#and my heart goes out to loki - his entire world has been turned upside down

[lunarbuck]

Dance With The Devil (1)

Pairing: mafia!Loki x f!reader (any race)

WC: 4.4k

Summary: Your world turns upside down, but this is only the beginning.

Warnings: kidnapping, fear, swearing, violence

A/N: Yay first chapter!! I can't wait for y'all to read it :) please let me know what you think <3 Some dialogue is taken from the movie. beta'd by the amazing @purpleshallot :))) happy birthday my dear!!!

series masterlist | main masterlist | script | fic playlist

chapter 2

You have always preferred fairytales to real life. True love’s first kiss, fate, all of it. Not to be cliché, but it’s been your escape. From a young age, you found yourself wrapped up in worlds full of magic. Of happily ever afters and fairy godmothers. 

As an adult, you still retreat into those stories for comfort. On difficult days, you lose yourself to mystical places, wishing you could be there, living those lives. You find it cruel, really, to open the door to other worlds like that and not let the dreamers in.

Today, the fall air is crisp and fresh as you board the bus after class. Leaves the color of fire fall from the trees and onto the street, crunching under people’s feet as they walk past. You lean your head against the window and pull out one of your favorite books. You always find yourself returning to it, no matter what happens in your life. You’ve read it so many times you have it memorized by now. The story takes you far away from New York to a place with deadly sword fights, disguised princes, and magic. 

As you turn the page, your heart tugs in your chest, finding yourself at your favorite part of the book. The unassuming and quiet princess meets the prince for the first time. He falls for her instantly, but she doesn’t know who he is, as he’s disguised as a commoner.

It’s easy to get wrapped up in the story, but when your phone buzzes in your pocket, you know you need to check it. You scroll through a few work emails, planning responses in your head when you realize what time it is.

You continue looking at the screen, expecting to see a text from your father that he got home from physical therapy safely. He should’ve been back at least 15 minutes ago.

But there’s no text, no phone call, nothing. Your heartbeat speeds up, you can hear blood rushing in your ears. You try to calm your nerves, telling yourself that maybe his phone died, and he forgot. Your father has always been a little bad with tech. There’s probably nothing wrong.

You repeat the words to yourself the entire commute home, unable to focus on the story that had captivated you just a few moments ago. You keep whispering them over and over as you walk up the cracked steps to your house. You even say them as you search the place for your father.

Your mind goes silent when you find the house completely empty and your father’s cell phone on the ground, the screen shattered.

Shit.

Your head spins as you try to figure out what to do. This isn’t like your father. He’s never disappeared before. He would never go somewhere without leaving at least a note on the fridge or the counter. 

After a few deep breaths, you pull out your phone and call 911.

“911, what is your emergency?” You barely hear the words leave your mouth as you rattle off your name, address, and the fact that your father is suddenly missing. You tell the dispatcher when the last time you had seen your father was and that you found his phone cracked on the ground.

The dispatcher stays on the line with you, but you don’t pay attention to what she says, instead staring at your father’s spot at the dinner table, a newspaper folded just the way he likes beside a cup of coffee, long gone cold. He always insists on having one in the morning, even though he hates the taste.

A few minutes later, a police cruiser pulls up to your house, lights on but no siren. You scramble out of the house and through the front door and find Griffin, your friend from Undergrad, leaning against the car casually.

He’s dressed in his police uniform, pressed and without wrinkles, but as you get closer, you can see the bags under his eyes. Knowing him, he probably was out late last night drinking. He’s always been that type. Even since graduation and getting a job, nothing’s changed.

Griffin has always been around, even when you didn’t want him to be. Him and his deep brown eyes that are always watching over you with a protectiveness that never seems to fade.

“Hey, Griff,” you say quickly, eyes shooting around the block for any sign of your father. Everything looks normal as if your world hadn’t been turned upside down.

Griffin scrutinizes you; the heat in his gaze is evident to you, and you try to shrink away from it. You know he’s always had a thing for you, but you pretend not to notice just like you always do. You’re too busy, too preoccupied with literally everything, to get into a relationship with him or anyone else for that matter.

“So your dad didn’t come home?” he asks, crossing his arms over his chest as if this were a regular conversation between the two of you. 

“It’s more than that,” you snap, noticing they only sent one officer. Why wasn’t he with his partner? Why did he come alone? “Where’s your partner? Is he out looking for Papa?” The childhood name for your father slips so easily from your lips that you wouldn’t have noticed it had Griffin not made a face.

“No, it’s just me on this right now. I wanted to check it out before we declared him missing.” Anger bubbles in your chest, but you shove it down. Being angry won’t help right now. You need to focus. That’s the only thing that will help your father.

“Okay, where should we start?”

Griffin explains how a missing person case works, and you nod along with him, trying to make sense of it all. Your father has no enemies that you know of, no one that would wish harm upon him.

As you go through this with Griffin, your eyes wander away from him and over to the houses around you. It’s possible someone saw something; maybe they just didn’t know what they were seeing.

You cock your head, noticing your neighbor across the street has a camera above their doorbell. You start walking to the house, not bothering to explain your action to Griffin. He follows, though, seeming to understand.

To your surprise, your neighbor is more than willing to share the footage with you and the police. She brings out her laptop and rewinds the video until Griffin tells her to stop. Your hands shake as she plays it.

In the grainy video, you see a black van pull up outside your house. Four men dressed in black jump out and walk straight into your home. You know for a fact you’d locked it that morning. How did they get in?

It’s surreal. It’s like a movie. A terrible, shitty movie about men breaking into your house and kidnapping your father. The trees blow in the wind, a bird lands on the pavement, and everyone keeps moving like nothing is happening in the house.

A few moments later, the men emerge from the house, dragging your father between them. He’s fighting back as best he can, but he can’t do much in his weakened condition.

You want to scream, you want to throw up, you want to rewind time and make it so none of this ever happened.

The video has no sound, but you can only imagine his calls for help. How they went unanswered.

Griffin thanks your neighbor after getting a copy of the footage and walks you back to his cruiser. Your legs feel like jelly, unable to support the weight of everything any longer.

“Grab whatever you need for the next few hours and come with me,” he instructs, voice tight. “We’re gonna find your dad.”

When you arrive with Griffin at the police station, you’re surprised by the lack of urgency the other officers give to your father’s disappearance. Is this not important to them?

Griffin lets you sit at his desk while he shows a few people the video, trying to see what people know. The police station feels hospital-like. People rush around, calling out odd codes and names while you sit in the middle of the chaos. Everything smells like the floor cleaner they use. It burns your nose. 

For a while, you scroll through your phone aimlessly, not really sure what you’re looking for before putting it away and reading your book instead.

You finally reach chapter 3. The princess has just discovered the true identity of the prince. The words make your heart flutter despite the noise and disorder surrounding you. You manage to lose yourself in the pages, the world around you fading away.

The prince holds the princess close, cupping her cheek in his hand. They stare lovingly into each other’s eyes, not yet knowing that they were meant to be. The universe had granted them the greatest gift of all, true love. You know what happens next, but that doesn’t stop your brain from coming up with all the ways they might be challenged in the future. 

A hand clasps your shoulder, pulling you from the fairytale world and crashing you into reality. Griffin is at your side, a grim look on his face.

“What?” you ask quietly, not sure you want to hear what he’s found.

“Come with me.” He grabs your arm, tugging you up from the chair. Your book tumbles to the ground, but he doesn’t give you a chance to retrieve it. He guides you to an interrogation room and shuts the door behind him.

“What is going on?” you ask, ripping your arm from his grasp. 

“I got an image of the license plate from the car your dad got into.” You want to interrupt and correct Griffin. Your father didn’t “get into” the car, he was kidnapped and shoved, but you keep your mouth shut. “I tracked it to a few fake identities, but I finally found something solid. All these fake guys work for the same very real mafia family. The Laufeyson family has a pretty big presence around here, and I think they’re the ones who have your dad.”

The mafia? No way. You shake your head, and Griffin gives you a pitying look. You hate it.

“Papa would never get involved with the mafia. He has no reason to. Even when he stopped working, we had enough money for treatments, his inventions always made enough…” your voice trails off when you think of the past few months. How stressed your father had seemed, the odd phone calls, you’d thought nothing of them at the time. But now…

“Look, your dad was sick and desperate. He probably thought he had no other option.” You hate how he talks about your father in the past tense as if he’s already gone.

“Where is he?” you ask before you can spiral into what-ifs and hypotheticals.

“I’ve got an address. There’s no promising it’s where he is, though.” You nod, and Griffin hands you a scrap of paper, an address scrawled messily on it. “We’ll go tomorrow morning. Right now, you need to lie low in case they’re looking for you.” You roll your eyes and scoff. Does he really expect you to wait until tomorrow? 

He’s an idiot if he thinks that.

Griffin drives you back to your house and gives you an awkwardly long hug before getting back in his car and leaving. For a guy that claims to care about you so much, he has a funny way of showing it.

You quickly gather some belongings, unsure how long you’ll be gone, and put the address Griff gave you into your phone. It’s far, too far for you to commute or bike. You don’t have a car, so you decide to call an Uber despite the cost. It’ll be worth it to find your father.

The car arrives after 10 minutes, but honestly, it felt like hours. Every moment that passes, every second that goes by, feels like an eternity being stuck in the unknown. Not knowing what he’s going through.

Your driver is friendly enough, though as he gets closer to the address, he gets more and more cagey. 

Your phone buzzes, and you spare a glance down at it, seeing that Griffin has texted you a few times.

Lmk if you need anything

You wanna get dinner? I got off early.

Hello? Whyre you ignoring me?

You groan inwardly at the messages. Griffin has never been the romantic type, and clearly, nothing has changed since the last time he asked you out. You don’t bother responding, tucking your phone in your pocket as you stare out the window.

The car comes to a stop before arriving at your desired destination. Your driver explains that he can’t go further than this, so you climb out of the car and thank him anyway, tipping even though he didn’t take you where you wanted.

In the distance, you see a giant gated mansion on top of a hill. Without even looking at your phone, you know that’s where you need to go. The place looks straight out of a movie; of course, it’s where the bad guys live.

You make the trip on foot, watching out for anyone suspicious. The gate around the house is tall, but you scale it somewhat quickly, surprising yourself with your newfound upper-body strength.

The sun has set by the time you’re crossing the well-kept lawn, chilling you to your core. You carefully creep around the house’s perimeter, looking for a way in. You find a window cracked open and are stunned at your luck.

The window slides open easily, and you slip through the opening, finding yourself in a large sitting room. The plush carpet dampens your footsteps, making you nearly silent as you creep through the room.

As you push open the door to the hallway, you lock eyes with a man down the corridor. You freeze, unable to move away even as you will your feet to move. The man doesn’t call for help, though. Instead, he tilts his head as if to get a better look at you.

He steps toward you, then furrows his brow, thinking better of it. You wait for his next move with bated breath.

“Your father,” he whispers, eyes darting around, probably watching for other people. “Go upstairs.” With that, he turns on his heel and walks in the opposite direction, seemingly content with pretending he never saw you. 

How did he know you’re here for your father? They must not get many visitors that arrive on good terms; maybe this is a common occurrence?

You wait an agonizing few minutes until you’re sure the coast is clear before you dart to the staircase he’d gestured to.

The mansion is more extensive than it appeared from the outside, and you only realize the size as you climb the sweeping stairs to an upper level of the house. Corridors filled with doors leading to different rooms catch your attention, but you know that you must look for any sign of your father and avoid getting lost in the maze of the home.

A chill runs through you as you pass through the house. Even though you’ve seen signs of life here, it feels like a museum. It doesn’t feel like a home. No one really lives here; they just pass through. Existing and moving on.

As you reach the top of the stairs, you hear him. Your father coughs after every other word, barely getting the sounds out. He sounds so weak.

“Please, someone,” he groans quietly before breaking into another fit of coughs. You practically run down the hall until you reach a room at the very end, the door cracked slightly open. Not caring if anyone sees you, you push the door open to reveal your father.

Bile rises in your throat at the sight of him.

He’s tied tightly to a pole in the center of the room, hands cuffed behind his back around the bar, and feet bound at his ankles. From what you’ve seen, the rest of the house has hardwood or carpet. This room has concrete floors.

This room was built for pain, for bloodshed.

Even in the darkness of the room, you can see bruises bloom around his eyes and on his cheeks. Blood splatters on the ground. You can only imagine the pain he’d been through before your arrival.

Your father must not have heard or seen you come in because he continues to whisper his pleas.

“Papa,” you say gently as you cross the room and crouch in front of him. You place your hands on both sides of his face; he is so cold against your skin. “Papa, I’m here.”

Your father’s eyes open as far as they can with the swelling, but he finally sees you. “Oh, my, how did you find me?” he croaks. You shake your head, reaching around to see how his hands are cuffed. You hold one of his hands in yours and wince at the temperature.

“Your hands are like ice,” you whisper, returning your attention to his face. “We have to get you out of here.” Your father shakes his head, even though the action appears to pain him.

“Please, I want you to leave this place,” he begs, desperation lacing his voice.

You ignore his words, focusing on trying to undo the binds on his feet. “Who did this to you?”

“There is no time to explain,” he urges, “you have to go. Now!” You sit back on your heels and stare at your father in disbelief.

“I won’t leave you!” Your tone is harsh, but you don’t understand why he wants you to leave him behind.

Suddenly, someone grabs your shoulder, pulling you away from your father with incredible strength. You scramble out of their grasp and back to your father, unable to catch a glimpse of the person that grabbed you before they slip into the shadows.

“What are you doing here?” the person, a man, asks harshly, spitting the words at you.

“Run,” your father groans fearfully. You search your father’s face for something, anything, to help you through this.

You spin around, pressing your back against your father in an attempt to protect him from the new man.

“Who are you?” you ask the man cloaked in shadow. 

“Who are you?” the man asks in response, his words sharp and deadly.

“I’ve come for my father. Please let him out; can’t you see he’s sick?” you reply, voice even and calm, not showing how terrified you are.

“Your father is a thief. He owes me.”

You shake your head; he must be lying. “But he could die. Please, I’ll do anything!” Desperation creeps into your voice, but you hold firm. You want to cry, you want to scream, but you don’t. You won’t, not until your father is safe.

“There’s nothing you can do. He’s my prisoner.” The words are swift, his tongue like a whip.

“There must be some way I can–” You turn back to face your father, searching his face for the answers. “Take me instead!” It takes everything in you to pull your eyes away from your father and face the shadowed man.

“You? You would take his place?” He sounds unsure, troubled by what you’ve proposed. As if you’ve caught him off guard.

Your father struggles against the binds, trying to grab onto you. “No! You don’t know what you’re doing!” Even though it pains you, you don’t look back.

“If I did, would you let him go?” You can’t see his face, but you can tell the man is mulling over his choices. He holds your life in his fingers.

“Yes, but you must promise to stay here forever.” Your heart sinks, but you know that it is for the best that you take your father’s place. He has access to the money you’ve been making, to his treatment services, everything. It would be easier with you there, but you know he’ll be able to care for himself until he finds a caretaker. 

As anger burns inside your chest, you stare at the shadowed man in front of you. You want to see the man forcing you and your father into this fate. You want to look him in the eye as he sentences you to death at his hand.

“Come into the light,” you whisper, barely able to form the words. The man doesn’t move for a moment, but after a breath, he steps forward and into the light cast from the window.

Your eyes widen as you take him in. He’s tall, towering over you like a mountain. His black hair is slicked back in the front, though a piece has fallen out of place and covers one of his eyes. Dressed in an all-black suit, the man looks as though he is made of the shadows that had just been concealing him. Bright eyes stare down at you as if they can see right through you.

“No,” your father says, sputtering and coughing. “No, I won’t let you do this!” 

It’s as if you’re in a trance. You can’t break your eyes away from the man in front of you. “You have my word.” The promise slips from your lips as if not yours. 

The man cocks his head, grinning slyly. “It is done.”

All it takes is a quick knock on the door behind him, and the man has summoned two more people to the room.

They rush in, moving you aside and grabbing your father. You try to catch him, to hug him, to just let him know that everything will be okay, but the raven-haired man grabs your arms and pulls you away, holding you against his chest. One arm brackets around your front while the other covers your mouth, muffling your yelling.

You struggle against him, willing him to just let you say goodbye, but your efforts are futile.

It doesn’t take long for the two men to drag your father away. You can’t help but feel like you’ll never see him again. The feeling lodges itself deep in your gut, making you feel a heaviness like you’ve never experienced before.

When it is just you and the raven-haired man left in the room, he releases you. You crumple to the floor, finally allowing your tears to fall freely. The ground is cold and hard beneath you as you wet it with your tears.

The raven-haired man says nothing for a long time, letting the sound of your sobs echo between the walls.

When your throat is dry, and you have no tears left in your body, he moves to stand in front of you instead of behind you.

“Come,” he says curtly as if speaking to a dog.

You shake your head, holding it in your hands. “You didn’t even let me say goodbye. I’ll never see him again.” Finally, you look up at the man. Fury rips through your veins. “I didn’t get to say goodbye.”

If the man feels bad or feels any remorse, he doesn’t reveal it. “I’ll show you to your room.”

His words take you by surprise. You hadn’t thought this far ahead. Is he going to give you a room? It wouldn’t have shocked you if he’d just told you to sleep in this torture room. “My room? But I thought–”

“You want to stay here? In this… cell?” he asks, tilting his head. The faint light from the window makes his eyes shine. You search his face for any trace of emotion but find nothing. His blue eyes stay trained on you, his lips pressed into a line. 

“No,” you reply, annoyance clear from your tone. That earns you the smallest of smirks. His right eye ticks. He must not like being on the receiving end of an attitude. Well, he better get used to it.

“Then follow me.” The raven-haired man doesn’t help you stand. He doesn’t provide you any support as you wobble on weak legs. He just stands by the door, waiting for you to catch up.

You walk a few steps behind the man, following him like a shadow as he guides you through the corridors. He points to different doors, other paths through the home, but you don’t really hear him.

It’s like you’re underwater; everything is muted and warped. Your thoughts spin through your head, and you’re barely able to process them as they fly past. It all happened so quickly, you’d acted without thinking through all the possible outcomes, and now you’re stuck here alone forever.

The man comes to a stop in front of a pair of ornate wooden doors. He stares down at the handles, but you stare at him. He’s yet to tell you anything about him; he is a mystery to you.

“You are to never step foot in the west wing,” he says through gritted teeth, shifting his eyes toward you. “Do I make myself clear?” 

You take a shaky breath and look at the carvings on the door. They seem to tell a story, but before you get a chance to look for the start, you find yourself speaking. “What’s in there?”

“It’s forbidden.” You flinch back from his harsh tone, dropping your eyes to the floor.

The man turns away from the door and guides you down a new hallway. You notice more art hung on the walls in this area, lots of classics. Your heart tugs when you see some familiar paintings; it’s barely a comfort, but it’s something.

“If there is anything you need,” he says, pushing open the door to a bedroom, “my people will attend to you.” The room is simple, with only a bed, a dresser, and a vanity, but it looks clean from what you can tell. 

He doesn’t wait for you to get settled, doesn’t even tell you where the kitchen or anything else is. The second you step into the room, he shuts the door with a thud.

You barely make it to the bed before your legs give out. You throw yourself onto the blankets and pillows, a sobbing heap as you come apart.

You don’t care how loud you’re being. You don’t care that the man might be standing outside listening. Your sobs rip through you, releasing emotions you haven’t felt in ages. This is bigger than just your father, bigger than being trapped in the home of a man you’ve never met before.

It’s only the beginning.

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#jane’s writing #dance with the devil #loki laufeyson #loki x f!reader #beauty and the beast #fairytale retelling #mafia au #loki #loki laufeyson marvel #loki fanfic #loki laufeyson fanfic #marvel #marvel fic #marvel fanfic #loki laufeysin x f!reader #loki x you #loki x reader #loki laufeyson smut. #loki fluff #loki smut. #loki laufeyson fluff #loki laufeyson x reader #loki laufeyson x you #fem reader #marvel au #marvel fan fiction

[delyth88]

Infinity stones scene breakdown

This scene has been on my mind since seeing the first episode of the Loki series.  It’s just such a good scene, and does so many things, that I wanted to talk about it some more.

First up, Loki quietly enters the office.  You can hear an old phone ring in the background.  Loki pauses, shuts the door quietly, and then looks around hoping not to be noticed. 

He spots Casey and goes over to him, and whispers “hey” to catch his attention. This is odd, because why would you attract the attention of the person you’re about to attack, but I think Loki doesn’t know enough about this place yet to be sure of where the tesseract might be.  He’s probably assuming it’s been moved to some high security facility.  But then Casey is oblivious to Loki’s sneaking and loudly, and it seems without much concern, says “hey” right back to him, “I know you, you’re that criminal with the blue box”. 

This surprises Loki and he grabs Casey by the shoulders and pushes him down behind the desk, out of sight of the rest of the office. All while shushing him.  I couldn’t help but be reminded of the shushing in Ragnarok.

We then get this odd exchange, where Loki first asks Casey what his name is.  Casey is somewhat confused, but answers, and seems more annoyed than alarmed at this point.

Loki then glances around the room with this uncomfortable look on his face, before he musters up the... something... to threaten Casey - “Give me the tesseract or I’ll gut you like a fish, Casey!”

What’s going on here? He’s partly keeping an eye on his surroundings here in case one of the hunters arrives, and to make sure no-one is walking to close to hear him say what he knows is going to be somewhat louder than the previously whispered conversation.  But we’ve seen Loki be quiet and calculating before, and this is not that.  He looks very uncertain, and clearly uncomfortable.  I think part of that is because he knows he doesn’t have access to his magic, and he knows these people are strong enough that he can’t easily overpower them physically, so this is a huge risk for him.  Will Casey be cowed into doing what he asks? Is he threatening enough to him? Or will Casey shout out to the office for help?

This is also setting the scene for the later conversation with Mobius about not enjoying hurting people. Here we can see a dramatic change of expression and body language as he prepares for the threat.  He gathers himself, takes a deep breath, and then focuses all his attention on Casey - getting in close and looking down on him.

Casey responds “What’s a fish”

Loki is completely thrown by this response, and flips right out of Threaten Mode - “How do you not know what a fish is?”

“Well I’ve lived my entire life behind a desk”

“Well, what difference does it make?”

“I want to know exactly what I’m being threatened with before I comply.”

“Death, Casey. Violent, painful death!”  And now that they’re back on familiar ground Loki engages Threaten Mode again. But only briefly, because as soon as Casey stands up to open his cart Loki loses his intimidating look and goes back to looking fearfully around the office in case this conversation has attracted too much attention.

Casey opens the lid, and asks "This it?” as he hands it to Loki.  Loki  is still crouched on the ground and the drawer is at eye level.  When he glances in the draw his focus is on the tesseract and he doesn’t see the rest of the contents. He takes the tesseract and sighs in relief, examining it for a moment.  

Once he’s sure it’s the real thing he looks back down into the drawer...

...and sees the infinity stones. 

He leans over and grabs the edge of the drawer and I love the sad little clunk that the collar control makes as it hits the metal edge of the drawer.  What was a second ago the most important thing in Loki’s world - the tesseract, his means of escape, his way home, and the bargaining chip with Thanos - suddenly forgotten about.

“What?” 

He says this in such a flat tone of voice.  Carrying his confusion, disbelief, and that sense of well-today’s-been-full-of-ridiculous-things-against-me-so-why-not-another-one. 

“Infinity stones?” 

He puts down the control for the time collar and his hand just hovers over them.  I love how this just shows how unprepared he was for this.  He’s not immediately scooping up an handful, he’s shocked and processing, and thinking about why they would be so casually stored in this unprotected drawer. And why there would be so many of them.

This is where the music picks up, having been unnoticeable up till this.  A kind of eerie wail that seems very appropriate, and also appropriately mystical for these items of such extraordinary power.

And then I think this is the moment when he realises that whatever is going on here, that if a handful of infinity stones are just thrown in a junk drawer, then any hope he had of escaping through using the tesseract is gone.

“H-, how..., how do you have these?” He’s temporarily at a loss for words, and his voice is so low and flat, no inflection at all. No plan. No hope at all. This is the moment when reality sinks in, that there’s no alternative but to do what he’s told (for the meanwhile at least). This is the moment that leads him to voluntarily go back to the Time Theatre and wait for Mobius.  He turns to Casey for an answer, but his tone of voice says he’s not expecting good news.

“Oh, we actually get a lot of those.  Some of the guys use them as paperweights.”

Loki looks back in the drawer and he almost looks like he wants to cry or shout in frustration and confusion.  That feeling when everything’s against you and there’s nothing you can do about it. He picks up one of the time stones to examine.

The slightly sad music of the TVA starts playing as he drops the time stone back in the draw, a little bit angry at them for existing, and deeply disappointed.

He looks up from the drawer and around the office, but this time actually paying attention to what he sees.  Re-evaluating these dull office workers. The music picks up here with the strings joining in.

All the while Casey is just watching.  He might not understand this significance of what just happened, but he clearly no longer feels in any danger from this weird prisoner. He closes the lid of the drawer and then follows Loki.

Loki has clearly forgotten about Casey.  He has bigger things to think about. He stands up and wanders out into the middle of the office, not concerned about any of the staff worrying about him. Feeling every bit of his insignificance at this moment.

He wanders over to the screen showing the sacred timeline.  No-one takes any notice of him.

And I love the look on his face here, though I don’t have quite the right words to describe it.  You can see that he’s been devastated by what he’s just seen, and he now has to build himself up from the ground. There’s a sort of grief here too, for his world that has completely changed, and possibly a little sliver of hope, or recognition of potential opportunity, but at a scale that he’s not even sure how to engage with just yet.

And I think he’s thinking if this is true, then what of the things Mobius said might also be true.  If they can have multiple infinity stones lying around then perhaps the future he showed wasn’t a lie. He realises there’s no point in fighting anymore and I think if Hunter B-15 didn’t walk in the very next moment he probably would have just wandered back to the Time Theatre to find Mobius to answer all his questions.

I love Casey’s little head bob of acknowledgement that Loki’s right - this is the greatest power in the universe.

#I just love Tom's acting in this - so many articulate expressions on his face #and my heart goes out to loki - his entire world has been turned upside down #he's completely unmoored #it's fascinating #loki #loki series #loki episode 1 #spoilers #loki show #loki tv show

[mythologyfolklore]

Baldr in Hel - Ch. 02

(A/N: This contains Baldr having a mental breakdown and also a brief discussion about when an unborn baby gets a soul. There is also a cameo of foreign underworld gods.)

.

Baldr's POV

.

It had been two days since he had arrived.

At least he thought so.

The underworld sun never set and the UV-A light¹ bathed the entirety of Niflheimr and Helheimr in permanent ghostly twilight. There was no day-night cycle. It seemed to Baldr, like time stood still in this murky, chilly world.

Fortunately the Bright One had quickly figured out, that Hel had a rigid schedule he could orientate himself on.

The meals played a big part: there was a warm and simple breakfast for the Queen of the Dead (and for him, since he had a seat of honour at her table), an opulent lunch and a warm, but light dinner (Hel had told him, that it was better not to eat too much in the evening).

Baldr didn't believe, that the ingredients for the food were home-grown; that was impossible around here. But he didn't dare ask, where they came from.

Hel also had the habit of getting up early, earlier than Baldr was used to. Perhaps it was because his habit was to rise with the sun, or maybe it was the black light of the underworld sun, which made him feel like he was woken up earlier than usual.

Hel's two personal servants, Ganglöt and Ganglati, worked rather slowly (no surprise with how elderly they were) and Hel had advised him to make requests at least an hour in advance, whenever he wanted something.

Baldr had also learned quickly, that Hel was rather morbid, when it came to naming things.

Apart from her gargantuan palace, Éljúðnir, her own bed was named Kór (sickbed), its curtains Blikjandabol (gleaming bale), her table was named Hungr (hunger), her knife Sultr (starvation).

(“Why do you give your possessions such dark names?”

“Why not?”

Later he had learned from her manservant Ganglati, that her gallows humour – which she clearly had got from her father – was her way of coping with her ruined youth.)

And last but not least …

“Uhm, Hel? May I ask you something?”

“Certainly.”

“Why is there a pitfall in front of your audience hall?”

“Oh, you mean Fallandaforað²? That's my threshold.”

Threshold???

“It sorts out anyone who has malicious intent and or is guilty of hubris.”

Now Baldr was even more confused. “Uhm … could you elaborate please?”

“Alright: every soul has an individual signature, made up of character, memories, thoughts and good or bad deeds they have done in life. Over the chasm of my threshold goes an invisible magical film. Most people are able to cross it, no problem. The really bad ones stumble over invisible obstacles, but they get across. But those guilty of hubris or ill intent fall into the chasm. Their punishment is to be lost forever in the deepest and darkest pits of Niflhel.”

Baldr felt a cold shiver run down his spine.

Hel's emotionless tone and face hadn't made her explanation any less scary. Neither did her sudden changed of disposition, when she suggested talking about something more pleasant.

When he asked her personal servants about it, Ganglati, her elderly butler, just laughed: “Well, that's how our queen is. She's very changeable, both in appearance and in demeanour. If she has a blank expression all the time, well, that's just Hel being Hel. But here's a tip; if you want to get a hint on how she's feeling, pay close attention to the state of her left half. The worse her mood is, the more decayed her face is. But if she's happy, it looks just as lively and beautiful as the right side of her body.”

The light god tilted his head in interest. “Is that so?”

“Mhm.”

“You two must have known her for a long time.”

Ganglati nodded affirmatively. “Oh yes. We were already long here, when she came here as a young thing. Such a frightened, poor little lass she was. Such a burden on the shoulder of a ten-year-old. It took her a while to grow into her new role, but we were there through all of it, Ganglöt and I.”

Compassion struck Baldr with an intensity he hadn't felt in quite a while (and he was quite a compassionate person, a “bleeding heart”, as Loki had called it scornfully).

The things this woman must have gone through!

.

Hel's POV

.

Hel allowed Baldr to roam through the castle, so that he could get used to it (among other reasons).

The Bright One was curious and once he got over his initial apprehension, he asked her a lot of questions, which made her really happy. He was genuinely interested in her place.

Maybe it was selfish, but she would have been a fool, if she hadn't been grateful for this indeed very special revenge kill/“birthday gift” from her father.

Her life wasn't boring per se, just … repetitive. Always the paper work and the soul judging.

Well, at least the upside of the latter was the soul reading. Whatever the soul had experienced, she knew it, their memories, their wishes and hopes, their deepest secrets – some of which even the persons themselves didn't know – and of course their silly little mishaps.

Sometimes being a death goddess could be really fun.

She always had a story to tell and a friend from Hellas had given her the idea to write those stories down. Now she had to employ thousands of librarians to administrate the nigh infinite amount of media in her Halls of Knowledge. But hey, the dead might as well make themselves useful.

Hel was quite sure, that Baldr would be dying to see them, once he found out about them. Maybe she would have to drag him out of there; reading his soul had revealed, that he loved stories and reading.

One thing was for sure: he was really curious about the little light that floated about the hallways of the entire castle. Once Hel was showing him the halls he was going to inhabit, once the problems were fixed, when Baldr caught one of the little lights in his hand. The next moment he yelped, let go and the light quickly escaped.

“It bit me!”, he exclaimed in shock. Hel took a look at his hand. There was no blood, but one of his fingers had a visible bite mark.

She smiled lopsidedly. “You have to excuse them. They panic easily and when they panic, they bite.”

“What are they anyway?”, Baldr asked. “I've been wondering for a while.”

“These, Baldr, are the souls of stillborn children”, Hel revealed. “Babies, who just transformed from a bunch of cells to living, sentient beings, who just gained a soul – only to lose this spark of light almost immediately, before they could even see the world and take their first breath. Some of them had already been born, when they died – usually of sickness, or because they were considered weak and were abandoned. So they're as confused and upset as babies can be.”

Baldr looked pained. “That's awful”, he whispered.

“It is”, Hel agreed. Then she hummed a little melody and the baby souls gathered around her head and hands, including the one that had bitten Baldr's finger.

“Hello, children”, she greeted them. “How are you today? Are you playing nicely?”

Their answer was a barely audible hum, a chorus of susurrated words only she could hear. The tiniest of them (the little finger biter) nuzzled her right cheek.

“Hey there, sweetie”, Hel smiled. “I see, you're growing teeth.”

She turned to Baldr. “Come here, Óðinnson. This little soul wants to tell you something. But pay very close attention and keep your voice down; the souls of the stillborn have the faintest voices and are most sensitive to noise.”

Baldr approached and hesitantly opened his hand. The tiny soul floated onto it, then up his arm and onto his shoulder, right next to his left ear. His eyes widened in evident surprise, as the soul whispered something into his ear. But then he smiled and whispered back, that it was okay.

The soul nuzzled his cheek too and made a humming sound, which prompted the other souls to float over and orbit around the glowing god.

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Baldr's POV

.

Baldr wasn't quite sure, what to do, but at least the souls seemed comfortable around him, so that was a good thing. Hel seemed pleased at the sight.

“Are they attracted to my light?”, he asked softly.

“Oh yes. As I said before, most of these children have never seen the light of day, but some have. The big one on your hand, that's Ragnar. He died at the age of three and is the oldest of the group. He just told the little ones, that your face shines like the sun. So they're really excited. They had no idea the sun was so bright, warm and beautiful.”

“Oh”, he breathed and his cheeks reddened considerably (seriously, what was that with all the blushing lately?).

Some of the souls made a noise that sounded suspiciously like giggling.

Of course this wasn't the first time, that someone likened Baldr's brightness and fairness to the sun, but to him it meant so much more, when it came from a child.

“I agree”, Hel responded to his process of thought. “It does mean a lot more from a small child. They don't say these things to flatter or to be poetic or romantic, but because to them it's a simple truth.” She smiled. “Look at them, they really like you! They orbit around you like planets! Seems like you're called 'The Beloved' for a reason. Even the dead love you.”

These words made him glow a little brighter with joy. “I'm glad”, he said gently.

They stayed there for a while, before continuing their tour, leaving the souls to play.

After walking for a while, Hel asked her companion: “What's the matter? You're so silent.”

“Just wondering, that's all”, Baldr mumbled. “When does a being get a soul?”

“Hm, I think it's an ethical or philosophical question”, Hel mused. “Some say, it's at the moment of conception, some say it's at birth. But to me, it's the moment, when their tiny little organs start working; the moment they become viable.”

“Why can the souls talk?”

“Unlike their mortal shells, souls have a voice, mind and conscience from the moment they spring into existence. Even if the creatures themselves can't speak, their souls can. And if you can hear the soul inside a creature, you can understand them. You can read them like books.”

“Like you can?”, Baldr asked.

“Yes and no. I can only read the dead. The living are an enigma to me”, Hel admitted. “That's one of the reasons I prefer the company of ghosts. Another being the way the living look at me. The horror, fear and disgust in their eyes … I hated going outside in Jötunheimr.”

He gasped: “Your own kind was afraid of you?!”

“Yes. We led an isolated life deep in the Járnviðr. But sometimes mother would have to travel to the next settlement for groceries and then she would take us along, because she couldn't leave us alone at home. But it's not fun to go outside, only to be called a 'monster' a 'freak', or other charming things like that.”

Baldr felt his heart crack.

This wasn't right. She didn't deserve this.

Unable to stop himself, he took her hand.

“I don't think you're a monster or a freak”, he spoke softly.

.

Hel's POV

.

Hel felt a blush rise to both of her cheeks and for the first time in quite a while, her left side turned lively.

“You don't?”, she asked

The dead god shook his head vehemently: “Absolutely not! They were fools for not seeing your magnificence!”

Her blush intensified and she couldn't help but smile.

“Thank you, Baldr. That means a lot to me.”

Of course it didn't escape her, that her apparent joy made him happy in return.

Oh Baldr, you sweet and messed up summer child.

.

A few hours later, at the lunch table, he thought of another question.

“Hel, can I ask you something?”

“Of course you can.”

“Uhm … do you come after your mother? I mean, you definitely have Loki's wit and gallows humour, but except for that, I don't see much of a resemblance between you and him.”

Hel smirked.

Baldr giggled: “Okay, scratch that. That is definitely a Loki-smirk.

“Why, thank you!”, the Queen of the Dead snickered. “I'll take that as a compliment. But to answer your question: yes, I do come more after my mother – at least on the good side.”

By his curious eyes she could tell, that he wanted to know more, but was afraid to ask.

“Go on”, she encouraged him.

He fidgeted a little. “Your mother … what was she like?”

Hel tilted her head. “Why did you hesitate to ask me that?”

“W-well … I thought … I …”

“That it would hurt me to be reminded of her?”

“Y-yes.”

“It doesn't”, she assured him. “I like remembering my mother. She was the most unimpressed person you could ever meet. Very outspoken too, though she didn't talk much. She didn't smile much, but never got angry either. She would teach us her magic and all kinds of runes and spells. Mother didn't play with us, that was father's job. But sometimes she would do something sweet. Small gestures here and there. When I was a little girl, I asked my mother for bells to play with. She said no, but on Yule I found them in my Yule bag. It was father, who gave them to me, but he whispered into my ear, that it had been mother's doing. 'But that's a secret, sweetie', he said, 'Don't tell Mama I told you'. These …” She took the scythe, which was leaning against the table and shook it, making the bells ring, “… are the very same bells. They're my most priced possession.”

Baldr was smiling from ear to ear. “That's such a sweet story! You and your family must have been so close.”

“We still are”, Hel corrected. “We always were, always are and always will be. I'm sure that as an Ása you know that kind of love. During my brief stay in Asgard I could tell, that your family is a very tight-knit group.”

He clearly understood.

“I want you to understand, Baldr, that it doesn't upset me to talk about my family. I have nothing but fond memories of them. What upsets me is what your family did to us. My brothers and I, we were only children, when your father tore us apart. I do not truly hate Óðinn, because I know and understand, why does what he does. Still he hurt us and for that I resent him.”

Baldr nodded sadly. “I think I do understand. You're a strong person to not hate my father.”

Hel sighed: “I wouldn't call it strong. It's not so much strong as it is wise. It's the sensible thing to do. Hatred doesn't resolve anything. It just makes you more miserable, blackens your soul and clouds your judgement. My father is the hateful, vindictive one.”

“Can confirm”, Baldr said wryly and pointed to where he had been pierced by the mistletoe dart.

Right that moment, the waiters came in and brought lunch.

When Baldr saw the content of his bowl, his face brightened up.

“Ohhh, girolle stew with mussels!”, he squealed in delight.

Hel chortled, as the light god proceeded to practically inhale his food.

“You certainly have a healthy appetite!”, she snickered.

Baldr laughed sheepishly: “Yeah, Nanna would say that too. She used to joke, that, if we weren't so rich, I would eat us out of house and home.”

Hel snickered some more: “Don't you worry, Bright One. There is no danger of that happening. You can eat as much as you want.”

The blond beamed and refilled his bowl.

.

Later Hel was sitting in her office doing her paperwork and making zoom calls.

She was on the call with a few of her foreign colleagues, when a knock on her office door got her attention.

“Wait a second, guys, someone just knocked on my office – ENTER!”, she called out to whoever was waiting outside.

She was a little surprised, when the door opened to reveal …

“Baldr! What can I do for you?”, Hel inquired.

He was smiling sweetly – primordial cow, it looked so cute!

“Hi, I just wanted to- oh, wait, I see you're busy”, he noted sheepishly. “I'm sorry. I'll just come back later-”

“Don't be silly! Come here, Óðinnson!”, she ordered.

.

Baldr's POV

.

Baldr obeyed, albeit hesitantly.

“Come”, she repeated. “I want you to meet my colleagues from abroad.”

He joined her behind the magical screens and saw the faces inside them.

“Everyone”, Hel addressed her colleagues, “I want you to meet my new companion. This is-”

“Baldr!”, one of the other underworld rulers exclaimed and waved behind their screen. “What a surprise! Hi!”

Baldr recognised the other and beamed. “Oh, hey, Persephone!”

Hel blinked: “You two know each other?”

Baldr nodded. “Yes, I've met her a few times, when my family and I would visit the Olympians for business-”

“So this is the dead god you're hosting now?”, one of the other zoom call participants asked. “I've heard of some god dying and entering your realm.”

“Yes, this is him”, Hel confirmed. “Baldr, this is Osiris, son of Nut and Geb. He's the king of the Egyptian underworld and very much like you. Osiris, this is Baldr Óðinnson, formerly the god of light, peace, joy, justice, spring and all that stuff – which should be obvious by the way he glows.”

Some of the foreign chthonic deities laughed.

Curiously Baldr regarded the Egyptian god. Through the screen he could tell that the other had green skin, was clad in white linen and wearing a white crown.

“So you died too?”

“Yes, no thanks to my brother Seth”, Osiris sighed. “My wife and some helpers sewed me back together and resurrected me. But since I was already dead, I couldn't return to the land of the living, so here I am, ruling the afterlife. But it's a nice gig and I'm comfortable here. I'm sure, you will like living with Hel too. Once you get used to her aloof demeanour, you will find, that she's a very likeable person.”

“Oh, I do!”, Baldr agreed eagerly. “I really like it here!”

He couldn't help but laugh, when Hel gawked at him like he had just grown a second head.

“What's so funny?”, Hel complained, “This is the first time I hear that sentence!”

Baldr gasped: “What??? Well, then I will have to tell you more often, because it's true!”

He was very pleased with himself, when the left side of Hel's face turned significantly more lifelike (though she was still deathly pale) and a blush tainted her right cheek.

That means she's happy, right? According to Ganglati, that means she's happy.

“Awww!”, some of the foreign underworld rulers cooed.

“So cute!”, Persephone gushed.

“Does anyone have something of importance to say, before I end this conference?”, one of the participants – a skeletal god with a splendid, colourful feather crown – asked.

Everyone else said no.

“Good. The meeting is over.”

Hel lost no time in switching her screens off.

Baldr gave her a questioning look. “Not even so much as a goodbye?”

“Not among us underworld gods”, she muttered. “Besides, I don't need to hear their gossiping. In that regard many chthonic deities are just as bad as most upperworld deities.”

Ah. No wonder she wanted to get away as quickly as possible.

“They're going to ship us, aren't they?”, he sighed.

“Like GodEx”, she grumbled. “Especially the married ones. You have to excuse them. Every time they suspect that one of us singles has even so much as a crush, they get all … stupid.”

“Ah. Yes, I've been there.”

“I know you have. By the way, you can sit down.”

Baldr smiled gratefully and sat on the chair in front of Hel's desk.

She leaned back in her own chair and regarded him across the table.

“So! What brings you here?”, she wanted to know.

He shifted in his chair.

For a few minutes he had forgot about what he had come here for, but now he was reminded. He had just wanted to … wanted to – oh Allfather, what had he been thinking? She was the Queen of the Dead, she had so many better and more important things to do than listen to his stupid-

“Go on. Spit it out.”

“I … I just … I …”

He grew pale, when he saw how the left half of her face decayed again and she began to frown. He was displeasing her. She was getting agitated, just because he couldn't even … damn it!

And just like that he broke into tears.

“I'm sorry!”, he blubbered, “I'm sorry! I didn't mean to- I'm sorry! I'm sorry!”

Through the blur he could just about make out Hel leaping up and darting around the table, then her right hand cupping his face and the other dabbing at his eyes with a paper tissue.

“Hey now.” Her voice was so gentle. “There is nothing to say sorry for. You don't owe me an apology. You don't owe me anything.”

“But … but …”

“Listen to me, Baldr”, she spoke sternly. “You don't have to please me. You don't have to live up to my expectations. I expect nothing of you. You don't have to put on a false smile and pretend that everything is fine, when it's really not. I know everything, Baldr. I saw the hurt, anxiety and depression, that broke you to the point where you wanted to die. I saw the lone moments, when you sought comfort in your twin's arms, because the pressure was too much to bear. But you know what? It's gone now. You're dead. You're free. Just let go.”

Let go.

Only one person had ever told him that in his life: Höðr, his dear twin-brother. No one else had ever understood.

In his beauty, purity and wisdom, Baldr appeared to be perfect.

He was not.

Blinded by admiration or envy, the people, who flocked around him, forgot that he too had his shortcomings. Höðr had been the only one, who had never forgot, had never expected anything of him. And now there was another person, who asked nothing of him either, who understood his feelings?

Baldr cried harder. He couldn't help it.

For a second he was confused, when Hel moved to take him in her arms, only to stop short. But then she shifted and let him lean into her right shoulder, instead of the left. Honestly, Baldr wouldn't have given a damn, he just wanted to be held, to cry his heart out and be told that everything was alright now.

This was wrong, because he was just one of many dead people and she was his new queen and sovereign. It was undignified and improper, downright insulting and disrespectful even, to get emotional in front of a monarch.

But for some reason Baldr couldn't bring himself to care.

He just drank in the physical closeness and Hel's soothing and placid aura and listened to her murmured words of comfort.

.

“Are you feeling a bit better?”, Hel asked, when he had finally stopped crying.

He nodded, sniffling. “Yeah … I think so. Thank you so much. I really needed that, I suppose.”

“No need to thank me”, she replied and handed him a jug of water. “Just know that, whenever you need someone to talk to, I'm all ears- uhhh, Baldr, why are you pouting like that?”

“Why are you wearing your hair like that?”, he all but huffed. “You haven't done that since Nanna saw your face and couldn't stand looking at it.”

She had brushed her black hair forward to hide the decayed part of her face and for some reason that bothered him even more now than it had a few days ago.

Hel made her “owl face”, tilting her head and looking at him with that bottomless black eye.

But it soon gave way to her usual blank expression.

.

Hel's POV

.

“Can you stand looking at it?”, Hel questioned earnestly. “Your breakdown happened after you saw how my condition worsened. You saw my face decay and flipped out.”

Baldr blushed and mumbled: “Uhm … it wasn't because of that. You see, I noticed that your left side changes condition and your butler explained to me, that it's affected by your mood. So when that happened earlier and you started frowning, I … I thought …”

“That you had displeased or even angered me”, Hel realised. “I see. Looks like I owe you an apology. I didn't mean to frighten you. I was getting impatient, because of your stuttering, yes, but angry? No. How could I ever be angry at someone like you?”

She flashed him a half smile.

For the first time in his life, Baldr acted on impulse: he brushed her hair out of the left half of her face and tucked it behind her ear.

“That's better”, he smiled.

It took her a heroic amount of self-control not to blush again, like a flustered teenager (Niflheimr, she was thousands of years old and had never once gotten flustered before Baldr had showed up!).

But damn, he's so adorable!

She coughed awkwardly and returned to her chair behind her desk.

“Now, that you have calmed down, what did you want to talk about?”

Baldr blinked, as if he had forgot.

But then he laughed: “Oh, right! I just wanted to know, if we could talk more about our families, you and I. If you want to and have time, of course.”

She could feel her left side become more lifelike, enabling her to smile fully.

“I would very much like that, Óðinnson.”

.

---

.

1) Ultraviolet-A light. The proper term for black light. As a god of light, Baldr would know everything about light and the different spectra and would probably say UV-A light, rather than black light. 2) Fallandaforað: "Falling Bale/Falling Danger", Hel's threshold.

#norse mythology #hel #baldr #ganglati #Greek Mythology #Persephone #egyptian mythology #osiris

[thestuckylibrary]

Mods’ Reads: January 2020

Here’s the list of everything the Mods have read this past month!

Mod Blue

Sine Tactu by justanotherStonyfan (complete | 22,586 | M)

“Want me to help with this?” Steve says quietly, head about level with James’ stomach as he stares up at him, fingers reaching up for James’ fly, but James shakes his head.

“No,” he says, wets his lips - Steve is all skin and muscle and he’s totally naked and he’s right here and- “no, I’m.” He swallows hard. “I’m not getting naked. This is about you.”

Part 29 of Honey Honey

Propius by justanotherStonyfan (oneshot | 6,178 | E)

Steve comes home kicking snow off his shoes, although a lot of it’s gray colored, and he’s shivering. Despite that, his cheeks are bright with the cold and his smile is bright with affection, camera in hand.

“Hi!” he says on a breath, shoulders hunched to keep the cold air out of his collar, and James smiles, crosses the conversion to reach him, and grabs the trailing ends of Steve’s scarf to draw him down for a kiss hello. “Mh.”

James wrinkles his nose as Steve’s nose presses into his cheek.

“Jesus, you’re freezing,” he says, and Steve laughs softly.

“Yeah,” he says “That’s why I came back inside.”

Part 30 of Honey Honey

I Believe In Something More by cydonic (complete | 74,304 | M)

In April of 2014, two very important things happen: The Winter Soldier is prepped for a mission as part of Project Insight which never ends up happening, and Steve Rogers finds out his mother is dying.

In October of 2018, Bucky Barnes and Steve Rogers meet in the Sculpture Garden at UCLA. Bucky has spent the ensuing years building a life for himself, learning that he likes to study in the sunshine and build friendships with people who just think of him as ‘that nice guy who’s really smart’, not what he used to be. Steve has tried to make it in Brooklyn, but everything reminds him of Sarah. He needs a change of scenery, and following his childhood best friend Sam Wilson over to California seems to be the way to do it.

Rare Is This Love (Keep It Covered) by histoires_eternelles, musette22 (complete | 66,773 | E)

It's 2014. Captain America has been out of the ice for three years and is trudging along, saving the world and trying to get used to living in the future. Steve thinks he knows how the rest of his life is going to pan out – a life of duty, which he chose when he signed up to be Erskine’s science experiment. But then, he meets Bucky Barnes: the out-of-this-world-gorgeous mechanic and war vet, who turns Steve’s life upside down and makes him question everything he thought he knew. Slowly, Steve comes to realize there is more to life than duty and punching Nazis. Just one problem though: how on earth does a 96-year-old virgin who only just realized he may not be entirely straight make the transition from crush to relationship? Cue healthy amounts of self-doubt, awkward flirting, pretty blushing, existential crises, emotional growth, and maybe, possibly, a sexual awakening.

darling heart, i loved you from the start (but that's no excuse for the state i'm in) by voxofthevoid (oneshot | 19,725 | T)

“I thought you’d make a terrible Nazi but turns out you’d make a terrifying one instead.”

The year is 2012. Loki has vanished with the Tesseract, and Manhattan is a blazing wreck. A very tired Steve Rogers goes home and meets another very tired Steve Rogers.

Or, the one where Steve saves the mind stone for last and decides to fuck the timeline beyond all recognition, which regrettably involves crawling delicately up Hydra's asshole and less regrettably involves showering a very confused Bucky Barnes with affection.

Kissin' by the mistletoe (Love came to stay) by obsessivereader (oneshot | 4,949  | E)

“I told you,” Steve wheezes, as he tries to catch his breath. “Didn’t I fucking tell you we'd fall if you didn't quit pushing?”

He’d laugh if he had any air left in his lungs. Instead, all he can do is stare up at Bucky as the sound of his carefree laugh winds its way around Steve’s heart. He barely even registers the cold seeping in through his jacket and jeans as he lies in the snow, attention catching instead on the snowflake clinging to Bucky’s lashes. Were Bucky’s eyes always that luminous? The crinkles around his eyes so endearing? Were his lips always that pink?

Bucky’s laugh dies away at Steve’s continued silence. A strange expression settles on his face, like he’s looking into the face of a stranger for the first time, studying and cataloging Steve’s features one by one—eyes, nose, mouth.

Based on this tweet, which has, sadly, been deleted: FUFJFJ ITS SNOWING A LOT IN NY RN AND IM WALKING HOME AND THESE GUYS ARE LIKE PUSHING EACH OTHER IN THE STREET AND ONE GUY GOES “YOU ASSHOLE STOP PUSHING ME IM GONNA FALL” AND THE OTHER GUY WAS LIKE “.... For Me?” and the other guy was like bro... no fuck you” AND THEY BOTH FELL

Part 2 of Happy Steve Bingo!

thot through the heart (and you're to blame) by Deisderium (complete | 9,899 | E)

"You look like shit," Steve says, and that breaks the spell a little because fuck you, Steve, he looks good. Steve's nostrils flare. "Is that—is that blood on your mouth?"

Oh, fuck. Bucky needs to work on not being a sloppy eater. He wipes his mouth hastily, and without thinking, licks his hand clean. Steve stares.

*

In which Bucky is a baby vampire, a disaster, out to have a good time, and hopelessly in love with his roomate; and in which Steve has a few secrets of his own.

Part 1 of food for thot

Scratched Ragged and Rubbed Raw by cheesethesecond (oneshot | 3,788 | T)

“How are you gonna sleep tonight,” Bucky asked, letting his head fall back against the wall and closing his eyes, “knowing that a guy who tried to kill you is sleeping in the next room?”

“Like a baby,” Steve said.

This Lonely Hour Before Daybreak by cheesethesecond (oneshot | 2,912 | T)

Steve knew there would be good days and bad days. That’s how this sort of thing worked.

Except sometimes, the bad days go like this.

Something Great by dragongirlG (oneshot | 1,485 | G)

The Soldier knows he is not Bucky Barnes, but he still seeks out Steve Rogers after the helicarriers fall, inexplicably craving Rogers' affection. Rogers gives it. (Basically, the Winter Soldier wants a hug. Steve gives him that and a little more.)

Based on a prompt from withinmelove: I have a love for Winter Soldier as his own person so Winter Soldier and Steve cuddling is my prompt! Maybe WS is touch starved and is really eager to be affectionate with Steve who is happy to be close and tender with him.

The Right Partner* by LeeHan (oneshot | 41,651 | E) *graphic violence

“Now, correct me if I’m wrong,” Bucky said, tapping his chin thoughtfully, “but I believe I was promised a mocha.”

When he turned to look at Steve there was laughter in his eyes and a touch of heat in his smile.

Dating a civilian was always risky. Luckily, Bucky seemed like a nice, genuine guy and Steve knew he could gently reject him with the smallest shrug and that Bucky would accept his decision easily. It was the smart thing to do.

“Don’t forget the croissant.”

—

Steve meets a beautiful man with a bright laugh on a sunny day in Italy. Captain America meets the elusive Winter Soldier moments later.

Date Bucky Barnes. Defeat the Winter Soldier. Bring down Hydra. How hard could it be?

Pedantic Affectations by fannishlove, relenafanel (complete | 15,858 | M)

Steve Rogers: khaki pants and ugly tweed wearing art history professor specializing in historical queer art (by day). Is actually Captain America, vigilante and the bane of Detective Barnes’s existence (by night).

Detective Bucky Barnes: A very clever cop who suspects something is up with Steve. Is frustrated that Captain America exists and is dedicated to finding him because he loves a good puzzle.

So, how does Steve convince Bucky that he's too boring to be Captain America? Go on a date with him.

(Steve is kind of really, really bad at this secret identity thing)

The Comfort in Certainty by justanotherStonyfan (complete | 20,554 | E)

"You were right when you said we need to talk," Steve says softly ... "Is there anything you want to say first?"

... James can't stand the suspense. If it's going to happen, if he's going to do it, James wants that bandaid ripped off now.

"Is this a breakup talk?" he says, and his wishes his voice would be stronger but he’s almost glad that it’s not.

Steve takes a deep breath in through his nose.

Part 31 of Honey Honey

Honeypot by cleo4u2, xantissa (complete | 133,204 | E)

Preconditions: One Sasha Marozow - internationally renowned assassin for hire, known as the Winter Soldier, ex-Hydra operative freelancing for the last five years; One Steve Rogers, Captain America - recently defrosted national hero and Avenger; One assassination contract; One set-up known in the intelligence community as the “honeytrap”.

Expected Result: One Winter Soldier in custody, the name of his employer attained.

Actual result: Definitely not as expected.

Part 1 of Honeypot

Give Up the Ghost* by cleo4u2, xantissa (oneshot | 19,518 | E) *graphic violence

They were happy together and the year had been good for them. They thought nothing could tear them apart. They were wrong.

Part 2 of Honeypot

i'm a believer (got a fever running through my bones) by voxofthevoid (oneshot | 16,742 | E)

Everyone knows Captain America is an alpha. His tragic romance with Howard Stark is as popular a topic for movies and academic papers as his exploits in the war. Sure, Stark never said a word, and he clearly moved on, given that Tony Stark is currently alive. But even now, people like to gossip in hushed whispers about how sad it is that Howard Stark passed away a mere two years before they found the good Captain in the ice.

Bucky gets it, alright? Alpha/omega is the norm. Matches sanctioned by god or whatever bullshit your conservative Christian sect of the day likes to ramble about. It’s the twenty-first century, and the world still runs on a maddening policy of straight until proven otherwise. Thing is, Bucky has most certainly proven otherwise and has been doing so since he was a wee alpha panting after some knothead or the other because being queer didn’t magically make him any less stupid than your average horny teenager.

Bucky’s an alpha, Bucky likes alphas, and he’d love nothing more than to climb Steve Rogers like a goddamn monkey bar.

- Steve meets Bucky on a flaming helicarrier. It’s not the most romantic first meeting, what with the Nazis and the bullet wounds, but they make it work.

the jackpot question  by biblionerd07 (series, ongoing | 16,126 | G-T)

Steve needs a ride home for Christmas. Bucky needs a passenger.

Winter Gorgon* by Quarra (complete | 74,067 | E) *graphic violence

For as long as Steve could remember, all he ever wanted to do was what was right. So when he hears about his father's old regiment being held as POW's by the Nazis, he's determined to put what Doctor Erskine gave him to good use and goes AWOL to rescue them.

But the 107th isn't all he finds there. Deep in the labs is a very unusual prisoner; one with snakes in his hair and a mask nailed to his face. Despite the man's monstrous visage, Steve can't in good conscience leave him to the enemy. That one act of mercy will change his life, the course of the war, and even the future of the world.

#mod picks

[mcukinkbang]

IT'S THE FINAL ROUNDUP!

Well fellow kinksters, it's that bittersweet time of year where we bid our 'see you laters' and 'Ta, ta for nows. We want to thank all of our amazing participants for creating all of the amazing content for this year's bang, you're all the absolute best! And without all of you, this bang wouldn't be possible! And what better way to say thank you than to put all that Hard work into one great big post!

Everyone, a round of applause, kudos, comments, reblogs, and likes for All is this year's Works and participants! We present to you, the Final round-up!

No Doubt 

Author: NachoDiablo [Ao3|Tumblr] Artist: Piglet_Illustrations [Ao3|Tumblr]

Link to DW post

Summary: Steve's de-serumed during a mission snafu. Sam and Bucky don't mind at all.

Boy Crush

Author: Lasgalendil [Ao3|Tumblr] Artist:Neutralchaos [AO3|Twitter]

Link to DW post

Summary: Steve wanted—no, needed—to be that watermelon. He was dying of dehydration and Bucky’s dick was the only cure. There was something sexy about the idea of putting his head between those thick thighs, feeling the power of them squeeze around his ears—

…oh.

Steve Rogers /might/ have a danger kink.

Second Chances

Author: Sparkly_butthole [ao3|Tumblr] Artist: Boparadise [Ao3|Tumblr]

Link to DW masterpost

Summary: Bucky coming into the fold has some unforeseen consequences, such as the potential for making Steve's wildest dream come true, the thing he'd almost had once and then lost. Bucky and Natasha... well, they don't need much convincing.

I Thought You Were Smaller

Author: thewaythatwerust [ao3|tumblr] Artist: larkeydo [twitter|tumblr]

Link to DW masterpost

Summary: “‘Don’t do anything stupid until I get back,’ I said.” Bucky’s fingers press deeper into Steve’s unyielding wrist, pulling him farther away from the clearing, toward the cover of trees that surround it. “‘How can I? You’re taking all the stupid with you,’ you said.” He drops Steve’s hand and spins, almost tripping over a broken tree root in the dark. Spitting out a curse, he catches himself before he goes sprawling to the ground. He shakes his head, glowering at Steve. “Well, from where I’m standing, I see a lot of stupid, Steve. A whole lot more than there was when I left.”

…

Or, the one where Bucky explores Steve’s new post-serum body for the first time.

Can we always be this close?

Artist: boparadise [Ao3|Tumblr] Author: bangyababy [Ao3|Tumblr]

Link to DW masterpost

Summary: Bucky’s been away on a business trip for quite some time. Steve figures out the perfect way to welcome him home.

That Damn Motorcycle Jacket

author: DeamonSlayer576 [Ao3|Tumblr] Artist: blue-reveries [Ao3|Tumblr]

Link to DW masterpost

Summary: Steve gets suspicious when Bucky starts taking frequent visits away from the house and does some investigating. What he finds surprises him and *plot twist* leaves him with a secret of his own.

Best Laid Plans

Author: GrumpyBones[Ao3|Tumblr] Artist: Lasgalendil [Ao3|Tumblr]

Link to DW masterpost

Summary: Bucky's snuck up Steve's fire escape past curfew more times than he could literally count by the time he's eighteen. A standing invitation to come and go as he pleased from the Rogers' apartment meaning that he's climbed in on Steve mid-dance lesson with a pillow, surprised the poor guy while he's changing, and interrupting everything from drawing, dreaming, and anything else a seventeen year old may be doing alone in their room.

But Bucky's only ever seen this in his own mental concoctions.

The one in which Bucky learns how easy it is to keep walking in on a show when it's intentionally being put on.

Sweet Stevie

Author: thefilthiestpiglet [Ao3|Tumblr] Artist: LadyAngelique [Ao3|Tumblr]

Link to DW masterpost

Summary: If anyone else had said those words, if Steve wasn’t feeling the hairpin tug gently at his hair, if Bucky hadn’t been so careful to let Steve call the shots this entire time, Steve would have socked them in the mouth. But it’s Bucky, sitting there looking so fond and tender, so Steve shuffled over and planted himself on Bucky’s knee.

Bucky ran a hand along Steve’s shoulder, and Steve relished the feeling of Bucky’s firm callouses caressing his small shoulders. “Daddy,” he breathed, leaning into the touch.

“I’m here, kiddo.” At Steve’s frown, Bucky winced apologetically. “That’s a no on ‘kiddo’, then. Baby-doll? Stevie?” Steve nodded.

The Taste of Victory

Artist: Emmatheslayer [Ao3|Tumblr] Author: xxxRIPLEYxxx [Ao3|Tumblr]

Link to Dw Masterpost

Summary: Loki and Steve are two crazy kids hopelessly in love. They're also pretty awful people who have just defeated Iron Man, the last Avenger standing, so they can rule Earth. Steve has been waiting for this a long time, and Tony Stark in chains is Loki's gift to Steve.

Steve and Bucky's Continuing Kinky Adventures  

Author: chilibabie07 [Ao3|Tumblr] Artist: hey_you_with_the_face [Ao3|Tumblr]

Link to DW post

Summary: “I thought I'd give you a nice welcome home present,” Steve says and winks at Bucky, before rolling over and arching his back.

Inside Down, Upside Out

Author: emptydistractions [Ao3|Tumblr] Artist: piglet_illustrations [Ao3|Tumblr]

Link to DW post

Summary: “Look at yourself,” Rumlow said with a sneer. “Look how you let us use you. It’s all over your face, your body. It’s humiliating. They’ll be ashamed to let you be seen with them.”

It's not a hard mission. Be the Winter Soldier again. Walk right back into Hydra's waiting arms, get the intel, and sneak out. Bucky's pretty sure he can do this.

God, he hopes he can do this.

Mutation

Author: meshkol [Ao3|Tumblr] Artist: less_than_wholesome [Ao3|Tumblr]

Link to DW post

Summary: During a raid on a HYDRA base in Germany as the Avengers look for Loki's sceptre, a villain injects Steve Rogers with an unknown serum and turns him into something else, something massive and insatiable and powerful.

Tony learns this the hard way.

'cause my heart ain't got enough

Artist: fondblondie [Twitter] Author: dragongirlg [Ao3|Tumblr]

Link to DW post

Summary: Captain America disappears during an Avengers mission in Lagos gone awry. Bucky, who’s been recovering his memories in Bucharest, goes to the Avengers facility in New York to investigate. After surrendering himself to the Avengers’ custody, Bucky wakes up to see Steve Rogers at his bedside—small, like he never got the serum. Things quickly get heated as Bucky gives in to the instinct to take care of Steve whichever way Steve wants, regardless of who’s watching.

The Barbershop Suite  

Author: Huntress79 [ao3|Tumblr] Artist: heyboy [ao3|Tumblr]

Link to DW masterpost

Summary: Having your best friend as your soulmate and your lover was already a gift Steve could never be thankful enough for. But having two more soulmates was something neither he nor Bucky ever expected to happen.

Heavy Enough to Give the Heart Ease

Author: sharkie335 [Ao3|Tumblr] Artist: thefilthiestpiglet [ao3|Tumblr]

Link to DW masterpost

Summary: Bucky did the right thing when the Avengers were out on a call. But it was against orders, and now he's all twisted up in his head. He needs Steve to help him put it right.

Satin and Spice

Author: themirrordarkly [Ao3|Tumblr] Artist: chilibabie07[Ao3|Twitter]

Link to DW masterpost

Summary: Steve and Bucky go uncover to attend a royal ball to stop an assassination attempt. Steve can't keep his eyes off Bucky. After the mission they need to unwind, and Bucky has some sexy ideas to work off the adrenaline rush. Steve can't say no to that! Besides, he likes that Bucky can be free to ask for what he wants now, and Steve is more than happy to oblige.

All I need to know is there is no end to love

Author: SomeSortofItalianRoast [Ao3|Tumblr] Artist: HeyBoy [Ao3|Tumblr]

Link to DW masterpost

Summary: After years of having team-building orgies with the Avengers, Steve decides it’s time to ask them to do something he’s always wanted. He wants them to gang bang him, as a team, on the carpeted floor of the Stark Penthouse.

Nothing More Lovely

Author: emptydistractions [ao3|tumblr] Artist: xpixelx [ao3|Tumblr]

Link to DW masterpost

Summary:“I’ve left you plenty of slack in case you want to move.” Steve’s breath tickled the back of Bucky’s neck as he left the rope in Bucky’s hands. Steve moved around him, checking the integrity of his knots, his voice low. “But I know you’ll stay still to show everyone just how good you are.”

Steve Rogers has found his dream sub in Bucky Barnes. He's perfect: beautiful and obedient and so, so eager to please. All Steve wants to do is show Bucky off to the entire world. But for now, just New York will have to do.

Tending the Garden

Artist: DarthBloodOrange [Ao3|Tumblr] Author: bangyababy [Ao3|Tumblr]

Link to DW masterpost

Summary: Steve takes care of his garden. His garden helps take care of him.

Pretty

Artist:larkeydo [Ao3|Tumblr] Author: avintagekiss24 [Ao3|Tumblr]

Link to DW masterpost

Summary: Bucky and Steve enjoy a night in - and Steve brings presents.

quiet when i’m coming home, hold me lover like you used to

Author: Moonythejedi394 [Ao3|Twitter|Tumblr] Artist: LadyAngelique [ao3|Twitter]

Link to DW masterpost

Summary: Post mission, Steve is struggling to switch from Nomad headspace to himself. At that point, it’s Bucky’s turn to take point on a new mission. He knows exactly what to do to bring his boy down. When he does, Steve is pliant and happy and calm. A job well done.

The Domme Strikes Back 

Author: topdawg27 [Ao3|Tumblr] Artist: HogwartsToAlexandria [Ao3|Tumblr]

Link to DW masterpost

Summary: Post IM2. After a long day in the office, filled with endless meetings, Pepper is bored and horny. She overhears co-workers talking about a Star Wars movie marathon taking place in a theater nearby. And remembers her fuckboi slave, Tony Stark loves Star Wars and being dominated. Now Pepper has always been jealous of Tony’s obsession with Princess Leia. So she concocts a devilishly sexy plan to replace Leia in Tony’s fantasies once and for all.

Top Shelf

Author: themirrordarkly [AO3|Tumblr] Artist: HogwartsToAlexandria [AO3|Tumblr]

Link to DW masterpost

Summary: Bucky Barnes's life after being the former Winter Soldier is a whirlwind of interviews, photoshoots and appearances. He's a celebrity now. And after a long photo shoot, he just wants to come home and be pampered by Tony, his sugar daddy. Is that too much?

Hidden in Plain Sight

Author: HogwartsToAlexandria [AO3|Tumblr]  Artist: Nonexistenz [AO3|Tumblr]

Link to DW Master Post

Summary:   "Keep it together, Stark, any Alpha within two miles could smell you." Loki growled. Except it wasn't a true growl, and Tony knew it. Of course he did.  

"Oh yeah?" Tony swirled his virgin mojito with a slightly trembling hand - way to appear detached, man . "And whose fault is that?"

Or the night Tony knew he could never survive the Avengers PR gala with a mate that made it his mission to make him go crazy.

Sheer to Me, Shine for Me

Author: HogwartsToAlexandria [AO3|Tumblr] Artist: Nonexistenz [AO3|Tumblr]

Link to DW Master Post

Summary:   Falling in the void of a mystic tunnel, from one glowy portal to another for thirty minutes straight certainly was the oddest way someone had ever gone about tickling Loki's fancy.  

Stephen Strange was unperturbed. Loki was very much compromised.

Or the story of how Loki and Stephen went from carefully opening themselves to each other's gazes, to welcoming their son into the world.

#masterpost #final round up #mcukinkbang #mcu kinkbang 2020

[gingerwritess]

hello? i have a request? can you do one where loki arrives late home and the partner is upset and the next day he has a massive breakfast or flowers planned for them? sorry bad wording. I love ur writing tho!

sorry this took so long!! enjoy beb

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

“Oh, so you are still alive.”

He closes the door behind him with a sheepish smile, stepping into the dim lamplight. “I thought you would be asleep by now.”

“I should be, shouldn’t I? Cause it's 3:30 in the morning?” You cross your arms and glare at him. His hair is uncharacteristically messy, sticking up in weird places and he’s got a jacket slung over his arm, his shirt untucked in the back.

Oddly...disheveled.

You try to give him the benefit of the doubt and not let your mind wander.

“I’m sorry, my love. It wasn’t supposed to take that long,” he offers, moving towards where you’re curled up in the corner of the couch. You just keep your narrowed eyes trained on his every movement, knowing he’ll convince you to forgive him sooner than he probably deserves...as usual.

He’s headed for the bathroom—hopefully to shower, he looks a mess—and he stops as he’s walking past the couch to stoop down and kiss the top of your head. His tangled hair falls in front of your face and you catch a whiff of something in it that smells strangely spiced, sickly sweet.

You grab his wrist when he goes to move away and you lean back against the arm of the couch, pulling him back down into an upside-down kiss.

Sure enough, he’s a little...sweeter than usual.

“So...you were drinking at that meeting?” You ask, locking your arms around his neck and keeping him bent over your face. “Didn’t think that’s normally what happens at ‘business meetings,’ even for superheroes.”

His forehead drops to rest against your chin in defeat. “I apologise. Once the meeting ended, Stark insisted, and you know my brother has the tendency to—”

“You didn’t get any of my calls?”

He pauses, opening his mouth to say something and apparently thinking better of it. “I...thought it might be better not to answer, considering the state I was—” a violent hiccup interrupts him. “Possibly still am in.”

You push him away with a sigh and sit up. “I was worried sick, Loki. Next time please let me know where you are?”

He nods seriously and steps around the couch, reaching for you, but his foot catches on the edge of the couch and he trips, stumbling down halfway on top of you. Maybe he’s a little drunker than he had originally let on.

He hiccups again and starts laughing, leaning into your side for support.

“Uh...Loki?” You nudge him in the side, more than a little concerned. It takes a lot to get the god drunk, and here he is at 3:30 in the morning, giggling. “Just how much did you actually drink?”

He thinks deeply for a moment, honestly trying to remember, then shrugs. “More than the stars that light the night sky, should my memory do me no wrong.”

Aaaaand here we go. Alcohol never fails to bring out the poet in your lover, somehow giving him the ability to be even more eloquent and well-versed than he already is. In the time you’ve been together, you’ve been subject to many a drunk, sappy poem, often dramatically presented to you by Loki in some language that probably hasn’t been uttered on earth for thousands of years—and more often than not while he is clad in a bedsheet toga.

I mean...I guess it’s kinda adorable.

“Go on...get it out.” You pull your legs up under you and sit back with a small smile, ready to enjoy watching him make a fool of himself.

“I have more adoring words of thee than grains of sand on the shores of Valhalla,” he whispers, grabbing your hands and bringing them to his lips. “Thou art fair, my love, and thy smile be the light that shineth from the heavens.”

The drunken grin on his face widens when you roll your eyes and a boyish gleam appears in his eye. “You believe me to jest, my eternal starlight?”

You grab his face in both hands and the grin that lights his face is that of a child’s pure joy. “You’re drunk, babe,” you remind him softly, “you’re drunk and just reciting more books. You ready to sleep this off?”

“Heavens, no. I’ve only just begun—hic—to find the words worthy of defining you, though they be few.” He leans forward to plant a sloppy kiss on your laughing lips. “What deeds I may have done to behold thy grace...are beyond my knowledge. My heart is held between thy fingers and I taste...I taste a new world in thy lips when err they...when err they meet mine—”

His head slips out of your hands and drops to your shoulder with a snore.

“Loki?” You poke him a couple times. “Loki? Babe?”

Wonderful. Looks like you’ll be sleeping on the couch now, cause you’re definitely not lugging the knocked out god all the way back to your bed, heck no.

Oh well. He may smell a little funny, but hey, he still makes for a pretty cozy blanket.

You wake up feeling an entire body lighter—oh, cause Loki’s finally not draped over you—and there’s an awful knot in your neck from sleeping at a weird angle.

“You’re awake!”

Loki’s sneaking through the door again, quite obviously hiding something behind his back. You quickly rub the sleep from your eyes and squint at him in the bright morning light, wondering what on earth could have gotten him out of the house at such an hour.

He comes over to greet you on the couch with a breathtaking good morning kiss, as all are, his hair still damp and curly from a recent shower.

Thank goodness.

“G’mornin, sunshine,” you grin, pulling him back for a longer hug. God, he smells so good. “Where did you go?”

He sits on the cushion next to you with a tired but devious smile, crossing his legs under him and keeping his hand and whatever he’s holding behind his back.

“Well…” he starts, taking your hand in his free one. “I wanted to apologise for last night. I am so sorry that I even put you through the trouble of worrying, much less actually having to care for me while I was intoxicated.”

Appalled by the fact that he thinks he needs to apologise, you had just opened your mouth to tell him to stop when he pulls a ginormous bouquet of flowers from behind his back, holding them out in front of your face and beaming proudly at you.

Uh...that’s a lot of flowers.

“Loki...what the hell,” you laugh, blinking in shock at him.

His face falls like a stone in water. “You don’t like them? Ríða, I’m never listening to Stark again.” He stands up and storms to the kitchen with the flowers in hand, dumping them in the sink before you can stop him.

“Loki!” You jump to your feet and run after him, stopping when you see him bent over the sink with a hand tiredly over his eyes.

The poor guy is absolutely beating himself over the head for this. He looks miserable, disgusted with himself for making such a “mistake,” and especially revolted by the overflowing amount of flowers now upside down in your sink.

“Loki, baby, sunshine…” you whisper and force yourself between him and the counter, making him look at you. “You didn’t let me finish. That was a good what the hell.”

He doesn’t say anything and just turns away from you, leaving you shocked and empty armed.

“Hey! Look at me, doofus!” You’re behind him in two quick steps, wrapping your arms around his waist and trying your best to hold him in one place. “Come on, you don’t think I’m actually mad at you, do you?”

“You’re...you’re not?” He freezes and looks at you incredulously. “You have every reason to be upset. I made many mistakes last night, and this morning as well, clearly—”

You grab his collar and yank him down to shut him up with a kiss.

He’s slightly breathless by the time you pull away and you rest your forehead on his with a quiet giggle. “Maybe I was a little...annoyed last night, but only because I was worried. And your poems and sonnets certainly made up for that.”

“My what?”

“Wait, you don’t remember?”

He shakes his head, undeniably concerned by the fact that he has no recollection of his drunken interactions with you.

“Oh, Loki, you poured out your little heart to me last night,” you tease, winding your arms around his neck. “You were so gushy, so sappy, so romantic…I swooned many a time.” You pause and throw all your weight on him with a dramatic sigh, trying to get a smile back on his face. “You said the word ‘thy’ about a million times, too, and I almost slapped you for that, not going to lie…”

Loki catches you with a hand on your waist and brings you into a tight embrace, listening intently as a smile finally begins to hint at his lips. “And that was the worst of it?”

You hoist yourself up to sit on the counter so you can be at his level, tugging him between your knees and into another quick kiss. “No, the worst part was that you fell asleep before you were finished.”

He scowls playfully and raises an eyebrow at your dopey grin. “Not another soul will hear of this, correct?”

“Mmm...you might have to buy my silence.” You tap a finger under his chin to remind him to pick his head up, meeting his worried eyes with a playful smile. “Lucky for you, snowflake, I accept flowers as payment.”

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hope you enjoyed, feel free to send me ideas!

loki tags: @bluediamond007 @himitoshi @drakesfiance @destiel1597 @dangertoozmanykids101 @archy3001 @jcalpha1 @yzssie @skullvieplu @forthesnakeofdragons @skulliebythesea @wegingerangelica @storiesfrommirkwood @agarwaeneth @adaliamalfoy @laurfangirl424 @paradisaicsam @fitzsimmons-is-forever @ladylokimischief @katelinwrites @tarynkauai @polaristrange @loavesofmeat @canadian-ravenpuff-multishipper @lou-makes-me-strong @holyn0vak @chocolatealmondmillk @swtnrholland

#loki x reader #loki laufeyson #loki fanfiction #loki fluff #loki requests #loki drabbles #drunk loki #domestic!loki #boyfriend!loki #loki fanfic #loki odinson #loki x you #loki #loki fic #loki funny #loki imagine #marvel #marvel fanfiction #marvel drabbles #marvel requests #marvel loki #loki cute #drabbles #requests

[momentofmemory]

fictober - day nine

Prompt #9: “It has a certain taste.”

Fandom: Marvel Cinematic Universe (Thor, Guardians of the Galaxy)

Warnings: Grief

Rating: T

Characters: Thor Odinson & Rocket Raccoon

Words: 1674

Author’s Note: set in the near vicinity (1-3 months) post endgame.

>>Snøsøte on the Mountains

The Milano was scheduled for planet departure in a little over forty earth minutes, and no one had seen Thor in six hours.

They’d landed on Krylor three days ago so that Rocket could make some much-needed repairs to the ship—Krylorians were famous for their psionic-guided engines and other advancements in interstellar flight—and Rocket was convinced he could use his reputation as “savior of the universe” to schmooze as much free tech out of them as possible. In his defense, it had been going stunningly well until Drax accidentally offended half the local government being, well, Drax.

The need to leave on time had increased significantly after that.

Rocket sat in the copilot’s chair, inspecting the hyper-wave bomb he’d lifted off the security guard that’d escorted him out.

“Rocket.”

He vaguely registered Quill’s voice, but decided it probably wasn’t important. Instead, he turned the bomb around until his claws found the seam. He huffed in triumph, then flipped it upside down and pried off the base.

It immediately lit up and started beeping.

“Mother of—”

Rocket chucked it at Drax, but it bounced harmlessly off his head and rolled to the floor. It glowed briefly, then powered down.

Drax didn’t even wake up.

“Huh.” Rocket crawled out of his chair and snatched up the orb. He bet he could reverse engineer the power core with some of those lame lithium-ion batteries he’d stolen from Rhodey last week.

“Rocket!”

He winced and flattened his ears back against his head. “Geez, what, Quill? You trying to wake up the whole sector?”

“If that’s what it takes to get your attention, then yes.” Quill closed the map he’d been looking at and walked to the front of the ship, stopping in front of Rocket. “Thor still hasn’t shown up, and he isn’t answering his comm.”

Rocket poked at one of the wires and was immediately shocked for his efforts. He swore and shook his hand vigorously, glaring up at Quill. “Yeah, and?”

“And I’d like to leave this planet in one piece, which means on time. We’re not exactly on the hottest terms with the locals.”

Rocket frowned. “I’m sorry, I seem to remember that being Drax’s fault. I don’t see you asking him about electro boy.”

“That’s because Drax is an idiot.”

Rocket snorted and tried to slip past. “Guess that explains why you’re not doing it yourself, either.”

“Rocket.”

“He’s a big guy! He can take care of himself.”

“He is sad.”

Both Quill and Rocket turned as Mantis appeared in the doorway. “I do not know what is wrong.”

Quill gave Rocket his best I told you so look and Rocket crossed his arms over his chest. “I still don’t see why that means I have to go get him.”

Groot, who hadn’t even bothered to look up from his console the entire trip, chose that moment to stare at Rocket with his obnoxiously sincere eyes. “I am Groot?”

Rocket deflated and tossed the grenade at Quill, who yelped and dropped the datapad he’d been holding to catch it. “Use this if things go south before I get back.”

Groot smirked. “I am Groot.”

“Yeah, yeah. I get it,” Rocket said, taking the datapad for himself. He sighed. “I’m the captain.”

_________________________

Krylorians are deathly allergic to all forms of alcohol, so that ruled out the normal kinds of places the Asgardian would frequent. Fortunately for Rocket, however, the Milano’s energy sensors are one system he’d managed to get updated before Drax blew his street cred. He tapped in a few commands and the system recalibrates to perform a city-wide search for the weird, low-grade electricity signature Thor always seemed to give off.

The wavelength was nowhere to be found in the city, but widening it to include the nearby geography quickly solved the problem.

“Hey Quill,” he said into his comm as he grabbed a jetpack from the Milano’s storage, “How long do you think you can delay that take off for?”

“How long do you like living?”

Rocket didn’t bother responding. Quill was an idiot, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t good at bullshitting excuses.

He exited the Milano and flew to the outskirts of town, keeping an eye on the map. It took him twenty minutes to approach the location, mostly because of the rain, and Thor’s marker didn’t move the entire time.

He knew Thor got moody around the anniversary of the snap—who didn’t—but that was reversed now and anyway, that date wasn’t for another three months.

He finally found the Asgardian sitting on the edge of a rocky outcrop, his legs hanging down and hands folded in his lap, looking out over the coastline. Rocket landed next to him, rain water soaking his fur and dripping onto the hard surface. Thor smiled in greeting.

“Rabbit!” The man spoke with the level of exuberance he reserved for when he was feeling truly miserable. “How goes your quest for the finest technology this side of the galaxy?”

“Not so great, actually,” Rocket said, hiding under one of the larger rocks and shaking off. "We kinda need you back at the ship.”

“…Ah.” Thor made no move to get up. “A shame, really.”

Rocket was still trying to de-clump his fur. “What? You got something against being dry?”

“No.” A chuckle, likely at the expense of Rocket’s struggling. “But nothing against being wet, either.”

Rocket gave up and stepped back into the rain, and noticed Thor was rotating something between his fingers. “What’s that?”

Thor blinked in surprise and looked down, as if he himself had forgotten the item.

“This is Yggdrasil,” he said, carefully placing it in Rocket’s palm so the raccoon could get a better look at it. “The great tree of life, out of which Asgard was grown.”

Rocket turned the figure from side to side. It was small, barely bigger than his own paw, and felt like Terran marble. The trunk of the tree fused into the bottom of a cylindrical city ringed with mountains, and three branches curved up and around its base to form a domed top. In the center of the city rose the spire of a magnificent palace, and out of that, the rest of the tree: nine branches in all.

Rocket handed the carving back. “Asgard, huh?”

“Mm. It was the crown jewel of the Nine Realms.” Thor looked at the tree, then tucked it away in one of the pouches on his belt. “Home of the first root of Yggdrasil.”

“Seems fancy.” Rocket curled his tail under him and sat down beside Thor, though his legs weren’t quite long enough to hang off the edge. “They just called my planet Halfworld.”

“Oh, I’m sure it was a very whole planet in its own right. Not anywhere near as impressive as Asgard, but still.”

“No, that was literally its—look, nevermind, that isn’t the point.”

The planet’s sun was beginning to set, casting the sky into deep shades of green, blue, and purple—a sharp contrast to the pale yellow of the day.

Thor sighed. “This place reminds me of my home.”

“…You sure?”

Thor laughed and clapped Rocket on the back, nearly hurling him off the ledge in the process. “My apologies, Rabbit! I forget sometimes that you, too, have seen Asgard.” His countenance fell. “But it is not merely the geography that makes up a place.”

Rocket’s eyebrows knitted together and Thor smiled. “My father said that to me, right before Ragnarok.”

“A what rock?”

“It’ll be six years tomorrow, actually,” Thor said, continuing as if Rocket hadn’t spoken. “Six years since I had to destroy my homeworld.”

Thunder cracked in the distance and Rocket suddenly wondered if the rain wasn’t just by chance.

“There are much more important things to mourn, of course. Mostly people. Lots of those.” Thor shrugged. “Still.”

Rocket shifted. His fur was completely soaked through, and the sunset meant the temperature was dropping. Quill probably needed them back to the ship as soon as possible.

But he was the captain.

“You said this place reminds you of Asgard?”

Thor looked at him in surprise. “So it does.”

“Gotta say I can’t see it, but, you were there longer, so.” Rocket leaned back on his paws. “Explain it if you want.”

The smallest of smiles appeared on Thor’s face. He turned towards the violet-coloured sea, watching the waves crash into the coastline. “It’s true that the appearances aren’t very similar. I’m sure you’re correct about Krylo being technologically advanced, but stylistically they seem very lacking.”

“Harsh, but continue.”

Thor laughed, and took in a deep breath. “It’s not about the visuals at all, really. It’s in the way the air feels.”

Rocket frowned. “The… air.”

“Indeed, Rabbit.” He closed his eyes. “There’s a certain… taste to it, almost. Fresh and crisp. Metallic, though not badly. The barest touch of salt from the sea.”

“Sounds like you knew the place pretty well,” Rocket said, thinking of his own distorted memories. “Shame I didn’t get to see more of it.”

A hopeful look appeared in Thor’s eyes. He rose to his feet, offering a hand to Rocket. “Perhaps I could tell you more on our journey back?”

“Better than listening to Quill whine, so sure.” Rocket accepted the hand and climbed up onto the man’s shoulder. “What was this Asgard of yours like.”

Thor thought of the palace, its golden spire glistening in the moonlight, even as the heart of the city cast its own light from below. The churning waterfalls at the edge of the world he and Loki had explored as children, always with the careful eye of Heimdal guarding them. Sunlight streaming through the great, gilded archways that had been so lavishly sculpted as his people bustled through. Lignonberry jelly on toast, shaved salads with dulse at the evening náttverðr, his mother’s pönnukökur for breakfast. Snøsøte blooming in the mountains, its rich, deep-blue petals stark against the fresh white snow.

Thor smiled, and twirling his hammer, launched both of them into the air.

“It was beautiful.”

#fictober19 #tw:grief #thor odinson #rocket raccoon #mcu fanfic #thor fic #fanfiction #yes that really is the name of rocket's homeworld #memsfic

[intensitystoner]

Scribble(s) continuing The heart of Anthony kinda Frostiron ~ 3,500 words ~ T for drinkin' and language (ignores Endgame)

– You build your walls around me –

The partially powered-up Tower isn’t secluded from old friends any more. It’s still a fort against the world, mostly SHIELD that’s looking for the god of mischief, former captive and a threat to the planet. Tony has offered him a hideout, a sheer professional payback for dragging him up, and a getback at the others for disturbing his private grief. He hasn’t set or asked about the length of the sorcerer’s stay, because he isn’t thinking in futures; in all honesty, he’s entirely indifferent towards anything in the world, including the battles going on outside. His primary activity is an on-going competition with the trickster: seeking to get drunk while constantly being hindered at it by his opponent. About twice after the reunion, Loki found the billionaire soaked in one of the rooms. Then he adapted, and now no more secret supplies of booze are left.

Currently, soberness is the second (or third) greatest torment factor in Tony’s life. The first is the vehement reaction of his system when he tries delving into work. But he doesn’t speak about that, his reluctance to cooperate appears as recovery sass, in Natasha’s wording. So the guys let it go for now with occasional attempts at persuading him. Only the remaining Avengers know about Loki’s presence – meaning, they’re the ones allowed to lay eyes on the pompous prince of the fallen Asgard. Fury believes to know very well, too, only he’s been unable to get through Tony’s self-righteous resistance, though he hasn’t used all force just now: he counts on Stark’s alliance once he gets back on his feet. No one is aware of the possibility that it might not happen.

“I’m not getting into an Ironsuit again. I get a panic attack at that instant,” he admits to unconcerned Loki, and only him, at one point.

“Why?” asks the sorcerer with faint curiosity.

There is no answer.

-

In a comical way, they take turns having nightmares.

Tony is warned out of his sleep by FRIDAY when the trickster’s body shows fight-or-flight responses. He usually lies awake with a screen open near himself until Loki stops tossing around and it’s certain that he won’t destroy the building in his sleep; but lately, more often than not, he directs FRIDAY to wake him up. The sorcerer startles awake by the polite voice in his room, no personal presence seems necessary to stop his body from choking in his sleep. After catching his breath, the notion of silently rolling his eyes and lying back shows he’s getting used to it.

His instincts warn when someone is struggling nearby. Perhaps it’s the tiniest muffled sounds that the mind doesn’t even find worthy to comprehend, or just a gut feeling. Since he started being stirred awake himself, he follows the habit and walks over to Tony’s bedroom when it’s his turn. The billionaire usually wakes up as he slides aside the supposedly locked automatic door and leans to the doorframe in a borrowed T-shirt yelling UNSUPERVISED.

"Do you also hear it when I... you know..." Tony's impudence gushes out.

"Perhaps," Loki responds just to tease back. "I'm a light sleeper, so I’d prefer a lack of disturbance nearby."

"Good thing the walls are sound-proof then, otherwise you'd look forward to perpetual insomnia here."

Something like that's the end of their conversation all the time, Loki doesn't care to be riled into annoyance by a lesser being during his rest. And Tony tries every single time. It's an efficient way of directing thoughts away from the dreams of loved ones perishing.

-

An important guest is due today: some nameless ambassador of one-sided negotiation attempts as SHIELD’s representative. Tony’s faded memories of a normal life suggest that tidying is required.

“Don’t be a scrooge, hex it clean with your magic,” he requests from the lanky figure standing by the window of the long not used corridor.

“Even if I’d be willing to comply, my field is illusions, not cleaning.”

“Works for me. Ready, steady, go.”

With a previously examined, dusty gym weight in hand, Loki glances at the man, marvelling at his naivety. Stark throws his arms up with a huff.

“You’re useless. You need to pay rent.”

“That I cannot do. But you just need to say the word and I’m out of here.”

Tony knows that, and he decides to stay silent at a whim. (Repeatedly. It’s a consequential series of whims.)

The nameless agent turns out to be Fury himself.

“I bring regards from the outside world ravaged by alien hordes,” he says in the clean-looking lounge.

“You have my consent to clone my ass, and only my ass, so no one is hindered at kissing it,” Tony answers while handing him a glass of apple juice unasked.

“How’s your new friend? Is he taking over us any soon?”

“My newest friend was killed by Thanos, if you don’t mind,” answers the billionaire with a sharp look, and he mutters into his own glass of non-alcoholic goo. “I’m stranded here all alone, no one out there could understand the toil I’m facing. I’m in such pain I’ve even quit drinking. At all.”

Fury’s snort is rather irate while he observes the man splash the juice out onto the nearest plant and place the glass upside down on its earth. He still has himself guided around on the floor, the search of his look subtle but undenied.

“I’d love to see you held hostage here, Stark,” he notes meanwhile; “rather than knowing what an ass you are in your entirety. The Government is growing weary of your idleness. They claim you’re withholding two things from the people, two things that’s their rightful share.”

“Just one. My ass is free to kiss now, as I've declared. As for my techno-genius… Nope, that’s also my private possession, sorry. And these parts of the building are long uncharted, I’ve sealed them for safety reasons,” Tony announces while standing between the veteran and the elevator door.

Fury doesn’t argue, possibly because he got what he came here for; but his dark eye bores into the other’s nonchalant mind.

“What is going on in you, Tony Stark?”

The billionaire sighs.

“FRIDAY, play Misery to make this little man understand.”

“That will not be necessary,” says the veteran turning around and walking towards the exit before Tony. “Our last unicorn will be out of his comfortable hiding spot eventually to wreak havoc. And I’ll be waiting.”

“Keep an eye out for him,” Tony Sass calls while the man leaves the fort amidst the ancient Beatles melodies.

Now Tony is the dragon of the castle, protecting the presence of the trickster, who is browsing through the charmingly simplistic human science books a floor above to pass the time.

-

"My stay goads your own kin against you," he notes, half-heartedly meaning it as a question, because the perceived result of Stark’s resistance is familiar. "Where do you go if you become a stranger here?"

“Nowhere. SHIELD can suck my dick. The Government can suck my dick, and you,” Tony faces him with steely darkness in his eyes; “can stay.”

Loki gazes back, awaiting a sign: whether he’s to refuse showing gratitude or it goes without saying. But Tony doesn’t seem to heed either by the time he speaks up again.

“We’re heading out,” he says while backing up. “I’m crashing tonight’s VIP gala of frill. And I’m taking you along.”

"Are you, now?" comes the scoff.

"Unless you're afraid of Fury," the billionaire says, his tone curious.

“Not me.” Loki’s pursed lips illustrate nonchalance.

“Dapper it is,” says Tony’s index finger pointed at the sorcerer before he reels out the door.

-

“No, nope,” he says upon sight. “Drop the black shirt.”

“There is no shame in sporting your finest demeanour, Anthony,” Loki responds.

“It’s 21st century New York, not a ‘90s vampire novel. You look utterly buffoonish, not to mention creepy. I’m going for some light-mooded tease of Fury here. Know what I mean?”

"Better than you think. You have this unexplainable impression to be in control."

“Right, Satan. White shirt, bow tie. Now.”

Loki huffs quietly while assuming the desired attire under his jacket, the teal eyes demanding at least a gush of satisfaction after the magical change. Tony’s lips tighten as he measures his companion.

“Great, now I’ll look like a garden gnome. Let’s go.”

-

The crowd of reporters go crazy about the lanky figure swaggering next to the mildly elderly, long not seen billionaire. Questions arise about his identity. A business partner? An appointed successor? Or?

Loki sports a lenient smile of silence behind the shorter man, who takes the distance between the car and the entrance in a steady pace and occasionally throws a brief response into the crowd to chew on.

My shadow for tonight, he names his companion at the umpteenth question, glancing back at him meaningfully, and the sorcerer responds with an ambiguous hum, keeping to himself that he isn't in the mood to seek trouble for now. Then he keeps on wondering about the expectant gaze on him in front of the unyielding guard at the top of the red-carpeted stairs. As Tony doesn't reach for tickets requested by the suited gorilla, his eyes roll up, and magic causes the attendant to give them way into the museum building.

During a break after a lengthy series of regards by hired guests and VIPs, they stop near the aquarium in the middle of the hall.

"This white shirt of your demand is utterly boring. Everyone is wearing the same," Loki notes, perhaps faintly sulking for the measly attention he's received so far compared to the billionaire.

“What are you wearing for real?” Tony asks while his look roams above the mass of famous heads.

“Scorn and power-mongering. You?”

The billionaire’s look rests up on him at the odd response, particularly on the glowing ring of blue fire around his iris in front of the water tank's oceanic lighting.

“Me. I’m always me. What’s the point of anything else?”

“Ambition.”

Tony steps farther and opens his arms, urging the sorcerer to take in his sight; his shirt looms electric blue, his eyes swallow all light."  

"This is where being myself has led. Is it any worse?"

"Isn’t it ambition what you are then?"

"Nope," he shakes his head. "I don’t give shits. Basic knowledge about me, besides that I don’t like being handed things."

"Why?" asks Loki again with remote interest, and he doesn't receive an answer.

“Time to pay respect to the caviar department,” Tony announces instead, his look on the freshly arrived figures near the entrance, clad in looks dark as their suits, and a grim mood.

He rejects a few attempts at chatting him up on the way there.

They linger in that company for a while, partly because there is a champagne fountain nearby. Tony is immersed in fazing some equally self-satisfied Asian tycoons with an excessive mockery of politeness; Loki listens and is royally ignored, experts quickly decipher he's got nothing to chat up for, and he takes up the role with a suppressed sigh. The billionaire pretends to ignore the teal eyes' look on his hand, he gulps down the long missed liquids undaunted.

At one point, the sorcerer bends closer to his ear during the queasy chatter, to keep discreet.

“Far from me to barge in, but are you counting the glasses you drain?”

"Don't bother setting mathematical challenges before me, I was over the curriculum at 11."

"Am I here then to watch you ruin the occasion for others?"

"All right, that coming from your mouth is vastly ironic, don't you think?"

“Six will be the line where you forget how to hold your tongue,” the sorcerer informs him.

“Make it ten then. What’s the number I’m at?”

“It was mere observation, not a rule I made, Anthony.”

“Call me Stark.”

Loki's eyes dart aside before a response would be given. Tony, interpreting the look at the thing visible over his own shoulder, finally says:

“Moving on. Lobster circles.”

Loki lets his amusement linger as he follows the man; there is no benefit in denying he’s having fun with the tease of the persistent agents.

"See that geezer clawing at his shrimps?" Tony mutters to the god walking a step behind him. "He'd be your guy if you'd plan to stay on Earth as an entrepreneur on the rise, for example. He'd be a sucker for your cruel tricks played on others. Maybe some other day, you're doing me a favour now," he reminds quickly to prevent his companion's suspected deserting.

"I am?"

Tony stops at the targeted buffet and faces him while picking up a plate of tootpick-stabbed sausage rolls.

"Since you can't pay rent, remember? Or is this actually out of gratitude?"

The sorcerer's unveiled smile indicates the naivety of the idea.

"You sweet, gullible man."

He graciously rejects the offered plate with an open palm, so Tony pilfers it himself. He seems immersed in the mass produced goods, his forehead gets wrinkled from intense concentration whenever another human stays near them.

"Getting tired?" Loki guesses.

"Of your imagined superiority? A little," the billionaire mutters while discovering the wine glasses at the back of the table. Replacing the plate with two of them, he presses one into the sorcerer's hand unasked, so he can clink his own to his. "To being a smart-ass."

Loki is aware that it's the first time the man left his solitude in the past years; that he is struggling with the crowd, the overwhelming input, and that his approaching fatigue is expectable. He knows that entertaining his proclaimed shadow is what keeps Tony from focusing on his discomfort. Loki is not much willing to be a saviour of this kind, especially while it isn't his own choice. He still pries the glass away from the billionaire's lips.

"Over the line," Tony warns him.

"We'd best move on yet again," Loki explains while placing the glass on the table beside his own.

They both glance towards the approaching agents, a semi-purposeful mistake: their eyes meet, and acknowledging the recognition, the suited figures speed up.

"I have nothing else planned for today," notes the billionaire while they hurry into the other direction. He snatches a pair of brandy from a waiter's plate, then stops to hand one to his companion, and to be able to speak unnoticed. "Guess we're going into hiding."

"You won't try persuading me to crawl under tables, I hope," Loki mutters.

"No way, it would be too hard to evade all the other lurkers."

"How many others here have a reason to lurk?"

Tony marvels at his ignorance for a breath, and then, with glass in hand, a circular movement points around the hall's crowd.

"Any rich bastards with an ambitious lady to drop her lipstick for them."

He observes the trickster's searching look on the people.

"Tell me you aren't thinking of turning into a woman."

"What? No way."

A few seconds pass in silence before they simultaneously break into a tense laughter. Their discomfort turns them away from each other; they hurry on as they catch their breaths in their respective pace.

Leaving their emptied glasses on the railing, they climb a row of cushioned stairs and stop on the interior balcony, overlooking the hub of the party and Fury's men moving towards them in the crowd. They're standing at the entrance of an unlit corridor, sealed with a gold-infused rope, which Tony then ignores with a careless step over it, wordlessly inviting Loki along.

They wander through a labyrinth of rooms, intruding a few guests' private activities; some they bump into several times by the time they figure out the directions.

Tony explains on the way that this building is cultural heritage, in the possession of a culture-loving fella. No, it isn't a place for private living. You can't buy it and redesign it at your leisure. But really, living alone in such a gloryhole must surely be a pain. Walking five miles to reach the toilet or the fridge. All these super thick and ultimately breakable walls keep blocking any kind of wireless connection. If you want to live in a castle, you're better off designing a modern one for your own personalised comfort.

He stops in the umpteenth entertainment hall with an unsettled frown.

"Do you think they couldn't keep up, after all?"

"They're common humans," Loki points out. "You must know how weak their senses are."

"You remember being held captive by common humans, right?"

"They can be tricky," the sorcerer admits reluctantly. "Most likely, however, these ones are just passing through doors randomly, without a clue about which way we went."

"Then maybe we could give them an advantage by making some ruckus, how about that?" Tony asks while walking to the piano at the corner.

"And the aim is...?"

The billionaire opens the lid and runs his hand through the keys, producing a disharmonious arch.

"The sweet feeling of having pissed off someone unimportant. Judging from your brother's tales, I deem you up for it."

Loki smirks while leaning to the wall with arms crossed.

"Trying to define me leads nowhere. Play that thing instead."

"Well, I can't. I thought you'd be into it, coming to Earth in this ancient-fashioned style and all."

"It's still a different world, I don't know all your tools. How do you play this one?"

Tony purses his lips.

"Press these keys?"

The sorcerer separates from the wall with a sigh and repositions himself on the wooden seat. Glancing up at the man now leaning on top of the instrument, he presses down a key, as required.

"Why don't you try using all fingers?" Tony suggests. "You you know, like-" And he reaches over to produce another dissonant tune with a hand.

The sorcerer's eyebrows run up while placing both hands over the keys.

There is no real beginning or warm-up, he produces a lengthy, fast-paced tune right away, catching the listener of-guard with it. The constantly varying, never recurring patterns move on the entire width of the scale; the melody takes a high flight, then it falls meekly, taking capricious detours on the way to the bottom. It stops there, replaced by a glance up at the billionaire.

"Wow," Tony comments unmoving. "If I was a fan of modern classical, I'd want to lick all ten of your fingers. Can you do toes? Tongue? Hair?"

"Let's not press it further," Loki suggests as he stands up.

They walk out of the dark corridor without encountering anyone offensive, and they can't help wondering if the agents got lost in the labyrinth of rooms forever. But the unanswered question doesn't bother them for long.

“One last photo before we leave?” Tony offers like he’s bringing refreshment.

“I believe the point has gone through already.”

“Very well." He snatches away a last whiskey from a passing plate and gulps it down. “No secret routes then, they swarm with paparazzi. My suggestion is the main exit. Got anything better?”

They both know he has. In the upstairs washroom where security cameras don't reach, Loki offers his arm over the toilet with the conceit of an aristocrat. It’s how they step out again, magic infused in their bodies and making them invisible to ordinary eyes. Tony has the time of his life while they scoot and reel away among unsuspecting guests arm in arm, seeking the least populated way out; Loki needs to shush him every twenty steps. And he needs to receive harsh threats to refrain from straying towards the vault. Tony is ready to shed his own blood to preserve the sorcerer’s record at its current state: staining it today would namely kill the purpose of this entire ruckus, the tuxedo, the surprise appearance, the avoidance of Fury’s men, the brash display of indifference.

-

The plan worked, next day’s headlines are filled with the fancy pair. Meanwhile, the ‘or’ option finds excessive popularity in the tabloids. The root cause of it are the photos snapped around the aquarium and some other points of their journey. Tony standing before his companion with open arms. Loki bending close to his ear to share something personal. Tony glancing back at him to exchange a knowing blink. Receiving the warmest of smiles. Drinks in hand, laughing at the world around them. Sneaking right into the closed area where no guests are allowed.

Who's the mysterious escort? How much did he cost? Tony Stark coming out?

The man of the day, still sitting dressed in sportswear after a long missed morning jog, drops the phone in his lap and leans back to massage the brim of his nose, his grin rather uncomfortable.

“Not caring is bliss,” he mumbles and tugs the hood down over his eyes.

~ 🎵 ~

#loki #tony stark #frostiron #fanfiction #da orky writing

[wordsablaze]

Serendipity

When the cat is away, the mice will play. When the Avengers are away, Peter will introduce Loki to Bowser, plan a magical prank, and figure out how to unite the team with the world of Mario. Enjoy!

A/N: I'm sorry, I just really love these two and basically could not function until I wrote this. Plus, I saw the new Infinity War posters and my brain went 'yup, we're going to obsess over marvel again' so that's that...

Peter has prepared himself for many things in life. For example, he's always prepared for a science pop quiz or a new lego challenge or even changing into his Spiderman suit within half a minute. What he's not prepared for, however, is to be assaulted by an unprecedented display of magic that seems to be a dangerous combination of magnificence and malice.

His head jerks up as the hairs on his arms stiffen in warning so he dives behind the counter just in time for debris to fly over his head in what's possibly the worst mockery of rain in the world. The falling glass and plaster more or less remind him of destructive snow, actually. Waiting until the sound of crumbling infrastructure fades, he peeks over the top of the counter and watches as the levitating stranger transforms the windows and doors into solid metal before turning the ceiling into something that looks like it's been plucked out of a Tim Burton film, then picking up the nearest object and turning it into ash without even blinking.

Instead of being worried or anything else remotely sensible along those lines, Peter's eyes widen in awe. "That's so cool!"

Instead of continuing to take advantage of an otherwise empty Avengers' tower, the stranger stills as he hears the compliment, his sceptre resting on the ground as the blue light fades.

"I mean, it's really impressive and it looks so easy! But I bet it's actually pretty difficult, right? Oh, uh, I'm sorry if you were expecting someone else, by the way... I love your crown helmet!"

"Crown helmet?"

"Yeah. I'm sure it has, like, a more sophisticated name but I can't think of one. Crown helmet works pretty well to be honest because it looks royal and ready for battle..." he pauses. "Wait, is why you're here? There's not really anybody here to fight you. Except me, I guess. But I don't think fighting someone with such cool magic is a good idea, even for me... Wait, you can't be here for a battle, can you? FRIDAY wouldn't have let you in if you were so you have to be a friend, right?"

"Who exactly are you?" the owner of the crown helmet asks eventually.

Peter grins and springs to his feet, ignoring his spidey sense entirely and hoping that the other man is indeed a friend. "Peter Parker."

It's only when Peter sees the man smirk with that iconic glint in his eyes that it dawns on him who he's talking to so he curses himself for getting carried away and not noticing before. "Oh my algorithms... You're Loki, aren't you? I've heard so much about you and all the stuff you've done! Actually, maybe I shouldn't have told you my name... Please don't hurt my friends or family!"

Loki doesn't even know how to react and that's a first for him. "I'm not always out to hurt people, you know?"

"Nor is Bowser but people peg him as the bad guy all the time..." Peter nods understandingly, even though he's internally thinking about how he doesn't really understand. Then he realises he does understand because he's in the same position. "And people think Spiderman's a bad guy but he's just, like, trying to help in his own way, you know? It's not his fault if stupid journalists label him as a vigilante and everyone else just goes with it."

"Who?"

"You don't know who Bowser or Spiderman are?" Peter looks so crestfallen that even a God out for vengeance has to take pity on him.

"I haven't exactly spent much time on Midgard?" he offers as an explanation.

Peter's eyes light up in understanding. "Oh, of course, right, okay... I can show you who they are if you like? We have to fight our way to Bowser though... We can even fight Bowser together! Wait, have you heard of video games? You must have, right? They're pretty much universal, aren't they?"

Loki has never so lost in the face of a Midgardian before. "No?"

"In that case, it's practically my duty to explain! Come on, uh- Lord Loki, you don't even know what you've been missing out on!" Not that anyone can ever know exactly what they're missing out on since, if they did, they wouldn't really be missing out, but that's not the point.

Despite having originally arrived to create chaos, Loki finds himself following the excited teenager, trying to convince himself he'd not been persuaded solely by the title he's been given.

He's led into the next room where a rather large television is mounted onto the wall and a small collection of boxes lies beneath it. Peter, only briefly glancing behind him to make sure nothing is on fire, selects one of the boxes and pries it open, removing a circular disc that he then feeds to a bigger black box. He watches as Peter uses one of the oddly-shaped black objects to navigate his way through a menu and selects one of the options that then triggers an opening scene with an odd man who seems to be Italian and Mexican at the same time.

"How does this show me who Bowser is?"

Peter shrugs. "Bowser is the final boss. We have to play our way to him."

"Play?" Loki scoffs, "I do not 'play' anymore."

"Well, I suppose you can watch me play instead if you prefer?"

"Watch...? You expect me to sit here and do nothing while you fight?"

Peter has nothing to say so he shrugs again.

"I will observe as you battle your way to my enlightenment," Loki finally settles on.

"Sounds like a plan," Peter agrees and starts on the first level on single player mode because a certain someone had accidentally deleted his progress in an attempt to reboot the device with lightning but he was only trying to help so he couldn't really be blamed. He flies through the first set of levels but gets stuck when he's all out of spare lives and can't figure out how to kill three mushrooms without sacrificing his progress.

"Jump over the secret bridge thing."

Startled, Peter jumps so high he drops the remote and accidentally releases his hold on a button, turning left in the game and subsequently causing Mario to fall off the cliff.

"No!" he cries, whacking the controller on his head. "Now I have to start over..."

"Next time, use the bridge."

"What bridge?" Peters asks as he restarts the level, then biting his upper lip to concentrate.

"The one that was above your head- wait, stop," Loki says, throwing an arm out as if he can communicate with Mario.

Peter, not wholly surprised this time, stops in a safe place and looks to Loki, a questioning look on his face.

"You see that wall?"

"Yeah?"

"Do the spinning leaf tail move on it."

Peter stifles his laugh and nods, doing as instructed. Immediately, he discovers a secret passage he hadn't seen before. Leaning back, he whistles. "How did you know that was there?"

"Wasn't it obvious?"

"Not really, no..." Peter mumbles.

Loki's smug expression softens just a little. "Perhaps we should take it in turns?"

Peter nods thoughtfully. "We can't both play because we're too far into the single-player mode... but I don't mind watching. Here!" he passes the controller to Loki, who takes it with his free hand.

After a moment of thought, he asks, "Would you like to hold my sceptre?"

Eyes widening, Peter gasps. "Can I?"

Loki smiles and holds it out, almost laughing as Peter tentatively reaches out, freezing as his hands touch it and slowly pulling it closer, practically stroking the chilled gold body.

"It won't break if that's what you're worried about."

Peter grins, euphoria in his eyes, "Thank you, Lord Loki."

"Now, how do I make this little man crawl through the wall?"

"Press the back butto- no, no, not that one, the other back button! Stop!" Peter warns just as Mario bursts into flames.

"That was beautifully violent."

"Maybe, but it means we have to redo the level now so..."

"Again?" Loki groans, handing the controller back to Peter with a dramatic twirl of his wrist.

Peter, to his credit, doesn't complain at all, simply keeping his eyes glued to the screen and getting Mario to squeeze through the wall before handing the controller back to Loki.

"It's this button, by the way..." Peter lets Loki test it out before he resumes the game and so Mario doesn't randomly burst into flames this time.

And thus, the level is completed.

And the next one.

And the next.

And so on.

Until the two of them, after Loki accidentally makes Peter fly in his annoyance of dying - to which Peter had responded by doing a cartwheel and making a note of the experience so he can retell it to Ned later- and various curses of several degrees, finally encounter Bowser.

"We did all that for a spiked turtle?" Loki huffs immediately.

"He's the king of the Koopas! And it's not like I forced you!" Peter argues.

"Oh, shhhhhhhhhhhhh-" Loki groans, "He just killed us."

"Are you serious?" Peter props the sceptre on the sofa, takes the controller from him and deftly retries the level, then progressing a couple more in his excitement. He doesn't fall even once but obviously, Loki has other ideas or he'd just gotten bored because he pokes Peter and causes the teenager's attention to waver, resulting in an exposed, defenceless Mario and an instant, completely boring death.

"Looooooooh-hokiiiiiiiiiiiii!" Peter whines, letting himself flop onto the sofa backwards, his feet draped over the back and his head hanging upside down, just a few centimetres off the ground.

"I'm sorry, little spider."

Peter doesn't think anything of the nickname until he does, at which point he rolls backwards and lands on his knees, breathless and slightly red. "What did you just say?"

Loki grins. "I might not have known who Bowser is but, since the whole invasion ordeal, I've spent enough time with Thor to learn some things from his frequent rambling about the Avengers."

"And?" Peter raises an eyebrow, his heart hoping that he'd been included in those tales but his head telling him Loki had probably seen his mask lying around or something.

"You fall under that title in his books, young spider."

Peter beams, his eyes positivity radiating joy and gratitude. "Thanks, Lord Loki!" he says and, without even thinking about it, he springs to his feet and wraps his arms around Loki, his face pressed to the not-so-surprisingly silky, green material.

"Oh, we're hugging now?" Loki asks, but not unkindly, awkwardly pacing his arms around the excited teen and trying not to let his smile through; it'd been a while since he'd been hugged and, if he was honest - which he rarely is - he'd missed the feeling.

Peter pulls away with a red face and wide eyes. "I'm sorry, I didn't even think- I hope you don't mind hugs? Uh..."

"Untangle your anxious webs, young spider, I have nothing against embraces."

Loki smiles and Peter can feel his face heat up in a mixture of bashfulness, relief, and some kind of honour he can't quite decipher.

"You know, I definitely prefer Spiderman over Bowser."

"Really?" Peter's voice is at least two notches too high.

"Webs are so much better than stolen fireballs... His fireballs are not even nearly as impressive as mine anyway."

"Thank you!" Peter grins. "I prefer yours too..."

"May I inform you that the Avengers will be back in no more than three minutes?" FRIDAY alerts them, sounding way more amused than and an AI should ever be able to sound.

Peter hums in acknowledgement then grins and turns to Loki. "I have an idea."

"And I have a sceptre," Loki says, basically already having agreed to whatever Peter can ask.

Which is why, two minutes and forty seconds later, Tony walks in and abruptly stops, causing Steve and Bruce to crash into him and Thor to barrel into them, resulting in four stumbling men and a very exasperated Natasha and Clint.

"What on Earth?" Clint asks as they see Peter standing on the table with Loki's sceptre glowing in his hands.

"That's where you're mistaken, Mister Barton, the world in question is Asgard, not Earth." Peter has to fight with himself to avoid letting his amusement leak into his words. He ends up scowling at the Avengers, internally apologising but outwardly positioning himself to appear as angry as he possibly can.

"Is that Loki's?" Thor asks, frowning.

"It was," Peter corrects, smirking.

Tony narrows his eyes but it's not hard to tell he's just super worried rather than actually irked. "Pete, where did you get that?"

"And why are you on the table?" Steve asks. "Get down, you're going to hurt yourself."

Fleetingly glancing at Loki, who gives him a surreptitious thumbs up, Peter shrugs. "I got bored of waiting and decided to explore my options."

"Explore your options?" Natasha repeats blankly. "Out of everything you could have done, you chose to attack the Avengers with trickster's sceptre?"

Schooling his features into an expression of condescending scorn, Peter nods. "I am, after all, more than worthy of such a weapon."

That happens to be Loki's cue to clear his throat, effectively diverting their attention to where he's sat in the corner, wrapped up in webs. As they turn to him, he grimaces. "I wasn't aware you'd adopted someone worse than myself."

"Loki?" Thor's voice rises an octave as he glances at the same man who'd unleashed the tesseract supposedly defeated by a teenager with a radioactive spider bite and perhaps too much time on his hands.

"Well, obviously, moron. Aren't you going to, I don't know, kill him or something?" Loki asks, gesturing to Peter with his head.

Sharing a quick, confused but decisive look with Clint, Natasha steps forward. "Kid, I think we need to talk."

Peter shakes his head. "I think we need to stop talking and start giving me all the… Actually, we didn't plan this far so I guess we can just stop and leave it at that."

There's a moment where everybody opens their mouths to argue but finds themselves too shocked to say anything before Loki stands and walks towards Peter, brushing the webs away as he does, and Peter jumps off the table, standing in front of Loki so nobody shoots him in their confusion.

"What in the name of shawarma?" Tony exclaims finally, never having walking into something so strange.

"No, you iron idiot, it's called magic and theatrics." Loki smiles and, to everyone's utter bewilderment, ruffles Peter's hair.

"Did you guys finish an entire game of Mario?" Clint asks incredulously, obviously the first to notice the image of Bowser's bones on their television.

"No-"

"Yes-"

Peter and Loki glance at each other, trading glares that hold no malice whatsoever.

"You know what, this isn't even the craziest thing I've seen Peter do." Steve shakes his head and anyone who didn't know better would have cooed at the fondness in his voice.

Loki, sensing the tension in the air, coughs. "I'm no longer here to tear you all apart if that's what you're worried about."

Thor beams at him, moving forward to embrace him and totally forgetting about Peter, who gets trapped in the middle of them. Everyone watches as he protests quietly and manages to stick an arm out of the brothers' affectionate barrier, his head soon following as he dramatically crawls out to the side. Loki's remorseful and slightly irritated apology is muffled by Thor's unwanted but nonetheless comforting, congratulatory hug, which gives the rest of them a reason to laugh, except Tony who's quick to pull Peter away from the two Gods lest he gets squashed or injured in any way.

None of the Avengers can relax completely, which is only to be expected considering their history with Loki, but the anxiety in the room fades to negligible after a little while, the gang either retreating to their respective rooms to freshen up before they return or grabbing a snack and slowly accumulating in the living room, eventually being roped in to a game of Mario Kart by Peter, who's figured out exactly how to tick them all off enough to ensure their exasperation leads to them joining in to prove a point or using their annoyance as an excuse to succumb to their intrinsic desires of playing and winning a competative video time. Ultimately, when they're all squashed onto the sofa or the beanbags, personal space long dismissed, either actively controlling the characters with hilarious expressions of concentration or cheering each other on, their way of playing is a whole new experience and Peter has never felt so at home with them.

All in all, even though Peter wasn't prepared for such an eventful day - not that anyone can ever be prepared to fake a hostage situation with a God - he's more than glad to have been thrown into it. More often than not, he decides, strange parts of life are better encountered with an open mind instead of a meticulous itinerary that leaves no room for spontaneous craziness. He might technically be a superhero but, at the end of the day, he is also a teenager...

like/reblog but don’t repost, thanks!

#marvel #fanfic #fanfiction #peter parker #spiderman #loki #Thor #tony stark #steve rogers #natasha romanoff #clint barton #avengers family #protective avengers #fluff #humor #peter & loki #mcu #my writing #serendipity #thor and loki #the avengers #oneshot

[vaguepositivity]

MCU GEN FIC RECS

by @100-demons

as we were, no longer, not be at all

Author Summary: Some days, Sam shakes his shoes upside down before he puts them on, feeling imaginary scorpions scrape against the tips of his fingers and the aching grit of desert sand seared into the backs of his eyes.

by @51st

Raw Footage

Author Summary: “Clint Barton has sent me a photograph of his glory,” Thor said, and handed Natasha his phone. Quirking an eyebrow, she glanced at it. “This is a courting custom?”

by @actualmenacebuckybarnes

& Found

Author Summary: Bucky sighs deeply. “Okay, okay. We’re lost.”

Liho's Human

Author Summary: It took Liho three months to train the exceptionally difficult human. But then again, she’d always been one for a challenge. 

Never Been

Author Summary: He means to exit the shop now that the threat has cleared, but then he sees the section of Captain America merchandise. There are DVDs, books full of sepia photographs and retro propaganda posters with Captain America’s smiling face. There’s a minute when his heart seizes up, just like it had in the exhibit, and his body feels swollen and aching with some strange new feeling. Then it fades, leaving behind the infuriating sensation of an unspent sneeze, a word at the tip of the tongue. He is trying so hard to remember but all he gets is static.

not allowed to fall apart

Author Summary: Twice, Natasha slams her own shoulder out of its joint so she can squeeze out of a pair of handcuffs.Three times, Natasha slashes open her wrist cutting free from some binding. Glass on duct tape, razor blade on wire, exacto-knife on nylon rope.Once, Natasha crushes her elbow trying to break out of a ziptie. To be fair, she’s heavily drugged and off-balance because of a broken heel.Times change. Restraints change.Natasha knows the feeling of a trapped animal, gnawing off its own limb to escape.

by amcw177

Fishing Job

Author Summary: Michael gets some help and an unexpected offer.

The Undercover Boogie

Author Summary: In which Coulson’s argumentation on behalf of the human race proves highly effective and gains S.H.I.E.L.D. a new agent with an interesting concept of covert operations. Naturally, things go awry pretty fast. Written for this prompt @ avengerkink on LJ.

The Transformation Twist

Author Summary: When Loki shows up at Coulson's door, deprived of his powers, Coulson can no longer keep Loki's side job as a S.H.I.E.L.D. operative a secret. The race to find out what the hell happened begins. Meanwhile, it would be great to figure out how to stop the slowest alien incursion in human history, too. Just because it's slow doesn't mean it isn't going to wreck the whole damn place. - A sequel to 'The Undercover Boogie'.

Unreasonable Attachment

Author Summary: A spell goes sideways, Thor gets turned into a puppy, Coulson has no choice, and Loki gets to fix things.

by @amusewithaview

All in a Day's Work

Author Summary: The first thing Darcy thought when she found out they were moving in to Stark Mansion was, “OHMYGODWHAT.”The first thing Darcy thought upon actually meeting all of the Avengers was, “My god, how did these people save the world? Oh my god, how are we all still living not under alien rule?!” ...and then she had to go lie down for a while (on her brand new bed in her brand new room in the refurbished Stark Mansion) and process her life.

Amok Thunder

Author Summary: Original Prompt/Location: http://norsekink.livejournal.com/3231.html?thread=4884895#t4884895I just realized JARVIS (the movie version with Paul Bettany's really snarky voice) is Iron Man's Heimdall.They both see everything or nearly everything. Including some stuff they'd really, really wish they could unsee/delete.They both give somewhat snarky advice to Our Heroes, who then go on to blatantly disregard such advice and get themselves into terrible, horrible situations.So... I'd love to see Heimdall and JARVIS bonding, so to say, over their shared annoyance of having to watch everybody get themselves into trouble despite their warnings.Not to mention having to stand around stoically watching the Avengers et al fuck in every possible pairing combination, location and position ever devised (and you just know Tony loves an audience).

containing multitudes (quintessentiality)

Author Summary: “You must use your magic,” her grandfather had told her seriously.“Or else I’ll lose it?” she’d asked, wit faster than propriety could handle.“No, you’ll never lose it,” her grandfather had told her. “But magic wants to be used and if you don’t give it something to do, it’ll find a purpose.”She’d shrugged him off and scampered off to find her cousins. Looking back, years later, she could recognize that her grandfather hadn’t been disapproving - no, he’d been worried. But by then it was too late: some roads, once walked down, could not be backtracked.Darcy wasn’t sure she’d want to even if she could. 

Have Daemon, Will Travel

Author Summary: Stories (some oneshots, some longer projects) that use the "daemon" concept from Pullman's "His Dark Materials" series. Expect the full spectrum from true crossover to fusion. 

My Bubble is More Like a Brick Wall

Author Summary: For a brief moment, she fantasized about tackling him, going for the throat and ripping it out with her teeth. The element of surprise would be on her side, she could probably take down at least a few of the jackboot thugs before the rest overwhelmed her. If it went to court and trial, she had a good chance of getting off – Alpha dominance battles were like that, and nobody could argue that he hadn’t violated her territory.

Stats and the Single Sentinel

Author Summary: Darcy was around five the first time she saw the over-sized cat. She remembers that it had very pointy ears and a little beard. She remembers that it was huddled, shaking, against the wall. She remembers its eyes, a funny gold-amber color, and she remembers the shriek her mother let out when she saw the two of them curled up together.She doesn’t remember the trip to the DSG, for testing.It’s funny what kids’ minds latch onto as important.

by @andhumanslovedstories

Everyone Wants to Be Her or Do Her

Author Summary: Written for the Avengers kink meme: "Agent Hill is badass. The fact that she's beautiful is entirely beside the point. It's like the cherry on the BAMF sundae. Many of the women of SHIELD have a girl-crush on her. The younger female agents often forget they're SHIELD agents (and adults) around her."After the end of a long, long week, SHIELD Agent Jaqui Romera just wants to get drunk with her friend and talk about how much she wants to have sex with her superior officer. Is that too much to ask?

Five People Clint Barton Killed, and One He Spared

Author Summary: "Your ledger is dripping, it’s gushing red, and you think saving a man no more virtuous than yourself will change anything?" Starting at age 13 and working his way up. How Clint earned his own ledger. 

History Lessons

Author Summary: As Melinda’s face hit the concrete floor, at the exact moment that her nose shattered, she thought to herself, And this is why we don’t let old friends into our secret base. These days, old friends were a SHIELD agent’s worst enemy.

Performance Review

Author Summary: "Two years of working with her and Nick’s still not that fond of Agent Romanov. Had Barton asked him—though why Barton would start now after ten plus years of doing whatever the hell he felt like—Nick would have told him the only logical answer: Hell no was he bringing that woman back alive. Barton’s job was to eliminate the killer spy. Not adopt her. You don't get cuddly with a creature like the Black Widow."Nick Fury's got a new job for Natasha and calls her into his office for a casual conversation. At SHIELD, casual conversations are a game of spy versus spy.

The Crownless King

Author Summary: Frigga and Loki's relationship in five scenes, from the very beginning to days before the tipping point.

The Soft Star-Shine at Night

Author Summary: Written for the Avengers kinkmeme: "Tony is having a nightmare. A really, really bad nightmare. So bad, he starts calling out for Yinsen in his sleep. Yinsen answers."Yinsen did not sleep or eat or tire. He crossed the span of the globe in a night. He haunted the shadows of his childhood home and saw it true for the first time. He spirited across warzones and helped the angels untangle the dead from their bodies. Even war was beautiful now, in the way that a polluted sky makes the sunset all the richer. At night, he visited cities and watched the symphony of dreams above the towering glass and metal.

The Sparseness and the Sentiment

Author Summary: "Maria Hill slept five hours a night. Never more. Occasionally less. That was her optimal amount of sleep, enough to refresh her and no more. Maria had not reached her position by courting inefficiency." Maria Hill's relationships before and after the film.

The Value of Strength

Author Summary: Written for the Avengers kinkmeme: "So Steven Rogers, Mr. Good Ol' US of A, Captain America? He's evil like pure unadultered evil. He can hide it well and he does care about certain people(his mother, Bucky, teammates who earn his trust etc) but that aside? He couldn't care less about people and if he could get away with it burn them into ash."He wakes and they tell him he’s a hero. He wakes and they fall over themselves to please him. There’s a statue of him in Arlington Cemetery that’s guarded twenty-four hours a day. They love him. They all love him.

The World These Days

Author Summary: Three short vignettes of SHIELD agents reacting to the revelation that their agency isn't at all what they thought it was. One: Three friends discuss how the hell you're suppose to get your next job with "Nazi-adjacent agency" on your resume. Two: Some people are experienced at tragedy. Three: Sharon Carter thinks it's just amazing how quickly the upheaval of your entire world will put your crush for your aunt's old boyfriend on the back-burner. 

by @avamclean

normal(ish) life

Author Summary: Buffy comes down with a not so slight case of the transtemporal.

Odinsdottir

Author Summary: She died—this was the way she died. (Series of shorts.)

by @cacchieressa

14 Tracks

Author Summary: 14 tracks from Steve’s iPod and how they got on there. This is actually more like 14 loosely connected ficlets attached to a playlist that was chosen more to suit each character’s possible musical taste (and my music collection) than how the songs actually go together. It’s an outgrowth of a story that I’m not actually writing, but which led to me wondering about what is on Steve’s iPod beyond a preponderance of swing and divas. It is, in the truest of senses, song fic, so, uh, yeah. That happened.

64 Colors

Author Summary: Darcy’s life is weird, but she kind of likes it.

Inherited Characteristics

Author Summary: It's 1986, the Sox are going to the World Series, and sixteen-year-old Tony Stark has just gotten himself arrested for trying to sell nukes to the bad guys.

In the Shadow of Two Gunmen

Author Summary: After the fall of the Soviet Union, Department X was dissolved and their inventory was liquidated. The League of Assassins acquired certain assets. 

Shibboleth

Author Summary: "Nightwing?" Clint scoffs. "That guy's not real."

stop clicking your red heels and wishing for home

Author Summary: Four times Steve wished he could go home and one time he realized he was already there.

The Bonds That We Save

Author Summary: In which Peggy Carter meets Etta Candy.

we travel without seatbelts on

Author Summary: In which Bucky Barnes discovers that Steve Rogers is not the only tiny blonde firebrand who felt betrayed by SHIELD.

by Closer

Role Model

Author Summary: "When things got fucked up, I asked what Captain America would do, and I did that. I didn't ever think the reason I did half of the insane things I've done would show up alive."

Six Times The Avengers Stopped An Alien Invasion

Author Summary: Sure, the Avengers are strong, but they’re also not stupid. When aliens invade, they usually have a plan.

Source Code

Author Summary: Steve finds himself in the unenviable position of having to either prove he’s himself or listen to the news media continue to speculate that he’s a robot, a clone, or a lunatic.

Turning Point

Author Summary: Steve and Tony live each other's memories only for a moment, but the fallout lasts longer.

by @copperbadge

At Tilde

Author Summary: Matilda turns hacker, impresses Tony Stark, and fails to be swayed by Charles Xavier.

Audio Commentary Track With Steve Rogers

Author Summary: Summary: Steve didn’t know you could go to college to study movies.

Black AmEx

Author Summary: Bruce isn’t sure he wants to use a credit card Tony gave him. Steve isn’t sure he even knows how.

Exclusive

Author Summary: Heroes In Manhattan: From Captain America’s Hidden Talents To The Truth About The Hulk, We Debunk The Myths And Expose The Daily Lives Of The Avengers.

Film Studies, or, Four Films About Captain America and One By Him

Author Summary: Steve Rogers is no stranger to the silver screen.

The Foodieverse

Author Summary: Steve Rogers just wanted to sell good, nourishing, cheap food from his food truck. Now the crazy fusion chefs from TOBRU are calling him a hipster, the avant garde restaurant “Shield” across the street has declared war on chains, and…well, then there’s Thor, who thinks Steve’s habit of licking food is weird.

Handler

Author Summary: There are some staff changes going on at SHIELD.

Kings of Industry

Author Summary: Tony Stark showed up in Steve Rogers’ hospital room with a get-well bouquet and an offer for Sam Wilson – from King T'Challa of Wakanda.

Longform

Author Summary: The Fugitive’s History: A Search For A Man Out Of Time. (How I Found Bucky Barnes And Barely Lived To Tell About It.) Note: Sequel to Exclusive.

Portrait Of The Artist As A Robot

Author Summary: Dummy discovers self-expression through sculpture.

The Photograph

Author Summary: Steve had body-modesty trained out of him in boot camp, and apparently his attitude is infectious.

Robot Trip

Author Summary: Tony is driving from Malibu to Manhattan with a robot in the back seat and Captain America riding escort at Pepper’s behest. What could possibly go wrong?

See You In Homeroom

Author Summary: Rhodey wants heat-seeking bullets, Steve wants to go for a run, Natasha wants french toast, and Tony just wants to be prom queen.

Selfie With Granddad

Author Summary: After the invasion, Natasha’s granddad shows up.

Someday My Prince Will Open A Transdimensional Portal

Author Summary: T. Stark Lokason, gentleman adventurer, meets Isobel Barton, who sees right through him (and likes it).

The Son Of Man

Author Summary: JARVIS did not want to be a real boy. He was quite happy being a building.

Trickster

Author Summary: It occurs to Loki that the man who keeps the hounds has even less to fear than the hounds themselves.

by @copperbadge and  sanura

Star Spangled Man

Author Summary: This one night Steve's out at a bar where a woman is doing an unplugged set, just her and a guitar, which should be kind of hokey but she's really good. For her last song she says, "My grandfather had this song on a record, and he used to play it for me as a kid," and then she opens with something that sounds awfully familiar. Copperbadge's singer-songwriter OC Meg Bodoun played in a bar, and I was so struck by the scene that I rearranged the lyrics and the tune to Alan Menken's masterpiece of WWII USO nostalgia according to his specifications. I had to do it. I don't even play guitar, but I have a capo and a mic. My second-ever venture into fandom creation.

by @defractum

Phil Coulson is not a crazy cat lady

Author Summary: An AU where the Avengers are not a superhero team, but rather a group of cats that Phil Coulson owns and brings in to the SHIELD offices.

by @destronomics

erase and rewind

Author Summary: “Can you spare a few minutes to actually, you know, run your company?” She’s looking directly at the camera, holding up a sheaf of papers in one hand, wiping at the side of her mouth with the other.

Of Pressure

Author Summary: (vignette) "Like I'm an exception to a rule." The sip she takes may be more like gulp, and it's certainly half of whatever he had poured her and he thinks maybe he should start to worry. "It's sexist, Tony."

take the money and run

Author Summary: “I said I’d drive you.” But Steve starts walking anyway, which is fine, because Bucky has a car, and can easily keep pace with a 17-year-old stubborn asthmatic, no sweat, “Get in the damn car, Steve.”

the sea makes your eyes strange

Author Summary: Today it's two AM in a Polish hostel, between an old Soviet-era embassy and a cafeteria open 24 hours with free wi-fi and plenty of napkins to steal when your mark got red on you while bleeding out in the alley three blocks away

by @dizzy-redhead

'Cause I'm In Charge

Author Summary: Captain America is incommunicado chasing after The Winter Soldier, and public confidence is taking a nose-dive. Hill and Coulson are forced to take Desperate Measures.

by dustbear

the memory keeper

Author Summary: “Former military?” Phil asks.“Yes. Navy. Hospital Corps.”“Nurse?” he asks, realizing that he’s made a mistake the moment the words leave his mouth.She scowls. “No,” and doesn’t clarify further.So, Recruit Phil Coulson and Recruit Maria Hill do not get off on the right foot.Later, he finds out that she’s First Lieutenant Maria Hill, recruited from the Navy, and she is one of the most badass reconnaissance diver medics that ever was, the youngest person to qualify and serve with her specialized search and rescue unit, has a list of commendations as long as his arm, and he is suitably impressed.She finds out that Phil Coulson is a former Army Ranger, and she doesn’t give a shit.

by @emsealimb

Ghost in the Machine

Author Summary: The thing that most people don’t think about is this: if you remake the world to be nothing more than brimstone and fire, the people will rebel against their maker; nobody wants to live in Hell. If you remake the world as Utopia, somebody will question its perfection; there is always a skeptic. Loki has a lot of practice remaking this world. Natasha has had even more making herself.

Through the Forest and the Trees

Author Summary: One night in a forest, in the middle of their journey to find their beloved Master. a.k.a. Avengers/Brave Little Toaster fusion fic because why the hell not?

by @enigma731

Right Between the Eyes

Author Summary: When Dottie Underwood suddenly appears in the twenty-first century, Peggy turns to the best contact she has: S.H.I.E.L.D.'s very own Black Widow.

Something Strange

Author Summary: “Heimdall detected a disturbance,” says Thor, “in the mystic energy that lies beneath this city. I’ve been tasked with investigating the threat. It seems the best way to do that is through--infiltration of some Midgardian organization. In light of the recent tensions.” That last sounds vaguely reproachful.Clint blinks, letting this news sink in. “Wait. So what you’re saying is that you need to go undercover. And you want Nat to help you?”Ghosts in New York City would be a perfectly good reason to assemble the Avengers. Too bad that team doesn't exist anymore.

by enigmaticblue

Child's Play

Author Summary: Everybody is afraid of the Hulk--until no one is. As usual, it's Loki's fault.

That Kind of Lonely

Author Summary: They all deal with the fallout in their own way.

by @fartherfaster

The Darktown Poker Club

Author Summary: Nick, Alec, Natasha, and a deck of cards. - An introspective look at the relationship between Nick Fury, Natasha Romanov, and what it means to be liars and friends. - Inspired by the poem The Darktown Poker Club.

The Neighbour

Author Summary: americachavez: Marvel give me a short about Sharon’s undercover time as a nurse/Steve’s neighbor and that one time she had to fight off ninjas from Steve’s apartment while he was like, making dinner and sitting alone reading Obama’s biography. stardustandstrawberries: With the music turned up really loudly because he’s a gentleman and he thought the noises were her having sex. - “You vetted my neighbour,” he sighs, “and you read my mail.” The last bit, though, is mostly teasing.“I didn’t vet her,” the agent responds a little testily, “and I’m the only one who weeds the creepers out of your literal and digital mailboxes. Be thankful.” - The wall that separates Steve's apartment from his neighbour Sharon's is very thin. He learns to cope.

The Pit Stop

Author Summary: iputabirdonmyhead: Can the mid credits sequence to Age of Ultron just be Jane and Darcy on a road trip to Jane’s science conferences. They’re out of cell phone range or their phone batteries are dead, they’re bickering about directions, Darcy has a giant map unfolded in the car, everything is a mess. They stop at a gas station to get directions and freeze, staring up at the TV as it plays news footage of everything going on in New York and all the Ultron destruction. Cut back to credits. stardustandstrawberries: They’ve been staring at the TV for fifteen minutes when a pile of coats and poster tubes on the backseat shifts and Betty Ross wakes up wondering why the car’s not moving. - tumblr asked for a theoretical AoU post-credits scene involving Jane, Darcy, and Betty. my hand slipped. - “Avengers Assemble!” shouts Betty, with gusto.

by Frea_O

Counterfeit and Counterpart

Author Summary: Five times Maria Hill doesn’t understand Natasha Romanoff, and why she might be better off that way. 

The Bechdel Test

Author Summary: Tony has concerns for his female teammates. Very important ones.

by fringedweller

Big Damn(Terrified)Heroes

Author Summary: Prompt was Clint, Natasha, big damn heroes. I have possibly reinterpreted this in a way that the prompter did not intend. Just a silly little crack fic. No ships, except possibly Black Widow/awesomeness.

by @galaxystew

Amateur Theatrics

Author Summary: In which Thor’s primary problem-solving method (a mighty blow from Mjolnir) fails to have the desired effect on a magical artifact, and his secondary method (a mightier blow from Mjolnir) proves to be actively disastrous.

Can't Keep A Good Man Down

Author Summary: In which Phil Coulson finds death to be less well-organized than he had expected.

Control Issues

Author Summary: An archer, a rage monster, and the Norse god of mischief wake up in a field. (Spoils Avengers.)

Darkness, Flooded in Light

Author Summary: “When much is taken, something is returned.” - Terry Pratchett, NationLoki falls. Injured and unable to access his magic, he must struggle to restore himself physically and mentally before the Bifrost is repaired and Asgard comes to find him. That would be difficult enough, but one of Asgard’s deepest secrets has followed him...

Dynasty

Author Summary: It’s not strictly accurate to say that Coulson was born to be an agent of SHIELD, but you could probably get away with saying he was raised for it.

Few So Generous

Author Summary: After Odin falls into the Odinsleep, Frigga takes up her husband’s spear and the rule of Asgard.

Fracture At The Point Of Impact

Author Summary: There was only so much of him left, anyway.

Five Stories Tim Fell Into And One He Chose For Himself

Author Summary: Because Tim Drake would be a superhero fanboy in any universe.

One Eye For Wisdom

Author Summary: Even in the ravings of a madman there can be found a glimmer of truth. (Spoilers for Avengers.)

On The Care and Feeding of Superheroes, by Pepper Potts and Alvin Draper

Author Summary: Tony is a smart man, and whatever his critics might say (those haters) he does his research. When he becomes a superhero, and after Rick’s Comic Book Emporium has delivered all the necessary research materials, it becomes immediately apparent that he needs to make some serious changes. (Crossover with DC, but takes place predominantly in the Iron Man universe.)

by @hardboiledmeggs

when the world is free

Author Summary:  At the age of twenty-one, Peggy Carter enlists in the Auxiliary Territorial Service.  

by @icarus_chained

Balm for the Soul

Author Summary: A tiny prompt ficlet. Tony cannot, for the life of him, make a decent piece of toast. Bruce ... finds this far more amusing than he should

Emergence

Author Summary: Sequel to A Future Shining. There is nothing so terrifying as the creation of a new life. JARVIS, Tony and the family in the run-up to the emergence of a new AI.

A Future Shining

Author Summary: It took Tony a while to notice. To see the increasingly massive sections of memory space that someone had blocked off in JARVIS’ systems, the processing power being diverted to something that … that Tony couldn’t breach. Tony, and JARVIS, and a conversation Tony never, ever thought he’d be having.

Harbour

Author Summary: A tiny Clint & Natasha ficlet, set immediately following Avengers. Life and hopes and debts and things that are not love. 

Live Wire

Author Summary: Tony Stark, and the making of things.

Of Course You Realise, This Means War

Author Summary: Nick looked at the six terrified ten-year olds, and recognised the Avengers.Small de-aging fic, written for a prompt. See notes for warnings, yes?

Richard of York

Author Summary: JARVIS, Tony and Bruce, and the conceptual linkages of trust and fear. Last in the Deus Ex series. JARVIS POV.

Space Electric

Author Summary: "The SHIELD interceptor spaceship Avenger is under final attack. Aboard her, sitting in his cell, the war criminal Tony Stark gets ready for the confrontation, and the revelation, that he knows is about to come."

Things We Believe

Author Summary: There are things Rhodey believes in, and then there are things he has faith in. And one of them is that Tony Stark is an idiot, and needs all the help he can get.Tony & Rhodey, and the aftermath of Avengers (and Tony's confrontation with Steve on the Helicarrier).

by @igrockspock

A Very Promising Partnership (The Bullets and Business Suits Remix)

Author Summary: The early days of Maria’s employment at Stark Industries aren’t entirely smooth, but she and Pepper agree on a few common goals, like practicing marksmanship, wearing fabulous clothes, and banding together to defeat Hydra.

Broken Glass and Crumpled Bills

Author Summary: When Claire's parents taught her to stand up for people, they probably didn't imagine she'd develop a secret career stitching up vigilantes.

The Zombie Ninja Apocalypse Survivors Club

Author Summary: Misty thinks her new bionic arm might be evil.

by Imbecamiel

Failure, Success

Author Summary: The Winter Soldier was once sent to kill Agent Peggy Carter. He failed.

Strike

Author Summary: Sometimes the road to recovery involves bowling. Conveniently, so does the one to the Grand Canyon. 

The Joke

Author Summary: Steve’s not usually oblivious - far from it, in fact. But he does have his moments. Like when he didn’t realize that the team was actually serious when they talked about Mjolnir being a magical weapon that only Thor could lift. (Inspired by a head-canon prompt, in light of the comics-canon fact that Steve is actually capable of wielding Mjolnir. Full text of prompt is in the beginning notes.)

by @ink-splotch

bringing the war home

Author Summary: Sharon Carter expected to pull a gun in the line of duty. She didn’t expect to pull it here. SHIELD was her holy ground. The Winter Soldier did not waste bullets, time, or death. Natasha told herself that and fingered her scar. Maria knew better than to invest herself in the metal bones of this place. The helicarrier's engines roared like a thudding heart. The control room windows were vast. She stood at the helm there, at Fury's shoulder, in streaming daylight and in the peaceful dark of a moonless night pinpricked with stars somewhere high over the Atlantic...

on the wrong side of the sea (of the wardrobe)

Author Summary: It was the accent caught Peggy's attention— a London lilt, not too posh, rounded a bit by some time in the country. And, more than that: a woman’s voice.Peggy was not adrift in the SHIELD hallways, this old boy’s club full of young soldiers. She was not lost, not intimidated— but she was lonely."Excuse me, ma’am," Peggy called and the woman turned around. She had a single run in her nylons and a smirk of perfect lipstick. Her badge read "Pevensie.""I have a spare pair if you want to change," said Peggy."Does this place even have bathrooms for women?" A curved eyebrow rose as Pevensie asked. Peggy liked her immediately."Not in this wing," said Peggy. "Come on, we’ll kick the boys out of theirs."

someone to catch you when you fall

Author Summary: Tony has faith in the man, in the man and the monster both. He has respect for Bruce, both his smarts and his control—this is Tony Stark, genius-billionaire-playboy-philanthropist, who’s never been able to control himself, lived half his life in a self-destructive spiral—in a lot of ways, Tony’s monster is much more noble than his man. Tony respects this man and his giant green rage monster, because Tony’s got one, too, and he’s nowhere as good at keeping it inside.

by @intosnarkness

As Little Fuss

Author Summary: Or, the Five Times Tony Stark Threw Money at a Problem, and the Five Times His Team Repaid Him.

At Least I Spelled Your Name Right

Author Summary: Darcy was tired of Jane being in the lab all the time, so she conspired to Go Out and Get Jane Drunk. She did not, however, make any plans regarding the guy in purple spandex. That was someone else's fault. And no one could blame her for the super heroes. She hadn't even been conscious for that part.

bomb shelters under your skin

Author Summary: Clint’s marriage is over, so he takes the assignment no one else will: killing the Black Widow.

Don't Fade On Me

Author Summary: It's hard making new connections, learning to be the person you need to be. Wanda and Natasha aren't the most likely of friends, but they're making it work.

featherstep

Author Summary: Natasha has always heard the voices of the animals around her, but when a bird tells her to trust the strange man pointing an arrow at her head, she does.

Made Somehow

Author Summary: 20 years before Tony Stark was Iron Man, before Steve Rogers was found in the ice or Bruce Banner had his accident, a few men got together and built a little peacekeeping force they called SHIELD. What SHIELD stood for, exactly, was up in the air, as was everything that came next.(A Nick Fury Origin Story)

not words but meanings

Author Summary: James Rhodes loves Tony Stark dearly, and he has to learn to deal with the fact that, while Tony loves him back, Tony has some new friends, and new plans, and they don't always involve Rhodey.This is not Tony/Rhodey; there is Tony/Pepper in the background. This is a friendship-centric fic.

One Single Yesterday

Author Summary: SHIELD tasks Darcy Lewis with educating Steve Rogers about the pop culture of the last three decades. Probably this was a bad idea.

One to Be Trusted

Author Summary: After he lost the battle in Midgard, Loki was taken home in chains. And if the Aesir couldn't heal him with magic, then they would do it with time.

Pop-Tart, or, the Untitled HookerFic Coda

Author Summary: Kate asks Clint if he's ever been in love.

(sleep wake hope and then)

Author Summary: Steve Rogers wants to go back to art school. But more than that, he wants to figure out what his legacy is, and what he's doing here. (It can be read a pre-slash Steve/Tony, but that might be a bit of a stretch.)

Steven Rogers and The Search For Freedom, written and illustrated by Clint Barton, age 32

Author Summary: "Steve Rogers got a cat he named FREEDOM and when it got lost he made all the Avengers drop what they were doing and LOOK FOR FREEDOM so he wouldn’t make woobie faces at them." A story told in pictures and weirdness. Crack.

The Uses of Sorrow

Author Summary: Just as he's beginning to feel like he might belong with these people, Bruce overhears Thor offer to heal Tony.

Yesterday, Upon the Stair

Author Summary: When she was little Natasha had an imaginary friend. But like all little girls, she learned to forget him as she grew up. So imagine her surprise when one day she comes face to face with her old friendAnd he's pointing an arrow at her heart Barton was sent to kill me. he made a different call.

by irnan

and if there’s life we’ll see it

Author Summary: Steve is instantly taken with this idea of having the picture of the person calling you flash on your screen when they ring your cell.

brand new day

Author Summary: Ten things that are different about Bucky and Steve, and one that’s still the same.

come across the desert

Author Summary: Natasha, experiments in friendship.

fellowship

Author Summary: Five short conversations Natasha Romanov has had about her teammates. 

may the fourth

Author Summary: So there’s this project Tony has been working on since he was ten years old which is only marginally less awesome than the specs for the TARDIS he totally could have built if Fury would’ve just let him had the Tesseract for a couple hours longer.

project adulthood

Author Summary: “I’ve been thinking,” said Bruce quietly. “The day HQ was attacked. Tony and I were at that R&D meeting we usually skip.” “Yes,” said Steve. “Nat said that.” “Well,” said Bruce. “Usually, on a Friday, when we skip the R&D meeting, we arrive at HQ around the time that bomb went off.”

run to the sea

Author Summary: They’re wound together in a spider’s web of coincidence and chance meetings, of work passed on and friends in common.

safe

Author Summary: Bruce learns to shoot, Tony is Tony, and Steve continues to number "protecting the people he (loves) cares about" among his greatest talents.

scarring

Author Summary: Steve doesn't scar. It's a serum thing: his skin heals perfect, every time.This means he doesn't get callouses, either. Upon occasion, that can be... painful.

use somebody

Author Summary: Will you work with Tony Stark? asks Coulson. He’s an alcoholic, he’s unstable, he’s traumatised, God only knows. You’ve read Natasha’s psych report. He’s a pain in my ass, and I don’t like it that I like him. Will you work with him?

write me no more letters

Author Summary: The day Annika Reiter turned thirty-one she shot her mother’s killer in a New York sidestreet not far from Grand Central station and thought of it as a birthday present to herself.

by @janetsvandyne

Cranberry

Author Summary: From age twelve to age seventeen, Darcy Lewis and her mother would spend her birthday together, just the two of them, and go out for ‘mother daughter days.’ The single stipulation? Darcy always got to buy a tube of lipstick. 12 years later, Darcy mentioned to Jane that she hasn’t worn or purchased lipstick in seven years.Written for the "Lipstick" prompt for Darcy Lewis Fic Week, day 1.

If you believe in me, I'll still believe

Author Summary: Six weeks after what she fondly refers to as 'The Pop-Tart Eating Alien Incident,' Jane comes to Darcy bad news. Not just regular bad news, but the "oh fuck, now what the fuck do I fucking do" kind of bad news that you usually only hear about in movies or books about women who triumph despite the odds being stacked innumerably against them. Hell, this is like "Harry, you need to face Voldemort, but you can't have a wand or anything" kind of bad.

by jumpfall

come on friends, get up now

Author Summary: It won't be easy and it won't be pretty, they don't say. You're going to hurt faster than you heal and lose more than you win. The Avengers have one thing in common. They all sign on. [Movie spoilers.]

i was born to make amends

Author Summary: "Mr. Stark, I just wanted to congratulate you on the excellent work you've been doing with the Yinsen Foundation."

Tapdancing on Tightropes

Author Summary: Either way, Steve's secured the upcoming long weekend for a team barbeque. He hadn't phrased it quite that way, but Tony knows better. Barton's still trying to redeem himself, Natasha goes for her holster when Bruce's voice rises, Bruce apologizes to every building he passes, Steve's had exactly one conversation with SHIELD since the battle, and Thor's dicked off to Asgard.A solid cheeseburger makes lots of things better. (It did for him, at least.)

by kerravon

Burning Candles

Author Summary: For an Avengerkink Prompt A few months have passed since the Avengers fought the Chitauri, and the team is coming together, except for Tony, who seems to be coming apart. At first, Steve assumes that he’s just being irresponsible and annoying, but then JARVIS clues him in.

by @kellifer-k

Frankie Says Relax

Author Summary: Where Darcy gets a day job.

by @laporcupina

Asunder

Author Summary: Natasha chooses her side in the Civil War as pragmatically as ever, with her eyes on the long game. Clint has no such luxury because the stakes are too high for there to be any choice at all.

Blues in the Groove

Author Summary: Bucky Barnes is in from the cold and ready to take the first steps toward resuming his life. He has all of his memories, but Steve isn't the only Avenger eager to have someone around who remembers their past.A tale in which there are embarrassing Captain America stories, occasional realizations, swing-dancing SHIELD commanders, missions gone awry, culinary adventures, uncomfortable revelations, trips to Queens, bromances, romances, repeated threats of arson, and the couch is a metaphor.

BOHICA

Author Summary: Clint Barton, in transition.

CA:TWS missing scenes

Author Summary: 

1) CA:TWS missing scene: Maria Hill & Nick Fury 2) CA:TWS post-movie scene: Natasha in flight 3) CA:TWS sorta-missing scene: Where in the world is Tony Stark? 4) CA:TWS sorta post-movie scene: Tony (and Rhodey) and the possible ghost of James Barnes. 5) CA:TWS sorta-missing scene: Where in the world is Clint Barton?

Creation Myth

Author Summary: Smoke, mirrors, and the true birth of the Howling Commandos.

Cum Laude

Author Summary: Steve navigates the sometimes choppy seas of being a celebrity in the twenty-first century and finds the time (and the courage) to fulfill a twentieth century promise and return to school. 

Escape Velocity

Author Summary: In which Sam gets his wings, Steve trades on the legacy of Captain America, Natasha dusts off an old outfit, and the utter insanity that is government bureaucracy ends up saving the day despite itself.

Excerpts from Interview #2 with SHIELD prisoner #2935734H

Author Summary: Session note: The prisoner has revealed that he was part of the 'asset management team' controlling the HYDRA operator known as the Winter Soldier [possibly SGT J. B. Barnes, US Army, MIA 5 September 1944, declared KIA 12 December 1944]. Further questioning suggested after follow-ups on provided information complete.[Clearance: TOP SECRET/SI-MORAY 5342/HCS-7766/NO TRANSMIT]

Fermata

Author Summary: Natasha Romanova and Nick Fury: two wounded warriors and their wars, past and present. 

Freezer Burn Series

Author Summary: Steve Rogers: soldier, artist, foodie, friend, heart of the Avengers, and a guy whose past keeps creeping into his present and dictating his future. A series of stories about him and the people he has chosen to build his life around. A comics-MCU mashup that is MCU-compliant through all of the Phase One movies then gets a little Brubakerish because the alternative was to get a lot Jossed. All stories can be read independently of the others. You’ll miss a few references but lose nothing of the plots.

Inherited Characteristics

Author Summary: It’s 1986, the Sox are going to the World Series, and sixteen-year-old Tony Stark has just gotten himself arrested for trying to sell nukes to the bad guys.

Lacuna

Author Summary: The five stages of grief are meaningless in the moment.

Landsmen

Author Summary: Project Rebirth existed before Steve came into the picture. And the soundtrack for it was mostly in Yiddish.

MCU Meta: the directory

Author Summary: Bits of meta, mostly about Captain America and HYDRA, previously posted in other forums but now collected here.

1) Steve is blushing, but no virgin.

2) The military record of Sergeant James 'Bucky' Barnes.

3) The Winter Soldier probably didn't kill the Starks. 4) HYDRA: the ultimate rebranding 5) There's a significant time gap between Bucky Barnes's death and Steve Rogers's. 6) RMA and the MCU: a blasterless history 7) Sam Wilson and the RL requirements for being a USAF pararescueman 8) Civil War speculative meta: the magic bullet 9) Much more than Steve's height and weight is public knowledge. 

MCU: The odds and ends drawer

Author Summary: A collection of very short works that don’t merit separate entries.Captain Marvel in the MCU, kindasorta Civil War, kindasorta Leverage/MCU crossover start

Powerful

Author Summary: Steve loses the advantages of the super-soldier serum. This is not a tragedy.

Preserved Series

Author Summary: After the rescue of the 107th, Steve Rogers cashes in all of his favors and makes what deals he can to get Bucky a medical discharge from the Army, sending him home to Brooklyn and far from enemies and curious scientists both. But Steve’s war goes on until it ends badly, in an exploding plane over the Black Sea. Captain America is presumed dead, his shield recovered and returned to a grieving America while his body remains undiscovered. Seven years later, a new danger is threatening to unbalance the already-roiling Cold War, a Soviet assassin let loose from behind the Iron Curtain. Peggy Carter isn’t sure she wants to believe that the assassin is a super-soldier because of what it could mean, but she does know that whoever it is, she’ll have to break her promise to keep Bucky Barnes far from danger.

Recursive Series

Author Summary: In the wake of the HYDRA revelations, Steve Rogers finds himself both a pawn of the rebuilding SHIELD hierarchy and the leader of a newly-independent Avengers. He’s got masters he can’t run from, teammates he can’t let down, and a best friend who is turning his newly remembered past to ashes. But when a blast from a mysterious device seemingly sends him back to 1944, Steve has to decide if he should he change his past and risk ruining his future by fixing his greatest mistake.

Regret to Inform

Author Summary: Steve and the Barneses, his family according to his heart and the official documents of the United States Army. 

Remedial

Author Summary: re·me·di·al adjective 1. affording remedy; tending to remedy something. 2. intended to correct or improve one's skill in a specified field: remedial math.Steve always knew Bucky was a quick study, so his progress after he comes in from the cold is a 'when' and not an 'if.' The Avengers are a help, except when they're not. But even when they're not, they sort of are.

Renovation

Author Summary: In which Wanda uses her powers for good and Bucky starts sorting through his past, both metaphorically and kinda literally.

Reprise

Author Summary: Nick showed up at nine and Peggy knew it was bad news because he showed up without dessert. (Sometimes the secrets kept between spymasters was that one of them had a sweet tooth and it wasn't her.) She still made tea because, despite more than sixty years in America, the British approach to trouble was still her default."We've found Captain Rogers."

Resonance

Author Summary: Tony's reasons for helping Bucky Barnes can be entirely attributable to general do-gooderism and a love of science. (Because he really, really hates it when people rub his personal growth in his face.)

Sleepers of Ephesus

Author Summary: Peggy Carter and Bucky Barnes, soldiers always.

The Velveteen Spider

Author Summary: Natasha Romanova thinks that accepting Nick Fury's offer to join SHIELD is the end of her old life and the beginning of her new one. In hindsight, she had no idea of what that really meant.

Tribe

Author Summary: He gestured to the room around him. “We build a community in rooms like this so that there is a place to talk and a place to listen and a place to heal. So that we can be reminded that we’re not broken, just a little different. That we went through a trauma and it will get better. And so that we know that we’re not alone. That is why I suggested you come hang out.”

True Faith and Allegiance

Author Summary: "Are you ready to follow Captain America into the jaws of death?" means something else in the Twenty-First Century. Bucky Barnes has the same answer. Sam Wilson, former Avenger and current fugitive, appreciates that on many levels, including the ones he's sure he's missing.

We Were Soldiers

Author Summary: Bucky Barnes, Steve Rogers, the planning of a pre-D-Day mission, and the cost of a salute.

by @legete

Optional

Author Summary: In one's home, clothes are optional. Housemates, however, may disagree.

by @leupagus

For These I Watch Tonight

Author Summary:   This is not a story about a cow.

by lilsmartass

Cupid Stark

Author Summary:  For this prompt on the kinkmeme: Clint/Natasha Tony is slightly horrified the two assassins aren't banging, so he makes it his business to set them up, because living with two such attractive assassins that aren't having sex is downright sinful. They are his Barbie and Action Man dolls to smush together and make kissy noises with, dammit! Clint and Natasha are equal parts embarrassed and amused by all of this, and decide to play up to it for Tony's sake. Shenanigans ensue..

First Impressions and Second Chances Series

Author Summary: The Avengers are over protective of one another, we all know that. But when misunderstandings lead to flawed beliefs of who a person is, and when others are judged for misguided actions carried out without thinking, it’s hard to know who to protect and defend. 

Nothing to Fear but Fear Itself

Author Summary: Everyone’s afraid of something. Five times Natasha saved the Avengers from spiders and one time they saved her.

With A Whimper

Author Summary: Summary: Written for my Avengers fest challenge/prompt/assignment/thingy for sadness1986; angst, reads like hurt/comfort but the comfort part is the hurt, dark, pre Iron Man, Obadiah Stane works his way into Tony’s life.

by @lithiumdoll

Culture and Other Balls of Twine

Author Summary: “Okay, I realize this could appear to be poorly conceived - to those of limited vision - but what you have to understand is, I’ve actually just had the greatest, most outstanding idea ever.” Tony’s eyes searched heavenward and then he nodded soberly. “Yes, I believe history will consider this my triumph.”

by Lunik

Bro-hood and Other Drugs

Author Summary: Plenty of people get themselves blackout drunk and wake up with an unexpected husband. It’s embarrassing but it happens. Natasha is trying to figure out how she could have woken up with an unexpected brother

Loki's Brood

Author Summary: Nick Fury circles the realm Midgard with his coils. Phil Coulson has seen enough of chains for one lifetime. Darcy Lewis is taking a break from Helheim. But there's still the matter of their brother Sleipnir...

The Boy Who Waited

Author Summary: In a world without stars, the Last Centurion loses the Pandorica, loses his charge and loses his mind.SHIELD takes a chance on hiring a mysterious amnesiac man, and Agent Coulson finds that Rory Williams is the best damn secretary he's ever had.

The legend of Mittens

Author Summary: The story of how an abandoned kitten in an alleyway derailed an impending alien invasion and changed the course of the Midgard-Chitauri war. And looked damn cute doing it.Also, the story of Nick Fury's Worst Headache Ever (tm).

Trickster, trickster

Author Summary: It is important, for tricksters more than most, to have a group of like minded people around to understand us at our worst. And to catch us when we fall.

by Marcus Rowland

Five Mistakes Loki Made (and One Time He Got Things Right)

Author Summary: Uatu, the Watcher, takes a look at Loki's invasion, and wonders what else might have happened.What If... Loki had done things differently. Five more ways things could have gone wrong, and one he might have succeeded. Avengers / multiple crossovers. All characters belong to their respective creators, there is no intent to infringe copyright.Seven hundred-word Drabbles, multiple crossovers.

Hammer Time

Author Summary: When the going gets tough, the tough get hammering. 100-word Buffy / Avengers / Galaxy Quest crossover Drabble.

Mandatory Evaluation

Author Summary: Natasha needs to drop off a few files; she isn't expecting to have to sing for her supper...This is set in the early stages of Iron Man 2, after Pepper Potts becomes CEO of Stark Industries but before the trip to Monaco, well after the last episode of Angel, at no particular point in NCIS LA continuity.

Who Are You Gonna Call?

Author Summary: Death isn't necessarily the end of the story. Total crack-fic for The Avengers 2012, Avengers / Ghostbusters / Multiple crossover, warning - canon death and bad language. Now with director's commentary!

by @mhalachai

A Widow's Tale

Author Summary:  Their secrets have secrets. Steve's starting to figure this out.

After The Gloaming

Author Summary: Given the very long, very bad day she’s just had, Pepper isn’t sure how much longer she’s going to be able to hold it together.

Hel’s Bones

Author Summary: Magic pulled Frigga back from the realm of the dead, but not even Loki’s children can shield her from the consequences of long-ago actions coming back to haunt her. 

by @nicasiosilang

awake in the dark

Author Summary: Loki, small and sharp, singular, Loki knew. 

Coronation

Author Summary: Frigg holds the needle and thread high for the court to see. Golden light hits it and flashes hot white into her eyes. The assembled throw up a cheer. They are family. They raised this creature too.

Posthuman

Author Summary: Do you intend for the Iron Man to feed the hungry? End war and disease? Eliminate social inequality and poverty?" The guy smiles like he's just been very funny. Tony leans forward, elbows on his knees.

"I do. I sincerely do."

The devil riding your back

Author Summary: There's something in his chest.

Transhuman

Author Summary: This is something he needed to do. The process is an end. Every second wasted, life or minute lost to inefficiency, the process will take them back. Vaguely follows the story Posthuman. An attempt at putting the Extremis process into Marvel's movieverse.

by @nonasuch

the hip and the dead

Author Summary: When she asks about the other tenants in the building, the realtor just throws up his hands and says, “Look, I don’t know. They’re artsy types, if they live around here. You know. Hipsters.”

The Personal (Assistant) Is Political

Author Summary: “That’s an awfully tall pedestal to put a fellow on,” Steve says. “Betcha it gets pretty windy up there.”

Sentimental Value  

Author Summary: Saturday dawned clear and bright, hot but not humid enough to be sticky: perfect yard sale weather.

by @nwhepcat

Avengers vs. Worst. Christmas. Ever.

Author Summary: Clint is having a rough time this Christmas. Turns out, he's not the only one.

Five Awkward Conversations Involving Steve Rogers

Author Summary: Conversations in this century were like the traffic in Midtown: fast and nerve-wracking and potentially deadly. (Takes place between Steve’s awakening and a few months beyond “The Avengers.”)

The New Yorkers' Guide to Beating Back the Big Fucking Evil

Author Summary: Two days after Coulson's memorial, Clint isn't doing so well. Rating for language, but you probably figured that one out. Title inspired by Adam Gnade's The Do-It-Yourself Guide to Fighting the Big Motherfuckin' Sad (Pioneers Press), which is a thoroughly awesome thing.

Reanimation of the Corpse Soldier

Author Summary: Barnes finds a kindred spirit in the most unexpected place. So. This is headcanon that manifested shortly after I finished the fabulous Imperial Radch series by Ann Leckie. This isn't a crossover with characters from her trilogy, but a story about Bucky reading the novels.You don't need to have read the series to understand the story. There aren't really spoilers for the books, either. Some references may seem spoilery, but due to the narrative structure of Ancillary Justice (the first book), these things are revealed very early on.Warnings for after effects of mind wipe and mind control, memory loss, emotional fallout, PTSD, nightmares.And finally, many thanks to my betas, herself_nyc and oracne.

Serenade

Author Summary: Bucky sings a little song.

by @nwhepcat and @fieldtoolarge

But the Sea Does Not Change

Author Summary: The Winter Soldier goes to the Smithsonian to search for something of the man who would save an enemy. This is not the only thing he finds.

by @pepperpottsblogs

Darcy Lewis: VP of the Bucky Barnes Defense Squad

Author Summary: In which Darcy uses her considerable research skills to take care of the Avengers, help take down Hydra, and successfully bring in the Winter Soldier--with JARVIS's help, of course.

Repose

Author Summary: "Although Darcy wasn’t actually part cat, most of the Tower’s residents were well aware that she was prone to napping anywhere at any time, especially in the warm patches of sunlight from the Tower’s many windows. Anyone who shared a couch with Darcy on movie nights knew that she would fall asleep with her head on their shoulder or lap."Or--Darcy is notorious for falling asleep on her friends.

by @perclexed

Not More Fucking Elves

Author Summary: The Nine Realms may converge for the first time in five thousand years, but it’s not the only important thing happening that day in Greenwich.Robbie Lewis thinks this is probably not what Tolkien had in mind. But it bloody well might be.See end for additional notes, warnings, and a link to a Lewis overview if you are not familiar with the fandom.

by pollyrepeat

225 days under grass

Author Summary: After Loki, Coulson wears his suits like armour.

Dear Clint Barton (circa age 7)

Author Summary: The most annoying parts of being de-aged (and then re-aged) are your friends.

Early Years AU

Author Summary: “Barton has clearly imprinted on you,” Fury starts, and keeps talking right over Phil’s knee-jerk, horrified, “He has not,” to seal Phil’s doom by saying, “so I’ve decided that you’re going to take primary responsibility for him from now on.”“Oh, god,” Phil says, faintly, before he can stop himself.// Otherwise known as, SHIELD: The Early Years.

He hit the heights at breakneck speed

Author Summary: In which Natasha gives the thumbs-up to Tony Stark and the Iron Man suit, the Avengers Initiative starts a little differently, and Tony finds himself spending a lot of time with assassins and/or spies.[Note for users with spotty internet: there is a large-ish sfw image at the beginning.]

hey, remember that time when

Author Summary: In which Cap makes new friends, becomes an accidental Internet troll, swaps a lot of stories, and gives Bucky Barnes a hug.

by pollyrepeat & jonesandashes

All destinations approximate

Author Summary: “Jarvis, please refrain from killing me. I’m coming in to look at you.”

well, let the drum beat drop

Author Summary: Pepper leaves, and there’s no more pizza, and Thor’s already talked about Jane, and Tony suspects all of them realize, abruptly and simultaneously, that they actually have no idea what to do now. He is, in fact, pretty certain that they’re just a few minutes away from someone deciding to say something about the weather. It’s probably going to be him. 

by psocoptera

Cooking With Leftovers

Author Summary: Akela Amador, after. Michael Peterson receives some visitors. 

Five Secrets Maria Hill Would Like To Pretend She’s Keeping From The Rest Of SHIELD

Author Summary: Fury is a lying liar, Coulson is a good coworker, except when he’s not, and Maria never meant to work for SHIELD. Maria/Helicarrier or possibly slightly Maria/Natasha if you squint. Spoilers for the movie. Movieverse only, I have no knowledge of the comics.

Five SHIELD Agents Who Don't Look For New Jobs

Author Summary: Not everyone needs or wants new employment.

by @quigonejinn

Accountable

Author Summary: This universe branches late in the game. Tony Stark and the universe where he builds the Iron Man Mark II for Jim.

Flight.

Author Summary: When Tony Stark is five years old, he rides on a helicopter for the first time.

Genius

Author Summary: Tony Stark isn't the only genius on the ground.

Morning

Author Summary: Go back a little: the girl and Obadiah and Tony are in the elevator, and the girl is, as expected, all over Obadiah.

Parents

Author Summary: Tony Stark and dreams of parent-type figures.

Rescue

Author Summary: Steve Rogers has asked, six or seven or eighteen hundred times, for Bucky Barnes to stop coming to his rescue like that.

Six Universes

Author Summary: Six stories about Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes. Six universes where Steve Rogers went into an orphanage

The Good Stuff

Author Summary: "This is where I get out," he says.

Three Facts About Tony Stark and Politics (and One About Women)

Author Summary: Fact 0: Tony Stark did not vote for Obama.

Twenty-Four

Author Summary: Cold War Peggy, Steve, and Bucky in all kinds of combinations, present and not present. 

Two things that happened and one that didn't: Coulson and Romanov

Author Summary: Here is the thing that didn't happen: Pepper is in a place that looks, for all the world, like the lobby of a small, not-too-fancy government agency that handles something obscure and really boring and involving a lot of paperwork.

by @rageprufrock

Howling Commandos HQ

Author Summary: To: PC ([email protected]) From: Buck ([email protected]) Subject: Report! Date: May 10, 2012Phil — where the hell are you, man? Let us know if you're all right, or if there's anything we can do to help. HQ's freaking the fuck out.

by @rainnecassidy

Balefire

Author Summary: Joey was an ordinary, if overworked, grad student doing her schoolwork and raising her nephew. It wasn’t her fault Captain America moved in upstairs. And it definitely wasn’t her fault when she accidentally started feeding burritos and tres leches to the guy called James who started staying in that apartment while Cap was away. So okay, maybe it WAS her fault when she started throwing fire at the military guys who came after him. James was a nice guy, after all, and a vet; he didn’t need this crap.

I Get By, I Get High

Author Summary: Just a growing bond between a girl and her favorite AI. Er, android.

The Secret Life of Darcy Lewis

Author Summary: Everybody needs a little time out of their regular reality once in awhile. (Inspired by The Secret Life of Walter Mitty by James Thurber.)

Turncoat

Author Summary:  Clint gets a mission he just can't complete.

by @roboticonography & @blackestglass

Object Permanence

Author Summary: Steve's sudden interest in tattoos is actually not all that sudden.[Podfic AND story text within!]

Worthy Is In The Heart Of The Wielder

Author Summary: The knowledge of when to lay power aside is as important as the knowledge of when to take it up.

by @rowantreewrites

Calling of the Stars

Author Summary: After the Battle of New York, as they'd been calling it, Tony Stark was not doing ok. His time on the other side of the portal haunted him, shadowed his steps and crept into his nightmares, even with the team around to pull him out of his own head. So, when he wakes up in an abandoned space station holding a strange silver sphere and no memory of how he got there, possibly hundreds of lightyears away from earth, he is not happy.

Free Your Soul, Pay The Toll

Author Summary: The price of killing a loved one is a Horcrux, an object filled with half a soul. They are not the road to immortality, and they are not a gift. Tony Stark has three.

Infinity Stones are Powerful

Author Summary: Manhattan is different now.

Little Boy (Inside My Chest)

Author Summary: Curious, Tony stopped, tipped his head, as Fury keyed in a password to the computer. Fury nodded to the monitor, and Tony nearly dropped the suitcase. “Holy mother of Tesla someone fucking cloned me.” He said, stepped forwards, squinted at the screen as his gut protested the fact that he was watching himself sit on a bed in a standard-issue SHIELD dorm room, younger and clean-shaven and wearing what Tony knew had been one of the spare shirts he kept on the base just in case, except it was at least a size too big, and damn, had he really been that skinny when he was a kid? He’s gotten mad at anyone, mostly Rhodey’s mom, who suggested that he eat more, put some meat on his bones, but if this is what he’d looked like?Well. That was one hell of something to deal with at two in the morning.

Maria's Legacy

Author Summary: Tony had a small family. That was accepted as fact, and most people didint even count half the people who were in it. But, what if that was wrong?

Memory (Is a Vital Process)

Author Summary: Death: The permanent ending of one or more vital processes.AKA the angsty as all hell amnesia fic that absolutely no one asked for. Enjoy.

(Not So) Immortal

Author Summary: An impossible situation. A horrible choice. A sacrifice that must be made, one way or another."What he saw nearly stopped his breath cold in his chest, because there was Tony, sitting slumped and unconscious against the biggest bomb he’d ever seen, as supervillains, some old enemies and some Steve had only ever heard of, Loki, and MODOK at the forefront, stood across the room, while Doom himself stood right next to Tony."

Star!Tony

Author Summary: A collection of fics in the Star!Tony universe. Not canon-compliant past The Avengers (2012).

Starry Skies and Rhubarb Pies

Author Summary: Or, In which Tony Stark is dead, and he’s happy that way.

You don't need wings to fly (you need a whole lot more)

Author Summary: My take on wingfic, more specifically, how something like the arc reactor would affect a winged human's ability to fly.

by sabinelagrande

All That You Know

Author Summary: After Loki's gone, the cracks begin to show.

Humane

Author Summary: It was supposed to be better for him.MAJOR SPOILERS for the film.

by sabinelagrande & @erindizmo

[Podfic] The Adventures of Captain America and Phil, by Phil Coulson, Age 7 (The Read-Along With Me! Version)

Author Summary: A gripping tale of action, adventure, and tremendous bravery, available for the first time as a read-along book!

by sanura

Thor’s Epic

Author Summary: This is a retelling of the story of The Avengers from Thor’s POV, in iambic pentameter. I know. It’s Sam’s fault. Well. I meant to start at the battle, since that’s all that Thor told at the dinner table in Copperbadge’s Exclusive, but the two lines he gave there, the first two lines, implied Thor started from the beginning. So I started from those two lines (tweaked slightly to fall into pentameter scansion), and went to the end of The Avengers.

Thor's Second Epic, or: Grocery Run

Author Summary: 500 lines of iambic pentameter in which Thor goes to the grocery store. I don't know. Blame Sam.

by @sarcasticfina

Darcy Stark

Author Summary: Tony might not have been playing a direct role in his daughter's life, but he always looked out for her.

daughter dearest

Author Summary: A collection of short stories involving Darcy as the daughter of an Avenger. 

I was late (but I arrived)

Author Summary: As far as complicated goes, Darcy’s life takes a sharp turn down a road called ‘completely fucked.’

we’ll never die (we’re like diamonds in the sky)

Author Summary: As opposites go, sickly, skinny Jane Foster and snarky bombshell Darcy Lewis are at the top of the list. But when Darcy saves Jane from a bully, they find common ground and are fused at the hip ever since. Together, they take on the world, until war comes knocking and they answer. [AU where Jane becomes Captain America, and Darcy becomes the Winter Soldier]Based on this prompt.

you can't play (on broken strings)

Author Summary: Once upon a time, she was a fully operational human being. Or as close to one as she has ever gotten.

by @scifigrl47

Far Better Things Ahead

Author Summary: IM3 SPOILERS!My Bot Oriented post-IM3 fic

by screamlet

aunt’s aren’t gentleman

Author Summary: “First things first,” Tony says. “I loved A Knight’s Tale.“

The Annual Stark Family Fourth of July Celebration

Author Summary: The Stark family does the Fourth of July. (Or: Tony grows up by Fourths.)

by @shu-of-the-wind

frost and fire

Author Summary: Bader spends most of his time curled up by her feet while Peggy's at her desk, because she knows it makes the men uncomfortable to see him. He’s larger than most grey wolves, and the long scar along his cheek makes him look more risky, somehow. People still persist in calling him a dog—if they talk about him at all—but they can’t escape the fact that her daemon is more bruised and battered and just plain dangerous than the rest of them combined.

we know the words (but it's not enough)

Author Summary: "Apparently," Jack says, his head pounding, "they've imprinted. Like baby ducks.""Children do that," says Father Lantom. "Or so I'm told."[Or, Darcy gets dragged to New York by her mother before she even hits kindergarten, and things both change and stay the same. Really, Matt's just happy there's someone his age who gets excited about words like sesquipedalian.]

by silvernatasha

The Cupbearer

Author Summary: Clint Barton, son of Apollo, is pretty sure he's too old for demigod quests. Even small ones.

by @sunspill

gunshot residue

Author Summary: Natasha is a badass even when shot. Teamfic gen.Written for the meme.

kahua pa'ani

Author Summary: When Pepper is twelve she tries on her mother's shoes.

slap down back around

Author Summary: Written for the meme. Prompt: attempted suicide and hc with the dialogue "exhaustion is the new suicide?" Bruce&Natasha gen.TRIGGER WARNING: repeated attempted suicide, depression

tethers

Author Summary: Kinkmeme Prompt:Tony is convinced that he is still being tortured, dying in a cave in Afghanistan. He is sure that everything that has happened since then is just one big delusion his mind has created so that he doesn't have to deal with reality. Iron Man, the Avengers, Super soldiers and demi gods and genius, gentle scientists who turn into giant green rage monsters. All seems pretty improbable to Tony. Just the sort of thing that a broken mind would come up with.

by TardisIsTheOnlyWayToTravel

Angel Adrift

Author Summary: Darcy Lewis finds a giant tree in the New Mexico desert, and discovers that she is the archangel Michael.(Crossover between Marvel films and Supernatural.) 

Do-Over Series

Author Summary: Loki Odinsson died in a tragic accident. Darcy Lewis was born several centuries later. These two facts are not unrelated. (Or, how Loki was reincarnated as a badass poli-sci student who was interning at the right place at the right time.)

Driven Bananas

Author Summary: It's 2012, everyone Steve knows is dead, and all the bananas are gone. 

Father Figures

Author Summary: Heimdall would never have brought a Jotunn child into Asgard to be raised as his own son, but if he had, he would have done a far better job of it than the Allfather. Or the one where Heimdall becomes Loki's substitute father figure in the face of Odin's A+ parenting.

Four Christmases

Author Summary: Twelve year old Darcy Lewis doesn't believe in a lot of things. Santa Claus is one of them. She might believe in the strange green-eyed man who claims to be her father, though.

leave the sinking ship behind

Author Summary: He wakes when the cryostasis system fails, defrosting slowly in an underground bunker running on emergency power. There is still frost on his eyelashes when he wakes, shivering and disoriented, and his skin is icy cold.[Spoilers for Captain America: Winter Soldier]

Legacies

Author Summary: "So why’d Zola’s serum work on you, anyway?”“Because I’m part-vampire,” Bucky said with a straight face.

Loki, Lilo & Stitch 

Author Summary: Loki falls from the Bifrost, and lands in Lilo's garden. Chaos ensues.

Not Quite Fraternisation (The Longest Cold War)

Author Summary:  Her name isn’t really Darcy, of course: her true name is something much older and a damn lot more powerful.Norse gods weren't the only supernatural beings in New Mexico when Thor was there.

Of Time Lords and Magic

Author Summary: The thing was, there was a war.Darcy’s not too sure of the details – she was only tiny at the time – but she remembers that it was a war her people were losing. She can still vaguely remember the thunder of active weaponry, the anxious, frightened way that everyone went about their business, and the hushed conversations that took place when her parents thought she was asleep.Darcy was only a small child when her parents left her in another universe, on another planet, and told her that they would come back for her when it was safe.They never came back.

Red in tooth and claw

Author Summary: Were-velociraptors and a BAMF Maria Hill.

Secret Agent Man

Author Summary: It started off as Sitwell’s idea of a joke.

TardisIsTheOnlyWayToTravel's Asexuality Fics

Author Summary: This is a collection of all my fics that deal with asexuality, asexual characters, or asexual relationships.

Take It Off

Author Summary: Tony used to think that the 1940s were repressed. Steve’s repertoire of racy songs makes him reconsider.

This Is How We Roll

Author Summary: Darcy and Tony were half-siblings, which was why they were spending so much time together. Unfortunately, the other Avengers were not aware of that fact, which was probably why they assumed that Darcy and Tony were having an affair.

Wayward Son of the Nightside

Author Summary: The signs were all there, if anyone had simply noticed.

by teand

It's No Way to Make a Living

Author Summary: "...who had turn into animal totem in the next time we get hit by magic pool?"

by @themonkeycabal

Run ‘Verse

Author Summary: Darcy’s not quite sure what she’ll do with another dad.

by theorytale

Fight or Flyte

Author Summary: From a prompt at norsekink: Give me Loki seeking Tony out during battles just to finally have someone worthwhile to banter/flyte with.Which is all well and good until Tony breaks his arm. 

The Several Heirs of Loki Odinson, Prince of the Realm of Asgard

Author Summary: Prompt: Loki's greatest con is passing off random monsters as members of the royal family. The reason Odin keeps banishing them is because he's totally on to him.It starts, as it so often does, as a harmless prank, but it rapidly takes on a life of its own.

by @tielan

And Baby Makes Eight

Author Summary: The curious tale of how the Avengers adopted Maria Hill and her daughter.

A Question Of Loyalty

Author Summary: Who is Maria Hill loyal to? (The answer is worth fifteen years, and takes some time to explain.)

Care And Feeding Of Your SHIELD Agent

Author Summary: Operation 'Feed Hill' is a go. Or the relationship between Maria Hill and food, with regards to the Avengers Initiative.

Fine Distinctions

Author Summary: They're not normal; they're SHIELD. A friendship spanning ten years, of growth and outgrowing, of unexpected twists and turns and dark horses, and of industrial building parts.

Give A Girl A Moment And She'll Take You For All You've Got

Author Summary: Coulson had once made the observation that Darcy Lewis’ ability to beg, bribe, or bully people into her plans was almost a superpower in and of itself.Considering she was walking down a tattered Tribeca street with four women she either barely knew or didn’t socialise with for drinks on a Friday night, Maria could well believe it.

Hidden In Plain Sight

Author Summary: Nobody notices a woman who walks one step behind a man.

Keep Calm And...

Author Summary: In the wake of chaos and war, someone has to re-establish normality.Women's work is never glamourous.

Known By Its Flight

Author Summary: SHIELD does not make weapons of its women – or, as Barton has observed with greater accuracy, SHIELD does not make weapons like Natasha out of their women. That doesn't mean a woman can't choose to make a weapon of herself.

Necessity (The Lion Taming Remix)

Author Summary: Five times Maria Hill had to deal with naked Avengers, and one time the Avengers had to deal with a naked Maria Hill.

Paid In Advance

Author Summary: Maria signed up to work for Stark Industries without ever asking about her salary. 

There Is No In-Between (the Fight The Good Fight remix)

Author Summary: We’d rather have you with us, than against us, Peggy Carter told her after Madripoor. At the time, Maria thought it foolish flattery – appreciated it, sure, but it was a sweetener, not the truth. Then again, she’s now Deputy Director of S.H.I.E.L.D, so it seems the former Director was right.  

by @twistedingenue

you have not seen everything

Author Summary: Tony gets a second chance to watch his daughter grow up, at least temporarily.

by @unpretty

Magical Girl Avengers

Author Summary: this is hella old you guys why are you still reading it please have mercy on my weary soul ｡：ﾟ(｡ﾉω＼｡)ﾟ･｡

by @veliseraptor

Life In Reverse

Author Summary: Home is where you make it. Or, the AU where Loki falls to Earth after Thor, wanders around trying to work out what to do with himself, and somehow ends up working for SHIELD. (Mostly because supervillains are so plebian.)

The Villain Wrangler

Author Summary: The Make-a-Wish Foundation expects requests from kids to meet their favorite superhero. This might be the first one from a kid who wants to meet a supervillain.

by @vmohlere

Infinite Coffee and Protection Detail

Author Summary: The mission resets abruptly, from objective: kill to objective: protect

by @waldorph

only cute until...

Author Summary: The Avengers have been de-aged. Phil's not really sure how this is his life.

Rahmbo

Author Summary: Sometimes they forget: she’s a political science major.

You Can Hear It In the Silence

Author Summary: When CAPTAIN AMERICA walks into the precinct, Jake staples his finger and doesn't realize it for like, six hours. He can only be happy that Scully and Hitchcock leave every day they can at 4:48pm so that they couldn’t bring shame upon the family.

by @wordsformurder

Anatomy

Author Summary: A dissection of heroes.

day I go to war

Author Summary: "Do you believe in happy endings?""No."

Home

Author Summary: In which Darcy battles hope and normalcy just to get home.(Wishlist, Day 18) For meinongian/vague_positivity, who prompted me with a link to post. The bare bones: imagine a child character pulled into another world, to save that world, Narnia style, only to then be sent 'home', also Narnia style. Only instead of accepting their fate, or being happy to be home, they spend their life trying to find a way back, because that other world, that was home. With Darcy being cast as the main character. (I can't find the link, whoops.)Usually, I hate long A/Ns, but I feel I need to explain this story a little. The prompt is amazing. The concept is brilliant and it deserved pages upon pages of world building, OCs, plot, details, emotional upheaval and payoff. I couldn't deliver that, so I stuck with a glimpse into that world, with a tone and style I hope does Darcy's state justice. I am so sorry I couldn't do more than that.

How to steal the Galaxy

Author Summary: Tumblr prompt: GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY AS OUTER-SPACE 'LEVERAGE'

I made myself when I was young

Author Summary: In which neither Peggy nor Susan like the cold.

no spoonful of sugar

Author Summary: I fought the war (but the war won)

Peter Pan

Author Summary: Growing up, coming down, moving on. - Interconnected glimpses.

pockets full of stones

Author Summary: This is a trick.

terms of endearment

Author Summary: In which Bruce is a little confused and Tony is Bambi. Borderline crack.

this is my kingdom come

Author Summary: Martha Jones walks the earth. Loki Odinson... doesn't.

Tony Stark's Collectibles

Author Summary: Someone said 'Friends!AU'. This is the self-indulgent mess that happened next.

Trust Me

Author Summary: It all comes down to trust.(Or: The house always wins. 'The house' being 'Tony Goddamn Stark'.)

we were emergencies

Author Summary: Buffy Summers and Natasha Romanov keep meeting. Eventually, they stop questioning it.

Workaround

Author Summary: In which Tony cooks, Steve watches, JARVIS is... erm, helpful, and Buffy is the other woman. Or something.

by @wordsformurder and @reena-jenkins

Clint's Grand Easter Adventure (Without Eggs)

Author Summary: Natasha Romanov designs the world's worst Easter Egg Hunt.ORWhat else was happening, while Tasha and Bucky were tearing SHIELDRA a new one.

I hated you the least

Author Summary: Reena_Jenkins said: Buffy and Faith as daughters of Thanos. I couldn't keep my mouth shut.

by @xparrot

Majority Rule

Author Summary: Tony learns something that changes his perspective on the Asgardians of his acquaintance.

#mcu fic recs #mcu gen fic recs #mcu genfic recs #mcu

[taaroko]

Post-IW MCU Rewatch: Black Panther

Time for an Afrofuturistic paradise!

Ohhhh, the meteor hit before humans came along. That makes so much more sense. Here I was misremembering that it landed in the backyards of these five tribes, and I was really confused that a meteor with a seemingly infinite supply of vibranium didn’t destroy everything for hundreds of miles. This makes much more sense.

The black sand hologram things are so much cooler than regular floating image holograms.

Hahahaha, okay, T’Challa freezing is adorable.

There are some great sibling and mom moments in this movie. Ramonda only had to see T’Challa’s face to know Shuri was flipping him off behind her back. Bahaha.

They did an amazing job on Wakanda. It’s Incredible to look at. From the city to the landscapes to the waterfall to the traditions of the different tribes. This whole movie has such an incredible atmosphere to it. This is the level of personality and culture I wish they’d given Asgard.

So I’ve seen critiques that question the wisdom of having a ritual combat to determine rule in such an advanced country. I think those critiques are missing the point. Wakanda’s flaw, aside from having a policy of isolationism at all costs, is clinging too hard to ceremony and tradition. It’s probably been many generations since they actually viewed the ritual combat as more than a token of respect to past tradition, but they didn’t actually delegitimize it in law, which is how Killmonger is able to take advantage of the situation.

The ancestral plane is beautiful.

“It’s hard for a good man to be king.” I desperately need Thor and T’Challa to interact. Have drinks and talk about the struggles of being king and having fathers who hid horrible truths.

So will T’Challa marry Nakia now that he’s come to agree with her politics?

Wakabi is kind of unreasonable. To turn on T’Challa for failing to bring Klaue back on his first attempt? Come on. T’Chaka failed to retrieve him for three decades, and you expect T’Challa to do it in one day? You are a bad friend.

Please let Peter and Shuri interact! They both love memes and “old” movies!

The whole suit fitting into the necklace strains credulity a bit. As does Tony’s bleeding edge armor. But I guess conservation of mass went out the window when Steve easy-baked from a sickly 90-pound kid to a 240-pound muscle-bound hunk, so it’s a bit late to start complaining.

*innocently* “For research purposes.”

Tolkien white guys!

Heck yes Okoye fight scene! Check out this gorgeous one-er!

Ohhhh it’s a vibranium car. So it breaks apart differently than a normal car would. I can accept the way Okoye and Nakia survive that crash better now. That was an important detail.

I, having two brothers, have never called either of them “Brother” to their faces in my life, nor have I ever heard anyone do this in real life, and yet I love when siblings do this in fiction. Brodinsons and royal house of Wakanda, please never change.

Klaue is so obnoxious.

Oh wow, I never noticed that they stuck those comms devices behind their ears.

Killmonger’s armor with the chestplate thing looks like some of the armor in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. Awesome.

I keep imagining an AU in which Asgard and Wakanda do regular trade and have embassies. Wakanda has vibranium and millennia of experience working with it, Asgard has magic and other types of advancements. It’d be an amazing alliance, and they could’ve had it for centuries without telling anyone else on Earth.

Seriously Wakabi, you’re being a jerk.

So basically, Killmonger is Hamlet. More on that later, but he just killed Ophelia. Also, the reveal that he’s the main villain, not Klaue, is the midpoint/turning point of this movie. It’s getting to the point where I don’t have to check the progress to recognize these moments. The MCU gets criticism for being formulaic, but if the formula is simply following the 3-act structure, it still leaves plenty of room for variety, so I fail to see the problem.

N’Jobu is a scary extremist. Nakia is the one with the right philosophy. But T’Chaka did not need to use lethal force. He had super strength and a vibranium suit. He could’ve subdued his brother and brought him in. Instead, he killed him and left his nephew to find the body. T’Chaka is a lot like Odin. I do think both became better men than they were in the early days of thei rrule, but they did nothing to correct some of their biggest mistakes. Instead, they buried them. How exactly did they expect their sons to do better jobs ruling without all the facts?

I really like that Killmonger and T’Challa both held their father’s bodies the same way and cried over them. Super important parallelism.

Hmm, vibranium is vulnerable to sonic weaponry. That’s really good to know. This stuff is a bit too versatile and powerful; it needs a weakness.

It’s super weird that Killmonger’s (American) name is Eric Stephens. There was an Eric Stephens in my grad program, and he sat in the cubicle next to me. 

There’s some interesting stuff about group identity in this movie. Tribe identity (the five tribes in Wakanda), national identity, racial identity, and humanity at large. Nakia wants to help humanity at large. The Jabari are the most tribal. The other four tribes are about their identity as Wakandans over their tribes. N’Jakada, who grew up in the US, surrounded by gang violence and police brutality, with a father who wanted to militarize the entire African Diaspora and was killed for that, effectively making him a martyr and proving him right in the eyes of his son, is about racial identity to a fascist degree. N’Jakada has legitimate concerns, and his backstory is tragic and unjust, but his solutions are evil. Getting what he wants (assuming enough people outside Wakanda, where loyalty to the throne is somewhat mandated, would even go along with his world conquest plan) would come at the expense of the soul of the people he claims he’s fighting for.

The upside-down shot of N’Jakada taking the throne is chilling and excellent.

Conquerors or conquered are not the only two options here, Wakabi. But that attitude is self-fulfilling prophecy.

M’Baku is awesome.

T’Challa’s second trip to the ancestral plane is when he really figures out what his priorities are and what he’s fighting for. He realizes what he wants Wakanda to be under his rule. He’s been fairly passive and lacking in his own ideology up until now. Now his heart is really in it. He’s become the Black Panther and a king, so now he just has to fight to reclaim those actual titles from a mad warlord.

“All that challenge shit is over. I’m the king now.” Yeah, N’Jakada has no respect for their traditions, he only exploited them.

“Your heart is so full of hatred! You are not fit to be a king!” Yesss! Choose what Wakanda stands for, don’t just hand your loyalty to a man who doesn’t deserve it. It’s pretty notable, though, that Okoye only withdraws loyalty to N’Jakada when she sees that T’Challa is alive. Because the challenge is ongoing, she is free to choose the king she wants. She never broke her oath.

Heck yeah, warrior princess!

Oh hey, her gauntlets totally do the same thing to N’Jakada’s suit that the rails on the trains do.

Aaaah the truth comes out. “You want to see us become just like the people you hate so much. You will destroy the world, Wakanda included.” “The world took everything away from me! I’m gonna make sure we’re even!” N’Jakada pretty much just admitted he’s the villain.

And the Jabari claim their identity as Wakandans. Woohoo!

Hehe, the rhino loves his mama.

The civil war in Wakanda is what the Asgard storyline in Ragnarok was missing. Hela just slaughtering everyone and generally being ludicrously OP is not interesting, but if a significant portion of the people had sided with her and there was a battle for the soul of Asgard? That would’ve been amazing, and I wouldn’t have just been impatient to get back to trash planet shenanigans.

It’s a shame N’Jakada dies. He’s a Loki caliber villain, and they could’ve given him a redemption arc or something.

Okay, weirdly, one of the details I like the most about the capital of Wakanda is that the ground doesn’t appear to be paved anywhere.

So if Bucky is White Wolf, does that mean he’s going to be in future Black Panther movies? Yes please?

Black Panther is very good, but I don’t think it makes it into my top five MCU movies. T’Challa needs more development. He’s too passive for too much of the movie. Shuri and Okoye are much more interesting characters and have much more personality than him, and the same goes for M’Baku and N’Jakada. Hopefully they’ll do more with T’Challa in future installments. A big part of what makes the Marvel movies so great in general is their compelling leads, but this movie didn’t make me as invested in T’Challa as a person as it made me invested in his country and the people around him. I want to be as invested in T’Challa as I am in characters like Thor, Peter Parker, Tony, Steve, the Guardians, Scott, and Stephen, characters like Frank, Matt, Luke, and Jessica. I think what would have gone a long way towards solving this problem would have been if he’d actually been a staunch defender of the traditional isolationist view, only to learn over the course of the movie that Nakia is right. Isolationism breeds xenophobia and over-inflates national pride, creating people like N’Jakada. Much better to embrace other countries and cultures and help each other grow. As it is, it seems like T’Challa goes along with the isolationist thing because that’s how they’ve always done it, but he doesn’t seem remotely passionate about it, and that’s to the detriment of his character.

Now, the Hamlet thing. It occurred to me the first time I saw this in theaters that N’Jakada is essentially Hamlet. His father was killed by his uncle, who is on the throne, and his quest for vengeance gets everyone around him including his lover and friends killed, and ultimately he dies too. Then a benevolent king takes the throne, having learned from this conflict.

#black panther #mcu rewatch #infinity war spoilers #kinda

[juuls]

Got any stuckony recs?

YES! Absolutely yes!

My apologies this took until today. I had a busy weekend and had to rest a lot, but I’m here now. :) Also, I don’t have my old bookmarks list (long story) so I’m having to go through and look for my favorites, old and new. Long process! (This took me over four hours, though I was doing a few other things as well. Still, I’m a bit of a slowpoke.)

See below the cut for some of my favorites, and don’t forget to leave kudos and comments (even just an “I liked this!”) for the authors, to let them know their hard work is appreciated!

(If someone knows an author’s Tumblr handle, let me know or tag them so that I can edit this rec list and tag them appropriately!)

Equilateral by FestiveFerret @festiveferret

It was the way Steve had said, “I found him,” the desperate, agonized hope, that had Tony replying with, “Bring him home,” without any hesitation.

But now, now he was hesitating like fuck.

Penny Candy and Sparklers by StrivingArtist @striving-artist

James Buchanan Barnes: formerly the Winter Soldier, formerly Captain America’s right hand man, formerly a sergeant, formerly a dock worker, formerly Stevie’s best friend…. currently a glorified prisoner of Prince T’Challa…. had trouble wrapping his head around all those former selves. He spent too much time thinking about all the bits of him that he kept gluing back together to pretend he was a person anyone would want to keep. He spent even more time picking at the cracks, pointing the flaws out to himself. Only thing he did more than that was make sure no one else noticed how far he was from human.

So, James Buchanan Barnes, who didn’t know what to call himself, who didn’t know how to go forwards, agreed, and moved back into the tower where his best friend lived with a husband orphaned by the Winter Soldier.

Hide A Heart of War by RayShippouUchiha @rayshippouuchiha

“You’ve got war in your heart boy,” Howard sneers, “don’t ever try and pretend to be anything but what you are.”

Tony feels the familiar burn of a flower mark being etched into his skin but he doesn’t look, doesn’t try and check to see what it is. Instead he keeps his eyes on Howard and his hands cupped around his bleeding mouth and nose.

Of Spiders and Super-Soldiers by AuddieAussie (Juulna’s note: I come back and read this all the time when I need some family feels and a smile. :))

After the hell that was Ultron and the Sokovia Accords, Tony doesn’t blame the team for wanting nothing to do with him. To make up for past mistakes, Tony disappears into his lab and focuses on using his money and brains to provide the Avengers with more fancy tech than they’ll ever need. By doing this, he also doesn’t have to worry about Steve’s grim frown, Bucky’s hateful gaze, or everyone else’s cold annoyance.

For six long months, this formula worked, but then fate decided to be a Loki-like dick and Tony wasn’t sure how it happened, but in the span of one week, he’d somehow acquired a kid.

and you needed someone to show you the way by SailorChibi @tsuki-chibi

Tony knows what the team really thinks of him. It’s a delicate balance: they tolerate him because of his money and his toys, and he gets to stay on the team and fight with them. He’s okay with that. So long as he hides the fact that Steve’s and Bucky’s names are written on his skin in the most embarrassing act of one-sided love affection ever, everything will be fine.

It just figures that a fantastically stupid villain, a kidnapping plot and a video camera will bring Tony’s well-kept secret out into the open.

The Mechanic, The Soldier, and The Captain by AvocadoLove (Juulna’s note: this is sad)

HYDRA need a replacement for Zola’s genius, and they have years worth of experience breaking and brainwashing a good man into something they can control.

Beware of Super Soldiers And Their Enticing Laps by Confused_Emo

Tony’s eyes shifted back toward the remaining occupants of the room only to realise there was literally no space in the sitting area for him.

This apparently was the best time for Bucky to make suggestive gestures, as the soldier patted his thigh lasciviously, “Why don’t you come sit on my lap, plenty of space right here.”

Just Far Enough by TheSopherFly (Juulna’s note: please read the tags. This is triggering and sad and angsty but fucking phenomenally well done and one of my all-time favorites… And I don’t like angst at all.) 

Tony couldn’t honestly remember how long it had been like this. Probably since the day he’d called T’Challa and offered his help. At first it had just been compulsive self-denial: you can’t eat until you’ve drafted your opening remarks, until you’ve finished your research, until you’ve rewritten every last colon and comma and apostrophe in those Accords so that everyone can come home.

Those goals had been realistic. Lately, they’d become impossible. Until everyone forgives you. Until you forgive yourself. Until you make up for every bad thing you’ve ever caused.

He was fine. He was coasting in a dangerous place, but he was fine. He wasn’t taking it too far - just far enough.

Trinity by cinaea (immediately followed by pt. 2: Volition)

He’s become the kind of monster he all but died trying to stop.

A D/s, soul-bond AU set in modern day. More than two years ago, Bucky Barnes was lost during a Howling Commandos mission and captured by HYDRA. He and fellow prisoners Clint and Natasha—all submissives—are treated as slaves and forced to carry out terrorist attacks for their masters. An attack by the Avengers enables their escape but leaves Bucky with an incomplete soul bond to two superheroes.

Vowing to never be imprisoned again, Bucky and his friends go on the run from HYDRA, from law enforcement, and from the two dominants who will do anything to find him.

Don’t Tell Pepper by Crematosis

Tony convinces Steve that it is totally okay to include Bucky in their relationship because nobody will ever know. They’ll keep it a secret from the team and they’ll absolutely keep it a secret from Pepper because she’ll only yell at them.

Like most of Tony’s good ideas, it comes back to blow up in his face.

Underneath the Mistletoe by DreamcatchersDaughter @dreamcatchersdaughter

5 times Tony gets caught underneath the mistletoe and one time he doesn’t (and thank fuck for that).

and another like it by the same author:

Christmas Kisses (aka Sam is So Done With Your Shit)

Their mutual pining is driving him crazy, but its okay cause Natasha’s got a plan.

The Colors That Bind Us by yasminakohl @stuckonstoney

When Steve Rogers was six a boy saved him from a bully, then sky went from white-gray to brilliant blue.

When Bucky fell, the world stayed colorful and everyone told him it was because of the serum, he believed them.

When he woke from the ice and he finds the black and white he’d expected years ago, sixty-six years ago it seems, he’s crushed.

Now there’s color again, this time it comes with amazing reds and golds.

Until he wakes up and his sky is brilliant and his color mate is trying to kill him, his first color mate.

Will Steve ever be able to have his blue, red and gold?

The Melting, the Spark, and the Suffocation by btBatt @batterology

“So, Bucky,” he said, clapping his hands. “You ready to change the lives of asthmatic little punks everywhere?” Bucky sent a skeptical look Steve’s way.

“It seems to be my calling in life,” he said. Steve just smiled. He looked a little like he was having a moment, one of his oh-my-God-I-have-Bucky-back moments, so Tony smiled too.

“There are worse things,” Tony mused.

“Hear, hear,” Natasha said.

The Limitations of Wax by RayShippouUchiha @rayshippouuchiha (Juulna’s note: This has been untouched for quite a while but there are separate WiPs being written and branched off of this – and completed – that are fantastic, and the core character study in this fic is fantastic so I still recommend it.)

Toni Stark grows up with the tale of Icarus swirling in the back of her mind. Instead of taking it as a precautionary tale about hubris and overreaching she decides it’s more about the limitations of wax.

Years later when she builds herself wings of her own she makes sure to build them out of better material.

Difficult Conversations by yumekuimono @yumekuimono

HYDRA had brainwashed their Asset into silence, and then muzzled him to boot. It’s not that surprising that Bucky no longer considers talking to be one of his strong suits. So why does he keep having to have difficult conversations?

Or, the road to loving Tony Stark is never an easy one. (Juulna’s note: Eventual/Pre-OT3)

Strip it Down by Batfink

“Think about who you’re talking to Bucky. I am the technology king. What you’re asking me to do goes against everything I hold dear.” Tony looked positively distraught.

Bucky slid his hand onto Tony’s cheek, tilting his head until their eyes met. “Crying, Tony. Over the fucking washing machine.”

Giving a Friend a Hand by neunundneunzig (seasidesunset)

Bucky gets Tony’s help dealing with… anatomy malfunctions, and it turns into much more.

Operation: Knuckleheads by FestiveFerret @festiveferret

Bucky is enjoying his new, post-Winter Soldier life at Avengers Tower, until he discovers that the constant tension between Steve and Tony was caused by a recent (and mysterious) breakup. Determined to make his friends happy, Bucky gives himself a new mission: figure out what went wrong, and get these two idiots in love back together again.

Compass Heading by antigrav_vector @disco-pinecone

So… It’s complicated. Steve went and got himself killed on a mission, and, somehow, in the aftermath, Tony ended up getting together with Barnes. He’s still not entirely sure how that happened, really, but he’s not about to question it too hard. He’s enjoying it too much.

Then, because the universe loves turning his life upside down, they find Steve. It’s been two years, and things have changed, but Tony still cares about the asshole, and that, right there, is a problem.

Too Damn Short by MrShyRockstar

“I’m too short for this shit.”

This literally sums up this little ficlet. Tony’s too short, Steve is clearly (to anyone with eyes *coughnottonycough*) pining, and Bucky is just watching everything with exasperated amusement. That is all.

Put Your Arms Around Me, Hold Me Tight by StarSpangledBucky

Tony and Bucky desperately need to sort out the kink in their relationship, before they both lose Steve, or one of them does. It isn’t until the second week Steve is away on a mission that Tony goes through a nightmare, and Bucky decides to comfort him. From there, it gives them a chance to talk. And by the time Steve comes back, he’s more than satisfied by the results.

Minefields by arianapeterson19 (Juulna’s note: Please heed the tags! Content is triggering for abusive relationships.)

Being in an abusive relationship was a bit like needing glasses. He didn’t realize it until the damage was done.

Funny how people assume only men can be abusive.

And a new fic by a new author I would like to recommend to people to read:

Lonely Boy by thereddame @the-red-dame

Tony gets a visit from a Tony from a different universe and she needs him to help keep her children safe until Girl-Tony can kick some HYDRA ass. She’s being pretty tight-lipped about the father but he’s got a sneaking suspicion it’s Steve. Hey, maybe he can get ‘best babysitter in the universe’ award after this? 

I’m sure since you are sending me an ask you know about my fics (though maybe not my oneshot), but I’ll list them anyway. ;)

Necrosis by Juulna

Necrosis (from the Greek νέκρωσις “death, the stage of dying, the act of killing” from νεκρός “dead”)

Tony always thought he’d die first, of the three of them. He’d accepted it, even. Hell, he wasn’t even sure that Steve or Bucky coulddie. Shows how much he knew.

Hanging From a Cross of Iron by Juulna

Toni Stark never - not even once - had a soulmark appear. Not one she can remember, at any rate. But when one finally appears, and the date of her rendezvous seems impossible to meet, does she decide to move on with her life, and forget the words written upon her skin?

Of course not. She’s Toni fucking Stark. Making the impossible possible is practically her family motto.

Well… there we go! I hope that that suffices for recommendations? If you want some more, I’m happy to provide them! Happy reading, and don’t forget:

Leave the authors your love in the form of a kudos and/or comment!

MUAH! xoxo

#stuckony #stuckony fanfic #steve x bucky x tony #winterironshield #stuckoni #female tony stark #steve rogers #bucky barnes #tony stark #toni stark #stucky #stony #winteriron #juulna recs #ask #anonymous #thank you for the ask! #<3 #leave comments #it feeds the authors in our midst #and makes us all happy #:)

[dorkaholics]

Synopsis:  

“The Only Light In the Darkness” – With their world turned upside down, Coulson races to save the life of his one true love as the mystery of “The Cellist,” which began in Marvel’s The Avengers, is finally reveals on Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,TUESDAY, April 22 (8:00-9:01 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

It’s been a long time in the making but we finally get to see the type of woman that catches Coulson’s eyes–Audrey Nathan aka The Cellist. Marvel’s serious about the little things, hence the show’s recent attempts to push the hashtag “#ItsAllConnected.”

Right from the get go the audience is introduced to Blackout, a villain that seems to have the power to suck energy away from technology and people. Right away, we know he’s creepy, mysterious and most importantly, has POWERS. Finally! It only took them about 19 episodes to show a character with superpowers (minus the time Lorelei and Lady Sif showed up).

Ward lies to the entire team while he’s being stitched up by Simmons. He tells them that HYDRA overran the Fridge while he was there, stole everything and freed the prisoners. He then tells them that before he escaped he killed Garrett.

“Yeah, we’re safe here but what about everyone else? People that don’t happen to have access to a top secret underground shelter. What about them? I don’t know if it’s wise, but it’s right.” – Agent Phil Coulson

Coulson gets worried as soon as Ward tells them about the free inmates. He immediately gets Skye to do a threat assessment of the situation. But has her specifically check for a man named Marcus Daniels. Coulson discovers that Daniels is free and immediately decides he’s going after them.

Koenig, on the other hand, isn’t so keen on the agents leaving his secret base until they all go through “orientation,” the ultimate lie detector. Koenig explains that “Nick Fury designed the machine himself because he wanted a lie detector that even Romanov couldn’t beat.” Welp, there goes your cover Ward. I’m honestly expecting him to just jump out of the chair screaming “HAIL HYDRA.” The team undergoes a series of questions to which we find out the following about the agents:

Agent Triplett is a legacy. His grandfather was a Howling Commando, one of the men that fought alongside Captain America in the war.

Skye’s real name is Mary Sue Poots. (I can see why she decided to rename herself Skye”

May was once MARRIED. To who? Who would be good enough for this hard boiled woman? My guess would have to be he was once a SHIELD agent that died in the line of duty.

Koenig asks each of the agents if they knew Alexander Piece and about Project Insight (references to Captain America: The Winter Soldier). But most interesting of all, Koenig asks them all about what they’re doing here now that the agency is gone.

Everyone passes and gets their lanyard but it’s finally Ward’s turn. Ward has some shaky answers to which Koening almost catches him but ultimately fails. Ward has some of the most cheesiest answers I’ve ever heard. This scene was easily one of the most cringe worthy scenes of the entire season. Did the writers just establish that Ward is on the same level as Natasha Romanov in terms of espionage/secrecy? Seems like Fury didn’t account for his machine to fail due to human error because Koenig has to be the worse interrogator I’ve ever seen. After receiving his lanyard, Ward walks out of the interrogation room and immediately takes out a nail? needle? out of his thumb–a technique he used to somewhat control his heart beat.

Leaving Ward behind, the team immediately heads out to find Ms. Audrey Nathan, who Coulson explains is the key to finding Marcus Daniels. The agents find Nathan and stops Daniels through the use of Fitz’s robots that shines immense beams of light, but Daniels escapes into the darkness after blowing them away.

Back in the underground base, Skye figures out that Koening is using the lanyards as a way to track Coulson’s team. After calling him out on it, she gets the idea to obtain footage of the HYDRA raid on the Fridge. She convinces Koenig to allow her to hack into the NSA in order to get the footage from the Fridge breakout. Ward takes her side and makes an attempt to get her to access the hard drive. Unfortunately for Ward, Skye informs him that the encryption is location based. They’ll have to take a field trip just to unlock the drive.

Simmons and Triplett are tasked with protecting Nathan while Fitz and Coulson watch from another undisclosed location. Nathan reveals that in the past, Daniels stalked her, calling her his “light.” She goes on to recall the agent of SHIELD that protected her before–Agent Phil Coulson. The two of them were intimately close and were in the middle of planning a trip together when Nathan received the call about Coulson’s death. Acker’s an amazing actor and delivers the exposition between her character and Coulson’s past with the highest believability and emotion.

Back in Providence, May decides to leave on her own. She figures she has no reason to stay anymore since Coulson no longer trusts her. As she looks back towards the base before ultimately leaving, the audience is immediately hit with a sense of ominousity and danger. Ward’s free to roam with no one able to match him. Ward goes to Koenig and slowly closes the door to Koenig’s office. RIP Agent Koenig. You were an interesting addition while you lasted.

Skye goes to Koenig’s office after she finishes hacking into the NSA but she finds it empty. Ward shows up in the most murder-villainous way behind her, but keeps his cover. He tells her that Koenig went to send the video she recovered over to a couple of other government branches, an obvious lie! WHAT DID YOU DO WITH PATTON OSWALT?! 

Ward and Skye take a moment to chat and have a drink–that must be nice. He opens up to Skye about his feelings for her and tip toes around his secret. The two end up making out but stop when Skye finds blood on Ward’s body. Again, I say RIP Agent Koenig. Ward excuses himself, claiming the blood must’ve come from one of his open wounds. Now alone, Skye finds Agent Koenig’s tablet which just so happens to show Koenig’s location due to his lanyard. She goes off to look for him.

Meanwhile, the rest of the team use Nathan as bait to draw out Blackout. They set up a trap for him while Nathan sits on stage in a theatre playing her  cello. The team shoot immense beams of light, courtesy of Banner tech, at Blackout before he can reach Nathan, but are blown away by Blackout’s powers. Coulson grabs one of the weapons and shoots Blackout before he can reach Nathan. How convenient that this weapon is a beam of light because this stops Nathan from discovering that Coulson is alive. In the end, Coulson preserves his secret but not before establishing himself as the humble hero we all know and love about him.

  “He’s HYDRA!” – Skye

Back in Providence (so much for that name), things aren’t so lucky for Skye. She follows the tracker to find Koenig  only to discover that he’s been killed. She immediately comes to the conclusion that the culprit must be Ward. The show instantly turns into a horror film as Skye locks herself in the bathroom and hides. She laments and realizes that Ward has been HYDRA all along. On the brink of breaking down,  Skye pulls herself together and knows her only way to survive is to play along with his charade. Her plan backfires when, while still keeping up the charade, Ward insists that she get on the Bus with him and leave. She tries to make up excuses in order to get away from Ward but is ultimately SCREWED. Ward grabs her by the arm which pretty much tells her that she doesn’t really have a choice.

  Hopefully in the time it took Ward to find her, Skye left some kind of message for the team, maybe a message in lipstick on the bathroom wall perhaps? On the other hand, Ward is becoming more and more my favorite villain. He’s the bad guy that everyone wants to love AND hate! I mean he’s no Loki but still. He has a menacing look about him and is seriously giving me the chills. It’s especially creepy when he reaches in to hold Skye’s hands as they walk towards the Bus.

“You’re not going to take her out are you?…Good. I’ve always liked Maria.” – May’s Mother

The rest of the team return to find Providence empty, the Bus gone and Koenig missing. The episode then ends with May as she walks alongside the road and is picked up by an older, Asian woman (Tsai Chin!) This must mean she’s May’s mother right? (sarcasm, but probably true). Fun fact: Ming-Na Wen (Melinda May) and Tsai Chin (May’s Supposed Mother) were in The Joy Luck Club together! A film and book that I happen to hold dear!  The woman hands May a file and reveals that the information is on a person named Maria–Maria Hill.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will return on April 29 with the episode “Nothing Personal.”

RECAP: MARVEL’S ‘AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.’ S1E19 “The Only Light in the Darkness” Synopsis:   “The Only Light In the Darkness” – With their world turned upside down, Coulson races to save the life of his one true love as the mystery of “The Cellist,” which began in Marvel’s The Avengers, is finally reveals on Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,TUESDAY, April 22 (8:00-9:01 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

#Agent Koenig #Agent Maria Hill #Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. #Agents of Shield #Audrey Nathan #Coulson #Marvel&039;s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. #Marvel&039;s Agents of Shield #Phil Coulson

[gladoe]

Anti Knight Bendy Fan fic  (JOKE!)

Warning Fan fic I do not own Bendy and the Ink machine..

Act 1 "The show must go on?"

The Studio is buzzing with Life and creativity but sadly quaility comes with a price! The funding for the popular Ink Deamon known as Bendy as been running dangerously low for quite some time now. Henry one of the co founder of the studio has attempted everything from merchindise,cereal box covers,even haveing to give people the horrid pink slip. Sadly not enough money was coming in to keep up with the tyranical needs of currancy. Wile this was going on in the delightful world of Bendy and his gang,

"Gee I hope things work out for the best."Exclaimed the worried devil, Bendy was never a well desighned charecter his structure small and simplistic easy on the eye, Only made from 2 colors, Black and White as the rest of the gang.The Angelic counterpart of Bendy rises to his side her form slightly curvy with the same simplsitic style only had remorce and symapthy to offer. "Henry will know what to do he has been threw a lot and so have we...we will find a way to continue the show. "It must Go on" as you always have said before...Right?", Alice's cute like face forms a disgusting heart crushing frown not knowing what to say next. Among the Gang is the silly Boris The wolf his desighn is slinky and not as furry as one would belive a wolf to be but for a cartoon style they live in every day one can easily tell he is canine like, Boris was not part of there worried conversation as he enters there blank page. "Hey, Hey, Hey yall..Whats the frown for turn them upside down!, You dont want your faces to be printed like that when we are in the show room do you?" Happily spoke the wolf. "Well the thing is Boris...We may not have work for awile if things keep hitting the fan like a dart to a board" Said the Small Devil. "Oh Dont be like that!" For a Angel she could hit quite hard and if it was not for the fact of having only 2 colors to there page Bendy would have shown a bruise. "OW!! What the H-E-double hocky sticks ALICE that hurt!"Yells the frisky demon as his tail is in a agrivated zig zag shape.

The blissful wolf Smiles as he explaimes that Henry is working out a multi partner deal to add new animators and ideas into the show to help bring it back to its former glory,As moth to a flame the crew grew atractive to the idea of being back in show biz as soon as they can! "He said we will have new colors,Animators,Objects and even a new style of drawing for us!"As Boris lists everything Henry promised Bendy cant but help feel guilt and a sickness in his stomach for quickly leaving his old form and home for something vastly different. "He...hey Boris ..Buddy, Pal..Chum dont you think..this may be to much?..Like we are going to completly change we may have our own emotions and souls but we would look,sound and be different...can we do that this easily?" Bendy's tail curls up into a question mark as he glances over at Boris and Alice for a response. Alice with a small cheeky smirk replies with gloat and cheer "Bendy dont worry we just have to Act our parts out we wont forever change, Our looks , clothes and style may but we will always be partners right Boris?" "Right!!" Replies the wolf. Bendy with a reashured sigh smiles and nods "Okay then....If you are okay with this then I am!" With excitement the three begin to day dream what new changes will happen in the near future!

  The Real world Henry has brought in a few Animators and has new unique tools for better animation quaility and desigh. The process of setting the new stuido up took a week to properly set things up from the gear to the very equipment that will be used. Henery Looks at his crew one last time before the change he gives them a smile as he takes a picture with them his tired eyes lit with joy, The Devil happy and making bunny ears with his hand above alice's halo as Boris hugs them both all excited for what is about to happen next.  The first five days was brutal on everyone working day in and out testing voice quaility,Animation,Even new styles Poor bendy was the test subject to it all! This little creature went threw many art styles ranging from Jappense Manga, To big headed Trash art Even a reatro style pixel game but none fit sadly. When all hope was lost Henry figuired out why none of the new styles worked it was because they had no Plot! The Entire crew did research and brainstormed what children today were interested in, They liked Knights right?...ya..They also like space...Why not both? Then the birth of The Anti Knight! A heroic Devil Knight setting aside his dark ways to save the angelic princess Alice with his squire Boris! The Plot was in action and so was the crew in the real world as they set forth on this new idea and plan.

What was made first was a Beautiful HD background having a dark color with bright glowing sighns and lights flashing behind the sun a beautiful yellow and organge burning bright as rubble,dirt and trash littered the ground a ruined landscape for a Loyal powerful knight to surpass and conqure! The next step is the new look it first started with Boris the Squire, His small fragile body changed into a thin mucle his overalls turned from rags to great bronze medal cleaned and polished to impress the ladies his gear consists of his musical instrument of choice a alchemy satchel set and a dagger at the end of the process his tail never stopped wagging! Now for the beautiful Maiden to be the Angelic Alice was next her looks changed to enhance her beauty 10 fold her pale skin now hinted cream with a small red blush as her eyes now own a lustful look her dress made from the finest silk in appearence as her skin was graced by a godess itself her long black silk hair reaching down to her shoulder as her halo now hovers above her glowing brightly a Needy Boris Howl can be heard in the background. Finnaly for the Anti Knight himself Bendy under goes a unique transformation as his small 4 foot height increased to a wopping 8ft towering over any weak enemy in his way his mass was past a body builder and could easily bench press a weight lifting machine wile it was in use! His armor a beautiful gothic desighn were small frail details cover the edges of it in a neon glow as his massive armor covers his chest,shoulders,forarms,knees and shins he even owned a crotch plate as for style purpose he had a cloak around his right shoulder and around his waise to cover his rear and front his face and mucles exsposed to scare enemies away as his only gear and pride would be X-Calibur a massive 6 feet sword Pure metal with a leather handel it had a Final Fantasy (TM) buster blade appearence but the edge would have a Bright energy beam when a button was pressed! Now that everyone fits there appearnce in desighn now have to sound there role, Boris sounds of a small but strong Male determined for greatness, The amazing Alice sounds like a soft suductress, As the Anti knight a boastful knight Proud,strong and ready to save his princess in any moment!

 It was all set,The stage,The sound,The roles but it was missing its high point, its finish...its Villian...

With the desires of the best intentions from Henry but with the role of a wicked creature birthed new life onto the Page. "Levia Ethan!" I shall call him exclaimed Henry,Ethan for short. Ethan is Bendy's Counter in the role of Anti knight he was the antagonist the Evil creature that would send Bendy threw challanges and steal Alice but was yet to be known is when you are born with a wicked role one might have a hard time seaperating life from work. Ethan's form surpassed Bendy he stood as 9ft tall a foot above him his arms could easily crush stones and send gods crying his skin a dark abyssal black darker then the ink used on Bendy, His eyes had a pericing blue color to them but the most distinguishable part is his cold hearted stare he had on every moment since birth.

When Ethan was brought to the Page he was greeted by the NEW gang he took very high interested with Alice and her new curves, this noticable admiration slips past Boris as Bendy took notice and buts into Ethan's and Alice's conversation. "Howdy New guy Im Bendy you must be Ethan the new guy!..Lokie here we all got a new gig and all even new voices and getups but if you wanna make it in show buis.." Rudely inttrupted by Ethan his cold dark voice sends chills down Bendy's Spin. "I will end you Anti Knight....Once I have own the princess as my queen you will be my new rug..." In this line of work they get carried away once in awile with acting but this guy was a whole new level it was as if his life IS his role and this thought rushes threw Bendys mind like a rapid river and his happy exsprestion dies down quickly.

To be continued ..Maybe?..

P.S this is a joke between me and a friend it has horrible grammar,writing and spelling due to inside joke reasons o3o