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#which has made me worried that jane is going to be thor for the entire movie & we’re just never going to see human astrophysicist jane again
Fair warning, I am absolutely going to gatekeep Jane Foster. I was fine when Wanda gained such a huge fanbase post-WandaVision because she was so underserved by the plot before, so having been a fan since 2014/15 (whenever they announced the twins being in AoU and we started getting behind-the-scenes promo) it’s great to see her being so popular now. It’s just people seeing how awesome she’s been all along. But no, you do not get to come in and say you love Jane now that she’s Thor/has powers if you’re also a person who has ignored her existence for years or said that she’s boring and useless and “not Thor’s equal” because she can’t fight.
This includes Feige and Waititi and their stupid sexist comments, women (or any people!) don’t have to be physical fighters to be badass. Jane has been badass and amazing the entire time because she’s an astrophysicist and loves science and is endlessly curious. Those are the traits that A. got her a Nobel prize, B. let her help save the world with science, C. are the reasons Thor fell in love with her in the first place.
I absolutely love Jane as Thor in comics, but the reason she’s so incredible is not because she fights her enemies with the powers of a god, but because she does that while being human. That is quite literally the entire point of her story.
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shreddedparchment · 3 years
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A Wife for Thor Pt.23
A Royal Invitation
05/02/2021
Pairing: King!Thor x Reader          Word Count: 5,960
Warnings: fluff, slight angst, language
A/N: I hope you all enjoy this one. It took me forever to get out after several life events that just couldn’t be ignored or put on the back burner. I had a lot of fun in the second half of this chapter and I hope y’all find it as entertaining as I did. Let me know what your favorite parts are! I’d love to know. As always, thanks for reblogging if you happen to do so. xoxo
Please DO NOT repost my stories on any other sites or blogs.
REBLOGS are always welcome!
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The city is in celebration for three nights after you come home.
They’re not necessarily celebrating your return although that is part of why they’re happy, but the baby. The baby is already so loved. The baby is the city’s hope and future.
You can feel their exuberance when you and Thor take a walk through the city, flanked by Valkyrie with Loki on your left walking just slightly behind you.
He’s busy but smug and keeps his fingers moving swiftly across the screen of a tablet provided by Tony Stark who’d left the city taking Bruce with him back to the United States on Avengers business.
What Loki is doing, what's got him so glued to his tablet, you don’t find out until the evening of the first day of celebrations.
As your people’s cheers, laughter, and music filter in through the long wall of windows that Thor’s had thrown open to let the joviality in, Loki crosses to the long couch across from the one where you sit with Thor.
Legs thrown across his lap, Thor’s hands gently massaging your calves and feet, you lean back against the cushions that Thor set up against the arm for you.
The sitting room is long, rectangular and faces the East side of the palace. You can’t see the entire city and have more of a mountain view than on the West side where your rooms are and you can see the expanse of the ocean.
Like the rest of the palace, it’s decorated in a mixture of wood and silver steel. The chandeliers above are carefully carved and wired, the lighting kept dim. The seats are also wood but covered with soft cushions for lounging and restful naps.
There’s a slightly simpler look to this sitting room. Relaxed.
Before you’d taken your break from being Queen, you hadn’t spent much time in this part of the palace. Nothing had called to you. The garden had been the only spot you’d sought out but this sitting room is quickly becoming your favorite.
“I like it in here,” you confess, smiling at Thor who’s still squeezing your foot gently.
He smiles and meets your gaze, “Why’s that?”
“Because Jane was never in here,” Loki supplies, swiping left on his tablet then turns it to face both of you. “We’ve got more energy signatures. New ones.”
You and Thor sit up a little straighter.
“What quadrant?”
Loki purses his lips and then turns the tablet back towards himself cutting off your look at a map of the night sky.
“All of them. Whatever it is, it’s jumping around. I think perhaps they know we’re watching.”
Swallowing hard, you scoot closer to Thor, pulling one of your legs down as you twist to face Loki a little better. Thor takes hold of your thigh instead as it rests over his and wraps his other arm around your waist, eager to have you close.
Both of you haven’t stopped touching each other since your return last night.
“What does that mean? If they’re trying to confuse us, then they’re headed for us, right?”
“I won’t let anything happen to you or our little one, cherub,” Thor’s reassurance comes softly, his smile confident but soft. “Whatever this is, we’ll be ready for it. Have you sent the data to the others?”
“Sif is coming in for a debrief and we’ll send her to relay the specifics in person. It will need some explanation and Fandral will probably only skim the information if we send it to him via email.”
“We must have all of our troops trained for whatever attack is to come. I’m not going to let someone jeopardize our place here on Earth. We will protect our people but we will show the humans that we will defend them too from any threats to come,” Thor declares, his voice deep and determined, even angry.
He doesn’t like someone threatening his new home. Not after what happened to Asgard. The stress is in his eyes and you lean against him which you’re glad does what you want.
It distracts him.
“I had Stark build you a safe room. He called it a panic room, I think? So, should something happen, you’re to go in there and lock yourself in while we deal with any threat.”
You nod but push yourself back again to rest against the arm of the sofa while stretching out your legs again. It feels good and you sigh heavily as you rub your belly. Sitting scrunched up like that had been annoying.
“I have been training though. Even pregnant. At home, Loki would spar with me and help me with my technique. The short swords aren’t heavy anymore.”
Thor looks at his brother who sits smiling proudly at you before he notices the edge in Thor’s electric blue eye.
“It was all done safely. She and the baby were never in danger. I thought it was foolish to have her out there without her swords and the training to go along with them. Just because she left didn’t mean that she could slack off. Don’t give me that look. You know as well as I do that she needs to know. Even carrying your child, it’s important for her to know. One might even say especially because she's carrying the heir."
Loki’s voice grows steadily more subdued. Sad. Like a bad memory is playing itself over in his mind.
“I was too late, Loki,” Thor interjects, drawing your gaze to him too. He also looks sad. “And if you hadn’t been in that cell you’d have been long gone. Neither of us could have saved her. And you’re right. I know how important it is.”
Thor looks at you and takes your feet back in his hands, “I’m glad you trained. Once our child is born you’ll have to show me those skills of yours.”
Despite the playful nature of his taunt, you can see that he and Loki are both still in the depths of their grief. They must be thinking of their mother.
"So, these energy signatures, you still have no idea who could be causing them?"
The question is pointless. You know they don't know but it's something to say when all you can do is worry silently.
“I have theories,” Loki admits, exchanging a careful look with Thor. “But nothing concrete. Nothing that would put you at ease.”
“I don’t need to be put at ease, Loki. I need to know if there’s something to worry about. This doesn’t just affect our family but our people. If we need to warn them, we can’t be hesitant. Earth deserves a heads up, too.”
This is your job right? The voice of both your new Asgardian family and the people of Earth? This is why you were required to marry Thor.
Thor’s hand increases in strength around your foot as he tries to calm you.
“You’re right, cherub. Loki only means that there is no evidence to prove his theories so until we can find something to link these strange power surges to what he thinks it might be, then we should play this safe and hold off on raising any alarms. Isn’t that right, Loki?”
“Mm,” Loki agrees, nodding.
You frown, pulling your leg off of Thor’s lap to sit down properly and face both brothers. They sit up a little straighter in response to your own rigid back, your hands on your lap.
This isn’t right, whatever they might think.
“No,” you shake your head and watch as Loki puts his tablet down.
Thor scoots forward, reaching over to take your hand. You let him because he’s not trying to comfort you anymore. Instead, this reach is one of support and when you look at his singular eye, the patch on his empty socket gleaming softly in the dim light of the room, you can see he’s intent on listening and understanding.
If Jane has made any positive impact on you and Thor, it’s this. He’s really listening to you.
“Thor, you and the Asgardians are a unique people. You’ve all had it hard and I’m not trying to say that your struggles haven’t been difficult, but by nature, just by the very way that you all are made and born, you are stronger. It’s in your body’s makeup.
“For someone like me, if I were to jump from that open window, I would die. If you or any of the other Asgardians jumped from that window, you’d probably ache for a while, maybe a few would even get a few broken bones or cuts but they’d be superficial wounds.
“You know from experience how fragile humans are. Both of you,” the look you give Loki pulls his gaze down to his feet. “We’re unprepared for anything other than each other. We need more of a warning than you. We need time to prepare.”
It all falls into place in your head and with confidence you turn to look at Thor, turning your hand over to take his in your own hand.
With a quick squeeze, you scoot just a little closer to him, “Thor, I need to speak to the ambassadors. We need to schedule an official meeting to give them the rundown on what we’ve been doing here and what we’re keeping an eye on. Because, knowing Tony, I’m sure he hasn’t said anything to anyone outside of the compound?”
Loki sits back, crossing his legs as he shuts his tablet off, “No. Stark is as preoccupied about raising the alarm as we are. But now that you mention it, I suppose both we and he are not looking at this from a regular civilian of Earth’s point of view.”
“Y/N,” Thor calls your attention back to him, “This could backfire. We could be doing more harm than good by sharing with them the information we’ve gathered.”
You shake your head, “Maybe you’re right. Maybe I’m jumping the gun here. The last thing I want to do is cause a panic. But I don't think that’ll happen. It’s not like we’re going to leak it onto the internet. We’re going to meet with the ambassadors and provide this information to world leaders so that they can prepare the way they see fit. Trust me, these prime ministers and presidents and kings aren’t going to just announce to their people that some alien threat is on the way. They don’t want to look out of control or unprepared.
“We need to give Earth’s humans a chance to defend themselves. Even if they end up needing our help, they deserve to know.”
Loki and Thor are silent for what feels to you like a long time. In reality, you know it must only be seconds. However, this is the first time you’ve pushed back with them. This is the first time you’re speaking on behalf of the human race.
It makes you nervous and anxious. Will they let you be Queen in this sense? Or is it all just show?
They look at each other, staring and communicating silently before Loki gets to his feet and turns his tablet back on.
“Well, if I’m to set up a meeting with the ambassadors, NATO, and the UN I should probably get started.”
Your heart explodes with pride. They’re letting you really rule! You’re making a difference. True change. Your excitement mingles with a sudden terror as you realize that your choices are going to affect what will be millions if not billions of people.
Luckily, Loki’s words also serve to distract you from your trepidation.
“Wait, Loki,” you hurry to your feet and scurry to his side before ripping the tablet from his hands and hiding it behind your back.
“Hey,” he protests, reaching around you to try and grab it.
You hurry back to Thor and instead of sitting beside him you plop yourself onto his lap and sit as close as you can to trap the tablet between your bodies.
You can hear Thor’s heart begin to pound. Aside from those kisses yesterday, this is the closest you’ve put yourself to him since you got back. He’d slept with you in your shared bedroom, but he’d laid facing you and you him, a good six inches between your bodies.
He wraps his arms around you, placing his hands along the swell of your tummy. You can almost feel him glowing with happiness.
“As eager as I am to give Earth a heads up, I also think you need a break. The energy isn’t going anywhere and the Warriors Three and Sif are on the watch. Please do me a big favor and just take a day or two? You’ve been at it like crazy since I left the palace and it would make me so happy if my baby’s Uncle Loki would take a breather. He’s gotta be strong and in tip-top shape if he’s going to keep up with his future nephew.”
“Or niece,” Thor interjects. “She’s right, Loki. Rest. We’ll get back on this in two days and you can set everything up then. The city is roaring with celebration. Go out and enjoy it. You always loved a good party.”
Loki glares at the pair of you, “Using the future prince or princess is blackmail. And if I’m out there, what will you two do?”
Thor smiles at him, reaching between your bodies to grab the tablet from where it’s hidden. He sets it aside and his other hand trails over your side before wrapping around your waist to cup your bump again.
“I’m sure my queen and I will find something to keep us occupied. Making up for lost time, perhaps?”
Your neck burns but you grin up at Loki who fixes you with a knowing smile, “Of course. How silly of me. Well, let me not keep you from reacquainting yourselves with each other. If you have need of me, I will be around. Just call.”
“Have fun, Loki,” you call after him.
As he shuts the door, Thor tilts your head to the side, pulling you back against his chest fully so that he can kiss you without prompting.
“Sleeping beside you once more was dreamlike, cherub,” Thor tells you, low and full of want.
“And what would make it more real for you?”
“Shall I show you?”
And he waits, like the jerk that he is. He literally just dangles the carrot in front of you. His hard body pressed against your back, the heat of his legs seeping through your clothes to your skin.
His hands trace tantalizing circles around your stomach but make the slightest tickles to the fold of your pelvis. You hate him!
“Oh my god, hurry up, dummy.”
That’s all the invitation he needs. In an instant you’re in his arms as he settles you on the sofa, his hands already yanking and pulling at your clothes but when your tummy is exposed, he drops to his knees and worships your pregnant body with gentility and softness.
At least until you growl and yank him up to finish what he’s started.
~~~~~~~~~~
The sheets against your skin feel soft as silk. They’re slightly sticky but that’s more to do with your own body’s sweat.
“Why are you up?” Thor’s voice is heavy with sleep.
It’s thick and rough. It makes you smile and your ears burn because he sounds delicious and you missed mornings like this.
“I’m hungry,” you admit.
Thor tumbles from the bed, dragging with him the heavier faux fur blanket that sits at the foot of your bed for decoration usually. He wraps it around his waist and pulls the cord by the door.
“I already called them, puppy,” you assure him, and he smiles sleepily at you before moving towards you.
“I missed my term of endearment. Why a dog?”
As he reaches you, you open your sheet and his eyes roam the length of your naked body before he gets all handsy and dives into the sheet with you, eventually settling his hands on your bum. No groping, just resting. Then slowly he trails his fingers up along the sides of your back up to your shoulders and back down.
It leaves your skin full of goosebumps and you shiver. He misinterprets it and instead of stopping his stroking, he uses his flat hand to create friction instead.
“It’s not a dog, it’s a puppy. They’re cute and they’re kinda, I don’t know, like...clueless?” You laugh because that’s not the word you were looking for but it’s what comes out.
“Uh, excuse me, I have plenty of clues,” Thor argues, but he doesn’t seem offended.
“That’s not the right word,” you laugh again. “I don’t know how to describe it. I just want to squeeze you and cuddle you because you’re like this big blonde golden retriever only sexier.”
Thor makes his thinking face as he tries to pull up the picture of the dog breed you just compared him to, and he nods slowly.
“I think I can live with that,” Thor smiles down at you then leans to meet your lips.
You kiss him eagerly, your bodies both humming with anticipation even though you spent the last two days--practically--in bed.
Both of you know that there’s a time when this lust might not necessarily fade but dull a bit? Then again, it is Thor and he’s ravenous for you almost all the time.
You chuckle against his lips and he pulls back to look at you.
“What has you laughing so adorably?”
You let go of the sheet and before it can fall, Thor replaces your hands with his own to hold it up around you both. With free hands you’re able to trace the length of his arms, tracing the large curves. His skin is so damn soft.
You’re still not sure if that’s a Thor thing or an Asgardian God thing? What you know is that you love it and your fingers eat it up every time you touch him.
Whatever laugh or trace of humor you had falls away as you start to really look within yourself and examine why you’re so happy.
You shove your arms underneath his and wrap your arms around him, small whisper slaps of his skin as your hands are splayed out along his wide back. You press your ear against his chest. The thud of his heart is strong and slightly speedy, probably in response to your sudden shift in mood.
The swell between both of you, the little life kicking in response to your mood pulls both your attention for a few seconds before you find your voice.
“I missed you, Thor. More than I thought I would. Way more than I ever knew I could.”
The somber tone of your voice has him giving you a nice gentle squeeze. He likes having you right there right up against him just as much as you like being there.
“Well, you were very angry with me,” Thor reminds you. “I didn’t know your face could make those expressions. That day at your home?”
You hug him tighter, staring out at the small bloom of sunrise in the distance. It’s very slightly starting to glisten on the still ocean line.
“I was angry. But it was more than that.”
“I know,” Thor kisses the top of your head. “I hurt you. What I said, I-I didn’t mean it, cherub. I promise you. It was a temporary insanity. The moment you came into that room after I said what I did, I knew that I could never go through with it. And if you’d told me that we were expecting a child-”
“I couldn’t,” you sigh, leaning back to look up at him. “In my head, if I told you then after what you'd said that I was pregnant and you chose to stay with me, I would live the rest of my life wondering whether you chose me because you really loved me or because I was finally going to give New Asgard their heir.”
Thor’s face crumbles a little, brow scrunched, mouth pulled down at the corners as he shakes his head.
“I will always choose you. Not because you are the mother of my children, but because you are the love of my life. The one I did not expect. The one that I can never chance to lose again. I’m sorry that I ever made you doubt me.”
Staring into his eye, the intensity of his gaze, you know that he means what he says. He loves you.
Even though you can’t admit it to him because your reconciliation needs all of the positivity that you can both muster, in your heart, you can’t help but wonder if you can truly trust him.
~~~~~~~~~~
The days go by like routine after the Asgardians find that they have to go back to their jobs and lives.
As much as they all love a good party, Thor and Loki included if the last two days are any indication, they know they can't keep going and must get back to life as usual.
Thor at first makes an attempt to stay with you. The last few months of being without each other makes it difficult to be apart and for Thor especially, with the baby.
He hates leaving you. He wants to be there for every kick and every shift.
His largest grievance is that he can't listen to your laugh when the baby kicks and it feels weird. This you only find out because Loki, in his annoyance with the constant trips Thor makes him do to check on you when he's in his meetings.
Although you believe Loki, you take all of these little indicators of Thor’s love with ease but with the knowledge that it might very well be fleeting.
You try not to think about it and instead just allow yourself to enjoy the fact that Thor does indeed love you and you love him too. Even if it may not be forever. Even if it can change. Even if the future is now a little less certain.
Your meeting with the ambassadors approaches quickly. It takes a month to set it up. Longer than you'd thought and it doesn't take long to understand why.
"This is the third time they've pushed the meeting back," you gripe, moving over to Loki’s computer to look over his shoulder at the surprisingly very short email.
Please inform Her Majesty, the Queen of Asgard, that we are unable to meet with her as previously scheduled this week and will be in contact as to the next available day.
Should any true trouble arise, please tell Thor that we are more than happy to meet with him.
Sincerely,
Earth AMB Mark Coates
You're seething. You've never been this angry. Never this absolutely heated. Not even with Thor and what happened with Jane can compare to the absolute rage flowing through your veins.
"They don't seem to take you seriously," Loki realizes. "Because you're a woman?"
"Partially, probably," you growl as you move back around his desk to sit in the padded armchair by the window where you'd been watching Thor visit with the Valkyrie.
He's not there anymore though and you can see Hilde and her girls relaxing a little. Adjusting their armor, laughing, sitting and talking. Now that their inspection is over they can breathe.
Why they get so nervous you don't understand. Thor’s such a fanboy. He gushes about them constantly.
"What other reason might there be?" Loki asks, rising and moving around his desk to lean against it casually, hands shoved into the inky black pockets of his slacks.
His jade vest is unbuttoned and the sleeves of his dark gray button-up folded up to his elbow.
Summer is almost here and it's getting hotter.
You don't answer right away. Hands slowly stroking your belly, trying to calm down for the baby's sake. Feeling that upset can't be good for him.
You take a long deep inhale and with a heavy sigh release the stress.
"My Queen?" Loki urges, and you smile.
Realizing he's calling you by your title to reaffirm your place among them to make you feel better, you turn your smile on him.
"You've always been my biggest supporter. You and David," your smile falters. "I miss him."
"Is he still in Baghdad?"
"Yeah. He’s in deep so, no contact. I hope he's okay."
"You know, you do have a part time Avenger as a husband and the best magician for a brother-in-law. One word and we'd be happy to assist with your lawyer's extraction."
"Which is why I don't ask. If he needs help, David will let us know. He has his panic button."
The gift had been given to you by Tony who had made it for you to press when you and Thor had been estranged. An easy way to call for Thor if something should happen.
Your brother-in-law nods.
"I suppose it would be a little like nepotism. Fine. What should I do about the misogynistic email?" Loki wonders.
"He's not exactly a misogynist. Not completely anyway. The ambassador blowing me off has more to do with me specifically than it does with me being a woman."
This seems to set Loki off more than if the ambassador was doing this because you're a woman.
"What right does he have to snub the Queen of Asgard? Doesn't he know what that might do to relations between Earth and our people?"
You shake your head, smiling because his anger makes you feel better.
"No, he doesn't. Because to the world my marriage to Thor is show. It's a necessary political move. They don't care whether Thor and I love each other and Jane and Thor’s relationship was so publicized that it’s hard for them to accept that Thor might actually love me.
"Thor went to extreme lengths to protect Jane in the past. Public displays of affection like that aren't forgotten easily.
"To the ambassadors and probably most of the world, offending me doesn't mean an offense against Thor. To them, I'm a queen in name only. No real power here."
Loki huffs through his nose, standing straight with his hands at his waist before he turns to walk back behind his desk.
He stops for a moment, thinking hard you guess, then whips around and stomps towards you before shoving his finger towards the windows.
"I know it has been a while for me, but I can very easily open another tear in space over New York. Or wherever you need me to. I might need a bit of time to locate the power and forces to do it but I will show the people.of Earth what happens when they underestimate the love of the Asgardian people for their queen."
Leaning back in your chair, you keep your arms around your bump as you watch Loki make his threat.
"That's a bit much for a dude who just thinks that my political marriage is just that, isn't it?"
You keep your face clear of amusement, because it really is very sweet of him to be so upset for you. But you can't help the small smile that stretches your lips.
He deflates, moving to other armchair across from yours and sits but leans forward with his elbows on his knees.
"It's shameless disrespect, Y/N. We cannot let them get away with it. You are Asgardian now. A slight against you is a slight against this Kingdom."
"I know, Loki. But-"
Behind Loki his office door opens. It faintly creeks and through it pokes Thor’s searching gaze.
He looks confused as he scans the room until he spots the two of you and with a little skip in his step and a wide unfettered smile, he shuts the door and moves towards you.
"Hi," you smile at him widely in reaction to the loveable look on his face.
"Hello," Thor replies, his voice low and quiet as he leans down towards you.
"You finished early today," you observe, voice just as quiet.
"You know I hate being apart," Thor whispers and presses his lips to yours.
His kiss is so soft and slow.
He pulls away too quickly and as your heart stutters, you reach up to hook your hands into the sides of his chest plate and pull him back down for another kiss.
He'd worn his full uniform today for an early meeting and the inspection of the Valkyrie. He looks so good but with his hair growing in, now just past his shoulders.
He still has the two small braids you'd worked in on the left side of his head and he looks so good, you might jump him later. If you don't pass out for an afternoon nap.
He pulls away again, this time smiling brightly.
"Will I always get this welcome if I come home early? I might have to shorten my days."
You chuckle as he moves around you and stops by a side table where Loki keeps a few weapons on display on a stand. He starts to remove his harder pieces of armor and places them aside.
"What has you looking so stern, brother?" Thor asks, keeping his back to you both as he moves onto the leather pieces that keep his chain mail from shifting.
Loki sits back, sighing heavily as he considers how much to tell Thor.
"Something I should worry about? Come. Tell me and lessen your burden."
"He's upset for me. That's all."
You hear the clink of Thor's mail as it falls on the table then he's moving around your right to squat by your chair so that he's below your eye level.
"Upset for you? Why?" His look of concern is upsetting and pleasing at the same time.
You purse your lips and look at Loki.
"It might be easier if I showed you," he says then rises and moves to his desk to get his tablet.
Thor reaches out to place his hand on your belly and you place yours over his.
He smiles at you then leans down to kiss your tummy while you run your fingers through his hair and try to ignore the utterly breathtaking and heartaching butterflies that his sweet love on your baby gives you.
"I missed you," he whispers to you.
Again, your heart stutters. He’s so easy with his words. These declarations feel so good but that little voice in the back of your head also makes your heart ache.
You just smile at him. Unable to speak when you feel like you're glowing and grieving at the same time.
"Here," Loki holds out the tablet and Thor stands then takes it.
He moves to the loveseat across from your and Loki's armchairs and plops down before reading.
You watch him, admiring the out of armor look. His black leather pants are just as hugging as they always are. His top, a dark gray long sleeve made with breathable fabric leaves no room to wonder just how defined his muscles are.
He's Asgardian perfection.
He breathes in deeply then exhales loudly, a passing shadow of rage overcoming his Godly features before he tosses the tablet at Loki lightly who catches it easily.
Thor spreads his legs a little, tapping his heels as he throws his left arm along the back of the small sofa, his other hand resting on his thigh.
"Write the bastard and tell him I'm requesting the meeting then. Then my cherub and I will both be waiting to give him both the information he needs to warn Earth and a piece of my mind."
You look down at your feet, heart pounding and stomach tumbling with nerves.
You don't want to be the reason any rifts come between New Asgard and Earth. The whole purpose of the position you hold is to protect the citizens of this city.
"Thor," you warn, turning to meet his gaze only when you know you can handle it.
"He wants me to contact him, so I will. In fact, send a raven instead. Do the works. Scroll. Seal. And when they arrive, give them a royal welcome with trumpets and a guard."
"Thor…"
"They will not disrespect you and find warm welcomes in my home. You are my wife. My Queen! Even if all they assume is between us is political agreement, they should respect the title you hold. We may not be above them, but we do outrank them an they need to know that you are not to be messed with.
"The fact that I love you only makes my resolve stronger."
"Okay. I get it, puppy. And I'm grateful to both you and Loki for standing up for me. With your tempers, no one would believe you aren't blood related. Sheesh."
You gran hold of the arms of your chair and groan only a little as you push yourself up onto your feet.
"Oof," you reach back and place your hand on your waist.
Thor’s arm immediately extends out towards you. Beckoning you to his side.
It takes you a moment but you get your footing back and move for him. As soon as you're within reach his arm is around you, helping you sit down carefully.
He doesn't let you sit back all the way. He pushes you to your left so that you'll shift and sit angled while he sits up straighter and turns to face you.
With gentle but firm hands he starts to work out the kinks and knots in your back.
Unintentionally you moan with relief. Thor’s eyes are on Loki though.
"What was your idea?"
"I offered to open another tear in space above whatever city she deemed proper. With the allowance of time to find both the power to do so and the army to lead through it."
You can't see Thor expression but when he speaks, his disapproving sounds fake.
"I'm not sure even idly that threat is in good taste. But I understand the sentiment."
"Do you really want me to make all of that fuss to make the ambassador come and meet with you?"
"Yes. I think he needs to be humbled. He may be in a position of power and my Y/N may owe her marriage to their insistence and meddling, but she is Queen and they are speakers for Earth. They would not have jobs had we not come to live here. Their disrespect of our Queen is a slight on our people.
"The moment I took Y/N under my banner is the moment she became Asgardian from the tips of her cute toes to the top of her irresistible head. And with our child on the way, they should know better."
Loki gets to his feet and moves towards the door, "Very well. One royal invitation coming right up."
As he leaves, Thor’s focus is diverted completely to you.
"Does that feel good, love?"
You only moan in return.
Thor chuckles and keeps going for a few minutes longer before you push back towards him and he lets you rest your back against his chest.
You can't be scrunched forward too long before your stomach begins to feel squished.
You look straight up at his face and he smiles.
"Hi," you tell him.
"Hello."
You smile.
"Was the massage satisfactory?"
"Mmmm, it was great. Your hands are godly, puppy."
Thor chuckles at the pun but leans forward to kiss the tip of your nose.
"And you, my sweet cherub, are a Goddess. And I will make sure you are treated as such."
417 notes · View notes
nikki-writes-stuff · 3 years
Text
Beauty In the Blood - Part 5
Summary: One day your friend convinces you to join a dating website that matches people based on their search histories, and when you match with Loki Odinson, a handsome, intelligent coroner who’s a fan of your murder mysteries, you’re absolutely thrilled. But there’s something off about Loki, and as your relationship progresses, you discover that his dark side is even darker than you could ever have imagined…
Pairing: Serial Killer!Loki x Writer!Reader
Read part four here! 
A/N: This story is based off of this post! I hope you guys enjoy; this is my first time writing Loki, and this will probably be the darkest thing I’ve ever written. Please let me know what you think as the story progresses!
*Please read to the end for another author’s note!*
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A/N: Warning, folks! Here be smut! Nothing too dark in this chapter as far as gore or violence goes, though. Which... I suppose is a plus, considering this story. I hope you guys enjoy!
Too good to be true.
That was the thought that kept plaguing you, even four months later. He’s too good to be true. This relationship is too good to be true. What happens when I figure out that this is too good to possibly be true?
And yet, day after day, Loki continued to prove you wrong. It wasn’t all just the big romantic overtures that you found out he loved to make. (Like the time he had a dozen red roses delivered to your door on your one-months anniversary. Or the brand new matching wireless keyboard and mouse he got to make writing easier for you. Or the time he took you to a quaint, tucked away speak-easy to treat you to a night of drinks and slow dancing.)
It was in the little things, too. How he would come over on days where you felt less-than-good to hold you and watch your favorite movies. Or how he would send you texts throughout the day to tell you about an interesting case at work, or to ask you what you wanted for dinner on date night, or just to tell you that he was thinking about you.
In fact, some would even say that he was too attentive, too perfect, and were it anyone else, alarm bells would be going off in your head. But there was something about him that made you keep coming back for more, and even with months now behind you, you still couldn’t get enough.
And maybe that was why you were so nervous right now. Pacing back and forth across the length of your bedroom, you stared down at your stocking-clad feet as you tried frantically to tamp down the butterflies batting around your rib cage. You knew, consciously, that even if tonight were a disaster, Loki would still care about you. He wouldn’t just up and leave, even if Thor ended up despising you.
But you still really hoped he wouldn’t.
A gasp parted your lips when the tell-tale sound of your doorbell echoed throughout your home, and after one more deep breath, you pulled your heels on and made your way down the stairs. With one last glance in the mirror and a quick, silent prayer to whoever might be listening, you threw your purse over your shoulder and opened your front door.
His smile still caught you off guard sometimes. As you stepped out into the darkness of the evening, you felt heat flood your cheeks as Loki grinned up at you. He was dressed impeccably as always, sporting a dark green suit with a crisp white shirt, and if the way his eyes raked over you was anything to go by, he was more than pleased with how you looked, as well.
“And you must be the woman I’ve heard so much about!”
A loud, booming voice took you off guard, and you watched as annoyance flashed over your boyfriend’s face at the outburst. As he turned to shoot a glare over his shoulder, you caught a flash of the other man waiting at the base of your front steps, and though you already knew that Loki was adopted, you were still briefly taken aback by just how different the two brothers were.
Thor was just as large as Loki had described, and although the two stood at about the same height, his shoulders and build were so broad that he would have been quite intimidating, were it not for the large grin on his face. His long hair was pulled up into a loose bun, showing off a pair of blue eyes that seemed to radiate genuine happiness, and despite your still-present nerves, you couldn’t help but let a matching smile come over your features.
“Hi, Thor. Loki’s told me so much about you.”
“And I’m sure all of it is incredibly flattering, right?” He sent a conspiratorial glance back to Loki, who only raised an eyebrow.
“Whatever could I tell her about you that wouldn’t be flattering, brother?”
“Nothing comes to mind, seeing whereas I’ve never done anything wrong or questionable.”
“Thor Odinson? Perish the thought.”
The man in question let out a bark of laughter before turning back to you and extending his arm for a handshake.
“Well, my brother has nothing but glowing remarks about you,” he remarked, all but crushing your hand in his grip. “And I couldn’t be more thrilled to finally meet the woman who’s stolen Loki’s heart.”
Once more, you felt heat rising in your face, and you let out a nervous chuckle as Thor dropped your hand. From your right, you felt an arm slither around your waist, and you leaned into Loki’s warmth.
“Thank you so much! It’s a pleasure to meet you, too.”
“You don’t need to lie for his sake, love,” Loki stage-whispered into your ear. Rolling your eyes, you gave him a nudge with your elbow, though Thor seemed to be used to his brother’s sass. Without a glance in his direction, Thor reached into his pocket and withdrew a set of keys, clicking a button on them until you heard a car beep close by.
“Shall we be off, then?” he asked. “We have about twenty minutes until our reservation.”
“That is if his driving doesn’t kill us along the way,” Loki snarked, guiding you towards the car with a hand on your lower back.
“I didn’t hear you offering to drive earlier, Loki,” Thor commented, sending his brother a look that elicited a scowl in response.
“Only because my car is in the shop. Remember?”
“Excuses, excuses.”
You giggled at the pained look your boyfriend sent you, pecking his cheek as Thor made his way around to the driver’s seat. Loki offered to sit in the back, but after a few moments of deliberation, you ended up sitting in the back with Loki on the passenger side next to Thor. Your seating arrangements ended up working out perfectly, though, because you had the perfect vantage point to watch the two brothers bicker over how to get to the restaurant. Loki was doing his best to navigate, but… Well. You quickly learned that it was of no use with Thor behind the wheel.
“I said take a left at Sycamore, Thor.”
“I heard you. But there’s a shortcut between Sycamore and Highland Street.”
“No, there’s not. Have you even driven through this part of New York before?”
“You forget I used to live here, too, brother. I know exactly what I’m doing.”
“Oh, just like you did when we were driving through London, yes?”
“That was your fault. If you hadn’t had tried to-“
“WATCH FOR PEDESTRIANS, FOR CHRIST’S SAKE!”
Needless to say, the twenty minute drive was eventful to say the least, and you were only mildly traumatized by the way Thor was bobbing and weaving through the thick New York traffic. Even Loki looked a bit green from it, and you’d never seen your boyfriend shaken by anything. When both of you had your feet once again on solid ground, he wrapped an arm around you once again and whispered against your hair.
“I really do apologize for all of that, darling.”
“No, please don’t. It was funny,” you assured him, pecking his cheek as Thor rounded the vehicle towards you. “Usually you’re so…unperturbed. It was nice to see you a little ruffled.”
He sent you a bemused smile, but it vanished as Thor clapped him on the back hard enough to make him stumble forward a few steps.
“Well, nothing ruffles Loki’s feathers like me. It took an entire month of convincing for him to even agree to me visiting.”
“A decision I’m regretting more and more as the minutes tick by…”
Soon enough, the three of you were sat at a table in one of the nicest restaurants you’d ever been to. Surprisingly enough, Thor had recommended the place, and after your waiter came by to take your drink orders, you rested your hand on top of Loki’s and turned towards the blonde.
“Thank you for the restaurant suggestion, Thor. How’d you hear about this place?”
“My girlfriend actually told me about it. Usually when I’m in New York on business, I just go to local food trucks or pizza parlors. But Jane said that I should take you two somewhere nice. She apologizes for not being able to make the trip, by the way. She was just as curious about you as I was, but she had an important conference to give a lecture at.”
“That sounds amazing! And no worries; I’d love to meet her next time you’re in town. What do the two of you do for a living?”
“Well, Jane is an astronomer – one of the best in the entire world, actually,” he started, his eyes lighting up at the mention of his partner. “She’s lecturing on a new design she’s invented, some sort of spectrometer. Honestly, it all goes way over my head, but that’s why she’s the genius.”
“To be fair, most things go over your head, brother.”
Thor rolled his eyes at Loki’s quip, and when you turned towards your boyfriend, you saw that he had a small smile on his face to match the mischievous glint in his eyes. You knew better than to take him seriously; anyone would be able to see how close the two were, despite their back-and-forth.
“And what about you, Thor? Loki’s never told me what you do for a living.”
“I work for Stark Industries,” he replied, taking a sip of the large pint of beer he’d ordered. “It’s not much, but it keeps me busy.”
“Not much, indeed,” Loki interjected. “You’re only in charge of the entire marketing department, after all.”
Your eyes widened at that; Stark Industries was one of the biggest, most well-known brand names in the world. From appliances to electronics to clean energy, it was right up there with Google and Disney as far as most were concerned, and to think that Thor was in such a high-ranking position, well… From the things Loki had told you about Thor, you hadn’t expected such a career for him.
“Wow. That’s…incredible. So you know Tony Stark?”
“Oh, me and Tony are great friends. But I don’t ‘run’ the marketing department by any means. Just the UK faction of it.”
“’Just’?”
After that, the waiter stopped by to take your respective orders, after which Thor settled his attention on you once more.
“So, Loki has already told me about your writing. It’s funny to think of him dating the author responsible for those books he’s obsessed over for years.”
“I’m not obse-“
“Has he asked you to sign any of his copies yet?”
He had, jokingly, at one point. But you didn’t tell Thor that.
The rest of the evening passed by without incident, and your nerves quickly evaporated as the three of you laughed and talked through the rest of the meal. Loki liked to joke at Thor’s expense, but it was clear that he held his older brother in high regard, and Thor clearly loved Loki very much. More than a few times, you caught him watching you and Loki closely, a discerning, considering look in his eyes that belayed an intelligence you hadn’t expected. He might not be as book smart or as well-spoken as his younger sibling, but Thor obviously was good when it came to reading people. Whatever he was looking at, though, it didn’t disappoint, because any time your eyes met, he would send you a small, encouraging smile that would immediately dissipate any worries you might have had.
In what felt like no time at all, the three of you were piling out of the car at your house again, and you didn’t hesitate to return Thor’s hug as he said his goodbyes.
“It was wonderful to meet you,” he assured you. “Loki’s never let me meet any of his girlfriends before, but I see now that he was just waiting for the right one to come along first.”
Taken off guard by his genuine compliment, you could only blink up at him for a few moments in surprise before your brain kicked back in.
“That’s…so kind of you to say, Thor. Thank you.”
“No, thank you.”
After clapping you on the shoulder, Thor said his goodbye and got back into his car, giving you and Loki some privacy. As soon as his blonde head disappeared into the vehicle, you felt two cold hands cup your cheeks, and before you knew it, you were being pulled into a deep, toe-curling kiss, and you let yourself melt into your boyfriend’s embrace as he held you against him.
“That went well, I would say,” he murmured as the two of you finally parted. “He likes you, if that wasn’t already obvious.”
“I like him, too,” you smiled. “Thank you for letting me meet him.”
“I should be the one thanking you, love.”
He opened his mouth to continue speaking, but you watched as uncertainty began to creep along his features, and after a few moments of considering, his mouth snapped shut once again.
“What is it?”
“Nothing,” he replied, shaking his head. “I forgot what I was going to say, is all. I think driving with Thor still has my brains slightly scrambled.”
“Hm.” You didn’t believe him, not for a second, but whatever it was left your mind as soon as his lips came down onto yours once more. This kiss was slower than before, and lingering; his hands slid up over your hips to settle on your waist, and he let out a soft sigh through his nose before pulling away to set his forehead on yours.
“I should probably head home,” he whispered. “But Thor leaves out tomorrow morning. Would you like to come over tomorrow?”
“For dinner?”
“And dessert.”
You grinned, pressing one last kiss to his lips before taking a step towards your door.
“I love you, Loki. Have a good rest of your evening.”
“I will, darling. But only because I’ll be thinking of you.”
_______________
The two men drove in silence back to Loki’s house, leaving him to think back over the evening. It couldn’t have gone better, in his opinion. Thor liked you, but Thor was a bit like a golden retriever in that way. He loved most of the people he met, whereas Loki had always been more comparable to a cat; he needed to trust someone before deciding whether or not he liked them, typically, and his trust was not easily gained. In fact, there were only two people in the world he truly trusted, and now, they’d both finally made the other’s acquaintance.
The silence was finally broken when Thor parked in front of Loki’s home. As they both sat there, illuminated by the dashboard and streetlights, his elder brother turned to face him fully.
“I like her,” he announced, as though Loki couldn’t already tell that. “Does she know?”
Loki arched an eyebrow before getting out of the car and fishing his keys out of his pocket, striding up to his door as his brother scrambled to catch up with him.
“I have no idea what you could be alluding to,” he replied, opening his front door and bending down to scoop up Lovecraft, who had a habit of swiping at Thor anytime he tried to enter the house.
“Oh, I wonder,” Thor countered, shutting the door behind him before peeling off his winter coat. “I suppose I could be talking about your allergy to dogs. Or perhaps your aversion to the color orange. Or, oh, I don’t know, your habit of murdering innocents. Who knows?”
With a roll of his eyes, Loki hung his coat up beside Thor’s and started striding towards his basement stairs, trusting Thor to follow him.
“How many times must I tell you – there’s no such thing as ‘innocent’. Not in today’s world, at least.”
“Try telling that to a jury.”
“Hopefully it’ll never come to that point,” Loki sighed. He bypassed the first room of his basement, not giving a second glance to the old, miscellaneous pieces of furniture and the stacked boxes of keepsakes from childhood. No, instead he focused on the large, dusty bookshelf that covered the far wall of the room, reaching for the thick compendium of Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets that hid the keyhole.
“I’ll never get used to being down here…” Thor’s voice was uncharacteristically small in here; usually, his baritone could be heard from several rooms away, but his mood always took a dark turn when he was reminded of Loki’s…’proclivities’.
“You can always wait upstairs, you know,” Loki uttered without a backwards glance, fitting the small key into the lock and twisting until he heard a click.
“I know,” his brother assured him. “But I promised I’d help you, so let’s just get this over with.”
Smirking, Loki pocketed his keys and pulled the hidden door open, watching a section of the bookcase separate from the rest and turn on the hinges he’d installed so long ago. The creaking shriek they elicited made him wince, and he made a mental note to grease them before his next houseguest.
Luckily for Thor, the only beings alive or dead in Loki’s house were the two of them and Lovecraft, who pattered in after them before jumping up onto the chair in the corner. He typically didn’t allow his cat entry to this room, for obvious reasons, but he decided to leave her be as he knelt next to the detached backseat from his car that was sitting in the middle of the room.
“I’ve already replaced the stuffing; you just need to help me reupholster, and then I can do the rest.”
Thor knelt beside him with a grumble, grabbing a staplegun from his wall of power tools and torture instruments as he kept his eyes stubbornly focused on the seat.
“You know, if you used plastic tarps like any self-respecting serial killer would, you wouldn’t have to reupholster anything in the first place,” he groused. Loki knew that he had a point, and he usually did use plastic when transporting his victims.
“…This one was a bit of a last minute decision,” he finally conceded. “But I’m handling it, as you can see.”
Thor’s lips turned white as he pressed them together, pausing in his struggle to roll out more fabric.
“Loki, you can’t afford to make many last minute decisions with this sort of thing,” he muttered, all joking gone from his voice. “You promised me you’d be careful if and when you get these…urges.”
“And I am,” Loki assured his brother. “Truthfully. No one has ever suspected me of anything. Not once, and you know that.”
With a huff, Thor nodded and continued his work, his movements echoing in the concrete chamber. In the back of his mind, Loki knew that his brother was right, though. Five months ago, he never would have been so careless as to get a victim’s blood on his suede car seats. But, now that he had you in his life, all of his passions seemed to be reigniting. For one, he’d never had as much sex in his previous relationships as he was having with you. He also never felt the need to talk to someone as much as he spoke with you; he hadn’t had many girlfriends or boyfriends in the past, but the ones he’d had always complained about him being too distant, too aloof, too ‘unfeeling’. Now, though, he found himself craving you and your company at all times during the day, and his alone time was less and less precious to him as he considered how much better it would be having you by his side.
However, as those passions rose, others did as well. You and your newest novel were a constant source of inspiration to him, and his lust for blood had grown considerably. If he kept up the pace that he was at right now, he knew it would only be a matter of time before he slipped up. But he pushed that thought aside, as he always had. That was a bridge he would cross when he came upon it.
“…Will you ever tell (Y/N)?”
Thor’s question was sudden, and it made his hands still as he reached for the staple gun.
“…Are you suggesting that I do?”
“Of course not.” Thor shook his head, biting back a curse as he tried stretching a length of suede over the car seat’s frame. “At least, not right now. I think both of us know that it wouldn’t end well. But this is a…mammoth secret to keep from a significant other, Loki. And if you weren’t able to hide it from me, there will come a day when you won’t be able to hide it from her, either. Not if you’re going to keep her in your life.”
“You didn’t find out until I was twenty,” he countered. “And you only found out because I got sloppy.”
“I still knew that there was something off. And, if I’m being honest with myself, I suspected the truth for years before I caught you in the act.”
Loki’s eyebrows rose, and he didn’t know what was more surprising to him – the truth, or the fact that his brother was still able to take him off guard, even after all of the years spent together.
“…Truthfully?”
“Of course, Loki. I knew you weren’t sneaking out at night to go clubbing.” He chuckled a bit at the thought, though his laughter died the second he saw the look Loki shot him. “I saw you burning your clothes once, in the field behind our house. We were 17 at the time, I think. And I knew you wouldn’t burn them unless it were to hide…well. Bloodstains. It was the only explanation for why you decided to burn them in the middle of the night, at least.
“But I told myself that I was wrong. People do that, you know; when someone you love hurts you, or when they do something wrong, you know it. But you lie to yourself anyways.”
There was a long, heavy silence before the two brothers got back to work, one that was only broken several minutes later, when they were mostly finished.
“Loki?”
“Mm?”
Loki looked up, catching a solemn expression on Thor’s face that immediately didn’t sit right with him. For all of his sociopathic tendencies towards most people, he didn’t like to see his typically jovial sibling so serious.
“I can’t pretend to know what it’s like to be you,” Thor sighed. “I’ve never fully understood how your mind works, but I know that it’s hard for you to let people in. So I’m happy for you and (Y/N). I am. But I also know that, someday, she’s going to find out. It can either be from you slipping up, or from you telling her outright. But, someday, she’s going to find out.
“I meant what I said – when you find out that someone you love is bad, and that they’ve done bad things, you lie to yourself before accepting the truth. Just…promise me that you’ll look out for when she starts lying to herself about you. Alright?”
Loki swallowed, his throat suddenly dry as he thought about you, about how your face would twist into an expression of fear, of disgust, of hatred, when you finally found out about him. And his heart sank as he pictured the fragile reality you two had been living in all of a sudden crumpling into ash. He couldn’t even bear the thought of losing you, but what other choice would he have if you found him out?
“What are you suggesting I do when she finds out?” he asked, a slight waver making its way through the syllables despite his best interest.
“I’m asking what you’re prepared to do, brother. Think it over, and please, just be careful.”
____________
You woke up the next day to find a text waiting for you from an unknown number, but as soon as you opened it, a wide smile came over your face.
Loki wouldn’t give me your number, so I had to get it out of his phone while he slept. But I wanted to tell you before I fly back to London that it was lovely meeting you, and I’m very happy my brother finally found someone he loves. -Thor
The text was sent at 6:14am, so you knew that Thor was likely already on his plane, but you still tapped out a message before getting up and starting your day.
It was great to meet you, too! Have a safe trip back.
With that, you finally dragged yourself out of bed and went about your morning routine, sending Loki a quick good morning text as you ate breakfast. You were planning on finishing up the last chapter of your coroner story, and you were excited to let him read it that evening when it was done. He’d been so supportive throughout the entire writing process that you were making record time on it; even your editor was surprised at how productive you’d been lately, and you were anxious for his thoughts on the ending.
As you sat down at your computer to type it up, though, you saw that you had an email from your publisher, and your heartrate skyrocketed as you opened it up. You’d sent them the first five edited chapters a few weeks back, and even though you already had several published books, you still got excited anytime you heard back from them.
Your heart only beat faster as you read through their email, and though you’d only just sat down, you were soon leaping out of your chair once you were done. They were going to publish it! At least, they were going to as soon as you had all of the chapters. You’d been concerned that your main character wouldn’t have as much appeal as others of yours had in the past, but as it turned out, they loved Olivia.
Before you even realized what you were doing, your phone was out of your pocket and you were dialing Loki’s number, your fingers trembling in excitement. You tapped your foot anxiously as you waited for him to pick up, and when he finally did, he barely had time to say hello before you were telling him the good news.
“Hello, darling-“
“LOKI I HEARD BACK FROM MY PUBLISHER!” you cried, grinning from ear to ear. “Also hello! Good morning, my love.”
Loki’s velvety laugh only added to your elation, and you quickly ran up to your bedroom to start getting dressed.
“Good morning to you, too. I take it the news was good?”
“It was amazing news! Fantastic news, actually. I was going to finish the final chapter today, but now I’m too excited to focus!”
“Well, love, I’m sure that if you want to just take today to celebrate, it won’t put you too far behind schedule.”
“Speaking of celebrating, can I bring lunch by today on your break? If work isn’t too busy for you, that is.”
“That should be fine, darling; work is actually quite slow.”
“Perfect! I’m going to start getting dressed, but text me which restaurant you’d like, and I’ll pick it up. My treat!”
“Alright, love,” he chuckled. “I’ll see you around noon, then.”
After you two said your goodbyes, you flew through getting ready and ran a few errands before lunch time came around. Loki, as usually, had told you that he was fine with anything and that you should pick the restaurant, so you swung by your favorite bistro before taking a cab to Bellevue Hospital, waving at the front desk staff as you passed by. They all recognized you at this point from your previous visits to see Loki on his break, and they all smiled and waved back as you made your way to the elevators.
“(Y/N)!”
You turned to see one of the receptionists calling you over, and so you shifted the food boxes in your hands and approached the desk.
“Dr. Odinson asked me to tell you that he’s in his office – it’s on the same floor as the morgue, but take a left instead of a right when you get out of the elevators. His is the third office on the left.”
After thanking her for letting you know, you headed down that way, shivering as you stepped out into the cold basement floor. His office had a bronze name placard on it that had Loki’s name on it, and so, after a quiet knock, you walked in to find him sitting behind a tidy desk, tapping away at his laptop furiously.
“I come bearing gifts!” you announced, causing his head to pop up from staring at his screen.
“Come in, love,” he smiled, standing up to help you with the food. “Thank you so much for lunch.”
“Don’t mention it! I wanted to celebrate the latest book, and I can think of no way I’d like to celebrate more than to spend time with the man I love. …And that was incredibly cheesy, wasn’t it?”
“It was,” Loki laughed, pulling the chair in front of his desk out for you. “But it was also very sweet, and I appreciate it more than you realize.”
After setting your food down on the desk, you sat down, not realizing that Loki wasn’t going back to his side of the desk until you heard the click of a lock sliding shut behind you. Turning around, you watched as Loki stepped away from the door, approaching you with a conniving glint in his eyes.
“Did…you just lock the door?” you asked, taking a sip of your drink.
“I did,” he confirmed. He didn’t elaborate further before sinking down onto his knees in front of you, and you only caught on to his intent after he gently took the to-go cup out of your hands to rest it on his desk.
“…Am I stuck in here with you, or are you stuck in here with me?” you joked, starting to squirm in your chair as Loki’s hands came down onto your knees.
The only answer you got was a wink before his lips were on yours, and all other thoughts fizzled out as his palms started creeping up your thighs, getting closer and closer to the waistband of your jeans. His tongue tasted like coffee as it glided over your own, and a small moan escaped your lips when his teeth gently nipped at your bottom lip.
“Are you sure about this?” you whispered as he started unbuttoning your pants. “I mean… What if we get caught?”
“We won’t get caught, love,” he assured you, slowly dragging your zipper down before beginning to slide your jeans off. “No one can stop us from having a little celebration. As long as you can keep quiet, that is.”
You lifted your hips as he tugged your trousers down your legs, taking your panties with them, and you shivered when you felt the cold leather chair against your exposed skin. Biting your lip, you slowly nodded your head, spreading your legs wider as Loki stooped down to place open-mouthed kisses along your inner thigh. It was wrong; you knew that there were other doctors in the offices right next to his, and you had no idea how thick or thin the walls were. Could they hear how hard you were suddenly breathing? Would someone passing by be able to hear the low, muffled groans Loki was making as he nipped and sucked hickeys into your skin?
As if sensing your thoughts, Loki glanced upwards as he spread your thighs even further apart, his lips twitching up into a smirk before he suddenly grabbed your hips and pulled, forcing your ass closer to the edge of the chair. In the same instance, he leaned down and buried his face between your legs, his nose just barely brushing against your clit as his tongue started lapping at your entrance. Your eyes rolled back he slipped it inside of you, the vibrations from his voice like bolts of lightning as he let out a guttural growl. He’d commented before on how much he loved eating you out, and you had no reason to doubt him as he thrust his tongue deeper and deeper inside of you.
“Loki…” You kept your voice at a soft whisper, gripping his hair as his tongue started alternating between thrusting into you and tracing patterns into your clit. Your hips jolted every time he swirled his tongue over your swollen bud, and it wasn’t long until they started rocking up against his face of their own accord. If you were at home, you’d already be begging for more or moaning his name over and over again, but now you were acutely conscious of every sound the two of you were making.
The panting of your breath and the obscene, slick noise of his tongue moving against you seemed to echo in the small room. With every shift of your hips, the chair you were in creaked, and you were soon fighting not to move too much for fear that it would be too loud. You were biting your lip so hard that you wouldn’t be surprised if you suddenly tasted blood, but the pleasure Loki was bringing you overshadowed any pain or discomfort.
Just as you felt the edge of your orgasm starting to approach, though, he was pulling away, licking his lips and watching your pussy clench around nothing as you tried to guide him back with the hands you had locked in his hair.
“Please,” you whimpered, “fuck, I was getting close-“
“Don’t worry, love,” he interrupted, leaning up to press a quick kiss to your lips. “I’m far from through with you.”
And that was all the warning you got before he scooped you up, setting you down onto his desk before you could do anything but let out a surprised gasp. At some point while he was eating you out, he must have taken his cock out of his pants, and now he was pushing you to lay on your back as he lined up with your entrance.
You gripped the edge of his desk so hard that your knuckles turned pale, but you still weren’t fully prepared for him to abruptly shove his cock inside of you, so hard that it pushed the air out of your lungs and pried a sharp moan from your lips. His hand came down over your mouth at its sound, and he leaned over you until your face was only inches from his.
“You have to stay quiet,” he panted, pulling out almost entirely before thrusting back into you. “You don’t want us to get caught, do you?”
You hurriedly shook your head no, and he nodded before pulling his hand away and sliding it between your bodies. You nearly moaned again once his fingertips found your clit, though, and you pressed your own hand to your mouth as he began playing with it in time with his thrusts.
“Good girl,” he purred, his own voice fighting back a moan as he started a fast rhythm. “Of course… Maybe you do want us to get caught.”
He punctuated his statement with a hard buck of his hips, and you pressed the back of your hand even harder to your lips as it startled another cry out you. The desk was beginning to creak in time with his movements, and you knew that anyone who walked by outside would be able to hear it. You just hoped that they couldn’t also hear Loki’s raspy breathing, or the way his balls were smacking against your ass with every thrust forward.
“Maybe you do want someone to hear me fucking you. Is that it?” he continued, his voice not once rising above a low growl. “Do you want them all to know that you’re mine? That you’re letting me use you, fuck you, right here in my office? Anyone with a key could get in, love. A janitor, another doctor… Anyone could come in and see what a good little slut you’re being for me. And you love that, don’t you?”
His thumb was moving faster and faster against your clit, and you were rapidly approaching your orgasm; you couldn’t remember the last time a partner had brought you so close so quickly. This was so different from how Loki usually was; typically, he was gentle with you, treating you like you would shatter if he were to grip you too tightly or kiss you too hard. But there were times, you’d found, when something else would peak through the cracks; some nights, his hand found its way around your throat, or his voice dropped into something predatory, threatening.
This was one of those times, evidently. And it always made something else rise up within you – the desire to submit, to bend to him completely, to let him have you and use you however he wanted. And so you did.
With a long, loud moan, you felt yourself cumming around his cock, so hard that it made your eyes roll back and your back arch up off of the desk, bending at an almost unnatural angle as your cunt clenched around him. Through the ringing in your ears, you heard him let out a muffled curse, and his thrusts began getting even harder, even faster, and through it all you laid back and took it. Your body was limp and pliable from your orgasm, and you watched through half-lidded eyes as he took what he wanted from it.
It wasn’t long, though, until he pulled out, stroking his cock a few more times before you felt his cum against your thighs and belly, staining your shirt with his release as he leaned heavily over you, catching his breath. After letting out a deep, heavy sigh, he leaned over, kissing you gently before resting his head on your chest.
“…Wow,” you breathed, settling one of your hands on the back of his head as your other arm drew him closer.
“I agree with that assessment,” he murmured, pressing a kiss over your heart before lazily turning towards you. “You did say you wanted to celebrate, though.”
A giggle escaped your lips at that, and he smiled softly before kissing you once again and slowly drawing himself up to full height.
“I’m…sorry, if I was too rough,” he began, but you sat up and pressed a finger to his lips, shaking your head.
“I liked it. Loki, I know you’d never hurt me,” you assured him. “And I know you don’t really mean it when you do things like call me a slut.”
“Good,” he nodded, his eyes skating over your face. “Because I don’t. And I would never, ever, hurt you.”
“Then don’t apologize for getting a little rough,” you countered, pecking his cheek before starting to stand on wobbly legs. “Because you better believe I enjoyed it.”
“Mm. I could tell.”
You swatted playfully at his arm before straightening your jeans and grabbing a tissue from his desk, dabbing at the cum he’d left on your shirt before giving up on the task entirely and deciding to just keep your coat buttoned up on the ride home.
“…(Y/N)?”
You turned to find Loki staring at you, having already smoothed his appearance back to its usual unrumpled state. The look in his eyes gave you pause, though – it was the same look that he’d had the night before, when he’d looked like he had something to tell you before deciding against it. Unbidden, fear suddenly swept over you, and you had the worst feeling that he was going to break things off, that he was going to tell you that he’d rushed into things and that he didn’t feel the same way as you.
Gulping, you stepped closer, fighting against the trembling in your hands as he took them between his, pressing a kiss to each of your palms before looking up at you once more.
“I’ve…been doing a lot of thinking, and Thor’s visit yesterday made me realize something,” he began.
“I haven’t ever felt this way about anyone before. And, if I’m being honest, sometimes it terrifies me. There are… There are things about me that I haven’t told anyone besides Thor, and even then, there are things he still doesn’t know.
“I came to the realization last night, though, that I want you to know everything about me. I want you to accept me, fully, as I’ve accepted you. And even if I’m not ready to share it all with you, I know that I want us to grow to that point together. I want you to be mine, yes, but I want to be yours, too. Wholly and completely.”
He took a deep breath, then, and your eyes grew wide as he reached into his pocket, taking out a small box and handing it to you.
“I had this made earlier today, after I dropped Thor off at the airport. And I realize that, yes, this is rushing things a bit, and I want you to know that it’s alright if you need to say no or if you need to think it over. But I’m ready to take the next step, whenever you are.”
Feeling as if time was suddenly moving in slow motion, you opened the box, tearing your eyes away from Loki just long enough to look down…
…and see a key waiting for you.
Immediately, your heart soared, and you looked up to see a tiny, hopeful smile on his lips.
“Will you move in with me, my love?”
And even though, yes, it was probably too soon, even though you’d only known Loki for four months, even though all of the logic inside of you was screaming against it, you didn’t hesitate before answering him.
“Yes!”  
____________
A/N: WOW it took forever to write this. I am so sorry! 2020 has really had its way with me, as it has with all of us, and I can’t apologize enough for letting my writing get so far behind. THANK YOU to anyone and everyone reading this, though. I hope you all are having a safe holiday season, and please don’t hesitate to contact me if you ever wanna talk! You guys are the best readers in the world, and I appreciate every single one of you! 
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freckled-words · 2 years
Text
Modern Day Cleric - It's Raining Gods?! Part Two
Guys, lemme just say it is hard to try and take an existing script and work your own tweaks into it. I'm not entirely satisfied with how I ended this chapter, but it seemed the best way to transition into the first Thor movie. Let me know your thoughts!
Reminder that this not edited.
LOOK AT THIS AMAZING COVER ART @thepastelpeach did for me!
Prologue HERE
It's Raining Gods?! Part One
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Just as Loki had warned, he was quiet for the next two weeks. He was still in the immediate universe at least, as she was still able to use her magic. The amulet had just become a little less warm, and entirely devoid of the glow at the center.
When he came back “online”, she was greeted with, ‘Oh good, you’re still alive.’
She was in the camper, thankfully alone, and was halfway through pulling her shirt over her head. It was 1am in the morning, and she was exhausted, “Yes, I am alive. Thanks for checking in and letting me know you were too.”
Darcy had been a bit anxious after the 5th day. She’d never gone such a long time without Loki dropping a quip, or even just chuckling when she had a clumsy moment (she’s kissed the ground a couple times, after missing her step exiting out of the camper.)
Anxiety liked to animorph itself into the beast known as Sarcasm when Darcy couldn’t catch it in time.
Thankfully Loki was well versed in Darcy’s many languages.
‘I apologize. I did not think my machinations would take as long as they would. Unlike you, my charming mortal, other species in the realms require more encouragement...Though I do love to see you worry yourself over me.’
As Loki spoke, she finished getting changed into her pajamas. “Don’t flatter yourself. I was more worried about you leaving me stranded here all on my own for too long. I’m working for scientists that don’t remember to eat, remember?” They both knew that was a lie, and that she actually missed him.
‘Ah yes, how have your dependents been? Regale me with your thrilling ventures in mortal science.’
Darcy crawled into the top bunk of the built in beds, and settled herself in, “Sad to say, things have not changed much. We did take a break and go to the city not that long ago. We went to some dive bar, got drunk, and I almost made out with this one guy. But then he got really gross about it, so I led him out back and charmed him into stripping naked and going for a jog. I kept the news article for my scrapbook.”
Her ‘scrapbook’ was currently the left side wall next to her pillow. She’d cut out the small article describing the “Jovial Naked Jogger”, marked it with a snake in the corner, and taped it to the wall.
She’d done the same with other news clippings in her college dorm. Her roommates and bed buddies had asked why she collected such weird stories, and she’d reply, “Cause they’re a spot of weird in a picture of ordinary.”
When she had to move out of the dorm, she’d finally moved them all to an actual scrapbook, which was currently hidden away at a friend’s place. (Said same friend had signed a legal contract, stating that any damage to the scrapbook would result in a punishment.)
The snake amulet warmed against her skin, ‘Well done. You must be getting stronger if you’re able to enchant a person while intoxicated.’
“To be fair, he was a 100 times more drunk than me, but I’ll take the win.” She burrowed down deeper under her comforter and closed her eyes.
“Glad you’re back.” She murmured as sleep began to take hold.
A familiar image of a lean man, clad in green, black and gold leather armor came to her mind. The upper half of his face remained in shadows, an annoyance that has persisted over all these years.
His smile was weary, even as he genuinely replied, ‘I missed you as well my little cleric.’
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Darcy was going to blame Loki and his mood amulet for her inability to keep Jane from wrestling the steering wheel from her grip.
It’s hard to concentrate on fighting your crazy boss, when your amulet suddenly turns blistering cold and frostbites your skin. Darcy’s eyes were watering as she tried swatting away Jane’s hands with one hand, and using her other to yank her amulet out from under her shirt.
The emerald’s glow was erratic, and Darcy could see frost on the edge of the golden scales.
She couldn’t really give this freak instance with the amulet her immediate attention, as Jane drove their SUV straight towards the rainbow tornado.
The tornado abruptly retracted into the sky, leaving a massive dust cloud that the headlights couldn’t cut through.
An outline of a man came into view, and Darcy slammed her foot onto the brake as Jane wrenched on the steering wheel.
The SUV swung round, and still collided with the man.
“Oh my gods...I’m just...I’m gonna go make sure we didn’t just KILL a man!” Darcy hurried out of the SUV and over to the unmoving figure on the ground.
She heard the other doors open and close as Erik and Jane followed after...Or rather, Erik came over to help, and Jane hurried over to a section of ground that looked like it had been burned.
Darcy left Jane to that as she used her meager first aid training to assess the damage.
“He’s breathing, but he’s got a nasty bump here. Erik, can you get the first aid kit?” She took out her keychain flashlight and shone it on a bleeding cut on his forehead,
Once Erik went hurrying off to the SUV, Darcy whispered, “Easy there buddy, I’ll give you a quick fix.” From where her fingers touched the dude’s skin, a flash of golden green light flickered between them.
Their tornado victim groaned, which Darcy took as a good sign.
Then his eyes shot open, and he sat up swinging with a roar.
Darcy danced back out of reach, her hands reflexively went to her hip where she would have had her daggers sheathed, but they weren't. They were hidden in her suitcase back in the camper, since she didn’t think she’d need them in the middle of the freaking desert!
“Leave me witch!” He bellowed, staggering another step towards her.
Darcy was offended, (no true offense to Wiccans), she took pride in her god given title thank you very much, “That’s rude! I’m not a witch, I’m a-” She cut herself off as Erik approached, giving the swinging mountain of a man a wide berth.
“Hammer!” He groaned, swaying on his feet. Darcy guessed her healing charm didn’t quite mend the concussion he’d gotten from kissing the SUV.
Erik reached Darcy’s side, and placed himself in front of her protectively. Her heart warmed a little, she didn’t think Erik liked her all that much. Although she was fairly certain she was the most capable of their group if it came down to a fist fight.
“Look at these patterns! We need to get samples and pictures.” Jane’s excited voice carried over to them, and Darcy just wanted to chuck Jane down the nearest canyon. How she didn’t notice the immediate threat was astounding.
Erik tensed as the shirtless, muscle rippling, disoriented man swivelled in Jane’s direction, “You will…cease…and…”
Darcy couldn’t be certain, but the guy’s speech pattern sounded familiar. If she had to place it, she’d say it reminded her of a certain Trickster god’s.
Looking past Erik and to where Jane crouched, she gave the giant burnt patch of ground her attention.
It was a perfect pattern in a style that she almost wanted to call Celtic. Or perhaps…Norse?
The man was getting his bearings, and was making a beeline for Jane, who had finally noticed her danger. She’d gotten to her feet and was inching back and around the burnt markings (leave it to Jane to value the burn mark and its data when in danger.)
Not sure what else to do (aside from throwing magic at him and outing herself) Darcy blurted, “Leave her be!” She said it in rough Elvish, or Alfish as Loki had jokingly called it. As it was the language of the people that dwelled in Alfheim.
The man immediately stopped, while Erik and Jane looked at her as if she’d just spoken in Pig Latin. Which, to them, she basically had.
He turned towards her, she could see him blinking and trying to focus, “Midgardians do not speak the tongue of Alfheim.”
Well if she’d needed confirmation on where this guy was from, she’d certainly just gotten it.
She hadn’t practiced her Elvish in a long time, so it took her a minute to remember the right words and pronunciation, “They do when they are under the guidance and protection of a god. I answer to the one named Loki.”
Whatever the big guy might have said in response was lost, as his eyes rolled up and he teetered over unconscious.
Seems her healing charm wore off.
Which was really unfortunate, as this left all of them with an unconscious man in the middle of the desert. This was going to be a fun trip to the hospital.
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9worldstales · 3 years
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MCU “Thor”: Who’s to blame for Thor’s banishment?
So I’ve seen around people blaming Loki for Thor’s banishment and…
… I can’t help but wonder if they realize that, by saying so they aren’t just pinning the blame on the wrong person but they’re doing a HUGE, GIANT SIZE disservice to Thor.
But let's list sources used for this first.
SOURCES MENTIONED:
Movies: “Thor” (2011), “Thor – The Dark World” (2013)
Comics: None mentioned
Direct-to-video animated film: None mentioned
Motion comics: None mentioned
Books: None mentioned
Novels: “Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase One: Thor” by Alex Irvine (2015)
Webs: None mentioned
Others: “Thor” old movie script, Interview “Director Kenneth Branagh and Kevin Feige Interview THOR”, interview “EXCLUSIVE: Screenwriter Don Payne Talks Thor!”, Interview “SDCC 2010: Chris Hemsworth Interview THOR”, Video “Thor (2011) Chris Hemsworth Kill Count”
Although “Thor” is meant to be an origin story for both Thor and Loki…
Kevin Feige: The movie, very much, is an origin of Loki, almost as much as it is an origin of Thor. We had to ride that balance. There were drafts where Thor took over too much, and there were certainly drafts where Loki became too prominent, and I think we found a nice balance that is clearly the origin of both of those characters. [Director Kenneth Branagh and Kevin Feige Interview THOR]
…the focus was mostly on Thor and his journey to learn humility.
I mean, this is not MY interpretation of the story, it’s basically what everyone involved in the production says the story is about. Thor is unworthy, the banishment is just, from it he learns humility and becomes worthy again.
Don Payne: Whereas we’ve got an extra-dimensional being once worshipped as a god by the ancient Norse who’s banished to earth and stripped of his powers to learn humility, all set amidst the Shakespearean intrigue of a dysfunctional royal family. You just have to find the things that make Thor timeless and relatable as a character. It certainly helps that he’s charismatic and likeable, albeit flawed. He’s banished for good reason, but I think people will want to go on the journey with him and root for him to find redemption — particularly with Chris Hemsworth’s performance. [EXCLUSIVE: Screenwriter Don Payne Talks Thor!]
Kenneth Branagh: That story arc of the flawed hero who must earn the right to be king is in our piece, but what’s key is the stakes. There, it’s Europe and England, and here, it’s the universe. When that family has problems, everybody else is affected. If Thor throws a fit and is yelling at his father and is banished, suddenly the worlds are unstable. [Director Kenneth Branagh and Kevin Feige Interview THOR]
Chris Hemsworth: At the beginning of this film, he’s certainly a brash, cocky warrior who’s about to inherit the keys to the kingdom, and his father thinks that he’s not ready. It’s the journey of him learning some humility through the film. I think he’s one of those people who has his heart in the right place. He’s doing what he’s doing for his family and to protect the kingdom, and he thinks it’s the right way to do it. It just happens to be a very aggressive way of doing it, which probably isn’t the right way. It’s about tempering that raw emotion that he drives off most of the time, into the right direction. [SDCC 2010: Chris Hemsworth Interview THOR]
And in fact Thor makes a 180° turn from how he started.
The boy then man who insisted he wanted first to kill all the Jotun then give them a lesson is the one who sacrifices his chance to meet Jane again to save them.
Young Thor: When I’m king, I’ll hunt the monsters down and slay them all! Just as you did, Father.
and...
Thor: March into Jotunheim as you once did. Teach them a lesson. Break their spirits so they’ll never dare try to cross our borders again.
versus
Thor: You can’t kill an entire race!
The man who said his father was an old man and a fool, becomes the one who says there will never be a wiser king than Odin.
Thor: And you are an old man and a fool!
versus
Thor: There will never be a wiser king than you. Or a better father. I have much to learn. I know that now. Someday, perhaps, I shall make you proud.
The man who returning from Jotunheim was too busy to care for how Fandral got hurt so that it was Odin who had to say to get him to the healing room, is the one who, once back to Midgard, first worry about having his friends getting Heimdall on the healing room and then about what he’ll do with his brother.
Odin: You cannot even protect your friends! How can you hope to protect a kingdom? Get him to the healing room! Now!
versus
Thor: Get him to the healing room! Leave my brother to me.
The man who thought his father’s lessons were wrong, then admits his father was right.
Thor: While you wait and be patient, the Nine Realms laugh at us. The old ways are done. You’d stand giving speeches while Asgard falls.
versus
Thor: Neither did I. My father was trying to teach me something, but I was too stupid to see it.
The man who first was told by Loki going to Jotunheim was madness and did it anyway then tells Loki how destroying Jotunheim is madness.
Loki: Thor, it’s madness.
versus
Thor: Loki, this is madness.
The man who would start a fight just because he was called ‘princess’ versus the man who kept on refusing to start a fight with Loki even after the other hit him four times and only does so when Loki threatens Jane.
And then there are the comparisons that got lost because some scenes got cut. For start an even better comparison, in which another man calls Thor "Princess" and Thor this time refuses to fight.
Jotun: Run back home, little princess. [Thor stops in his tracks. Loki goes white. He knows what's coming.] Loki: Damn. [In one quick move, Thor pulls Mjolnir, swings it, and KNOCKS the Jotun clear across the plaza. The Asgardians reluctantly draw their weapons, gather into a circle around Thor. Volstagg looks around at the angry Jotuns approaching them.]
versus
Drunk townie: You were in the diner with that hot girl. [Thor doesn't like where this is going.] Drunk townie: I wouldn't mind her doing a little research on me. [He laughs. Thor is annoyed.] Thor: I have no quarrel with you. But she's a lady. You should be more respectful. Drunk townie: And you should shut the hell up, princess. [Selvig looks to Thor, concerned that he's going to lose it. But, to his surprise, Thor remains unaffected by the Townie's baiting.] Thor: I will not fight him. Drunk townie: Then it'll be easy to kick your ass.
Or like the deleted one in which Frigga said that Thor believed to be ready… when in the end Thor will realize he’s not.
Odin: Do you think he’s ready? Frigga: He thinks he is. He has his father’s confidence.
versus
Thor: There will never be a wiser king than you. Or a better father. I have much to learn. I know that now. Someday, perhaps, I shall make you proud.
You might remember Thor smashing a cup because he wanted another drink… well there’s a deleted scene in which, just before the Warriors Three and Sif reach Midgard, he brings a cup to Izzy in payback for the one he broke.
Thor: This drink, I like it. Darcy: I know. It’s great, right? [Thor hurls the empty mug at the ground, SHATTERING it.] Thor: (CALLS OUT) Another! [ISABELA ALVAREZ (60), the diner’s proprietor, glares at Thor from behind the counter.] Jane: Sorry, Izzy. Little accident. What was that? [He doesn’t understand. The other patrons stare at him.] Thor: It was delicious. I want another. Jane: Well, you could have just said so. Thor: I just did. Jane: No, I mean, ask nicely. Thor: I meant no disrespect. Jane: All right. Well, no more smashing. Deal? Thor: You have my word. Jane: Good.
Versus
As the group finishes breakfast, Thor looks at the mug in his hand, gets an idea. Thor: [About a cup] May I have this? Darcy: Sure. Thor: Thank you. Please, excuse me. [Thor leaves. In front of her diner, Isabela prepares to open for the day. Isabela sweeps the front porch. She looks up to see Thor approaching. She eyes him suspiciously. He offers her a MUG.] Excuse me, Isabela. Isabela: Oh my gosh. Thor: To replace the one I broke. Please, forgive me for my behavior. Isabela: Okay, thank you. Thor: if I may, I’d like to come back here for more of yours splendid "coffee". Isabela: Any time.
And then you might remember how Fandral was hurt in Jotunheim and it was Loki and Volstagg who helped him, while in a deleted scene we’ve Selvig being hurt and Thor helping him.
And so on and on and on.
Thor started one way, this caused his banishment and the banishment changed him.
If we go and say Thor didn’t deserve to be banished, that it was all Loki’s ploy, we ignore how Thor before was an unworthy person and after he became a worthy person. We turn Thor into a person who’s ALWAYS worthy, regardless of him acting one way or its exact opposite but for some reason was misjudged and punished unfairly and never really had to change because he was perfect as he was.
We turn Odin into a fool who punished a worthy son for crimes he didn’t do and then took the punishment back not because Thor changed, but because he realized he made a mess.
The idea Thor’s banishment is Loki’s fault is against the authors’ intentions, damages Thor by stripping him of his growth and, ultimately, it’s totally false, so trying to pin the blame on Loki so as to make him look bad is simply wrong.
Although Loki did some things that triggered Thor’s reactions, Thor wasn’t completely and utterly brainwashed. It was Thor’s decisions who ended up bringing those consequences and Loki had no idea Odin would go as far as banishing Thor.
In a deleted bit Loki says Odin normally ALWAYS forgive Thor.
Fandral: Well, if he doesn’t show up soon, he shouldn’t bother. Odin looks like he’s ready to feed him to his ravens. Loki: I wouldn’t worry. Father will forgive him. He always does.
From Thor’s reaction to his banishment it’s clear it’s the first time he got such a punishment and that he assumed all he had to do to be forgiven is to retrieve Mjolnir.
The novelization is not shy to say that:
Odin had always favoured Thor because Thor was a warrior, just like him… [“Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase One: Thor”]
The Warriors Three and Lady Sif clearly follow Thor because they don’t think it’ll end up in Thor being banished for disobeying Odin’s orders even though they know he shouldn’t have done it.
This proves it was the first time Odin reacted as such to Thor’s disobedience.
But let’s dig more into the story.
Loki yes, caused the coronation to be delayed by having three Frost Giants sneak into the vault and attempt to steal the Casket.
His purpose was:
Loki: That was just a bit of fun, really. To ruin my brother’s big day. And to protect the realm from his idiotic rule for a while longer.
Loki has no reasons to lie to Laufey about this. The ‘a while longer’ clearly imply he didn’t expect it was permanent. If he had said ‘to have him banished forever’, it would have affected Laufey just the same, he wouldn’t have judged him worse.
Thor’s reaction to the invasion is entirely Thor’s.
Thor: The Jotuns must pay for what they’ve done! Odin: They have paid, with their lives. The Destroyer did its work, the Casket is safe, and all is well. Thor: All is Well? They broke into the weapons vault! If the Frost Giants had stolen even one of these relics... Odin: They didn’t. Thor: Well, I want to know why! Odin: I have a truce with Laufey, King of the Jotuns. Thor: He just broke your truce! They know you are vulnerable! Odin: What action would you take? Thor: March into Jotunheim as you once did. Teach them a lesson. Break their spirits so they’ll never dare try to cross our borders again. Odin: You’re thinking only as a warrior. Thor: This was an act of war! Odin: It was the act of but a few, doomed to fail. Thor: Look how far they got! Odin: We will find the breach in our defenses and it will be sealed. Thor: As King of Asgard.... Odin: But you’re not king! Not yet.
Loki doesn’t even talk here. Thor, despite Odin thinking the opposite, insists they should just attack Jotunheim until Odin reminds him he’s no king.
This is relevant because if the coronation has concluded and the Jotuns had found on their own the way to get into the Vault, Thor would have waged war against them. This is what he wants to do and discussing things with Odin doesn’t change his mind, Odin merely forces him to shut up with his ‘I’m the king’ card.
Originally he would leave slamming the door behind himself, a sign he was still upset. We don’t see this, but we see him he’s still upset enough he turns a table upside down.
Then he has a discussion with Loki.
Thor: It’s unwise to be in my company right now, Brother. This was to be my day of triumph. Loki: It’ll come. In time. Thor: What’s this? Loki: If it’s any consolation, I think you’re right. About the Frost Giants, about Laufey, about everything. If they found a way to penetrate Asgard’s defenses once, who’s to say they won’t try again? Next time with an army. Thor: Exactly. Loki: There’s nothing you can do without defying Father. No, no, no. I know that look. Thor: That’s the only way to ensure the safety of our borders. Loki: Thor, it’s madness.
It’s true, if Loki had revealed he had been who orchestrated the break of the Frost Giants instead than telling him he also thought they were a threat, Thor might have calmed down. But this is not excuse enough for how Thor disobeyed Odin’s order, and only proves Thor wasn’t fit to be king right there because he insisted on going to Jotunheim even though Loki also reminded him this means defying Odin.
This is a serious matter but the key of it is that Thor wanted doing it before and still wants to do it now. He just can’t control his own wish to fight the Jotuns even if his father told him no. He’s not thinking. He’s not a common warrior, he’s the man who’s meant to be king.
If it takes him so little to wage war, then he’s unworthy of being king.
And does Loki really want for him to go to Jotunheim?
Not in the slightest, he knows it’s madness, in fact, believing Thor can’t be stopped, he tries to have him tattled out to his father.
Fandral: Well, at least he’s only banished, not dead. Which is what we’d all be if that guard hadn’t told Odin where we’d gone. Volstagg: How did the guard even know? Loki: I told him. Fandral: What? Loki: I told him to go to Odin after we’d left. He should be flogged for taking so long. We should never have reached Jotunheim. Volstagg: You told the guard? Loki: I saved our lives. And Thor’s. I had no idea Father would banish him for what he did.
In a deleted scene we see that as the group is about to ride toward the Bifrost Loki leaves them for a moment to talk with a guard. He’s not lying when he says he warned the guard.
The novelization digs a lot in how Loki didn’t want them to reach Jotunheim and in how Odin KNEW Thor would just do something, so it’s entirely possible Thor would have acted even if Loki had disagreed with him or had told him nothing.
“Why did he always seem to get into trouble because of his older brother? Wasn’t he supposed to be the wiser one? Odin has expressly forbidden that they enter Jotunheim. Yet it wasn’t the first time Thor had done something reckless. And it wouldn’t be the first time Loki was powerless to stop him.” [“Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase One: Thor”]
Loki had made a decision. True, he could not dictate his brother’s actions, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t continue to make plans of his own. As the others checked and double-checked that they had everything they would need for the journey to Jotunheim, Loki slipped away. When Loki rejoined the others, they were on their way to the Observatory. Hogun gave him a curious glance, but he ignored it. What he had done was none of their business. [“Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase One: Thor”]
They were on their way to Jotunheim. And what would happen once they got there was not in the hands of fate, but in the hands of his impulsive brother and his warrior friends. Loki would not be able to manipulate events there. He had to trust that the arrangements he had made would be enough for them all to survive. [“Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase One: Thor”]
Odin spent an uneasy night and felt no better in the morning. He had not seen Thor since their argument in the Vault. There had been shouting in the banquet hall as Thor told his friends what had happened, but Odin had heard nothing since. Frigga had tried to reassure him that Thor’s temper would ease and this would blow over, but Odin knew better. His son felt himself to be king already, whether the ceremony had been completed or not. He would take action. It was his nature. Odin hoped only that the action would not cause more problems than it solved. Just then, a guard rushed to him, and Odin’s misgivings were proved correct. Thor had taken his friends and journeyed into Jotunheim. Odin felt a deep well of fury rise up within him. Thor has deliberately disobeyed his orders. So, too, had Heimdall, who should not have let anyone pass on the Bisfrost – especially not a war party going to Jotunheim. “Tell the barn master to have Sleipnir and my battle gear to be readied immediately,” he ordered the guard. [“Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase One: Thor”]
Once in Jotunheim Laufey notices Thor wants to be there to wage war. He even warns him that if he keeps this up he would unleash something terrible… and it’s not Thor but Loki who accepts Laufey’s offer for them to leave, Thor doesn’t accept it even if they’re outnumbered and risk being all killed because, as Laufey said, he craved for battle.
Laufey: Your father is a murderer and a thief! And why have you come here? To make peace? You long for battle. You crave it. You’re nothing but a boy trying to prove himself a man. Thor: Well, this "boy" has grown tired of your mockery. Loki: Thor, stop and think. Look around you, we’re outnumbered. Thor: Know your place, Brother. Laufey: You know not what your actions would unleash. I do. Go now, while I still allow it. Loki: We will accept your most gracious offer. Come on, Brother.
Ultimately, even if Laufey and Loki had almost persuaded Thor to leave, all it takes is a small provocation and Thor starts attacking Frost Giants.
Jotun: Run back home, little princess. [Thor stops in his tracks. Loki goes white. He knows what’s coming.] Loki: Damn. [In one quick move, Thor pulls Mjolnir, swings it, and KNOCKS the Jotun clear across the plaza. The Asgardians reluctantly draw their weapons, gather into a circle around Thor.]
Loki is clearly not happy with his brother’s actions, he didn’t want this. It’s Thor who decided to do this anyway and, during the battle, we see that Thor is in a great spirit as he destroys a Frost Giant after another for a total of 145 Frost Giants (you can see the dead count in the Youtube video “Thor (2011) Chris Hemsworth Kill Count”).
Through the battle first Sif and then Loki TWICE will urge Thor to leave, they’re outnumbered they’ll end up getting killed if they remain there and it gets no better when Fandral gets wounded.
When Odin shows up Thor is all for continuing the battle.
Thor: Father! We’ll finish them together!
This is not Loki dictating his moves. This is all Thor and ultimately it’s Thor who argues with his father once they’re back, which is the last straw for Odin.
If Thor had kept quiet or had acted sorry Odin might have still forgiven him. He does not.
Thor: Why did you bring us back? Odin: Do you realize what you’ve done? What you’ve started? Thor: I was protecting my home. Odin: You cannot even protect your friends! How can you hope to protect a kingdom? Get him to the healing room! Now! Thor: There won’t be a kingdom to protect if you’re afraid to act. The Jotuns must learn to fear me, just as they once feared you. Odin: That’s pride and vanity talking, not leadership. You’ve forgotten everything I taught you about a warrior’s patience. Thor: While you wait and be patient, the Nine Realms laugh at us. The old ways are done. You’d stand giving speeches while Asgard falls. Odin: You are a vain, greedy, cruel boy! Thor: And you are an old man and a fool! Odin: Yes. I was a fool to think you were ready.
This is no Loki needling Thor, this is all Thor, this discussing matching the one he had in the Vault with Odin previously.
And, credits when it’s due, at this point Loki tried to interject.
Loki: FATHER-- [Odin turns with a growl and gives Loki a look which stops him in his tracks.]
Only at this point Thor will be banished and while yes, the way Loki chose to interrupt the coronation clearly had upset Thor and his words didn’t manage to calm him down, it’s also clear that not only Loki didn’t want for them to go to Jotunheim and almost get killed but that it’s Thor’s reaction to the situation that causes his banishment and that situation could have happened regardless of Loki having a hand in it or not.
Invasions happens.
The difference between “Thor” and “Thor: The Dark World” in which another invasion takes place, is that although Thor is always trying to disobey to his father in both movies, in the first he did it because he wanted to go at war with the Jotuns, in the second he did it because he hoped to spare Asgard from a war.
In the deleted scene for “Thor: The Dark World” even Odin acknowledges Thor was right.
Odin: I thought you’d been blinded by passion but in truth you were the only one who could see and you... did what needed to be done
His motive for disobeying his father in “Thor: The Dark World” is the exact opposite than it was in “Thor”, but if he’d been the old Thor he would have had no qualms to drag all Asgard into a war.
So yes, Loki set up the situation, but if Thor ended up being banished it was solely for his own reaction to the situation, a situation that could have happened in other circumstances.
Would Loki coming clear with Odin lift Thor’s banishment?
No, of course not, because none of Loki’s actions are what moves Odin to decide for Thor’s banishment. What pushes him to decide for such a punishment are Thor’s reactions to the situation. If Loki had confessed the most this could cause was for him too to also be banished.
And, to Thor’s credits, he grew in his banishment and became a better person. This is important, it doesn’t deserve to be underscored.
Also, as said before, Loki couldn’t predict the punishment would have been banishment and he didn’t control Odin either.
Not only Loki actually tried to stop Odin, but even Frigga in a deleted scene begged Odin to reconsider and he refused.
So yes, Thor’s banishment ultimately turned out to be convenient for Loki, but he didn’t deliberately orchestrated it, he didn’t plan that far.
So really, let’s just Thor have his moment of personal growth in which he becomes a better person in his own movie, let Odin have his own agency in deciding if to punish his sons or not and just accept the whole trip to Jotunheim wasn’t something Loki wanted nor Thor’s banishment something he could predict.
In short simply accept the story as its authors wanted it to be.
I get not everyone might be aware of interviews and deleted scenes but really, I would say the movie made the whole thing obvious enough to be understood just by watching it.
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The Destroyer
Disclaimer: No one owns Loki; he’s just a hot pain in my sass. No one owns Thor or Frigg. I don’t own Marvel, Viacom, SHIELD, Darcy Lewis, Dr. Jane Foster or the Destroyer. Mythological similarities are mostly coincidental
A/N: Part 2 of the Sigyn Timeline of the Duchess Series, (find masterlist here)! Still looking for a beta for future chapters, so if you’re interested, hit me up
Series Warnings: Loki/fem!reader. Reader has nickname and backstory but no physical description. Language; fluff; smut: vaginal intercourse (m/f), panty theft, masturbation, cunnilingus, fingering, public nudity; drinking; seismophobia. Warnings will be added as the series goes on. I’m considering adding additional pairings with other characters. Let me know if that’s something you’d be interested in.
Series Summary: This series begins during Thor (2011) and generally follows along that plot. After Loki’s visit to the SHIELD encampment, the timeline branches
Timeline Warnings: Pregnancy, torture, Odin being his usual shitty self, violence/gruesome death of children
Timeline Summary: This timeline follows the Sacred Timeline through the end of Thor (2011), at which point you're stranded on Asgard until the end of Avengers/beginning of Dark World
Chapter Warnings: Character "death," imprisonment
Chapter Summary: You return to Asgard as Loki is informed of Heimdall, Sif and the Warriors Three's treason
Word Count: 1225
Asgard
You wake up, back in Asgard, though thankfully feeling well-rested this time. It's midmorning and you're standing at Loki’s shoulder, looking over an eastern balcony of the palace as footsteps approach from behind.
Turning, you see one of the guards approaching. "My Liege," he addresses Loki, "the Warriors Three and Lady Sif have gone missing."
“Loki, what’s going on?" you ask.
You can tell he’s livid. “Heimdall has committed treason. I need to rectify the damage before it gets worse.” He offers a somewhat forced smile. “Why don’t you go to your chambers while I attend to this. I’ll have breakfast sent up for you. It shouldn’t take more than a few hours.”
Your eyebrows furrow with concern, “Are you sure you’re ok?”
“I’ll be quite alright,” his smile grows warmer, and he kisses your forehead. “Nothing to worry about. Just an unfortunate aspect of a monarch’s responsibilities. I’ll come find you as soon as I’m able.”
You still don’t quite believe him, but you can tell arguing will only make things worse; he’s stressed enough as it is. Pushing down your worry, you ask which direction your rooms are, give him a peck on the lips and make your way through the labyrinth of corridors.
After a couple wrong turns and some help from a maid, you’re able to find your way back to the room Loki had had prepared upon your last visit. There’s a fire roaring in the hearth and you find not only your bag (unpacked and stored in the closet), but the kransen and broaches have made it back as well. You smile when you find them in rosewood boxes on the bedside table.
It’s not long before Shelby arrives with a tray of food. You pick at it, wondering how Loki's addressing Heimdall's treachery. In the U.S. treason is a capital offense, but you're entirely unfamiliar with Asgardian law. For that matter, it’s reasonable to assume the monarchy is absolute, given the first constitutional monarchy on Midgard didn’t appear until 1791.
“Is the food not to your liking M’lady?” Shelby asks.
“Oh, no,” you assure her with a smile, “It’s quite good. I’m just distracted.”
She gives you a nod of understanding. “Will you be attending court today, M’lady?”
“I’m not sure. Probably best to dress as though I will,” you pause a moment. “Um, Shelby? What’s the punishment for treason in Asgard?”
“Treason, M’lady?” she’s shocked. “Who’s committed treason? If you don’t mind me asking,” she adds quickly.
“Heimdall, apparently,” you respond. She gasps, stepping back. “Please, sit,” you insist, leading her to an armchair.
She hesitates but accepts gratefully. “Well, under Odin the punishment would have been loss of citizenship,” she gives you a cautious look, then continues. “I’m not sure what His Majesty would consider appropriate, but most monarchs follow in their predecessor’s footsteps, at least early in their reign.”
You nod, thinking.
“M’lady?” she asks. “Shall I draw you a bath? The royal seamstresses would like to have a fitting if you’re not otherwise occupied.”
“Yes, of course,” you’re grateful for the distraction.
You spend a few hours standing as still as possible as mockups are pinned to fit, and placings marked for embroidery. The final fitting is for a plain burgundy overdress that appears almost complete. You ask the girls about Asgard as they work, making bits of conversation in an attempt to draw your mind away from whatever Loki might be up to.
Finally, you can’t stand it any longer. You ask for help getting into a premade gown, leave the kransen and haphazardly pin the broaches to the front as you walk barefoot toward the throne room. You enter at a sprint, Shelby trailing behind you with your shoes and kransen. As soon as you open the door you can hear Thor’s voice echoing through the grand hall.
Loki sits on the throne, running a finger against his lips in contemplation as Thor says, “These people are innocent. Taking their lives will gain you nothing.”
“Loki?!” you demand, rushing around the throne. “What’s going on? Who's lives? What is he talking about?”
“So take mine, and end this.” Thor finishes and Loki rests his arm on the throne before sliding a finger towards his palm.
“I told you to stay in your chambers,” his voice is tense, his face stern.
“I was worried about you. And apparently for good reason,” your eyes flare. “What are you doing? What is Thor talking about?”
He stands, looking down at you. “I am a king and a god. I don’t have to explain myself to you.” You hesitantly place a foot on the bottom step and his tone grows dangerously low. “Now return to your rooms and we’ll discuss this later.”
“Please just –“
He cuts you off, “Guards, take her to her rooms and keep her there until further notice.”
A hand wraps around your bicep from behind and you step back in shock, feeling at once hurt and infantilized. It's like he's putting you on time-out. Shelby follows you and the guards back to your chambers, where you bite back tears of rage.
Fear grips you when you realize Jane and Darcy are probably wherever Thor is. That their lives could be the ones he was talking about. Your tears break, sliding down your cheeks at the thought and the room around you grows cold as you hear echoes of heavy footsteps passing down the hall.
You glance at the bed but know there’s no way you could fall asleep right now. Instead, you go out to the balcony and stare out over the city toward the Bifrost gate. You pace back and forth along the balcony, wondering how long Loki plans on keeping you locked up here.
There's a crash above you and something red bursts through the golden bricks, falling to the roofs below. Not long after, you see Loki galloping back to the Bifrost gate, the red blur following. When Loki reaches the gate, the Bifrost opens back towards Jötunheimr, frost forming around the gate as the unrelenting pressure of Yggdrasill builds.
You’re too far to distinguish the fight on the Bifrost, but you see a burst of lightning, followed by an explosion back towards the palace as the bridge shatters near the gate. Another red blur shoots out toward the edge, stopping where the bridge has broken.
You struggle to see what's going on over the side, but it looks as though the Allfather has caught Thor and Loki before they could fall into the abyss. For some reason he doesn't look like he's pulling them back. They're only distinguishable by their cloaks, but it's all too clear when Loki parts from the other two, falling from the bridge into whatever lies below.
"Loki! No!" you scream, even knowing there's no way he can hear you. The door to your chambers opens behind you and Shelby runs in, followed by a woman you haven't met yet and the guards.
You all watch as Odin pulls Thor back over the edge of the bridge and they begin making their way towards the palace. Loki's fallen too far for you to see him by now. "No, no, no," you can't stop sobbing and you feel yourself embraced as you cry into the brocade collar of the woman's gown.
Next chapter here.
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fanficshiddles · 3 years
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Triple Threat, Chapter 7
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Tony sent one of his drone suits up into space to check out the location of the reality stone.
The entire team was confused as to where it was, there was no planet there. If Jane truly had it, she wasn’t exactly going to be just flying around space. So they were starting to wonder if she even had it at all.
But when the drone got there, Tony called the team through to the lab to check out the footage he received from it.
Exactly where the map of the necklace said the stone should be, was a humungous spaceship.
Loki and Loki both knew exactly who’s ship that was. ‘Thanos.’ They both said at the same time, looking at one another worriedly.
‘Thanos? So, he has the stone from the wrong reality?’ Darcy asked.
‘Or he has Jane.’ Loki hummed.
‘What?’ Thor stepped forward, worried and angry. Of course he still cared about Jane and still had feelings towards her, the thought she was in the hands of Thanos was terrifying.
‘We don’t know for sure… But, possibly.’ Loki said as he ran a hand down his face. ‘We need to try and lure him down here, I need to get that stone back before he finds anymore.’
‘Is that wise? We can’t have Thanos on Earth, he’s already tried to destroy it once.’ Steve said as he folded his arms over his chest.
‘His goal isn’t to wipe out the entire human race. He wants to wipe out half of the entire Universe. To take out you lot too, but he will no doubt send his goons first. Like he sent Loki here at first with the Chitauri. If he has allies he can rely on, or allies he has tortured to do some dirty work for him, he will try that first. It was Loki who wanted to rule Earth, not Thanos. That’s not his endgame.’ Loki explained calmly.
The team looked at their Loki. He shrugged and looked a bit sheepish. ‘He’s right. I don’t know what Thanos had planned for afterwards, but he was going to let me have Earth.’
‘So if we lure him here, then what?’ Clint asked.
‘I doubt he will come here himself. He will send someone… If he has Jane, I suspect he will send her. She will be the enemy to try and take down Earth’s mightiest heroes.’ Loki said.
‘How can you be sure?’ Natasha asked.
‘I’ve been through similar already. I know what Thanos is aiming for. Granted, we are in different realities and sometimes they can be incredibly different. But the base line is usually similar. With different realities breaking off just a fraction from the real timeline, the smallest of change can cause the biggest of differences down the line.’
‘Like the one in sixty rule?’ Darcy asked.
‘Exactly.’ Loki nodded.
‘What’s that?’ Thor frowned.
So Darcy explained. ‘When flying a plane, for every one degree off course it will completely miss the destination point by a mile for every sixty miles travelled. So the further it goes on that course, the further away from its destination it goes, too. So while realities might all start the same, if something changes in one reality very slightly, it will start to veer off course completely. Like a chain reaction. Getting further and further apart from the original reality… Which I guess is why there are so many.’ Darcy shrugged.
‘Got it in one.’ Loki hummed.
‘I don’t really get it myself, but it kind of makes sense at the same time.’ Darcy said.
‘I can see why you got a Doctorate.’ Loki smirked before turning on his heels and heading out of the lab.
‘Wait, what?’ Darcy spun around to face him.
‘In my reality, I believe that after events with the Dark Elves, you went back to school and graduated with a doctorate in Astrophysics. And I’m beginning to understand how that happened now.’ He grinned and continued on out of the lab.
Darcy looked around the team smugly and she elbowed Loki. ‘You can all just call me Doctor Lewis from now on.’
Loki scoffed and ruffled her hair. ‘Wrong reality, love.’
‘Hey!’ She glared up at him and tried to smooth her hair back down.
While Tony sent another drone up to try and get Thanos’ attention, to try drawing him down to Earth so they could attack on their land, Loki and Darcy headed to the living room.
‘Do you not think I could get a Doctorate?’ Darcy asked Loki.
Loki frowned and put his arm around her. ‘Of course I do, darling. I was only teasing. You know I believe you can do whatever you put your mind to.’
‘Thanks, Loks.’ She smiled up at him.
‘Hey, if you can deal with having two Loki’s around, you can do anything.’ Natasha said in jest as she passed by them both to head to the kitchen, making Darcy laugh and Loki frown.
Tony told the team an hour later that he had sent another drone up, but before he’d been able to lure the ship down to Earth, it was blasted to smithereens in space.
‘I guess it will have gotten his attention though.’ Clint said as he shuffled playing cards, he was having a game with Bruce.
‘Now we just need to wait and be ready for when he gets here.’ Tony huffed.
To pass time, the team all had a few drinks in the evening with some food on the go. Not a party, but not a normal evening either, really. Though they all made sure to just stick to a couple of drinks, as they had no idea when, or if, Thanos was going to attack.
Loki noticed that Loki had disappeared, so he took that opportunity to change his clothes to the same that Loki was wearing tonight. Leather trousers and a dark green shirt. He then went over to Darcy while she was putting some nibbles on a plate.
‘Get some for me too, love.’ He whispered in her ear as he slipped his arm around her waist.  
‘Get your own, Loki.’ She said as she stabbed the back of his hand that was around her waist with a cocktail stick.
‘Ow.’ He whined and pouted as he moved away from her. ‘How did you know?’
‘I told you before, I can tell the subtle differences now.’ She said as she continued piling more food onto her plate. ‘One being you smell different.’
‘A word.’ The real Loki growled as he had seen what happened, but he was impressed that Darcy DID really know it wasn’t him and had managed to get him to back off. But he grabbed Loki by the collar and dragged him out of the room.
‘Oh dear. I don’t know whether to feel sorry for Loki or not… Or which one to feel sorry for, for that matter.’ Clint said.
‘They’re both as bad as one another really.’ Darcy groaned.
Loki shoved Loki against the wall and snarled at him, a hand around his neck.
‘I don’t care that you’re me. Or that we are one and the same. Darcy is MINE and you need to back off from her!’
Loki just laughed. ‘Oh really? But I thought you two weren’t boyfriend and girlfriend. So that means she’s fair game to be courted, since you two aren’t an official item.’ He said slyly.
Loki pulled him forward and then slammed him back again. ‘I mean it, Darcy is off limits. She is mine and I am hers. NO ONE, is going to come between us.’
Loki put his hands up in defence and shrugged slightly. ‘Alright, alright. If you say so. But it seems to me you are afraid of commitment. Afraid of rejection and heartbreak. Of losing the one who loves and understands you the most.’
Loki narrowed his eyes at him and snarled angrily as he let him go and turned away.
‘Remember, I am you. You are me. We had the same start in life, I know the feeling of rejection and betrayal. But Darcy doesn’t seem like the type that will hurt you. I’d keep a tight hold of her, and if I were you’ he chuckled at the pun. ‘I’d be making it clear to everyone that she is taken.’
‘We are happy as we are.’ Loki said firmly.
‘Are you really, though? You’re paranoid, jealous. I know that you would be much more content, settled and balanced, if she had a ring of yours on her finger.’
With that, Loki headed back to join the others.
Loki punched the wall in anger, his fist going right through it with ease.
He wasn’t sure whether he was angry at himself or the other Loki. Because he was right. While Loki loved what they had together, he didn’t want to ruin it... But at the same time, he hated the thought of not being a proper couple. Even if dating and romance wasn’t exactly their style… Could he still ask her to marry him?
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imagine-loki · 3 years
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Triple Threat, Chapter 7
TITLE: Triple Threat CHAPTER NO./ONE SHOT: Chapter 7 AUTHOR: fanficshiddles ORIGINAL IMAGINE: Imagine Loki kidnaps Darcy Lewis, in hopes of getting the tesseract in return for her. Imagine his surprise when he grows rather fond of the mortal, finding that she understands him better than anyone else ever has.  RATING: M
Tony sent one of his drone suits up into space to check out the location of the reality stone.
The entire team was confused as to where it was, there was no planet there. If Jane truly had it, she wasn’t exactly going to be just flying around space. So they were starting to wonder if she even had it at all.
But when the drone got there, Tony called the team through to the lab to check out the footage he received from it.
Exactly where the map of the necklace said the stone should be, was a humungous spaceship.
Loki and Loki both knew exactly who’s ship that was. ‘Thanos.’ They both said at the same time, looking at one another worriedly.
‘Thanos? So, he has the stone from the wrong reality?’ Darcy asked.
‘Or he has Jane.’ Loki hummed.
‘What?’ Thor stepped forward, worried and angry. Of course he still cared about Jane and still had feelings towards her, the thought she was in the hands of Thanos was terrifying.
‘We don’t know for sure… But, possibly.’ Loki said as he ran a hand down his face. ‘We need to try and lure him down here, I need to get that stone back before he finds anymore.’
‘Is that wise? We can’t have Thanos on Earth, he’s already tried to destroy it once.’ Steve said as he folded his arms over his chest.
‘His goal isn’t to wipe out the entire human race. He wants to wipe out half of the entire Universe. To take out you lot too, but he will no doubt send his goons first. Like he sent Loki here at first with the Chitauri. If he has allies he can rely on, or allies he has tortured to do some dirty work for him, he will try that first. It was Loki who wanted to rule Earth, not Thanos. That’s not his endgame.’ Loki explained calmly.
The team looked at their Loki. He shrugged and looked a bit sheepish. ‘He’s right. I don’t know what Thanos had planned for afterwards, but he was going to let me have Earth.’
‘So if we lure him here, then what?’ Clint asked.
‘I doubt he will come here himself. He will send someone… If he has Jane, I suspect he will send her. She will be the enemy to try and take down Earth’s mightiest heroes.’ Loki said.
‘How can you be sure?’ Natasha asked.
‘I’ve been through similar already. I know what Thanos is aiming for. Granted, we are in different realities and sometimes they can be incredibly different. But the base line is usually similar. With different realities breaking off just a fraction from the real timeline, the smallest of change can cause the biggest of differences down the line.’
‘Like the one in sixty rule?’ Darcy asked.
‘Exactly.’ Loki nodded.
‘What’s that?’ Thor frowned.
So Darcy explained. ‘When flying a plane, for every one degree off course it will completely miss the destination point by a mile for every sixty miles travelled. So the further it goes on that course, the further away from its destination it goes, too. So while realities might all start the same, if something changes in one reality very slightly, it will start to veer off course completely. Like a chain reaction. Getting further and further apart from the original reality… Which I guess is why there are so many.’ Darcy shrugged.
‘Got it in one.’ Loki hummed.
‘I don’t really get it myself, but it kind of makes sense at the same time.’ Darcy said.
‘I can see why you got a Doctorate.’ Loki smirked before turning on his heels and heading out of the lab.
‘Wait, what?’ Darcy spun around to face him.
‘In my reality, I believe that after events with the Dark Elves, you went back to school and graduated with a doctorate in Astrophysics. And I’m beginning to understand how that happened now.’ He grinned and continued on out of the lab.
Darcy looked around the team smugly and she elbowed Loki. ‘You can all just call me Doctor Lewis from now on.’
Loki scoffed and ruffled her hair. ‘Wrong reality, love.’
‘Hey!’ She glared up at him and tried to smooth her hair back down.
While Tony sent another drone up to try and get Thanos’ attention, to try drawing him down to Earth so they could attack on their land, Loki and Darcy headed to the living room.
‘Do you not think I could get a Doctorate?’ Darcy asked Loki.
Loki frowned and put his arm around her. ‘Of course I do, darling. I was only teasing. You know I believe you can do whatever you put your mind to.’
‘Thanks, Loks.’ She smiled up at him.
‘Hey, if you can deal with having two Loki’s around, you can do anything.’ Natasha said in jest as she passed by them both to head to the kitchen, making Darcy laugh and Loki frown.
Tony told the team an hour later that he had sent another drone up, but before he’d been able to lure the ship down to Earth, it was blasted to smithereens in space.
‘I guess it will have gotten his attention though.’ Clint said as he shuffled playing cards, he was having a game with Bruce.
‘Now we just need to wait and be ready for when he gets here.’ Tony huffed.
To pass time, the team all had a few drinks in the evening with some food on the go. Not a party, but not a normal evening either, really. Though they all made sure to just stick to a couple of drinks, as they had no idea when, or if, Thanos was going to attack.
Loki noticed that Loki had disappeared, so he took that opportunity to change his clothes to the same that Loki was wearing tonight. Leather trousers and a dark green shirt. He then went over to Darcy while she was putting some nibbles on a plate.
‘Get some for me too, love.’ He whispered in her ear as he slipped his arm around her waist.  
‘Get your own, Loki.’ She said as she stabbed the back of his hand that was around her waist with a cocktail stick.
‘Ow.’ He whined and pouted as he moved away from her. ‘How did you know?’
‘I told you before, I can tell the subtle differences now.’ She said as she continued piling more food onto her plate. ‘One being you smell different.’
‘A word.’ The real Loki growled as he had seen what happened, but he was impressed that Darcy DID really know it wasn’t him and had managed to get him to back off. But he grabbed Loki by the collar and dragged him out of the room.
‘Oh dear. I don’t know whether to feel sorry for Loki or not… Or which one to feel sorry for, for that matter.’ Clint said.
‘They’re both as bad as one another really.’ Darcy groaned.
Loki shoved Loki against the wall and snarled at him, a hand around his neck.
‘I don’t care that you’re me. Or that we are one and the same. Darcy is MINE and you need to back off from her!’
Loki just laughed. ‘Oh really? But I thought you two weren’t boyfriend and girlfriend. So that means she’s fair game to be courted, since you two aren’t an official item.’ He said slyly.
Loki pulled him forward and then slammed him back again. ‘I mean it, Darcy is off limits. She is mine and I am hers. NO ONE, is going to come between us.’
Loki put his hands up in defence and shrugged slightly. ‘Alright, alright. If you say so. But it seems to me you are afraid of commitment. Afraid of rejection and heartbreak. Of losing the one who loves and understands you the most.’
Loki narrowed his eyes at him and snarled angrily as he let him go and turned away.
‘Remember, I am you. You are me. We had the same start in life, I know the feeling of rejection and betrayal. But Darcy doesn’t seem like the type that will hurt you. I’d keep a tight hold of her, and if I were you’ he chuckled at the pun. ‘I’d be making it clear to everyone that she is taken.’
‘We are happy as we are.’ Loki said firmly.
‘Are you really, though? You’re paranoid, jealous. I know that you would be much more content, settled and balanced, if she had a ring of yours on her finger.’
With that, Loki headed back to join the others.
Loki punched the wall in anger, his fist going right through it with ease.
He wasn’t sure whether he was angry at himself or the other Loki. Because he was right. While Loki loved what they had together, he didn’t want to ruin it… But at the same time, he hated the thought of not being a proper couple. Even if dating and romance wasn’t exactly their style… Could he still ask her to marry him?
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babybluebex · 3 years
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all for you ch.1 [loki odinson x reader]
➽ pairing: loki odinson x fem!reader(y/n) ➽ word count: 1.8k ➽ summary: loki and you strike a deal with odin to save them both, and you have a few words with your new brother.   ➽ warnings: arranged/forced marriage, general angst ➽ a/n: tbh thor is basically my brother irl so yall are kinda meeting my brother here lol
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All thoughts of propriety had left me as I stormed into the throne room. Odin was Loki’s father, yes, and therefore my closest friend’s father, but he was still king and Allfather. He was my god and my enemy and, perhaps, my savior. “Odin,” I greeted him quickly. “Do you know what Loki has done?” 
“Y/N, my dear girl,” Odin began. He was obviously flustered by my anger, an emotion that I had never shown to him before. “What’s the matter?” 
“Your son--” I began. Loki entered the room, the doors banging with the force of him, and he interrupted me. 
“Father, I have explanations--” 
“For what?” I cried, turning to him. “You tricked me! What explanation could you possibly have?” 
“Peace, both of you,” Odin said, rising from his throne. “Loki, I was under the impression that you were going to propose. You tricked her? In what way?” 
“I’ll tell you,” I said. “He’ll never tell you the truth. God of tricks, god of lies… Loki found out that I was marrying a different man, and he disguised himself as my fiance! He took my Theoric’s place in the ceremony!” I turned to Loki to see practically no emotion in his eyes. It angered me, how calm he was. I hated him. I had gone from love and adoration to hate and fury in a matter of moments. 
Before I knew it, my hand had lashed out, and I had slapped Loki across his cheek. “You say you love me, and you trick me!” I cried. “What sort of love is born of deceit?” 
The guards at the helm of the throne room stepped forward at my attack on the prince, and Odin was between us in a flash. “Loki,” Odin began. The Allfather was imposing in his gold outfit and braided grey hair, but I could tell that Loki’s ego was overshadowing his father’s. “Did you do this?” 
Loki took a deep breath. “I did,” he admitted. “And I regret absolutely nothing. I told you, you wretch, I told you that you would regret this--”
“You are insane if you think that I’m at fault for this!” I exclaimed. “Loki, I-I trusted you! You were my brother--”
“And now I’m your husband,” Loki spat. “Congratulations.” 
“Allfather, I beg of you,” I said. “Please, tell me there’s a way to reverse this. There has to be, please.” 
Odin looked at me, his jaw tightening as he thought. “I’m sure there is, dear Y/N,” he said. “If there isn’t, I’ll make a way. The royal council meets in a weeks’ time. I’ll propose an annulment then; and a punishment.” 
“Father, a punishment is far too much,” Loki began. “Being married to her is enough--”
“Loki, do you not understand what you’ve done?” Odin growled, stepping to be chest-to-chest with his son. “You are married now. By the laws of Asgard, you are now officially in line for the throne. Not only did you trick Y/N, but you have done something that there might not be a way to reverse. The people will not care too kindly for a king who tricked his queen. You have made an enemy of your wife, your brother, your people, and me. I should banish you.” 
“Why won’t you?” Loki asked. 
Odin sighed. “If I banish you, then I must banish Y/N as well,” he said, and my breath caught in my throat. “She’s done nothing wrong and does not deserve such a punishment. We don’t want Asgard to fall into revolt at your actions, however, so we must keep the reality of this secret.”
“You surely are joking,” I interjected. “What of Theoric? My real fiance?” 
“You don’t need to worry about him,” Loki told me plainly. 
The warmth of anger filled my chest again. “Why?” I asked. “What have you done with him?” Loki shrugged, and the urge to slap him again bubbled up. “Answer me, you fuck!” 
“I did what I had to,” Loki told me. “I killed him.” 
A sob broke my chest. I didn’t quite love Theoric or care for him too deeply, but the thought that Loki had murdered him made my stomach broil. “I…” I began as my tears rolled down my cheeks. “I never want to see you again.” 
“That’s too bad, my darling,” Loki said, and he stepped toward me. I took a step back and tripped on my dress, and Loki reached out to steady me. “We’re married now. You have no choice but to see me, and to love me. Or to pretend to, at least.” 
I tried to steady my breathing and tear myself out of Loki’s grip, but a thousand years of comfort at his hand made me give in and press my head under his chin. “I hate you,” I sobbed, taking fistfuls of his clothes. 
“I know.” 
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Keeping the secret from the people of Asgard was one thing. Keeping it from the family was something else. We had no worries of my mother or the priestess revealing our secret, so Odin made me and Loki swear to not tell Frigga, Thor, or Jane. I was in such deep disbelief of the entire situation that I agreed without so much as a second thought. The less people who knew, the easier it was to keep it contained. 
The palace library was often a place of comfort for me as I grew up, and I found myself sitting in my normal place at the window. The sky was pink and orange, the gold city glittering in the sunset, and I tried to imagine what I would be doing had Loki not tricked me. I would be making a home with Theoric, no doubt. I would not be a princess or prospective queen, and I definitely would not be as conflicted as I was. I was angry, so much more than I ever thought was possible, but there was a small part of me that was relieved that I was married to Loki. Marrying the prince had privileges that even I couldn’t deny. I would always have a place to live and a family behind me. That was more than a lot could ask for. 
“Ah, sister!” Came Thor’s booming voice, and I swore that I could have heard his thunder in the ceiling. “I figured that you would be here.” 
As much as Loki was my brother, Thor was as well. He had called me sister for as long as I could remember, and the normalcy comforted me. “Am I that predictable?” I asked with a chuckle. 
“You have always been one to study,” Thor said. He sat down next to me on the cushioned bench, knowing that I would allow it, and he tilted his head curiously. “But you are without a book. Is something wrong?” 
I swallowed thickly and shook my head. “No,” I said. “In fact, everything is quite right. You see… Loki and I were married earlier today.” 
Thor laughed. “I figured it was but a matter of time,” he said. “Congratulations. And where would your husband be, eh?” 
I tried not to let the title faze me. That was my life now. At least, until Odin was able to annul the marriage. And who was to say that the royal council would even agree to that? “With the Allfather,” I answered. “I asked for a moment alone.” 
“Is something the matter?” Thor asked. 
“No,” I said quickly. “I only wished to look at the sunset one last time.”
“One last time before…?” Thor asked. 
“My new life,” I said. “When I wake up in the morning, I’ll be renewed. A princess, someone that has worth.”
“You’ve always had worth, sister,” Thor told me. “To me, and to Loki, and to Father and Mother.”
“More worth, I meant,” I amended quickly. “Did you… When you and Jane were married, did you feel any different than before?” 
Thor frowned and shook his head. “Are you having regrets?”
I drew my knees to my chest. “Not regrets, exactly,” I began. “Anxiety, I think. Just… On the brink of a new life. I think it’s only normal for me to be a bit scared.” 
“Of course,” Thor nodded. “If it helps at all, I think you’ll be fantastic as a princess. And, perhaps, one day, as queen. Loki would not have married you if he didn’t believe in your abilities.” 
“Did he ever tell you that he loved me?” I asked. “I never knew until he proposed. Am I just blind?” 
“He told me once,” Thor said. “A long time ago. But I thought it was a fleeting thing. But now… I’m so very happy for you and my brother. And, please remember that Jane and I are here if you need support of any kind.” 
“Thank you, Thor,” I said softly. I chewed on my tongue, and I finally reached out and wound my arms around him. Thor was a great hugger, and he wasted no time in embracing me tightly. I rested my cheek on his shoulder and clenched my jaw, trying not to cry. I wanted to tell him. I wanted him to know what Loki had done to me and what I was being forced into. But, alas, I had made a promise to my husband’s father. 
“Brother!” Loki said from the doors to the library, and Thor detached himself from me. 
“Congratulations!” Thor exclaimed, standing up, and he strided across the room to hug Loki. “I’m excited for the both of you!” 
“Thank you,” Loki said. He resisted Thor’s hug, but that was normal. “Your support means the world.” Thor unwound himself from around his younger brother, and Loki came to me. I stood up, and Loki put his arms around my waist. Whether it was fake adoration or not, I couldn’t tell, but Loki looked at me with love in his eyes. A thought occurred to me; Loki loved me, but was that why he married me? Or was it purely to spite me for keeping the truth of my engagement from him? I wasn’t sure which option I preferred more. 
“Truly, brother,” I said to Thor. “We were concerned that the family wouldn’t approve.” 
“Why wouldn’t they?” Thor scoffed. “You two are a match made in the halls of Valhalla.” 
“As close as Lo and I are,” I started. “I am still a commoner. It’s unusual for royalty to marry common people.” 
“You were a commoner, my love,” Loki said softly, and he pushed a bit of my hair behind my ear. “That is all behind you now. I am here for you, for the rest of time.” 
I clenched my teeth together, but smiled to keep up appearances. “And I could ask for nothing else,” I said, and I pressed closer to Loki. After a moment, I rose to kiss his cheek, and I spotted the pink flush that infiltrated his face. I had nearly forgotten his confession, and I had to remind myself that there was a hint of real adoration there. But his ultimate motives for tricking me were still unknown. “Only for your love, my darling prince.” 
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glynnisi · 3 years
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ShieldShock Holiday Fic 2020       FOR  @ava-rosier      
At Ao3:  Snowbound Christmas
Prompts:
-There's only one hotel room left and it's a blizzard outside and There Is Only One Bed.
-Either at a Mall or an Airport during the busy holiday season, a villain is trying to steal/ruin the holidays and Steve and Darcy, who are both there for Reasons, team up to foil the dastardly plot.
-When Darcy wore her new, risqué Captain America xmas/holiday sweater to work that day, she didn't expect that he would actually...y'know...SEE it.
---
So, it’s been a while since I wrote. Hi, friends!!! :)  But I adore ShieldShock still and will always adore @mcgregorswench and the ShieldShock Holiday Fic Exchange.  I tried to capture the feel of your prompts, @ava-rosier .  I’ve done holiday in the airport before but can NEVAH get too much of THERE IS ONLY ONE BED.  Hope you’re having a wonderful holiday, enjoying seeing 2020 finally end, and that you’ll enjoy your ShieldShock holiday fic gift!!! :)
---
Snowbound Christmas
Darcy startled as the car door scraped open over deep snow and a gust of wind blew in to steal her breath. It was even colder than the previous times. Steve could move fast, but not faster than the blizzard winds. He shook his head as he slammed the door closed behind him, sealing them in the relative calm. The only sound at first was the rustle of her shivering. He turned the car on again and they both savored relief as the air around them warmed.
She shifted position in her seat. “Steve, my friend! No room in the Inn?” Darcy tried to sound upbeat rather than weary. “I’d so hoped the eleventh try would be the charm. I mean, those two were raved over in Google as ‘simple’ and ‘budget’. You wouldn’t think that would draw a crowd.” She continued to watch the snow fall, eyes going out of focus.
Steve shook his head and pushed his snow-damp hair back. “I tried all five places in the village. Cut across town on foot rather than wasting gas.” He frowned. “I’m too stubborn. Should ‘a stopped twenty miles back where there were more possibilities. I’m sorry, Darcy.” He kept his eyes on the road as he started slowly moving. The snow was falling hard, gusting winds whipping it around them with abandon. Even with four-wheel drive, good snow tires, and perfect reflexes- Steve didn’t dare go more than fifteen miles per hour. Driving was hazardous, more by the minute.
Darcy shrugged her shoulders. “The forecast was off. I thought we had more time before it got bad, too. I swear! I only closed my eyes for like twenty seconds. When I opened them again it looked like I’d missed seeing three inches fall. You must be freezing. The other motels are two miles away, aren’t they?” She shivered, both sympathetically and because the car was still warming up.
“I’ll be fine.” Steve sighed again and glanced at Darcy’s phone before staring ahead of them again. “Any other ideas?”
Darcy squinched up her features, “well…” She was glad Steve focused his attention on the road. She worried that her idea wouldn’t be well received. “We could ask the others for suggestions? Surely Tony owns something between here and the City.” Darcy held her breath. She’d seen Steve and Tony clash at the Avengers Upstate Base enough to know that he didn’t want to ask Tony’s help.
Steve reached in his jacket pocket and handed his phone to Darcy, groaning in resignation. “Had the same thought. See if he’s replied?” He steeled himself.
Darcy laughed merrily as she read his incoming texts.
“That bad?” Steve’s frown lines deepened.
Darcy’s lips twitched. “Nah, buddy-o. Tony’s busting your chops about being a damsel in distress. He reminds you that he’s been away from Pepper for a week and has injuries to rest up from. Says to cool your heels at a summer lake cabin of hers. Coordinates and key code provided. And to resist the urge to crash dramatically into the lake as it wouldn’t be very festive of you. Cabin can be drafty, but was cleaned recently. Which, yay! They were going to come up last week for a dating anniversary celebration before the weather changed and he took that mission.”
Steve nodded and blew out an impatient breath. He glanced at Darcy again, “does anyone other than Jane know you’re with me?” His tone sounded wary.
Again, Darcy shrugged and avoided his gaze. “I dunno. If the local mechanic didn’t have sick kids at home, I’d be driving myself through this like I planned. Probably would’ve crashed in a snow drift by now or be caught in the sadly-parked madness on the interstate you were smart enough to skip. Why? I’m sorry that coming for me put you behind schedule. You’re too kind, putting yourself out for little ole me. You probably have plans with close friends, or something.” She trailed off, uncertain if that was a fair assumption regarding Steve. As much time as they’d spent together since they met over a year before, he seemed to always be working.
Darcy frowned, sad for Steve. And for herself. She’d tried in vain to shake the crush she had on the loneliest Avenger. He seemed determined to stay lonely and fill his time almost entirely with work. Whenever he came to Jane’s lab, she struggled not to let her extreme thirst for him show. She ended up babbling most times, griping about stuff and talking nonsense. He came by the lab a lot, so she had many embarrassing memories to cringe about.
“Not really. And don’t apologize, Darcy. I wanted to help you. I’m glad you’re with me rather than stuck, or worse.” Steve chose to ignore part of her question for the moment. “I was just going by Tony and Pepper’s party at the Tower to keep some peace between us. Then I figured I might go to Brooklyn to see the crazy lights they put up there these days, and then maybe head down to D.C. to see Sam. Nothing firm. No big deal.” He turned into a skid and eased up on the gas. Anyone else would have registered alarm at the need to maneuver like that. The majority of drivers would have wrecked. Sleet mixed in with the precipitation.
Darcy nodded, silent. She clicked on the coordinates Tony had sent and turned up the volume on the phone directions. When there was a pause, she spoke up, “still sorry to keep you from your party, lights, and Sam. I’m relieved that you weren’t just planning to ignore the holiday at the Upstate Base again this year, though. No offense, but hearing you did that last year made me mad at you.” She let out an indignant huff and blinked back tears.
He raised his brows, but didn’t reply at first. Finally, not wanting to seem rude, Steve asked, “mad? Why?” He fought against both flickers of hope and melancholy.
Steve tried not to wish for what he believed he couldn’t have. He’d found that Darcy won friends easily, but rarely let anyone get close enough to know her the way he’d like to know her. She kept things light and funny, using her humor as a shield against intimacy.  He admired her ability to deflect when she used it with others, lamented it when she used it with him.
The first day they met, Steve fell hard for the brash, strong-willed, funny, gorgeous dame. And then he met her boyfriend, Ian. Even after that relationship ended, Darcy made it crystal clear that she saw Steve only as a friend. Her emotional shield pushed him back like the strongest of force fields. She bristled if he held a door or pulled out a chair for her. She acted like it was weird if he did anything for her- like bringing her coffee when he was getting some for himself in Jane’s lab.
Also, there was Darcy’s apparent dislike of soldiers. She cursed agents and soldiers as ‘jack-booted thugs’ every time a piece Jane’s equipment misbehaved. He’d overheard Darcy rant to Jane about her sister’s hard life with a military guy Darcy disdained as ‘Soldier Boy’. Steve was a soldier. He'd never regretted it until it came between him and the only 21st century woman he’d met who captivated him.
Her tone as she spoke next brought Steve out of his reverie. “I know that those you love from your time were more like family to you… that you still mourn all you lost.” Darcy avoided looking at Steve, “But, I consider you a friend and I don’t like for anyone to treat my friends bad… especially, themselves. Thinking of you doing busy work and walking echoing halls alone. Imagining you eating frozen dinners and training alone while the rest of the world celebrated? Too sad. Awful. I wish you would’ve let me, I mean, someone, anyone, know that you didn’t have plans.” Darcy swallowed hard around the lump in her throat. She’d held that in for the better part of a year and was terrified that she’d overstepped enough to anger Steve. If her voice sounded brittle, she couldn’t help it. Her feelings for Steve ran deep. She’d taken one look at Steve Rogers and lost her heart irrevocably.
Steve shook his head and joked to offer one correction, “I hardly ever eat frozen dinners.” He cleared his throat. “What did you do for Christmas last year?” Steve’s tone was mild, unreadable. He’d spent a lot of the previous year’s holiday week reliving the pain of seeing Darcy being kissed by Ian under mistletoe. It was a harsh blow since he’d heard rumors that they’d broken up and dared hope for a chance with her. Thinking of that terrible moment still filled Steve with potent jealousy.
Darcy cut a glance Steve’s way. “I went to the usual lame lab holiday party, complete with joke gifts and too much mistletoe. Then, un-fun family time. As soon as I could escape my dumb sister Beth and ‘Soldier Boy’, I got back to Jane’s. I made Thor watch Christmas cartoons while I struggled to explain the pop nuances of them to him. We drank eggnog. I exchanged joke gifts with him and Jane and Erik. Then we all helped serve Christmas dinner at homeless shelter. And I ate too much and fell asleep on the couch at Jane’s place that night. I ‘peopled’.” She glared at Steve and repeated in an accusing tone, “’Peo-ple-d!’”
Darcy frowned as she also remembered Ian cornering her under mistletoe before Christmas. He tried to get back together with her until she threatened to tase him. It had cast a pall over Darcy’s entire holiday.  That was one interaction with people she did NOT look back on fondly.
Steve chuckled weakly, “and you’re mad at me for not ‘people-ing?’”  
“You never want anyone to pity you in any way, but then you do stupid stuff like that! I mean, I was drunk when Thor told me, but it made me CRY.” Darcy shook her head and looked away, frowning, angry. “Sorry. Said too much. Not my business. I know. Sorry.” She hunched her shoulders as though concerned he might offer a rebuke.
Steve's face fell into a sad grin. “No need to… It’s nice that you worry about me, Darcy. Thanks for that.” He resisted the urge to cover her hand with his. “I’m sorry I made you cry.” Genuine distress filled him, that she’d cried and that he had no right to offer comfort. Something in her reaction brought out his deepest protective instincts.
Careful to avoid distracting Steve from driving, Darcy poked his rock-hard bicep. “Pfft. Silly. You’re not alone, even if you try. You have friends. I’m your friend. You know that. Right?”
“Friends.” Steve nodded, grim. “Yeah. Thank you for being my friend, Darcy.” He sighed, long and low.
Darcy nodded, unable to speak around the lump in her throat.
---
 Soon, they arrived at the coordinates. A tiny cabin nestled in the deepening snow. It was dark, but for a dim light visible through its large windows.
Darcy moaned, “finally.”
“I could carry…” Steve’s voice trailed off as Darcy threw her door open and jumped out into the knee-deep snow. She almost fell, but righted herself. The winds swirled snow and sleet all around her.
“Shit! Cold!” Darcy trudged with purpose towards the cabin. “So cold! And, eww, wet. Oh!” She input the code Tony had sent for the front door lock and shoved inside. Darcy kicked off her snow-covered boots and dropped her coat inside the front door. She scurried to the bathroom. “Some of us don’t have super bladder capacity!” Her brief view of the cabin interior was minimal. Dark shapes stood out against the eerie snow light through the windows.
Steve slammed his car door and followed. He shook his head and yelled back, “nobody has that” as he picked up Darcy’s coat, shook snow off, and hung it on a hook. He toed off his boots and set them and Darcy’s boots near the fireplace. Then, he peeled off his snow pants and hung them on a hook near the door. They’d kept his jeans dry.
“Don’t get your tights in a twist. I’m hurrying!” Darcy called from the bathroom.
Brows raised; Steve surveyed the cabin. He flicked light switches and swore under his breath as low, golden light bathed the tight space. The room was dominated by a low bed and floor to ceiling windows. A Christmas tree decorated with lights stood by the bed. There were at least a dozen pillows and a sheer hanging canopy laced with warm string lights over the bed. There was no sofa, only two reading chairs and a small table in front of the fireplace. A kitchenette took space along one wall. It had a well-stocked wine rack.
Mostly, there was the ridiculously romantic-looking bed. Face prickling with heated anxiety, Steve found a thermostat and started the heater. Then, he began to build a fire in the brick fireplace. The cabin was cold and the windows were more suited to airiness than warmth. The back walls were brick, attractive but cold in winter weather.
“Uh, Steve?” Darcy sounded sheepish; voice muffled by the bathroom door. “Can you hand me a blanket or look for a robe or something? I’m sorry to trouble you. My pants are soaked up to the knees and I can’t put them back on. They’re freezing. Wet with snow.”
Steve closed his eyes, still for several seconds. He looked around for a closet and saw instead a wardrobe. He grabbed a black silk robe, frowning at the sheer and gauzy red alternative hanging beside it. The top shelves held baskets of swimsuits, shorts, and other summer clothes. He took the black robe off the hangar and walked to the bathroom. He knocked and held out the robe, eyes averted. Then, he went back to work on the fire.
“Thanks, I didn’t think. Just ran to the bathroom. I…” Darcy stopped as she got a good look at the cabin. “Oh, holy… uh, night.” She cut a careful glance Steve’s way.
Steve shook his head and chuckled. “Something like that. Don’t worry. I can sleep on the floor. I’ve done worse.” He arranged another log in the growing flames and warmed his hands.
“You can NOT! Don’t be stupid. I won’t attack you. Promise. We both need to sleep and there’s room for two if we remove a few hundred pillows.” Darcy’s tone sounded more certain and stubborn as she talked. She rolled her eyes at him. “Make a line of pillows down the middle of the bed as a dividing line if you want to keep me away. Or, I can do it.” She frowned at him, set her jeans near the fire to dry, and moved to the kitchenette. Darcy opened the refrigerator, freezer, and cabinets to see what they had to work with. “Sorry about my coat and boots. I was gonna get them, I swear.”
Steve frowned, disliking her urgent anxiety. “No problem.”
Darcy opened a bottle of water and drank it. “I didn’t dare drink much water while we were stuck in the car, but I still needed a bathroom for at least the past hour.” She offered him a bottle, which he accepted and downed before returning his attention to his work. Darcy moved food from the freezer to the refrigerator to thaw. She opened a couple of cans of soup and put them on to simmer, and sat in a reading chair. “I checked the weather forecast while I was in the bathroom. We’re not getting out of here on our own power before tomorrow night at the earliest.” She tightened the belt on the robe and leaned towards the fire, hands outstretched. “Nice. Getting a little warmth there. Thanks.”
Steve excused himself to the restroom. On his return, he sat in the other chair. He watched the fire’s progress, then turned his attention to the deepening snow visible through the windows all around them. “Quieter now. Slowing down, or a lull before more blizzard.”
“Lull, according to radar. Fresh snow absorbs sound. Something about air between the flakes dampening vibrations.” When Steve gave her an impressed look, Darcy grinned, “I saw it in a meme on the Internet. Must be true.” She winked at him.
Steve returned her grin. “Internet. So helpful.”
“Except when it’s REALLY not.” She made a face, both sad and angry. “Beth met ‘Soldier Boy’ online. And, of course his worst notions get amplified there. Bleurgh.”
Careful, Steve dared, “what branch of the Military is your brother-in-law with?”
Darcy choked on water. “Br... Whaa?” She shook her head, hard. “God, no! Don’t say that. It might come true if you say it.  Eww! Grandma Esther'd roll right out of her grave to beat the ever-living sh… heck… pardon me, out of Beth if she marries that Nazi wannabe.” Darcy shuddered dramatically. “Crud. They’ve been dating more than a year. And, Christmas… You may be right. Ugh.” She spoke as she texted into her phone, “‘If you marry him, I’ll give you kitty litter as a wedding present, used kitty litter. Dumbass. BTW I hate him. He’s awful.’ Ugh. Delete. Delete. Delete.”
Steve digested all this and stayed quiet. He noted with interest that Darcy’s cheeks reddened as though with embarrassment. In his experience she didn’t embarrass easily. Her plush lower lip jutted out in a pout. “Beth’s dating a racist faux-militia-type lunatic. She’s decided she’s Sub to his Dom and overlooks his politics and crazy behavior. It’s nauseating.” Darcy frowned, sad, “I don’t see the attraction. Mom says the sex must be great, cuz she doesn’t understand the attraction, either.” Darcy twirled a piece of her hair nervously on one finger. “Mom thought she had the worst taste in men in the family, but Beth’s making her wonder.” She shook her head. “Sorry. Nothing to you. You don’t know them. Crazy family of a sorta friend.”
“I know you… some. I care more than you think.” Now Steve’s cheeks reddened. He hadn’t meant to say that aloud.
Darcy gestured as though to bump shoulders with him. “Nice.” She arranged the robe over her legs, both from cold and modesty.
Hesitant, Steve ventured, “you never mention your father.”
Darcy’s gaze turned his way. “Nope. Long gone.” Her expression hardened. “Thank goodness.”
After an awkward silence fell between them, Steve went to the stove and spooned soup into two bowls. He returned to his place by the fire. He handed Darcy her soup, noting her mild surprise at being served. They ate without speaking. When they were done, they both took their bowls and rinsed them in the sink.
Darcy walked over to the bed and started moving pillows. “Do you want a dividing line?” She didn’t try to meet his gaze.
“Not necessary. Let’s put the pillows by the windows. They’ll block some of the cold that’s coming in and making it hard for this place to warm up.” Steve pressed pillows along the bottom edge of one window. He glanced back as Darcy slid beneath the covers, still wearing the black robe. The warm light brought out red and light brown highlights in her long hair. She looked even prettier than usual in the golden glow. And he thought she was always beautiful.
Darcy shivered hard. “Sheets are freezing!”
Swallowing hard, Steve sat on the far side of the bed from her. “Want the decorative lights off?”
“N…n..not unless you do. They’re p..pretty. Make me think warmer thoughts.” Her shivers shook the bed.
Steve shifted so that he could lift the covers and lay underneath them. They were icy cold against his pants. He imagined the chill was worse against Darcy’s bare legs. He lay back and closed his eyes, feeling the motion of the bed from Darcy’s shaking. The winds began to wail again, harder than before. He opened his eyes and turned to look out at the raging blizzard. “Wanna lay back-to-back? I run warm.” As she shifted so that she faced away from him, he rolled to his side and moved back against her. He cursed himself as a masochist.
“Ohhh. Fuck, yes!” Darcy swore under her breath and whispered, “sorry. So sorry!”
“I know what you mean and you don’t have to avoid cursing around me. We’re not on a mission communicator in an official capacity. That ‘language’ thing they joke me about is nonsense. I don’t give a damn about how people want to talk in regular life.” Steve closed his eyes again, trying to keep his tone even as Darcy wriggled against his back. He heard her mutter thanks a few times. Making her feel good pleased him.
Five minutes later, Darcy rolled over and pressed her cold nose against his shoulder. She spent several minutes trying to figure out where to put her hands. She ended up crossing her arms over her chest and tucking her hands under her chin. Within minutes, she was asleep.
Listening to the sound of Darcy’s breathing as it evened out and deepened lulled Steve to sleep soon after. His face settled into a small smile.
---
 Steve supposed it was a slight change in the blizzard-muted light of day that woke him next. Languorous, sensual dreams dissipated through his hazy thoughts. Dream images of Darcy, kiss-swollen lips and bared creamy skin, heated his blood.
Then, awareness hit him hard. He and Darcy clenched in a lover’s embrace. Their legs entwined and her head was on his chest. Her sweet, feminine scent filled his senses. Her amazing breasts pressed against one side of his chest. One of her hands was against his arm and the other warmed the skin of his stomach, inside his shirt. It all felt so good and right that it stole his breath. His body’s natural response to his dreams, to her, and to waking was extreme. He was afraid to move lest any friction push him past sanity. A small, low moan sounded in her throat as she shifted against him. He tensed.
Her voice was raspy with sleep. “I know it’s awkward, but I’m way too comfy to regret it. You feel good, Steve.”
“Right back atcha’, Doll,” he whispered. Wishing himself back in his dreams, he kissed her forehead and squeezed her even closer. He wanted her so much he could hardly stand it.
Darcy made another small sound in her throat as she wriggled against him. The realization that he was aroused sparked her passions, but she didn’t dare to presume too much. Maybe it was only an impressive sign of morning. She followed his example and placed a chaste kiss below his jaw. She felt his heart pounding more quickly and closed her eyes again. She flexed her fingers against his ridiculously-cut abdomen and felt him jolt. She debated if any of his reactions had anything to do with her in particular. She wished they did.
Both of them were awake, but neither admitted it.  Each of them savored the embrace and the feel of the other’s body. They each fantasized about the other.  They fantasized about passionate first moves, expressing affection and desire. Want. They became lost in imagining more and more.  Time passed. Their emotions swirled like the blizzard winds that trapped them together.
They lay cuddled and simmering with unspoken desires until Steve’s phone rang. It broke the spell. He moved away from Darcy and answered the phone.
She watched the play of muscles under the back of his shirt and struggled to stifle her lust.  Darcy closed her eyes.  It was futile.  Her lust for Steve had been growing for over a year.  In this circumstance, lust was inevitable.
While Steve talked with Sam, assuring him that he was fine though the storm prevented him reaching the City, Darcy left the bed and went to the bathroom. She snagged her dry jeans on her way there. She took a shower and did what she could with toothpaste she found in the medicine cabinet and her finger. When she came back out, she hung the robe in the wardrobe and put on her Christmas cardigan. She looked through the wardrobe and giggled at the sheer red robe. Then, Darcy took a step back. She buttoned and straightened her sweater by her reflection in the wardrobe mirror.
Steve paused in his conversation, a gob-smacked look on his face, “what…?!”
“Oh! Yeah. I know. Gaudy, isn’t it? Well, last year Tony gifted the ‘ugliest sweater at his party’ winner $10,000. I know what he can be like, so I thought I’d stand a better chance of catching his wallet’s attention if I went a little on the sexy side. And I sewed in lights.” Darcy twirled and turned on the LED lights that adorned the sweater. Her dark green Christmas cardigan had bauble Avenger emblem buttons. A Captain America Shield button strained to hold the sweater together over Darcy's breasts. Silver and gold trim around the hem resembled tinsel. Red and gold lighted and embroidered ornaments dotted the sweater at random. It was a bit gaudy rather than ugly, but sexy most of all since the fabric hugged Darcy’s ample curves. She wore it over a tight red top and skinny black jeans. The ensemble played up her natural assets.
Steve could only nod in reply. He tried to turn his full attention back to his conversation, but didn’t do well.
By the time Steve was off the phone and had made the bed, Darcy found waffles in the freezer and syrup in the pantry. She had coffee brewing and was downing another bottle of water when Steve began stoking the fire embers and adding wood. They shared a quiet breakfast. Steve tried not to look at Darcy’s figure and failed again and again. He tried not to fantasize as Darcy licked syrup from her lips. He failed.
As they finished breakfast, Darcy looked around the cabin. “Aw, man. No TV?”
“Actually, there’s one over the bed.” Steve swallowed the last of his coffee.
“Over?” Darcy gave him a disbelieving look and went over to look up inside the bed canopy. “You’re not kidding.”
He chuckled and shook his head, “at first I thought it was a mirror.”
Darcy lay on the bed, on her back. She looked around for a remote control, finally finding one in the nearby window sill. “Icy remote.” She pointed it up and sighed, “but it works!” Channel flipping and streaming services browsing occupied her for some time.
She hoped rather than believed that Steve was looking at her with lusty interest.
Steve was. The intimacy of their situation and Darcy’s sensual appearance were a potent combination. He could hardly speak. He excused himself to go get a quick shower. He came back out a few minutes later, dressed again but still toweling his hair dry.
Darcy didn’t meet Steve’s eye as she offered, “you’re welcome to join me. Just friends watching television, ya know. I’m watching a silly Christmas movie. ’Scrooged.’ Okay?”
Steve shrugged as he made his way back to the bed. He shuffled, awkward, as he drew nearer.
Darcy shifted towards one edge of the bed, not meeting his gaze. “Plenty of room. Don’t mind me.”
He smiled as he sat on the other edge of the bed and forced himself to speak up. “Sam said that they’re busy helping first responders deal with stranded motorists. Hundreds of them all across the state. A lot of people didn’t have our luck and find shelter. I had to agree with him that it’s more important that they help them than us. I’m sorry you won’t have the chance to win the sweater contest.” He eased onto his back beside her, folding a pillow behind his head.
“Of course, they need to help people who’re stuck!” Darcy shuddered. “It’s super cold out there and the storm got out of hand so fast. I can only imagine. We’re fine here.” She grinned and turned to him. “You really think I’d win?”
Steve was struck by how pretty her green eyes were. He blushed. Her look turned quizzical. He nodded and spoke a thick reply, “yeah. Definitely.” Steve forced his gaze up to the television mounted above them. “I assume that ‘Scrooged’ refers to the Dickens novella?”
“Yup.” Darcy shifted further to the edge and lifted the covers so that she could get under the blankets. Once under there, she groused, “darned lights and ornaments are poking me.” She frowned, and unbuttoned the sweater again and lay it aside. Buttons and lights made a clicking sound on the floor by the bed.
After debating for what felt like an endless time, Steve got under the covers and shifted closer to her. “Can’t let you freeze.”
Darcy rolled up on her side and looked him in the eye. “It would be rude to let me freeze. I’m glad you’ve seen the light.” She winked at him, trying to seem playful. She thought that he was looking at her lips, but dismissed it as wishful thinking.
Steve assured her, “I’ll do my best to keep you from freezing. Wouldn’t want to be rude.” He put one arm around her, hand spanning the middle of her back. “I’m a polite guy.”
“You’re the nicest soldier I’ve ever met. Have I ever mentioned that?” Darcy ducked her head as a blush filled her cheeks. The way his hand covered her whole back made her feel tiny. Did things to her. Made her want his hands on her in other places. The fire she tried to play with was backfiring spectacularly, leaving Darcy breathless with desire.
“No. But I’m glad to hear it.” Steve gave her a squeeze.
There was a loud noise onscreen. Darcy rolled onto her back so that she could see the television again. She hoped Steve wouldn’t notice that her breath was racing.
After a few minutes, Steve nudged her. “Tell me about other soldiers you’ve met? There are good and bad apples in any group, you know.” He felt Darcy tense.
Though she didn’t look at Steve, Darcy decided to answer. She told him about Puente Antiguo and the SHIELD agents and soldiers who took Jane’s research- and their computers and even Darcy’s personal iPod. SHIELD ran a strange, temporary military base near the town and Erik worried about their absolute power. She told him about the shifts in those soldiers’ attitudes after Thor returned to Asgard. First, they were obsequious, but gradually more restrictive. They coveted Jane’s research and tried to control them all. After a long pause, Darcy shared, “some of them reminded me of my dad. He was military, Marine. Not a nice guy, especially to our mom.”
Steve rubbed Darcy’s arm as she talked. He felt that it was a privilege that Darcy was telling him something so personal. He didn’t want to break the spell, rather hoped that she might open up to him more.
Darcy blinked back tears. “He found fault with everything she did. She couldn’t do enough fast enough to avoid setting off his temper. Then he… well, you know.” Darcy ducked her head.
Realization dawned on Steve. “So, he never served her a dish or coffee even if he was getting something? He never held doors for her or pulled out a chair? You never saw him treat her with respect?”
Steve stilled as Darcy sat up on one elbow and stared at him, eyes wide. “Respect? No. No respect.” She grabbed the remote again. “Let’s look for something else. I saw…” Darcy glanced at Steve. “’White Christmas’ is about to start on this channel. I remember liking the dancing and pretty outfits and thinking it’s sweet. The story starts in your time, though. Do you mind?  Will that make you too sad?”
Steve shook his head. “I’ve heard good things about it. I’ll be okay.” He wanted to say that he was more than okay with Darcy next to him, but was too tongue tied.
As the classic channel announcer talked, Darcy shifted closer to Steve again. “I want you to be okay. The 21st century’s not all bad, ya know.”
Again, Steve kissed Darcy’s forehead. “Yeah. Thanks, Doll.” He stroked her hair as they began watching the movie. “This okay?”
Darcy nodded, wondering if he was only being nice because he felt sorry for her or if there was another reason. “Yes. Very okay. Feels nice.” As his fingers trailed down her back, she shivered with pleasure. She wondered if he had any idea what his touch did to her. She savored the feelings, the want and heat, for a long time. Other thoughts ran through the back of her mind while she tried to ignore them.
Most of the way through the movie, the 'pretend-engagement' conspirators confessed to Bing Crosby’s character. Steve commented, approving, “at least they fessed up and set him straight. Too many times in romantic comedies the people avoid saying what’s on their mind until it’s too late. It's silly.” He stilled as Darcy pushed back from him and stared at him again. “What?  You okay?”
Darcy nodded.  “I… yeah. Sorry.” She sat up on the edge of the bed, paused the movie, and grasped her phone. After a moment, she nodded. “I’m gonna do this. I’m gonna make this call before I chicken out. Wish me luck.” She grabbed the green sweater from the floor and slipped it on over her red top again.
“Luck.” Steve got up and walked around the bed so he could sit next to Darcy. She looked up at him with a grateful warmth that transfixed him. He nudged her shoulder to offer comfort as someone answered her call.
“Beth? Hi. It’s Darcy. Merry something or other.” Darcy’s knee bounced, betraying her restlessness. Steve could feel tension fill her frame. After a moment, she continued, “yeah. Fine. I found a place to stay. I’m with a friend. And, Beth?” She took a deep breath, “He treats me with respect. Caring and respect. Even if he were…” Darcy paused. She rushed the next words out all at once, “well, if he was my Dom? He wouldn’t embarrass me or push away you or Mom by making me say ‘Meow’ and only ‘Meow’ to you at his whim. He wouldn’t think that's funny. He wouldn’t call me a ‘dimwit’ or a ‘bimbo’. He… Beth? I’m sorry to criticize your choices. But you deserve better than that kind of stuff. I hate the way Chad treats you, the way he talks down to you and tries to change you. You don’t need changing. I don’t know if it’s just me that Chad can’t stand. But, if it’s not? If he treats you like that in front of other people? I mean, would he demean you in front of your kids like Dad did Mom? Would he hurt you? How much like Dad…? Scratch that. Sorry. He’s not Dad. I’m not trying to be an unfair bitch to Chad, whatever he says. I worry that…” Darcy gasped, “don’t cry! I’m sorry! No! You… what? He what? He didn’t… What?!?” She shook, both in her body and voice. There was a long silence on Darcy’s end as her sister talked and cried. Darcy only interrupted the flow of words to utter sounds of disgust and disbelief.
Steve went to the kitchenette and got more water. He opened a bottle of wine and made thawed meat into fried burgers and baked French fries in the oven. He took Darcy water and returned to work on their lunch. The smell of good food soon filled the tiny cabin. He stayed busy, but most of his attention was on Darcy and her conversation.
Finally, Darcy rasped, “Well, that’s… What?! You’re thanking me? No. What? I thought you’d tell me to go to Hell, not take my call as a divine sign that you should say no and leave him. Oh, thank Baby Jesus!” Darcy laughed through tears. “Yes! I know I’m a bitch and I’m causing you to throw yourself on Mom’s mercy at Christmas. Enjoy her cookies for me. If it makes you feel better, I don’t have baking ingredients. Oh, fine! Hm? My friend? Awesome like you wouldn’t believe. Uh, I don’t know. It’s… pffft. I need to talk straight to him, too. Wish me luck?” Darcy wiped tears from her eyes. “Yes! I love you, too. Now, go. Text me when you’re safe at Mom’s and tell her I’m safe and I’ll call later. Merry Christmas.” Darcy hung up from the call and stared at the phone, rocking in place until she received a text. Then, she collapsed backwards onto the bed and stared up, unseeing.
Steve stayed quiet, letting Darcy calm from her talk with her sister. When the food was ready, Steve returned to her side and offered her a hand up, leading her towards the fire.
Darcy stumbled to a chair. “Thanks. You’re the best.” She drank more water.
“So, did he propose?” Steve began eating again and gave Darcy time to answer.
Darcy ate a bite of hamburger with a few fries and shook her head, “nope. TOLD her she was gonna marry him. Told her!” She closed her eyes and shook her head. “Jackass! Good riddance.”
Wry, Steve shook his head. “Not very romantic. Not that I’m an expert in that department, but…”
Darcy only nodded as she devoured the rest of her food and sipped wine. “I had no idea how hungry I was.” She looked at Steve, thinking how lucky she was to be trapped with a good person who exuded calm and kindness. She especially appreciated that after the intensity of her conversation with her sister. Darcy sipped the wine as she focused on Steve. Being with him settled her, made her feel safe. And looking at him was always a delight. Steve Rogers was handsome, to be sure. He’d rolled up the sleeves on his green and blue flannel shirt. Unfair of him to subject her to sexy forearms on top of all the rest. Like every shirt she’d ever seen him wear, this one struggled to cover his muscles. She’d given up trying to think of adjectives that could convey how attractive Steve was. And nice. He didn’t call her out for staring at him like a weirdo, mooning after him. He didn’t even press her to speak up now, when she was sure he must be curious about the ‘straight talk’ she’d mentioned. He gave her the space she needed to regain her equilibrium.
Respect. Steve treated her with respect. She had a wonderful friend who treated her with respect. She ought to be forever grateful rather than daring to wish for more.
Steve finished his glass of wine and poured himself another.
Darcy held her glass out for him to top off, then sipped it again. “This is good stuff. I never spend more than $10 on a bottle. I’d bet the cork on this stuff costs that much,” she giggled, “or even the label.”
“I’ll give Tony money to cover it when we get back to the Tower.” Steve shrugged.
Darcy glanced outside. Snow and sleet fell still. “That’ll be a bit yet.”
Steve nodded, not sure what to say. He felt happy trapped with Darcy, to have a chance to talk with her and hold her close. Even if she only saw him as a friend who kept her from getting too cold. Silence fell between them again.
“Wanna finish the movie? Sorry I shut it off without asking.” Darcy needed more time to gather courage.
Steve nodded, “no problem. Yeah. I’d like to see the ending.”
They took their dishes to the sink and then returned to the bed. There, Darcy took off her Christmas sweater. She threw back the covers and snuggled next to Steve under the blankets. He put his arms around her while she used the remote to restart the movie. Finally, the lovers in the movie sorted out their misunderstanding, kissed, and made plans for their future. Fierce longing overwhelmed both Steve and Darcy. Unconsciously, he stroked her back.
There was no one and nothing to distract them or come between them. Nothing except for their own emotional shields. But it was a day for dropping those.
Cheers and strains of the song ‘White Christmas’ sounded behind the words ‘The End’. Darcy ducked her head so that she didn’t have to look Steve in the eye. “I wish…”
Steve interrupted, “I wish that you didn’t dislike soldiers so much, Darcy. I’m a soldier and I can’t change that, never could.”
Darcy pushed back from him, “what? Change? You? No! I don’t… Oh! No. I only dislike the bad ones. I don’t like jack-booted thugs who steal Jane’s research and my personal stuff. I don't like Nazi wanna-be’s or, well, mean soldiers. I like… I like you, Steve.” She swallowed hard and jutted her chin out. “I wish that your work didn’t take pretty much all your time and that you didn’t miss your good old days so much. I wish…” She blinked back unshed tears. “I really wish you wanted to be here- in this time- with me, Steve. I’m sorry. I know you only want to be friends. And I won’t say anything more to make you uncomfortable, friend.” She smiled a small, watery smile. “Friend. I’ve done that for you all this time. I can keep doing it. I want any relationship we can have, even just friends.”
Confusion filled Steve’s expression. “Is that why you say ‘friend’ to me so much? Because you think that’s all I want?”
“Uh huh.” Darcy nodded miserably.
He inched closer. “And you like me even though I’m a soldier? And you want to be more than friends with me? Darce?” He whispered, “do you… want?”
Darcy looked up at him, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry to make things so awkward when you’re stuck here with me. Yes. I want! I wish that you wanted to be more than fr…Mmph!”
Steve kissed her.
He pulled back and stared at her as he cupped her cheek with one hand. “Sorry. I should ‘a- May I kiss you? I’m crazy about you, Darcy. I’ve wanted you for months and months. Want you so much I can hardly stand it. Not just friends, please. More, Doll.” His eyes gleamed with fervor.
Darcy nodded, stunned.
Steve chuckled, kissed her forehead and kissed her cheek again, with reverence. “Darcy, Doll… can I get a ‘yes’ to me kissing you?” He shifted so that his lips were a hair’s breadth away from her lips. Charged air shook the space yet between the two of them. He waited.
“Yes!” Darcy closed the distance between them and met his kiss with her own. They both trembled into it, a feather-light exploration. They each absorbed the idea that they’d misread what the other wanted. She murmured again, “oh, yes, Steve.”
He grinned as he kissed her again, deepening the kiss. He nibbled at her plush lower lip as he’d fantasized and dreamed so many times. Reality was a million times better. Darcy shuddered against him and groaned with pleasure. Steve stilled and closed his eyes. “Oh, Doll.” Darcy teased at his lower lip and he groaned, “gonna be hard as hell to be a gentleman with you doin’ that.”
Darcy chuckled, “who says you have to be a gentleman?” She shifted her leg to brush against his hardness. “Mmm. You were saying?” She nibbled at his lip again and played with the top button of his shirt.
Steve jolted and cursed under his breath. He kissed her quiet, again deepening the kiss and learning how they fit together. Steve savored Darcy's lips and tongue and throat while also exploring what she liked best. Sensitive spots. Sweetness. Eagerness. It was pure bliss. Darcy was becoming short of breath. Steve lay back and looked up at the next movie that had started while his Christmas dreams began to come true.
Darcy glanced at the Santa onscreen and panted. “I no longer have anything to ask Santa for.” She undid Steve’s top shirt button and kissed at the base of Steve’s throat. “I can think of a few things I’d like to ask you for, though.”
Steve grinned down at her, “same, Doll.”
“Oh?” Darcy undid another button on his shirt and kissed the exposed skin. She looked up at him and held his gaze as she undid the next few buttons.
Steve pulled her up for a long, slow kiss that set Darcy’s every nerve ending afire. She undid another few buttons on his shirt. When he shrugged it off, Darcy stilled, staring at his naked chest. “Holy…”
“Night?” he suggested. She snorted a giggle. He shifted her so that she sat astride him. He asked with his eyes if he could lift her shirt.
She nodded. “I may freeze, but yes. Please do.” She lifted her arms.
He shook his head. “Not gonna freeze. Haven’t you heard? I’m the man with a plan.” His voice tightened as he pulled her shirt up over her head. He shifted another pillow behind him and sat up some, pulling her towards him. He kissed her breasts as he reached around and undid her lacy red bra. “Damn, Doll. You’re a fantasy come true.” As he began to tease at her breasts with his lips and tongue, Darcy shivered and moved on him. He groaned, “here.” He pulled his shirt out from beneath him and helped her put it on, open at the front but warming her arms and back. "Looks much better on you than Tony's robe."
“Ahhh.” Darcy tried to talk, but Steve returned to tormenting her with his insistent lips. “G...good plan. Ohhh.” She squirmed in his lap, grinding against his erection with abandon. He let out a lusty groan that made her proud.
Steve pulled her chest against him for warmth as he moved up to kiss her lips and face again. “You’re shaking.” He looked concerned, but couldn’t resist kissing Darcy again. And again. He plucked and teased at her with his dexterous fingers. He loved the frantic sounds she made in the back of her throat.
“Not cold.” Darcy pulled back, then kissed him again and again. “Just want. Want you. Want so much.”
Steve shifted, rolling Darcy down onto her back. “Good thing, Doll.” He kissed her. Long, slow, passionate kisses that she met with a fervor that lit him up more every second. He palmed her breast and continued his exquisite torment. Darcy arched up against him, writhing. He lowered his lips to her breasts again. First one, then the other. Kissing and nibbling and sucking. She cried out and bucked as he swirled his tongue, hard. Darcy wasn’t sure if she would be embarrassed to come just from his attention to her breasts or impressed. Possibly both. Likely both.
He resumed teasing her nipples with his fingers. He placed open-mouthed kisses all along her belly. Steve took his time. “Beautiful.”
Darcy whimpered and began to shove her pants down. Steve stilled her hands. “I got you.” He undid the snap on her black jeans and kissed the exposed skin. Then he lowered her zipper and kissed her more. Darcy held the covers up with one hand and ran the other covetously along Steve’s shoulder. Steve pulled her pants and panties off and then moved back up her body to kiss her cheek and lips again.
“Pants!” Darcy begged him between kisses.
Steve huffed a laugh and unbuttoned his jeans. Darcy pressed against him, skin to skin. She wore only his shirt and warm red socks. Finally, he pushed down his pants so that he wore nothing.
Darcy’s eyes went even wider. “Oh, my. You go commando?”
He shrugged. “Habit. The uniform requires special briefs.”
She reached for him eagerly and wrapped her fingers around his shaft.
“Fuck,” Steve hissed.
Darcy's grin had a wicked glint. “Something like that.” She kissed down his chest and abdomen until she finally took him in her mouth. Then, Darcy delighted in taking Steve completely apart.
When he’d caught his breath again, Steve gave Darcy a smile unlike anything she’d ever seen from him before. It was both delighted and full of mischief that caused her pulse to race. He again pulled her astride his legs so he could taste and tease at her breasts. He left lingering kisses along the column of her throat and over her wrists. He disappeared under the covers and kissed her thighs and the backs of her knees. Darcy squirmed and unseeingly stared up at the movie. Steve didn’t tire, didn’t cramp- only focused on Darcy's pleasure with single-minded, super-strong drive. He had her writhing with pleasure long before he let her come. Another Christmas movie was playing onscreen and halfway over before Steve came up for air.
Finally, when Darcy begged, Steve slowly slid home. She realized that he’d been prepping her so long because of his size. She felt stretched wide as he twisted to hit her G-spot just right. She came quickly and felt as though she continued coming again and again as Steve pounded into her. He twisted her around so that he could plunge in from behind while rolling her swollen clit between his calloused fingers. After he came, he laid his fingers flat, soothing. He cradled her body tight back against his. Aftershocks left her spasming with pleasure. Steve kissed Darcy’s head again and again, murmuring, “sweet Darcy. Crazy about you.” She dozed in his arms, warm and loved and completely satisfied.
Dinner that night was steak and vegetables from the freezer, paired with an exquisite red wine. As they lay in bed afterwards, cuddling and teasing each other, Darcy felt Steve’s arms tighten around her. He buttoned a few buttons on his shirt to cover her and murmured, “company.” Soon, Darcy heard the sound of Iron Man landing outside the front door of the cabin.
Tony threw the door open and sauntered in, “I’m here to rescue you.” He stared, looked around and saw the open wine bottle and two pairs of pants on the floor by the bed, and shook his head. “Or, not. I guess Pep can stop crying about you being lonely on Christmas again this year, Cap. And I can stop wondering why you’re not answering texts. Nice shirt, Lewis.” Tony was blinking hard, slack-jawed with surprise.
Darcy laughed, “you should see the sweater I was gonna wear to your party. It’s around here someplace.”
“Lights up, sparkles, and hugs her curves to perfection. I’m sure she would ‘a won your contest,” Steve grinned, enjoying Tony’s shocked expression.
Tony smiled, “I bet. Well, Mazel Tov! Thanks for popping Cap’s cherry, Lewis. ‘bout time.” He pretended to wipe away a tear of pride.
Darcy snorted, “no way was that his first time. Orgasm hall of fame. All my Christmas dreams have come true.”
Steve ducked his head against her hair. “Good to hear, Doll. Right back atcha’.”
Tony shook his head. “Good reviews all around then. Well, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays kids. I’d guess you’re all set here ‘til it’s safe to drive again?”
Steve looked down at Darcy and she looked up at him. They both nodded emphatically and turned to Tony, “we’re good.” Tony laughed.
“Merry Christmas, Tony,” Steve beamed. “We’ll see you in a day or two.” He repressed a shiver as Darcy began teasing him under the covers again.
Darcy called out, “Merry Christmas! Thanks for dropping in.”
Tony shook his head and waved back at them as he went out the door of the cabin.
Steve pinned Darcy on her back and began ravishing her again, mock joking, “naughty girl!” He pushed into her again and set a slow pace as he rained kisses over her breasts.
Darcy looked up at him and batted her eyelashes. “Your naughty girl.”
Steve kissed her hard. “And my nice girl. Merry Christmas, Darcy.”
Gasping with pleasure, Darcy answered him, “Merry Christmas, Steve.”
 Fin
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thebuckysoldier · 4 years
Text
Emerald Green and Gold
Loki Odinson x reader
Summary: Your first meeting with Loki, your best friends infamous brother.
Word count: 2.6K
Warnings: none
A/N: holy shit, I’m alive. Hahah, no but seriously, I’m sorry I was away for so long. :( I am finishing Identical Monster too, but it’s just taking a little while because right now I can’t find any motivation to write for that story, but don’t worry, it will come soon!! My vacation is almost over so then it’s back to school work and for some stupid reason I write more and better when I have school. So I promise, new chapters are coming. In the mean while, please enjoy this oneshot I wrote for Loki! Thank you!!!
masterlist - thebuckysoldier
Gif is not mine.
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It was when Thor first laid his eyes on you, that he knew he was going to befriend you. It was just after the event in London with the dark elves, while you had been with the avengers for a while now, you hadn’t actually met the God of Thunder yet. 
So when you walked in on one of Tony’s many parties, he was shocked. But not because of the way your hair swayed or how your dress made your legs look even more desirable, no that was never the case. And also, he would never, he was too in love with Jane to even notice other girls in that way.
No, what had shocked him, was the color of your dress. It was beautiful, dark emerald green and stopped at your thighs with the black detailing, and the jewelry around your neck, wrists and fingers, a beautiful gold. You wore those colors with pride, they were your colors and they were everywhere around you, the suit you always wore on missions, the way your room was decorated. Always emerald green with golden accents, but how could you not, they were the most beautiful colors in the world and they fit so well together. 
With the events from Svartalfheim still fresh in his memories, he gave you a second look. It were the exact same colors Loki always wore. Thor asked about you to Tony, with whom he had been talking before he noticed you. 
Turns out you had been with the Avengers for a while now, but he had been off world for so long that he hadn’t had the chance to meet you yet. So when he stepped up to you later that night and introduced himself, a beautiful friendship was formed. 
Whenever he wasn’t off world, or with Jane, you two could be found together having so much fun. Whether it was annoying Tony or just the two of you doing something dumb. He was basically your best friend. 
It was strange, how you two fit together so well. He is so different from what you are, he is very outgoing and speaks loud, while you were more than okay with just being on your own and spoke so softly that other people sometimes had trouble with hearing you, but being so quiet was actually one of your best skills, and it’s what made you such a great spy. You also had great fun with it, because who knew, the god of thunder is actually very jumpy. Perhaps it is the difference between you and Thor that created such a strong friendship.
He always talked about his life on Asgard and his family. And you desired to go there one day, even though you knew mortals like you were frowned upon there. Your life was barely as interesting as his, but then again, he was a royalty. 
It was a wonder how you had actually never met his family. You were up-to-date with everything that had happened with Loki as well, how he had ‘died’ and then came back, and had ‘died’ again and came back to life, again. You had heard lots of stories about Loki. About when they were just little boys, and even though Loki had caused so much hurt and betrayed him so many times, you knew Thor still loved his brother dearly and held him close to his heart. 
It was the time you first met Loki that you were baffled. You heard about him so much, first the bad stuff, you were in New York when the Chitauri attack happened, but you weren’t part of the Avengers back then yet. And then you heard about him from Thor. Yeah, sure, sometimes the stories weren’t all that pretty, and you don’t even know how many times Loki has stabbed his brother, but there were nice stories too. They were competitive, yes most definitely, but they had fun together. You also knew the real reason why Loki had been acting up was because he was so hurt, scared and most of all traumatized by finding out the truth about his true heritage. He felt unloved and something like that makes you capable of such horrible things. 
His advent was unexpected, because tonight was supposed to be a charity event, and who invites someone who tried to take over earth to a charity event? 
Well, Thor, apparently. 
“Well, don’t you look divine in my colors?” You heard an unfamiliar voice say but the accent however, you did recognize. The words were almost said like they were directed towards you. 
“Lady Y/N!” Was the next thing you heard, coming from your favorite, overenthusiastic Asgardian. 
“Brother, you didn’t tell me she would be wearing my colors.” You hear the unfamiliar voice speak up again. When you turn around with a soft smile on your lips you were met with two gorgeous men. One of which you knew, and the other one you found out fairly quickly was the one you heard all about in Thor’s stories. 
Thor pulled you into a tight hug while you greeted him back. 
“You must be Loki.” You said to the raven haired, very handsome, man as you held your hand out for him to shake. 
“You are absolutely right, my darling” He said while taking your hand and brining it to his lips. “And may I say, you look especially charming in that dress” 
You had loved this dress from the first time you had laid your eyes on it. The charity even was accompanied with a gala so everything had to be quite chic, so your dress as well. And it was absolutely stunning, The dress was floor length but had a high split on the left side, it was a one shoulder dress, making it fall elegantly over your chest. And what you maybe found the best part of all? The stunning golden belt around your waist accentuating your figure. 
“How has earth been?” Thor asked you, “Did you have to fight some vicious bad guys while I was away?” You smile at the way he says the words, it was so typically him. 
“I’ve missed you” You smiled at him again. 
“Oh, you know I wish I could keep you with me all the time. But they need you too much around here!” he replied, making you feel better. He knew you loved being needed somewhere. 
“Heimdall told me these morons have kept your quite busy” 
“You have Heimdall checking up on me?” You question him. 
“Well, I can’t leave you to yourself all the time now, can I?” The words come out of his mouth like he knew he was guilty of something. 
“Oh brother, I’m sure a woman like her can handle herself well enough.” Loki spoke up, a grin plastered on his face. 
“I know she can, but I can joke around, can’t I?” He says winking at you. 
“Stark!” Thor then says, loudly and he is gone again. Damn his puppy like tendencies to be distracted by anything and everything. 
“I’ve heard a lot about you.” You say to the man in front of you. 
“Mostly bad, I presume.” Loki answers with a grin. 
“A bit of all” You reply and with those words you left him. 
Yes, you did feel sorry for the guy. You knew why he did the things he did. But the things he did on earth were not okay, and they never will be. All the lives he and his army took back then were not forgiven. You could never forget how New York looked after that battle, and honestly your could call yourself lucky. You have lived in the city your whole life, so pretty much everyone you care about lives there too. You could call yourself lucky because no one you were close to died back then, but you knew others who hadn’t been as lucky. So you definitely weren’t planning on forgiving him for that day, no matter how bad you felt for him. 
Walking over to Nat who was having a conversation with Clint you could feel Loki’s eyes boring on the back of your head. 
“Whose idea was it to bring Loki here?” Clint says as he notices me. 
“Well, definitely not mine. He was talking about how his colors look divine on me. Please make him shut the hell up.” You answer with a huff while rubbing your hand over your forehead, as if to ease your headache. 
“Well, I’m definitely too sober for this, join me while I get a beer… or something stronger” Clint says while holding his arm out for you so you could hook your own through his. 
Clint still held this grudge against Loki, for obvious reasons. So, of course you didn’t blame him. I mean, getting your mind controlled like that really kind of traumatizes you, you knew he still hadn’t healed entirely. 
“While we’re at it, let’s get one for me too. I’m just too sober for this social activity, in general” You say to him, making him laugh. 
“My little social butterfly” he jokes, knowing you probably are the least social people in this room. 
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It was a little later in the evening when you found yourself making your way to the balcony. With a filled champagne flute you get through the doors and close them behind you. The air was a little chilly, which was nice, it had been getting too hot for your liking inside so the fresh air was a nice contrast, if you could call it fresh air in this city. 
The balcony was high up so the view was amazing. The sky was dark and the city provided you with an endless sea of beautiful lights. 
You were a night owl, definitely. And this view only made it worse, you couldn’t remember the amount of nights you have spent in front of your window in the tower and just looking at the city you love so much. 
From up here you could still hear the sounds of the city that never sleeps, but they weren’t as obvious. The clamor is more like a nice back ground noise rather than an annoying clash. 
Taking a sip of the champagne you lean on the railing of the balcony you feel the wind blow through your hair. 
“You know, this space is kind of already occupied” 
You recognize the voice instantly from before, Loki.
“Why are you hiding out here?” He says again when you don’t answer his first statement. You turn around to face him, only to give him half a glare. 
“Because unlike you, I don’t crave attention and I am way more content out here with as few people as possible and preferably alone.” 
“I don’t crave attention” he retorts, annoyed. All he gets from you is a huff in response. 
“I’d say you’ve done some things that just yell attention seeking” 
“And you would know how?” 
“I think you’re forgetting that I’m very close to Thor and that your brother has no filter whatsoever”
“You got me there” He responds with a breathy laugh. 
“Why are you hiding out here actually?” You ask, remembering where you are. 
“I’m not dense, I know when I’m not wanted” 
“Yeah, I don’t know whose idea it was to bring you to a charity event, in New York” 
Its silent for a short period of time when you both speak up at the same time. 
“Thor”
The way you said it at the exact same time made you smile. 
“So she is able to laugh” It was just now that you noticed the beer in his hand. He had to enjoy the taste of it because you knew the alcohol wouldn’t  have any effect on him. You have seen Thor more then enough times with his little flask to know Midgardian alcohol didn’t effect Asgardians. 
“I don’t hate you, you know” He seemed surprised at your words. 
“You’d be the first” 
“I’m not and you know that. Thor loves you, and I know Queen Frigga loved you too. You’re just too stubborn to admit it, and you don’t allow yourself to be loved like that.” 
“What are you? A therapist?” He then says mockingly, his words are meant to hurt you, you know they are. But you knew it was his defense mechanism, you knew that what you said had an impact on him. 
“No, just an avenger, just a spy who pays attention.” 
“And who knows Thor who doesn’t know when to shut up” his words are sharp, annoyed, still meant to hurt you. But they don’t, he doesn’t scare nor intimidate you. You couldn’t help but notice the way his mood seems to swing in mere seconds. 
“That too, yeah” You laugh at him, which only seems to annoy him more. 
“I get why you and my brother are close, both as infuriating.” 
“Actually, me and Thor are about as different as different gets, you are just annoyed because I figured you out, before I even met you might I add.” 
“Correct me if I’m wrong” He talks back, “But you’re just an avenger because Stark made you. You used to be on the other side as well, and becoming an avenger makes you feel better about yourself because you know now that the other side was the wrong side. Which you’d still be on if it wasn’t for the friends you’ve made in this tower. But you’re still miserable, you feel guilty. You aren’t the only one who did their research.” 
“If you did you research, you’d know I won’t deny it. You are absolutely right, about all of it.” 
You notice you had taken him off guard, but you couldn’t back down. 
“Only the difference between you and me is that I like the other side now. I know it’s the right side. And it may have taken me up until this moment but it’s also the side I belong to, this side is my side. But do you know which side you belong to?” 
He wants to say something but you cut him off and see his mouth close again.
“And even if you do, do you know it’s the right one for you?” 
You know you left him speechless when the only thing he can do if give you his signature smirk. It’s silent for a few more moments until you decide to speak up again. 
“Okay, I’m done, I’m going back inside” You didn’t really want to, but standing here, outside, with him was starting to annoy you. Obviously you weren’t going to speak up again and by the looks of it neither was he. 
So you let go of the railing surrounding the balcony and turned around, but the moment your back was completely facing him, his hand grabbed your elbow and forcing you to turn around again. 
“I like you, you don’t take shit. You’re not scared to call me out. I can see why my brother likes you as well.” 
With a frown on your face you slowly nod, not understanding where he was going with those words. 
“Have you ever been to Asgard?” He asks then, confusing you even more.
“I have never been there, no” 
“Let me take you sometime. I think you would like it there, and I know how to get you there without Heimdall knowing” 
The raven haired man smiled at you, making it almost physically impossible to not return the favor. His beautiful green eyes were looking deep into yours. It’s not like you could have given him any other answer then a soft, almost whisper like, yes.
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blackypanther9 · 3 years
Text
Part 15 - Everything went wrong...
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No one's POV...
"- Until it rips Jotunheim apart.", you heard Loki say.
Wait....what....? You shook your head, saw Loki throwing Thor back and listened again.
"Why have you done this ?", Thor asked.
"To prove to Father that I am the worthy Son. When he awakes, I will have saved his life, I will have destroyed this race of Monsters and I will be true heir to the throne.", he answered.
'Monsters...? So that's how he thinks...huh ? After all I showed him.... He....'
"You can't kill an entire race.", Thor said.
"Why not ?", Loki asked.
He smiled and laughed. He went down the stairs.
"And what is this new found love for Frost Giants ? You. You've killed them all with your bare hands.", Loki said.
"I've changed."
"So have I."
Loki hit Thor with the staff on the cheek. Thor's head snapped at the touch to the left. Loki leaned in and said coldly.
"Now fight me."
And he hit Thor again to the right, this time with all his strength. Thor fell to the ground and Loki was walking on the other side.
"I never wanted the throne ! I only have wanted to be your equal.", Loki said.
"I will not fight you, Brother !!"
"I am not your Brother ! I never was !"
You saw Loki tears near.
"Loki this is madness !"
"Is it madness ?! Is it ? Is it ?!"
Step two, Loki sounds and breaths different and twitches a little here and there...yup one wrong move and he will drop one or two tears... Thor looks at Loki and shuts his mouth.
"What happened on Earth that turned you so...soft ?! Don't tell me it was that woman !"
.....Woman ? ......Soft ? Thor stares at him and again shuts up.
"Oh ! So it was ! Well maybe, when we're finished here...I'll pay her a visit myself !!"
Okay....Loki let a tear slip...And he is fucking mad... Thor had enough and started a battle cry. They fought, dodged and attacked. After some time...Thor flew with Loki through the wall of the capsule. They landed on the rainbowbridge and continued fighting there. Loki tricked Thor with an illusion of himself that he will fall, Thor as dumb as he is...fell for it and Loki attacked him as soon as Thor turned around. Loki made many other illusions of himself and laughed at him, Thor had an outburst with the words 'enough' and threw lightnings everywhere. Loki fell again and Thor put his hammer on his chest. Because Loki isn't worthy, he can't lift the hammer and needed to lay there. Thor tried to safe Jotunheim and the Bifrost. But he couldn't safe both. He needed to get rid of the Bifrost.
"Look at you.", Loki said and Thor turned around to look at Loki.
"The mighty Thor...With all your strength !"
He spoke with hate and jealousy.
"And does it its use now huh ?! UGH !! YOU HEAR ME BROTHER ?! THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO !!!", Loki screamed.
Thor called his hammer from Loki's chest and hits the rainbowbridge. You were shocked. You need to get away from there. You were still on the side of the Bifrost. You ran until you were safe. Loki slowly sat up and looked at Thor shocked. Thor hits a second time and Loki found his voice again, after the sixth hit.
"What are you doing ?!", Loki says.
Thor hits another time.
"IF YOU DESTROY THAT BRIDGE YOU'LL NEVER SEE HER AGAIN !!", Loki screamed at him.
Thor ignored him and hits another time and another, the bridge made now cracking sounds. Loki stood up, grabbed the staff and ran to him. Thor raised his hammer one last time and said...
"Forgive me Jane..."
He hit again and Loki was in the air to stab him. The rainbow bridge exploded and sent them in the air. You ran away more from the falling everdark abyss. You saw them fall and Odin appear. Thor and Loki held the staff, Loki on the end and Thor on the beginning. Odin held Thor onto his boot. You ran to them and exposed yourself again, with a frown. Loki saw your face and knew...you heard and saw everything.
"I could have done it Father ! I could have done it ! For you ! For all of us !"
Odin hesitated before he said softly.
"No, Loki."
You looked at Odin shocked and then back at Loki. He frowned and...What is he doing ? No...
"Loki no..."
He will let go...
"Loki ! Stop !"
He looked at you and stopped his movements.
"I believe you. You could have done it. But this was wrong. Your anger did lead you. I don't hate you, for what you said and did. But please...no matter what you want to do....DON'T LET GO !! THEY WILL FIND AND TORTURE YOU !! JUST LIKE ME !!!"
Loki looked at you with tears.
"Why should I believe you ? You saw and heard everything, but didn't stop us ! You aren't even my friend anymore !", he screamed at you.
"Loki, this will be a big mistake if you do this ! I can bring you everywhere you want, but please...DON'T LET GO !! You ended the friendship not me ! You said I should take my time with chosing and I did ! I am here because I want to try it again ! If you let go, it's your death, silver - tongue ! He knows who you are and what you can do ! He won't fall for your tricks ! Try and he will kill you ! I know it ! I was there 10 years !!"
"And you are still here."
"Because I escaped closely ! Stay. We will find another way !"
There was a long silence. Loki stared into your eyes, then down into the abyss, then back to you. Loki whispered...
"This is my way."
Loki let go of the staff and fell into the hole. Then it disappeared and he with it.
"NOOOOO !!!", Thor and you screamed.
"No...", Odin said.
After that he pulled Thor up and hugged his Son. You were mad, sad and broken. Thor came to you to hug you, you pushed him away.
"Stay away from me !", you screamed and ran to the Palace.
"Luciella !", Thor and Odin screamed after you.
You ignored them. You ran to Loki's chambers, opened his door, went inside and threw the door close, then you locked it. You jumped into his bed and took in his scent he left on the bed sheets. Even if he wasn't in the bed once....it all still smelled like him. You hugged the blanket tightly and hoped he faked his disappearence. As 50 minutes passed and he still didn't came, you knew....he was gone...maybe even forever... You....cried ? Really ? You thought you can't cry anymore... well...you did. They all did. Even Ratchel. You fell asleep after a while and hoped you will never wake up again. 2 hours later, you awoke, because someone knocked at the door.
"GO AWAY !!", you screamed, thinking it was Thor.
"Luciella, my dear. It's me, Frigga. Open the door, please.", Frigga said behind the door.
You moved your hand and unlocked the door. Frigga opened the door, went inside and closed the door again. She went to you and sat down next to you. You hugged the blanket more than before. Frigga smiled softly. She lifted her left hand and stroked your hair.
"I won't take the blanket away from you, don't worry, dear. I wanted to look after you."
"Everything went wrong !", you hit the matress...hard.
Frigga looked at you. She put a spell in the room so nobody can hear you two talking.
"What do you mean ?"
"Loki is now with bad people...And I can't go back there... I don't know where they are and if they still wait for me..."
"What people ?"
"Promise me, you will never tell anyone, even Odin and Thor, what I will tell you."
"I promise, dear. Where is my Son ?"
youtube
(Circus for a Psycho by Skillet)
"At...Thanos....and his 'Children'.", you said the word like it was venom.
"Well...when he has kids... He will surely take care of Loki and bring him back."
"You think so ?! His 'children' are stolen people or even some people who got forced to serve him ! They aren't his real children ! He kills races and takes 1 worthy man, woman or even kid with himself ! He kidnaps, kills, threatens, tortures and he is a psychopath !"
Frigga flinches and lookes at you shocked.
"From where do you know that ?", she asked.
"Easy. I was 10 years there ! They don't stop the tortures and even go so far to raping ! No matter which gender, they do it ! No matter if man and man or woman and woman ! They don't fricking care ! They did that to me ! They firstly start with whipping, then beating you up badly, then they talk shit about your friends, they call you names and if all this doesn't work, they rape you ! Until you break !", you said crying.
The more you said, the more tears escaped you. Frigga looked at you shocked. She slowly wrapped her arms around you and hugged you. You didn't flinch away. You hugged back.
"How long did you make it ?", she asked worried.
"2 whole years and they started to rape me 3 months before I yielded. I couldn't handle it anymore ! I-I-I needed a break ! They did that non stop !"
"Oh my..."
"Do you understand now, why I am so mad and worried about Loki ?!"
"I...I am...", Frigga answered crying.
"Lets hope that he finds a way out with his silver tongue. If not...then he may come back as a psychopath or under some evil control. Or he will never come back and is dead..."
"He will find a way out. I believe in him."
"I do too, but let's face the facts here. Thanos knows him, and not from me. I never told him about Loki, he knew Loki anyways. He knows about his dirty tricks and his lies. He knows his title and Thanos could easily snap his neck in 1000 pieces, if Loki tries something funny."
"Oh my..."
"I am not finished. If you are once on Thanos' side and you fail him on your first mission, he hunts you down, finds you and kills you in the most painful and slowest way he knows. He will make your life hell, if you dare to fail him or even betray him. Loki won't make it, even if he is good in everything...this is a fight he can't win."
"What happened the other 8 years ?"
"I got trained. I studied my magic and can much more than Loki will ever do. I needed to fight and use magic. This all was almost non stop for 4 months then I was like everyone else. One of them, at least I played like one. I trained with more breaks and even had normal food and water. I hoped everyday, Heimdall or someone else of Asgard finds me....but nobody came. Not even Loki. I was so alone...and I almost broke, but Thanos made a mistake. He told me why nobody came for me. Heimdall was blind. On the ship is a spell and that's why nobody found me. After all this time went on and 8 years passed, Thanos wanted to talk to me, about my first mission. He wanted that I kidnap someone..."
Flashback....   Your POV....
"You wanted to talk to me Thanos ?"
"Yes my child. Come here."
I did as I got told.
"I want someone who is unstable, with it's mind. Yes I want you to kidnap someone. This someone is from Asgard. It's a boy. In the future he is very clever, is able to lead an army and is easy to control. We may need 3 days to torture the little boy, but it will work..."
Firstly I thought I knew about who he talked...
"He is a Prince."
I thought it is Thor...
"What's his name ?"
I really thought it was Thor. But it wasn't him....
"It's your childhood friend. Loki Odinson. I want him here in a week. Tomorrow you will search him. And kill the rest of the royal family."
I nodded and played my role.
"As you wish. I shall prepare everything for tomorrow."
I stood up and was on my way out.
"Oh and Luciella ?"
I turned around.
"If you fail me...I need to kill you or punish you very bad. So don't fail me."
I nodded again and went outside. But I never went there. I ran into my room, grabbed my things I needed and used all my power I could to get out of there. I won't kill or kidnap someone. I took a safe - capsule, saw Jotunheim under me, freed the capsule and landed on Jotunheim. I destroyed the capsule and went everywhere. I met Laufey in the end and he kept me alive. We even became friends.
End of Flashback....   No one's POV....
"Since then I never saw Thanos again. He waited. I bet he knew it."
Frigga stared at me.
"He will use Loki for something... He will promise Loki something, Loki will fall for it and gets killed in the end, because of his naivety. I know it. Thanos never holds his word."
"Then it's time you learn how to meditate."
"Meditate ?"
"You can look into the future and maybe it will help you out some times. You can see through someone else's eyes also and hear through someone else's ears. Maybe you get in connection with Loki..."
You thought for a second then nodded.
"Okay. When do we start ?"
"Now."
And with that you started.
Part 16
Masterlist with all Chapters of this Story click here !  
7 notes · View notes
aurorawest · 3 years
Note
can you also do a director's commentary on "Fool for You"? 🐠 this is one of my favs 🥰
Yeah! Thank you for asking about this one! Since it’s over 6k words I’ll just grab the interesting parts, I hope that’s okay! Link on AO3.
First of all, I will just say, I was shocked by the response to this fic. I wrote it for Froststrange Week earlier this year, and it was by far the fluffiest fic I wrote for that event. It’s one of the fluffiest things I’ve written ever. I was actually nervous to post it...and I’ve written some very dark stuff that didn’t even give me pause before hitting the post button on AO3, haha. But this one? I distinctly remember my palms getting sweaty (gross) and having to walk away from my computer after I posted it, because I was so freaked out. But people liked it! It was probably my most popular Froststrange Week fic.
Onto the fic...
Loki craned his head, staring upwards as the massive shark moved smoothly and silently through the water overhead. He’d never seen anything like it, despite his one thousand and sixty years in the universe. It moved off, disappearing over rocks dappled with slow, turquoise sunlight.
“It’s a whale shark,” Stephen informed him, staring down at an informational plaque posted along the walkway. Loki had read all of them so far, but he’d stopped dead in his tracks in the glass tunnel when he’d seen the shark, too awed by it to move. Ahead of them and behind them, the screams and excited voices of school groups echoed, but the two of them were in a lull between throngs.
The prompts for the day that I used were ‘firsts’ and ‘aquarium date.’ The aquarium part was a no brainer for me, because I head canon that Loki is a big nature lover, and that he particularly loves the ocean.
Rays sailed through the water alongside the shark. Those, Loki was more familiar with. They’d had them on Asgard. Extinct now, of course. All of Asgard’s species, all its plants, animals, insects, all of it, were extinct. It was a depressing thought.
Okay, well, this is a fluffy fic, but obviously I’m incapable of writing pure fluff. It’s Loki, so there has to be some angst.
Always prone to depressing thoughts, Loki was. He looked at the whale shark again, then at Stephen, leaning over the plaque and reading it—mostly for Loki’s benefit, so the two of them could talk about it. That made Loki’s heart swell. His sadness would always be with him, but his happiness sat next to it, bright and blinding. Stephen Strange, Sorcerer Supreme, Guardian of the New York Sanctum, human sorcerer and ridiculously, heart-poundingly beautiful man, was responsible for much of it.
Loki is really, really in love. And he can finally be free about admitting it.
Turning around, Stephen met Loki’s eyes and said, “So, the Georgia Aquarium was a good choice?”
In preparation to write this fic, I googled what the world’s best aquariums were. I knew the Georgia Aquarium was a big deal (both from living in north Florida for a time and just...being a person who likes zoos and aquariums), but I wanted to see if there were others. Obviously, Stephen can go anywhere, so for their first date, he would take Loki to the best of the best. The Georgia Aquarium does consistently appear at the very top of aquarium lists (others were Monterey Bay and one in...Dubai, I think?).
I spent a lot of time on the Georgia Aquarium’s website. It’s a huge place and has lots of different aquariums, so I had to choose the one they would spend most of their time at. The website has webcams on a lot of the aquariums, so I actually watched them while I was writing.
[...] This place made one want to learn about Earth’s oceans, which might make them less prone to destroying them. Since he’d taken up permanent residence on Earth, Loki had learned to love it—and he’d grown increasingly aware that humanity was rather short-sighted about the planet they lived on.
Loki the environmentalist.
Then again, somehow he doubted that if Hela had been better educated about Asgard’s mollusk population, she would have decided not to take over and kill everyone.
This line always makes me laugh.
[...] “Good,” Stephen said. “I figured you’d like it. But, you know. First date and everything. I wanted to get it right.”
The squirming in Loki’s stomach turned to a full explosion of butterflies. First date. Could two people have a first date when they’d already exchanged avowals of love? Hadn’t that been the first date? Or perhaps their first date had been years ago, without either of them quite knowing it?
It’s always a balance for me to write these fics that take place in the ‘future,’ as compared to where I am in the chronological writing of this verse. I just finished fic #6 in my series, which takes place in 2027. This fic takes place in 2030. The avowals of love Loki refers to hear is from the end of the last fic in the series, ‘The General Mess and Imprecision of Feeling,’ and is when the two of the officially get together. They unknowingly going on their first date years ago is a reference to the fact that the two of them have been doing date-like activities with each other for years, just with neither of them admitting it. One of my other fics for Froststrange Week is actually one of these instances (‘far away from here and closer to somewhere else,’ where they run into each other in Hong Kong and get drunk together). In fic #8 (which I’m working on now), they end up spending the day together in London. In fic #9, they spend a lot of Thor and Jane’s wedding together.
He craned his head up to stare at the top of the glass tunnel, 
They’re in the Ocean Voyager aquarium.
suddenly not knowing what to say, feeling as though he might make a fool of himself. A sea turtle swam by slowly, the underside of its shell gleaming like the moon. The truth was that he’d probably made a fool of himself in front of Stephen so many times that it no longer even registered to him.
Or maybe… Loki looked over at him. Stephen was watching him, a look in his eyes that made warmth spread through Loki. Maybe Stephen didn’t actually find Loki foolish. Maybe he never had.
The idea of Loki being a sentimental fool is something that pops up pretty constantly in my fics. Here, Loki is thinking of times he’s actually looked stupid in front of Stephen, real and imagined. He has the wherewithal to recognize that maybe a lot of them are imagined, and that even the real humiliations don’t make Stephen view Loki as a fool.
“How did you know I would like this?” Loki asked.
[...] “Remember the time we went to the Museum of Natural History?”
“Yes.” Loki raised an eyebrow at him. “You really played tour guide quite often, didn’t you?”
Giving Loki an amused look, Stephen said, “It seemed like the decent thing to do. I had royalty living at my house.”
[...] “Silly me,” Loki said. “I thought it might be because you had a bit of a thing for me back then.” Stephen shot him a crooked smile. It wasn’t agreement. But it certainly wasn’t denial, either.
Stephen definitely did have a thing for Loki back then. Loki had a thing for him, too. By the time Loki leaves the Sanctum, they’re in love with each other, though neither of them has quite realized it yet. Stephen realizes much sooner then Loki (surprise).
[...] If Loki was being honest, he’d been mildly terrified that he would arrive at the Sanctum and Stephen would do something—look at him in some way, speak to him in a way that was just a bit false—that Loki would know that Stephen had thought about it and decided that they’d made a terrible mistake and he was looking for a way to extricate himself from their new…relationship. Romance. Whatever it was.
This is Loki’s constant fear. It takes him a long, long time to stop worrying about it. It’s his fear with everyone, though. Boil Loki down to his bare essentials, and you get a giant heart and massive abandonment issues.
Loki snorted with laughter and then grinned at Stephen. “Your expression, honestly, Strange. I’ve seen you face far greater foes with much less fear.”
[...] Shrugging, Stephen said, “Kids. Not really my thing.”
“It’s not as though you need to bring them home.”
[...] “I enjoy the chaos that children cause.”
“You might be the only person here who’s enjoying the decibel level of that pack of kids,” Stephen said.
Loki actually really likes kids! And Stephen doesn’t at all.
Loki flashed a grin at him, thought about making a joke about having children, and then dismissed it. It would be a joke, because the last thing Loki wanted right now, possibly ever, was a child that he could pass all his hang-ups to. His own upbringing had been…a challenge. He doubted his ability to overcome it.
My main interest in the two of them ever having a child lies in exploring Loki’s issues with his own father.
[Stephen reveals his big surprise...is that he booked an aquarium sleepover] It was more than Loki didn’t know what to think. What was an aquarium sleepover? Sleeping here? They allowed people to do that? Had this cost extra money? Stephen didn’t have any money, so why would he spend extra on something like this?
You really can do aquarium sleepovers at the Georgia Aquarium! It’s actually not that expensive, but Loki knows that Stephen’s only income is a stipend from Kamar-Taj. Stephen has nothing at all left over from his pre-wizard days and he depends entirely on that stipend.
[...] The two of them continued through the aquarium, visiting each gallery in turn. Even though Loki was quite sure Stephen’s interest in all of this was limited, he never gave any indication that he was bored. He seemed, actually, entirely taken by Loki’s enthusiasm, and that was a feeling that Loki had certainly never experienced. 
I really tapped into that brand-new relationship feeling for this fic, haha.
The number of healthy romantic relationships that Loki had experienced was…pretty close to zero, so there had never been someone who had been interested both in sleeping with him and in seeing him enjoying his interests.
It actually is zero. Loki has never had a healthy romantic relationship. He’s hedging here because the romantic encounters he’s had that approach healthy count to him as relationships.
They ate dinner at the aquarium café, which was serviceable but nothing special. At least, the food was nothing special. It was the first time Loki and Stephen had eaten dinner together as a couple. Gods. Loki felt like an adolescent. He was eating a veggie burger and Stephen was eating chicken tenders, with drinks they’d filled themselves out of a fountain machine, and somehow it was the most romantic dinner he’d ever had. Stephen’s knee pressed against Loki’s under the table and he leaned forward like he couldn’t stand that the table top had put a couple feet of space between them.
In other words, Loki could have been eating just the ketchup packets that had been provided to him on his tray, and he would have been happier than he’d ever been in his life.
This is one of my favorite parts of the whole fic. Anyone who’s ever been crazy about a new romantic partner has had this experience, I think.
[Stephen conjures butterflies for the kids they encountered earlier] Suddenly, thousands of blue butterflies burst from within the half-spheres, swirling in a bright blue stream across the ceiling and amongst the children, whose delighted shrieks made their teachers wilt. The butterflies flitted, azure and lapis, iridescent, bobbing on air currents, until they turned to wisps of light and disappeared.
I rarely make use of the whole butterfly thing with Stephen, primarily because I tend to associate it with another Stephen ship (which is one of my NOTPs), but...it’s nice, right? I wanted to use it. A butterfly also appears in Doctor Strange, so it’s imagery that seems to be sort of associated with him.
[left alone in the gallery for their sleepover...] Loki looked around. “Shouldn’t there be other people here?” he asked.
Stephen looked immensely satisfied with himself. “Nope. We get the whole gallery to ourselves.”
Furrowing his brow, Loki asked, “How? Did you buy all the tickets?” This seemed as though it would have been exorbitantly expensive.
Still looking enormously pleased, Stephen said, “I might have played the Sorcerer Supreme card.”
“No one knows what the Sorcerer Supreme does.”
“Okay, fine. I said I was an Avenger.”
My head canon is that Stephen is pretty disdainful of the Avengers. He definitely doesn’t want to be part of the ‘team.’ He’s a loner by nature. Definitely the guy who hated group projects, because he was the one that got stuck doing all the work. This loner quality is something that Loki and Stephen have in common.
[...] Loki buried his nose in Stephen’s hair and breathed in his scent, his shampoo that smelled like sandalwood, the cologne he had definitely put on today, cedar and faintly citrusy. Norns, he smelled good.
Loki first associates the smell of sandalwood with Stephen in Sleight of Hand (it’s right at the end of chapter 12). His cologne makes an appearance in my fic ‘Afterimage,’ which is the fifth fic in my series.
[...] Loki took the sleeping bags from Stephen and undid the ties on them, which were knotted far too tightly for Stephen to loosen.
Stephen actually being affected by his disability is always important for me to include.
[...] Loki laughed. Maybe none of the other Masters thought Stephen was funny, but Loki had always found his sense of humor addictive, sly and surprising, and perfectly suited to Loki’s own.
This is a callback to Stephen’s and Wong’s exchange in Doctor Strange:
“People used to think I was funny.” “Did they work for you?”
[...] There were other things in the bag—a change of clothes for tomorrow, toothbrushes, toothpaste, some over-the-counter medications. When Stephen went to the bathroom to change, Loki snooped more thoroughly. Razor blade, shaving cream, nail clippers, a little bottle of mouthwash, a bottle of cologne. Loki decided to pop the cap open and smell that, then tried to tell himself that the feeling that washed over him could be described in some other way than ‘a swoon.’ There was nothing in the bag that implied Stephen thought they’d be doing anything tonight but sleeping.
I really love this because it’s really not particularly above board for Loki to snoop through Stephen’s bag...but it is a very Loki thing to do. And pretty human. Especially because he’s looking for condoms and lube. Of course he is! They’re spending the night together...are they Spending The Night Together?
[...] Stephen looked at the foot of empty space separating the two sleeping bags, then glanced up at Loki. “Are you comfortable with…” he began, then trailed off, before trying again, “I mean, do you want to be…further away…?”
“Do you?” Loki asked. When Stephen hesitated, Loki took a guess about what the honest answer was, then reached out and tugged Stephen’s sleeping bag until it was right next to his.
Stephen is big on enthusiastic consent. Loki is far more willing to take his chances and guess based on body language.
Eventually, they drew apart, and Loki couldn’t help suspecting it had something to do with the way Stephen seemed to be keeping his hips pulled back just a little. Temptation. If Loki reached down…
But no. Instead, he very deliberately folded an arm under his head, resting his head on his bicep. Stephen did something that looked like it was probably a clothing or anatomy adjustment to accommodate a situation, but Loki didn’t comment. Quite honesty, he had his own situation down there, and it just felt like good manners not to say anything.
I honestly have no idea what guys would do in this situation. Just guessing based on both of their personalities. Is a first date too soon to admit, ‘Hey, you just gave me a boner?’ It feels like it is?
Neither of them spoke for a minute or two. They simply stared at each other. Then, Stephen said gently, “I know you’re worried.”
“Worried?” Loki raised an eyebrow. “What do you think I’m worried about?”
Stephen’s gaze didn’t waver. “This.” When Loki pressed his lips together, Stephen added, “You think I’m going to change my mind. Right?”
No one has ever gotten Loki the way Stephen gets him. And Stephen is very patient, very gentle, and very like...you know when you pspspspsps and hold your hand out to a cat? That’s Stephen with Loki, haha.
[...] “The reasons are myriad, of course [for Loki’s insecurity]. I’ve made poor choices. But yes. In part, it’s because I’m…challenging. And people change their minds.”
Oh hey look, it’s the author projecting.
[...] But Loki was greedy. He didn’t want to say in a few months, or a few years, This was great while it lasted. 
There’s something kind of sad to me about the idea that Loki can’t even view his love for Stephen as an entirely good thing. He’s a sentimental fool, he’s overly romantic, he’s greedy. And if I wanted to go this route, I could easily make Loki very co-dependent in this relationship; it would be easy to turn it really unhealthy. But I don’t want to, haha. It makes sense that Loki would feel like he has to gorge himself on Stephen’s adoration of him, because he’s never really had this before, not from someone he wants to be with (other people have loved him, but he hasn’t loved them back).
He would already have to give it up too soon, because he would outlive Stephen by such a long time. And he already knew there would never be anyone else.
There isn’t. Stephen will die, and Loki won’t ever be with anyone else. Luckily for him, he gets Stephen back eventually.
Stephen leaned forward and kissed Loki softly; the most tender, most heartfelt kiss Loki had ever experienced. “Don’t worry,” he murmured, his lips warm against Loki’s.
It was difficult not to deepen the kiss, difficult not to kiss Stephen harder. He’d never needed anything to be true as much as he needed this to be true, or at least it felt like it. Don’t worry. But Loki always worried. All the good things in his life still felt so fragile, as though they could implode at any moment.
Though—he supposed he was getting better at not actively sabotaging them himself.
This is part of Loki’s arc in my fic. Stephen and he aren’t together until Loki heals in a lot of other ways. One of them is not trying to blow things up so he can control their destruction.
Thank you so much for asking!! Sorry for the delay in responding.
Fanfic Writers: Director’s Cut
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Needy
[ This is my submission for @sourpatchkidsandacokecan​ ‘s Little Darlin’ Mystery AU challenge. It is a three part soulmate au inspired by the song ‘Needy’ by Ariana Grande, the prologue and epilogue do not count as part 1/3.]
There is nothing wrong with wanting more. You deserve the love you give to others. You deserve it more than anyone. 
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Summary: The end is the beginning. The beginning is the end. You can still love someone and not want them in your life.
Pairings: Bucky x Reader, Thor x Reader
Warnings: angst...aNGST?? fluff ( i think its there, im not sure, but yes). Loki is alive here folks...and... everyone is learning to not be idiots?
Prompts: soulmate au. song prompt
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series masterlist
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Epilogue
Born a King.
There are so many things Thor doesn't remember missing about home. The sound of his footsteps as he walked on the bridge, the glimmer of gold when light reflected on it, or the creatures that Earth could never have.
He still had Asgard, at every smile and every nod as he would walk past his people. At every meal and every feast with his people, every conversation with Valkyrie, and every disagreement with Loki. He still had home in them.
Born a King.
He doesn't remember missing the bruises of battles fought, or the stiff muscles of every war won. The anticipation before a fight, or the unpredictability of space. The adrenaline that came with every spark of lightening, the power that came with the energy coursing through his blood. He doesn't remember missing any of that about home.
He doesn't remember why he keeps getting coffee grains of that brand, or how Loki survived in space. He can't remember what colour the ceiling was in the throne room or why he keeps leaving Stormbreaker in the closet. He doesn't remember that being part of home.
Born a King.
He doesn't remember what it felt like when you walked in through the door, or how the look in your eyes made him feel every time you found him on the couch –  that too small for two couch –  waiting for you. He doesn't remember the way you would try and squirm your way out of his grip in the morning, trying to escape before he made you late again.
He doesn't remember hating the little jokes you would make, or the stupid way you stumbled over your words when he got you flustered. He doesn't remember getting annoyed at the sight of the missing toothbrush next to his, or the milk that he keeps getting and ends up getting spoiled because no one drinks it, or the coffee that's slowly filling up the cupboard. He doesn't remember hating the thought of you.
When the hell did you become home to him?
Born a fucking King.
Then why is the thought of you, sharing your jokes with someone else, making him feel so powerless?
Why is the possibility of another man in your bed, your sheets, poisoning his judgement?
He was born a king, powerful and strong. So, why... why did leaving you make him feel so weak?
Thor was made for a throne, a Kingdom. Not a woman, not a Midgardian woman.
But he doesn't remember yearning for something he cannot have when he was with you. He doesn't remember missing the land he was raised on when he was with you.
He doesn't remember missing home. Especially not when it was curled up on his lap, face buried in his neck as you fell asleep. Not when you smiled at him like that and kissed him like that and held onto him like... like... like you weren't made for anyone else but him.
It has been over a year, but you still failed to leave his mind.
It has been over a year and he still can't unlove you.
"I don't have anything left to give."
How much had your mate taken from you, for you to think that you had to give him something to stay?
How much had everyone taken before you became complacent enough to still give?
Even when you had nothing, you still tried to give him something to stay.
You must think the worst of him, right now. You offered yourself to him, ready to defy fate and nature, for him, and he still chose to leave you.
 Thor turned to look at Bucky. His arms were crossed over his chest as he faced Tony, nodding every so often as the man went on about mission strategy. To his right sat Wanda, his wife.
Thor could understand, if he tried to, why someone would not be with their soulmate. He could understand, if he listened, why he chose her. He could come to see reason, he didn't choose you either when the time came, but...
This was you.
Thor may not have chosen to stay, but he still couldn't move on. Not when every fibre of his being still knew what Saturday morning felt like with you.
Blue locks on blue, a colour that just won't seem to choose you.
"Thor..." Bucky raises an eyebrow at him, in question. "You good, buddy?"
He frowns at that. Because no, I'm not good and how could you still be okay? and how did you manage to forget the sound of her footsteps?
Thor shakes his head, eyebrows furrowing as he studies him. For the first time since they had met, he studies the man with another woman on his arm –  in his heart.
"You must be so hard to please." He finally says, leaning back against his chair as he scans Bucky one last time.
Thor didn't mean to find you; he was looking for Jane when your car hit him. He didn't mean to keep coming back, he just needed to make sure you were alright. He didn't want to love someone else, but he willingly fell for your fool's gold the second he saw you laugh.
You made him come back for more, until he decided he just wanted to have it all. You made him want things he didn't know he wanted and taught him things that he would have gone his entire existence without knowing. You taught him what love, selfless and unconditional, looked like – felt like... And he couldn't even think about wanting it from someone else.
How could your soulmate want it from someone else?
Bucky frowns at first, confused, then his face visibly hardens. "We're bonded, not matched—"
"Doesn't matter—" Thor stands, hand tightening around stormbreaker. "—I don't care. We're both wrong... But I learn from my failures."
  ---
 You were over it. Really.
A year later and you could walk into your apartment, look at everything and not cry yourself to sleep.
You could separate your own colours, and do your own dishes, and slice up your own peppers. You could roll over and not have to bump into another being in your bed, you could get out of bed and not be late for work.
You couldn't sleep in the dark anymore, but that's not something a bedside lamp can't fix.
The window was jammed again, and the caretaker had reverted to being difficult. Your neighbour woke up one morning and realised Nickelback was his spirit music – whatever that means – so he made sure you heard it too. The couch was still too big for just you and there was that empty space next to the milk, that you can't seem to fill...
But you don't cry whenever it rains and Bucky has stopped trying to reach you, so all in all... Progress.
Good.
Great.
"Jesus Christ—" You nearly jumped into your ceiling, pressing a hand on your chest and shutting your eyes.
Your groceries are scattered on the floor, and your heart is racing. You take a moment to catch your breath, before opening your eyes back up.
He's waiting for you. He has been waiting all day, sitting on the coffee table and staring down at the passage that lead to your door. You're home and he remembers how it felt.
He's waiting for you to calm down, to take a breath. He remembers how you never liked unannounced guests, but he couldn't risk you driving away the second you saw him in the parking lot.
You're looking at him now, finally looking at him after all this time. And he hates how your eyes narrow at him.
He can hear your heartbeat, and he's worried you might pass out if it doesn't slow down. He can feel your anger, from where he's sitting, and he can see it in your eyes –  in your stance, in the way you're not wearing that pendant he had made for you.
He left you and that warrants your anger.
He didn't stay when you needed him to, and that justifies your fury.
But his key still fits in the lock, and his fingerprint still deactivates the security alarm. So, surely you don't hate him that much, right?
He wants to say something, tries to say something, but he draws blank. What else does a man say to the woman he let go?
Sorry I didn't stay?
Sorry I didn't fight harder?
Sorry I was too weak to choose you?
"What do you want?"
You speak first though. Your tone harsh to his ears, but it's enough for him to remember why he should have listened to you.
"You."
He's serious. As serious as he was on the day he left, when he told you he couldn't stay – knowing what you were.
So, you don't believe him.
Why should you?
You put your heart on your sleeves, and let him in. Then, as soon as the going got tough, as soon as things got uncomfortable, he leaves.
You don't believe him. Not when you've spent the past year wondering which part of you keeps giving them a reason to leave.
You do not believe him. Because you're done being that idiot. Because you're not that desperate. Because you deserve better.
"I don't believe you." You tell him, glaring at him, at clear sky blues.
He doesn't argue, like you expect him to. He doesn't force it down your throat, like you expect him to. He doesn't demand, or yell, or break anything.
He just nods, slow and understanding.
You don't believe him, and you don't forgive him. And that's okay with him?
He can read the confusion so clearly on your face, it's almost as if he never left. Except he did, and now he has to learn.
"What do you need me to do?" He asks, leaning his elbows against his knees as he looks up at you. "What do you need me to do, to earn your forgiveness?"
What?
You blink at him. Because no. Because not today. Because you were just learning to live without him, and he pulls this stunt?
"I want you." He states, blue eyes unwavering as they stare back at you. "I want you. I want us. I have spent this past year trying to forget, trying to live—to exist— without you... I failed. I failed when I didn't stay, and I failed when I chose to listen to anyone but you.
"I see you everywhere. I feel you everywhere. In my thoughts, in my dreams, in my heart. And every time I think I can get through a task without thinking about you, I hear your voice. I hear your ridiculous laugh and I spend the rest of the day trying to find it, trying to find you—"
"That's not fair—"
"—it's not fair," he agrees, almost instantly, eyes glistening to match yours. "It's not fair. Because fate made you for someone else. But it feels like you were put in this world for me to find. It's not fair because I wasn't made for someone else... but I can't even function without you.
"It's not fair, for me to be here, and ask you to want me back. So I won't. I won't ask you to have me or to believe anything I say. You gave me your trust once and I broke it, and I know that. I failed you, and I'm willing to spend the rest of my life apologising for that— to make up for that... Tell me what you need me to do, is all I ask."
If you were mad before, then you were angry now. Furious, even.
Words. Words. Words.
That's all the whole lot of them have ever been good at. Promising things they can't give, telling you things they shouldn't, preaching and never practising.
Steve had words for you, promises of keeping Bucky away from dangerous missions. Suddenly, you're allowed on the compound because he got too injured to be treated at the Tower.
Wanda had words for you too, telling you all about how she would make sure he never tried to contact you again unless it's an emergency. You've seen him ten times in one week, and none of those were emergencies.
Bucky had the most words for you, though. Preaching about the happiness you deserve and the loneliness you don't, yapping about finding someone but ruining it the second you do. He tells you to move on, to be happy with someone else, but you can barely sleep at night with all his hovering. He smothers and lurks, talking about fixing things.
You tell him to go on less missions, he listens and nods but never agrees. Why would he listen when you’re not his wife?
He talks about forgiveness and promising to be a better mate and friend to you. You listen and nod, but you don’t forgive. Why should you when he’s not your husband?
And now, Thor. The last person you expected to see back in your life, is giving you words. Telling you things. Baseless words and empty promises.
Have you ever seen anything so hollow?
Tears blur your vision, and you don't need to look at your hands to know they're shaking. You're pissed, and hurt and tired of all this bullshit, and you've had just about enough.
"Haven't you people taken enough from me?" Your voice isn't as stable as you had wanted it to be, but it's still yours. "You lot show up, whenever you like, just to take. You don't care about what you leave behind or the shit I have to deal with, all you want to do is take. And take. And take. Even when there's nothing, you still take – what more do you want?"
Your words sit heavy on his chest, and his heart aches for you. He doesn't want to take, but he also didn't stay when you were the only offer on the table.
You struggle to speak past the lump in your throat. "I was ready, to choose you. I told you that I wanted you and you left—" you quickly wipe the tears just as they slide down your cheeks, "—you left, Thor. You can't do this, you can't just walk in here and talk that bullshit like I didn't—like I didn't crash and burn because of you."
"Do you want me to leave?" He hopes you say no. He hopes you ask him to stay and hold you, because he won't be able to walk passed you and leave.
He's hoping you don't break down in front of him, because then he can't leave. And he can't stay for the wrong reasons, he can't stay without your clear-headed say so.
The sound that comes out of you when he asks that, has his stomach cramping for even suggesting that. Because you're staring at him in utter disbelief for saying that, for putting it in the air, for making you even think about it.
"How dare you—"
"Y/N—"
"I never wanted you to leave—" he's getting up from the table and crossing the room to you, before you even finish, "—you did that all on your own."
He doesn't touch you, though. He lost that right a year ago, and he understands. He has a great deal to learn and a lot to amend... so, he'll only stare until you can stomach his touch.
He'll only stare, until he can learn from his mistakes.
He'll only stare, until he's earned the privilege to hold you...
Until he's earned your love, once again.
You deserve better, you know that now, and so does he.
So, he'll be better.
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THANK YOU SO MUCH for reading this. Thank you so much for all your support and feedback. And thank you so very much for just being here.
Thank you to @sourpatchkidsandacokecan​ for letting me participate. Your challenge is amazing and so unique(it’s closes on the 20th incase anyone wants to join). Thank you
To anyone that related to this fic, I want you to know that I am so very sorry that someone made you feel that way. Please know that you are not needy or too much. You deserve the love that you give. You deserve selfless and unconditional love. You deserve better.
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Tagging: @sourpatchkidsandacokecan​ , @decadentsoulbiscuitgoth​
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thestanceyg · 3 years
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Darcyland Drabble Race the Second
So here’s my contribution to another drabble race. Again under the cut because there’s a LOT.
Quantum 1 “Oh my god,” Jane said, flopping down on to the couch next to her. “I had forgotten this show was even a thing.”
“It’s my stay home from school sick comfort show,” Darcy said as she pulled her blanket tighter around her. The chills she was experiencing were no joke.
“Man, I wonder how the creators of Quantum Leap feel now? Like…that tech kinda actually exists, even if it’s classified.”
“I don’t think they know about it Jane,” Darcy said with a fond roll of her eyes. “You know, on account of it being classified and all.”
2 “The fuck does this word mean?” her dumbass lab partner asked.
“Which word?” she asked with a put upon sigh.
“Quantum,” he said, pointing to literally the first question.
“Thor wept,” she muttered under her breath before turning to him more fully. “Here,” she said, pointing back to the textbook. “Definition’s right here. I’ll even read it to you. A discrete quantity of energy proportional in magnitude to the frequency of the radiation it represents.”
“No need to be a bitch about it.”
She idly wondered if killing him was a possibility. “Sure sure,” she said, sugary sweet. “Since I’m such a bitch, don’t worry about me helping again.”
3 “I don’t think the quantum physics work that way,” Fitz said with a tilt of his head as he looked at the projection.
“I mean, I didn’t either,” Darcy agreed, joining him, “but I also don’t doubt our modeling software. Something’s happening here that’s unexpected, and that means either we have something wrong, or there’s something we have yet to figure out that’s acting on everything.”
“You know what that means?” he said with a smile.
“More research dates,” she said before kissing the tip of his nose.
“Can’t wait,” he said before claiming her lips.
4 “Quantum Laser Tag is the best!” she yelled, highly offended. “I can’t believe you just besmirched it’s good name!”
“Err, all I said was that laser tag was kinda lame.”
“It is not!” she practically whined. “Okay, dude, maybe you’ve not had good laser tag experiences, but I have to say that does not mean you get to shit on literally the greatest arena in at least the tristate area.”
“You’re…really passionate about this,” he said giving her a look she couldn’t decipher.
“So is this your way of bowing out of our first date?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Hell no,” he said, smiling.
5 “I’m just saying, that the names at this bar are not scientifically accurate,” she complained. 
“Jane. Literally none of us give a shit. We are here to get shitfaced and giggle over our jobs being somehow alcohol themed,” Darcy reprimanded her. 
“I’m definitely having a Quantum Blast,” Helen said, sidling up to the bar.
“Really?” Darcy said giving her a disgusted look. “I mean…there’s something about adding the word ‘blast’ to it that turns me off from it.”
“Fair,” Helen agreed. “But it has triple sec in it and I’m in the mood.”
Darcy tilted her head in acknowledgment of the wisdom.
6 “I promise to never play with the quantum field again if we can just get out of this alive,” Darcy said more to herself than anyone else.
“What?” Scott asked.
“Just promising myself to try and stick to my field in the future should I survive whatever this is.” She gestured to the everything around them that really defied understanding.
Scott nodded. “I wish I could make a similar vow, but it’s kinda my field now. Though this,” he looked around a bit, “is indeed disconcerting. I could, err, try to make it up to you when we get out of here.”
“Are you asking me on a date?”
“Yes?”
7 “Nope. Not happening. I will not be teaching quantum physics as my teaching assignment next semester. It’s not my field. I would have to do my own research just to feel like I was giving the students an adequate course,” she said as soon as the department head had offered her the schedule.
“Well you don’t have a lot of options here. You’re still a candidate and not a post doc so you don’t get to argue with me really.”
“This is some serious bullshit,” Darcy groaned. “But seriously, Johnson would be way better at this. He even has done research in this field.”
“Yes well…”
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Darcy groaned. “You’re doing him a favor and I’m the one that has to deal with the consequences?”
Nebula 1 “And if you look here,” the professor droned on as he used his laser pointer, “you can see a nebula that is starting to die.”
“Kinda like me in this class,” she muttered under her breath. The guy next to her laughed, but covered it with a cough. She looked at him and winked, and he honest to Thor blushed. Well damn if that wasn’t the cutest thing that she’d ever seen.
She grabbed a scrap of paper and wrote her name on it and slid it over to him.
He read it and smiled a bit and wrote back.
Fitz. Nice name. She couldn’t wait to be screaming it later.
2 Nebula was very murderous and Darcy kinda loved her for it. It seemed like there was a lot of deep seated anger that the woman was ready and willing to take out on anyone and everyone. You had to love her unapologetic rage. Darcy couldn’t help but admire how she didn’t give a shit if someone thought it made her less attractive because anyone dumb enough to voice that sentiment would probably end up with a knife in them. Was it wrong that she was a little turned on?
That thought made her come up short.
Shit. She didn’t have time for a crush.
3 The fabric technically had nebulas all over it, though the fabric name had the word galaxy. In the grand scheme of things it really didn’t matter, but it annoyed her for some reason. It seemed that all sorts of little things were bothering her lately, and she couldn’t find the reason. Why should she care that she had “galaxy fabric” that was actually nebula fabric? She would make the damn pillow covers and then she could tell her friends it was nebula print. Giving up caffeine had been a bad idea. It made her crabby. She should probably reconsider her idea to stop drinking coffee.
4 Nebula Swirl was possibly the best flavor of ice cream she had ever eaten, and it was looking like she would only be able to eat it for one more month if something drastic didn’t happen. She took her cone and snapped a picture and posted it to Instagram with the tag SaveGalacticCones. Maybe someone would see it and drop some cash their way. It wasn’t their fault that the freak storm had damaged the property and left them paying off heavy repair bills. They deserved to thrive, if for no other reason than it was the ice cream of her youth and she had so little to remember her childhood by.
5 “I don’t research in the Horseshoe Nebula,” she said with a frustrated sigh. “In fact, I don’t even look within a million light years of there. So please explain to me in very small words why you think your project should get any of my grant money.”
“Because I need to fund my research Dr. Witherow said. “It’s as simple as that. I need more funding and you just won a lot of money. There’s no way you’ll need all of it, so umbrella my study under your project and we’ll both win.”
“No, dude, we won’t ‘both win.’ That grant is actually just one of three for my project because it doesn’t cover everything.” Thor save her from entitled scientists.
6 “It looks kind a like a nebula” Jane said as she looked at the giant bruise on Darcy’s hip.
“I guess that’s fitting because the pain is out of this world,” Darcy tried to joke. It didn’t quite come off as carefree as she had hoped, but that was possibly because she was an hour out from her next pain pill and the current one seemed to have mostly worn off.
“Darce,” Jane said with a bit of warning in her voice. “You’re going to let me coddle you because that’s what I need. I think you do too.”
Darcy sighed. “I know.”
7 A burst of nebula like light flashed before her eyes as the hit landed.
She didn’t pass out, but it was a near thing.
“You will do what we want, Dr. Lewis!” the man spit at her.
“No. I won’t,” she argued. “And you hit like a little kid.”
The man’s face turned a red she didn’t realize was possible before he backhanded her, hitting the already blooming bruise from the earlier punch. “I think you will change your mind.”
“I’d rather die.”
“That can be arranged,” he sneered.
“I doubt it,” she countered. “You need me too much. And if you keep hitting my head, it’ll be that much longer before I’m even capable of doing what you ask.”
Vortex 1 Of course it was a solar vortex. Or, at least that’s what she was calling this abomination in her mind. She wasn’t sure what else to call what appeared to be a tornado of sunlight that was leaving a path of fire and destruction behind it. Why couldn’t normal things happen to her?
She would have to blame Jane. Shit like this never happened to her before New Mexico.
Of course, it could also be that this kind of madness would still happen to her even if she had never been an intern, but blaming Jane felt familiar. That woman definitely owed her ice cream for changing her life like this.
2 “It’s not a vortex” Dr. Strange said, the pinched look on his face clearly telling him what he thought of Darcy and her inability to call it whatever name he had given his portal thingy. She knew it wasn’t a vortex. It was just fun to razz him and see him get annoyed.
He was kinda cute when he was annoyed.
Well, he was kinda cute regardless, but his cuteness was focused on her whenever he was annoyed because 99% of the time it was her fault.
It wasn’t healthy, but it was working so she’d deal with the mental health implications later.
3 “I promise you that’s not a tornado,” she said to her storm chasing boyfriend. “I know it looks like one, but, very unfortunately for the entire town of Lawton, it’s actually an anomaly called a temporal vortex.”
“What does that mean, Darcy?” he yelled over the roar of the storm.
“It means that if we don’t get out of the path of that thing we’ll end up in an alternate reality that may or may not include a breathable atmosphere.”
“Right,” he said, his hands tightening on the steering wheel. “I’d like to live to have another date so one storm evasion coming up.”
4 “It’s called The Vortex,” Helen said reverently as she placed what Darcy thought was a fishbowl on the table. It had six straws sticking out of it.
“Why?” Pepper asked, looking at the drink cautiously.
Helen shrugged. “Does it matter? What matters is it tastes like sunshine and amaretto and goes down easy and will get you shitfaced if that’s what you want.”
Jane grabbed a straw and took a long slurp. “I need to get shitfaced and Helen isn’t wrong. I don’t care what’s in the Vortex. It can be made of baby souls and I will keep drinking it. It’s a fucking delight in my mouth.”
5 “I am sick of the Polar Vortex and it’s technically only been here for three hours,” Darcy said as she cuddled more into the blankets and tried to burrow even further into the warmth of her boyfriend.
“I’m not exactly excited about it either,” he agreed, “but at least it means we have guaranteed time together. That’s been a rare occurrence lately.”
Darcy nodded and debated it it was worth getting her arm out of the blanket to grab her hot chocolate.
“Darce?” he asked.
She turned to look at him. His eyes were soft. “I love you.”
Her breath stopped. He hadn’t said that before. Maybe the Polar Vortex wasn’t that bad.
6 “Sedona is weird,” Spencer said with a frown.
“Are you talking about the vortices?” she asked.
“I am,” he said, studying the map they had been given at the little tourism station. “I just. I can’t believe people believe in this stuff.”
“Ehh,” she said. “There’s a lot of shit I wouldn’t have believed in before it happened to me. You know, like Asgardians and such.”
“Maybe,” he agreed with pursed lips.
She pointed to a spot on the map. “Look, that one’s on a trail. We said we were going to do some hiking, so we’ll go there and treat it scientifically.”
He perked up just like she knew he would. “Sounds like a plan,” he said with a kiss to her cheek.
7 “I am a vortex of emotion,” she said before throwing herself on the couch.
Pepper handed her a glass of white wine. “What happened today?”
“He’s just so cute,” she practically whined. “And he has no idea that literally every time I’m talking to him I’m trying to flirt. I swear I used to be good at it.”
“Perhaps Bruce is ignoring it?”
Darcy shook her head. “I don’t think so, but I also hate that idea. Please don’t ever say that again. How can I live if he doesn’t like me back?”
“Do I just attract drama queens, or is there something special about you and Tony?”
Darcy gasped. “How dare you think I’m not special. You take that back!”
Supernova 1 “Why are you listening to Oasis on repeat?” Jane asked as she walked into Darcy’s apartment.
“Not Oasis,” Helen corrected, “Champagne Supernova.”
“Oh, Darcy. No hon.” Jane threw her purse on a chair and went to the kitchen and started going through the freezer. “Okay, here’s the plan,” she said as she came back into the living room. “I am going to make us some very alcoholic fruit slushies, you are going to move on from Oasis to some 90s Alanis, and then you are going to tell us what happened.”
Jane disappeared back into the kitchen and Helen looked at Darcy.
“And then we plot revenge,” she added.
2 “I promise you there was never a Gusher flavor called Supernova Blast. That wasn’t a thing. You need to stop trying to convince me it was. I might be dumb, but I am not that gullible.”
“Aww, babe! Who said you were dumb! I’ll be happy to knock some sense into them.
“Darce, that’s not the point,” Peter said with a whine. “The point is you cannot make me believe it.”
Darcy turned her laptop to show him the Google Image search with Supernova Blast gushers.
“Your reality is so flippin’ weird,” he said as he stared at the screen.
3 “It’s, like, more than a nova. It’s a SUPER nova.”
Darcy just stared at the man in front of her. This was the last time she allowed Clint to set her up on a blind date.
“Riiight,” she said. “Ummm, I’m sorry, but I need to go to the bathroom. Be right back,” she said as she grabbed her purse and praised the heavens that she hadn’t brought a coat too.
She grabbed a waitress as soon as she was out of his line of sight. “Hi, I need to escape a bad date and I will pay you $40 to let me out a back door.”
The waitress grabbed the money. “Done.”
4 “And next up is Supernova!” the announcer roared. Darce waved to the crowd as her name was called. She hadn’t expected to love roller derby as much as she did, but it truly was a life saver. The team was amazing, it allowed for stress relief, and it was something that was just hers. No being in Jane’s academic shadow. No being in her brother’s professional musician shadow. No shadows. Just Darcy.
As they set up for the first jam she looked up to the crowd and saw some signs with her name on them. She had never felt more alive.
5 “Excuse me?” the man at the counter said, “Are you really telling me that you’ve never heard of the Supernovas?”
Darcy gritted her teeth. “Honestly, dude, it doesn’t matter if I have or not. What I asked was whether or not you had any Aquabats.”
“But I can’t let you listen to that when you could be listening to the Supernovas.”
“I think you are missing what exactly your role is here. I came here looking specifically for a present for my brother, and I came to you to help me with it. In exchange, you should be telling me whether or not you have it, not making me want to leave because you won’t stop forcing your terrible bands on me.”
He stared at her in annoyance.
6 She imagined that this was what it must feel like at the center of a supernova. She had never felt so warm and alive and bursting. His simple confession wasn’t something she had ever expected, but it knocked the ice off her heart and had made her realize that she loved him too. She loved him in a consuming way that she hoped would eventually burn down to warm contentment and not eat them alive, but she couldn’t deny that his love had changed her and she could never go back to not knowing how this felt.
7 “You can’t use the supernova attack in this setting!” Steve said.
“I don't’ see why,” Darcy argued. “What’s stopping me?”
“Because that’s not how it’s supposed to be used.”
Darcy made a tsking noise at him. “Stevey, you can’t say that you want to follow the spirit of things here. You knew I was the type of person to always argue I was technically inside of the rules to do crazy shit when you asked me to join your game. So you either let me cast this or you kill me so I can go play with people that enjoy my unorthodox approach.”
“Fine,” he sighed. “Roll please.”
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beccarooni · 4 years
Text
Heimdall, Protector of Asgard
(A.N: I FINALLY DID ANOTHER FIC IT’S ONLY BEEN LIKE 6 MONTHS)
Heimdall often considered himself a man of many duties. Protector of Asgard, Gatekeeper of the Bifrost - and occasionally, although it had less of a grand title, Stopper of Thor Doing Reckless Things. 
It was the latter duty that took up a lot of his time. Even more so recently: what with all the chaos the realms had managed to fall into.
It was a curious thing, recklessness. Often in youth it had inspired both the young princes to do foolish, but ultimately harmless things. Some of Heimdall's fondest memories were those of the schemes Thor and Loki had attempted as children - sneaking biscuits from the kitchens, scrolls from the library, and occasionally trying to sneak past Heimdall himself for a glimpse at the Bifrost. 
He'd often turned a blind eye to that last one. Let the Prince's think that they had somehow passed under the nose of the Gatekeeper, and watched them carefully as they looked at the stars. 
But recklessness, Heimdall had discovered, came from more than just an innocent desire for mischief and tricks. It came from sorrow - from a world falling into disarray as image after image of a golden family was shattered. It came from rage. It came from helplessness. 
Heimdall was rarely one to be reckless. He preferred to stay where he was in times of uncertainty, so much so that Frigga had once compared him to a mountain. Unmovable by others, but if a great enough shift appeared, capable of stirring the earth itself if it chose. 
And through some naivety on his part, he had hoped Thor would follow in his footsteps. The prince seemed to be taking more responsibility for himself, had even joined a team of midgardians - two, if one was to count the companions of Lady Jane (which Heimdall supposed he did - he had a certain respect for those who turned their gaze towards the stars for answers). 
Thor had returned home with his brother in chains, and Heimdall had hoped, prayed that this meant an end to things. A sentence passed, a debt settled, and life could almost return to normal. 
But it seemed that was not to be.
Heimdall looked up at the stars, heaving a soft sigh. 
"Hello, Thor." 
A stirring from the corner of the chamber, and the young prince staggered out, a frown crossing his face. 
"You're not even going to pretend that you couldn't see me?" Thor rested his hand against the doorframe, leaning heavily against the golden archway. 
"Not at this time, no. Although I must admit, I hadn't expected to see you here," 
Heimdall turned from his position, golden eyes landing on the prince - a small feeling of worry nagging at his gut as he took in his appearance. 
Decidedly not dressed for the royal court. Not even dressed for Asgard, by the looks of it. The Prince's usual mane of golden hair was tied back clumsily, an old cape and hood thrown over one shoulder. Standing there, holding the wall as if letting go would mean a sure tumble to the ground, Heimdall considered his judgement of the situation to be sound. It was strange. A strange situation. 
"Are you not due at Loki's trial?" He continued, watching as Thor made a move to pace about the room, but apparently thought better of it - remaining in the doorway. 
Unsure, afraid to enter perhaps. Or afraid to leave. 
Thor smiled bitterly, a laugh that was tinged with something close to tears echoing off the walls. 
"I wasn't permitted to attend, actually. Father considered me too close for my judgement to be sound, so…" Thor shrugged listlessly
"Here I am."
"Here you are. I take it you stopped at a tavern before arriving here to...talk, I assume?"
The question seemed to set Thor back a little bit - almost physically, with the prince taking a small step backwards. 
“Do you really think so little of me?” Thor frowned, his voice suddenly sharpening with crystal-like clarity. 
“That I would waltz in here in a drunken stupor to waste the time of, arguably, the most important man in Asgard?”
Heimdall chuckled, shaking his head. 
The most important man in Asgard - well, that was certainly something. 
Thor had always been liberal with his words - compliments, insults, flirts and challenges. Many people often assumed because of this that Thor didn’t possess a filter - that his thoughts journey to the open air was unchallenged, unbroken. But, that wasn’t necessarily true. The filter wasn’t broken - it was just refined. The prince was tuned to a different song, where some thoughts would be allowed to be aired, and others were not. 
Feelings of pain and heartbreak were not befitting of a Prince of Asgard - a face that was shown to the universe was not supposed to crumble or break. At least, that was what was taught. 
“Flattery will get you nowhere, Thor. And, to answer your question, no - I don’t think that,” 
He paused, fingers tapping a slow rhythm on the side of his sword as he tried to align the words in his mind. 
“I think that you came here, seeking the solace and comfort of a friend. Because you are in pain.”
“Pain?” Thor echoed, suddenly looking a lot smaller when placed before the brightness of the Bifrost. 
In a plain tunic, with a travel-pack slung across his shoulders, he seemed...younger, somehow. It was a curious thing - battle usually had the effect of aging soldiers, turning bright eyes dark and haunted. And yet, the battles they all had fought - friend against friend, brother against brother - it seemed to plunge them all further back into the shadows than they had been. Things were complicated, it seemed. Or perhaps they always had been, and now the cogs of the grand machine were simply illuminated for the first time. 
Heimdall had had to force himself from a cage of ice. He’d had to stand there and watch as Loki had torn apart the streets of Midgard - because that was his job. Watcher, guardsman, the Gatekeeper of Asgard. It was not his job to intervene. He just had to watch the skies, the stars, and try to figure out what it all meant. 
If it even meant anything. 
“Why…” Thor paused, blue eyes trying their hardest to maintain their focus.
“Why would I be in pain? ”
Heimdall sighed softly, turning his gaze towards the stars - and motioning with his hand for Thor to join him. 
What is thought and what is said are often two different paths one person can take. 
What Heimdall wanted to say was: 'Thor, how long have we known each other? Years for us, centuries for others. I can see everything across the nine realms, and I see you now. I see you, when your hands fidget behind your back at every royal meeting, while the rest of you stands still. I see you try to mask fear and sadness beneath gold and bravery - to force yourself into the mould of what Odin wants you to be. Beneath it, beneath all of it, I see you. I always have.' 
What Heimdall said was:
"Tell me."
For a few moments, Thor continued to hesitate. Shifting his weight from one foot to the other, casting looks back towards the rainbow bridge - like someone wanting to ask for something, but unsure if they would be rejected for it. 
Finally, Thor made a move forward. He stepped fully into the chamber, footsteps echoing off of the circular walls as he clumsily put one foot in front of the other, until he was at Heimdall's side. 
A little too harshly, Thor sank down onto the golden stairs, clasping his hands together and looking off somewhere into the distance. 
Slowly, Heimdall lowered himself to join him. Setting his helmet down on the ground beside them, Heimdall waited.
“My talents, as many as they are, do not include mind reading, your Majesty. If you wish to bare your soul I will not turn you away - but I cannot do much for you if you don’t speak to me.”
“You could’ve fooled me.”
Thor sighed, his face lifting slightly into a bitter smile.
“When I was younger, I used to believe you could see everything. The universe, the people - I even thought you could see into my mind. I used to lie awake at night, trying to think the silliest thoughts I could - just to try and make you laugh,” Thor shook his head, chuckling quietly.
“I thought it would make the nights more bearable for you. I didn’t like the thought of you being alone out here.”
“I remember.” Heimdall nodded.
"I just…" Thor shook his head, bringing his hands to his face. 
"I should've been there. From the start, I should have known something, or done something - but I didn't, and now the world pays the price for it. Our family is paying the price for my cowardice, and I couldn't even attend his trial."
Thor broke off after that, roughly wiping at the sides of his eyes with an angry sniff. 
“Ah, yes. Returning victorious from battle, where the enemy outnumbered you by the thousands. Defeating the armada, saving a world, and sparing the life of the one you were fighting - bringing him home to face justice,"
Heimdall nodded sagely.
"Truly, all the signs of a coward.”
Thor cast a look at him from the side of his eyes. “You’re not funny.”
“I am incredibly funny.”
Thor shook his head, but his deeply set frown began to break into a somewhat watery smile- still a ghost of what it could be, but it was there. 
Slowly, the chuckles turned back to tears.
Thor sniffed, knuckles turning white as his fists clenched around the fabric of his tunic
"I just can't help but think that this is all my fault."
"And that is why you came here, then? To run from this?" 
"No. Well, yes. Maybe, I don't-"
Thor groaned, tilting his head back towards the stars. 
"If I can't be here for him now, then there is no use me being here at all. If I'm what caused this, then I might as well remove myself from the equation entirely."
"Thor," Heimdall lifted a hand, gently setting it onto the Prince's shoulder. 
"That is foolish." 
"It's logical. If...if there is a bug in a code, then you ought to remove it so the programme runs effectively." 
"What?"
"It's something Stark said - I don't know. Midgard has an insect problem, I think?"
"Truly a strange place," Heimdall frowned, shifting in his seat to fully face the young prince. 
"But running will not solve this problem, Thor. It is wholly an unpleasant matter - with no one party being to blame. But we cannot abandon those who need us most." 
Thor sighed, shaking his head. 
"I am only going to make matters worse. I'm a tool for destruction and I always have been."
"Who told you this?" 
"The universe. I think the Norns want to kill me." 
"Well, that's…a theory." 
Heimdall shuffled a tad closer, placing both hands onto Thor's shoulders, turning him to face him. 
"I wish I could take this pain from you. But this is a matter that involves us all. I cannot promise that your future here will be easy,"
He loosened his grip, lifting one hand to rest against the Prince's neck. 
"But I can promise you that you will not face it alone." 
It seemed to take a few moments for Heimdall's words to even register, before Thor's face crumpled. With a small, broken sound, Thor leant forward until his face was firmly planted against Heimdall's shoulder. 
It was quiet, out in the Bifrost. It always had been - he himself wanted it that way. The quiet made it easier to concentrate. To shut out the rest of the world, and focus on what he needed to. 
Heimdall held Thor close, and watched the stars pass above them. 
Thor was still so young. They all were, really, compared to the grand scheme of things. Heimdall could see the outreaches of the universe and still, still, he felt blind to most of it. Things were more complex than the sun's and systems of the galaxies they lived in - events could not be predicted. Or outrun, at least, not forever. 
The world kept moving and the stars kept shining, no matter what would happen, and there was some sanctuary to be found in that. The immovability of the heavens. To find a mountain in a storm, a rock to hold onto - it was rare. But not impossible. 
If Thor needed a sanctuary for the night, then so be it. 
Some things could be predicted. Thor's back would hurt in the morning from falling asleep on the steps of the Bifrost, and his head would hurt from taking Fandral's advice to drown his sorrows in wine.
The trial would end, and things would continue. 
And no one would go through it alone. 
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