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demona-andariel · 10 months

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Punished

Yeah, that guy lol. Don’t know what came over me when I wrote this. But I did and I finished it and why not post it and share with the world? It was fun and No regrets. With just being a one shot, I’m posting the link as well as just the entire thing here.

Warnings: Noncon, explicit sex, loss of virginity, whipping, +

Fandom: Marvel Cinematic Universe

Summary: Thanos has to punish a prisoner for killing some of his soldiers.

Words: 5,453

Punished - Thanos x OFC (Completed)

Thanos stared at his throne. His mission to save the universe and cut the entire population by half was going well, although slow. Each planet he visited felt the devastation of his attacks. Only for them to recover because of what he had done. Children weren’t starving on the streets. Countries weren’t going to war. Resources weren’t being depleted at a faster rate. All because of him.

He clasped his hands behind his back, feeling quite proud of himself. His ship orbited another planet he planned on conquering. This one was a bit different. This planet had powerful warriors protecting it. Although there were only ten of them, they were giving his army quite a fight. It made him wish he had more infinity stones.

Soon , he thought. But for now, his army needed his help. Donning his armor, he made his way to the planet's surface.

The sound of people screaming, of ships being torn apart, explosions and the smell of blood woke Alanna from her slumber. She let out a cry of surprise as she scrambled to her feet. Where was she? She was in some sort of prison cell. Her hands were cuffed together in a strong device. She couldn’t break it.

She searched deep inside of herself. Looking for the song that vibrated through her. She let out a cry of frustration. Nothing. She frowned. She’d only ever felt so empty when she- There was no way, she thought, shaking her head.

“Ah good, you’re awake,” the creature known as Ebony Maw said as he floated towards the front of her cell.

She watched him, eyes glaring. “My friends will come for me,” she snarled. She couldn’t remember getting captured. But considering the fight they had been in was long and hellish it wasn’t out of the realm of possibilities.

Ebony Maw motioned with his fingers and the door opened. Before she could even attack, she felt her body being pulled toward the being. “Don’t-” he said softly as he stroked her cheek. “Even think about it. Now, be good and follow me. Otherwise-” There was a glint in his eyes.

Pushing back the fear in her own, she steeled herself and followed the tall alien. Questions swirled in her mind. What had happened? How did she end up on the enemy ship? Where were her friends? She passed by some guards, noting their positions and how far she’d walked. Once the song inside of her was back she’d be able to escape.

They walked into a large throne room. Thanos sat in his throne, watching them, his eyes burning with intensity at her. “My lord,” Ebony Maw started to say, but his voice disappeared from her mind as her ears began to ring. Thanos had bandages on him. Her eyes spotted his armor. Cracked and almost unusable, proof of-

She dropped to her knees.

Ebony Maw quickly turned and Thanos raised his eyebrows, leaning forward in his throne.

“Leave us,” Thanos commanded, waving his hand at Ebony Maw.

“But, sire,” Ebony started to protest, but then quickly remembered his place. He nodded his head then left the room. Closing the doors behind him.

Thanos walked down from his throne towards her.

Alanna, don’t!

“Why… why didn’t you kill me?!” she screamed at Thanos. She didn’t wait for his reply as she attacked him. Bound hands or no, she didn’t care.

Thanos easily dodged her angered attacks, then grabbed her face with one hand and pushed her away. He smiled. “Do you wish to die?” he asked, standing over her.

Tears rained down her face. Her mind still couldn’t remember what she’d done. But she knew. Judging by his armor, by the emptiness in her. She’d done a great amount of damage.

He roughly grabbed her arms pulling them over her head as what seemed like a magnetic chain came down and attached itself to the device holding her hands together.

“Tell me, little one,” he said in her ear as he slowly walked around her. “Where did you get such power?”

She looked away from him, refusing to answer his question.

He chuckled. He’d been thinking long and hard on what to do with her. He’d met many people in his travels with various powers. But hers intrigued him.

Thanos watched her, amused at her attempts to escape. She pulled and wiggled. She even seemed to try to focus, only to give up and try the pulling again. She had been dangerous. Far more dangerous than he realized. When he had joined in the battle, his army was losing. It didn’t take him long to kill one of the heroes. And then two more fell by his blade when they tried to avenge their fallen comrade.

He had spotted her, surrounded by a group of soldiers. Another hero. The smallest of the ten and clearly the weakest. Just as they were starting to win, the heroes facing his army seemed to grow stronger. Their powers became more lethal. Two more rushed at him, a man and a woman, this time they weren’t so easy to defeat. There were a few times he felt like he should have killed them. Only for them to barely escape his blade’s edge.

The man almost had him, but hesitated a fraction of a second. That was enough for Thanos to drive his blade through the man’s chest. And then, the world seemed to go silent.

“Alanna, don’t!” the woman shouted at the weakest of them. “Get out, run, now!” she screamed, this time to her own men. She looked over at Thanos then ran away.

Alanna didn’t move. The ground under her feet trembled. He never retreated when he was in battle. But he could feel the raw energy. He had to destroy her. Just as he started to throw his blade, she arched her back and screamed. The energy she released rippled like a wave, fracturing machines and creatures in its path. He saw the creatures of his army closest to her obliterate as their bodies convulsed so hard their bones jutted out, puncturing them, and then they seemed to deflate into a puddle of jelly. One of his ships was close to the wave and he watched as the ship shook the front end apart. That destabilized it, causing it to crash into another one of his.

When the wave hit him, he felt as if his body was trying to tear itself apart. His armor didn’t fare well, as it cracked and splintered on him. If he was closer, he might have died. Although, it was more likely that he would have stabbed her through the heart to stop her.

And then she fainted. He quickly commanded Ebony Maw to take her before her hero friends could return. And then he finished what he had started.

“You have cost me many lives,” he muttered, as he picked up what appeared to be a stick near his throne. It acted as a type of whip when turned on. He had to punish her for killing so many in his army. But, he wasn’t going to kill her. At least not yet. He was going to see if she would join him.

He moved his hand and a screen came down in front of her. With a snap of his finger, the screen turned into a mirror. He stood behind her menacingly, towering over her. She glared back at him in defiance. Before she could react. He easily ripped her suit, tearing it apart to reveal her naked chest and back.

A strong sting across her back made her cry out. Realizing what he was doing and what he wanted, she bit her cheek as he slowly circled her. Whipping her hard enough to cause red welts, but not enough to bleed. She tried to clench her hands in the device that held them trapped. But it was too narrow. Her tan skin had red marks from where he’d whipped.

Her naked breasts heaved as she took deep breaths.

Thanos frowned as he felt something stir in him. He hadn’t noticed that his cock had gotten hard. He walked around her, inspecting her in a new light. She wasn’t bad looking. Straight dark brown hair that was in a ponytail. She looked human, tan skin, supple breasts. Her body seemed to curve nicely in all the right places. Bigger hips, nice ass. Although she was smaller than the heroes she’d been fighting with, she was a little bit taller than most human women he’d seen. But that didn’t mean she could handle his cock. The red marks along her back and breasts, made his heart start to race.

He wasn’t normally turned on like this. He’d never considered raping anyone. There was no need. His mission was always on his mind. It was hard to think about anything else. But now, thoughts of seeing how much of him she could take clouded his mind. If he did he ran the risk of breaking her. Her powers were interesting and unique. He’d never met anyone who vibrated so hard they could destroy a spaceship.

He watched her from behind. Eyeing her still clothed ass. An image of her crying as he stuffed his cock in her ass tantalized him. Then he pictured her coming while he fucked her ass.

“Is that all you got?” she snapped.

He didn’t answer. He couldn’t. His heart was beating faster. Dare he? He found himself behind her. It would be unfortunate if he broke her.

“Did you think that’s all I had in store to punish you?” he asked, placing his large hands on her hips. He heard her catch her breath and then her breathing quickened as he pressed himself against her.

There was little doubt in his mind that she felt his hard cock. He could hear the short shallow breaths of fear. He easily ripped the rest of her clothing off of her and took a step back to admire her backside.

She was watching him, through the mirror. He stepped closer again, running one hand along her body. She moved this time, desperately fighting to get away. But there was nowhere she could go.

He let out a deep hum. Normally, he’d make a night of it. Spending some time in foreplay to allow his partner time to get ready for his giant cock. He ran one hand down the front of her body. She tried to close her legs, but he still pushed them apart with his hand. He stuck a finger in her, rubbing her clit at the same time and she jolted at the touch and penetration.

“I don’t wish to break you, little one,” he growled in her ear.

She whimpered. “Please,” she begged.

“Please? Do you want my cock so badly?” He smiled at the look of horror in her face. He dipped a second finger in, causing her to cry out. Her breasts moved up and down as her breathing deepened.

“No,” she finally said, shaking her head.

“No?” he asked, taking his fingers out of her pussy. She cried out and jumped as he stuck a finger in her ass. “Shall I take this instead?” He smiled. Giving her false hope. He would have her ass before they left the room.

She bent her head down in resignation and he smiled as he pulled his finger out. He stripped off his clothes as he walked in front of her, positioning himself so she could see his erect cock. Her eyes grew large as she looked at him.

“It won’t fit,” she cried out, struggling again with her restraints.

He laughed as he pulled them for her. The chain loosened quickly, causing her to land on her knees. He pulled her up again so that his cock was directly in front of her face. A little bit of precum leaked from the tip. “If you bite, I will not be kind to your ass.”

Her whole body shook, but she tentatively opened her mouth. He let her set the pace, he didn’t want to fuck an unconcious or dead woman. He wasn’t entirely sure if she was purposefully being bad. He could feel the tension in her jaw as she took him in her mouth. If she wasn’t so stressed, he had a feeling he could go deeper. Her tongue barely moved and she barely applied pressure much to his disappointment.

“Pitiful,” he said, pulling out of her. He could take her off the chain and fuck her then and there. But, a better idea popped in his head.

She looked away from him.

He knew what he could do. He lowered the chain slowly watching her body shake again. She tried to keep her legs up to cover herself. But she wouldn’t be able to keep that position for long. A part of him wanted to comfort her. Tell her that she’d be alright. Rain kisses on her and touch her body till she was screaming in ecstasy.

But, she had killed many of his men.

She opened her eyes and let out a little scream when she realized that he was lying on the floor below her. His big angry cock aimed directly at her pussy. He caught her legs before she could kick him, slipping his thumb into her pussy and a finger in her ass. “Which one?” he asked, curiously.

She shook her head. “Neither,” she breathed.

He laughed at the answer, pulling his hand out of her and watched her curiously.

“Please,” she whispered, tears streaming down her face. “Just. Let me go?”

Thanos smiled. “You must be punished for what you did,” he said softly, reaching up his right hand to caress her face.

Her whole body shook as she hung over him. About to be impaled by the biggest cock she’d ever seen. She felt his cock head run across her slit, making her cry more. “Please, just, beat me, or kill me,” she said, shaking her head some more. “You’re too big. You’ll break me.” Her arm muscles clenched from trying to hold herself up. She had to keep fighting. She couldn’t let him win so easily. But- She could begin to feel it. The song was slowly humming in her core.

He smiled, placing one hand on her hip. His cock slipped in between her labia. She tried to pull herself up, away from him. Her muscles were too weak.

"Stop, please, don't," she whimpered. Her eyes stared back at him with absolute fear. "No, no," she cried, shaking her head as she tried to move, to get off him. But there was no where for her to go. "Please," she begged again.

He closed his eyes for a moment as a sob came out of her lips. She couldn't stop the invasion, and her cunt was slowly opening up to him. He should have prepared her more. Should have. But, she'd survive. Despite her seemingly small stature compared to the rest of her friends. She was rather strong.

He couldn't help but groan as the head of his cock finally settled inside of her. The biggest part of him was in. She had her head buried in the crook of her arm. Her body shook with sobs.

"Look at me," he commanded.

She shook her head, taking in deep heaving breathes. The reddening slashes she'd received tantalized him more.

"Look at me," he was far more forceful with his command.

Her lips pursed into grim determination. Fighter, rebellious, a creature to tame to show who is the real boss. Her cunt was incredibly tight. Almost a little too tight. Yes, he really should have prepared her more. But it was to late for that. He reached one hand out, rubbing her clit, making her gasp and arch her back.

"Look at me," he commanded. To his surprise, she did. Eyes begging for mercy.

"Please, stop."

Her words said one thing, but as he stroked her clit he could feel and see her body wanted something else. He nodded in agreement to her body. She took it the wrong way and relaxed. With one hand on her hip, and the other both stroking her clit and acting extra support for his cock, he pushed her down. It was quick with no room for her to think or react. Her eyes widened and she screamed. He didn't stop her descent until she was sitting on top of him. Her cunt had taken all of him, much to his surprise. The device that held her hands together unlocked. She cried out as she slightly fell forward, her free hands pressing on his chest for balance.

“That wasn’t so bad, was it, little one,” he cooed.

She glared at him. Her eyes filled with rage. Her body trembled. He lifted her up with his hands then let her go so that she slammed back down. It was enough to make the fight leave her eyes.

“Stop, please, it hurts,” she whimpered, weakly banging on his chest. He didn't doubt it. As it was, he could already see how stretched out she was. There was no way she was used to anything so deep and huge inside of her. Her face show the various emotions from hate towards him to hate towards herself. Her tears didn't stop. He, in turn, just kept stroking her clit. She probably didn't notice.

He breathed heavily, but he didn’t move as he watched her. He wasn’t sure what had gotten into him. Sex wasn’t something he particularly craved. But, the red marks on her chest from the whipping he’d done for destroying what belonged to him, enticed his thoughts. And now, somehow, she’d taken his giant purple cock completely. He had thought that she could handle most of it, but she wouldn’t take all of him. But there she was, practically doing the splits and taking him in.

It was the first time he’d tried it. He wasn’t a rapist. He did give her a choice after all. All she had to do was keep herself up on the chain. Keep herself above his cock till he got tired of waiting. He did promise himself he’d let her go. Especially since they would have been waiting an awfully long time. But she was too weak from fighting and stress.

Her breathing, although still deep, no longer had any pain in it. And her hands no longer beat on his chest.

It was time. Gripping her hips, he pulled her up till the head of his cock was just inside then pushed her down while he pushed up with his hips. She cried again, shaking her head as she weakly pounded on his chest. She didn’t understand. He couldn’t wait anymore. She was too enticing. Her tight pussy clenched around him, hugging him tightly. He was going to use all of her.

He sat up, to have better control since she refused to move. He pulled her arms back, enjoying the view of her breasts going up and down as he thrusted into her. Her power, his strength. What kind of kids would they have? Would she even be able to carry a baby. She was so tiny.

She moaned, catching his attention. That wasn’t of pain. That one was different. To his surprise, he realized she was fucking him back. Her hips were moving with his. She didn’t look at him, keeping her eyes closed.

“Are you enjoying yourself, little one?” he teased, slowing his rhythm so that she could feel every vein in him.

She shook her head, but bit her lip at the same time. It didn’t stop the mewl from passing through. He laughed.

“This was supposed to be a punishment for what you did to my army.” He pulled out again, so that the head of his cock was the only thing inside, before pulling her to him quickly while thrusting up.

She cried out, a mixture of pain and pleasure. Then she opened her eyes. He could see it. Her body had betrayed her, building up a torrent of emotions that she needed to release. But, he wasn’t going to help her. At least, not anymore.

“Tell me, what do you want?” he teased. If she said the magic words, he would help her.

She shook her head in defiance.

Laughing again, he shrugged his shoulders as he picked up his pace.

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, crying while at the same time moaning and groaning in pleasure in his ear. His hand roamed her ass. Another thing he would claim before they were through with her punishment.

He stood up, easily keeping her in his arms as he slammed in and out of her. She barely weighed anything to him. It was so easy manipulating her body and barely used up his energy as he held her. She clutched to his neck tightly. Still giving his ears the sweet pleasure of her excited moans and groans, despite her desperate attempts to silence herself. A low vibration seemed to come from her body, antagonizing him.

How would she sound if she were more willing? He pushed her against the wall, then wrapped one hand around her neck, squeezing it slightly. His mind ran wild with thoughts of what else they could do. She had taken all of him, and her still wet pussy around his cock told him that she was getting pleasure no matter how much she tried to deny it. All he was doing was driving his cock into her. How would she act if kissed, licked, bit and fondled? Played more with her clit than the random pressure and brush of his pubs on it.

But this was supposed to be a punishment. She wasn’t supposed to get pleasure from this. He felt it, his end was nearing. He laid her on the ground, not leaving her sweet tight pussy. He wanted to be on top of her. He wanted to see her face when he came in her. She closed her eyes, looking away. Her mouth betrayed what she truly felt as couldn’t help but whimper.

“Look at me,” he breathed. Did she know? Could she tell he was reaching his end?

She kept her head turned away. This wouldn’t do. He paused for a moment, pulling completely out. He heard her sigh in relief, but also was that a hint of disappointment? He smiled, she thought he was done. He closed her legs, letting her rest on her side, then pushed himself back in.

She cried out in pain. “Wait, no!”

From this position, she wasn’t as open for him. It was almost painful for him as he pushed his cock in and pulled her hips down on him. She tried to move her legs to open herself back up, but he kept them down. Finally, she looked at him.

“When I say, look at me, you look,” he commanded. Giving her a few painful thrusts before he let her legs go.

The rage in her beautiful eyes was gone. All that was left was resignation. He slowed down his pace, rubbing her belly. Was that him? Could he feel his cock inside of her? He groaned at the thought as he enjoyed every inch of her again, breathing in and out with pleasure. He smiled down at her. She didn’t react. In fact, her breathing was heavy and labored like his, but it didn’t look like she was at the edge of her orgasm anymore.

If she came on his cock- His hand went between her legs, easily finding her clit, he rubbed it. She gasped, arching her back and tried to get away.

A chuckle rumbled through him. “They say women have a hard time achieving an orgasm,” he said, playing with her. “Do you like my cock? The way it fills you up inside?” He moved deliberately slow again.

She bit her lip, shaking her head, eyes once again fueled with rage. But the moans of pleasure were back.

“I think you love my cock more than you’re letting on,” he cooed, picking up pace. “Cum on my cock.” He rubbed her clit, applying more pressure. Then he felt it. Her pussy clenched around his cock as her orgasm took control. She bit her hand to muffle her cries, making him laugh. Soft vibrations coursed through her into him, stimulating him even more. He couldn’t believe it. There was no way he could hold out anymore.

“We’re going to make babies together,” he said.

“No!” she cried out. The look of panic as she tried to stop him pushed him over the edge.

Placing his hands over her shoulders, he let out a cry of pleasure, pressing her body down as he pushed in. He came in her and, much to his surprise, he felt her pussy spasming around his cock. She came again. Low vibrations coursed through him again, pleasing him. He looked down at her, enjoying the view of her crying form. He waited for her pussy to push out his limp cock. It didn’t take that long. He sat back, watching as his seed leaked out of her.

She sat up, doing her best to cover her breasts with her hands, and curling her legs to cover her pussy.

He watched her, eyes dancing with mirth. It didn’t escape his attention there was some blood on his cock. Although, it probably had more to do with how huge he was than her being a virgin. “Clean me up,” he commanded.

“What?” she asked.

“Did you think your punishment was done?” he asked.

She looked down at his flaccid cock. It was still big. He reached out, pinching her nipple and pulling her to him.

“Will you continue to disobey me?” he asked, curiously. He wanted her to. He was already coming up with so many plans to punish her.

He could feel her heartbeat faster. Her eyes betrayed something. “I’ve,” she started as he played with her breasts. He could easily cup them both in one hand. “I’ve-”

“Were you a virgin this whole time?” It was almost more of a statement versus a question. He studied her.

Was that shame in her eyes? It disappeared and was replaced by curiosity. “You didn’t die,” she stated.

He laughed, shaking his head. Although he wanted to see her stuff her mouth with his cock again, feel her suck and lick him clean, this time make her do a better job. He was curious by her words. He grabbed both of her hands and placed them on his cock. Then he tenderly cupped her cheek.

“Why would you say that?” he asked.

She stared down at her hands, then carefully, she began examining his cock.

“I’m not entirely a virgin,” she admitted, looking into his eyes. He felt vibrations pulsing out of her. It was her!

He quickly grabbed onto her neck. “I can easily kill you,” he threatened. Although, the vibrations were feeling very nice. He’d seen what she could do.

“I can’t help it,” she said. “The first, and only guy I was with, I killed him. One simple orgasm and I literally made his body into pudding. I’ve never been with anyone since. I thought. I expected to kill you.”

He laughed again. “It takes more than a little vibration to kill a Titan,” he stated.

She only nodded her head, studying him. Although he wanted her mouth on his cock, her hands were doing a decent job. “Will you leave my planet alone?” she finally asked.

She didn’t know, he realized. He’d done what he had set out to do. He had culled half the population, but also the rest of the heroes who tried to stop him. “I’ve already left, little one,” he said. It wasn’t a lie.

She stopped running her hands along his shaft and pulled them back, looking down. He looked down even though he didn’t need to. He was ready for round two. Before he could say anything, she got up and placed both of her legs on either side of him, squatting down. She grabbed his cock, and guided it into her.

They both let out a groan of pleasure. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, then slowly rose and sat back down. The sound of their bodies connecting, her skin hitting his, echoed through the room. The vibrations coming from her body were getting stronger. He loved that she was being active and actually fucking herself. There wasn’t the rage in them anymore. He kinda missed it. Although, he did like a gentle fucking now and again.

His hands played with her ass. She cried out in fear and tried to move away as one finger penetrated her asshole. “Please, don’t,” she said with tears in her eyes. He stuck another finger in, and she clutched his forearm, her body shook, amplifying the vibrations.

“I’m doing what you want,” she choked on tears.

His free hand touched her face in a loving gesture as he added a third finger. “This is what you wanted,” he stated.

Her eyes widened. Before she could think anymore on it, he pulled her off of him and forced her onto her knees. He snapped and a screen came down in front of them. He waved his hand so that it turned into a mirror. She struggled, but he could easily keep down with one hand.

“No, please!” she cried out as she felt his hard cock rubbing against her ass.

“As I said,” he stated, watching her eyes through the mirror. “You need to be punished.”

He pushed in, and she cried. He moved slowly this time. Savoring every second as he destroyed her ass. Her fists pounded on the floor then finally stopped when he was completely in. She didn’t move, taking shaky breaths as she waited. He didn’t move either, massaging her ass and belly.

“Don’t worry, little one,” he said softly. “I do not intend to break you.” He reached down between her legs and began to circle around her clit as he slowly pulled out. Her breath of surprise made him smile. He found a good slow rhythm. A part of him wanted to just ram into her as fast as possible. But another part, worried about her mental state. He didn’t want to break his new toy.

He pulled his hand away from her clit and her ass moved forward as her needy button searched for his fingers. That interested him. He moved his fingers back, eliciting a moan from her as she pushed her ass back into him. He watched with surprise as she fucked her own ass with his cock because she desperately wanted his fingers on her clit. Did she even know she was doing that?

He started to pick up pace, but she didn’t protest. Moans and groans of pleasure passed through her mouth. The vibrations through her body started to get stronger. He wouldn’t be able to last long if she kept doing that. She clenched her right hand and banged it on the floor, letting out a high pitch scream through closed lips. Her ass clenched tightly around him as she came. The vibrations that her body made were stronger this time. He groaned, unable to control himself anymore. He picked up speed and then stopped, grunting as he came in her ass.

He waited, till her ass pushed his limp cock out before he laid down on the ground, spent again. He felt her body lie down next to him on the cold floor. She was no longer vibrating. For a brief moment, he pictured the two of them laying in bed. He could force her to clean his cock, but he was merciful now and again.

“I hate you,” she finally said. He looked down at her. She didn’t look at him, only up at the ceiling. Finally, she sat up. “You’ve killed my friends.”

“It had to be done,” he stated.

“You raped me.”

He sat up, trying to read her eyes. “You killed my men. I didn’t want to kill you. There’s something special about you. But I had to punish you.”

“You don’t die,” she stated. “I like sex.”

A large smile crossed his face. He brought one of his large hands to her face again, rubbing her cheek. “You do make it rather interesting,” he said.

“If-” she paused. “If I cooperate. Will you be gentle?”

His eyes sparkled. “Sometimes,” he stated. “But sometimes you’ll need to be punished.” Her body shivered in response.

#thanos x oc #smut #noncon tw #fanfiction #tw noncon #links

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maple-seed · 2 years

Text

Thrown - Chapter One: New Neighbors

Summary: After the timelines are set free Loki uses a stolen tempad to join his brother in New Asgard. He has no intentions of fraternizing with mortals but one in particular is persistent.

Word Count: 4,465

Author's Notes: SLOW burn reader-insert fic. Takes place after the events of the Loki series, in a timeline where The Snap was prevented. I know New Asgard is supposedly Tønsberg but I've taken a few liberties. Infinite timelines so anything's possible, right? I'm very new to both fanfiction and tumblr so I'm open to feedback, especially regarding formatting and tags/descriptions!

Master List

Perhaps coming here had been a mistake.

Loki looked out his window to the street below. People bustled this way and that. Rebuilding lives, such as they could. New Asgard. Laughable, really. The thought that anywhere on Midgard might compare to their home.

With the timelines free there were hundreds, likely thousands of realities he could have stepped into when he left the TVA. He probably could have been King of Asgard, intact and pristine. Or perhaps there was a timeline where he could have taken the infinity stones for himself and become master of reality. He could have been on a throne, instead he was here in this hovel.

Loki left the bedroom window and meandered downstairs to the kitchen to make a cup of tea. Thor sat at the table enjoying one of those awful pastries he was so fond of.

"Good morning, brother!" Thor managed between bites.

Loki gave a nod in response while he put water on to boil. Minutes passed in silence. He and Thor were still settling in to this... new situation. They were still Thor and Loki, but neither were the brother that each had been familiar with. The gap in their shared history made some moments feel a little off-kilter. New York was still fresh in Loki's mind. Falling through the void and Thanos. The TVA and betrayal. Meanwhile, Thor was reeling from Ragnarok. Odin's Death. His people decimated and his brother lost, again. Defeating Thanos had been some consolation, perhaps.

Loki still wasn't completely sure when he lost the eye.

"I have some business to attend to in town. I would like you to join me." Loki groaned. "The human town?" "What other town would there be? We're on Midgard." "Must you remind me?"

Thor leaned back in his chair. "Loki, this is our home now. Asgard is gone. Its people are here. You are here, and I'm grateful for that, but you must branch out, start to assimilate. Otherwise why are you here?"

Assimilate. That wasn't Thor's word. It was Stark's. Or possibly the righteous Captain's. They blend together in Loki's mind. The Avengers hadn't been keen on Loki living on Earth, and living unshackled at that. His arrival naturally caused a bit of a commotion. Loki lost track of the video calls and visits with various heroes and authorities. They didn't trust him, which was fair. He got the sense they doubted the existence of the TVA, which was reasonable. Thor had made so many assurances, so many promises, and eventually they very reluctantly allowed Loki to reside here in New Asgard under his watchful eye. They want him to assimilate like his fellow Æsir with the surrounding human communities. It had been made very clear that forces would be scrambled at the first sign of trouble and there would be no second chances.

Loki sighed and squeezed the excess water from the teabag. "Alright. I concede." Thor smiled wide. "Excellent. It's a beautiful day and the walk will be good for you. You've grown so pale, brother."

Loki narrowed his eyes and whipped the teabag at Thor, who dodged with a laugh. The teabag stuck to the wall.

"You can clean that up." Loki muttered, but a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

It was a beautiful day. The sun was out and the temperature mild. Since they were visiting the human town they were both dressed in Earthly clothes. The Midgardian town was a couple miles from the outskirts of New Asgard and while the use of automobiles was beginning to be adopted among the Æsir and some were working to recreate their means of transportation from back home, most still simply walked when they needed to travel. The walk to town was light and easy, especially on a day like this. Loki felt a sense of relief as they left the streets of New Asgard behind. The uncertain looks the Asgardians gave him were tiring. Though the looks humans gave him were worse. Even here in Norway the people knew him and were aware of his sins, with the added annoyance of a mythological history that was not always flattering. Why did he agree to join Thor on this errand in the mortals' town? "I don't think we could have chosen a fairer place to rebuild." Thor's voice snapped Loki out of his inner lamentations. He looked up to observe the scenery in earnest. There were wide open fields and gentle hills that eventually gave way to forest, with mountains rising up into the sky. It truly was beautiful, when he took the time to appreciate it. "I think you may be right." Loki admitted. "Some of the trees here, they remind me of the forest back home." Thor smiled and looked over at Loki. "Do you remember, when we were boys-" "Not the elk story!" Loki tossed his head back in exasperation. Thor laughed, "Yes, exactly what I was thinking of." "That was entirely your fault." "Come now, brother, you can't still feel that way after all these years." "Time does not alter facts." The conversation quickly devolved into a blend of bickering and reminiscing. For a short time it felt like the brothers had never parted.

Around halfway through the journey the road turned. There in the corner of the bend was what appeared to be a farm. A low stone wall enclosed a large field and joined to a cottage. There were a couple outbuildings in the field, one looked like some sort of animal shelter and the other was perhaps a large shed or barn. A third building was near the road, adjacent to the cottage, also interrupting the stone wall. At the corner where the road turned a yew tree grew just outside the wall that encircled the property.

As they rounded the corner they could see a woman up ahead, she appeared to be struggling with a wide wooden slat gate set into the wall.

Loki knew what Thor was going to do. In his mind he begged him not to, and sighed when it happened regardless.

"Do you need some help?" Thor called out.

You turned, looking a little surprised, and straightened up from where you had been working. "I hate to admit defeat but I think I might."

Thor gave Loki a nudge with his elbow and they made their way to you. As they approached the gate the head and paws of a large black dog popped up over the top of the wall. His ears at full attention as he watched the brothers.

You gestured to the gate. "The hinges gave out. I should have replaced them a while ago but you know how it goes. Just kept putting it off. The hardware store in town has some replacements for me so I'm just trying to rig it closed in the meantime. If you boys could hold it in place for me I think I could manage it." Boys? Loki was incredulous. Thor did not seem to notice. "Absolutely!" He gestured to Loki and lifted one end of the gate into place. Loki dutifully stepped forward and held the other end in position. You worked quickly with a spool of wire and a few nails, fastening one side and then the other in just a few short minutes. While you were working Loki noticed a large scar on the outside of your left forearm. Uneven parallel gashes that ran nearly from your wrist to your elbow. They had long since healed, years by Loki's guess. The injury must have been formidable to leave such a mark all this time later.

You stepped back to take a look at your work, the brothers released the gate and stepped back as well. Satisfied that it was staying in place you turned toward them and smiled. "Fantastic, thank you so much." "We are happy to be of assistance." You dusted your hand off on your clothes and offered it to Thor, along with your name. "You two look like Asgardians." He shook your hand and smiled wide. "That's right. I'm Thor Odinson. This is my brother, Loki." "Oh yes! Not just Asgardians, but myths! Legends incarnate." You smiled and turned to offer Loki your hand as well. "It's nice to meet you." Loki hesitated. Did you really not know them? Or rather, did you not know them beyond mythology? You hadn't recognized their faces. You seemed completely unaware that you were speaking to an Avenger and a villain. He reached out and shook your still-waiting hand. Thor leaned in and offered apologetically, "Please excuse my brother's manners. Mother's lessons clearly didn't take hold. We are pleased to meet you as well." You laughed, "No offense taken." Loki rolled his eyes and returned his hands to his pockets. Thor continued, "You knew we were Asgardians. Have you met many of our people?" "A few have passed by. You guys have a certain look about you, though. I suppose it's the godliness." You nodded toward the road. "You two heading into town?" "Yes, I need to tend to some legal matters for New Asgard." "Do you mind if I walk with you? I'm heading there myself for the gate hinges." "Please do." Thor gestured an open hand to the road as he and Loki began walking. You fell in stride beside them. You looked over your shoulder, clicked your tongue twice and made a hand signal to the dog behind the wall. It effortlessly bounded to the top of the wall, then to the ground, and padded along beside you obediently. Loki could see now it had a long thick coat, solid black aside from some greying on the muzzle. Large enough that its shoulder came to your hip. Some type of shepherd dog. It looked up at you like you were the center of the universe.

"That is a handsome dog." Thor remarked. Your smile brightened and you stroked the dog's head as you walked. "This is Ash. He's good company." "You aren't Norwegian." Loki interrupted, earning a surprised look from Thor. You raised your eyebrows and took it in stride. "Ah, good ear. You're right, I'm not from Norway. A transplant, just like you guys." You gave him a wink, which Loki had no idea what to do with. "I can tell you from experience that this is a great place to start a new life." Thor was elated, and you two struck up a conversation about this place and Thor's aspirations for New Asgard. Loki didn't say anything else for the rest of the walk, and soon the party had reached the town and it was time to part ways.

"This is my stop." You motioned to the storefront just ahead. "Thank you again for your help with the gate. Let me know if there's ever anything I can do for you. You know where to find me." "It was a delight. Please come see us in New Asgard sometime." Thor replied. "I'll do that." You turned to Loki specifically, and with a wry smile added, "It was nice talking with you." With that you turned away to enter the store, making another hand signal to Ash, who responded by taking up a post outside, out of the way of foot traffic.

Thor and Loki continued down the sidewalk. The town was quaint, even by Midgard standards, but large enough to have all of one's needs met. There were a few more cars around but even here folks were walking, biking, and it wouldn't be out of the question to see the occasional horse.

"Meeting her was a pleasant happenstance." Thor noted. "Hm." "You didn't have to be so cold, Loki." Loki sighed. "I don't see the point in being familiar with mortals." "Were you not telling me of the human you befriended just-" "That was different." Loki cut him off, "Mobius was a different case." "How so?" "For one, they don't age in the TVA, so technically he wasn't mortal." Thor rolled his eyes. "Technically." "Moreover, Mobius knew every detail of my life. He was aware of every terrible thing I've ever done and chose to trust me in spite of it. You aren't going to find any humans on this planet like that."

Almost on cue, a man who had been traveling in their direction on the sidewalk looked at Loki in recognition and promptly crossed the street. Loki waved his hand, palm upward, as if illustrating his point.

Thor scoffed. "She didn't offer you any scorn." "She didn't know who we were. She knows our names from fairy tales. She doesn't know you're an avenger and she doesn't know what I did in New York." Thor was silent for a few moments, then spoke somberly. "You don't have to carry that with you forever." Loki gave a frustrated sigh. "It was not so long ago for me. Besides, no one here has forgotten it." He nodded toward another nearby pedestrian shooting him a wary look. "That farm woman's kindness came from a place of ignorance. It's not something I can rely on so I'm not going to grow accustomed to it."

Thor didn't have time to respond, they had reached their destination, the town hall. When they entered they were greeted by a stout older man, standing up from his desk. He was well-dressed but his demeanor still felt warm and casual. He spread his arms in greeting. "Thor! So good to see you this morning." "You're looking well, Brynjar." The man approached to shake hands and for a moment, just a moment, his face fell when he saw Loki. He recovered nearly instantly and replaced the smile on his face. "Ah, and I see you've brought your brother along today. Wonderful! I'm honored to finally meet the second prince." This man was a diplomat, Loki certainly gave him credit for that. Loki knew that last sentence had been a lie, but there was only the slightest nervous edge in his voice and no hesitation at all to shake Loki's hand. "Yes, I find Loki's counsel to be instructive, on occasion. I asked him to join us, I hope that's alright." Thor clapped Loki on the shoulder. "Oh certainly, certainly. Here, let's come to the meeting table so we can better talk." The man led them into an adjoining room with a table and chairs.

Thor and Brynjar, who Loki surmised was some sort of official in the town, then proceeded to have the absolute most boring conversation Loki had ever been a part of. On and on about something called "zoning" and registrations and property purchases. This human town was apparently something of a landmark in Norway and garnered a fair amount of tourism. Some townspeople had been concerned that the new settlement of Asgardians might hurt this industry but as far as Brynjar was concerned it was certain to do the opposite. They would both ask Loki for his thoughts here and there. He was relieved when the meeting came to a close and the stout grey man led them out of the building and wished them well.

Their walk back was leisurely. Neither said much until they were beyond the edge of town, on the empty road, when Thor spoke up. "The humans, they'll get used to you. They're very adaptable." Loki chuckled. "They're simple creatures, set in their patterns. They have no interest in adapting to me. Not in their lifetime. Luckily for me, their lifetimes are very short. In a mere 100 years my escapades will be all but forgotten." "What is your plan then? Lock yourself away for a century?" Loki shrugged. "It's not the worst idea I've ever had."

Before long they were once again walking along the low stone wall. The cottage, the yew tree, the turn in the road just ahead. They were nearly halfway home. You were outside the wall, working at the gate. Loki cursed silently. He could not take another human interaction today. Unfortunately you took notice of the brothers, waving your hand over your head and calling out. "Hello again, boys!"

Boys. Loki tried not to look annoyed but wasn't putting much effort into it.

Thor grinned and called back. "Hello! I see you've been making your repairs."

You to took the opportunity to demonstrate, opening the gate wide and giving it a shove. It swung perfectly into the latch. You took a bow with an exaggerated flourish. Thor laughed and gave a few claps of applause. They were close enough now to see the large dog laying in the grass beyond the wall, relaxed but watching Loki. You leaned against the gate. "I think I'll probably have to replace the latch next year. And maybe some of the slats after that. When does it stop being the same gate, you think?" Thor chuckled at your mock philosophy. You unlatched the gate. "Are you boys hungry? I have a stew on, there's plenty to share." Thor shook his head. "Oh, we couldn't impose-" You waved it away. "Nonsense! Consider it a thank you for your help this morning. Or my way of saying welcome to the neighborhood. Whichever gets you to take some of this food off my hands."

Thor looked at Loki, who was trying to scream "NO!" with only his eyes. The message either wasn't received or had been ignored. Thor rubbed the back of his neck thoughtfully. "I suppose it would be rude to reject such an invitation." "Exactly!" You grinned and opened the gate, walking through and nodding toward the cottage. "Besides, you need the energy for your walk home." You laughed and began leading them to the back door of the house. The brothers followed, closing the gate behind them. The dog, seeing the action was moving elsewhere, jumped up and trotted ahead of you, waiting expectantly at the door. Loki looked out across the field. There was a buckskin draft horse in the distance, lazily grazing. It was accompanied by a small brown goat.

As you opened the door the dog slipped inside. The cottage was exactly what Loki expected from the outside. Warm and simple. This was one large room, here towards the back there were kitchen appliances, cabinets, a table and chairs. The far wall was the front of the cabin, facing the road, the only thing differentiating the kitchen from the living room space was the change in furniture. There were armchairs and a sofa, none of them appeared to be from the same set. A fireplace was currently dormant in the wall to the right. To his slight surprise there were pieces of modern technology, he spotted a closed laptop on the coffee table, a television. To his immediate left in the kitchen, Loki could see a bedroom through an open doorway. Everything here was well-worn. Lived in. The smell of cooking food permeated the air.

You began taking bowls out of a cabinet and handed one to Thor with a sly smile. "Pass that to Loki. Maybe if we get some food in his mouth then you and I will be able to get a word in edgewise."

You were teasing him. You were teasing the God of Mischief. Loki was now determined not to speak another word. You and Thor continued your chat, he ignored it. Loki idly turned the ceramic bowl over in his hands. It was hand-crafted. The bottom was stamped with the silhouette of a bird, wings spread, with a forked tail. As the table was set Loki noted that the cups were ceramic as well. The bottom of his was signed with a name he couldn't quite make out. None of the dishes at the table matched.

The food was good, Loki had to admit. It didn't compare to the meals they ate on Asgard, of course, but it wasn't a chore to eat by any means. He wouldn't say this out loud, of course, but he didn't need to; Thor was there.

"My lady, this is the finest meal I've had on Midgard." You threw a hand to your mouth to cover a laugh. "I'll allow that only because you haven't been here very long." "Truly, this was delicious." "By all means, get seconds. There's more than enough." Loki wanted to ask why you had prepared so much food for just yourself, but he was bound to his vow of spite-silence. You gave him a smile as you took a drink from your cup, almost as if you knew. Thor was busy making himself a second bowl. "You said you're a transplant. What brought you here?" "Oh, it was time for a change in my life. I had an aunt in Oslo, she helped me come over. Her friend Gerdy lived here and was looking for an apprentice. So here I am, a decade later." "An apprentice?" His eyebrows raised as he returned to his seat at the table. You lifted your cup to display. "Gerdy was a potter. I think all the dishes in the house were hand-thrown either by her or myself." Loki took note of the past tense. Thor examined his bowl. "This is fine craftsmanship." You smiled. "Thank you. That's one of mine."

Loki tuned out for a bit of the conversation, now noticing a variety of clay vases and dishes and trinkets scattered around the room. A potter, of course. It should have been obvious.

"If you would, please indulge my curiosity," Thor gestured to your arm, "That scar is very impressive. How did you come by it?" "Oh, this?" You held your forearm upright to look at it. "When I first moved here, there was this bear. A man-eater. He'd killed six men from town before I showed up. I hung around the edge of the woods where he'd been spotted and the next time he came around I tackled him. We had a tussle for an hour or so but finally I managed to punch his lights out. His teeth tagged me pretty good in the fight, though. This needed stitches."

It was a lie, but not one meant to deceive. A lie to entertain and, perhaps, to distract. It did the trick, Thor gave a deep and hearty laugh, and even the corner of Loki's mouth twitched upward, despite himself.

You and Thor continued chatting while you cleared the table. Loki was looking at the dog. It had sprawled out on a cushion on the floor by the wall. His head was resting on the cushion but his eyes and ears were directed at Loki, cutting to Thor when there was an unusual sound or movement. Loki got the impression that despite the relaxed posture he was ready to spring at the first hint of trouble.

"Thank you again for the meal." Thor said as you were leading them to the front door. "Thank you for the company. I can't say I've ever had gods at my table before." "Well we must have you at our table sometime." You gave him a friendly smile. "I'd like that." You said goodbye to Thor, and as Loki passed you at the door you waved him a silent goodbye with a smirk and a wink. As they were reaching the road you called out "Take care, boys!" Loki bristled. It was absurd, you called them boys mere moments after you referred to them as gods.

The brothers resumed their walk home.

"That was ridiculous, Loki." Thor said scornfully. "The story with the bear? I know." "No! Your behavior in there." "What was I to do? She all but challenged me to silence. Do you really expect me not to rise to the occasion?" Thor gave an exasperated sigh and shook his head. There was a moment of quiet before he continued, his tone somber. "Brother, I want to make something clear. I am so very grateful that you are here." ".... Alright." Loki was uncertain where this was going. "But you seem so miserable in this place. You hate Midgard. You hate being around humans. As much as I want you here I wonder why you chose to be somewhere that makes you so unhappy? If your story about the timelines and the device that brought you here is true, why wouldn't you choose some place more suited to you?" Loki waved a hand dismissively. "Oh, the tempad is a very crude tool. Finding a reality not already occupied by a Loki was difficult enough, and I didn't have much time to sort through them before I would be found out. Besides, I saw that you were here alone and I knew you'd be hopelessly lost without me." Loki gave him a sidelong glance and Thor chuckled. "At any rate," Loki continued, "I do still have the device. I suppose if things become too unbearable here I could try another timeline, though it's not guaranteed to be any better." Thor looked away as they walked. "It would be very difficult to lose you again." He said quietly. Loki was caught a little off-guard. When he spoke again his tone was softer. "Well in that case I suppose you should let me keep to my plan. A century of isolation." A smile returned to Thor's face. "Loki we both know you wouldn't be able to bear it." "In this realm? I'm certain I could."

They reached the humble building that was their new home. Thor had to leave to meet with the Valkyrie about something or other, Loki returned to his room upstairs. He sat on the edge of the bed and with a flick of his wrist and a flash of light the tempad was in his hand. He examined it idly. The battery was dying but that was no matter. Sylvie had managed to recharge hers, he was sure he could find the means if necessary.

It wasn't true, what he'd said. It would be very easy to find another reality to jump into. The possibilities were limitless. He could be on a throne by this evening. He had reasons for being here, however. The tapes he'd watched at the TVA. Some part of him wanted to be like the Loki this timeline had lost. The one who sacrificed himself to give the others time to escape. He wouldn't have thought it possible for a Loki to do such a thing if he hadn't seen it on the tape, if he hadn't witnessed the same thing himself with Alioth. He wondered if he could ever be so selfless. He had his doubts.

Then again, a friend had once told him he could be whoever he wanted to be, even someone good. Loki liked to think that was true.

Master List | Next Chapter>

#loki #loki fanfic #loki x reader #slow burn #loki & thor #mcu loki #loki mcu #no y/n #thrown fanfic #loki thrown

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loveloki555 · 6 months

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Thor Ragnarok: Past

Recently I had a theory that the MCU creates a supposedly ''coherent timeline'', but it is not coherent.

I called it old MCU/new MCU.

The endpoint of the old MCU is Age of Ultron. I wrote a post on why Civil War isn't a sequel to this. Now I'm watching: What If.

We have a scene from Loki and Thor's childhood. Quite an interesting scene….because it could never have happened in the MCU until 2015…

When Loki uses casket, we know how he looks like:

So What if episode 7 showed us how look like this other past. Past in Thor Ragnarok. Loki uses the casket against his brother, freezing him. Not only does this not trigger the discovery of Loki's heritage, but it also agrees with Thor's words in Ragnarok that Loki stabbed him as a child.

And as children Loki and Thor were like this:

youtube

So Thor and Loki's past in the Ragnarok universe:

Odin had a bloodthirsty past and was even older than his Thor/Thor Dark World prototype. It was he who made that Asgard had gold to build the city. He had a child with an unnamed woman, Hela. After some time, he grew tired of conquests. He banished the original daughter. He had a new wife and a new son. War with Jotunheim in this universe... Laufey didn't abandon Loki and he wasn't a bastard. In the script of Thor 2011 there is a scene where Laufey admits that he abandoned Loki and that Loki is his bastard… so Loki in Infinity War cannot call himself the rightful king of Jotunheim… if he has legitimate brothers… of course not we know nothing about the law of bastards in the 9 worlds… but that's another clue showing that the Old MCU only lasted until 2015.

Of course, this scene did not appear in the film… but it shows the creators' intention… that Odin was not lying about Loki being abandoned. That Laufey hadn't lost Loki unjustly at all. He never wanted Loki. He abandoned him.

And in What if:

Loki was probably kidnapped. Laufey was grateful to get it back from Odin in this episode. This is the Thor Ragnarok timeline. So in this universe, Loki was Laufey's legitimate son, which makes what he said in Infinity War make sense.

Side note, look at Odin with Laufey…he is from the frescoes that Hela depicted…not from the Thor 2011 movie that we saw

And during this war Odin looked like this in Thor 2011:

That's why I wanted to tell you, that's why the events don't fit so well.

We never see the future of the original timeline of 2015. There, Thanos got the gauntlet from Asgard and wants to kill the Avengers. The gauntlet in Asgard was real, not fake. There Thor went to look for stones. There, Loki is still plotting on the throne. Bruce probably landed there near the Philippines, not on Saakar. Hela does not exist there, because literally Odin chronologically cannot have such a past and so on…

Other my posts from this series:

#anti taika waititi #anti ragnarok #what if #new/old mcu #mcu meta #Youtube

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sweater-daddiesdumbdork · 1 year

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💗Happy Valentine’s Day!! 💗

How are some of our favourite couples celebrating this lovely day?? 😍

Happy Valentines Day as well babes.

LISSMIS Curtis is taking his sweet Honey to a local used bookstore so she can fill out the bookshelf he recently cleaned off just for her to fill in his house. After they put the books Honey picked away and make dinner together, they read to each other in bed till Honey finally confesses that she too has a gift and slips into a delicate soft yellow piece of lingerie that Curtis insists she keeps on for at least the first round cause he loves how she looks in it.

The Pack Alpha Steve and Little One (let's pretend they are in a happily ever after) spend the morning with their daughter till Uncle Bucky comes to collect his lil chickadee. Then the mates play a game of big bad wolf where Steve chases Little One around till they tumble together in their nest and after a vigorous passionate bout of lovemaking, Steve gives Little One an antique jar for her to fill with her beach treasures. Excitedly she springs out of bed and gathers some of her favorite stones and flecks of driftwood to put in it, lining it up on the window sill to admire it. Later they take a run down at the beach, continuing their game of chase as wolves.

Owned Sinfully Sweet Bucky and Steve deliver the most extravagant jewelry today (well every day) and you purr like a kitten at seeing all the finery you have available. Because you want to show off how good your men treat you, they take you to the club at your request to go on stage, but when Bucky makes a come here motion and Steve lounges back, both king of their thrones, you gift them with obedience and pleasuring both of them in the middle of the club. Afterward, you lounged between them, stealing Steve's cigar to savor and Bucky's favorite liquor while they continued ruling over their illegal kingdom with you as the queen.

Owned Sinfully Sweet Ari is a bit more private than those two. He knows his girl is all for him, so together they go to a spa resort for the morning, an afternoon of taking you shopping in the town, one arm around your shoulder to keep you tucked close while he carried the bags, and then the evening was spent in the resort's most beautiful room, mostly spending it in the infinity pool and you rode Ari while he leaned against the edge of the pool, getting lost in him with that view.

Ransom played it off all week that he didn't give a shit about Valentine's day, so don't expect anything. You were fine with that but Ransom certainly shocked you by waking you to breakfast in bed that he had Marta teach him, all your favorites neatly arranged on a tray, then he insisted on going to Harlan's with you for a quick visit but on the drive back, he took you to the city apartment for the night instead of the house. You stepped in surprised to find that he had someone come in with candles, flowers, and chocolates expected at valentines, but your favorite thing, a brand new pimped-out fish tank for the betta you saved, Neptune. Of course, the gesture made you all sentimental and affectionate, assuring him that your gift was back at the house, but you could give him a preview of it and Ransom was more than happy with that.

#amber answers #valentines day extravaganza

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advernia · 2 years

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WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU SAID WHEN YOU LEFT?

ONE —

The dandelion prairie is occupied today, he notes. A herd of deer graze around while a pair of rabbits follow them around, keeping a safe distance from their hooves. On one side some foxes were scratching their ears while a couple of birds rest on the fluff of their tails, chirping a melody among themselves. Leaning on a tree was a large bear snoring away, the raccoon sitting on its stomach cleaning the surface of its paws.

A step forward has him stepping loudly on the grass - the crunching sound alerts the animals and they turn to his direction, save for the bear.

"Hello again," Silver says softly, with a little wave.

The animals are a flurry of fur and noise at once, rushing over to his side. The deer nudge his shoulders in turns, the rabbits hop circles around his feet. The foxes scratch lightly at his pants, the birds have made themselves home on his hair. The raccoon bounces off the bear's stomach, late to the party.

The bear snores. Loudly. Silver gives it a glance before turning to the animals, holding a finger against his lips. The crowd settles quickly, looking at him with rapt attention.

Silver smiles, the afternoon sunshine dancing on his hair gently.

TWO —

He rises before the sun could touch the palace roofs, before it would cast its glow over the entirety of the kingdom. Phone stuffed in his pocket of his pants and wallet occupying the other, he makes his way to the audience hall in soft but swift footfalls. Once he's by the entrance, facing the tall doors engraved with tendrils of silver and gold, he whispers a few words and pushes the doors open.

The heavy doors do not make any sort of noise.

The hall is as long and wide as it always had been, and at its very end, a throne carved of stone and marble. What engraves the proud surface is the roots of the aged wood that has been supporting the palace foundation since time memorial, wrapping itself kindly around the throne with its moss serving as a cushion.

There's a red carpet beneath his feet - he walks straight and true in the silence of the early morning, head held high and eyes focused.

"Leona."

He does not turn. He continues his stride and each step he takes, the throne seems to be getting bigger, brighter.

... But he wasn't here for that.

Just a few steps short before the throne and his feet change their course, towards the left corner of the room. Pushing aside the curtains and going a little further into the space, Leona stops to stand in front of a floor length mirror; the entirety of the glass a dark black and its frame supported by roots.

"... Leona."

Again. He sighs, turns around. Farena, the reigning king of the Afterglow Savannah, stood tall before him but still dressed in his nightclothes. What a king.

The silence carries on for a moment until Farena smiles. Soft at the edges, eyes crinkling at the corners.

"You could've at least said to goodbye to me, you know."

THREE —

Where is it, where is it... aha! Pulling off his blazer from his closet, Ace slips it on without much care, reaching out next for his tie hanging loosely on a hanger with the same haste. Left over right, right over left, and...

"Rule number 591," a sharp voice rings out, causing Ace's shoulders to jump. "One must tie any knot of theirs into an infinity knot during the nights of a cresent moon."

Ace scowls, poking his head out from the closet door to glare at the person standing by his doorway. "You totally made that up."

"Ha! Not really," Ace's brother grins, "there's an actual rule that has something with an infinity knot, but it ain't Rule 591."

"No shit? What's Rule 591 supposed to be then?"

"Sevens bless me if I remember - by the way, what's with the uniform?"

Ace tightens the knot of his tie, then shuts his closet door. "Going back to school," he replies, reaching out for his phone on the bed. "... Dammit, still no answer?"

"Whoa there, lil' bro. You're going back? In the middle of winter break?"

"Got no choice," Ace huffs, stuffing his phone in his pocket and making his way out of his room. "I'll tell mom, then I'm out."

"Wow wow wow, you're serious. Don't tell me..."

"What? C'mon, let me pass."

"... You totally forgot your homework at the dorm, didn't you?"

FOUR —

Boarding school, Lilia hums to himself. It's nighttime and he's sitting on the watchtower's roof, staring at the stars littering the sky.

Now what was that like, again...? he tilts his head, raises a hand to follow the path of a constellation. Tomorrow, he and Malleus were to leave the Valley of Thorns to enroll into Night Raven College in the Isle of the Sages. Both were old names that flash a varied array of memories for him, but nothing entirely worth of nostalgia.

Dire Crowley serves as the current Headmaster... Lilia puffs out a breath of air, watches as the white evaporates into the darkness. Silver was calm about the news of their departure, but Sebek... ah, well. Perhaps some time away from Malleus would serve the young one well.

He's found the last point of the constellation when a shooting star passes by his eyes, glimmering brightly and departing as soon as it had shown itself. Lilia stares a little longer before he smiles, mouth moving but words not escaping his lips.

He has given his wish to the skies - now whether they were kind enough to grant it... was only something time could tell.

That's something to look forward to, at least.

1: ace reappears for this batch! here's everyone's context:

silver -> we wouldn't want to wake our sleeping friend now, would we?

leona -> i don't remember. (post winter break)

ace -> i did not! (somewhere around ch4)

lilia -> may the following years treat us well. (pre-game)

#twisted wonderland #twst silver #leona kingscholar #ace trappola #lilia vanrouge #this time on backstory demands: the kingscholar family pls #i mean seriously leona's 1st bday didn't give THAT much info so... i'm still looking respectfully #diasomnia fam is lurking near so i won't be that noisy about it but really... i'm also excited to learn more about them haha!#q&a

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bedlamsbard · 2 years

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1700 words written today...700 of which I promptly cut, lol; I’d loosely planned that bit out but it really wasn’t working once I started to get it on the page. I’m on the downwards swing of the story and have to be careful about how I’m adding new elements in, and any of the new stuff should be on Steve’s side, not Natasha’s. Also I wrote 30K in June, that’s pretty high for me and twice my goal for the month.

Snippet from The Horizon Line chapter 10.

“There’s something else I’ve been wondering about,” Selvig said to Loki, after his usual momentary hesitation before addressing him. Loki cocked his head slightly to one side and Selvig went on, “What kind of energy is it that the Destroyer and the Destroyer bots use? We haven’t been able to identify it.”

Loki blinked. “It’s the Odinforce,” he said, as if that was something that made sense to anyone who wasn’t an Asgardian.

“Okay,” Darcy said. “Try again. In words of one syllable if you have to because we’re humans and we don’t know anything. What’s the Odinforce?”

Loki looked completely blank. “It…it is. I don’t – I don’t know how to explain it.”

“Is it a type of energy?” Darcy prompted. “Like the Tesseract?”

“No, the Tesseract is an Infinity Stone.” Loki sat back and rubbed at his forehead, clearly thinking hard. Finally, he said, “Asgardians are magic, in a very real sense. There’s no such thing as an Asgardian who can’t use magic in some form – I told you some time ago that the Aesir are reality-benders, yes? That’s how our magic works, if one wanted to be crude about it, The crowned ruler of Asgard, acclaimed by the Aesir and recognized by the Æsir, has the ability to draw on the magic of our people in this life and the next and to convert that into physical energy. That’s the Odinforce and it imbues – imbued, rather – certain physical artifacts associated with the throne of Asgard, like the Destroyer or Gungnir, others that were lost in Ragnarok, allowing whoever holds the power of the throne while the king yet lives to use it.”

#daily fic snippet #roleswap endgame au concept

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goodolreliablejake · 1 year

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Listen, y'all, I know that this is a really random gripe to pull out years after the fact, but I need to get this off my chest...

When Avengers: Infinity War came out, a popular hot take was that Thanos was the film's protagonist. I understand the appeal, but that is absolutely not the case. Why?

Well, for one, we do not see the events unfold through Thanos's eyes. Rather, time is spent developing others characters (Thor, Tony, Cap, etc.), and then Thanos enters into their world. If Thanos were the main character, we would start with him, and then he would approach the Avengers.

For another thing, Thanos does not undergo a series of trials. Thanos starts out from a position of power, grows more powerful as the film goes on, and does not significantly change throughout the film. I think an argument could be made that we get a bit of a character study of Thanos. We learn about his worldview, his past, and why he does what he does. But we are certainly not watching him struggle. It's hardly a Hero's Journey.

So, if the story isn't "Thanos's quest for the Infinity Stones," then how is the narrative structured?

Well, instead of one larger story focused around a single character, the story is told in a modular fashion. We have 3-4 smaller stories being woven together. We've got Cap and Wakanda, The Guardians and Gamora, Thor's avenging pirate angel arc, Tony and Stephen and Peter, etc. Each of these stories has its own protagonist, overlaps with the others, and features Thanos as the antagonist. This structure more closely resembles, like... Game of Thrones, some Shonen arcs, or even a soap opera, where we cut from one group of characters to the next periodically.

This message brought to you by Maggie Mae Fish's videos on The Hero's Journey; remember, there are actually other ways to structure a narrative! ; )

#maggie mae fish #the avengers #infinity war #thanos #Narrative Design

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felimessi · 1 year

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The Downfall of Game of Thrones and Why cont.

So why did it come to this? One of the theories that seems to be what makes the most sense is the need to force representation in this final season. The writers felt as if they needed to make some groups be the heroes or protagonists of the story but what they did not account for was that by doing this it would bring other characters in the show down and hurt the story. In the first example Jon Snows real identity seems to be ignored and not play a part in the story because they still want Daenerys to be one of the female protagonists however they failed to realize that she would’ve still been one of them if they incorporated this piece of information correctly. In the second example Tyrion goes from being the smart and clever dwarf to being dumb and useless as when he’s down in the crypts he hides with Sansa who has a blade of dragon glass that could be used but is just not, and Tyrion who has had battle experience before does not think to use the dragon glass either and instead just hides while the people in the crypts get murdered.

In the third example, Jon Snow is denied his big fight, the one that the audience has been waiting for since the first episode of the show so that Arya can be the protagonist of this battle when she had never had any connection to the White Walkers or Night King before season 8. A good analogy is if during Infinity War, The Wasp came out of nowhere and killed Thanos before Thanos could show any of the stones or fight the avengers. This once again seems to be done to give another female character a main role, which is fine if done correctly like Cersei but Arya being thrown into this scene makes it look like a parody almost. In the fourth example, we have another example of bringing one character down to lift another up and in this case we have once again Tyrion having his status and influence lowered and tossed to the side which defeats the purpose of being the Hand to Daenerys and his character arc of redemption.

In the fifth example, we see one of the main characters be ruined in a single episode as Daenerys goes against everything that she stood for, the reason behind this decision seems to be that the writers wanted Daenerys and Cersei to have their showdown and also have Daenerys once again ignore the deal with Tyrion showing that she can be empowered and make her own decisions to be the main focus of the finale while Jon Snow waits on the sidelines, however they could not have chosen a worse character to do this with as it gives viewers a feeling of having wasted 7 seasons of TV because it ruins everything that had been established in those seasons.

In the sixth example, Brandon Stark being made King can be argued that it was done to show inclusion and representation to the disabled community, however this is done without understanding his character as earlier in the series he explains why he could never rule and at the end he says “why do you think I came all this way” showing that it was his plan all along but he had contradicted himself several times earlier in the series and throughout the season.

In the final example, sending Jon Snow back to the Nights Watch shows how the writers of the show did not understand the purpose of the Nights Watch but also at the same time can show that they wanted to undermine his influence and importance in this final season to the point that his finale just ends with him doing what he started with to push him to the side so that Brandon Stark can be named King.

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worstloki · 3 years

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I want Loki to get Casey a pet fish at the end of Season 1

i want Loki to drag Casey on a mission with him to get a fish in episode 2

#why the end of season 1 i want this friendship to blossom and bloom and all those other flourishing words by episode 2 thanks #''his cart was pruned it's not like he has anything better to do for now!'' ''loki you can't bring a random analyst with you'' ''a friend''#''you've known him a day!'' ''a friend who doesn't know what a fish is Mobius!'' ''no!'' ''yes!!'' ''no!!'' 'im bringing him. he's coming''#Casey supremacy #I want him to become the King of Fish #supreme overlord of all things fish #he has a throne made of infinity stones #thanos whomst?#the Loki show #loki spoilers #loki show spoilers

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ariminiria · 3 years

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There's something that bothers me about the whole "don't like it, don't watch it 😏😏😏" attitude surrounding the Loki Series. In normal circumstances, I'd say yeah, valid, but the issue in this specific case is that this show was specifically, deceptively marketed directly to us, the people who dislike it.

The teaser trailers included footage that wasn't even included in the show (Loki having won the battle of NY, Loki on the Asgardian throne), and never even hinted at any of the other characters and OCs that they threw in there. I hate to pull this card, but as a film student, one of the big things you learn is that editing is everything. Someone edited those trailers specifically to show Loki causing mayhem and being himself, as we know him according to where he should be on the timeline (post-avengers, slightly pre-T:DW). This show was marketed as "following the adventures of Loki! He escaped with the Tesseract, remember?!! Who knows what that might bring!! What will the God of Mischief do with an infinity stone??? Watch this show to find out!!"

And in literally the first scene, the tesseract was confiscated and didn't matter at all after one or two brief moments in the very first episode.

The DB Cooper scene was edited and marketed and picked apart and rebuilt to imply that the version of Loki who escaped with the Tesseract would make amends with his brother and incorporate his Asgardian friends and allies into the adventures that we would follow in the show.

This series was marketed to those of us who wanted to follow the mischievous adventures of Loki as he wreaks havoc with the stolen Infinity Stone.

So when we sat down to watch it, we were genuinely excited. It didn't come from a place of hate. We didn't think to ourselves "HA! I bet this will be so horrible! I can't WAIT to post mean things on Twitter about it!"

We were thinking "Finally! We get some good Loki content, where he's not a side character or villain! The focus is going to be purely on him and his adventures!"

Only for him to be immediately overpowered and made useless in the first ten minutes. But the hate didn't start there. We still held out hope.

"This is just the first episode, after all," we thought. "This is just setting things up. Surely the next episode will show him more and let him live up to more of his potential."

And then we watched him turn into a joke. We watched the focus slowly shift away from him to a plethora of OCs who stole the spotlight. And still, we watched, not out of hatred, but out of the dim hope that things would turn around, that he would come into his own and take control of the show with his name on it.

But that never happened, and now we're left to analyze and vent and discuss with each other about all that could have been.

Only to have all of our arguments dismissed with a snide side remark from people who didn't care that Loki was sidelined. That he was treated like a joke. That he kissed himself, but she's a lady so it's okay. That he wasn't the character we know and love. That he wasn't the main character of his own show.

Our opinions, our criticism, our analysis, none of it matters. Because "if you don't like it, then don't watch it."

I'm not sorry for being hopefully optimistic that maybe things would look up for my favorite character, especially when that is what was promised from even before it aired.

#i wrote this at 5.45am after not sleeping the entire night beforehand sk sorry for any typos or non making sense #loki #loki series negativity #loki series #Loki show #Loki season 1 #Loki season one #loki series critical #loki tv #anti loki show #anti loki series

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valkyrieandstrangeridingaragorn · 2 years

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You made the comment that Marvel retconned the NYC invasion and imply Thanos had nothing to do with it. I was curious how Marvel rationalises that one because I don't know how it can work out if Thanos wasn't involved. Loki was sent to Earth for the Infinity Stones and Thanos was in the end credits.

You'd think it impossible to retcon something like that... but it's not. Just look at how many people are blaming Loki for Frigga's murder even though he had absolutely nothing to do with it, and the fans blaming him they all have seen TDW several times. But they trust the retcon more than their own two eyes.

For the NYC invasion Marvel has not said it openly, they know they can't because their canon is quite clearly blaming Thanos:

And not only in the movies, they confirmed the influence of the Stone too:

But for some reason they don't want to go there anymore. I will not speculate as to why but they don't, so since they can't say Thanos is innocent what they do is never bring it up again that he's the one who sent Loki to NYC in hopes that fans will forget.

This is ep1 of the Loki series:

Mobius: Should you return, what are you gonna do?

Loki: Finish what I started.

Mobius: Which is?

Loki: Claim my throne. [...] I would've made it easy for them. [...]The first and most oppressive lie ever uttered was the song of freedom.

He says: "Finish what I started"? He started it? He didn't. He wanted that throne? That's debatable, but what Marvel is doing here is trying to paint the NYC invasion as Loki's doing, removing any involvement of Thanos by not even mentioning him at all... in fact he never comes up in any discussion throughout the episodes, he's completely irrelevant in Loki's story and the only moment he's on screen is when Loki is watching his own murder.

But this isn't all. What If series, ep3:

Loki: I was thinking I might extend my stay here on Midgard. [...] Good evening, my loyal subjects [...]. It's the unspoken truth of humanity that you crave subjugation. The bright lure of freedom hobbles you, diminishes your life's joy. You were made to be ruled. So I have come to help you fulfill your destiny.

That has its ending in ep9 as Natasha defeats Loki.

That speech about subjugation is in The Avengers movie and it is implied it's something that either was said to him by Thanos or the Other, and it's likely part of the brainwashing or influence (whichever you want to call it) where they tried to convince Loki that freedom and choice are two evil notions and that submission and compliance are the only right path (Loki is not only talking to the humans as he's saying that).

And yet in What If there's no mention of Thanos, they act like Loki would enslave the humans willingly and all he ever wanted was to rule. It's a retcon in and on itself, an alternate universe they claim, but in the same series they gave a redemption and hero arc to Thanos. I think it's pretty obvious what they're doing here.

They will not say it openly because they know they can't, but they're doing everything in their power to change and twist facts. And the worst part is a large portion of the fandom is buying it.

#Loki #mcu critical #Loki critical

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9worldstales · 3 years

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MCU Loki Ep 6 “For All Time. Always.” intensive analysis

So that’s the end of the series and of my analysis of each episode. No, actually it’s not as there will be a second series. So basically this episode too follows the same trend the other episodes followed, it ends on a cliff-hanger.

Now, there’s nothing wrong with cliff-hangers but if you abuse of them, it reveal you don’t believe your series can hook viewers even without cliff-hangers.

Whatever, let’s go.

This time, instead than a music, the ‘MARVEL STUDIOS’ writing has in the background quotes from the Marvel movies which is interesting because it kind of hints to the time passing.

It continues showing a beautiful view of spaces which seems to be creating and destroying in which we get other quotes which are historically famous.

Then we move to where Sylvie and Loki are.

Title and then first (poorly done) dialogue as they face the door of a place which has weird cracking, shining lines as if that reality was about to break apart.

Sylvie all of sudden asks Loki if he’s going to tell her not to kick the door, but since she has Mary Sue powers he’s not going to do so because:

Loki: It never made a difference.

In itself is a terrible premise for your relationship guys and the prove you don’t have one. If you don’t listen to each other, that’s not a good basis to found a relation and the fact that Loki doesn’t even care to be heard but would let her do what she wants is equally not promising.

Please, mark Sylvie’s words here:

Sylvie: Well, if you think it's a bad idea, I prefer you to speak your mind.

This would be a good sentence. A good basis for a relation as she asks for his input, she tells him she wants to hear it but he has none. Okay, whatever, it could work if it wasn’t that Sylvie is hesitating. Loki worries and she tells him she needs a moment, he worries more, tries to speak his mind about it and she tells him:

Sylvie: Loki, shut up. I was pruned before you even existed. I have been waiting for this moment my entire life. I just need a second to get my head straight, okay?

So… she has asked for Loki’s input, she has told him to speak his mind but when he does she tells him shut up. Because she actually didn’t want him to speak his mind. She wanted him to be the one who would stall her because she needed a minute and now she’s angry and rude because he’s not giving her what she wants. Loki still remains compliant because… Mary Sue.

Since Sylvie clearly doesn’t want to enter, the doors decide to open on their own so as to force them to enter.

I’ll be honest, the place is cool but I’ve no idea why ‘He Who Remains’ would have built to himself a place like that in a location like that. Whatever, let’s not make questions which obviously won’t get answers.

Miss Minute appears abruptly to welcome them to ‘The Citadel at the End of Time’ and tells them ‘He Who Remains’ is impressed, ‘He Who Remains’ being the one who created all and controls all, in short, at the end, it is only ‘He Who Remains’. According to Miss Minute he’s willing to offer them a deal, adjusting the timeline to place them back into the timeline in a way that won't disrupt things while the TVA keeps doing its work. Loki will get to win the battle of New York, get the Infinity Stone and the Throne of Asgard… because it’s not like he wanted the love and acceptance of his family and feel like he belonged, no, the TVA and this series don’t care about this part of the whole Loki problem.

You know, many blame Waldron for messing up Loki’s character in this series and is real, he messed it up big time, but I wonder if he did it on purpose or because he was requested to do so.

Because I can’t believe someone who sat down and hear a Tom Hiddleston’s lecture about “Loki” has no idea all this came from pain and not from ambition to rule, so Miss Minute offering him a throne POST “THE AVENGERS” instead than his father’s love, his family’s acceptance, a way to pack up things with his brother, maybe even the chance to be Odin’s legitimate child feels dumb and a mere attempt at remarking how Loki is actually solely moved by ambition.

And it’s not like they couldn’t do it because she then tells Sylvie she can give a lifetime of happy memories and the chance to live with Loki. So they can redo what happened to Loki… and they don’t offer it to him? As if what happened in the Vault in “Thor” was something he wanted to keep? As if his attempted suicide at the end of “Thor” was something he enjoyed?

She could offer him everything and she says so:

Miss Minutes: It's crazy, but he could make it work. All of it. Everything. Exactly the way you've always wanted. And you can have it all, together.

…and satisfying Loki’s greed for a throne was what she chose to go because this series desperately wants to characterize him as solely longing for a throne.

Sylvie doesn’t believe her, saying it’s just fiction.

Loki’s statement could have been a little more profound, as he says they’ll write their own destiny, meaning he doesn’t want the help of ‘He Who Remains’, but it could have been deeper if Miss Minute has offered him to change his past and he has just worried about the future, it could have meant he would let go of the past, and worry about what he could improve in the future.

Instead Miss Minute offered the past to Sylvie and the future to Loki, whom, we know in this series was set on the start on being in charge of his fate so it was unlikely he would have accepted. Pity, it’s a wasted chance.

She leaves them, this meeting changing ABSOLUTELY NOTHING except that we now know we’re in ‘The Citadel at the End of Time’ and the final enemy is supposed to be called ‘He Who Remains’ and we move to Renslayer who’s downloading files.

On a side note I like how she sees the sign Mobius’ glass left and pause for a moment.

Then Renslayer discovers the files Miss Minute has downloaded for her aren’t the ones she asked for, but she’s told ‘He Who Remains’ thinks they’ll be more useful to her. As a good little soldier without will, Renslayer doesn’t even argue on this.

We won’t see Miss Minute again in the series.

Overall she has been useless. This last episode tried to paint her as a bit more malicious but she’s basically a Clippy cartoon, as an AI she doesn’t have at all the character of Jarvis (from “Iron Man”) or Karen (from “Spider-Man: Homecoming”). Miss Minute is entirely forgettable, overall useless, just a kid cartoon to draw kids’ interest.

It would have been scarier if Renslayer had downloaded the files by herself and discovered somehow she had downloaded a different file but whatever, let’s move on.

Loki and Sylvie walk for a corridor as the camera rotates, drawing on the suspension but not really doing anything relevant. They get in a hall and Loki, seeing the dust, wonders if ‘He Who Remains’ is actually still alive. Again this won’t mean anything because the guy is alive and why there’s dust is left unexplained.

Sure, they might want to save the answer for the second series but considering how this series went I’m not even sure about it.

A door opens and ‘He Who Remains’ appears and it turns out the big bad is the actor who’s meant to play the part of Kang the conqueror.

Kudos to Jonathan Majors as he managed to make ‘He Who Remains’ very charismatic, which is relevant as he’s also meant to play Kang The Conqueror in incoming movies and if it had come out as boring it would have been a huge problems for those movies.

Anyway, ‘He Who Remains’ is absolutely calm, comfortable, in control and amused. He eats an apple, commonly viewed as the fruit of temptation and knowledge as he talks with them and doesn’t play the role of ‘action boy’ like the other 3 female POC were.

He invites them to follow him to his office, which they do although they keep on pointing their swords at him. Loki realizes he’s just a man and Sylvie tries to kill him but he warps himself away from her blow so she misses. She tries again and fails again so they remain alone in the lift. The doors open and ‘He Who Remains’ is outside, waiting for them.

Now… I guess Sylvie attempting to kill the guy at random foreshadows the fact that’s she’ll try to do so afterward as well… but this is sort of signalling she’s losing her Mary Sue powers because she’s starting to look dumb. She’s not even sure he’s the real big bad and not a side kick and yet she’s trying to murder him in one blow.

She has already tried it with the Time-Keepers and it didn’t work out well, why she’s trying again?

Once they’re in his office he offers them… tea? And tells them to sit down while they’re all nervous and with their swords out. They sit because… the plot says so?

I mean no one would sit while at the same time still being so wary he keeps on pointing his sword to a guy.

But back to Renslayer we go. She’s collecting documents and complaining she said she didn’t want to be disturbed when she hear the door being knocked.

The one knocking though, is Mobius, with a Time Stick.

Renslayer expresses her admiration for him coming back from the Void… when it actually was Sylvie who gave him the means to do so. Not that Mobius mentions it because for him it was a piece of cake coming back. With the Tempad Sylvie gave him and that he didn’t left her.

Renslayer: If anyone was ever gonna make it back from The Void, I suppose it was gonna be you. Mobius: Oh, well, you know, one man's Void is another man's piece of cake.

Whatever. Renslayer asks him if he’s gonna prune her and he acts all moralist with her.

Mobius: I like that idea. But, you know, my standards might be a little bit higher in that area than yours. You know, with close personal friends.

So what? He’s gonna close her on a time-loop in which she gets beaten over and over until she admits she was bad for betraying him as he has done with his other friend, Loki? Or Loki got that even though he hadn’t betrayed him because he wasn’t a close personal friend?

Renslayer tells him he couldn’t get in the way of her little cult’s mission. Mobius complains the Time-Keepers are fake and they’re Variants so there’s no mission because for Mobius all this is very personal.

Pruning Variants was fine only as long as whoever was in charge didn’t lie to him. Once he did, there’s no mission.

Renslayer at least is more coherent. She doesn’t care about the lies, she has decided the TVA is her life and so she’ll continue serving it as the brainwashed cult member she is.

Renslayer: It can't have been for nothing.

Mobius instead goes back to his beliefs when he perceives himself to be wronged

Mobius: It's exactly the same thing. Because if you think too hard about where any of us came from, who we truly are, it sounds kinda ridiculous. Existence is chaos. Nothing makes any sense, so we try to make some sense of it. And I'm just lucky that the chaos I emerged into gave me all this... My own glorious purpose. Cause the TVA is my life. And it's real because I believe it's real.

Because there’s no point in thinking too hard at things when they’re murdering others but when they’re lying to you… of course you’ve to care.

Anyway when Renslayer tries to call for D-90 helps Mobius tells her it won’t work and shows her the Franklin D. Roosevelt High School pen Renslayer had in her office which we saw in Episode 2. So, to 2018, Fremont, Ohio, Franklin D. Roosevelt High School we go. B-15 is hiding there, chased by U-92. She shows herself to him and then gets into an office which has plenty of Franklin D. Roosevelt High School pens. As they’re inside they’re interrupted by Renslayer, only it’s not judge Renslayer but principal Renslayer, the Renslayer who can live in the Sacred Timeline. Apparently this is done to persuade U-92 that Renslayer is a Variant, same as them. Now what, is B-15, going to lead all the hunters to know Principal Renslayer? As a plan it seems a little slow but of course the series just asks us to assume it worked and each hunter now believed B-15 that they’re all Variants.

And how could they track the original Renslayer?

Because Renslayer COINCIDENTALLY had a pen with written over the name of the school in which she worked among all her trophies and stuff and everything else and Mobius, who supposedly knows her by centuries, never saw it before and COINCIDENTALLY noticed it only, what, the day before because Renslayer COINCIDENTALLY gave it to him to sign a document and COINCIDENTALLY he remembered the name and COINCIDENTALLY he assumed if she had it, it’s not because another analyst gave it to her but because it’s tied to her true identity and COINCIDENTALLY this was all true. What an awesome series of plot contrivances in a poor attempt to explain how they did find out which was Renslayer’s school when they could have just searched in the computer for a Ravonna Renslayer in the Sacred Timeline. Back to the Lokis we go with ‘He Who Remains’ fully aware Sylvie is the main character, the one who make a journey filled with pain while Loki was just ‘a flea on the back of a dragon’.

Because yeah, this confirms that, despite the title being “Loki”, this has never been Loki’s story. He just happened to be there, a bystander. This is Sylvie’s story. But Loki managing to ‘hang on’… well, ‘He Who Remains’ guesses it counts for something. Yeah, that the series used Loki’s popularity to lead people to view it thinking it would be about him when it’s all about Sylvie. I’m sorry for Sophia Di Martino, it’s not her fault but if someone says me I’m watching a series about Tom Hiddleston’s Loki I want it to be about Tom Hiddleston’s Loki not about anyone else, not even my favourite actor or the best actor in the world. I feel cheated and this doesn’t please me at all. Loki tells him he lost while Sylvie tries again to kill him and again he phases out of her way. He tells them they can’t kill him because he knows what they’ll do and shows them in fact he has a document on which is printed what they’ll do. On it we can see that Loki is the Variant L. 1130 while Sylvie is L. 1190. Loki tries to wave it away as a parlour trick.

‘He Who Remains’ points out to how he has programmed already his TemPad to make sure he’ll avoid all of Sylvie’s blows. I’m not even sure how this works, before they used Time Twisters to loop the Variants, now they actually use the TemPad to… teleport in another place without even opening a timedoor?

The Tempad is the great applied Phlebotinum of this story. It can do everything and the Mary Sue can even make it work without knowing how.

‘He Who Remains’ also informs them he knows whatever happened between them.

Oh, good moment to point this out, remember that big fact about Sylvie and Loki touching each other and this breaking the timeline and we never learnt why but Mobius said it was because two variants of the same person fell in love?

Well, we’ll never get confirmation if it’s true or not and it’ll never happen again. The best we can assume from a Watsonian perspective is it was ‘He Who Remains’ who caused the timeline to branch to save them… from a Doylist perspective it was just another plot contrivance created ad hoc to get them out of a potentially fatal situation.

‘He Who Remains’ insists whatever they did was because he paved the way for them. So what, he controlled their minds? Everyone else’s? He told Classic Loki to die so they could have the time to beat Alioth? Or he would have stopped Alioth? Just because he knows, he didn’t pave the way, at best he predicted it.

Then we get this bit:

‘He Who Remains’: Oh, come on. You know you can't get to the end until you've been changed by the journey. This stuff, it needs to happen. To get us all in the right mindset to finish the quest.

So what’s this? The author talking to us through ‘He Who Remains’, telling us we had to go through 6 episodes so that the reason why Kang the Conqueror will appear wouldn’t feel like a random plot contrivance? And he lead us through all this journey a plot contrivance after the other?

So basically this series could have been avoided by just having ‘He Who Remains’ shoot himself but no, we needed to go through 6 episodes to have Sylvie kill him and refuse to take his place so that his Variants can come? Or even better we could have avoided all this by just having Kang coming but no, too easy, better waste 6 episode setting up that Kang was coming because no one was interested in a series about Loki but in a story about how Sylvie, the supposedly perfect Mary Sue female viewers were supposed to identify with because all female viewers want is not a compelling female representation but a Mary Sue, actually is a dumb woman moved by revenge that opens the Pandora Box and starts it all?

I… I don’t even know how Sylvie moved from Mary Sue to Pandora from an episode to the other.

Do those characters have a character or are they merely puppets?

Loki asks him if this means he manipulated them and ‘He Who Remains’ uses his words to imply he’s the great manipulator.

Loki? In this series? Manipulator? He couldn’t talk his way with an old woman!

You can’t destroy a character and then speak as if his abilities are still there!

Loki WAS a manipulator in the movies! You destroyed him so don’t come here and tell me he still is! It’s no more believable!

But that’s not the point, the point is that ‘He Who Remains’ wants to say that Sylvie isn’t any more capable to trust anyone… so the series had Sylvie say she can’t fall asleep near someone she can’t trust in Episode 3 and then showed her sleeping in front of Loki short after, and then she pruned herself to go save him and trusted him to help her enchant Alioth and he never betrayed her, and he never betrayed anyone in this series really and a Loki even died to help them and just because ‘He Who Remains’ says she can’t trust anyone she doesn’t?

When actually it’s not that she was betrayed by people as far as we know, her story isn’t one of lies and betrayal as her parents were honest with her, her story is merely of a fascist organization wearing very obvious uniforms hunting her?

She shouldn’t have trusting issues with normal people, she should just hate the TVA and yet she trusted Mobius and even gave him the Tempad, her only way out of the place and told Loki Mobius cared about him and now, out of nowhere, she has trusting issues?

It’s Loki the one with trusting issues, not her! He’s the one who was lied all his life, he’s the one who wasn’t believed when he told Mobius the truth, he’s the one who saw Boastful Loki blackmail them.

Does this story knows what’s going on with its characters?

We switch to Mobius and Renslayer.

Mobius wants to tell to the people of the TVA the truth. Renslayer shows him that just because she knows the truth it doesn’t change a damn thing to her and in a way she’s right… or better, she makes more sense than him.

Renslayer: But what if it's a necessary one? Someone created the Time-Keepers. They created this whole place. They gave us all purpose. I have to believe they had a reason.

Mobius was a blind believer before. He was sure the TVA was necessary. So what does it changes if the Time-Keepers weren’t in that room, if they aren’t three but one guy who calls himself ‘He Who Remains’. The mission, the goal, is the same and maybe he lied for self protection so if someone were to try to decapitate him, he would decapitate a puppet.

And which difference it makes if Mobius knows he’s a Variant who got lucky enough to be spared? He, B-15 and all the others didn’t care about the Variants they killed and all they complained and whined was they were lied at, without realizing they had it better than the other Variants who were hunted and killed.

But Mobius goes…

Mobius: No, because I've seen the horror waiting for people when they get pruned and there's nothing necessary about that.

…so okay, if they just died and ended up becoming nothing it was okay for you? It’s because you’ve seen the Void all of sudden you decided pruning people isn’t good?

I mean, I found right from the start the TVA a fascist organization employing torture and police brutality to murder people they saw of a different ‘racial’ group (Variants as handled as if they were a different race from them) with dehumanizing methods, stripping them of their rights and enjoying belittling and hurting them.

Yeah, occasionally Mobius showed some sense of moral but he was an active perpetrator who stuck Loki in a time loop so he could be beaten to Mobius’ heart content until he were to mindlessly obey to Mobius who called himself his friends but basically forced him to cooperate right from the start and continuously belittled him.

And when Loki confronted him more than once Mobius was absolutely fine with what the TVA was doing because, as Renslayer will remind him, without the TVA there should be chaos and free will is bad. But now, now that the TVA lied to him and even pruned him… oh, Mobius saw the light, HE would never again send people to such a horrid place.

Only he escaped from the Void, knowing for all the others who were in the Void, there was no way to come back without a TemPad but who cares?

I mean, it’s great Mobius grew a conscience and decided that sending people in the Void isn’t the right thing to do… but the story should have PROVED he was thinking so in the past episode already instead in the past episode he didn’t show any care about the Variants he forced to end up there, most of which died.

He was all ‘All that time, I really believed we were the good guys’ and ‘Well, I guess when you think the ends justify the means, there's not much you won't do. By the way, you did some annihilating too’ and ‘I too did what I had to do’ and didn’t care at all to save the people that ended there. The TVA kept on pruning, innocent people kept on being sent there and he gave them no way out.

And now he preaches to Renslayer they shouldn’t send people there because he seen the place and he thinks they shouldn’t send people there? How was instead right leaving them there?

They had then an absurd discussion about how, if the TVA weren’t to exist people would have free will.

It’s not that people didn’t have the free will if the TVA existed. No one knew if they were following the sacred timeline or not, so it’s not like whose who followed it were coerced into doing so. They did so of their own free will.

The people they killed didn’t go against the sacred timeline deliberately, it was never a matter of choosing if to obey or not.

One of the biggest problems of the TVA was they processed people for breaking rules people didn’t know existed, and not because they had been lazy but because the TVA didn’t have the authority to impose those rules and didn’t even inform people they were imposing them.

Anyway Renslayer, who’s big about enslavement, says only one person should have free will, the one in charge. Great, Renslayer, so if that person decides to kill everyone and then commit suicide you will agree with it, won’t you?

Because this won’t be chaotic.

So Mobius, not having anything to counter, complains she babbled about them being friends and then sent him to die and wants to know why she changed.

I honestly love this bit but I fear I love it not for the author’s intention.

Renslayer: Nothing, Mobius. I didn't change. Mobius: You didn't change? You betrayed me. Renslayer: No, no. You betrayed me! I looked out for you, hung my neck out for you, and you suffer a crisis of faith and turn to those Variants? Eons of friendship. And you threw it all away on a couple of Lokis. No, Mobius. I didn't betray you.

Mobius sees the world through his personal, selfish lenses. He changed his mind so Renslayer should have too and should have supported him and given him what he demanded. What Renslayer wanted, what she felt, how she didn’t care if the TVA lied to them and was her job to cover up the lie, didn’t matter to him.

Up till that moment he always did what he wanted and she covered up for him. The moment she said ‘no, I won’t cover up for you anymore’ he goes ‘you betrayed me’. His relationship with her is not one of friendship and in the same way he can’t be friend with Loki because the moment Loki did something that displeased him he stopped listening to him and punished him by having him beaten.

Owen Wilson is really good at portraying Mobius but Mobius, as a character, is a spoiled child who’s used to have things his way and throws a tantrum if they don’t go as he wants.

This is the only one time though that the series dares to call him out and since it’s Renslayer doing so, I fear it’ll go unnoticed.

Mobius, in fact, has again nothing to counter except they can’t take away people’s free will. HIS OWN specifically, I might add because until he wasn’t involved he was perfectly fine with taking it away.

Loki: It's an illusion. It's a cruel, elaborate trick conjured by the weak to inspire fear. A desperate attempt at control. Now, you all parade about as if you're the divine arbiters of power in the universe. Mobius: We are. [Ep 1]

Loki: So everything is written. Past, present, future. There's no such thing as free will. Mobius: Well, I mean, you know, it's an oversimplification... [Ep 2]

And he also was fine with avoiding chaos.

Loki: Ah, I see. So, when they're finished, what happens then? Mobius: So are we. No more nexus events. Just order. And we meet in peace at the end of time. Nice, right? [Ep 2]

But the most ironic thing is that Mobius in Ep 1 tried to criticize Loki for doing and believing exactly what the TVA is doing and he never seemed to realize it.

Whatever, Renslayer opens up a timedoor telling his she’ll do what she’ll need to do.

Mobius tries to tempt her with an offering:

Mobius: Wait, stop. Look, maybe we can build this into something better together.

And I’d like to know what’s this something better he means. They’ll control people’s will only a bit? Just to make sure only the good guys win? Or what? They’ll simply forbid time travels?

Which would be the TVA purpose if they don’t catch people who go against the sacred timeline and prune them? What are they going to do? Become a private police? Spies? History archivists? What?

So Mobius tries to use the big gun to stop her, the time stick.

Renslayer warns him he’s no danger to her even with that because she’s an action girl and he’s not.

Mobius has his own heroic scene in which he attacks her and he’s sent flying the next second. He tells her to prune him and she doesn’t. Renslayer couldn’t even watch when he got pruned the first time, she can’t do the job herself.

She’s more of his friend than he is Loki’s friend as she didn’t even close him in a time loop in which he gets hurt but leaves him there.

Mobius asks her again where she’s going to go and she says:

Renslayer: In search of free will.

And I’m WHAT IS THIS SUPPOSED TO MEAN? Unless she means she’s going to search for the person in charge, or for power, she just claimed only one person can have free will, the one in charge so is she searching for the TVA boss or for a way to become that herself?

And anyway that’s the last way we see Renslayer so she won’t have the chance to tell us why Sylvie was pruned because it actually wasn’t relevant, it was an excuse to give her a sad back-story.

Depressing.

Back to the Lokis, ‘He Who Remains’ goes on with his propaganda.

‘He Who Remains’: I understand your moral objections to what the TVA does. And my methods are deceptive. But the mission, it never was. Without the me, without the TVA... everything burns.

Loki asks him what he is afraid of which turns out to be him so Sylvie asks him who he is.

Before focusing on his reply I want to point out how the dialogue between the three of them tends to be structured.

Loki says something, ‘He Who Remains’ answers, then Sylvie says something, ‘He Who Remains’ answers then we go back to Loki. Sylvie and Loki take turns in making questions with ‘He Who Remains’ which is not how a discussion goes in the real world. Sometimes someone makes two questions in a row, sometimes another person add a question to the question done, this sort of order is something you get only in a script that tries to balance the screen time of the characters.

Anyway, ‘He Who Remains’ pulls out his whole back-story and yes, he has a back-story and it’s better than Sylvie’s. Which isn’t surprising as he, or better one of his Variants, is meant to be Kang the Conqueror, the next big bad for the movies.

He even hints it in the list of names he says he had.

‘He Who Remains’: Oh, I've been dubbed many names by many people. A ruler, a CONQUEROR. ( Snickers ) ‘He Who Remains’, a jerk.

A conqueror. Kang, the conqueror.

He then proceeds to explain his back-story, confirming what I suspected. Part of the TVA back-story was true, eons ago there were various timelines they came in contact and then decided ‘why not to destroy each other because the bright lure of freedom diminished their life's joy in a mad scramble for power, for identity as they were made to be ruled and…’ okay, he didn’t put it quite in this way but this was, as Miss Minute said, almost the end of everything.

And, apparently, the ones who started the mess were all his Variants. Because having so many Loki Variants might be troublesome but having Kang Variants is apparently apocalyptic.

But then ‘He Who Remains’ reveals that the truth diverges from ‘dogma’ (so yeah he too sees the TVA as a cult). The first Variant of himself and with this I guess he means himself found Alioth, weaponized it and used it to end the Multiversal War. Once their timeline was isolated he just used the TVA to kill the branching timelines. He’s not the devil he’s the one who kept them safe…

…though he’s conveniently skipping he kept them safe until he decided to prune them. But he tells them his Variants are worse than him which really doesn’t promise anything good.

I would say this doesn’t explain at all how he knew what Loki and Sylvie would have done when facing him because the TVA usually knows what’s going on in the sacred timeline by excluding all the other possibilities. If you’re pruned if you’ll go forward, right or back, you can only survive by going left, hence you’ll go left.

There though there’s no one which can prune Loki and Sylvie for saying something different from what’s in the script.

I was thinking the TVA would employ some sort of prophet/prophetess to explain this but no, why explain things? Much better to leave them unexplained and without sense.

Still, he who comes last makes an interesting observation which I was hoping would be discussed in episode 3 but I got no luck.

‘He Who Remains’: You may hate the dictator, but something... ( Exhales deeply ) ...far worse is gonna fill that void if you depose of him.

When there a Void of power, problems always come. The bigger the place, the worse. Because that’s how human works and what history teaches us.

So Loki’s idea that Earth is at war with itself because it’s not united under a single ruler isn’t completely out of a Void (even if it discounts rebellions and attempts at stealing power and assumes he’s capable of ruling a huge planet with lot of people he knows little about and views as inferior). Complete chaos, anarchy, total lack of authority aren’t working ways to handle things. But the TVA sits at the opposite extreme, it’s just too controlling, too trampling of people’s will to be okay.

The TVA is a bad solution, it doesn’t really work, it just seems so because it murders whoever who doesn’t agree. How many lives preserved? And how many more it killed? Did it murder 1.000 for each 10 it saved? More? 100.000 for each 10 it saved? Even more than that? There are whole cities in the Void, how many times did they rest New York? Asgard? The whole Earth? Some other world?

The idea ‘He Who Remains’ went through any scenario makes me wonder again ‘how?’ did he have a time stone like Doctor Strange in “Avengers: Infinity War”? Explanation please?

Loki goes moralistic as well since at this point everyone is going moralistic:

Loki: So you just... continue to prune innocent timelines?

‘He Who Remains’ surprises them telling them he wouldn’t be the one to prune innocent timelines…

‘He Who Remains’: You two would. There are two options! One... you kill me and destroy all this, so you don't just have one devil, you have an infinite amount. Or... you two. You two run the thing.

Basically ‘He Who Remains’ is offering them a choice between complete chaos and complete order, telling them he’ll pass the ball to them.

Loki doesn’t believe he would give up being in control but ‘He Who Remains’ insists he’s just old… which makes sense but… then what about all this being already written and predetermined?

If everything was already written it’s not like he’s giving this up willingly, he’s merely following the script, a script that has to be followed and so whatever his motivation is, is pointless.

I also don’t quite get why he chose Loki and Sylvie, why they were perfect. They even have contrasting ideas, for crying out loud, but since we aren’t explained anything we are just supposed to accept this logic or lack thereof as valid.

‘He Who Remains’: I've gone through a lot of scenarios... trying to find the right person to take this spot. It turns out that person came in two. But it's definitely you two. So, no more lies. You kill me and the Sacred Timeline is completely exposed. Multiversal War. Or you take over and return to the TVA as its benevolent rulers. Tell the workforce who they are and why they do what they do.

Was that actually the purpose? To see Sylvie, that represent chaos and wants to murder him, fight with Loki which represent order and a benevolent ruler?

Sylvie’s turn to go moralistic.

Sylvie: You treated real people's lives like some kind of game.

‘He Who Remains’ shrugs off her words.

‘He Who Remains’: It's not personal, it's practical. Sylvie: It was personal to me.

That’s the real problem with Sylvie. She’s not worried about everyone he played with, she’s worried about what was done TO HER. It was personal TO HER. Who cares about the others. For her revenge she’s willing to sacrifice everyone.

‘He Who Remains’ turns the blame on her.

‘He Who Remains’: Grow up! Grow up, Sylvie! Murderer! Hypocrite! We're all villains here. We've all done horrible, terrible, horrific things. But now, we, you... have a chance to do them for a good reason.

She has to grow up, she’s a murderer and a hypocrite, we’re all bad… but now we can do something for a good reason… and this is messed up, actually.

Let’s try to put some order in this.

Sylvie was hunted by people, lot of people, who wanted to kill her. Yes, she could keep on escaping and never trying to kill them back or doing so when it was the only way for her to escape. It’s a valid possibility if your sense of moral is against killing.

But also deciding to prioritize your life and murdering whoever is attempting to that is a valid choice if you have no problems dirtying your hands and hope in a more normal life.

So okay, she’s a murderer, a murderer that killed for a very personal reason... but there’s a problem here. It’s ‘He Who Remains’ who’s a hypocrite because HE was the same as Sylvie, not the other way around. He has killed countless Variants and condemned her to such a life for a very personal reason, his own survival. It’s practical FOR HIM, to condemn Sylvie and the others, the others do not agree.

If there’s some growing up, they both have to do it as this is survival of the fittest and there’s no noble and good reason like he’s trying to sell them. The TVA saves a really small minority to condemn a huge majority. Keeping the TVA active to save such a small minority because they belong to said minority is not a ‘good reason’. It’s the same old, a selfish reason.

Still, credit when it’s due, this part is interestingly philosophical. However the series contained so many things that don’t make sense I honestly don’t know if it’s interesting on purpose or by coincidence (this show was big on coincidences as well).

And I don’t see why he has to point at Loki when he says they’ve all done horrible, terrible, horrific things when he could actually point at himself, instead, through all the discussion he has tried to put Sylvie against Loki, to make her doubt him… while Loki just lets him. In fact Sylvie looks at Loki as if one would look to someone guilty of something terrible.

Then he informs them they have passed the threshold, the point in which he doesn’t know anymore what will happen.

And I’m again, why could he know things before and now can’t anymore? Explanation please?

Meanwhile the timeline on which that place seems to rest starts to branch.

Loki is confused, apparently he didn’t expect ‘He Who Remains’ to let them decide their fate freely.

‘He Who Remains’ points out that, whatever they chose, things wouldn’t change for him.

‘He Who Remains’: Yes! Yes! Yes! What's the worst that can happen? You either... take over and my life's work continues or you plunge a blade in my chest and an infinite amount of me... start another Multiversal War. And I just... end up right back here anyways. Reincarnation, baby.

Oh, so there’s also reincarnation in the MCU? Are the Variants reincarnations or people who diverged from their chosen path? I’m beyond confuse.

Sylvie says it’s another lie, another manipulation and ‘He Who Remains’ denies it.

I mean… when Loki says manipulation ‘He Who Remains’ goes all ‘Interesting, that your head would go to that. Sylvie, you think you can trust this guy?’ when Sylvie says so he’s ‘Oh. No lie. No manipulation.’

I’ll say he’s trying to manipulate Loki and Sylvie to fight. That’s why there are two of them, to make them fight.

In fact Sylvie goes for the kill without even asking Loki what he thinks about her and he stops her. He asks her to talk about it, but she’s not interested, she just wants to kill ‘He Who Remains’ and that’s why I find them a terrible couple and I don’t get why Loki should love her beyond her being a Mary Sue.

She’s not really interested in Loki’s opinion, in what he wants, in hearing him out. She wants to do what she has always wanted to do, kill the person behind the TVA, not for the other Variants who can fall victims to them but for herself, for her revenge.

It’s not that she doesn’t believe in ‘He Who Remains’, it’s she doesn’t care if he’s telling the truth or not, she just wants to kill him. Loki is not saying they shouldn’t kill him, he’s saying they should think at it, but she’s in a rush to do it. And, at this point, she doesn’t want to believe in Loki’s either.

Loki: Sylvie, the universe is in the balance, everything we know to be true. Everything. I know the TVA has hurt us both. But what if by taking him out, we risk unleashing something even worse? All I'm suggesting is we just take a minute to think about it. I promise you from my heart this isn't about a throne. Sylvie: What was I thinking trusting you? Has this whole thing been a con?

And this hurts Loki because… she’s like everyone else. She doesn’t trust him, she never did.

Loki: Really? That's what you think of me... after all this time? Sure. Why not? Evil Loki's master plan comes together. Well, you never trusted me, did you? What was the point? Can't you see? This is bigger than our experience.

And at this point Sylvie says something very childish.

Sylvie: Why aren't we seeing this the same way?

Or better ‘Why aren’t you seeing this the same way as me?’ because if the problem was ‘we see this differently’ we could talk about why this is it, but if the point is ‘you see this differently’ you are the problem and you should change your way or you’re in my way. And again this proves they’re a terrible couple because being together is also about finding compromises.

Loki’s reply actually seems to miss the point:

Loki: Because you can't trust... and I can't be trusted.

It’s not about what they can’t do, it’s about what Sylvie wants and what he wants. She wants ‘He Who Remains’ dead. He wants her safe and a new life for himself, one in which he won’t have to lie and backstab. He liked her because

Loki: But that's kind of what's great about her. She's different. She's not trying to take over the TVA, she's trying to take it down. And she needs me.

…but he was slightly wrong. She’s trying to take down the TVA yes, but not for pure reasons, but just because she has a grudge toward them. It doesn’t really matter to Sylvie it’s a Fascist organization or what it does to other Variants, she’s just hurt and wants retaliation.

And in this she’s similar to him. He was hurt by his family and wanted the throne not out of ambition but because he was taught that who gets the throne is the one worthy and loved. Getting the throne was his way to soothe his hurt. Sylvie comes from a different back-story, she was taught killing the enemy is the way to solve the problem and that’s why she wants to destroy the TVA, because the TVA taught her destroying something is the way you deal with problems.

They had a different nurture phase, so they came out different.

But as he believes he’s flawed, he sees the problem as a nature’s problem.

She can’t trust. He can’t be trusted. That’s their nature. And it’s not. As Sylvie said when they met

Loki Variant (Sylvie): This isn't about you. [Ep 2]

It’s about her pain. And in a way their fight might parallel the one between him and Thor… and he’s even better than Thor in his efforts to reach her.

When he says they should think about it, he wants to talk with her about it. He’s not saying she has to do what he says, he wanna them think at this together. He’s stalling? Possibly, but he’s showing himself open to discussion which is something.

So, while Sylvie shows she has magically leant Loki’s magic and now can use him to push him away because she’s awesome like that (and note that it’s true Loki magically learnt enchantment, but she explained him how it worked, he never explained her how his magic worked), Loki tries reasoning with her without invalidating her point even though her words about not being able to trust him had hurt him:

Loki: Maybe he's lying! Maybe he's not. The cost of getting this wrong is too great.

When she accuses him of something, he insists that’s not that:

Sylvie: Fine. Do it. Kill me. Take your throne. Loki: No.

But what’s more he proves her he doesn’t aim to hurt her by giving her the chance to kill him. He exposes his throat and let his blade fall. He completely drops the aggressive stance and tries to reason with her from an unthreatening position, giving her all the power so that she doesn’t feel attacked.

He tells her he understands her and it’s true if this is meant to parallel his fight with Thor during which all he could think was that destroying Jotunheim would fix everything. It probably would have worked better if he had explained her why he knows but whatever. He tries to show her he prioritizes her, that he doesn’t want to hurt her, where Thor’s main worry was to protect the Frost Giants. Loki protects ‘He Who Remains’, but make clear he does so to protect Sylvie.

Loki: I've been where you are. I've felt what you feel. Don't ask me how I know. All I know... is I don't wanna hurt you. I don't want a throne. I just... ( Sighs ) I just want you to be okay.

Try to think at how would have been “Thor” if Thor had tried stopping Loki by pointing out how his brother wasn’t the sort who’ll commit genocide, how he would feel bad if he were to do so, how he understood Loki was in pain and wanted him to be okay and destroying Jotunheim wasn’t the way.

It’s interesting in both scenes Loki had to remark it wasn’t about him wanting the throne, it’s always about love. In “Thor” he wanted Odin’s love, in “Loki” he wanted to protect Sylvie whom he loved.

Credits when it’s due, in “Thor”, Thor told Loki he didn’t want to fight him, but he did so by a position of power, he was in a situation in which he could defend himself and the whole ‘I will not fight you, Brother!’ to Loki who had no idea Thor had changed might have felt like Thor looking down on him, looking at someone who wasn’t worth fighting against.

Thor too tried to stop Loki… but the script simply wanted him to be more concerned with protecting Jane and Jotunheim than his brother. Loki instead prioritizes Sylvie. Sadly it’s not enough because she too, like him, is too damaged.

She’s touched by his words… but they aren’t enough. She drops her sword and kisses him… but this is not enough for her. She doesn’t love him enough she’ll gave up on her revenge.

So she steals ‘He Who Remains’ timepad, opens a timedoor and tosses Loki through it. The Timedoor, differently from episode 2, closes quickly so Loki can’t go back.

‘He Who Remains’ meanwhile has enjoyed the show as if it were an amusing, incredible movie. As Sylvie throws away the furniture that divides them and asks him if he’s gonna beg for his life he laughs and says he could do but will never do it. He’s not scared, which is a huge warning sign that killing him out of revenge isn’t the solution, it’s what he wants.

She kills him anyway and he smiles telling her he’ll see her soon then dies laughing.

Sylvie remains alone there and falls sit as she savours how revenge actually doesn’t taste that sweet as they say.

Meanwhile the timeline outside keeps branching madly.

It’s a beautiful view, I’ll have to say this episode has very nice visuals.

Back at the TVA Mobius and B-15 see the timeline branch as well on a screen and I’m confused because the TVA wasn’t meant to be capable to see the timeline past the void but all of sudden they can… or it’s pre Void and the timeline started branching there too? Who knows?

No one at the TVA is doing anything they’re just watching the scene and I don’t know what’s going on.

So everyone has peacefully accept the TVA lied to them and they had to stop working for it but remained at his place?

Renslayer was the only one who believes they had to trust in the system and wanted to fight for it?

That’s impossible to believe honestly, the TVA should be chaos and confusion at this point, with people attempting to cope with the truth and arguing about what to do.

Mobius and B-15 decide that there’s no turning back and, apparently, since they had turned against the TVA, she show is trying to promote them as two good guys/heroes/whatever.

I’m ALL for redeeming characters, really, I’m glad they had changed their ways but it was just done in a very unconvincingly way, EXPECIALLY FOR B-15 who has never showed care for the Variants and was all about pruning them and belittling them with joy, but also for Mobius who was ruined by Ep 4 and had poor dialogues also in episode 5.

Loki is in the TVA room in which Sylvie has tossed him. He’s clearly distraught and sat there for a while until he decides to leave and run out, probably searching for ‘his great friend’ Mobius.

He finds him talking with B-15 about how the timeline is branching and tells him what had happened.

Loki: It's done, Mobius. We made a terrible mistake. We freed the Timeline. We found him beyond the storm. A Citadel at the End of Time. He's terrifying. He planned everything. He's seen everything. He knows everything. It's complicated. Okay? But someone is coming. Countless different versions of a very dangerous person. And they're all set on war. We need to prepare.

He’s so upside down he realizes Mobius doesn’t know what he’s talking about when Mobius asks him if he’s another analyst (probably because Loki is dressed like one).

At this point Loki realizes Mobius doesn’t know him and neither does B-15 who calls for the boots. As he looks around he sees the TVA has changed, there’s no more a statue of the three time-keepers but one of ‘He Who Remains’, or, more likely, of Kang the conqueror.

The episode ends like this and Loki will do better say he was just talking of a nightmare he had or fake temporal insanity if he doesn’t want to be pruned by this new Kang.

Or is it Sylvie who has taken control?

We don’t know, we’re meant to find out in the next series.

So, to sum it up… the initial discussion between Loki and Sylvie was poor and apparently aimed to set up the idea that despite episode 3, 4 & 5 wanted us to believe they were meant to be a couple, the things couldn’t work, thanks for making us waste 3 episodes over this, the meeting with Miss Minute was something that was better to cut, actually let’s cut Miss Minute from the series.

The Renslayer subplot is merely a teaser for the next season. In the Comics she falls for Kang and she basically left in search of him so this might tell us something about future developments.

The whole plan to reveal the truth to the TVA was poorly done, they could have cut the ‘Loki and Sylvie met Miss Minute’ scene and focus more on ‘the TVA discovers the truth’.

I actually liked Mobius and Renslayer’s meeting but, I fear, not for the reasons the author wanted.

There’s tons of things unexplained and confusing in this episode, like the dust in the place, at this point I might even wonder if ‘He Who Remains’ was really there or Sylvie killed an hologram.

Jonathan Majors did a great work with ‘He Who Remains’… on the opposite side Tom Hiddleston’s Loki hardly had a role except for the last bit in which he tried to stop Sylvie.

Even though it was Loki, Sylvie and ‘He Who Remains’ in that room, it felt more like it was a dialogue between Sylvie and ‘He Who Remains’ and Loki had decided to be there solely to support Sylvie instead than for his own reasons and I mean, supporting Sylvie can be a personal reason but he has just… put her in a position of power. It wasn’t as if he was there WITH her, but he was there FOR her and she fundamentally didn’t need nor wanted HIM, she just wanted someone who agreed with her and told her what she wanted right from the start.

In an interesting note this episode remarked again they ARE different people and he’s not an extension of Sylvie who would nods his head when she felt they should nod their head. And Sylvie chooses revenge versus love in a very total way because she’s not even willing to talk over it where, although Loki turned it down, Loki always talked with Thor when they had a fight, he tried to explain himself. Sylvie doesn’t.

Through their fight she just accuses him. She tells him he gets in her way because he wants the throne because he wants to con her, because he wants to kill her. Ultimately when he tells her he only wants her to be okay, she tells him she’s not him, so either she doesn’t want herself to be okay or she doesn’t return the feeling, she doesn’t want him to be okay and that’s all she gives as explanation for her actions.

She doesn’t try to explain how she feels or how the TVA hurt her. She just expects him to understand by osmosis I guess, or because he’s a Loki like her.

It’s an interesting scene, all their fight is worth discussing but also… disregard previous character developments.

He supposed love story with Loki never existed, not even as a teenager experience, the idea of losing him was nothing compared to her wish to murder ‘He Who Remains’. All that incensing about Sylvie being the special, superior female Loki Variant kind of crumbled down in this episode.

Fundamentally she gave up her brain and her love for her wish of revenge and she has played like a pawn in the game ‘He Who Remains’ set for her. He goaded her into not trusting Loki and killing him and she let the guy manipulate her.

The series continued to give her no solid back-story to speak of, her past was just very sad and that’s it, but also skipped on Loki’s back-story entirely with the result they both don’t feel very deep if we just watch the series.

Still I think that the confrontation had a lot of potential but was meant to be set up better.

As for all the things the series left unexplained… I can’t really say I approve. People should want to watch a second season because they enjoyed the first, not because it’s a requirement to understand the first, never mention I’m pretty sure they don’t really aim to explain all that remained unexplained.

We don’t see any more Kid Loki nor anyone explains us the existence of Alligator Loki which are both two huge wastes as they too had a lot of potential. And what about Throg in a jar? He also gets forgotten.

All the points about Loki being a narcissist or not, falling for Sylvie out of narcissism or not remains unexplored. They didn’t dig in a single one of his past family issues and traumas.

The TVA kind of discovered the truth and… that was it because then when Loki is back everything is rewinded.

To sum it up, the “Loki” series had A LOT OF POTENTIAL, but it wasted most of it.

It did a poor use of its awesome actors due to a poor script which turned them OOC or gave them senseless dialogue, it has potentially strong thematic (fascist organization, police abuse, discrimination, passively collaborating with what’s wrong) which didn’t explore at all in a meaningful way, inserted a bisexual character, or two if Sylvie too was bisexual… and then let the whole notion drop as it was completely irrelevant for the plot.

It was set up as a mystery or a crime story which was intriguing… but then failed to deliver as everything happened not following a plan but thanks to plot contrivances happening one after the other.

It could have explored parallel realities, Variants of the same people… but reduced them to a joke that’s mostly uncharacterized.

It could have been all a joke at this point, the “Looney tunes” humour was fun… but no, it wanted to be serious to waste more than half of an episode in “Looney tunes” humour that wasn’t relevant to the plot. And I could go on and on, because there’s plenty of promising bits that… go nowhere.

I mean we didn’t need Loki and Sylvie’s relation to be romantic, if it had been familiar, if Loki were to see her as a long lost twin sister and that was it, someone with whom he wanted to build the sibling relation he failed to have with Thor, it could have worked but no, we needed the romance that… goes nowhere. 3 episodes spent to set up a romance that wasn’t needed and goes nowhere.

And it’s not even a lie, it’s not that Sylvie is manipulating Loki… it’s just that when all is said and done, whatever she felt for him didn’t matter because she wanted to murder ‘He Who Remains’ right then and he told her to wait.

The worse feeling though is maybe that I fear that what I find interesting in some parts wasn’t what the author wanted me to find interesting.

I mean, where I see police brutality and abuse and a wonderful opportunity to discuss of these things… the author seems to see just a funny moment to beat Loki up and humble him and force him to reflect on his bad behaviour. So… I don’t know.

Ultimately the show failed to deliver a Loki story. Loki has a lot of screen time and Tom Hiddleston is great but… he’s not the Loki we knew as, except for a couple of moments in ep 1 & 2, he acts dumb and slow witted, he can’t manipulate anyone but what’s worse he can’t even persuade people when he’s telling the truth and yeah, they gave him back his magic powers but he uses them poorly and lost his fighting abilities.

There was no exploration of his trauma, of what made him ‘Loki’. When asked what makes a Loki a Loki, Loki says ‘independence, authority, style’ but what I wanted to know was what made him HIMSELF, his experiences his trauma, and see him unpack those.

Instead the series only had him say ‘I’m bad, I’m weak, I’m a narcissist’, they didn’t care at all about nurture, they tried to blame all on nature, over and over, especially with the horde of Lokis who’re all backstabbing and longing for power, except the ones who aren’t but we don’t talk about them.

Whatever, I’m done. I’m just sad for how it went and I needed to vent because I really, really hope this series would be awesome, the other series promised well and this series has the potential… but it failed to use it.

#loki #loki odinson #loki laufeyson #sylvie #mobius m mobius #ravonna renslayer #kang the conqueror #hunter b 15 #miss minute #9 worlds study #9 worlds study mcu loki

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lavellenchanted · 2 years

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I’ll Crawl Home (1/?)

A post Infinity War reimagining where Sif survives the Snap and tries to find her way back to Thor.

Read on AO3

Sif is a galaxy away from her home and everyone she loves when half the universe disintegrates into dust.

Keeping track of the time that has passed since she left Asgard has been difficult – not every realm and planet measures time the same way that Asgardians do, and in the endless, star-speckled darkness of space between them all time quickly loses all meaning whatsoever – but it has been at least two years, if not more. And there is still no sign of Thor.

It had not taken long to realise that his search for Infinity Stones had taken him outside of the Nine Realms, and though a small part of her was relieved, the galaxy beyond the realms being outside Loki’s reach and therefore safer for her as she searches for a way to bring him down, it made her quest that much harder to achieve. Thor might be anywhere on a myriad number of planets, and with Heimdall also labelled a traitor and forced to remain in hiding, Sif had only her wits to guide her.

She started with the obvious – the Collector, to whom they had entrusted the Reality Stone. He confirmed that Thor had been there, briefly, to check that the stone remained safe with him, but had left long since – further out into the galaxy, he thought.

After that, it was a matter of trying to follow his trail. Not easy, when she is following months later and he had been travelling by himself without much pause. But an Asgardian prince who wields the star-forged Mjolnir and the power of thunder and lightening does not go unremarked, and Sif hears more than once of the golden-haired warrior god passing through. Several times she thinks she comes close to catching him, but he is always gone just before she gets there.

The hardest part is the loneliness. She misses Hogunn’s quiet but steadfast companionship. She misses Volstagg’s raucous laughter and bold smiles. She misses even Fandral’s mockery and constant jesting.

Most of all she misses Thor himself. His strength and fierceness, the way he makes the worlds around them seem bigger and brighter just by his presence. She misses fighting by his side and talking and drinking with him late into the night. She misses his smile, and his goodness, his unwavering belief in her. She just misses him, with an endless, relentless ache, like a chasm inside her.

Some nights she thinks about giving up, returning to Asgard and her friends and doing what she can there instead of pursuing what seems more and more like a fool’s errand.

But then she thinks about Loki masquerading as Odin on the throne, of his declaring her and Heimdall traitors because they could see through his illusions – and in doing so tacitly declaring war on her, Sif, the very Goddess of War. As much as she would like nothing more than to beat the truth from his deceitful tongue, she knows they need Thor if they really wish to set things to rights. He is the only one that has ever been able to deal to his brother, and he is the only one that Asgard will accept on the throne if they unveil Loki.

So she presses on.

As she follows talk of another sighting, she realises that the path she is on seems suddenly to have diverted, to be heading back towards the Nine Realms. Is Thor going home, after all this time? But why so abruptly? Why change his course so rapidly?

A feeling of unease makes her spine prickle – and it is just as she is worrying about what she might find when she finally manages to get back to Thor that half the universe disappears.

Screams and cries of terror and anguish echo all around her. She turns, drawing her blade, ready to face an enemy, but all she sees is confusion and dust. Black dust swirling in the air, drifting high on the wind and dissipating into nothing.

People are sobbing, crying, reaching out in front of them as though to hold on to something and slowly as she watches and looks around, Sif begins to understand with a dawning sense of sheer horror what is happening. It is people that are dissipating, crumbling away into those terrible flakes of ash and dissolving on the wind.

She feels sick, her heart pounding in her chest, and her fingers tighten on her sword. But she cannot fight this. She doesn’t even know what’s causing it.

Skin crawling now with dread she runs forward, and for a moment she thinks it is everyone – it seems like everyone, so many people, everywhere, just unravelling at the seams like a loose thread has been pulled and they are all coming undone.

Some instinct, honed over a millennium of battling throughout the Realms, tells her that this has something to do with Thor’s search – with the Stones. Something like this, a travesty of such magnitude that Sif has never seen in all her long years, that she is struggling to comprehend, cannot be a random happenstance on a small, quiet planet at the end of the galaxy.

Did Thor know was about to happen? Is that why he left and headed for Asgard?

Asgard.

A jolt of panic stops Sif in her tracks. Is this happening there, too? Are her friends – Heimdall, Hogun, Fandral, Volstagg, are they -? Is Thor -?

“Heimdall!” The scream rips from her throat, raw and frightened. “Heimdall, open the Bifrost! Heimdall!”

She cannot be here. She needs to be with them, to die beside them if she cannot fight against this with them.

“Heimdall, please! Open the Bifrost!”

There is no response – only the continuing cries of those around her.

“Heimdall?”

Slowly, the sobs give way to silence. Deep, terrible silence, the sound of an untold number of voices simply vanishing from existence. Silence that rivals the void of space.

If Heimdall can hear her, he gives no sign. The Bifrost remains closed.

And Sif is alone.

It takes almost as long to return home as she has been away, despite the fact that she is now travelling with purpose, knowing where she is headed rather than waiting for the next sign. With half the universe gone, the rest has fallen into chaos and once peaceful planets that she passed through are now war torn, the survivors of whatever it is that has happened lashing out in fear and anger and burning what remains down around them.

Other places are dead, filled only with the ghosts and echoes of what was. Where before Sif was able to scavenge and work her way across the galaxy, now she must take whatever passage is available – however out of the way it takes her – because there is no guarantee of getting anything else.

There are those that work to take control of the chaos, to put out the fires and rebuild from the ashes. Sif hears rumours of a captain with golden fists and strength unmatched, and once she might have sought her out and volunteered to help, but now she can only think of home, of Thor and their friends. She has to find them, to know what has happened to them.

It has become clear the further she has travelled that the unravelling of people has happened everywhere, and when she thinks of Asgard sick fear makes her stomach clench.

She imagines the gold citadel of her youth devastated, half its people ash on the wind. She imagines her friends turned to crumbling flakes of dust, gone as if they had never been.

But what she finds is so much worse than she imagined.

Because what she finds is nothing.

The black void of space stretches out before her, littered only with dust, debris and rocky remains. A creeping cold claws its way up her spine as she checks the navigation system of the small ship she was able to commandeer – its owner was one of those that have disappeared – but it does not appear to be faulty.

This is where Asgard should be, but Asgard is not there.

Asgard is gone.

Shock rolls over her like a wave, relentless and forceful and leaving her breathless. There is an echo of pain, but distant; that cold unease has turned to numbness as she stares at the vast emptiness where her home should be, and she is vaguely aware that the pain will hit her later but, for now, her mind is keeping the full impact at bay so she can think.

Nowhere she has visited has disappeared entirely and instinct tells her that there is more at work here than what else is happening throughout the galaxy. There is no sign of survivors, or of anyone at all – there is nowhere for anyone to be. But Thor had been on his way back. And Heimdall had still been here, and the Warriors Three. Surely they managed to save some of their people.

If Thor had returned to Asgard in time, he would have taken any survivors somewhere safe.

And there is one place, Sif knows, that Thor is fonder of than anywhere else in the realms. One place where he would first seek refuge.

Her hands shake only a little as she keys in the coordinates for Midgard.

With nothing else to occupy her mind as she flies, her imagination offers up various possibilities to try and explain the complete disappearance of Asgard – but nothing seems to be enough, she cannot imagine anything so disastrous as to erase an entire world so completely. Not even half the people of the galaxy crumbling to dust managed that.

So how? What happened?

The question beats loudly, ceaselessly, in her mind like a drum, along with another that hurt even to think about, a sharp edge that she flinches away from but cannot avoid being cut by: could she have done anything?

She’s not sure she could. If Thor, the Warriors Three and Heimdall between them could not prevent Asgard’s destruction, Sif does not know what she could have done to tip the scale – but she could have helped. She could have been there, to fight with them.

At the very least she could have died alongside them.

It is as she is thinking this that the asteroid belt appears on the horizon and she frowns; she did not think she was that close to Midgard. A glance at the navigation system confirms that she has only covered about half the distance. So what is that ahead of her? Unease makes her stomach knot and she wonders if she is about to discover another world destroyed and its remnants scattered in the cold void of space.

As she gets closer, and the shapes coalesce, her blood turns to ice in her veins.

They are the remnants of a world, but not lifeless hunks of rock. They’re bodies, floating frozen and crystalline in the lonely, infinite darkness.

“By Ymir,” she murmurs, and even though she speaks softly her voice sounds much too loud, echoing harshly off the metal walls of the ship.

Amongst the bodies, she realises, is the twisted wreckage of a ship that has been practically split down the middle. Jagged shards of metal float here and there, some bearing burn marks, and Sif can only imagine the intensity of the battle that took place here. They must have been attacked rather than being the aggressors, she thinks, since they do not appear to be warriors. Most look like civilians, in normal, everyday clothes –

– Asgardian clothes, she suddenly realises.

Cold spreads through her as though an icy hand has gripped her heart, and she can hear the grief roaring at her again, threatening to overtake her. She stands, but although she can hear the clang of solid metal beneath her boots she has the notion that she is balancing on the very edge of a great abyss and it would take only the smallest push to cause her to fall in and be lost.

Her ship has reached the edge of the field of bodies and as one floats past, she finds she knows the face. One of the women that worked in Odin’s palace.

Sif wants to be sick.

It feels like a dream – no, a nightmare – as she forces herself to fly through the site of the massacre, looking for people she knows. There are so many, and yet at the same time so few. Does this mean there were survivors here, who went on to Midgard? Or were these people all that survived whatever destroyed Asgard, only to meet death here?

Is she all that is left of her people?

She looks at every face she passes, but there is no Volstagg, no Fandral, no Hogun. Nor is there any sign of Thor, the face she dreads seeing above all others.

A gleam of gold catches her eye and she turns the ship, manoeuvring it through a cluster of men and women whose faces are vaguely familiar but Sif cannot name, towards the wreckage of the ship. There, caught among the twisted, broken sheets of metal, is the body of a tall, slim man, pale-faced and dark-haired, and Sif feels the air leave her lungs.

Loki.

She bore him little love as children and even less in the last few years, but to see him here, dead, floating like debris in space is like a physical blow. He is still a prince of Asgard, and he was, at one point at least, a friend. She remembers him as a child and an adolescent, remembers talking and laughing with him as well as fighting with him and at times despising him. For this to be his end . . .

It’s wrong.

Dread making her tremble, she moves the ship as close as she can, looking past Loki’s body into what was the belly of the ship. But rather than the golden hair she fears, the only other body inside is dark haired and dark skinned, and still clutching his sword even in death.

“Heimdall.” Sif’s voice cracks on his name, and she sinks down on her knees. As he slips out of sight, her vision blurs, and the numbness can no longer hold the grief at bay. The tears spill down her cheeks as sobs rip from her throat in staccato bursts. She huddles on the floor of the ship, shaking and gasping for breath while it feels like her very soul is being torn asunder.

How long she cries for, she isn’t sure, but when the tears are finally dried she feels empty and hollow, as though the grief has carved everything else from her and left her just a shell. Asgard is gone. Her people are dead. While she was halfway across the galaxy searching for a way to save them, they were fleeing and dying and she didn’t know. Asgard was being destroyed and she didn’t know. Her friends fought and died without her, and she didn’t know.

How could she not know? How could her entire world be destroyed without her feeling anything – no twinge of warning, no snapping of an invisible cord that bound her to her home, nothing to tell her that everything and everyone she loved were fighting for their survival?

She should have been there.

Her head is pounding, so she pushes herself to her feet, her limbs tired and heavy, and reaches for the flask she carries with her. The cool freshness of the water inside helps to revive her a little, and eases the pain in her head enough to focus. She has seen Loki, Heimdall and many other faces she knew, but not Thor, or the Warriors Three. Bringing her ship back out, she drives once more through the debris and the bodies, looking for them, but she is certain they are not there.

Not a one of them would have abandoned their people, so if they did not die here then they must still be out there – maybe with other survivors.

The hope that thought kindles feels thin, fragile, and Sif is afraid to hold it too tightly lest she crush it, but it is there.

She set out on a mission – to find Thor – and she will not rest until it is complete. Midgard is still her best lead, since it seems what remained of Asgard’s people were indeed heading there, and the route the navigation system had plotted out is still there.

Quietly promising herself that she will come back and retrieve the people here to give them a proper send off into the next life, Sif turns the ship and once again flies forward into the endless, stretching blackness of space.

#lady sif #thor #thor odinson #thorsif #thor x sif #thorsif fic #finally starting to post this despite the fact that progress is very slow #because I have been working on it so long and I want someone else to see it #I also want to get it up before thor 4 comes out and sif is done dirty yet again #anyway please enjoy this thoroughly indulgent fic that has been languishing on my computer for way too long #my fic #otp: I courted war #i'll crawl home fic

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cocosstories · 3 years

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Loki One Shot

Hi! Can you do a loki x reader one shot where loki didn't die in infinity war cos reader saved him and he's starting to like her afterwards

Everything had happened so quickly. One moment you and the rest of the population of Asgard were on the ship, praising Thor, the new King, for saving everyone, the next the ship was overrun by Thanos and his 'children'.

You were born and raised on Asgard, your family nowhere noble in the least but favored by Odin and Frigga nonetheless and made to be aids to the throne.

Even with you being a bit younger than them, you grew up with Thor and Loki, learning from them and getting in trouble along side them just as much.

While everyone praised Thor for his accomplishments as well as expecting him to ascend to the throne one day, your eye was always on Loki.

"There is just something about him."

You would say to your friends when they would tease you about being in love with him, you always playing it off as admiration, which was true enough.

You were nowhere near as powerful as Loki but your powers were impressive nonetheless.

When you were no older than three years old, you began to show promise in the world of precognition. In other words, you could see the future.

Loki had always been impressed by your talents, even coming to you when he needed help with one of schemes.

As you got older, your feelings for him only deepened, even after everything he had done, you just couldn't shake it.

And now, here you were, your home destroyed, taking refuge on a ship that was now being taken over by a force set on distruction.

"There are two more stones on earth, find them my children and bring them to me on Titan."

"Father we will not fail you."

"If I might interject, if you're going to Earth, you might want a guide. I do have a bit of experience in that arena."

Loki walked from behind some wreckage where the two of you had been hidden.

"If you consider failure experience."

"I consider experience, experience. Almighty Thanos, I Loki, Prince Of Asgard, Odinson, the rightful king of Jotunheim, god of mischief, do hearby pledge to you, my undying fidelity."

As Loki spoke, you saw the dagger appear in his hand just out of view to Thanos.

As Loki lunged the blade towards Thanos' neck, he was stopped by the newest stone he has collected.

"Undying? You should choose your words more carefully"

Thanos grabs Loki's arm, twisting it so the dagger falls out of his hand to the ground. He then grabs Loki by the neck, lifting him off the ground as Loki struggles helplessly to break free.

"You...will never be...a God."

Were the last words he says before Thanos crushes his neck, killing him and throwing him down in front of Thor who is being held.

Your mind comes back to the present just as Loki begins to offer his services to Thanos.

Rembering what is about to happen, you carefully make a move from your hiding spot and towards Loki.

Just as the dagger appears in his hand, you rush forward and take it from him, startling both Loki and Thanos equally.

Before Thanos can go after you or him, Loki grabs your hand and teleports off the ship and to what you can only guess is a safehouse of some kind, somewhere on Earth.

"Why would you do that? What were you thinking? He would have killed you!"

As soon as you had reached your destination, Loki was yelling at you, furious at you for ruining his master plan.

"No Loki, he would have killed you! I saw it happen. With even just the two stones he has, he is more powerful than any other being in any galaxy! You would never have gotten the blade near his skin and I couldn't just let you die!"

You screamed back at him, your emotions uncontrollable as the premonition from before replays in your mind again.

"So you risked your life to save mine? Why? Why would you do something so incredibly careless and stupid? You know what I have done. If Thanos would have killed me it would have been retribution for everything I have done in the past. I was willing to give my life to at least try and save everyone else. Why did you stop me?"

For the first time in a long time you saw something only very few people had seen in Loki before, sincerity.

"How is it stupid and careless to save someone you love?"

The last word came out as a whisper, you finally admitting what you had spent so long trying to deny.

"What?"

His head shoots up to to look at you.

"When you have faked your death before, each time I mourned, kicked myself for not saying the one thing I longed to say to you. But in the back of my mind, I had always had hope that you would come back, that it was another trick and it always was."

You stopped to take a deep breath, trying and failing to keep your emotions in check as you speak.

"What I saw tonight, it would have been real, you wouldn't have come back. You would have just been gone and I couldn't let it happen. I love you Loki. I have always loved you."

Realization hit him like a bullet as every single question as to why you constantly came to his defense or helped with was of his schemes was now answered.

He wonders how he could have missed it. How could the truth that was so clearly in front of him, be so lost on him?

You had always been there. Always ready to drop everything to help him.

You were never seen in any sort of romantic relationship, never even showed interest in one. Not that you weren't perused, you actually had many suitors in your time, all of which you had turned down without even a true answer as to why.

It had always intrigued Loki and now he knew the truth.

You watched as your revelation swirls in Loki's head.

As the minutes pass, you begin to plan your escape route, wanting nothing more than to run away and never look back.

"Y/N, wait."

Just as you reach the door, Loki grabs your arm.

"Loki, just forget I said anything ok? You are the Prince Of Asgard and who am I? No one. If it weren't for my parents being aids to the thrown, you wouldn't even know me. You wouldn't even.."

He stops you, taking your face in his hands.

"I wouldn't be alive. You aren't no one, Y/N. Not to me."

With that, he kisses you.

It was gentle but the passion behind it was felt through your whole body.

"Loki..."

The kiss ends and you look into his eyes, searching for an answer to the question you can't quite get out.

"I should have seen it before. I should have known. I'm so sorry it took me this long. I love you too, Y/N."

You smile with happy tears as he wraps his arm around your waist and pulls you closer to him, kissing you again.

#Loki One Shot #Loki x reader #Loki #cocos stories

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kpopchangedme · 4 years

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Bang Chan | Royal Affair [M]

Your fiancé had always been audacious but you never thought he'd dare sneak into your royal quarters after nightfall...

Protagonists: Bang Chan & You (ft. a very wise Park Jinyoung)

Word Count: 4.7k

Prompt: “If you keep looking me like that I won’t be able to handle myself” [for @marklee-johnnyseo]

Stray Kids | M.list

You barely had time to register your advisor's toupet before ducking behind a stone bench. Muffling your giggles with your palm, you looked back at Chan who wasn’t doing any better. His eyes had creased, glimmering with amusement, and his cheeks were reddened from your little run. Your heart swelled at the lovely sight. Still beaming, he reached, brushing a strand away from your face. His fingers lingered there, trailing your ear until they were against your nape. The moment stretched into infinity before he claimed them back once your silent laughter died down. Your advisor’s calls echoed, still looking for you in the maze of the French Gardens. He was getting more urgent by the minute but you didn’t mind.

There was not much time left for you two anyway.

Chan leaned in and you removed your hand, tilting your head to receive his furtive kiss. Softly, his lips ghosted over yours, the touch barely a graze before it was gone. Keeping your eyes shut, you savoured the moment as your fiancé’s breath climbed on your cheek until it was in the crook of your neck. His other hand slid on the grass, finding yours to intertwine fingers.

“Write to me,” he demanded in a whisper. A shiver travelled your spine.

“Every day,” you gladly promised, “I’ll expect you back at the palace soon nonetheless.”

Chan chuckled softly, nose tickling your ear. “I’ll come before the first snowfall.”

“Winter is so far away,” you whined right back.

“You’ll pray for a cold Autumn, I'm sure.”

“There you go, teasing me again...”

“I will neither rest nor eat before every single enemy of the throne is defeated...” He was only half-joking. “The sooner the rebellion is quashed, the sooner I’ll be called back.”

“Chan, don’t be foolis–”

“Y/n…” He was more serious when he interrupted your scolding and sat, staring at you intently. “Tonight–”

“Princess!” Chan jerked backwards at Jinyoung’s interruption, startled to have been discovered so soon and you jumped up, panting. “Lord Bang!”

“Sir Park!” The young Lord exclaimed with similar disparagement making you snort.

“The Queen has called you to her chambers,” the advisor quipped back, highly unimpressed, and your stomach sank at the news. “While I believe you – Lord Bang – were expected by the House half an hour ago.” Tugging at your dress that had been goofed by your short escape and run through the gardens, you missed Chan’s magistral eye roll. “The Duke doesn’t like to be kept waiting, my Lord,” Walking the fine line between impoliteness and indisputable truth, Jinyoung smiled haughtily. If you hadn’t just been caught fooling around with your fiancé, perhaps you’d have more ground to call out the royal advisor on his attitude problem, but he was an expert at that game. Jinyoung always won when it came to reason.

“Who would dare make my uncle wait to order me around?” Sarcastic, Chan excused himself before hurrying to the House of Lords, not without one last heavy look your way. He'd probably come to the same conclusion as you; fighting your advisor with words was not worth the wasted effort.

Later, Chan's wink assured. Sure, your coy smile replied.

You would see him soon enough.

Before the first snowfall, he had promised.

___

The night had come, you were now sitting in front of your tinted glass, trying to loosen the knot in your stomach as well as the ones in your hair. Your discussion with the Queen and Jinyoung had made you wary, painting the Duke in a new much grimmer light. You couldn't shake the dread of their suspicions.

They'd said you were getting old enough so they didn't see any point in shielding you from the matters of the throne anymore. As they’d voiced their concerns over the power-crazed leader of the House of Lords only one thing had been on your mind.

Jinyoung's usually wise judgement was unforgiving, he was certain the Duke was weaponizing the rebellion to ensure instability throughout your future kingdom. There were only a few months left before your wedding, before your older sister's planned abdication. The people loved you but you were still young, having the support of the House was requisite for your coronation to go seamlessly.

Something only an alliance with one of the most powerful families could ensure.

Your trust in Chan was unwavering and so was your advisor’s, remarkably so. But said loyalty, as it turned out, was the main cause of your worries tonight.

If Chan married you as intended, his uncle's ambitions would be laid to rest... But if your soon-to-be High King was to never return from his latest military assignment...

Something cold stirred in the pit of your stomach.

If Jinyoung was right, and to your knowledge, he was rarely ever not, this could all be a plot by the horrid Duke to have you marry him instead.

Chan was leaving for the frontlines at dawn tomorrow and now you couldn't help thinking back to his wink, that kiss in the gardens, wondering if this would be your last farewell.

A muffled sound right outside your window pulled you out of your anguish.

You held your breath, listening keenly for a few seconds. Another thud, louder and unmistakenly closer this time. Standing in fear, you glanced back at your door. Should you hail the guards? The last time you had been frightened, it’d turned out to be a simple rodent in your parapet. Against disturbing them, you grabbed your letter opener and tiptoed to the large window by yourself. Just as you were leaning over, a formless shadow hoisted itself up making you yelped in terror. Startled, the dark silhouette raised its head and your hand around the paper cutter loosened.

"C-Chan!”

“I thought I saw an early snowflake f...” Seeing your poor state, your fearless fiancé shut up and lost the dumb smile, still crouched on your stone window frame. “By God, were you about to gut me?”

“Princess?”

There was a knock on your door and the fortune weapon slipped your fingers, falling on your carpet. You might be promised to one another, but sneaking into the royal quarters was still a crime punishable by beheading. Without thinking, you shoved Chan behind the embroidered folding screen in the corner of your room. Thankfully just in time, since half a second later your guard busted in, sword drawn.

“My apologies...” Jackson hastily faced back the door when he caught a glimpse of your indecent attire and put his weapon away. “I thought I heard you scream, your Royal Highness.”

“Y-Yes...” you admitted, heart in a frenzy. “I, uh, thought I saw… A squirrel at the window!”

“Oh,” you cringed at the smile in his voice, “Want me to get rid of it? Where–”

“NO!” Jackson froze again when you yelled, about to step closer.

From his fortune hiding spot, Chan didn't seem worried about his head at all. He had noticed something far more interesting. Blushing furiously, you kicked his shin when he reached for your lacy bodice, discarded over the folded screen. He hissed through his teeth at the hit, making the royal guard glance over his shoulder once again, curious.

“Very well then Princess,” lingering suspicion in his eyes, Jackson conceded half-heartedly, “I’ll keep post.” Relieved, you thanked him and he excused himself. As soon as your door safely shut again, you faced the troublemaker, astounded.

Nevermind the Duke's scheming, Chan would end up executed before your wedding and coronation all on his own.

“What are you doing?” He pulled you behind the screen with him, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

“Wondering…” He pressed a tentative peck on your cheek, undoubtedly heated by his antics. “Is this the haven that sees you undress daily?” Chan’s fingers grabbed a silk ribbon, hooked into your abandoned bodice, and you groaned, highly embarrassed. “I feel like I am having the most vivid dream, love.”

“You shouldn’t have come, you need to leave. If we get caught...” Your skin betrayed you, shivering as he pressed a second kiss to your jawline, at the very beginning of your neck.

“Mmm… Don't want to.” He brought his mouth back to your left ear, breath tickling it. “Are you gonna scream for your guard, Princess?”

“Chan…” You sighed in defeat when he cupped your face, running a thumb on your cheek.

This was nothing like your usual escapades in the gardens or dark, empty alcoves. You were both well aware of it. With only your nightgown on, you could feel the warmth of his body and you were sure that if he looked down, he’d see through the sheer fabric.

“I’m leaving in a few hours,” he lamented, and you weren't sure if he meant your bedroom or for his mission. Since you didn’t protest, he kissed your mouth, soft but firmer than earlier that afternoon. There was no one to interrupt this time, and his mouth opened yours, tentatively tasting your tongue. Throwing decency out the window, you pressed closer, and Chan had to step back and lean against the wall to remain up.

“You are mad.” You accused in a whisper, not minding at all.

“Smitten,” he replied, forehead against yours to stare into your eyes. His arms slid on the fine fabric, stopping where your lower back curved in.

“This is insane,” your own hands travelled on his neck, “we’ll get caught and you’ll get punished.”

“I would’ve died from not seeing you alone before I left.” His lips pressed yours again. “Execution will be far more pleasing knowing I had you unattended.”

“Don’t tease,” you groaned seriously, tilting your head upwards but he only smiled against your mouth.

“I am not, my love… You are killing me.” His tongue grazed your lower lip stealing you an unfamiliar mewl. Suddenly, Chan pushed you to safety, away from him. He seemed almost frightened by the lewd sound, face coloured, lips glistening, breathless.

It got even worse when he finally looked down at your nightgown, your chest was naked, brushing against the fabric. Even in the candlelight, he could distinguish your shaded nipples, very little was left to his imagination. His gaze darkened as his chin dropped, the faint lighting stretching eerie shadows on his features.

“Do you always sleep in this?” Your modesty screamed to cover yourself, but something about the way he hushed those words, almost like an accusation, kept you from doing so. Your chin bobbed and Chan exhaled heavily, running his fingers through your strands. He hadn’t seen your hair loose since you both were kids. Back then you could spend every day together without any adult thinking much of it. “When are our nuptials again?”

“Chan…” You protested faintly at his humour, but he didn't seem to hear the wariness in your voice. His imminent absence and the dangers ahead weighed you down, but he was still high on the thrill of his illicit stunt.

“If you keep looking at me like that…” He heaved, gaze heavy with more unsaid improper things. This was not the look of a boy, but one of a grown man. “I want you so much I’m contemplating treason right now.”

“Oh, just now contemplating treason?” Tilting your head, you raised a skeptical brow. It was your turn to get caught up in the game “You climbed here knowing very well there would be no chaperone, Chan.”

“I mustn’t have thought that far ahead.” He so obviously lied that you quietly laughed, covering your whole face with your hands. “Y/n…” Chan exhaled, as though reading your mind. “Don't worry, I won’t do anything irrevocable. I’m not that foolish, that's not what I am here for.” Misreading.

“What are you even implying?” Faking offence, you backed away, letting him get the full view of your negligee. “Do I look like a lady of the evening to you, Lord Bang?” It took Chan everything to not follow you, drooling. Oddly bashful, he looked away, unable to see you standing near your large canopy bed like that. It’d be way too easy to lay you right here and then. His ears were scarlet at the simple thought.

“I merely wanted to see you before leaving. I would never suggest anything along those lines, your Royal Highness...” His voice was so ushered this time that you almost misheard. You glanced at the door, knowing full well no one would come back until your morning routine.

“I am aware, Chan.” Playful, you waved him, but he didn’t budge, feet glued to the carpet. “You are not a gentleman to climb into a lady’s room at night. You would never!”

His mouth quivered before he snorted; “I am a nobleman.”

“Besides...” You extended a hand for him to come closer again, the picture of Authority. “I’m saving myself for my husband.”

At that, Chan couldn’t resist, his perfect pout broke into a wide smile. “Lucky bastard,” he mused before finally obeying. Your hands slid up his vest as soon as he got close enough.

“Watch your tongue,” you chastised with a grin, “you’re talking about my future king.”

“Apologies, Princess...” He hummed, bending to claim your lips once more. Breathing him in, you let your fingers run through his dark curls as his tongue tasted yours. You felt lightweight, about to break at any of his touches now. When you began leaning back, pulling him down with you, Chan tugged your wrists off him, startled.

His stupefaction was priceless.

“W-What are you doing?”

“Lay with me.” You requested, dead serious. His mouth fell open in consternation. Chan looked at the door, then at you, then at the window.

“You are the one who's gone mad.” He accused, roles reversed. He had only climbed here for a kiss and a farewell, not your ruin.

“Yes,” you admitted, not the least shameful. “My fiancé is leaving for the frontlines and I am mad he is going without questioning his orders.” And I don’t know if I'll ever see you again.

“I am expected to be the frolicsome one, y/n.”

“Love made me crazy.” When you tugged at him again, he didn’t protest any further, falling above you with a sigh. If Chan had sensed your despair he didn't let it show. Your mattress protested loudly at the unusual additional weight. Both of you became stone, waiting with bated breath to be discovered. Thankfully, no guard burst in to save your honour.

Chan watched in a daze as you went and undo the buttons of his vest. It took longer since your fingers were made shaky by nerves. In the end, he sat back and helped, shrugging the garment to the floor. When he laid on top of you, he was in nothing but his own thin shirt. You both stared at the other in marvel. You were used to furtive stolen touches, the heat of his fingers intertwined with yours... This new warmth was outstanding, having him against you so close to your heart felt fantastic, almost skin on skin.

Chan was the first one to get a hold of himself, pressing closer, he kissed you once more. This time, his kiss was feverish and morphed into many. While your hands kept toying with his curls and exploring his large shoulders, Chan showed more restraint, settling for your face and loose hair. Even with just that, you were affected, a mess of pants and laments. None of you seemed to care to stop.

When you felt how hard he was in his pants, you were unsurprised. You had heard of that through the grapevines, eavesdrop on conversations. You had even witnessed two-person being intimate once as a child. Secretly observed one of your guards and a maid fool around. You'd thought about that day more and more often recently. Imagined yourself bent over that chair, Chan buried under your skirt. You'd wonder what kind of sounds he’d made.

“Hey,” Chan shifted his weight to stand on his elbows, frowning, “are you comfortable?” You shook your head, hands sliding clumsily to the buttons of his pants.

“More...” Your order was almost inaudible but his eyebrows raised in awe.

Chan shifted again, raising above just enough to allow you to undo the first button on his crotch. It was involuntary though because he immediately sat back. You followed, kneeling on the bed to kiss his neck as you kept working on your new task.

“Y/n,” he called, voice shaky, “are you serious?” You only hummed in response, tongue tracing his collarbone. You felt him shudder when you finally managed to access his pants. Your hand wrapped around his manhood but you were unsure what to do from then on. Chan’s mouth opened on nothing, goosebumps visible thanks to the loose collar of his shirt. His tip was leaking on your wrist. Gently, you rubbed his thin skin, making him twitch into your palm in response. You paused again, frightened he was hurt.

“S-Sorry…” Biting your lips, you were about to pull away when Chan's hand swiftly wrapped around yours. Head low, he gulped, guiding your palm over his hard sex. You watched your intertwined fingers move as one in the glow of the candles, gaze wide. For someone who was reticent to go on, he seemed oddly powerless now.

“What should I do?” The young Lord asked breathlessly, cupping your cheek to pull you into an umpteenth embrace. “I'm at wits’ end, love.”

“We don't know when you'll be back.” If.

“Yet we are not wedded.”

You would be in a matter of days if it weren't from this stupid rebellion. Your families had originally planned for a summer ceremony. Jinyoung had even pointed that out today as part of his suspicions, though if he found out you were twisting his logic to consummate your marriage in advance... Your advisor would probably strangle you with his bare hands himself.

"Does it matter that much?” Chan stared at your question, eyes shimmering in the shadow of his brow bone. “What is one more promise in front of the Queen and House gonna change? I am already yours.”

“Y/n…” He made your name sound dangerous. Exhaling in defeat, Chan slid his hand up your thighs, a gesture that left your skin humming deliciously. “I never belonged to anyone else.”

His hands didn't stop there, they kept climbing and soon they reached where your legs and hips met. Hiking smoothly your body and raising your nightgown, Chan let them roam you until you were exposed and in an instant, he was over you. Done with shilly-shallying and obviously giving in to his most primal urges. You were all too eager to welcome him, buried by his large chest in your mattress like all those fantasies. You didn’t mind the slight awkwardness of his prentice's ways or his now sloppier kisses. You took it all, shaking yourself from a strange fuse of fear and elation.

He was the one who finally made his clothes fully vanish, keeping you busy and distracted with his mouth. Then he was after your nightgown, delicately rolling it up until you were fully bare under him; skin to skin. Chan's breath was hitched, weakened when he pulled away to observe your reaction, a curious look on his face.

“I love you,” he confessed and you'd have rolled your eyes if he hadn't said it ever so slightly more seriously than all those other times prior.

Your heart was pounding in your chest, so loud it felt like the guards outside might hear it. You cupped his face, thumb running on his cheekbones and on his earlobes while your fingers danced on his nape. Chan shuts his eyes at the caress, shoulders loosening. You wanted to remember him like that forever, swollen, crazy hair, honey skin, feel his weight over yours and his warmth everywhere. He was yours.

Insanely enough, when his eyes opened again to meet yours, you knew he meant more. “Forever,” your fiancé insisted, lips hooking into his familiar smirk.

The following kisses were diligent and purposeful, making you both almost forget your predicament. Almost, because your crotch was throbbing, burning and demanding like never before. If you could only guess, he was not doing much better. Chan's sex was pressed against you, long and stiff, slowly smearing wetness on your lower stomach. Mechanically, his hips rolled forward with each kiss, rubbing you both torturously. You were in shambles, sweating and feverish under him. You needed more of him so that’s exactly what you begged for, in a raspy whisper you didn't recognize of yourself.

Eager to oblige, Chan wandered down, letting his length fall between your legs. His cock brushed over your sex and though you wanted him, your thighs jerked, only being kept apart by his own. He didn't seem to mind, pressing consoling kisses along your jaw and neck as he slowly ghosted over you again.

Chan hitched your legs higher, the tip of him stretching your entrance. It wasn't as absolute as you’d imagined when he made his way inside you. There was no divine uproar, no intense strain, nothing broken or ruined. Ultimately, it wouldn't have mattered, nothing mattered like his ardent breath on your neck and the feel of him as he rocked into you, just a little. Chan moved slowly, soft throbs as though he couldn't bear to pull all the way out.

You wanted him to keep going, could not have borne it either after being this united. He withdrew and pushed into you again, each time a little deeper until finally, he paused. Chan raised above, out of focus, leaning his forehead against yours. There were no words, so he didn't even try. Under your palms, his shoulders were shaky, unstable, and you held on tighter. His hips were pressed into yours, your bodies banded together in a crowning figure.

When Chan moved again it was almost unplanned, a primitive impulse to keep going, feel you, own you. Deadened sounds that could have come from either of you broke the silence of the room, as reserved and furtive as a secret. He pushed into you repeatedly, breathing hollowing with each thrust. His hips became more insistent, hitting yours. Your legs opened of their own accord allowing him deeper, closer. A sense of urgency you had never felt before overpowered you. You tugged him down to claim his mouth, his breath came in pants, hot in your mouth. Your body had started to rock in rhythm as he grinded into you. Chan's own desperation rendered more evident by the way he moved.

His hand slid down on your thigh, pulling you tighter against him, caging himself. You obliged following his lead, both learning together. His head fell back in the crook of your neck, too heavy to be held.

“I love you,” Chan growled in your ear, so unrecognizable it sent shivers across your skin.

You clung to his neck, carried by the need to possess him. “I love you,” your words were hoarse, weak compared to his but his hold still tightened impossibly around you.

He drove into you harder, greedily. Your fingers threaded together, holding on tight as he pressed you to the bed. Overwhelmed by both the need to escape this building throb and wanting to get more of him at the same time, you arched up. Chan's rhythm was stuttering, coming apart as he lost grip on reality. You tilted your hips, spasming around him, unable to keep going and his body shuddered into yours.

Chan held you tight as he came, roughly crushing you into the mattress. You would've protested at the weight, but nothing had ever felt more right than having him inside you like that. He rolled next to you soon after, length falling out.

Silence shrouded your room as both your breathing lulled, solemn witness to the gravity of your conduct. Trembling, Chan pulled your nightgown down to cover your modesty, burning hand lingering on your thigh. You were still squished, held strongly against him and he showed no desire to depart.

“My Lord,” you murmured into his chest, making it shake in response.

“Yes. I am afraid you are stuck with me now, Princess.”

“Oh, what a shame.”

“Indeed,” he chuckled, hugging even tighter.

“So, you have no choice but to come back now.”

If he hadn’t noticed your burden earlier, your comment certainly raised alarm.

“Y/n,” Chan exhaled, prudent. He gazed down at you, peering through his lashes. “Why would you even say that?” He had meant to say it lightly, but something in his tone hinted he wasn’t so honest. Which he realized right away; “I will be back.”

“Mmm...” You held your breath nervously, “Because you promised.”

He brought your hand to his mouth, “Promise.” He kissed it lightly before frowning, “Only if you behave with Sir Park while I'm away.”

“Jinyoung,” you repeated in disbelief at his seemingly random request, “I never thought I'd see the day...”

Chan laughed hollowly, a little easier. “He's not all bad.”

“You know, he said something similar about you earlier… Though I am certain his opinion would wave in light of recent affairs.”

“He did not.” You heard the smile in his voice, muffled by your hair.

“No,” he laughed once more, mouth now pressed to your forehead, “but I assure you I am very well behaved whenever you are not involved, Lord Bang. Everyone knows I am the moral one.”

“Are you, Princess?” Chan rolled over, raising on his elbow to eye you suspiciously. He had found his new natural position between your legs and your heartbeat quickened. “You have stolen my virtue. The bed isn’t even cold yet.”

“No reasonable soul would believe that.”

You tugged him down for a deep kiss, swallowing his laughter; “What a regent and ruthless thing to say, you are going to be good at this ruling thing.” Chan grinded forward with the kiss and you arched reflectively. He hummed in appreciation, “my Queen...”

“My King,” you found yourself echoing nauseatingly.

His chest vibrated against yours in a strangled sound, "I should be on my way."

His impossibly large grin widened when he witnessed your dissatisfied scowl. Chan gathered his clothes and got dressed under your cold scrutiny. Too fast, his bare legs disappeared into his trousers. His vest was next, covering his thin shirt. You pouted, still a wreck on your mattress in your sheer attire. Your room seemed awfully freezing now that you had gotten a taste of what it would be like to share a bed with your husband.

Chan seemed to notice your shiver when you sat up and he cautiously neared the bed. His index raised your chin to force your gazes to meet.

“I do mean it,” he said with a grave voice you rarely knew him, “listen to your advisor and the Queen. You must be particularly careful until I return.”

“Chan,” you hushed, the name barely coming out, “you are the one who needs to be, the Duke–”

Your warning got stiffled by his lips and he delivered, almost making you lose your mind all over. When Chan straightened again, there was a darker glint to his eyes. Barely there before he blinked it to oblivion, but it was enough for you to know your cautioning would've been vain.

He wasn't a child anymore and he certainly was not a pawn to his uncle.

“Do not write anything too scandalous in those letters you promised, love.” Back to his usual poise, Chan was walking back to his exit. “I am positive Sir Park is intercepting our correspondence.”

This managed to make you grin at least, loosening the knot in your stomach. "Of course."

“That must be why the man loathes me,”

“That is just him being wise.”

Chan chuckled lowly, glancing at your bedroom door as he balanced his feet outside your window. “Before the first snowfall, love.” He winked as you shook your head in disbelief, “Thank you for the farewell favour, I am looking forward to our nuptials, Princess.”

And at that, he was gone into the night, your heart and virtue with him.

The separation didn't loom over you like the proverbial sword of Damocles anymore and it wasn't long before you fell asleep that night.

Because you knew this would not be the last you'd see of your playful lover...

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