too, that's good too. I've gone over this in smaller posts on CBR already, but wanted to collect it together again.

The solicit says that Throg is being sent by Thor on a "top secret mission" that only he can do. It at first seemed a bit odd to me, why Throg as a spy? You'd think if they needed a spy, they'd go for Loki. Throg's more about action than subterfuge. In terms of personality and tactics, he is basically a very small amphibian Thor, all about glorious battle and stuff. And what's his mission? Well, the mission at least seems clear, Mjolnir went missing the issue before, according to solicits, and no one seems to know where it went. Either it was taken by someone who could get in and out of Avengers Mountain undetected, or it just.... abducted itself, and flew off or something on it's own. I think there are things to support either scenario, and I think each has pros and cons. But in either scenario, I presume that because Thor formally gave it up, he can no longer simply recall it from wherever it is, like he did before. So there needs to be another way to track it down, if it's new wielder is not making themselves known, and they can apparently hide from Sif's sight. So how do you track it down if Thor can't call it back, and Sif apparently can't see it? Then it hit me. This is why it had to be Throg. What if a little piece of Mjolnir could be used as a sort of tracking device? Because that is what Throg's hammer is, it's a small chunk of Mjolnir. Could this little piece be drawn to the larger hammer? If so, then Throg makes complete sense for this mission, he truly is the only one who could do this, if we assume the most obvious solution, asking Sif where it is, and who took it, isn't working.

Though this brings up questions on the specifics of the mission, and how Mjolnir went missing. First of all, WHY can't Sif just go 'oh, there it is'? There are not many that can hide from her sight, and Loki is one of them. This is part of the reason Thor approached him to help with Blake, he wanted Loki to hide them from Sif. Is Throg intended to get Mjolnir back, or is he just there to find out who has it, and what they are doing with it? I mean, with the enchantment acting up, it could technically be taken by just about anyone, after all, and could be being used for good or bad purposes as a result. But there are very few people that have the ability to take it from inside Avengers Mountain, let alone do so while remaining undetected. Loki is one of those people, it wouldn't even be particularly difficult for him, even though to most, Avengers Mountain would be extremely hard to get into, something previously only done with inside help. so really I'd think Loki would be a prime suspect, particularly if Mjolnir was actually taken directly. But it is also possible Mjolnir flew off on it's own, to either act autonomously, or to find the person it chose.

I'm a bit torn on which would be better. If it just up and flew to Loki, (or whoever, but I do think he's likely) then it's a clear sign that's the chosen successor it wants, and shows that Loki doesn't have like, malicious intent, cus he didn't actually do anything. At least to the reader, anyway, I'm sure the characters would question it. And we have had some foreshadowing that it has chosen Loki. It seems to act up in his presence, and when Sif sent it to Jotunheim, it proceeded to fly to him and land at his feet, accompanied by blatant foreshadowing that this would be brought up again as 'a story for another time'. I don't think Sif would have sent it to Loki specifically, i think it was just a general destination of 'Jotunheim' and then it kinda... chose where it landed specifically. But questioning Loki's motives may make the better story, if he went in there and took it himself, and then had to work and prove he deserves it, rather than people just accepting the decision of the hammer. And it would show agency, though as with the TV series, the point may be to strip him of agency, since that's something he hates. So yeah, i can see merits to both scenarios. Tho, with Jane it just kinda called to her, but she still had to go there to get it, so it was kind of both.

But, regardless of the specifics of how it gets to him, Loki is one of the very few that could hide this from Sif and everyone else. And I could understand why he would want to, even with no malicious intent at all. He knows he is not trusted, and that if people knew it was him who had it, it would be likely that they'd try to take it away. There may also be an element of not wanting to hurt Thor, who seems to be ready to give up his old role, but is not quite ready to pass it on to someone else.

So then Throg. I think it could end up in a scenario where he ends up finding him, and tries to act as a sort of mentor to Loki. Like he finds the hammer, and then rather than fighting him or trying to take it back, he instead tries to make sure Loki does the right thing. I mentioned in my previous post, that I thought it would be a good idea to do the Hero's Journey with Loki here, and follow it very closely. The monomyth requires at least one mentor figure, and it could make sense for Throg to try to be that to Loki. But if it is Loki in the role, I don't think the point is to make him into a clone of Thor, but because the role has to update for the newest generation. The general beats will echo what came before, but specific details like methods used, and personality will likely change. So it will likely end up that Throg thinks he's giving good advice by trying to make Loki be more Thor-like, but that's not actually what's needed, and they both have to come to realize that. Still, he'd probably be able to offer some help, and it would be fun to see them together. But another possible mentor that's been set up is Iron Man, who is definitely more in line with how Loki operates. So he's actually probably be a much better mentor figure there. Though not without risks, as they could end up feeding each other's bad habits. I think that could be a fun trio for an adventure, Throg, Iron Man, and Loki.

But I had another thought, about echoing the past. Occurred to me that Cates said Throg would be appearing again after this, but not necessarily in Thor, and... he's writing Hulk. Loki used the Hulk as his pawn in the scheme that inadvertently got the Avengers together... so, if they're gonna echo the past... then Cates could do a bit of a crossover with Hulk for that part. Presumably with Blake breaking free and trying to get the Avengers to fight Loki, using Hulk. Or even just try to get Loki to fight Hulk. We'd probably get a 'puny god' callback in that case, but hopefully Loki fares a bit better here.

#thor #loki #marvel #donny cates #speculation #ramble #mjolnir #comics #throg

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