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utterlyhopeful-fics · 4 years

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Already Gone (SOA x Mayans Crossover)

A/N: Deep diving back into my roots. SOA will forever be near and dear to my angsty heart! This chapter primarily focuses on Y/N and Jax but following parts will include my Mayans. As always, feedback is GOLD!

SIDE NOTE: Huge shout out to @creativepromptsforwriting for motivating this story into fruition. Your blog is beyond inspirational!

If I keep tagging you and you’re not interested or you’d like to be tagged; please let me know!

MASTERLIST

Jax Teller x Reader (then we’re in Mayans territory :D )

Word Count: 2375k

Warnings: language, mention of biker gangs, slight female degradation, angst, sprinkles of heartbreak.

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Daylight vanished drifting into another starless evening. Nightfall succumbed to a starless evening. Y/N wished to be anywhere else in the universe than where she currently found herself; the Sons clubhouse. In childish hopes, she stilled all movement adjusting her jacket nervously fidgeting with the hem. The door swung back under her touch; light reflected back harshly in the demurely lit bar. Smoke descended throughout the congested area; clouds of hazy fog engulfed her lungs. Here goes nothin.

The air wreaked of putrid obscenity and cheap tequila. First and foremost, Y/N met Chucky’s charismatic stare. She sent him an anxious grin impulsively pleading for uneasiness in her stomach to subdue. The one-handed man remained surrounded by countless liquor bottles engrossed in order after order shifting gears from her.

Every man and member leeched on to the closest thing in a short skirt, tits overflowing from too small blouses, and topped off in four-inch platforms. Any girl within proximity of the Sons all had a similar motto; barely-there skirts and perky tits. There was no doubt sex was the main attraction tonight.

And to this very day, she played nice with them so long as they abided by one rule in particular; Jax was untouchable. She was their queen bee. Glancing down at her outfit; she preferred a more comfortable approach. She paired tonight’s look with her favorite pair of worn out high-waisted jeans styled with a Ramones crop top finalized with suede black booties. Her body was a sacred temple and only those granted permission were able to worship her. She made sure of that. Loud conversations vibrated from table to table, voices lost in the chaos increasing with every passing decibel.

Y/n scanned the room peering for one particular member; Jax fucking Teller. In childhood, Mr. President and Y/N friendship blossomed as close friends before ultimately admitting their feelings five years ago. The wildest five years of her entire life. Her thoughts quickly darkened, if only someone would’ve warned her those three years ago. If only Y/N hadn’t welcomed him with welcoming, open arms. But sometimes life’s a bitch, and the hardest way is merely the only route.

Her clandestine orbs voraciously whipped back and forth jumping from person to person. In her search, Opie sat alone at a corner table secluding himself willing her his direction. The pitiful look in his eyes was enough to make her stomach flip. Long ago, she grew weary with the amount of messes that befell on Opie. Their relationship bordered along best friend status, always seeking the other out. Ranging from moments of clarity to cruelty, Opie Winston never once betrayed the trust instilled upon him.

She already knew what bullshit lay ahead; it was his shitty way of apologizing for Jax’s past, present, and future fuck-ups. In the back of her mind, Y/N convinced herself she was different to him, that she was his one. But nowadays, doubt replaced confidence as Y/N drifted farther out of reach/touch. Her feet clumped heavy against the wood suddenly weighing her down. Making her way through the crowd, Y/N plopped herself closest to Op.

Her palms dampened in sweat wishing the fall beneath her to open up swallowing her whole. “So, this was the big meeting Jax was in a rush to get to?”

His eyes bounced from side to side searching for any way out of the conversation; “Shit Y/N...”

Y/N collapsed next to the burly man nuzzling deeper into the warmth of his neck, quietly leaning in closer so he could hear her clearly; “I know it’s not your fault, Op. I just wish he respected me enough to be honest with me. I can’t keep living like this anymore, he’s breaking me… I’m sure going to miss you, big bear.”

Y/N waited patiently for the wheels to turn in his brain. “You’re a smart man. Connect the clues, buddy.”

“You—You’re leaving?”

Her heart plummeted into uncharted territory; her head bobbled too quickly, too excitedly almost as if she’d been rifling for a way out of this life, out of their lives. She glanced sadly at him, really appreciating his handsome appearance while trying to memorize the man who’d kept her insanely calm since middle school. There was no hiding the bemudding frown etching her lips. His lengthy, luscious hair and accompanying brawny beard was enough to make any woman swoon.

If only she’d chosen him to protect her heart but what ifs were a dangerous path to question. Add in his admirable qualities and he was the gleaming winner. The man Y/N should’ve pursued but she was a fool and fell for the Teller trick over and over again. Long ago, Opie came to the conclusion that Y/N would never leave his side, not even if the devil bribed her himself. Her departure was agitating, possibly selfish, but absolutely necessary. Jax breaks everything he touches…eventually.

“Some bitch is grinding against his junk and you expect me to be alright with it? Boy’s got another thing comin if he thinks I’ll always be waitin to greet him at the front door.”

Words jumbled on the tip of her palate; ‘I just wanted to talk to you first before shit goes down. I’m so thankful for you, always know that.”

Op stared down at his dirty boots unable to meet her dejected orbs.

“I’m sorry, Y/N. You deserve more than his half ass shit. Ya know, I was afraid Jax had sucked out all that rad awesomeness you possessed before you decided to get together. He’s my brother, don’t get me wrong. But, he’s kinda the biggest dick on the planet and not the good kind. I’m proud you found your backbone. Here I thought you’d softened up…”

“Haha, glad to see you think so highly of me still! Please take care of yourself.”

“I’m a phone call away if you need me. Any time, any day, I’ll be there.”

His arms draped around her exposed waist rubbing soothing circles on her lower back. Her chin rested atop of broad shoulder before she reluctantly pulled away from his embrace.

A few tables over Jax’s arms seductively draped his arm around the croweater’s exposed waist. Every few minutes the chick gyrated submissively against him cock arousal his member. Jax closed his eyes inhaling a puff of his cigarette thinking of the girl waiting at home for him. All he had to do was find the courage to get up and leave. But this was the life, his life and Y/N understood him better than anyone else. So, he accepted the Yaeger bomb from girl with the rose tattoo and smiled widely. Fuck ‘em. He leaned incredibly closer connecting his lips to her plump ones.

Her sultry tone echoed into his ear; “Mmm, you taste like sin…”

Jax chuckled in retort; Darling, you ain’t even taste the best part yet…”

Disgust and fury ran uncontrollable through her body radiating to an explosively dangerous level. She quietly whispered; “This fucking asshole…” as she compelled herself to clear the lump in her throat noisily.

Her annoyance was beginning to peak into seething eruption; “You’ve got some damn nerve, Jax. That I can give ya. Such a lady’s man.”

A shudder ran through his vertebrates forcing the hairs along his neck to stand painfully on the edge. Her words were impudently brash bouncing off her rosy plump lips.

“Can’t say I didn’t warn ya, doll.” His arched brow sprouted newfound madness as Y/N daydreamed of punching that shit grin off his idiotic face. But his eyes told another tale, his sapphire irises brimmed with tacit concern and uncertainty.

Her life with Jax was a never-ending roller coaster. Exhilaration awaited them at every corner until it didn’t. No matter how many wrongdoings Jax committed, Y/N dutifully stayed by his side never daring to question his authority. Gemma taught her of loyalty, of the importance of family eternally sticking together, and to never turn her back when the going gets rough because it was bound to cross a line if you survived long enough. The Sons checked their moral ambiguities when they patched in, sacrificing their soul for the benefit of the club.

So, Y/N’s skin thickened as time meandered on, and as Jax shacked up with Wendy, and again every time she watched some slut leave his dorm every night. Honestly, she should thank Jax for her turned her into the dominantly powerful woman she became that awakened Jax’s feelings. But now, now he was the reason her heart was breaking.

She cleared her throat attempting to draw his attention; “Wow, seems like you’ve got your hands full tonight. Didn’t realize I needed to make a reservation.” Her eyes penetrated his, he looked like a deer in blinding headlights at the recognizable voice in front of him.

The girl seating in Jax’s lap had the audacity to open her bright fuchsia painted lips; “He’s busy tonight. Shoo, buh-bye.” Motioning her hand in Y/N’s direction.

Y/N eyed the broad up judging her every spectacle of the way. She bit the corner of her lips in attempt to register what her mind couldn’t.

She clicked on tongue in vast disapproval at the idiot before her; “Listen here, bitch. I’m Y/N, his old lady and you’re going to get the fuck up and listen to the words leaving my mouth and find another lap to occupy, NOW.” She put on her fakest high pitched voice just to prove a point; “Got it? Good, now if you make me repeat myself, I’d love the opportunity to fuck up that plastic face of yours. Now, Shoo.”

The random girl gulped unwillingly to challenge the alpha female and meekly wagged her head in agreeance. Jax noticed the slight tremor as she removed herself from his grasp trudging in defeat. He sighed in extreme exasperation; “Congratulations, you’ve got my attention…now talk.”

“Ugh, I’m seriously starting to question what the hell I’ve been doing with an asshat like you for so long? Seriously Jax, what the shit?”

He remained irrationally irritated Y/N had chosen a party to air out their dirty laundry. She was undermining him in front of his brothers, nobody challenged him. This was yet another lesson he’d teach Y/N the difficult way.

“You’re makin a scene! Let’s talk this outside?” He seized her arm dragging Y/N behind him. Her heels dug into the surface fighting his weight with her own. Jax glanced back at her stubbornness on display and/snickered sinfully.

“No, I’m fine where I am.”

Jax invaded her space, his breath jostled against her peach fuzz. He hovered dangerously close to her, fury seeping from his freckled skin.

“Ah, the mighty heroine here to save herself. Classic, real good Y/N.”

Y/N huffed venting her building frustrations; “I can’t do this anymore, Jax.” Her voice wavered in confidence before erupted in sadness; I fucking won’t do this anymore.”

Jax Teller rolled his eyes before sighing annoyingly loud; “You always say this shit, Y/N. And you always keep comin back for more. This is a dance we memorized baby girl, our dance.”

Her fists ignited into internal rage; her breathing skyrocketed to unbridled anger. Typical biker to neglect the actual words leaving a woman’s mouth in this hell hole.

“So, I guess that makes me the fool and you the asshole, hmm? Yes, I might be a fucking glutton for punishment but at least I have a heart, some decency of a moral compass to abide by. But you, Jax? You would burn the world simply because you were bored. And right now, this is me telling you I quit. Go fuck one of your many other mindless wannabes. I bet they’re beggin for Jax Teller’s cock as we speak.”

His cockiness was beginning to push her past the point of no return as he growled his words from his venomous mouth; “I don’t doubt that darling. The question of the hour is if you’re really sure you wanna throw in the towel?”

Y/N’s head whipped around fast; her eyes blazed in pure hatred; “The biggest mistake you ever made was letting love come into your life. You fuck up everything you touch. Have a nice life, Teller.”

Heavy footsteps clonked against the wooden slats swiftly rushing towards the front doors of the clubhouse. She approached the entrance grazing her knuckles along the worn material. In the upper right-hand corner, the smallest of carvings adorned the walk away years later; their initials carved for the world to bear witness. Digging through her purse, Y/N located her car keys and stood on her tiptoes scratching at the etchings now nothing but mere wood indentions. Fuck happy endings. No wait, fuck this ending.

Finally, anger breached its imminent tipping point as his temper imploded. His arms gripped hers excruciatingly firm slamming her against the wall aligned of mugshots. A frame or two randomly dropped closer by. Jax was the Kurt Cobain to her Courtney Love; both destined and simultaneously cursed. Glass pierced the ground piece by piece. Her eyes fully dilated as fear crept into her smug demeanor. Her breath came out in short, timid, huffs as quaked in anxiousness.

“You’re my girl, Y/N. Don’t do this shit. You know I love you.”

Confliction cowered in her bones. His ragged and pathetic tone drew her in wrapping itself snugly around her. She knew that if she would have heard these words any other day, she would have declared it the best day of her life and would have started to call everyone to let them know that he finally said the words! But today was not that day and all she wanted to do right now was putting her hands over her ears and stop listening.

She spewed her virulent words once and for all; “You’re not the person I thought you were.”

Her body went rigid in his arms as sorrow clung to her like forgotten hope. She was losing him, sacrificing a piece of her heart for her own freedom. She loathed the man Jax evolved into but somewhere under his façade lived the gentle poet who stole her soul. Jax snickered obnoxiously before a murderous grin took ahold; “No. I’m just not the person you wanted me to be.”

Tags: @twistnet @ifoundmyhappythought @angelreyesgirl89 @carlaangel86 @summertimesadnesswithadashofsass @imagineredwood @gemini0410 @mayans-mc @reaperwalking @prospectfandom @emmaveale123 @peaky-marvel @kind-wolf @scorpio4dayzzz @starrynite7114 @penny4yourthot @breanime @whyisgmora @thegirlwhowritesfics @star017 @threeminutesoflife

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skvaderarts · 4 years

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Apocrypha Chapter Twenty Nine: Antithesis

Masterlist can be found Here! Thanks!

Chapter Twenty Nine: Antithesis

Note: I LOVE the comments everyone left on the last two chapters! It's so rewarding! I'll be building my first ever PC today. Wish me luck!

(-~-)

The room fell silent as mist blanketed the surrounding city. So far, the early morning hours had been filled with a thick blanket of fog, and rain was expected before noon. Thankfully, everyone was inside, even if they were not all under the same roof. As soon as the train had arrived, Dante and Vergil had gone to meet the others, insisting that Nero stay behind both for his own safety and for V’s. They had no way of knowing whether or not the cult had managed to track them down, and while they were relatively sure that they had taken care of them once and for all, Vergil was, as always, not optimistic.

Nero had stayed behind as requested, begrudgingly accepting the fact that they were right about what was going on. As much as he wanted to help protect his family and friends, V was a sitting duck so long as he was asleep in Magnolia’s guest room, and there was absolutely no way he was going anywhere in the state that he was currently in. Despite the fact that his injuries had been sufficiently patched, and the bleeding had stopped, there was still no way that he was going to simply walk out of her house and possibly into the line of fire again.

In a rare moment of benevolence, the universe decided not to test them any further, at least for one day. The train had pulled into the station with very little fanfare, and they had managed to make sure that everyone made it home safely. Much to the surprise of Kyrie and Nico, Magnolia insisted that they all stay until the next day to minimize the chances of any stragglers following them home. Needless to say that the living room had been very full for a few short hours.

Under the cover of darkness, Nero and the others had gone their separate ways, Lady taking it upon herself to make sure that Patty made it home safely. And with everyone out of town and ample time to sit and wait for V to recover (Magnolia insisted that V stay at her home until she deemed him ready to leave this time), Dante had taken the opportunity to travel back to the cult’s stomping grounds to try and find out what had become of Trish. Griffon had returned an absolute mess, stating that he’d shown Trish the way through the forest and that she’d decided to stay behind and investigate. As sure as Dante was that his longtime friend didn’t need his help, he was also sure that a little while alone with his injured son wasn’t going to do Vergil any harm. He needed to see for himself what had happened in that place, and he needed to take a better look at this “conduit” that everyone kept going on about. If an Arcana was involved, then it couldn’t hurt to have more information to share with the rightful keepers of the blade when the time came.

And so they’d gone their separate ways, trying to utilize the calm before the storm as best as they could.

Two days had passed since that decision.

As residual condensation ran down the windows and onto the ledge below, Vergil glanced over at V. He’d spent the better part of three days asleep, more than likely drained from his injuries. And although Magnolia had confirmed that he wasn’t in any form of coma, Vergil had decided that the best course of action had been to stay behind and at his side, trying not to seem as eager for him to awaken as he actually was. As much as the Darkslayer didn’t want to admit it, he was slightly concerned as to why V had yet to awaken from his extended slumber. While passing out after the residual energy that came with triggering for the first time wore off was far from unheard of, sleeping for three days straight was simply insane.

Was that some sort of gauge of his newfound strength? Did his body require that sort of time to reset and properly acclimate to such a drastic change in his biology? It didn’t seem unlikely, but it also didn’t make Vergil any less stir crazy. At the end of the day, he needed to be sure that his oldest son was actually going to be okay, and this wasn’t helping in any way, shape, or form.

“You do know that hovering over him isn’t going to make him wake up any quicker, don’t you?” Magnolia said quietly as she inched into the room, a sympathetic look on her face. The botanist didn’t know what she expected to see when she entered the room, but a part of her had hoped that there had been some change to her young patient's condition.

Vergil glanced over at her wordlessly, not at all surprised to see her again. She’d been checking in on V every hour or so for the better part of the morning, quietly worrying over him like a worried mother. From what he could tell, nothing seemed to be wrong with V other than the fact that he had yet to awaken from his prolonged and worry inducing slumber. Magnolia had checked basic things such as his temperature and heart rate several times, noting no change in his physical state. And if his demeanor and rather peaceful appearance were anything to go by, the young summoner wasn’t suffering in any way, shape, or form. He was simply taking the longest nap ever.

“I might have come to that conclusion by now, yes.” Vergil said as he reclined slightly, the back of the chair he was sitting in touching the wall nearest to the window. It came to rest in a slightly odd position, but not one that either of them paid any mind to.

“What I mean is… aren’t you tired?” Magnolia said as she came around the side of the bed to run her usual tests, a slightly worried tone tenting her normally melodic voice.” I don’t think I’ve seen you sleep since you arrived.”

The Darkslayer folded his arms across his chest loosely, more defensive than upset in any regard. “I have no interest in sleeping.”

“Neither do children, but they still require it, Vergil.” She said flatly as she recorded her results. There was still no notable change in his state. And from what she could tell, his vitals were just as they had been for the last day or so. V was simply depleted, and there was no changing that for the time being. Still, Magnolia found herself wishing that there was something more she could do to help. Seeing someone so young in such a state genuinely hurt her soul, bringing her back to unpleasant memories from her own past. The last time she’d seen her parents, they had been in a similar state. Only they were much older and had accomplished considerably more in the time that had been allotted to them. No one so young should have to suffer so egregiously.

Vergil closed his eyes, taking in her statement with a slight amount of salt. While he understood the validity of her statement, that still didn’t change his stance on the matter. And he didn’t care how irrational that seemed to anyone else involved. “Don’t you have a shop to attend to?”

“It’s the weekend. And even if it wasn’t, I would be for this.” Magnolia said with an offhanded gesture towards V as she recorded the last of her results in a composition notebook that she kept on the bedside table. It wasn’t exactly a patient spreadsheet, but then this wasn’t exactly a hospital, so it was the best she could do in the interim.” I have more important things to attend to at the moment.”

For a moment, Vergil quietly wondered to himself if his longtime associate could actually afford closing her shop for the conceivable future. While he knew that her lineage was one of substantial pedigree and, as such, had amassed substantial wealth in the many generations since they’d been established, Magnolia had never been the sort to accept monetary assistance from others, even her own family. Much like him, she equated the concept of owing another entity financially to them possessing ownership over her. And much like him, she found that idea utterly revolting. She would much rather strike out of her own accord, and deal with the undesired backlash of her actions herself. That had been what firmly differentiated her from the rest of her family as far as he was concerned.

The Ludwicks were a family. A coven.

Magnolia was an individual.

And no one was going to take that hard earned independence from her without one hell of a fight.

“You kept your word, I see.” Vergil said quietly, his eyes traveling back to his unconscious son as Magnolia gave him a questioning look.” You said you had no intention of abiding by the traditions set forth by your ancestors, and here you are. Was it worth it?”

A look of realization crossed Magnolia’s face as she finally comprehended what Vergil was going on about. As the oldest daughter of her family, she was the de facto leader of her family’s coven, and leader of the Ludwick shaman. It had been her duty to uphold her sect’s traditions and practices, but she had no interest in doing so. Her heart and mind belonged to other less… questionable practices. And as such, she had chosen to go against them by not participating in them. Instead, she had chosen a quiet life filled with interests that the rest of her bloodline would probably consider incredibly mundane, only occasionally straying into adventure and conquest. And when her parents had died and she’d told the rest of her family that she planned to do so, Vergil, unlike everyone else she knew, had believed her. And then he had simply vanished, only to return over twenty years later with a favor to ask.

There was no proper way to express what that had meant to her at such a difficult time in her young life.

“I have to say, it most certainly was.” Magnolia said quietly as she sat down on the windowsill, taking her hair down and allowing it to flow freely.” It cost me the loyalty of most of my family, but if that was all it took, then perhaps I didn’t have it to begin with. And besides, I’m not alone in the end after all. That being said, I do with that my sisters would simply kiss and make up already. They are being quite childish.”

Vergil smirked in response to her answer for a brief moment, the irony of that statement not lost on him in the slightest. He was self aware enough to be able to see some of his own life issues reflected in her life, and pity her suffering regardless of her desire for him to do so. It was a shame that her family had never seen her brilliance, and an even bigger one that her nearly equally bright younger siblings had fallen short in the same regard.

“It seems that my confidence in Willow and Aluta has been misplaced.” Vergil said, barely concealing his scathing sarcasm. The two younger girls had been hell on earth for him during his brief time spent with them in his youth. As far as he was concerned, saying that Magnolia was the smart one wasn’t as much an opinion as it was a concrete fact. While the other two girls were far from dull, they weren't exactly on their older sister’s level, either. Not even close.” And I will never understand your family’s obsession with botanically themed names. It’s just so… asinine.”

The plucky botanist shook her head, snickering quietly to herself. “ I never took you for much of a liar, Son of Sparda. You never had any faith in them to start with! I know it, you know it, everyone including them should know it by this point.” She said almost playfully, thankful for the reprieve from the lingering tension that blanketed the room.” As for the naming conventions... well I could say the same about your family! You’ve exhausted nearly all the good Latin names already, and you're only about three generations in! It’s about longevity, my dear. To pick a theme and run it into the ground, you must be dedicated, Vergil. It’s an art form.”

He shook his head, admittedly somewhat amused by Magnolia’s statement. This was why he could talk to her and not her sisters. The botanist was genuinely clever, her wit leagues above the vast majority of beings he’d spoken with during his lifetime. But regardless, he wasn’t going down without a fight. “Latin in a primordial language, one that your family’s obsession with flora and fauna owes a terrible debt to, Magnolia. We’ve yet to even scratch the surface.”

She shook her head playfully, sparing a glance at V. “Oh, I’m sure. That being said, I’m starting to get the impression that the eldest of your offspring must despise whatever dreadful name you’ve no doubt forced upon him. I’ve never once heard any of you call him by it. Do you even know what it is?”

Vergil’s gaze narrowed, his eyes roaming between Magnolia and V. A fair question, to be sure. And one he had walked himself into like the fool that he was. But not one that he felt like giving a meaningful answer to. “... I’m waiting for the proper moment to expose him in the most unexpected way possible. I only get to do it one, after all.” He paused for a moment, his voice quieting slightly as the humor he’d possessed left him.” As for his motivation for introducing himself in the way that he does… I suspect he has other reasons. Perhaps reasons that are too personal to speculate on, even for me.”

Magnolia nodded, understanding how to take a hint and when to drop a subject before things took a turn for the worst. Their families were complicated. There was no reason to make things any worse than they already were. “Speaking of speculation, I have some I’d like to share about your son.” She stood up and made her way over towards V, the young summoner still fast asleep.” I have reason to believe that he’s still recovering, though not in the way that you might expect. He healed two days ago. Physically at least. The only reason I’ve bothered to keep his bandages in place was to apply pressure to his bruises in the hope that they’d heal faster. But aside from that, he’s not physically impaired to any meaningful degree. I have reason to believe that he does in fact benefit from a heightened healing factor, though only when he’s asleep.”

Her observation gained her a slightly baffled look from Vergil. Although that didn’t make much sense to him, he wasn’t going to discount it. But the entire concept seemed somewhat counterproductive to him.” Do you have any idea why that might be?”

She nodded, flipping through her composition notebook.” As a matter of fact, I do. It’s because of V’s nonexistent energy levels. I was not made aware until just recently that he’s got a, how should I put this, weak constitution. I assumed that he was simply experiencing a weak spell as a result of his recent return. No, according to him he’s always been like this. And I believe that is why his latent abilities are so segmented and slow to activate. His body is using his standard power to keep him stable, acting as a sort of crutch to his immune system. But once asleep, his abilities no longer need to stretch themselves so thin and he recovers. It all makes perfect sense, doesn’t it?”

Vergil nodded to himself slowly, considering her statement.” ... That would help make sense of his current condition as well. It is not so much a question of whether or not he is capable of triggering, but a question of if he can physically handle it when he does so.

She snapped her fingers, signaling that he’d gotten the gist of her statement.“ Tell me Vergil, being a hybrid yourself, do you believe it possible to actually be so powerful that your body simply cannot sustain its own ambient energy? That it is possible to be too powerful for your own good?”

He sighed begrudgingly, not at all keen on the implications of that statement. He’d spent a lifetime working towards becoming more powerful, throwing away everything that wasn’t taken away from him in his endless pursuit of power. And in the ultimate act of irony, he had helped conceive a being that was the very antithesis of himself. A hybrid so powerful that their body was actually harmed by their own powers to an extent. How much more ironic could things possibly be?

“And yet he displays very little of the power that you speak of.” Vergil ws unsure of what to think about such an observation, despite the fact that it made sense when contrasted to some of the things he’d seen involving V. But perhaps the implications were simply too troubling to consider. Could V be cursed with the very thing that he actively desired? Was that even a curse? Was there such a thing as too much power when it came to demonic abilities? Truly, he was at a crossroads with this revelation.

“Maybe that’s by design. Maybe something happened to him once. Something so traumatic that he’s repressed it and his abilities along with it.” Magnolia shrugged, unsure of what more she could say on the subject. “You must remember that your sons are not quite like you and your brother. They are more human. That imbalance had so come with tradeoffs. And while they seem to be good, I can only assume that some of them are not. You and I both understand the costs of such power. Take my clan and our abilities for example. And if that is not sufficient, look to your own bloodline, Vergil. It is a possibility to consider. Sometimes power doesn’t make sense. It’s dubious and it comes from a variety of sources. At times you can hold it in your hand. Other times it is something you feel in your heart. You don’t have to believe it to be true.”

On that concept, they agreed, even if it was for different reasons. Vergil would have to consider the options provided to him, but his longtime friend’s observations made a lot of sense to him. But until V woke up, they had no way of knowing for sure. And that fact alone was enough to cause Vergil a new level of dismay that he didn’t know he possessed. The idea that the very thing he'd devoted so much of his life to might be the very thing that V desired and benefited from the least was almost unreal to him. And as soon as his son woke up, he intended to try and find out.

They needed to go to that island that Dante had spoken of.

And they needed to meet the Guardians of the Arcana.

(-~-) This chapter has been very interesting. And I already have the coolest idea for next week’s chapter. Gotta get as much writing done as possible before the holidays arrive, right? I hope this chapter sparks some interesting but civil conversation in the comments section, and I hope to see you for chapter thirty. I have some very special stuff planned for the 30th chapter of this fic and the 50th chapter in this series. That’s just an unreal number lol! What I wouldn’t do to have a physical copy of this fic!

#Apocrypha #Vergil #V #Magnolia Ludwick #Vergil and Magnolia #DMCV #DMC5 #DMC #Devil May Cry 5 #Devil May Cry V #Post Devil May Cry 5

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the-astro-ace · 5 years

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Merlin Writer Month - Week 4: All Time Faves

Alright, y’all, the moment you’ve been waiting for: My favorite fics for week four of @madaboutmerlin’s Merlin Writer Month.

Now I know over this last month, I have been notorious for posting ridiculously long rec lists apparently even crashing some browsers- SORRY- BUT this time, I shall limit myself to my top eight (because I tried to do top five but HNNNG THERE ARE TOO MANY GOOD ONES) that I have not previously mentioned on any list (because many of my fave fics I also recced for Rare Gems week)- so I HIGHLY recommend you go scour those lists as well- if you want anyway lol

So, without further ado-

MY TOP EIGHT MERLIN FICS

NUMBER EIGHT

A Fistful of Infinity and Starlight by junkshopdisco

Pairing: Gwaine/Merlin, (Semi-Unrequited) Gwen/Arthur Pendragon, Gwen/Lancelot

Rating: Explicit

Words: 63191

Summary: Uther’s insane, Morgana’s plotting a new assault on Camelot, and Arthur and his knights are clueless but supposedly in charge. In the midst of it, Gwaine finds himself harbouring feelings for a man who apparently has a destiny, and learns something new about magic: it doesn’t play fair, and serving it shakes everything you hold dear – whether you’re a sorcerer or not.

My Comments: It’s a musical. I’m not kidding. Sadly there is no actual music written for it, but I feel that the characters have a very realistic reaction to walking through the hallways and suddenly finding your friends singing at you lmao

NUMBER SEVEN

Five Slices of Life by Wildcard

Pairing: Gwaine/Merlin

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Words: 1541

Summary: Or 5 chocolates from a chocolate box sampler! All set within the same reincarnated modern AU as my other fic for enviropony - basically 5 drabbles that belong within that verse and fill prompts that were listed in the letter.

My Comments: Literally just five short little pieces about Merlin and a reincarnated!Gwaine. Short and sweet, and makes me smile every time I read it

NUMBER SIX

Have You Ever Seen The Rain by AkakoDukes

Pairing: Gwaine/Merlin, (Mentioned) Guinevere/Arthur

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Words: 1052

Summary: "Of course he would have been here, hidden amongst the grass..." Merlin goes looking for Gwaine. Shameless fluff.

My Comments: The description is right: “shamless fluff.” Cute, sweet, and just leaves me happy lmao

NUMBER FIVE

Real Men Don’t Wear Girdles by HalfFizzbin

Pairing: Gwaine/ Merlin, Guinevere/Lancelot du Lac/Arthur Pendragon

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Words: 12730

Summary: If Gawain and the Green Knight took place in the Merlin universe, it might have been a tiny bit different—because there's no way Merlin would let Gwaine traipse off on his own to get his head chopped off. Includes attempted alliterative verse, bawdy songs, evil deer, made-up spells, clichés, and a truly insane amount of fluffiness.

My Comments: OKAY, THIS FIC- I LOVE IT. THE WRITING STYLE IS GREAT AND SARCASTIC AND THE SEQUEL LEAVES YOU HOPEFUL FOR WHAT IS TO COME FOR THE FUTURE OF THE CHARACTERS. I have laughed aloud every time I’ve read this because it is also QUITE FUNNY if you ask me. A wonderful take on Gawain and the Green Knight that I feel fits very well into the universe of Merlin.

NUMBER FOUR

Author: tymedfire

Usual Pairings: Gen

Usual Rating: General Audiences

My Comments: Alright, something different for number four. Now this author is great. I have loved every single one of their fics- so much so that when I was compiling this list I was unable to choose just one to rec lol. A gen author who explores Merlin’s friendships with each of the characters in turn. I HIGHLY recommend their stuff!

NUMBER THREE

The Water Witch and the Black Dogs by Tipper

Pairing: Gen

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Words: 65320

Summary: A little tale of evil hags, black dogs, missing princes and estranged siblings, not necessarily in that order. When Gwaine accompanies Arthur, Merlin and the knights on a diplomatic mission to Mercia, he becomes an unwitting participant in a power struggle for Bayard's throne.

My Comments: Now, I actually found this fic just last week and I sincerely wish I had found it sooner; I always adore Gwaine centric fics, and this one takes the cake. With wonderful exploration of family (of both the blood kind and the found kind), BAMF!Merlin, BAMF!Gwaine, and giant puppies (...okay, they only appear once BUT THEY’RE STILL THERE), this fic was one that I couldn’t stop reading and has a very satisfying conclusion after everything that happened, both in the characters’ pasts and for the events of the fic itself.

NUMBER TWO

Along a Wandering Wind by Hope

Pairing: Merlin/Gwaine, Lancelot/Gwen/Arthur

Rating: Explicit

Words: 63401

Summary: Just when Gwaine finds a reason to end his roaming, he must leave Camelot again, this time on royal orders. Whether and how he returns may depend on the secrets Merlin—and others—are keeping from him. (A romance of letters, intrigue and knightly apprenticeship, set post-S3.)

My Comments: Epistolary form is a weakness of mine, and this fic does it beautifully. Another Gwaine centric fic in which he and Lancelot are sent to Essetir to claim the land for Camelot following Cenred’s death. Wonderful exploration of Merlin and Gwaine’s relationship and how a long-distance relationship might have worked in their universe. It also beautifully handles many LGBT themes (including a canonical trans character) and I found myself emotionally connecting with the characters in a way that no other fic really had before. This one is great and I adore it as well <3

Alright...the moment you’ve been waiting for...

NUMBER ONE: MY FAVORITE MERLIN FIC

Hello, Sweetheart by ViridianJane

Pairing: Merlin/Gwaine

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Words: 44182

Summary: Gwaine and Merlin have been dancing around their feelings for years; Merlin too focused on trying to thwart destiny, and Gwaine holding back in fear of losing what they already have. But the battle at Camlann comes too close to taking everything from them. It’s a second chance for all of them, and Gwaine confronts Merlin about magic, love, loyalty, and (surprisingly) dragons. But the fight for peace is not over yet: Arthur has yet to change the laws on magic, and his ignorance and hypocrisy provokes a group of rogue druids into taking action. They’ve placed a curse on the land, and Merlin is the one suffering the consequences. Thus ensues a quest: Arthur, Gwaine, Merlin and Aithusa travel to four locations with close ties to magic in order to break the curse, and on the way, Arthur begins to right his wrongs and finally takes the time to listen to what Merlin has to say.

My Comments: This. This right here is a beautiful fanfiction. I have reread it at least ten times (twice in one day, actually!) and have cried nearly every time (I was in class the one time I didn’t. So.) I have it downloaded on both my laptop and my tablet, and I even tried to get it on my phone because I LOVE IT THAT MUCH- AAAAAND I’VE PRINTED IT OUT (after spending hours fixing up the file in Word because the PDF download is a liiiiiiittle skewonkous). Merlin and Gwaine’s relationship is beautiful, and I positively adore them and Aithusa together (Gabby, you’ve ruined me for Gwaine & Aithusa stuff- I need more and there’s barely any lmao). Gwen is beautifully characterized as well, and I feel that this fic is a wonderful conclusion to the show. It may also be what I have accepted as canon instead of the finale but that’s just me. If there is one fic on this list that I say you should read, it’s this one, because Merlin and Gwaine finally get the happy ending they deserve.

And with that I am finished! A thank you to the mods who ran this fest, and a general wish that I’ve helped you all find some great reads ^u^

#merlinwritermonth2018 #Merwaine #Merlin BBC

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seanpatricklittlewriter · 3 years

Text

The Final Blog Post of 2020

Greetings, friends. It has been a while.

I think, as it has been for so many of us, 2020 is going down as a year where I accomplished pretty much nothing.I had big things planned for 2020, as I am sure a lot of you did, and they just… did not happen. Most of the downhill slide started in March, when I accepted a third-shift job. My body did not respond well to working third shift, and it sapped me of just about any will do to anything. I spent my days asleep, and my nights hovering through a weird twilight state where I was awake and doing things, but I was not happy about it. On my days off, I could barely function, and I started getting little fits of narcolepsy. After a doctor’s appointment, I mentioned these issues, and the doctor told me that someone who has the sort of thyroid and metabolic conditions that I have should not work third shift because it throws my whole system into whack.

So, I’m looking for a new job, a better job (hopefully), and something that I actually look forward to doing. If nothing else, I’ve learned that money isn’t as important as actually enjoying your work.But, with this job, and the pandemic, of course, all my routines were knocked out and I have been struggling to figure out a new routine. I used to be able to write at home back when I lived in rented apartments. Since I bought a home, I’ve found it difficult. There is always something around the house that needs doing. I found a refuge at my local Culver’s restaurant. I’d go in, get a diet Mt. Dew to drink, and kick over 3-5 hours in my favorite booth grinding out pages. Now, with that not exactly being a favorable option, my writing output has decreased to almost nothing. A sentence here. Maybe a page or two, if I was lucky. The inability to generate a solid routine has made the story harder to solidify in my mind. So, it’s been a rough year is what I’m saying.

I’m still kicking, though.

As is traditional, I like to list a few things that I found that brought me some joy this year and share them with you, as maybe you might like them, too.

Movies:

--I have not watched a ton of movies this year. The last movie I saw in a theater was “1917,” which I enjoyed greatly. It was an excellent WWI film, and the fact that they made it look like it was done in a single take was a masterstroke. It was beautifully filmed, and almost every frame could be a painting. Well worth the time.

I also just watched “Soul” on Disney+. There was a lot reminiscent of “Inside Out” in “Soul,” but “Soul” was a much quieter, more existential film. I liked it a lot, but it wasn’t one of Pixar’s best outings.

I watched George Clooney’s “The Midnight Sky” the other day. It was a long, dreadfully slow, and ultimately pointless film. I did not care for it. Most of the other films I’ve watched this year were fairly forgettable.

They were titles on streaming services that have been out a few years, but never generated a lot of noise.

Television:

I watched a ton of television this year. What the hell else was I going to do, right? I’m sure most of you are in the same boat. Anyhow, I have long believed that TV has become superior to films in the last few years. Better characters, better stories, and the time to tell those stories. I prefer episodic television to just about anything film has given us in the past few years, so here’s what I was watching this year.

--“19-2” (purchase four season on Amazon Prime): If you’ve watched “Letterkenny” on Hulu, then you must be familiar with Jared Keeso, who plays the central character Wayne. Keeso won some awards for a Canadian cop drama called “19-2” before he made “Letterkenny,” and I can understand why. This is a fairly dark, but realistic cop drama about the 19th Precinct in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and deals with the new guy (Keeso) transferring into the precinct from a small town and dealing with his new partner (Adrian Holmes) and the rest of the flawed members of the station in addition to dealing with policing duties around the city. One thing I liked about the series is that it never got away from the day-to-day grind of policing in a big city. The characters’ story arcs had to be worked in around the calls and patrols. The first episode of the second season of “19-2” deals with the precinct responding to a school shooting. It is, by far, one of the finest hours of television I’ve ever seen. Chaotic and hurried, brutal and bloody. It’s everything that keeps your eyes glued to the set. There were only 38 episodes of “19-2,” but I could have watched another four seasons of it. It supplanted “The Shield” as my favorite cop drama. Well worth the time.

--“The Queen’s Gambit” (Netflix): I’m not going to add anything original to this that hasn’t already been written by other people. This highly lauded limited series was well-written and acted, and it actually made competitive chess interesting. Anna Taylor-Joy was excellent in the lead role, and the costumes and sets were fantastic.

--“The Uncanny Counter” (Netflix): My mother watches an insane amount of South Korean TV shows. I don’t know why. She is the butt of many jokes because of this. However, “The Uncanny Counter” is a pretty cool series that feels like an indie comic book. The premise is a group of Grim Reapers run a noodle shop and fight demons. However, the show is much more complex than that. The characters’ stories are all intertwined in odd ways, and it’s very watchable.

--“Hospital Playlist” (Netflix): Another show my mother suggested was the sappy, and almost twee hospital show “Hospital Playlist.” This show is a fairly soft, airy, and cute little hospital drama about five doctors who have been friends since medical school. They’re all heads of their respective departments now, and they work at the Yulje Medical Center. While the show centers around the five main characters, there’s a whole slate of other doctors and interns who add to the story. Inevitably, the show is about life, love, and death—like any other hospital drama. However, the core group of friends also get together once a week and play music to relax, so there is a cutesy pop song at the end of the episodes that plays into a montage of that week’s story wrapping up. The characters in the show are very likeable, and that’s about the best thing this show has going for it. Each episode is like 90 minutes, and there are 12 episodes in the first season, but I watched them all, and I hate to admit it, but I’m interested in seeing what season 2 will bring.

--“Upload” (Amazon Prime): Greg Daniels of “The Office” fame created and produced this series about the Singularity, a hypothetical point in the future when we will be able to merge our consciousness with a computer, and thus physical death will mean we have a chance to live a digital afterlife where we can still interact with our loved ones on the earthly plane through VR. The show is funny and extremely intelligent. It’s satire and commentary wrapped up in a solid existential premise.

--“Star Trek: Discovery” season 3 (CBS All Access): I’m not going to write a ton about ST:Disco, but I will say that season 3 is the first season that felt like “Star Trek” to me. It’s one of the few shows that I have actually looked forward to week-to-week.

--“The Mandalorian” season 2 (Disney+): Like ST:Disco, this is one of the few shows I actually looked forward to. The first couple of episodes felt like the series was in a bit of a rut, but the last three episodes made it all worthwhile. Total fanboy moments abounded.

--“Ted Lasso” (Apple+TV): Strangely enough, a sitcom based on a single-premise joke from a series of Superbowl ads from a couple years ago is, hands-down, my favorite new show of 2020. Jason Sudeikis of SNL fame plays Ted Lasso, the former head coach of the Wichita Shockers college football team who is hired to be the head coach of FC Richmond, a Premier League Football team in England. Initially Ted is hired by the new owner of Richmond, who happened to have won the team from her ex-husband in a messy divorce. Her initial goal is to have Ted unknowingly destroy the team, but Ted’s boundless optimism and true concern and care for his players flips the script. This is the show that 2020 needed. It is funny and joyous, and it’s another feather in Bill Lawrence’s (Scrubs, Spin City, etc…) cap. I watched this show out of a sense of loyalty to Bill Lawrence, but I ended up LOVING it. The fact that Apple renewed “Ted Lasso” for two more seasons immediately is very telling about how good this show was. Highly, highly recommend.

Music:

I barely listened to anything new this year. Not many bands I liked came out with a new record, and I was usually listening to podcasts or watching TV instead. However, there were two albums that came out year that I would note.

--Kyle Kinane, “Trampoline in a Ditch”: Kinane’s newest stand-up album, recorded in Madison, Wis., is a fun jaunt through Kinane’s weird sense of humor and excellent writing style. This record had me and my daughter laughing out loud on the day it came out, and I’ve listened to it several times since. Kinane’s writing is so good, I pick up subtle jokes on additional listenings.

--Brett Newski, “Don’t Let the Bastards Get You Down”: Milwaukee Dork Rocker Newski put out another solid album this year. Check out the video for “Wha’d Ya Got to Lose?”

Podcasts:

Spent a ton of time listening to podcasts at my third shift job. I’m not going to write a ton about them individually, but here’s the list of the podcasts that got the most listens from me:

--Gilbert Gottfried’s Amazing, Colossal Podcast --Fake Doctors, Real Friends --Timesuck --Scared to Death --Office Ladies --Unexplained --Lore --Cabinet of Curiosities --Haunted Locations

Books:

I probably read the fewest books I’ve read in ages this year. I’m usually good for 20-40 books a year, and this year—I just did not get there. I maybe read 12 books this year, and that bothers me. I just could not focus on reading. However, much of what I did read, I enjoyed. The best of those are as follows: --Craig Johnson, “Next to Last Stand” --CJ Box, “Winterkill” --Joe Ide, “IQ” --Sebastien de Castell, “Crownbreaker” --Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child, “Crooked River” Anyhow, I hope some of those media suggestions will bring you some joy. We sure could all use some in 2021, no doubt. In the meantime, do continue to stay safe and healthy. Take precautions. Don’t throw caution to the wind. My plans for 2021: --Lose weight (as usual) --Finish the second Abe & Duff novel --Maybe finish another of the several novels on my desktop --Get a job I don’t hate --Make it to 2022 Here’s to hoping I have some good news about Abe & Duff in 2021. Thanks for reading, and Happy New Year. --Sean

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saralaurensmagalona · 7 years

Text

The Embassy A Thorki fanfiction by Magalona Part Two

From Loki's point of view, enjoy !

Of course, there were many things about Loki Thor couldn't possibly know... Things that he was light years away to even guess...

He had been right when thinking that Farbauti and Laufey might have died from shame at the sight of the … creature they had sired. They had had two perfect boys that fulfilled all their dreams. A female Frost Giant would have been perfect. A child whose mating with some powerful member of some royal family or, at least, Jotünn nobility could be more than valuable... Except that it had been a boy, again. And even worse... A runt. Anyone in the Nine Realms would have thought that the baby was peculiar but cute. To Loki's parents, he was just an ugly monster... Different lives, different points of view...

Loki's beginning in life had been very difficult and dangerous. If the baby had “died” (with a little help...), no one would have blamed the King and Queen. Runts were rare. At the time of Loki's birth, there were only a handful. Yet, there were still a burden and a shame. A useless load. Unable to fight, mate or work the same as a normal Frost Giant. His fate could have been to die right away. Yet, Farbauti had a sudden idea. It was impossible for Jotünn, royals or commoners, to mate with the other people in the Nine Realms. How could they with their size ? So any possibility of any political alliance through marriage was never considered, for obvious reasons. Yet, an alliance without a concrete seal in the flesh had less value. Hence, the tendency for Jotünheim to make war more than love. If they had had other means to ensure respect, or at least fear, from the other realms, they would have used them. As such, they were vulnerable if they didn't attack first... Farbauti took all of this in consideration. The coming of a runt prince could be a sign. This little one could mate with an ordinary sized partner, any royal available on the wedding market.

In other words the little bundle of troubles could be sold to the highest bidder, once being of age... As for the rest, whoever the buyer was, that little pest just had to close his eyes and think of Jotünheim.

****

That was how little Loki's life was spared. Better still, Laufey had an interesting idea. The runt prince's value had to be increased if they wanted him to be desired by the elite. So, paradoxically, instead of being left in a faraway wing of the palace, Loki had been provided with the best nurses, the best governesses and the best teachers. One of them discovered his ability to produce complicated spells without any preparation. After the first moment of additional disgust to an already disgusting situation to their eyes, Laufey and Farbauti demanded the services of the best sorcerers for Prince Loki's training. The proverbial stone and the two proverbial birds. A sorcerer as a consort was priceless even if it came with a general suspicion about his or her loyalty…

Loki lived his childhood in relative happiness, though he had rare contacts with the outside world. He was raised by people who were kind enough but avoided getting too close to him. They all had a temporary function. All were to be replaced within a certain period so Loki had no real time to create any bond with anyone. He was meant to leave his native land to serve the greater good. A link to someone else staying there would be a hindrance. At first, as he had known nothing else, Loki thought this kind of life was normal. He was taken care of and well provided for. He was treated with the respect due to a royal. But he never went out of his chambers. He was only allowed out at times when the gardens were empty, when the whole court was attending some event and it was highly unlikely that Loki might see or talk to someone. Sometimes, his parents were actually visiting Loki. Yet, he dreaded those meetings for it was more an inspection than a fond family reunion. They barely looked nor talked to him. They demanded report form his progresses and either complimented or reprimanded. But mostly the teachers, rarely Loki himself. They used to refer to their child at the third person, in his presence, as if Loki wasn’t even in the room…

In the end, Loki feared those visits. He was scared of his parents. They had no love left for him and they didn't even try to hide it…

As for his brothers, he knew he had siblings but he wouldn't met them before being almost an adult, that is to say a short while before the envoy to Asgard.

****

Despite being estranged from the ones that should have loved him no matter what, Loki was still surrounded, if not by deep feelings, by caring and attentive Jötnar servants. Loki was basically a kind and brilliant child, eager to learn and please. He was not hot-tempered and aggressive like Helblindi who regularly hit his own retinue, nor spiteful and mean, like Býleistr who loved to torment his. Loki might be a runt but he promised to be a better prince than his brothers. It was widely known in the palace that being at Prince Loki's service, even locked in the private wing and unable to see anyone else, was better than being forced to serve the other two. It wasn't said out loud, of course, but it was thought by all. If Farbauti and Laufey knew about this rumor, they never showed it.

All those things said apart, Loki had been fairly happy in his chambers. He would have liked getting out more but he preferred studying to the mundane life of the palace, so, it wasn't really an issue. Besides, his parents had warned him that, as soon as he was of age, he was expected to make his debut at the court. He had to maintain his dignity and act like a real prince or else... When that day came, Loki was overwhelmed for a bit. Too much people, too much pomp, too much talking, feasting, dancing, partying... Too much noise, too loud. It was difficult for him to process everything at once and keep his poise as was demanded of him. He was disappointed though. Not by his parents, or his brothers. He already had lost any kind of hope he might have harbored there. But he had kept faith that, if he had been born this way, smaller with smooth skin and hair, then there must be other runts like him, even a few. Unfortunately, there were none. He was the only runt at court. That was why people were giving him the respect due to the third prince but clearly despised him. He was on his own. When he realized that, he felt well and truly alone.

Maybe, Laufey and Farbauti had realized Loki was doing his best. Maybe they felt a pang of remorse for treating him so coldly all this time when all he ever wanted was to please them. Or maybe, they wanted to make sure he would be compliant and obedient for a while and humored him. They presented him two playmates, two young female runts, Angrboda and Sigyn. The only ones they found. Angrboda, who was a little older than Loki, was a former peasant girl sold as a slave by her own parents to Sigyn's family. Sigyn was born to one of the most prominent families in the iced country. She had lived more or less the same childhood as Loki, provided for but isolated. Angrboda had been her only company. It had been a relief to Loki, having people to talk to without holding back, without watching his steps or his words. It was a relief having people with whom having fun without constraint. Angrboda was more down to earth than Sigyn who was a bit of a light head, and, being the youngest one, a bit childish. They got along, the three of them, rather quickly. Being the Prince's special companions was much better than being confined in their apartment at Sigyn's parents' mansion. They played, they laughed, they studied... They did everything together. They were bounded together. They dreamed of the future together. All three wanted to leave the palace, all three wanted their lives to be their own. All three knew it would be never so.

Years passed like this. But as they were all growing up, Loki dreaded what would happen after his coming-of-age ceremony… What of them three ? Would they be at least still together ? Sometimes he hoped he would be able to marry Sigyn and keep Angrboda by their side and go on just like before. It was an insane hope he knew. Sigyn's parents were filthy rich but still commoners in the eye of Jotünn society. As for Angrboda, her status was non-existent... He was not in love with either of them. He loved them as sisters but no more. Yet, if their freedom implied he had to marry one of them so be it. He would gladly have any of them, even in a platonic relationship. He only had very blurry ideas of love and what it entailed, anyway.

But all of this was nothing but a groundless dream.

****

Laufey and Farbauti might have felt they had made a mistake accepting the two other snotty runts near their offspring. Loki was becoming less manageable. Sigyn was a sweet, inoffensive girl, worshiping Loki's feet but fearing her parents' wrath if she ever toed the line. Angrboda, on the other side, had nothing more to loose and spent her time pushing Loki into taking initiatives, into speaking his mind. They understood they were loosing control of their son when Loki openly voiced his disapproval about the amount of taxes his parents wanted to charge the lower classes with... He even proposed to make peace with their foes, Asgard. That ending the war would be the solution to the hemorrhage of resources in their country. Of course, such an absurd idea created a ruckus in the assembly. How shocking that the crippled prince dared to come forward as if he was a normal grown Jötunn ! And to say such idiocy ! Of course none said that aloud in presence of the sovereigns. After all, this despicable thing was still their son... Ironically, the first to ever lay the question of peace on the political Jotünn table was indeed Loki and some times later, they would be forced to consider it anyway...

But the scandal was quite a blow to the King and Queen, even if they muffled the incident rather quickly. They knew then that the fact that Loki wasn't on his own anymore gave him courage to be an individual. Not a pawn to be used as his parents wanted to. They couldn't let it happen.

Some time after, Sigyn and Angrboda were sent back to their original “home”... Loki didn't even have time to say good bye. “Good riddance.” was Helblindi's only comment. “That'll teach you to be cheeky.” Býleistr said, with all seriousness. “In your position, you need to remain discreet if you want to obtain something. Open your eyes and ears but not your mouth. That is the only way for you to succeed without getting too much hurt...”

Curiously that would be the only brotherly and caring words he would ever say to Loki....

****

About the time Sigyn and Angrboda had left without Loki ever knowing where, the Asgardian-Jötunn war was raging at its fullest. Yet, all of this time it had taken place in neutral ground, outside Asgard and Jotünheim. So none in the palace had been bothered much. Of course, lower classes Frost Giants took the heavy price. But it was what was expected of them and no one found it unfair. Until Odin Borson, the Scourge, decided to make a surprise attack...

Unfortunately for them, Laufey and Farbauti were still stuck in the old fashioned way of warring. They couldn't have possibly believed their capital could be put in danger. Frost Giants had been the strongest warriors ever. They had never been vanquished. So they didn't bother moving on to new war strategies. So, the fact that the much more improved Asgardian Einherjar had formed an efficient army didn't worry them. Only Býleistr knew that trouble was brewing. But as he was the youngest of all the generals, he was not taken seriously. In his powerless rage of being discarded, Býleistr found a strange solace in confiding to his younger runt brother. Someone he didn't even consider equal to the most common Jotünn. He found it pretty ironical, deep inside... “They are stuck in their own asses and cannot see they are coming closer !!” He used to yell in Loki's chambers out of maddening frustration. “We are doomed if those old cronies don't move fast !!” As Býleistr was pacing to and fro in front of his bed, Loki, sitting cross-legged, half pleased with this new attention, half terrified by this situation, listened. He could do little else...

Days passed and one night, they were there.

The palace had woke up to hell. The Scourge's army was at the city's gates, trying to force an entry. In a panic, Farbauti had summoned his outside troops. Laufey was in charge of the palace and the backups. Loki saw little of the outside battle for he had been confined in his apartments as were all those who could not fight. All he heard was the terrible sound of explosion and war cries. He barely saw the fire that had reached some of the boroughs. The noise was deafening as the Asgardian forces were breaking their way through the palace and as brave Jotünn warriors defended the place. Loki wasn't worried for the civilians though. On one-on-one fight, even with Jötnar commoners, Einherjar didn't stand a chance. But once the court was under the Scourge's thumb, they were all trapped...

As the battle went on right under the palace's walls, Loki wondered what would happen to him if they were to lose... He would be probably killed. He had not much value to his parents' eyes. His brothers were much more interesting to keep as hostages. The only good thing in all this horror that he was glad for Sigyn and Angrboda to be back into their home in the Icy Moors. They would be safe... A horrible cry pierced the chaos and made Loki jump. “They broke in !!! They broke into the palace !!” Hearing the cries, Loki thought they were all lost. He managed to control his beating heart by magic. If he was to die, he would but as a prince. Not like some scared child, shivering under his bed.

They were down the hall. Loki could hear the clinking of weapons. Then a giant booming occurred (a bomb ? Since when Asgardian used bombs ?!) and a dreadful silence. Loki slowly stood up from his bed. Something was wrong. That silence was unnatural. He came forward to the door. He could hear heavy footsteps. One person, rather big. Probably a warrior. Could only one Einherjar create a void in a hall full of Jotünn soldiers ? Impossible. Or... ? Loki mentally created a tiny invisible window in the door, allowing him to see without being seen. It was indeed impossible... But definitely real. The halls were dark and torn apart as if a huge force had burned all the way. Grilled corpses of Frost Giants were laying here and there. Even their own mothers could not recognize them. Black. Burned. Fried. Gone to smithereens. The footsteps came louder and closer. A shadow was moving, tiny for a giant rather big for an Asgardian.

And then Loki saw him. His cape was stained with blue Jotünn blood, so were his blond braids and his hammer that he was nonchalantly swinging like a kid playing with his toy. Which he probably was, in a way... His blue eyes were lost in a daze. He was stupidly smiling as if drunk or high. Again, he was both in a certain way. His disgustingly colorless skin was spattered with droplets of Jotünn blood. He stopped to consider his handiwork and then started a maniacal laugh. It reverberated through the devastated hall. Then, exhausted from having so much fun, he continued his way through the hall, totally unaware that he was spied upon by the Third Prince of Jotünheim. That was Thor and Loki's first meeting. But Thor could not have known. And he fact he never knew.

In the end, the Asgardian retreated. Their losses had been quite huge. Only Thor's garrisons had made it through the castle and Thor was the only one to survive it, actually. Odin Borson gave up but he had made his point clear. Jotünheim was not a safe haven anymore. In the end, it could be considered as a Jotünn victory except that it wasn't really a victory. They had simply been lucky. They wouldn't be so lucky next time. And Loki had a brand new nightmarish figure to pepper his agitated dreams with.

****

Býleistr came with the idea of the Embassy first. Though everyone knew the one of making peace was Loki's at first. But of course, none would admit it out loud. Since the break into the palace, the people in Jotünheim had been distraught. Revolts were threatening to come out. Maybe a revolution. The hierarchical system of Frost Giants society was about to collapse for its leaders could not even protect those below. Farbauti and Laufey's throne was getting seriously too hot for their behind. At very long last, they had to consider what their sons had in mind. Well, mostly Býleistr. Loki had no valuable opinions, according to his parents. They had no idea that Býleistr was parroting his own baby brother. So, at the great dismay of the older generations and to the great relief of younger ones, the parlays for a peace treaty occurred. Some considered it a shame, others a salvation. Both ways, it came with a heavy price. And looking at their youngest son and brother, they hoped they could find a way to lift this price a little bit.

The embassy was soon decided. The mood was tense in Jotünheim and the King and Queen hoped that finalizing the treaty on Asgard, rather than in the homeland, would ease it. Asgardian would feel all mighty and superior and lower their guard. Some very tiny scriptures made at the low bottom of the treaty might pass unnoticed... In fact, Laufey and Farbauti didn't want to go to war again. They also felt old, probably as old as the Scourge felt. Their fiery youth was far away for all of them. But not for their sons. They had plans. They had trusted Býleistr with it. It involved their younger, dressed as a doll and prepped as such. And the lustful Scourge Junior. Loki had no idea.

The days before the trip to Asgard, Laufey did her best to coach Loki. She helped him with his looks, his wardrobe, his jewelery, his manners and knowledge of Asgardian protocol. She also made sure he knew everything that was to know about that wretched country and its wretched royals. Especially the Thunderer. She insisted on him, ignoring the literal terror his memory provoked in Loki, making him as attractive as possible. Which would have been a difficult task in normal times and was completely absurd in the current situation. It just increased Loki's anguish. And he didn't understand why was everyone talking about that Jötnar-killing monster to him all the time... Before the battle, Loki would have been thrilled to go out of the palace on a beautiful trip to other realms. After the battle, the simple idea made him want to vomit. But he had no choice. His father had made it crystal-clear to him. Each and everyone of the three princes had a special task to perform. His was to be the last and more important. But only Býleistr knew what it was. It had to remain as secret as possible. Loki didn't ask. He knew it was useless.

The day of the travel, the day he saw the Bifröst and its scary guardian for the first time, Loki had too much to process. Everything was both mesmerizing and repulsive. He couldn't get used to the Asgardian pale skin. He was shocked to see people barely taller than him. He disliked the rude, scared, or angry stares they got all the way through town to the ridiculously huge palace. He loved the scents, the air, the sounds and the laughs... He loved and loathed both. Clash of cultures applied to this situation. But seeing the monster that haunted him, even clean, trimmed and without his hammer this time, did not simplify things.

The Scourge and his red-haired wife were already impressive. But they were not young anymore. Scourge Junior was the actual threat. As they came closer to the throne, Loki kept his eyes down, avoiding anyone's eyes. He knew that people were amazed by his appearance. Laufey and Farbauti had warned him that he would be the real attraction of the Embassy. Not really his brothers who had nothing new to show. At that moment, Loki sensed that he was ardently stared upon but as he refused to raise his head, he had no idea yet that it was actually Thor. Only when Helblindi was making his speech did Loki raised his eyes and meet Thor's blue ones. Then he had the horrible sensation to have be transformed into food for Thor's look was the one of hunger. Desire to eat, devour, destroy... And then Loki understood what his family demanded of him.

The reception had been a torture. An agony when Loki tried to talk to his brothers and couldn't because he was always surrounded by this one or the other. People acting with him like he was a freak on display... Which he probably was. It was killing him. He managed to join his brothers. Býleistr looked at him as if he was acting like a fool. “What are you doing ? Go to the oaf !” Loki felt the cold gliding on his spine. What his brother said confirmed his worst prediction. “You want me to sleep with...” He murmured. Býleistr grabbed Loki's arm brutally before he could say anything that could compromise the whole thing. “Yes.” Growled Býleistr as low as possible. “You are going to fuck his brains out, if he has any. Or he will to you. Whatever. It's up to him. You are going to be a good little slut, little brother, and make him cozy and happy. You are going to turn him so dumb with fucking that he will not think about interfering with the rest of our plans. If he says 'open your mouth', you open your mouth, if he says 'suck', you suck. As simple as that.” At each and every word, Loki felt himself dying. “For Norns' sakes ! Stop making that face !” Býleistr waved his hand in annoyance. “It is high time for you to repay us for not killing you at birth ! Now, go sit at the table with the dimwit.” He pushed Loki away like a dead doll. “And smile ! Damnit ! No one likes a pouting whore !”

****

And so Loki pretended to eat and like what he ate. He drank and pretended he liked what he drank. He pretended to listen to the monster and to answer him. But his voice was faltering, his hands were shaking so much he had to hold them tight. The monster had a pleasant voice though. He actually tried to make conversation. He actually tried to sound funny and entertaining to Loki. If only Loki could forgot that those hands were covered in Jotünn blood, the first time Loki ever saw them. In the end, Loki managed to laugh sincerely at the mention of his wet underpants. When Thor asked for his secret, he decided to lay his cards on the table and say that he was a sorcerer. Thor seemed a bit unsettled but he seemed his newfound lust didn't mind. “It makes me wonder what kind of things you could do... What kind of marvels you could create.” Thor said, unconsciously licking his lips. Loki was desperate.

They drank, nothing left to do. They did idle chitchat, nothing else to say. Loki indulged himself a bit. What else could he do ? He hoped Thor would be more interested in his conversation than his body. He didn't mind the Asgardian as long as he kept his hands to himself. Which he didn't. “You don't like being touched, Little One ?” Loki wanted to punch him. He felt soiled. He only blabbered a weak response. “You are not used to touching, aren't you, Little One ?” “N-no, my Lord.” Things were getting dangerous. Thor's desires were no longer an option. Loki's head was swimming from the drink and the shock. And maybe Thor's scent. “Be my lover tonight.” With this phrase, Thor killed Loki as surely as he would have with Mjölnir in hand...

“Smile ! I said, smile ! Always smile even if he tears you apart. And moan a bit. You're a virgin so act like it hurts at first and then pretend it's good.” Býleistr was leading Loki through the halls to Thor's apartments. Loki was only wearing his undergarments. Býleistr was incredibly nervous. He had wanted to train Loki himself for this night, but no, his mother had to take care of it. She did everything except the delicate part. At least, Loki was unspoiled goods. He hoped it would suffice to make the boar crazy with him. Not sure virgins were common around that blond oaf. He was dragging Loki like a rag doll. Loki didn't listen. In fact he didn't even care any more. His eyes had been opened at last. There was no hope, nowhere. He still didn't care when he was dropped at Thor's door. He still didn't care when the brute held him and kissed him. He thought he just had to close his eyes and wait for it to pass. But he saw the bed. It wasn't a bed. It was a bottomless scarlet pit. Ready to eat him alive. And that woke Loki up, making him fight for his life and scream in Thor's arms.

#thorki #dubcon #romance #Thorkislashfanfic

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