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bradypnoea · 3 years

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Long Shadows | jaxington | 2 Works - 391k | Sep ‘13 - Aug ‘15

In which the God of Mischief meets his match, receives a taste of his own medicine, stops believing in coincidence, and finds something vaguely resembling peace in the form of a small woman with a big voice...

Note: (In honour of the impending release of the Loki miniseries and my sceptical optimism for it, I'm highlighting a few canon-adjacent Loki works that can pass the time between new episodes or, if you're like me, distract from new content long enough to miss the first wave of inevitable Discourse.) More than a few works around the fandom have begun on the premise of watching Loki's off-screen movements on Midgard before Things Kick Off; on AO3 at least, few have utilised the idea to such an extent jaxington is able to with Long Shadows. Nearly 400k words sees us through Avengers and The Dark World, with a few Guardians guest-starring further on. Characters develop against a spectrum of events, relationships form and re-form, trauma is faced and processed. And throughout everything, happiness is found in the smallest things.

- Author's Tumblr | @jaxington - - Series on AO3 | Author's Page on FF.net -

"We're going for full disclosure here, Miss Tate." Nick Fury, with every last ounce of his limited patience, glowers across the stainless steel table at a small woman absently braiding her wild blond hair. "Do you understand what we need from you? Time is a pretty big factor and we're running out of it."

The woman sighs heavily and gives one nod as she continues to braid. It's a nervous habit, one she thought to have conquered as a teenager but given all she's been through in the last few weeks its reemergence was inevitable.

Or maybe it's been the last few months. She can't even be sure.

She glances up briefly, gaze flickering from world's first superhero to god to billionaire playboy philanthropist before she goes back to staring at the tabletop.

"Sorry," she murmurs. "I'm not really one for words."

And it's the truth. Eleanor Tate spent half her senior year of high school in total silence. Although she moved on from this childish coping mechanism, boisterousness never quite returned.

She is just full of nervous habits at the moment. The intimidating people scrutinizing her do nothing to help her already frayed nerves.

Her penchant for silence is proving quiet cumbersome to the obviously irritated band gathered in the helicarrier's large bridge area. These people are apparently part of something called SHIELD. She only learned of their existence yesterday when they disturbed her attempted escape from the underground bunker that has passed as her home for months now.

Or maybe it's been weeks.

"Well, find them quickly, Miss Tate," snaps Fury, his good eye narrowing in frustration. "Let's start simple. How did you first meet the war criminal known as Loki?"

The woman stops her braiding abruptly, sitting up a little straighter in her hard swivel chair. She tucks one leg under her slight frame and hugs her other knee to her chest, picking absently at the seam of her standard issue SHIELD stretchy pants.

"How long has it been?" she asks. "Since he took me? How long?"

"Three months."

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bradypnoea · 3 years

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Learn Me Right | NeverQuiteAwake | (33/33) - 156.5k | Mar - Jul ‘21 | Series Ongoing

As a maiden of Vanaheim, Eirlys never expected to deviate from the path set before her. Her life takes an unanticipated turn when she becomes Queen Frigga's latest apprentice, and she finds herself at odds with an especially vexing Asgardian prince. Pre-Thor and onwards.

Note: (In honour of the impending release of the Loki miniseries and my sceptical optimism for it, I'm highlighting a few canon-adjacent Loki works that can pass the time between new episodes or, if you're like me, distract from new content long enough to miss the first wave of inevitable Discourse.) This first entry in The Shieldmaiden Saga by NeverQuiteAwake was actually completed in early 2014 on FanFiction.Net, which lists the completion dates of two subsequent sequels as October 2014 and July 2017 respectively. I'd only recently learned of it though, when in March of 2021 NeverQuiteAwake began publication of an edited, M-Rated iteration of Learn Me Right on AO3. I've committed to avoid spoiling myself with the finished work, and have thus far deeply ejoyed their depiction of the trials a young seidr scholar might face among our favourite Asgardians. Not to mention NQA's updates have been so frequent I've been able savour the anticipation of a new chapter without dreading that the author might suddenly abandon the story.

- Author's Page on FanFiction.net | Series on AO3 -

The sky glimmered with the warmth of daybreak. Hands curled in the tangle of bedclothes, I blinked away the weariness that threatened to steal away the vision that lay before me. Like a child at play, the sun slowly peeked over the horizon, basking all that it could touch. A spectrum of reds and yellows lit the sky, the colours spilling across the rolling hills and sprawling woods. The lands of Vanaheim looked to be aglow in fire.

With a wistful smile, I clambered out of bed and padded onto the balcony. Leaning on the balustrade, I tilted my face upwards to revel in the burgeoning warmth of the sun. Autumn was upon Vanaheim, and soon the clouds would take up residence in the skies above. I’d awakened to watch the sun’s ascent, the dawning of a new day, for what would be the last time in a long while. Many months would pass before I’d be able to witness such beauty again.

A soft knock at my bedchamber door pulled me away from the sight. “Enter!”

The door opened to reveal my handmaiden, her eyes bright and cheery. It was a wonder, how she was able to awaken before me every day. And my father calls me an early riser. “A fine morning, is it not, my lady?” Arlessa said, bustling about my room to prepare my attire for the day.

“Yes, lovely indeed,” I sighed. “I will miss it. The rains will be coming soon, no doubt.”

Arlessa hummed in agreement as she went rifling through my wardrobe. She selected a sleeveless apricot-coloured dress—one of my more practical garments. “Your father bid me to tell you that he has gone to greet Queen Frigga at the Bifrost site.”

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#Loki fanfiction #MCU Loki fanfiction #Tom Hiddleston fanfiction #Learn Me Right #NeverQuiteAwake #Eirlys #Shieldmaiden Saga #pov1 #ratingM #relNew #slow burn #reading #wc150-200k #chaps #series #ongoing #incomplete #complete #characterLoki

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bradypnoea · 3 years

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Adelia | Jyserai | (62/62) - 167k | August-September 2017

Note: (In honour of the impending release of the Loki miniseries and my sceptical optimism for it, I'm highlighting a few canon-adjacent Loki works that can pass the time between new episodes or, if you're like me, distract from new content long enough to miss the first wave of inevitable Discourse.) Adelia takes just about every element commonly found across Loki stories and uses them to build something of an incredibly detailed epic. Almost more interesting however is the data accompanying its publication. Jyserai posted nearly 170k words (absent a summary) within 40 days which, anyone familiar with AO3 will know, meant the story was quickly buried by new works. Though it appears Adelia was well received, Jyserai all but disappeared after posting its final chapter. One bookmark was saved in 2018 but no other works have been posted since. As I've been unable to find any trace of their work outside of AO3, I'd recommend downloading Adelia in case of deletion.

Del had her back turned to the rest of the shop as she gently placed one of the newest additions to her master’s book collection on the shelf. She loved the way the ancient tome felt in her hands. The weight of it was striking; she was impressed by the amount of wisdom such a manuscript would contain, and the thick, strong, smooth leather cover protectively guarded it all. After she wedged it in its proper place, she looked down the row at its neighbors. One day she hoped to have the time and freedom to peruse them all thoroughly.

The bell over the entrance rang as the wooden door of the shop swung open. Before she could turn and properly greet the newcomer, likely a customer, she was roughly shoved sideways towards the tall broom cupboard a few feet to her left.

“Get inside,” the gruff voice of her master commanded with hints of uncertainty and panic breaking through his usually intimidating demeanor. “Quickly! Stay quiet!”

She obeyed without question. The door of the cupboard was swiftly closed merely inches from her face, and darkness swallowed her.

Del heard the voice of her master pretentiously welcoming the guest into his bookshop. Anyone else would be fooled into thinking he was a courteous man, but she knew better. He was nervous. He never received visitors with such energy and attention. She wondered who on earth it could be.

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