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daemonoferror · 1 year

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Asgard's Bard- Part 1

Heimdall x gn! Reader

TW: Death, pain, blood, heimdall glaring at you being your only interaction.

Summary: Congrats! You died. And you got a promotion.

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The last you remember, a sense of true powerlessness fell over you, before a sharp, stinging pain rippled through your back. The world came to a halt, and your vision goes black.

What feels like only a moment later, your eyes snap open and you suck in a deep breath, like a drowned man taking in air for the first time in months. The pain in your back is replaced by an almost unbearable soreness, helped tremendously by the soft bed below you. You lay completely still, every bone in your body frozen, muscles tense in a state of flight or fight. Where are you? You don't recongize this bedroom. You rack your brain for an explanation that won't come, until a voice interrupts.

"Ah, you're back. Good." Too quickly, you sit up in bed, your back protesting. In the doorway of the room is a man. He's old with grey hair and an eyepatch. He's familiar, you think. From portraits and statues, but you don't want to make assumptions, and his build looks smaller- frailer than you imagined. "You have talent, it would've been a shame to lose something like this so soon." He brings your attention to a worn leather journal he was reading. Your journal. Your most valued possession, in the hands of someone else. Before you can act on the new found panic, the man chuckles and tosses the book to you. The short lived fear evaporates and you flip through it to make sure nothing was messed with.

"What's going on? Where am I?" You ask with shakey breath, looking back up at the man.

He shrugs, "Well, you died." He answers in a matter-of-fact tone. "But I brought you back. You're welcome."

"But... how?" The words don't settle as they should. You're too tired, too stunned to really understand. What does resonate is that the power the man possess if he's telling the truth comfirms your earlier suspicion is correct, "All-Father?"

"Yes, that is what they call me." The god says with a smile. It must be obvious after a short silence that you're not in a clear state of mind, so he continues, "Look, I know it's a lot to take in. Not every day you're brought back to life and meet a god, eh? Why don't you take some time. There's a water basin to wash your face, and a wardrobe full of clean clothes. Nicer than anything ya got in midgard, I promise. Once you're ready, come talk to me in my study. Just down the stairs, you can't miss it. Sound good?" You respond with a small nod. Being in the presence of a god has rendered you speechless, it seems. He claps his hands together, "Good" he hums, and walks away from the room.

You take a deep breath to ground yourself. You're really in Asgard. You just met a god. It seemed unbelievable, more likea dream than reality. At any moment you could wake up back in Midgard, in some rundown tavern with a pissed-off barkeeper tending to you because you drank too much. That sounds far more realistic than any of this. With a pained groan you slowly drop your legs off the side of the bed and stand up. You stretch as much as you can bare, slightly relieving your injured back. If this is a dream, this pain could've fooled you.

You have in mind to head to the wardrobe, but you pause to take the rest of the room . It's small, but you don't figure you'd need a big space. On the wall by the door, there's an array of instruments lined up, mostly string instruments you're familiar with, like a tagelharpa and rebec. A flute laid ontop of an overturned crate- which there were a lot of in the room, making it seem only half decorated. Some drums sat on the floor, though you had never played them as much as a lyre, which was the only instrument you couldn't be seen anywhere in the room. There's a desk pushed up against the wall opposite of the instruments, with a blank scroll open on it, and a crate full of more on the floor nearby. It's odd how the room seems almost designed for you.

You make your way to the wardrobe at the end of the room, in the middie of the wall. Throwing open the doors, you're met with an array of tunics, cloaks, fur coats, belts, gold jewelry, and more. You peel off your brown tunic, shoulders aching as your arms raise to lift it over your head. "What in Hel!" You yell, dropping the garment and stepping away. The entire back of the shirt is drenched in dark red, old blood. You reach behind you, clawing at what you can reach for an injury, or blood, or a scab. Besides the soreness you're already accustomed with, there's no other evidence of a wound. Odin's words repeat- you died. "How could I have-" your voice fades out. You died. You hear it in All-Father's nonchalant tone, and you feel like you're hearing it- actually understanding it for the first time. Things don't feel like a dream anymore, not even a nightmare. All at once everything feels too real. Your breath quickens, you sink to the floor and clutch your heart. Does it even beat anymore? Are you really alive? What does it mean to be brought back to life? You grapple with hundreds of questions, your mind spiraling.

Soon you remember the basin, and all you can think is how good the cold water would feel on your skin. You scramble to it and splash your face with water. It's refreshing and grounding, helps remind you to breathe. You stare into your reflection, hands on either side of the basin supporting your weight as you lean over it.

There's some small scars litter your face and upper neck, nothing bigger than a nick or a cat scratch, and they're hardily noticeable. The same scars are scattered across your hands too, if you look closely. You're relieved to see you don't look bad. Your skin isn't a different color, your eyes are the same. The scars are the only new addition. You don't remember how you got them, though. If you think about it, you realize you can't remember much of the weeks leading up to now. Maybe even months of your memory are gone. You know the important things- your name, your home, family and friends. You know you traveled a lot, reciting poetry and playing music anywhere that would pay you. But besides that blurry flash of pain, you can't remember much.

You stand up again and return to the dresser. The All-Father has requested to meet with you, and it's not something to take lightly. You know he would have an explanation and answers to your questions. You need to keep composure and stay focused to speak with him. You slip on a simple white tunic and pants- as simple as clothes get in Asgard, anyways, each garment adorned with golden embroidery. The clothes fit perfectly, and you try not to wonder how or why.

You shake off the nerves one last time before pushing open the door. Even though the lodge looks homey, it still makes you feel small. You're glad the hall is empty, keeping your focus on getting to the study without distractions. At the bottom of the stairs, the door is ajar, and you can hear Odin talking to someone inside. You knock on the door, with no response. You decided against waiting outside, anxious to get answers to your death and resurrection, and figuring if it were something important they could've shut the door properly. So you slip in, and await patiently by the entrance.

There's a man talking to Odin. You try not to eavesdrop but you pick up bits about an object Odin wants the man to get, and the man being reluctant to do so though he doesn't out right refuse. His dialect sounds much more sophisticated than most you meet, even Odin. He's facing away from you, but you still draw inspiration from his beauty. His golden hair woven in neat braids, the confidence in his posture, and the wit in his voice. You come to a simple conclusion that he seems nice, and would be a good subject for a poem.

Odin seems quickly annoyed with the boy though, and his expression brightens when he sees you. "Ah! There's my poet!" He stands from his desk, raising his arms to gesture to you. "Come in, please! Heimdall, you're dismissed, we'll continue this discussion later." He lowers his voice to address the man.

"But All-Father, I-" Heimdall starts, cut off by Odin, louder this time.

"Dismissed!" Heimdall doesn't protest this time, but it's clear he wants to. He turns on his heels and starts towards the door, his gaze locking with your's as he leaves. Even though he was clearly glaring at you with an unparalleled hatred, your mind sparks with analogies for the prettiest eyes you've ever witnessed. Like shimmering amythests in an otherwise baren cave.

"Ignore him. He doesn't do well with strangers." Odin says with an eyeroll, "he sees things for me, ya know." He mentions like a bad pun you're supposed to understand. Heimdall is familiar, though. You've heard stories of him- the keeper of Ghallerhorn and a protector of Asgard- but you never imagined he'd be like that. "Come, sit! We've got losts to talk about. You've had an eventful day afterall." You listen to All-Father, walking up to the desk and taking a seat. "I'm sure you've got questions. Hit me!" All-Father says confidently, and the way he talks both perplexes and comforts you. He acts too casual to be a god.

There's no better way to phrase it, you think after a moment of quiet as you try. "Am I really dead?" You finally ask.

The AllFather answers, "Don't sound so sad about it. You've been resurrected! A new lease on life." He tacks on, "And I assure you, there's no long lasting side effects. Some scars, yeah, and I'm sure you've noticed some soreness, but that'll heal as normal. Probably." All-Father thinks for a minute before adding, "Though immortality can be considered a side effect, I suppose I should mention that." He sounds like he's bragging to you. You've accepted a great offer, it sounds. Too bad you weren't conscious during the decision making.

"Immortality?" You repeat. It's so hard to speak to Odin. You would've expected his mannerisms to be so much different than he acts. He seems eccentric, he could talk to himself for hours if he wanted. He knows what people want to hear- or at least tries to guess- staying in a constant neutral zone so he appears likeable to a wider audience.

"Yeah, well. We all die someday." Odin says with a sigh and a shrug, "What's a few extra years, huh?" He chuckles, you force a smile. He must do this kind of thing often. It's strange to have someone so postive and confident in front of you while you're so uneasy about it all.

"May I ask, why did you bring me back?" You decide to ask, shifting in your chair. You trusted All-Father to do what's best for everyone- but you couldn't see how revising you could affect anyone but yourself.

"I heard of you. A talented poet and musician from Midgard, some even described you as a god. I wanted to see it for myself. I thought it was a real shame when I heard of your passing." Allfather explains with a shrug. While you knew people enjoyed your works- nothing could match the honor you felt walking into a tavern and hearing someone recite one of your poems- but you had never heard anyone refer to you as a god. You didn't think you were worthy of that title at all. The All-Father slowly stands up, and starts to pace behind the desk. "And I figured, entertainment is an important part of any society, wouldn't you think? Well Asgard may be lacking in that department. Fighting, training, drinking, and so on can only be fun for so long." He turns back and raises a hand to you. "Someone with your talent could really lighten up the place. I was hoping, maybe, you'd be interested in being a bard- the bard- of Asgard."

"What?" Was all you could say, completely stunned. You were a starving artist in midgard, no where near being Asgard matieral. You wondered if maybe during the gap in your memory you had improved drastically- if the height of your poetic talent died when you did.

"Well, it's just like you did in Midgard. Write your poems, sing your songs- inspire the people of Asgard. Though you might have to pander to your audience a bit, write about the gods, maybe help me with a few studies-" He nearly mumbles it, glossing over things that might be unsavory for you. He continues, "In return you can live here in the lodge." He shrugs, "I could pay you, but money won't have much value while you're here." He chuckles.

"And if I refuse?" You ask. You didn't think you could. You knew you couldn't. This just felt too good to be true. Odin resurrected the wrong poet or something. But you didn't think All-Father was capable of making such mistakes, was he?

"Then you can go back to Midgard and do whatever is you want to do there." Odin dismissively waves a hand at you. His tone is somewhere between indifference and disappointment. "Though I can't see much there for you now." He says it like it's a jab at you. You suppose he's right. Midgard is no place to live right now. Your job barely made ends meet no matter how good you were. And what would your friends and family think of all this? Did they know you died?

Even if you don't feel worthy, the cushy lifestyle is something that's impossible to give up once it's offered. You nod sagely and stand up, outstretching an arm to Odin. "Yeah. I accept." You smile softly and nervously.

Odin's mood is instantly lifted as he shakes your forearm, "Wonderful!" He laughs and walks around the desk to you. "Say, why don't I bring you on a tour of Asgard, show you around?"

"That'd be great." You say, following him to the door. You'd hate to get lost in the new realm, and you're eager to see what inspiration you can pull from Asgard. A series of panicked squawks From behind startles you and makes you jump. One of Odin's ravens sits on a wooden stand nearby, flapping its wings. You glare at the creature, and All-Father seems equally annoyed.

"Huginn, what have I told you about sneaking up on me like that!" The bird answers with more squawks, "What? What do you want! What is it you blasted bird!" Odin huffs in annoyance, seemingly letting the bird talk for a while, "Uh huh. Uh huh. I understand." He says half heartedly, and you wonder if he actually understands what it's saying or is just responding to comfort the animal. "Yes, I get it. I said I know!" He turns back to you with a heavy sigh, "I'm truly sorry, something's just come up that I gotta sort out."

"I understand. I can wait for you to get back-" You suggest, though you really don't want to, and would probably sneak off within minutes due to boredom anyways.

"No, no, I'm sure you'll make do on you're own. Explore a bit, make friends. Just don't wander to far alright? And try not to die again, eh?" Odin chuckles, though the words catch you off guard. You're almost offended by joke.

"Allfather, do you know how I died?" You blurt while you're on the subject, realizing you meant to ask earlier.

Odin hums and answers, "It's better not to think about thar, child." His tone is sympathetic, and with a sigh you realize he's probably right. Nothing would change by knowing. A flock of ravens surround Odin, and when they disappear, so does he.

You sigh and leave the room feeling defeated. You quickly find a room upstairs similar to a cafeteria. A few people are scattered around the long tables, talking, eating, and drinking. The murmurs are familiar to you, and you set your journal down at an empty corner of the table. You're used to writing in noisy taverns, but you don't feel like walking far and getting lost.

Your thoughts returned to Heimdall as you prepare to write. You know with your new position you'll have to write in a more formal structure soon, but for now you focus on scribbling down whatever comes to mind.

"He is crafted from wealth

His brilliant eyes were carved from shimmering amythests

And gifted to show one's truest intent

The one with golden teeth speaks

With a tone of eloquence

His blonde hair in intricately woven braids

Similar to engravings on a well-loved bow

A protector of Asgard,

He is truly priceless."

#reader edits the poem between chapters-#i revised this like 4 times and there's like 3 paragraphs I refused to touch bc they were so bad #anyways LAUGH. LAUGH at reader for making ASSUMPTIONS. can't wait for them to be WRONG #heimdall x reader #heimdall gow #gn!reader #gender nuetral reader #this is cringe. it'll get better.#asgard's bard #x reader

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aintinacage · 1 month

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If it’s all the same to you, I’ll have that drink now.

William Shakespeare’s Avengers (Part 46/?)

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worstloki · 2 years

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at 2pm every Saturday Odin hosts an hour-long podcast on effective parenting where he gives out tips and anecdotes to assist the parents on Asgard in raising their young as well-established proper individuals and immediately after at 3pm every Saturday Loki’s podcast on dealing with trauma starts

#Asgard only has one radio channel #Thor hosts a thing at 5 where he retells valiant battle tales of victories for children #4-5 is bard hour #Odin speaks to the parents and Loki speaks to their kids #anonymous caller number 3 very clearly describing the same scenario Odin’s caller 6 did #everyone reasonable in the community is livid and that the kids are being treated badly #everyone else is trying to raise their children to be obedient little worker bees #if the community starts to shun parents and take in kids from each other don’t look at Loki all his callers are anonymous and confidential #Odin does not catch on to any patterns btw he’s too busy telling people to discipline their kids well with the harsh hand of books and belt

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do-androids-dream-ao3acc · 1 year

Video

youtube

Hoist the Colours (Epic Metal Cover) - [feat. @Bard ov Asgard]

EPIC EPIC EPIC!

#music #Skar Productions #Bard ov Asgard

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mysecretlittlelibrary · 7 months

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A Moment's Silence

Pairing: Loki x Reader

Word Count: 3.4k

Warnings: Oral (f receiving). unprotected sex, marking, praise, Loki got a dangerous mouth but this isn't too bad.

Genre: smut & fluff

Summary: Loki hates when you touch him, and you thought you knew exactly why. // A moment's silence when my baby puts her mouth on me ~ Moment's Silence (Common Tongue) by Hozier

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The first thing Loki learned about you when you moved into the Avengers Tower was that you are touchy. Not in the 'you're too sensitive' way but in the you're very affectionate way. You're always greeting people with hugs and you cuddle whoever sits next to you during movie nights and whenever you're going somewhere with someone you're either holding their hand or linking arms with them. It's pretty different from the rest of the people living here. Except for Thor, no one here shares your affinity for touch but everyone loves you so they take it in stride. Welcoming your hugs and cuddles and hand holds to the point that most of them have become accustomed to it, expecting it more often than they want to admit.

Except Loki. Loki doesn't do touch and no amount of seeing you do it will make him more comfortable with it. You're no fool. You recognized early that although the others complained when you hugged them there was no real fight in their objections, with Loki it's different. He'd go as far as to disappear on you if you tried to hug him so you stopped. You don't hug Loki, or sit by him during movies, or try to grab his arm on the rare occasion that you're going somewhere with him. Honestly, for a while you didn't spend much time with Loki in general, you weren't sure how to. He was clearly a loner and you assumed you didn't have much in common. He didn't seem eager to bond with you either so you left him to his own devices.

Until recently. You've started spending a lot of your free time in the tower library and evidently, Loki is quite fond of the space too. So you kind of just share it. If you find yourself in there at the same time as him you say hello and pick a corner to do your reading. Sometimes you talk to him a bit and other times you just share each other's company. It's becoming a kind of lovely routine, at least in your eyes. You have no idea if Loki enjoys it as much as you actually but he can be pretty conversational on occasion, usually as long as you're not too close to him.

"Hello Loki." You say when he walks into the library. You've already been here a couple of hours, you honestly didn't think you'd see Loki today.

"Hello y/n. How are you today?" He asks.

"Pretty good. How are you?" You set your book face down in your lap as you watch him walk out of sight to one of the shelves.

"I'm alright! What are we reading today?" Loki's voice carries through the room to you.

"I've picked up a romance for now."

"Not legends and myths for once?" You can hear the teasing in his voice at his question.

"Fuck off I read other stuff." You laugh.

"News to me."

"And what will you be reading today god of mischief? Sifting through spells as always?"

"I was thinking poetry actually." Loki finally appears from beyond the stacks with a book in hand.

"You're a poetry fan?"

"Don't sound so surprised." He rolls his eyes as he sits in the armchair across from the couch you're lying on.

"Well, it's not like you use that silver tongue of yours to recite sonnets." You snort picking up your book.

"Some would say this silver tongue of mine has quite a way with words."

"And I'm sure it does but weaving together lies isn't the same as poeticism. No one will be mixing you up with Robert Frost or William Shakespeare." You muse, your attention drifting back to the story you were invested in before he arrived.

"Your midgardian bards are of no competition to a god you know."

"I'm sure Asgard has its own famous poets of which I'm sure no one would compare you to either." You mutter as you read.

"Now that's harsh." Loki says. You mumble an affirmative dismissively as the drama picks up in the chapter you're reading. Loki takes the hint and leaves you alone as he opens his own chosen read for the afternoon and you spend the rest of the day in silence. Until dinner.

"I'm making dinner and it's movie night. Are you joining us or will you stay here?" You ask, standing up.

"Do you want me to join?" Loki asks.

"I mean- not if you're going to be miserable. I'm just headcounting."

"The others aren't usually as welcoming as you can be."

"Well I w-" You stop yourself. You've only just started to form a friendship with Loki, as much as you enjoy spending time with him you can't outwardly say it. Well maybe you could but you have a feeling the skittish animal approach is best. "I wouldn't be... disappointed if you decided to join us."

"I'll think about it." He hums.

"Alright. See you, maybe." You leave with your book intent on finishing it after movie night. You drop it in your room before going to the kitchen to make dinner. Meatballs, mashed potatoes, and broccoli. It takes almost an hour to make enough for everyone and by the time you're done, most everyone's gathered in the living room.

"Dinner's up! Stevie, Bucky come grab the potatoes and broccoli please." You say grabbing the bowl with the meatballs.

"Coming!" Steve says as he and Bucky hop up from their seats and carry the other serving plates to the big table in the living room where the others are waiting.

"And Sam can you get plates for everyone hon." You say.

"Oh sure." Sam says.

"Get the soda from the fridge too! And the solo cups!" Tony calls after him as he heads into the kitchen.

"Man you coulda just got up and helped out like the rest of us." Sam rolls his eyes but he gets the soda and cups anyway in addition to the plates you asked for. You catch movement in the corner of your eye while everyone is serving themselves and your gaze pops up in time to see Loki strolling into the main room.

"Loki!" You smile before you can stop yourself.

"Brother! Will you be joining us for our moving picture night?" Thor asks.

"Yeah sure." Loki says.

"Brilliant!" Thor nods getting up to clap a hand on Loki's back.

"I made meatballs and broccoli and mashed potatoes if you'd like some. We were just getting settled before we start the movie." You tell him. To your surprise, Loki takes the empty seat beside you and you can only hope your shock doesn't show on your face.

"I haven't missed anything then?" Loki asks.

"Not really." You shake your head. Loki nods and serves himself food.

"Whose pick is it tonight?" You ask once everyone has food in front of them and a few of the boys have already started eating.

"The kid." Tony says, shoveling mashed potatoes into his mouth.

"Yeah! I uh decided on Now You See Me." Peter says.

"Nice." Natasha nods.

"What is that?" Loki asks you.

"It's a heist movie." You tell him. "Peter, have you seen it before?" You ask.

"Uh-"

"It's not like the baby spider's gonna be attempting anything like this." Clint scoffs.

"That's not why I asked. I'm just wondering if he picked it because he wants to watch it for the first time or because it's a favorite." You roll your eyes.

"I've seen it once. I just thought it would be a fun watch." Peter says.

"Well let's start it then. Yes?" Wanda prompts. Peter sets up the movie and soon everyone's attention is on the screen as they eat. It's about halfway through the movie that your usual habits kick in and you lean over to place your head on the shoulder beside you- until you remember it's Loki by your side and Loki doesn't like being touched. You lull your head back and around to tilt the other way. Wanda's on your other side but she's cuddled up with Vision so you'll just chill with your head against the back of the couch. No biggie. One movie bleeds to the next though and apparently at some point you start drifting off. Not for long, maybe 5 minutes but when your eyes flutter open again your head has made its way to Loki's damn shoulder. You pull off when you realize, surprised he didn't shove you away whenever you landed there.

Loki had held his breath when he felt your head on his shoulder. He was reluctant to admit the weight felt- oddly comforting. If anyone asked he'd deny it to high heaven but he was pretty content with you leaning against him and when you'd woken up and abruptly moved he almost wanted to protest. Almost.

When the second movie ends, most of the others start cleaning up the living room. Since you made dinner, this part isn't your responsibility so you get up and excuse yourself from the group.

"Goodnight everybody." You say to the room. "And Loki, thank you for coming." You add just for him to hear. Before you can think better of it your hand runs gently through his hair when you speak to him but by the time he's reacting to it you're already disappearing down the hall to your room. Loki spends the rest of the night thinking about your hand in his hair, your head on his shoulder, the way you so casually thanked him at the end as you left- it was something so unfamiliar that he didn't know how to deal with it. And how insufferable to be up all night over this.

The next day when you enter the library after breakfast Loki is already there sitting on the couch in your usual shared space. You're almost done with the novel you picked up yesterday and your plan is to finish it now.

"Hello Loki." You say to him as you take a seat on the opposite couch.

"Hello y/n." He says. You don't notice the way he looks at you over the top of his book for a moment. He's not sure if he should talk to you about the night before or not. How would he even bring it up? The two of you maintain your usual quiet company for a few hours while you finish your book. When you've read the last page you return the book to the shelf you found it on. While walking back to your couch you almost crash into Loki who at some point stood up when you were looking for a new book.

"Oh shit- my bad Lo." You say.

"You dropped your bookmark." Loki says holding up the flat dragon-shaped metal. You gasp and pat your back pocket where you thought you'd put it.

"Fuck- thanks. It was a gift so- would totally suck to lose it." You say, throwing your arms around him. Loki doesn't feel the urge to magically escape your grasp and he almost stops you when you let him go. Almost. "Sorry- impulse." You mutter grabbing your bookmark from his hand.

"You're usually much better at not touching me." He points out.

"I guess we've been spending so much time together that I kind of forg- sorry man. Won't happen again." You mutter.

"I wasn't- I know that's what you're like. It wasn't a complaint. Just an observation."

"You can say it wasn't a complaint but I know what you're like too. You hate being touched." You scoff.

"That's not totally accurate."

"What?"

"Usually you're right- I do hate being touched but with you I don- it's not that I hate it but I still can't stand it just- in a different way than I'm used to." Loki says carefully.

"What does that mean?" You chuckle.

"I'm- not entirely sure." He frowns.

"Well, what if I- do you mind if I touch you now?" You ask carefully.

"That's- fine." Loki says, hesitation clear on his face. You lift your hand to his cheek gently and his eyes close when your skin touches his. You let your thumb graze him softly as his brow furrows. Loki's hand snaps up around your wrist moments later and he moves your hand just enough to break the contact. "I can't-"

"What is it?"

"Too much- it's too much. I feel- entirely too much when you touch me, I can't-"

"Can't what?" You tilt your head curiously.

"I don't know how to handle it. I want- I want more than I can have."

"Say more, please."

"When you... do that. When you touch me it- I don't know how to explain it I just want more from you. Like- like I could devour you whole and it would still not be enough and I- I can't, we can't- so you can't touch me."

"Why can't we?"

"What?" Loki's eyes widen at your calm question.

"You're saying we can't but- why? Is it- is it that this is a desire you have but wish you didn't or-"

"No. That's not it."

"Then- why... can't... we?"

"Please don't say things like that. Not if you don't mean them. I cannot take it."

"I wouldn't say it lightly. I don't understand why you're so adamant that I wouldn't want- that you couldn't have more from me if you asked."

"If I asked?"

"Yes. Tell me what it is you want from me Loki."

"Why would you make such an offer?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Nobody wants-" Loki pauses, his gaze dropping as if the floor is more interesting to look at than you. "I just wonder how this is advantageous to you in any way."

"Do you think yourself that undeserving?" You frown and his eyes snap up to yours.

"I never said-"

"You don't always have to. Sometimes it's what we don't say that ends up being the loudest." You say. "I'm going to touch you again Loki. This time when it gets too much just- give into that feeling."

"You have no idea what you're signing up for." Loki's eyes are wide.

"I trust you." You whisper and his features melt into a soft grin, as if your words settled something within him. You place your hand on his cheek again, watching his eyes flutter shut as he leans into your touch. The moment stretches for a while until Loki's hands settle on your waist and pull you against him to bring his lips to yours.

The kiss is soft, hesitant, at first- as if he's expecting you to withdraw, but when you drape your arms loosely over his shoulders and deepen the kiss all manner of shyness seems to leave him. The kiss becomes harsher, more desperate, as if he's trying to devour you and give you all he is at once. You match him moment for moment, tongues dancing, hands roaming as you pour everything into that kiss. Loki lifts you and you wrap your legs around him. You pepper his face with sweet kisses as he carries you to one of the couches.

"Are you sure you want to give yourself to me?" Loki asks quietly.

"Are you sure you want to give yourself to me?" You turn the question back to him and he drops to his knees in front of you.

"I have given myself to you a thousand times over, long before now. I belong to you without question." His eyes pierce yours with their intensity as you allow his words to sink in. You almost can't believe he's said it but there's no denying the truth in his voice when he stares at you so earnestly. You clutch his face in your hands, meeting his gaze with equal candor.

"Then you may have me Loki. I am happy to give myself to you." You tell him and he lets out a deep breath. He says something to himself before tugging at the waist of your shorts. You help him take them off of you along with your panties before he speaks again.

"I have wondered for too long how you would taste on my tongue." Loki mutters as he spreads your legs. Before you can fully process the sentence to come up with a response, Loki buries his face at the apex of your thighs. He licks a stripe along your entrance, collecting the evidence of your arousal, letting out a groan as the essence of you floods his tastebuds. You gasp, threading your fingers into his dark hair as his tongue plunges into you, caressing your inner walls, lapping at your juices.

"Oh- oh god." You breathe out, your back arching towards Loki's eager mouth. He groans against you, the vibrations only adding to your pleasure as you squirm against his face. Loki brings his hands up to your thighs, holding you still and open for him as he switches focus, dragging his tongue against your clit in the most delicious way. His movements are sharp, calculated, his eyes on you as he watches what pulls the strongest reactions from you and focuses on those things until your body tenses beneath his hands. Loki pushes two fingers between your walls and curls them as his mouth latches onto your button. The combination is deadly and you can't stop the cry you let out as your orgasm hits you full force. Loki gently works you through it with his fingers and tongue and only when your breathing goes from harsh pants to shuttering draws does he sit back. He makes a point to link his fingers clean when your eyes flutter open.

"Even better than I expected." He says.

"What?" You ask with a breathless chuckle.

"How you taste, the sight of you in pure pleasure, the feel of your skin against mine- all of it, even better than I imagined." Loki punctuates each item on his list with a trail of kisses until he's hovering over you.

"Yes well, how nice to learn that silver tongue of yours is good for more than smart remarks." You smirk and pull him down into a kiss, tasting yourself on his lips and not caring, you simply want to be connected like this forever. Your hands trail down Loki's abdomen, freeing him from his own pants which he shoves the rest of the way off when you can no longer push them yourself. His kisses drop to your neck as he does so.

"You'll have plenty of time to learn all that my silver tongue is good for." He mutters against your skin. You giggle at his words a bit though it's shortlived as Loki chooses that moment to rock his hips into yours and the stretch of his length turns your giggle to a gasp. He takes his time working himself between your walls, allowing you to feel every single inch of him as he pushes deeper and deeper until he eventually bottoms out with a groan. "Stars above you're so- warm." He pants out. He's not moving, you realize, waiting for you to adjust so you tilt your hips forward, grinding against him impatiently.

"Loki please- move." You mewl and that's all it takes. Loki's hips knock back and he drives into you with full force, setting an even pace of deep thrusts meant for you to feel every drag of his dick against your walls.

"This- I'm sure, is Valahala." Loki pants out as he's fucking into you.

"So good- Loki it feels so good." You slip your hands into his shirt, dragging your nails across his back.

"I know my darling. I know." Loki hisses at the sweet sting from your claws. His rhythm doesn't falter as you cling to him, in fact, the feel of your hands against his skin sets Loki alight. You moan breathily, relishing in the way Loki fucks into you almost wildly. The heat of your walls is dizzying and Loki can already feel his release creeping down his spine. He slips a hand between your bodies and finds your clit, rubbing circles against the bundle of nerves. Your back arches as a whimper falls from your lips, the extra stimulation quickly bringing you closer.

"Loki-" You whine.

"Let go for me love. Show me how good I make you feel. Let your release coat my dick." Loki coaxes as his fingers dance along your clit as if he's already worked out all your right buttons to push.

"Oh my g-" You gasp out as your orgasm hits you like a wave crashing.

"Beautiful." Loki breathes. "I could watch you do that a thousand times and never tire of the face you make in ecstasy."

"Your turn now sweetie, show me what face you make in ecstasy Loki." You say gently, one hand threading into his hair. With your encouragement, it doesn't take much more for Loki's hips to stutter as his orgasm means the flooding of your walls in liquid heat.

You both lie still for some time, Loki only half holding himself up to avoid crushing you on the couch. You really can't believe the grumpy god that would straight up disappear if you so much as tapped his shoulder is currently lying in your arms. He can hardly believe it himself, but it's as soothing as he could have hoped. Not that he'd- ever admit that.

***

#marvel #marvel fanfiction #loki #loki fanfic #loki x reader #loki fluff #loki smut

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five-miles-over · 1 year

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How Tom Hiddleston Characters Would Spend the Winter Holidays (Plus Presents They Would Give You)

(Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters or images. This is just a fun listicle, not designed to offend anyone. As always, please feel free to leave comments and/or constructive criticism below. Thank you, and without any further ado, please enjoy!)

A/N: I hope you all have/have had a wonderful holidays! Wishing you all a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Characters in this listicle include: Will Ransome, King Henry V, Prince Hal, Prince Loki of Asgard, Loki of Asgard and Jotunheim, Bill Hazeldine, Caius Martius Coriolanus, Jonathan Pine, Robert Laing, Magnus Martinsson, Oakley, Thomas Sharpe, and Jaguar Villain Tom Hiddleston

Will Ransome from The Essex Serpent

• For Will, celebrating the holidays would most certainly include a special service at the church on Christmas morning. The bells would ring, inviting everyone in Aldwinter to gather. Will would read from the scriptures for all to hear. Then, the choir would perform a series of carols, and Will would sit in the pew along with the rest of the attendees. Offering you a genuine smile, he would gently hold your hand while the choir sang.

• After the service came to an end, Will would offer you his coat if you seemed cold, gently draping it around your shoulders while you walked home together. If you needed anything for the Christmas dinner or for the night

• And in the evening, Will would watch you prepare Christmas dinner for the both of you. He wouldn't know much about cooking, but he would happily stand near you and talk to you, keeping you company while you toiled. Then, he would recite a small prayer thanking

• Christmas present Will would give you? Perhaps a simple gold pendant with a small gemstone like a diamond or an emerald. After supper, he'd approach you and whisper "Happy Christmas" while placing the necklace around your neck, pushing your hair out of the way.

King Henry V from The Hollow Crown

• On Christmas morning, King Henry V would attend a special service at the church alongside you, his beloved queen.

• After the service, you and Henry would distribute alms (food, clothes, candles) among the poor citizens in the kingdom. According to the king, even the lowest are deserving of a proper Christmas

• Then, you and Henry would either take a carriage ride around the snow-laden city, waving to the citizens and wishing them a happy Christmas

• Or, you and the King of England would spend the rest of the afternoon inside your chambers, snuggled together by the fire with Henry resting his head on your lap while you caressed his auburn curls.

• Christmas present Henry would give you? A beautiful new red or blue gown with a set of gold jewelry.

Prince Hal from The Hollow Crown

• Drinks! (Shots, shots, shots, shots - alright, I'll stop and retrieve my maturity)

• But truly, Christmas would be a time for Hal to indulge in all sorts of mischief in the tavern, including snagging Falstaff's most precious stash of liquor.

• He'd dare any willing patron to outdrink him, in the process getting them to do all sorts of stupid things like sing silly bards or flirt with someone.

• By the time you found your beloved prince, he'd probably be heavily tipsy with endless amounts of energy and whisky on his breath. As soon as he saw you, he'd jubilantly hug you and kiss you on the lips.

• Christmas present Hal would give you? A small gold ring, perhaps one with a ruby, that you could wear either around your neck or around your finger

Prince Loki of Asgard from Thor:

• While Asgard doesn't celebrate Christmas per se, there would be plenty of Yule celebrations in the kingdom. As a prince and member of the royal family, Loki would be present at each of the important feasts, dressed in his signature emerald green robes and golden armor.

• He would have to listen to Odin and Thor drone about their various accomplishments - many of them brutish in nature - over the past year, entertaining the guests before the entrees could be served. But at least, Loki could entertain himself by enchanting Thor's cutlery to run away from the table, or by playing a trick that hypnotized Thor into speaking gibberish out of nowhere.

• Odin was not pleased with the amount of laughter from the guests directed at Thor

• But other than that, Loki would find reasons to enjoy the holiday season in Asgard - he would

• Yule Present that Loki would give you? A beautiful tiara embellished with emeralds and diamonds. For his rightful queen.

Loki of Asgard and Jotunheim from Avengers: Infinity War

• In the days leading up to Christmas, Loki would find himself unwillingly stuck with Thor shopping around Midgard. It turned out that Thor was part of something called "Secret Santa" with the Avengers, where each of them had to buy a present for someone randomly assigned to them. Thor was given Wanda Maximoff, so he was combing through the shopping malls around New York City to find something for her.

• "Yes, yes, buy everything on the rack," Loki sarcastically remarked while Thor eyed a rack of gift baskets filled with soaps, bath oils, and body lotions. "It's not like you have a servant to carry your bags around for you."

• "Cheer up, brother! It's the season for joy…Do you want to sit on Santa Claus's lap?"

• But there was one reason Loki always tagged along with his brother's visits to Midgard in December: you

• While Thor was hanging out with the other Avengers, Loki would visit you - especially when you had days off from work or school - at your home.

• He'd arrive at the outside of your window, holding a bouquet of poinsettias or a bag of Christmas-themed candy for you to enjoy.

• And then, you and Loki would walk hand-in-hand through the town, admiring the colorful decorations. Loki personally wouldn't have cared for them a few years ago, but seeing your face light up with adoration made his heart absolutely warm with joy.

• On Christmas day, Loki even surprised you with a horse-driven carriage ride. He proudly showed up at your place, wearing his signature green robes and golden armor, as befitting a true prince of Asgard. Loki took your hand and seated you next to him, an arm around your shoulder. At the end of the carriage ride, he sweetly kissed you on the lips and murmured, "Merry Christmas, darling."

• Present that Loki would give you? A collection of your favorite books, with hidden notes handwritten by Loki between the pages.

Bill Hazeldine from Suburban Shootout

• For Bill, Christmas is a time to be with the ones you love. He'd be happy to have you visit Little Stempington and meet his parents

• You might be a little intimidated at first, but Bill would assure you many times that his parents would like you

• You were courteous to bring his mother a box of French macarons since Bill told you his mum enjoyed French cuisine. And for his dad, you brought a bottle of liquor, which made him laugh.

• His mother thought you were a gem compared to Jewel, and his father jokingly said you were out of Bill's league ("you better hold onto this one, son. Don't let her get away.")

• After meeting his parents, Bill would take a chance to get some alone time with you in his bedroom, showing you things from his childhood - toys, trophies, rugby jerseys. You laughed and "aww'd" at the sight of one of the photos in his room; it was a one-year-old Bill wearing a nappy and crawling with a smile.

• Bill would chuckle, putting his arm around your amd stealing a kiss...only for his mother to walk in. (It didn't help that his dad loudly reminded Bill to "use protection")

• Still, you and Bill would have a lovely time with Bill's parents, getting to know each other better and helping prepare Christmas dinner for the four of you.

• Christmas gift Bill would give you: a snow globe with a waltzing couple inside it, and a silver bracelet he picked out

Coriolanus from Coriolanus

• Coriolanus was always a serious man. Even when you came into his life and he married you, he was serious - hardly indulging himself in things like wine or opium

• (The one exception was you, his darkest kryptonite. Coriolanus couldn't seem to get enough of you, holding you close whenever you were in the same room. He just had to come to you and touch you and kiss you.)

• On the morning of the festivities, Coriolanus woke you up with a long, slow kiss. "Io Saturnalia," you cooed, slowly opening your eyes.

• He'd absolutely refuse to participate in the traditions he viewed as ludicrous, such as cross-dressing and the reversal of roles. But he would be more than happy to stand at the balcony with you and watch the plebians indulge themselves in shenanigans.

• And when he got tired of watching masters serve their slaves, and people breaking all sorts of rules in various states of intoxication, Coriolanus would pepper your neck with kisses and beckon you to your shared bedroom.

• BRIEF SMUT ALERT

• Whispering sweet nothings in your ear, he'd take the opportunity to kiss you all over

• With a naughty grin, he'd place you on the bed and lift the hem of your garment up to your hips and pleasure you with his tongue.

• It was an act considered vulgar among most people, so why not do it on the day of no rules? It was Coriolanus's one and only indulgence about it

• END OF SMUT (and time for me to atone for my sins)

• Saturnalia gift Coriolanus would give you? Perhaps a small trinket - like a small statue of Venus - or a new dress that made you look like a goddess.

Jonathan Pine from The Night Manager

• Christmas was always a busy night for Jonathan, one that he would always choose to work without question. There would be lots of guests looking for rooms to stay durng their vacations, honeymoons, and holiday getaways.

• Still, he would find a way to have some alone time with you, even if it meant you visiting the front desk at 2 in the morning to see him.

• Jonathan would give you the gift he'd bought a few days ago, you would give him a set of cufflinks or a new tie for him to wear.

• Taking your hand, Jonathan would lead you to one of the hotel lounges (finding an empty suite would be highly unlikely given the amount of guests) to share a bottle of wine and some dinner, just the two of you.

• You'd both raise a glass to the holidays, and enjoy each other's company, talking about anything and everything.

• Christmas gift Jonathan would give you: A local piece of decoration from one of the local markets (like a small cowbell from Switzerland) and a box of sweets

Robert Laing from High-Rise

• Christmas with Robert Laing would most certainly include accompanying him to one of Royal's parties (parties held by the so-called "architect" of the high-rise building)

• You would get dressed up on Christmas Eve, wearing something fancy for the occasion, before Robert picked you up at your place

• At the party, the two of you would be near each other for the most part. And after a drink or two, Robert would get a bit more...flirty with you, stealing kisses from you while you conversed with the other guests and inviting you to the dance floor

• ("I've got a lovely lady on my arm," he'd tell them with a chuckle. "Can't really help it.")

• Robert would show off his dance moves, especially the ones that he knew would make you laugh. For someone who didn't laugh much, Robert sure enjoyed seeing you smile.

• And during the slow songs, Robert would melt a little on the inside when you rested your head against his chest and swayed with him.

• He'd take the opportunity to whisper, "Merry Christmas, darling....why don't you say we have a party of our own? Do a little...unwrapping before we celebrate?"

• Giggling, you would follow Robert into the bathroom -or just go to Robert's apartment - and...celebrate, just enough for the other guests to hear.

• Christmas present Robert would give you: probably something elegant Iike perfume or a gift basket of lotions, soaps and body washes.

Magnus Martinsson from Wallander

• The police station was having their own Christmas party, which was really nothing more than some alcohol and pudding

• (Wallander warned the officers not to drink too much in case there was an emergency...but who was listening?)

• Magnus brought you to the party as his date, and had an almost-protective arm around you while you mingled with his colleagues.

• After some insisting from you, he'd dance with you to some of the holiday songs playing on the radio, twirling you so you could show off your pretty red dress.

• Christmas present that Magnus would get you? A vinyl record of one of your favorite songs or recordings.

Oakley from Unrelated

• You originally thought that Oakley would be going with his family to their Italian vacation home to spend Christmas while you stayed with your family, so it was a surprise when Oakley insisted on inviting you to accompany them.

• You agreed on a compromise, that you would join Oakley for Christmas and spend New Year's with your family

• While the two of you were in Italy, Oakley took on the role of "tour guide", giving you his personal insight while he showed you around the city. (And totally not bragging about how much Italian he knows)

• And he would make sure to show off in front of you every chance he got, especially if it involved something that made you laugh

• His father seemed to like you, and for once, they thought that Oakley might finally get some maturity now that he has a wonderful lady for a girlfriend.

• On Christmas morning, Oakley would sneak into your bedroom with a panetonne for the two of you to share with coffee, expecting to be paid with kisses

• The two of you would spend the rest of the day with Oakley's friends, playing "spin the bottle", "Truth or Dare"...all while getting very, very drunk.

• Christmas present that Oakley would give you? A bottle of Italian liqueur like limoncello (that you will hopefully ask him to help you drink), a framed photo of the two of you (so you can have a "piece of him" whereever you go), and a kiss under some mistletoe

Thomas Sharpe from Crimson Peak

• After spending Christmas morning with his sister at Allerdale Hall, Thomas would go to visit you in the city.

• The two of you would enjoy a horse-drawn carriage ride through the streets of London, enjoying the crisp, winter weather.

• And in the evening, Thomas would escort you to a Yuletide Ball that he and his sister- as well as your family - were invited to.

• Like a gentleman, he would pick you up from your residence, assuring your family that he would get you to the ball without any harm

• The two of you would spend the evening at the ball, waltzing in each other's arms, with Thomas praising your beauty throughout the night and whispering how he cannot wait to be your husband one day

• Christmas gift that Thomas would give you? A beautiful locket with portraits of you and him inside

Jaguar Villain!Tom Hiddleston

• Tom absolutely loves to spoil you, his lady love and his darling, even during the holidays.

• Starting in early December, he'd give the bodyguard he hired for you a Black Visa card specifically to buy anything you looked at - jewelry, shoes, designer gowns, cosmetics, special chocolates, anything

• Tom wouldn't display any overt interest in "decking the halls" or "getting into the holiday spirit" but he would certainly give his associates and henchmen Christmas or Hannukah bonuses

• And he would totally let you decorate the apartment however you pleased, even if it means coming home to a "winter wonderland" every night.

• Christmas Day would be exclusively his time with you (and he would not take no for an answer)

• In the morning, he'd wake you up with a room filled with gifts for you, and plenty of kisses with your morning tea/coffee

• Seeing the amount of presents he bought for you, you would feel a little intimidated about giving him the tie and watch you bought for him.

• But Tom would immediately love it as soon as he opened your gift, promising to wear it as often as possible.

• After spending the afternoon with you in the bedroom...thanking you for your gift, Tom would take you out for the night, giving you a chance to get dressed up for him.

• He'd reserve a fancy dinner for the two of you, having the five-star restaurant book a private room so you could enjoy your meal

• Then, the two of you would go to the theater to see either a production of The Nutcracker, or a production of Shakespeare's Henry V - whichever you preferred.

• Christmas gift that Jaguar!Tom would give you? Without a doubt, he'd buy lingerie that he believe would suit you the best, and anything else that would even seem to tickle your fancy.

Taglist: @lokischambermaid , @lokiismineforever @mischievoushiddleston @lokisprettygirl @lokisgoodgirl @cakesandtom , @icytrickster17 ,@sallymagnoliaposts @winterfrostlovetriangle , @the-haven-of-fiction , @tom-hiddleston-imagines , @turniptitaness @jennyggggrrr , @tom-hiddleston-imagines @thatdummy-girl @lady-rose-moon , @lokisninerealms @muddyorbsblr @holdmytesseract

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thenightling · 1 year

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My favorite bard characters

The new Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves movie and The Witcher has popularized the fantasy character class of bard. A bard, in fantasy settings and historically, was usually a storyteller, or a minstrel who would tell stories in song. In fantasy settings they are usually minstrels. In Nordic culture a skald was the term for a storyteller (usually a highly creative and very prized slave).

Here is a top ten list of my favorite fictional bards.

13. Bonus: Loki: I'll start with number 11. Bonus: Loki. There is a viking skald in Loki: Agent of Asgard that is revealed to be Loki in disguise. So Marvel's Loki goes on this list. Loki is believed in by Asatru people so this entry is specifically in regard to Marvel's Loki. He also gained the title "God of Stories."

12. Morpheus AKA Dream of The Endless AKA The Sandman. Morpheus is The Lord of Dreams in Roman mythology and in Neil Gaiman's the Sandman . In The Sandman he is also known as The Prince of Stories.

11. Lucien The Librarian and Cain and Abel from The Sandman by Neil Gaiman. Lucien was changed to Lucienne for The Sandman Netflix series but they're pretty much the same character. Lucien is the keeper of the largest library in the multiverse and was also the host of the horror anthology comics Tales of Ghost Castle. I'm sort of cheating a little here by mentioning Lucien and Cain and Abel since they're not actually bards but I love horror hosts. Cain, Abel, Lucien, Eve (Raven Woman), Destiny (Destiny of The Endless), The Hecate (The Three Witches), and The Mad Mod Witch (The Fashion Thing) all started as horror hosts for DC's horror anthology comics. I'm reserving this spot for Lucien, Cain, and Abel. Hosts of Tales of Ghost Castle (which only ran for three issues), The House of Mystery (DC's oldest comic), and The House of Secrets (Spin-off of The House of Mystery and comic where we first get introduced to the concept of Swamp Thing).

Before Neil Gaiman used these characters in The Sandman they told scary stories in DC's horror anthology comics which were DC's answer to EC's Horror anthology comics which brings us to... 10. The Crypt Keeper, Vault Keeper, and Old Witch. The Crypt Keeper hosted the Horror anthology comics Tales from the Crypt. The Vault keeper hosted Vault of Horror. And the Old Witch also told scary stories for EC comics. The Crypt Keeper hosted HBO's Tales From the Crypt TV series as well as Tales from the Cryptkeeper animated series. Season 2 of Tales from the Cryptkeeper was co-hosted by The Cryptkeeper, Vault Keeper, and Old Witch. They also collaborated as hosts for the joke book called Jokes from the Crypt. Again, I admit I am sort of cheating here by listing horror anthology hosts instead of actual bard characters so this is the last Horror anthology hosts for the list.

9. Peter Vincent in the 1985 film Fright Night, the 1988 film Fright Night: Part 2 and the Fright Night comic books. In Fright Night Peter Vincent is a has-been horror movie actor who now hosts a late night TV show where he shows his old movies.

Peter Vincent meets a teenage boy whose neighbor turns out to be a real vampire and Peter overcomes his own cowardice to become the hero he always pretended to be. Though Peter Vincent was originally just a stage name the character eventually embraces it to become a hero and protector of the innocent.

In the comic books Peter Vincent continued to host his late night horror movie TV series while working in secret to help Charley thwart the forces of evil. I consider Peter Vincent to be a contemporary bard character.

I would put Peter further on the list at number 3 perhaps but I left him at number 9 because he is an unconventional addition to this list.

8. Evyn AKA Shadow from the novel The King's Shadow.

Evyn wanted to be a bard but was mutilated in a brutal attack His tongue was cut out and he was left mute. His own uncle sold him into slavery. But thanks to fate's benign intervention Evyn was able to learn to read and write so he was able to become a storyteller as a scribe and eventually became an adopted son of the king.

7. Gabrielle from Xena: Warrior Princess. Gabrielle was Xena's travel companion and very likely love interest (Lucy Lawless, the actress who played Xena) believed they were practically married in the end. Xena: warrior Princess was the spin-off of Hercules the Legendary Journeys. I have often described The Witcher as being a gender inverted Xena: Warrior Princess. Gabrielle was a novice bard who wanted to write about Xena's adventures and to eventually go on those adventures, herself.

Just as I sort of perfer Jaskier with longer hair, I actually liked when Gabrielle's hair was cut short later on in Xena.

6. Essi Daven. I'm a little confused to if Priscilla (Callonetta) from the Witcher video games and Essi Daven from The Witcher novels are supposed to be the same character or not. Essi was from The Witcher novels. I suspect they are the same character but I've seen arguments that they are different enough that they count as separate characters. But I have also seen people try to claim that Jaskier and Dandelion are different enough to count as different characters as well and Jaskier definitely is Dandelion. Dandelion was just what he was called in the English translations of the novels and in the English language video games. Essi is a woman bard from The Witcher who was very much in love with Geralt though Dandelion (Jaskier) had feelings for her. Sadly she eventually died of smallpox. The burden of living in a medieval-esque society.

Dandelion was in love with her.

5. Priscilla AKA Callonetta is a woman bard from The Witcher video games. A rival and romantic interest to Dandelion (Jaskier). Possibly the same character as Essi Daven but some Witcher fans have argued that they are not the same character so I am listing them separately.

4. Edgin. Edgin is a character from Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among thieves. In fact he is the main protagonist. He is a "Harper" that has fallen from grace. A Harper is a spy that poses as a bard to gain info and to stop criminals. So he is a bard but he used his status as a bard to work as a spy, hence the term "Harper." Later he got a little greedy and it cost him dearly but he and his band of misfits set out on a quest to set things right.

3. Fflewddur Fflam. I hate the character's name but love the character. The version in the Disney film The Black Cauldron is very different from the book character, including being much older, but I still found him to be an enjoyable character. He is a classic bard with a bit of a mysterious past.

In the books he's actually a king of a small kingdom but prefers life as a wandering bard. It makes him sound a bit like a role playing game character.

2. The Storyteller. This character's name is not actually given but he was a mysterious (possibly not entirely human) traveling storyteller, with a talking dog that appeared every week on Jim Henson's The Storyteller. He was portrayed by John Hurt and the dog was voiced by Brian Henson (Son of Jim Henson). There was a spin-off called The Storyteller: Greek Myths. John Hurt's portrayal of The Storyteller may have been why he was chosen to voice Morpheus AKA Dream of The Endless AKA The Sandman for a scrapped episode of Batman The Animated series.

Currently Neil Gaiman is involved with a revival of The Storyteller in development by the Henson company where he hopes to explore The Storyteller's own mysterious backstory.

1. Jaskier (Translates from Polish to Buttercup) / Dandelion. Jaskier is the bard companion of Geralt of Rivia AKA The Witcher (Monster Hunter) from The Witcher novels, short stories, comics, Netflix series, and video games. In the English language versions of The Witcher novels and The Witcher video games he was known as Dandelion. But in The Witcher Netflix series and in the original Polish he was known as Jaskier which directly translates to Buttercup.

Whatever you call him, Jaskier is a great character. He is the companion of Geralt of Rivia in The Witcher and he is also his own well-developed character. By season 2 Jaskier had evolved from the slightly-conceited rock musician-esque bard into a compassionate freedom fighter who smuggled people to safety.

I absolutely love Joey Batey's portrayal of Jaskier as well as his incredible singing voice as the character.

And though there has been some criticism over his look in season 2, I actually think he looks better with longer hair.

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antvnger · 9 months

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((Most belovèd trickster, behold! the exchange doth proceed below.))

JARVIS The barrier around the Tesseract is made of purest, strongest energy. Unbreachable it is.

STARK --Indeed, 'twas clear.

ENTER LOKI WITH HIS SCEPTER

Plan B shall I pursue, then.

JARVIS --Sir, Mark Seven is not preparèd for deployment yet.

STARK Incessant are thy spinning rims--proceed! The readiness is all, the time hath come.

[Stark walks inside the tower as machines remove his suit.

LOKI Wouldst thou appeal to my humanity--Make me feel guilty for my wicked schemes--Appearing thus unarm'd and innocent?

STARK In point of fact, I plan to threaten thee.

LOKI Thou shouldst have left thine armor on for that, for thou art weak whilst I am passing strong.

STARK Innumberable miles the suit hath seen, and thou hast thy glow stick of destiny. Wouldst have a drink?

LOKI --To stall shall nothing change, for I shall act no matter what thou dost.

STARK Ill are thine ears--not stalling, threatening. No drink, then, thou art certain? I'll imbibe.

LOKI Chitauri come anon, naught shall delay't. What have I, then, to fear?

STARK --It's the Avengers, the name by which we call ourselves--our team. "Earth's heroes mighty" we may be describ'd--Belike we shall, in news reports hereafter.

LOKI I've met them, and avoided them as well.

STARK It took us time to gain our traction, yea, this much I shall confess. Yet, let us count--Thy brother, demigod, of Asgard come, a Super Soldier born of strength and virtue, a living legend who deserves his fame, a man with horrid anger management, a pair of sly and masterful assassins--And thou, my fellow, madest each one mad.

LOKI Such was the plan--I did not improvise.

STARK It was a plan most foolish. When they come, which presently they shall, send not to know for whom the bell tolls, for it tolls for thee.

LOKI I have an army, stronger than thy group.

STARK Indeed? We have a Hulk of anger wild.

LOKI Methought the mighty beast had weakly fled.

STARK It seems thou missest e'er the point--there is no throne to claim that thou mayst sit upon, no ending to this tale in which thou winnest, no final act that sees thee on top. Perchance thine army shall arrive in time, perchance that army shall o'ercome our group--Yet all the shame and pain shall fall on thee, because if we cannot protect the earth be certain, villain, we shall it avenge.

LOKI How will thy friends have time to clash with me if they are busy fighting thee, their foe? The power of my scepter makes it so!

[Loki puts his scepter against Stark's chest to force Stark to do his will, but it clangs against Stark's arc reactor.

This usually worketh, by my troth.

STARK It's not uncommon, some performance issues. E'en gods of Asgard may prove limp at times. One out of five, so the statistics say--

[Loki grabs Stark by the throat.

[Aside:] Pray, JARVIS, anytime thou ready art!

LOKI Ye all shall fall before me as I rise.

[Loki throws Stark through a window.

STARK I say, deploy! Or Stark's fate shall be stark.

[While he falls, an Iron Man suit rushes out to him and encompasses him. He flies back safely.

There is one more whom thou didst anger, Loki--His name was Phil: a worthy man, and true.

The Bard's Avengers Game

@benevolentgodloki

#for the ant mun #benevolentgodloki #the bard’s avengers #assemble ye avengers #tony stark #iron man #loki #avengers

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queen-of-meows · 5 months

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WIP Folder Tag Game

Thank you @insert-witty-user-name-here and @dewdropreader for tagging me.

I don't really have a WIP folder because I'm living precariously from update to update, but I have a few ideas I would really love to make happen one day.

In order of priority (more or less)

The Little Bard's Tale : a illustrated story project centered around my OC Bard Loki. It's mostly a slice of life story about the young Loki Variant, from their lonely survival in the Void to their encounter with Sylvie and the other Lokis.

A Blade Runner AU : This will be part of a server event later in 2024. In a dystopian future, Odin is the CEO of a tech company. When his younger son Loki becomes ill, he order a Replicant to preserve his wife from the death of her child. But Loki gets better and Odin abandons the little boy. Years later, an adult Loki is struggling to find his place at the company. One night, a mysterious woman tries to assasinate him, claiming he "stole her life".

A 3 chapter story about Sylvie and her family : Sylvie reunited with her family who welcomes her warmly. Everything seems fine and hopeful, but when Loki is invited to meet them, he immediately feels something is very wrong with Sylvie's parents. He tries to warn Sylvie but she refuses to listen and gets angry. But it turns out Loki was right and Sylvie's New Asgard is not the progressist paradise it claims to be.

Adolescence of Nathaniel Richards : Nathaniel Richards, 16, is already moving to the pretigious Baxter Fundation College to study Quantic Theory and Astrophysics. For the young boy, gifted son of a distant billionaire father, the stakes are huge. But he decides to follow the advice of the nice McDonald's waitress and join the comics and anime club ran by Loki, the green haired kids with pronoums your uncle warned you about, and their goth girlfriend Rebecca. But when a man who claims to be his older self tries to kill him, things quickly go wild for Nathaniel.

Cat girl Sylvie AU : Prince Loki of Asgard is not the strongest warrior, but he hopes his knowledge of Seidr will make his father proud. The young man doesn't really get along with poeple of his age and prefers the company of animals. One night, he finds a wounded cat and brings it to his room. Before going to bed, he gives it a kiss on the forehead (just between the ears, where cats are meant to be kissed). The next morning, he wakes up next to a beautiful woman (also completely naked). When she wakes up, she hisses at him and realises with panic that her tongue has become smooth and all her beautiful fur is gone. For Loki, it doesn't make sense, a kiss never turned an animal into a person. Together, they decide to investigate and find a way to turn Sylvie back into a cat.

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underforeversgrace · 8 months

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URL song tag game

RULES: spell your url with song titles and then tag as many people as there are letters.

@scarletsaphire tagged me and I love torturing people with my musical tastes!

U - Unholy (cover) by Jonathan Young & Lauren Babic N - No Longer Broken by ALPHAMEGA D - Drengr of Ragnarok by Jonathan Young & Peyton Parrish E - Eye of the Storm by Jonathan Young R - Replica by Miracle of Sound F - Face to Face by Citizen Soldier O - Ode to Fury by Miracle of Sound R - Rivers Run Red by Ganyos & Bolshiee E - Master of War by Peyton Parrish* V - Valhalla Calling by Jonathan Young (original by Miracle of Sound & Peyton Parrish) E - Ironside by Peyton Parrish* R - Ragnarok by Peyton Parrish S - Sacred by Citizen Soldier G - God of War by Peyton Parrish & Saltatio Mortis or God of Greed by Jonathan Young & Lauren Babic (do not ask me to choose, I physically can't). R - Run With Me by Watt White & Loch A - Afterlife by Citizen Soldier C - Children of Night by Jonathan Young & Three Days Grace E - Blood Upon the Snow (cover) by Bard of Asgard*

*I don't actually have a lot of songs that start with E on my playlist (Eye of the Storm was the only one), so the other three E's are just songs with E somewhere in the title!

Jiminy criminy why is my username so damn long?????

...can you tell who some of my favorite bands/singers are??? smh My taste in music is described as "I'm a wannabe Viking warrior"

(I don't know who's already been tagged, sorry if it's a double tag!) @probably-dead @jackdaw-sprite @bibliophilea

#grace writes #tag game

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indy-gray · 1 year

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Under the Raven's Watchful Eye Snippet!!

Tw minor blood/broken bones

Ashildr leaned forward, a haughty smirk dawning across her face. She placed the sharp blade of her axe beneath his chin, lifting it slightly to force his eyes upon her. "It seems my wife has intervened on your behalf." She cooed. "You shall live."

She raised a hand to signal her warriors, and they forced him to his feet. He was haggard and beaten already, braids and beard bloody and disheveled from the fight and his subsequent capture. "It is polite to thank the people whom you owe your life."

The man bared his teeth, wrists still bound as the warriors held him upright. He glared coldly at Asgard's king but made no move to say anything. It was clear he wanted to spit at her feet, to sully her floor and offend her, though doing so would end his life. The scout was smart, but not enough to grovel where appropriate.

Ashildr stood and approached with the grace and danger of a wolf stalking her prey. Her lip curled. In one swift motion, she slammed her boot down into the cap of his knee. A crack and squelch sounded across the room, and no one winced in sympathy.

The scout screamed as his legs buckled and the bone ripped through his skin. Blood spread across the lower portion of his pants and Ashildr frowned, though she usually would feel a twisted sense of pride at the sickening sight of a deadly break. Broken legs did not necessarily spell doom, but a break of this severity would surely grow infected. This scout's days were numbered.

"Thank her!" Ashildr roared, uncaring for the screaming man before her. She gestured to her wife, standing haughtily beside Ashildr's throne. Her arms were crossed and her eyebrows raised in expectation. Ashildr met her eyes, and given the permission of an almost imperceptible nod, she turned again and landed a swift kick to the scout's ribs.

He blubbered and screamed, and in between breaths he managed to form the words Ashildr expected.

She turned away from him then and her wife uncrossed her arms, watching the King of Asgard return to the throne beside her. She sported a proud smile and raised her chin. Ashildr bowed her head in respect and sat, holding a hand out without looking. Her wife placed her palm across Ashildr's long calloused fingers, bloody and filthy as they were.

Ashildr pulled her wife's knuckles to her lips, eyes never leaving the injured man as her warriors dragged him away, leaving blood smears along her longhouse floors.

Tag List:

@gloriafrimpong @decodamalion @moondust-bard

I've lost most of my taglists! So, if you are interested in joining a taglist please let me know!

#amwriting #writeblr #writblr #writers of tumblr #wip snippet #wip excerpt #writing wip #my writing #norse myth retelling #wlw fantasy #wlw fiction #writing fantasy

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daemonoferror · 1 year

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Asgard's Bard- Chapter 3

TW Phobia of birds, swears, Heimdall not being in a heimdall x reader fic.

Summary: Odin got you a gift, how nice of him! Also PROBABLY musical historical inaccuracies? Sheet music definitely is wrong. But I tried my best. My defense is if it's wrong, the dwarves or Aesir probably invented it early, okay?

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You're grateful when sunlight floods your room and signifies the start of a new day. At best you got in a nap, but you aren't tired. You feel energized, and the sun rising finally means it's a reasonable time to get out of your room.

Before leaving you made sure to grab the talharpa and its bow off the wall. It's not as familiar to you as the lyre, but it's close enough. You're just excited to play something at the pub, a personal mission in mind to breathe life into the space often occupied by the dead warriors.

You step out of your room and to the hall. You set the instrument on the table, and get a plate of food. It occurs to you that you could eat at the pub, but perhaps it's better to delay your arrival, as to not be cooped up in a tavern all day long. You sit down with a large plate of food, and an herbal drink with it. It looks and smells delicious. You only get a few bites in before a booming voice behind you makes you jump, almost choking on your food.

"Bard." Thor says. You start coughing, sending little shocks of pain through your back. You had almost forgotten that pain, your soft bed doing wonders for it while you laid awake, antsy.

"Thor!" You exclaim through your final coughs, taking a drink to help. "You startled me. How may I help you?" You clear your throat.

He stares you down, and you cannot see a single thought behind those sad eyes. "The All-Father is waiting for you outside." He says after a moment.

"This early? What for?" Thor shrugs, but for a split second there's a smile on his lips that he has to force back. He clearly knows something, but you'll let it slide. "Well, can I finish my breakfast first?" You ask, it'd be so sad to throw away a perfect meal.

Thor seems to think for a minute. A long minute, long enough to make you wonder if he's telepathically communicating with the All-Father for an answer. "Yes." He says at last, and he sounds confident in the answer. So much so he sits down next to you, making you smile as you take another bite and thank him for his patience. "What's that?" He asks, pointing at the talharpa.

"It's an intrustment, pretty similar to a lyre or harp, just with a bow string." You explain in between bites of food.

He chuckles, "I had thought your instrument came with a weapon." He says, pointing at the bow for it.

It makes you snort, "Ha! Yeah, you might get one good wack in, but it couldn't hold an arrow if that's where your mind goes."

"Good to know." He jokes, though he seems to seriously take note of the information.

"I was going to play it at the tavern today." You mention in between bites, "I guess that'll have to wait a while now." You mumble.

"I'll bring it with me. Was heading there anyways." Thor offers immediately. He reaches out for the instrument, and picks it up with more care than you'd expect- like he'd break it if he wasn't extremely gentle.

Figuring you'd be tired or busy with whatever the All-Father needed you for, you protest "Sure, but the All-Father's-" Thor interrupts you.

"It won't take you all day." Thor dismisses with a shrug, "probably." He tacks on. He's smiling again, and something tells you he's not great at keeping secrets. Part of his no thinking policy, perhaps. At least it reassures you whatever the All-Father wants isn't dangerous, or grueling. It's exciting, and encourages you to eat faster.

You shrug, and agree to let Thor take the instrument with him. "Alright. Thank you, Thor." He only grunts in response. You try to chat a little longer as you finish your meal, but the conversation dies fast. Thor doesn't seem to like speaking more than he has to, and clearly nothing else you have to say is interesting enough to him. Still, he must appreciate your company because he stays by your side until you finish eating.

The empty dishes clatter a bit as you stack them together and pick them up, sliding out of your seat to properly put them away. "I'm gonna head out." Thor tells you as you clean up, standing up with the talharpa in hand. He didn't wait for you to say goodbye before he started to leave, and soon after you'd follow after him out of the great hall.

All-Father is waiting right outside for you. He smiles when you step out, and extends his arms to you. "Ah! There you are!"

"Apologies for being late-" you start, you had no right to keep a god- much less the All-Father- waiting.

"No, no, don't worry about it. You're here now, that's the important part. C'mere, there's somethin' important I need your help with." Odin beckons you to follow him, but you're weary. A few feet away is a swirling circle of black feathers, just like the one Odin had stepped into yesterday, and been swarmed by ravens before disappearing. It was deeply unsettling to you. You knew of tales of Odin using the birds to travel, but it seems quite impractical and truthfully horrifying in person. Imagining a raven full of hatred flying straight at you made you grimace, and had you frozen in place. Odin recognizes the fear in your expression, walks beside you, and pats your shoulder, "I know, it's scary the first few times. But they're harmless. They can't move you anywhere if you don't allow 'em to, and it's so fast you don't even notice you left the ground. It'll be fine!" He reassures you, and gives you a gentle shove to make you stumble a couple feet. It's exactly what you needed to remind yourself you can walk, taking a few small steps towards the circle.

You do your damnedest to steel your nerves. You have to trust the All-Father, and you don't want to waste his time. So with a deep breath and one big step, you enter the circle.

"Ha! There you go!" Odin laughs, standing beside you as you squeeze your eyes tight. The flapping of wings and occasionally squawk makes you flinch. Hundreds of birds circling you almost like prey- it feels nightmarish. For a split second the ground is gone from under you, and your heart drops to your stomach. You nearly collapsed on the ground when it's over. You try to catch your breath, not quite sure where it went in the first place, a hand over your pounding heart.

Odin chuckles, "See? Not that bad." But his expression falls, seeing how shaken up you are, "Eh, well, you'll get used to it." He dismisses. Yeah, you'll get used to it, you repeat to yourself. It was only for a second, you're okay. Once your breathing evens and the ground beneath you feels stable under you, the realization you're in a new place sinks in, and you look up.

It's the middle of a city. There's a large statue next to you of Odin- at least the depiction of him you knew before meeting him. The town seems to be built around the lush greenery of the realm, the beauty of which could make you jealous compared to Midgard. It's extremely humid, almost unbearably so. The most stunning part though is the architecture. Small circular houses and buildings built into the landscape. Everything looks expertly crafted, with ornate details.

"Welcome to Svartalfheim." Odin says, and the name instantly clicks with you. The home realm of the dwarves. The craftsmanship makes sense, then. "Follow me." Odin commands, and you do as told, tripping over your feet a bit, excited to see more of the land's beauty. "So," All-Father begins as you walk. Out of nowhere one of his terrible ravens swoops out of the sky, straight towards you. Terrified, you duck, but the bird lands perfectly on Odin's shoulder. "Muninn found this last night." You straighten your posture to look at what All-Father was holding. A torn piece of paper. "I'm assume it's yours?"

The poem. Shit. Throwing it to the ground probably wasn't the best idea. Should've burned it instead. "Oh, yes. I'm sorry, let me just-" you go to take the page from him. He obviously tries to hold it away from you, but he's slow. It's enough to make you pause and give up, though, to ensure you don't seem rude.

"Eh, don't worry about it. Just know for future reference, Asgard had very strict rules against littering." He chuckles, "I take it your first time meeting Heimdall wasn't all you imagined?"

"Not- quite." You say begrudgingly, reminding yourself you're speaking to his father, the All-Father, who might not appreciate someone speaking negatively of his son.

"Yeah, he can be an asshole." Odin laughs, and his blunt reply makes you laugh too. "What'd he do now? Insult you? Yell at you? Accuse you of treachery?"

"Sort of all of it." You admit. The two of you walk across a bridge, which Odin stops in the middle of and turns to you.

"Yeah, that doesn't surprise me. You'll have to excuse Heimdall. He takes his job very seriously and- and, well, I think he worries." Odin shrugs with a heavy sigh. He nods to himself, satisfied with his answer, and continues walking.

"Worried? He knocked me to the ground instead of just asking me to step away from the lift. I'm sure he was so worried." You grumble to yourself sarcastically. You could almost feel the sharp pain in your stomach where the hilt of the sword hit you.

"Yes!" Odin answers despite you clearly not trying to speak to him. You worry you've struck a nerve, he seems passionate while he explains, "He's especially particular about no one going up on that wall. Thor went up there when he was drunk once, right? Dumb bastard lost his balance and fell off." You gasp! You had no idea! You'd never heard a story about it before either. All-Father just shrugs, "He had mjölnir, he was fine! But Heimdall hasn't liked anyone else on the wall since." His expression softens, he seems to realize he told a secret not meant to be shared and quickly tacks on, "ah, I probably shouldn't have mentioned it- it's a sore topic to both of em. You won't say anything, will ya?" He chuckles, a little embarrassed. He's like any other parent realizing they telling an embarrassing story about their kids.

"Of course not." You promise with a big smile. You could write a song about the great fall the God of Thunder took off the wall, and the horrified look the Watcher of the Aesir wore as he witnessed it. Except that seems like an excellent way to make an enemy of two gods, and would not bode well for you.

"Good. We're almost there, it's this building right up ahead." All-Father directs the both of you back on track. You can hear muffled music from inside. It's not a tune you recognize, in fact it sounds unfinished, by the sudden pauses after a note that didn't quite fit in, followed by the same melody with a new note. Still, the parts you could hear were beautiful, and the chance to meet a fellow bard was one you always met with excitement.

The building you enter is a forge. The heat inside doesn't offer relief from the humidity outside. In the corner of the room, the one furthest from the furnaces and other equipment, was a dwarf, sitting on the floor with an instrument in his lap. "Ah, All-Father. We were starting to wonder when you would arrive." He says curtly, without looking up or breaking from playing.

"All-Father!" Another dwarf drops what she's working on with a surprise gasp, turning to the both of you.

"Yeah yeah, it's me." Odin addresses the startled blacksmith. "Is it ready yet?" He asks impatiently.

"Yeah, of course! I put it away so it wouldn't get dirty. I'll go get it." She doesn't wait for a response before shuffling off to a connecting room. Odin seems annoyed by this, crossing his arms and tapping his foot as he waits.

In the meantime you walk over and address the guy playing music, "That song is beautiful."

His eyes dart up to look at you, seemingly accessing if you could be mocking him. "Thank you." He says, with a little semblance of a proud smile. "It's still a work in progress, something is off, just can't place what."

"Maybe you could try-" All-Father interrupts you, just now noticing you two talking.

"Ah, yes" He introduces you to the man and then tries to do the reverse, "and this is, uh, uh-" he snaps his fingers, as if trying to remember as best he can the man's name.

It goes on for an embarrassing long time until the man gives in, "Raeb." He answers for the All-Father.

"Raeb, Raeb, of course. He's a... uh. I don't know? A musician of some sort?" All-Father states with a shrug. He's clearly disinterested, but perhaps feels it important to talk, even if he has nothing to say.

"Sure." Raeb doesn't agree or disagree, but is clearly irritated. There's obvious tension between the dwarves and Odin. Neither of them seems to like the other, or even want to tolerate the other's presence. But the All-Father has been nothing but kind to you, even without being an Aesir. So the hate doesn't make much sense to you. "And you are the new 'bard of Asgard'? I am riddled with envy." He says dryly, words saturated with sarcasm. The smile on his face tells you he's joking, but the remark makes Odin scoff.

"You do not have to converse with him. It's probably best to ignore him." He advises you. Raeb takes this as his que to turn his attention back to his music.

You frown and tell him, "it's always nice to meet a fellow bard, though."

"Likewise." Is his short response, not looking back at you, indicating the interaction was over. At the same time, the other dwarf re-enters.

"People gotta stop moving my things." She mumbles under her breath. "Sorry bout that! Here it is." She beams.

She holds out a lyre, like the one you had at home, but so much grander. It's made of a red wood, with the sides plated in gold. It's covered in engravings, and you can tell it took a lot of effort and care to create. It's a beautiful instrument, and with a nod of approval, the woman walks past Odin to hand it over to you. You think this must be what had Thor so happy, the surprise All-Father had planned, but you didn't assume anything until it was in your hands. You treat it as if it's made of glass and easy to break, beford slowly looking to Odin with a speechless grin.

"Well? Play it. Make sure it's in tune and such." He encourages you, and very carefully you strum the lyre. It plays perfectly, and the strings glow a soft gold after they've been plucked.

"What-" you mutter in shock, turning the lyre back to you to watch the glow settle, the strings returning to their natural color.

Raeb speaks up at your wanderment, "I prefer mechanical elements to mine, but magic works just the same. Sort of." He mutters the last part with a shrug.

"Raeb was a big help. Don't let him fool you, he was so excited someone wanted a musical instrument. He had so much fun designing it." The lady, who apparently will stay unnamed, tells you.

"Well, it was all my idea. Unless you hate it. If you hate it, then... er, I don't know why we came here, why're we here?" All-Father looks around the room as if he's just an old man with a failing memory. When he's done with the bit, he laughs, "You don't hate it though, do you?"

"No, I love it, it's gorgeous! Thank you!" You beam brightly, holding the lyre close to your chest.

"Glad to hear it. In that case, we shouldn't linger. I have another matter I need to discuss with you." Odin kind of abruptly turns to the door, starting to leave without another word.

"Oh. Yeah, well- good day to the both of you!" You tell the dwarves as you leave so you can keep up with All-Father. Raeb waves to you in reply. A little ways away from the store, another circle of ravens are forming, and you feel your stomach twist. "What is it you want to discuss?"

"Well, it'll be easier to explain back at my study. There's a piece of music I want to give you. It's special, though, I found it while exploring the realms." His explanation stopped short as he stepped into the circle. He looks at you and frowns at your apparent uncertainty. "You ready?"

You take a deep breath and nod. You take a big step into the circle and stand beside him. As you close your eyes tight and hold your breath, Odin grips your shoulder. The birds flock around you, and it's still just as terrifying as before, but this time your brain knows enough to block it out, like a performance you were nervous about. The hand on your shoulder reassured you, to. When your feet didn't touch the floor, you figured it had to be already because Odin didn't budge in the slightest.

When it was over, All-Father patted your shoulder before stepping away. You breathe out and open your eyes. You're in Odin's study, and he's already scouring through each shelf and drawer for the piece of music.

"So, you've noticed all the snow in midgard, right?" Odin mentions as he searches.

"It's fimbulwinter, isn't it? You inquire. It had been here for over a year, with non-stop snow, but some people were still insistent that there was no way fimbulwinter had started.

"Yes, unfortunately." Odin sighs. He grabs a book and flips through it, stopping on a certain page and tearing it out. "But, I have a hunch that this can stop it." He grins and holds the paper up. "The title roughly reads 'rebirth of spring'. I found it originally carved in stone in Alfheim, and wrote it down in hopes one day I would find someone talented enough to play it."

"And I'm that someone?" You try to feign confidence and not laugh picturing yourself as some hero.

"Exactly. Now take this," he pushes the paper into your hand. "And I want you to take the next few days to learn it. Can you do that?" You look at the sheet music, it seems simple enough.

"Yes. A few days is all I need." You assure him with a nod, and he chuckles. In a few days you might regret promising that much, though.

"Good, that's what I want to hear! Go on, I've got some work to catch up on- and hey! Now so do you!" He laughs, shooing you away as he returns to his desk. As you leave he calls out to you, "Oh! And you are becoming a wonderful addition to Asgard!"

The affirmation makes your smile so big it hurts your face. You're not just a midgardian getting in the way, you're a useful member of Asgard! It feels amazing, and powerful. You walk proudly back to your room.

You sit down at your desk, lyre in hand and sheet music in front of you. With your new found confidence, you pick the first measure of notes. You think you do it correctly, but the notes sour when you play, instead of glowing gold, the strings glow a blood red. Your eyebrows furrow, and you try again, slower to ensure it's right. Once again the chords sour. Not only do the strings glow red, but an unnaturally quick annoyance falls over you. You grit your teeth and fix your posture. You huff, "okay. It's just dissonance. It's supposed to sound bad, songs do it to create interest. Just. Keep. Going."

You play the next measure, and it sounds worse than the first. "Shit." You cursed under your breath, "am I playing in the wrong scale or something?" You check, but there's nothing written to indicate one way or another. You still try adjusting the notes and replay the song. It's an improvement, but there's still some bad notes that irk you. You try to push through them and continue the song with hope it'll improve.

You play for hours, you start to lose track of time. Adjusting the notes only does so much to fix the music, and no matter how much you try to push past it, the awful sound grinds on you, makes you impatient and angry. Your teeth could just shatter from how tightly your jaw is clenched. The sound is terrible and hurts your ears. The strings do more than glow, they start to burn with every bad note you play. You don't even notice the cracks forming in the ground beneath your feet.

Something snaps within you after playing a particularly awful measure. You shoot up from the chair- knocking it over in the process- and throw the lyre down. "Shit! Fuck, fuck! Fuck this!" You scream, clasping your hands over your ears and crouch down. You can't recall ever being this angry over something so simple. Music takes patience, you know that. You shouldn't be mad, you just are.

"What are you throwing a tantrum about?" Sif's annoyed voice in your doorway catches you off guard.

"It's not me! It's this fucking lyre!" You yell. You stand up, stomp, and point at the offending instrument.

"You need to calm down." Sif orders, "I will not stand for this tone of yours." Her voice is fierce and not to be trifled with.

You scoff, but she stays and watches you pace around your room for as long as it takes you to calm down. "Why're you here?" You ask, wishing she wasn't as the anger tugged at you.

"Thor asked me to drop this off for him." She raises up the talharpa for you to see, before setting it in its place on the wall. "He was disappointed you didn't show up today."

The rage quickly switched to guilt. You promised Thor to play at the pub, but you had forgotten all about it by now! "Oh no! I didn't mean to, I didn't realize it's gotten so late!" You whine, putting your head in your hands.

"My husband does not need more reasons to drink. He needs to be a father to his daughter. It's probably for the better you didn't go." Sif assures you. She enters your room, picking the chair and lyre off the ground. "It seems you've been busy anyways. What are you working on?" She asks, tilting her head as she notices the music sheet on the desk.

"All-Father wants me to learn this in the next few days." You flop down on the bed as you explain. "But it sounds terrible."

"Hm. Did All-Father write this?" She wonders allowed as she reads over it.

"He copied it from a stone carving." You explain with a sigh, an ache in your back as you try to relax into the mattress.

"So maybe he just wrote it down wrong. Suppose we change the notes so they fit basic music theory?" She suggests and looks over at you.

"What? No! This is important, I need to play it just as it's written. There's no way the All-Father would mess this up." You protest and shoot up in bed.

"Sometimes it's necessary to break the rules." Sif states with an almost mischievous grin.

"Not when it's from the All-Father! I'm sure he'd know-" Sif cuts you off.

"The All-Father is an," she scoffs, "intelligent man. But he's called All-knowing because he wants to know everything. Not because he does know everything. If he did, he could play this piece without your help." She hands you the lyre back, and sits down in the chair across from you. "You need to be more confident in your own abilities. Forget this song for a minute." She slides it further down the desk, out of your sight. "Why don't you play a song you're familiar with?"

You don't know if you feel like playing after earlier, but you still ask, "like what?" To humor her.

"I don't know. What's the first song you learned?" A lullaby. You hadn't played it in years, but without much thought your fingers pluck the right strings. It's simple and sweet, but you get lost in playing it. The strings are a soft glowing warmth under your fingertips, no longer violent and burning like earlier. You start to feel tired as the song ends, and even Sif yawns. "That was lovely. Do more of that." She compliments as she rises for the chair.

"Thank you." You speak quietly and rub your tired eyes. You might actually be able to sleep tonight, you think.

"It's late. Get some sleep, worry about fixing All-Father's mess in the morning." Sif wishes you a goodnight before leaving your room, closing the door behind her.

Before you go to bed you play the lullaby one more time. You fall asleep only halfway through it.

#heimdall x reader #heimdall gow #asgard's bard #x reader

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aintinacage · 3 months

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How will your friends have time for me, when they're so busy fighting you?

William Shakespeare’s Avengers (Part 38/?)

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lokidokieokie · 2 years

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His Protector

Summary: Odin had always been a shitty father to Loki; always blaming him for the slightest mishap, constantly comparing him to Thor. It was a relentless relationship (if it could actually be called that). One day when Odin goes too far, you’re there to stand up for Loki and protect him from his so-called father.

Pairing: Loki Laufeyson x Goddess!Reader

Warning(s): mentions of parental abuse, torture(?), Odin being a shitty father, language, wounds, reader being a bad bitch (think I got everything...as usual, lemme know if I didn’t)

Every night was pretty much the same. You woke up, donned your Asgardian garbs and began your journey throughout the palace.

You had always had a connection to the night; ever since you were a small babe. The way that the moon illuminated the sky had always brought a sense of peace over the normally bustling villages of Asgard--a feeling that few were ever lucky to experience.

Those few being you and the God of Mischief himself.

You and the younger Prince had been friends since the cradle, and have been pretty much inseparable ever since. However, at some point, your relationship--at least on your side--had moved from one of mere friendship to love.

You have no recollection of when your feelings changed; it had just suddenly shifted. In hindsight, though, this realisation shouldn’t have surprised you; it was probably decreed by the Norns themselves.

They would do that to you--bestow the gift of unrequited love upon you. They had never been in your favour; the fates were never on your side. But if you were bound to love someone endlessly; at least it was your best friend. You could pretend that everything was fine...right?

You would have to put up your façade for tonight at least. Tonight, Loki was meant to meet you in the Gardens. You both were planning to have a discussion on Midgardian playwrights, and figure out which Bard truly was the greatest.

But as you finally entered through the arch of wildflowers and vines, he wasn’t there. You sighed, maybe he had finally succumbed to the sleep that his body required.

Knowing that you would get bored sitting in the Gardens alone, you decided that it would be best to check up on him--purely to ensure that he was alright; not by any means to hear his soft snores as he peacefully slept.

Walking through the palace during the middle of the night was always a sight to behold. The way that the speckles of lights in the night sky reflected off of the shiny, golden walls made you feel as if you were walking straight through a fantasy novel.

However, what you saw beyond that beautiful picture was truly terrifying.

The throne room that usually held Odin, sitting on his throne, addressing the people of Asgard now echoed the anguished cries of the mischievous prince. Tears welled in your eyes as you came to the realisation that the Allfather was beating Loki.

A sense of anger washed over your being, and you began storming towards the doors. As you pushed the doors open, your steps ceased. Kneeling on the floor was your best friend, covered in his own blood.

“What in the Norns is going on here?”

Both sets of heads turned to face you, a flash of gratitude and fear appeared in Loki’s eyes.

Odin cleared his throat, “Lady Y/n, your presence isn’t needed here.”

You were about to speak up when he conjured a vile of liquid and proceeded to pour it straight into Loki’s new wounds; causing Loki to scream out in pain.

“Are you kidding me? My presence isn’t needed? You are blatantly torturing your own son in the middle of the palace!”

How could a parent do this to their own son?

“This does not concern you, Lady. Leave. It is an order from your King.” Odin demanded.

In an attempt to get you to leave, the Allfather once again poured the vile into Loki’s wounds; his hoarse voice once again screaming out in agony.

That was the final straw. You were not going to stand here and watch the love of your life get tortured by his own father. You felt your eyes change from their friendly e/c to a colour as dark as a stormy night.

“You will not do that again. Ever.” Your voice was dead calm; causing the hairs on both the Royal’s necks to stand on end.

The King’s eyes glared at you, “You dare speak to your King that way? I could have you executed for disobeying my direct order!”

You cackled, “I’d like to see you try, your majesty. Not even you can stop the Goddess of the Night when she’s angered.” Every single word was dripping with venom.

Odin growled, “Do not test me, night child. I’ll have you executed by dawn.”

He made his way towards you, finally leaving your poor Loki alone. You stood your ground. You refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing that his words had any sort of effect on you.

The only thing that truly matter was the poor soul--the love of your life--writhing on the floor of the throne room.

“You don’t want me to test you, King Odin. I think we’re way past that.” You growled as you slowly began to bring your seiðr to the surface. Black wisps of magic began to form in your palms, slowly circling the centre of your hand.

“I think, Allfather, that it is you who shouldn’t test me...or have you forgotten what I am also the Goddess of?”

The Allfather gulped. For a moment, he had forgotten what other title he had bestowed upon you. The Goddess of Pain flashed through his mind. You could inflict pain onto whomever you desired; you truly were not to be messed with.

“I’m glad that I finally have your attention, Odin.” You spat. “Maybe now you’ll come to your senses and stop inflicting pain onto someone who never deserves it.”

You began making your way towards Loki, as he now desperately needed the attention of some of the palace’s healers.

Odin coughed, drawing your attention to him. “That is where you are wrong, child. Loki is in the wrong this time.”

You glared at him. “By all means Odin, please, enlighten me on what Loki has “done” this time!” He shifted his weight, clearly nervous. If you weren’t so angry, you might’ve been proud of yourself.

“I have had several witness confirm that Loki was the one behind the destruction of the East Wing two nights ago.”

You seethed, “Did those witnesses happen to be Thor and the Warrior’s Three?”

He nodded, seemingly proud of his facts. That face instantly dropped when he saw the anger in your eyes.

“It’s always about what Thor said, isn’t it Odin? Have you ever thought about what Loki has to say about this issue?” You left no room for him to answer.

“No, you haven’t; because you’re too far up your own royal ass that you don’t ever think to ask for Loki’s opinion! And, for your information you royal pain in the ass, Loki was with me two nights ago--just as he always is--because he cannot fathom the nightmares that plague his mind from his time under Thanos!”

You took a breath, you needed to keep your composure. The Allfather did not get to see you cry.

“He tortured your son, you know. Forced him to try and take over Midgard in order to obtain infinity stones. And all that happened because he fell of the Rainbow Bridge because you are a terrible father!”

You drew your attention away from Odin after hearing Loki whimper. Tears began to build in your eyes, threatening to escape.

You pressed a sad kiss to his forehead and whispered, “I’m so sorry, my love. I’ll take you to the healers now.”

You once again turned to face Odin, who now had a look of terror on his face. “I- I had no idea.” He said, seemingly ashamed of his actions.

“Of course you didn’t know. All you care about is the Allmother or Thor. You never care about Loki.” You shifted your eyes back to Loki and moved a piece of hair out of Loki’s face.

“And to plague your dreams, it was Thor and his horrible friends who destroyed the East Wing in one of their drunken stupors. Maybe next time you believe your Golden Child, you’ll ask if your son had any unbiased witnesses to back up his claim.”

Then you teleported both Loki and yourself to the healing wing, quickly calling for healers to tend to your love.

Your slumber was disturbed by something shifting underneath your head. Quickly remembering the events of last night, you bolted upwards, and the emerald eyes of the love of your life greeted you.

Your eyes brimmed with tears and you grabbed his hand, “I’m so glad you’re okay.”

He smiled, “I am, thanks you to, Y/n. Thank you for standing up for me.”

As his thumb wiped away the tears of your face, you took your chance.

“I would do anything for you Loki. I love you.” After the events of last night, you didn’t care if the feelings weren’t reciprocated, you just needed him to know how much he meant to you.

The pair of cold lips attaching themselves to yours surprised you; but it felt as if you had done this a thousand times before.

Loki placed his forehead against yours, “I love you too, Y/n. More than you’ll ever know.”

He then took your lips again.

###BONUS###

As the two lovers basked in the beginning of something new, the entire palace was able to hear the yells of anguish and anger between the Crown Prince and the Allfather.

But the lovers heard nothing, too absorbed in each other’s embrace to care. They finally were together, and only fate could now tear them apart.

This has been in the WIPs forever...glad it’s finally done :)

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@thewaithfuckingannoyme

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ijuststareatstuffhereok89 · 1 year

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So for your Music Festival, I think I've gotta go with "With or Without You" and Loki x Reader. That song is the one I keep thinking of. But only if it inspires you!! 💚💚💚

MCU FANFIC MUSIC FESTIVAL, ENTRY #6

"Of Love and Bono"

Pairing: Loki x Reader Summary: You explain fan culture to Loki, attempting to quell his growing jealousy as he takes you to a concert for your birthday. Word Count: 750

Your excited screeches echoed through the office, causing Tony Stark and Bruce Banner to come bursting into your small, private HR office on the ninth floor of Avenger Tower. “What? What’s wrong?” Bruce asked, his voice louder than it usually was when he wasn’t twelve feet tall and green.

They found you sitting on your desk, waving two tickets over your head as if they were the greatest prize ever found. Loki sat next to you, looking quietly amused, as well as proud of himself.

“Best birthday present ever!!!” You squealed.

“If those are Jets tickets, you may want to get your money back, Blitzen,” snarked Tony.

You shook your head, still high with excitement. “He got me U2 tickets to the Garden tonight! It’s been sold out for MONTHS! How did you even get these?!”

Loki smiled and looked into your eyes. “I would do anything for you to have everything your heart desires, my dove.”

You were grinning like an idiot. “But that’s not even the best part! HE GOT ME A BACKSTAGE PASS!”

Tony Stark shrugged. “Only one?”

Loki nodded. “Even I could only do so much while matching wits with the Ticket Master.”

“I literally get to meet and shake hands with the Lord of my Teenage Idolatry, The Bard of My Soul, the Voice of My Generation…okay, my parents’ generation, BUT STILL! Bono! I get to meet BONO!”

Loki chuckled, hiding a hint of insecurity that was only just beginning to tug at his brain. “As I said, anything for you, Y/N.”

------------------

You spent a ridiculously long time getting ready that night, to the point you were almost late to the show. You volleyed back and forth from “total fangirling slut” to “definitely cool and just here to shake hands” back to “fairest in the land and gives zero fucks.” You decided in the end to go for a less-desperate look, choosing a simple, approachable blouse and jeans, focusing instead on perfecting your makeup and hair.

“Aren’t you only allowed to meet him for a few minutes?” asked Loki, the bitterness in his voice growing, startling you.

“Are…you okay?” you asked, turning around.

“It’s just…the way you carry on about this Mono Man--”

“--Bono,” you instantly corrected. “And it isn’t like I’m planning to run off with him.”

Loki shrugged. “I don't really understand why you swoon over a musician so enthusiastically if your goal isn’t to bed him.”

“Loki, Loki, Loki,” you said, lightly kissing his nose. “For your information, Bono has been married longer than I’ve been alive. He has a daughter who is older than I am.”

Your lover still looked a little confused. “On Asgard, musicians are considered talent, but it is simply their chosen career as much as any healer’s or soldier’s. We don't treat them like kings or give them concubines.” He was trying to paint over his jealousy with snobbery, but the paint was too thin to be effective in covering his true feelings.

Smiling, you kissed him again, softly, on the lips. “It’s a mortal thing. We’re just a bit more, as you put it, enthusiastic about the people we admire. You should see the kinds of shit they post on Tumblr.”

Looking into your assuring eyes and seeing nothing but sincerity behind them, Loki’s shoulders finally dropped in relief. “Besides, you like U2’s music too,” you added. “I hear you humming With or Without You to yourself occasionally.”

You didn’t expect Loki to blush at your comment. “Oh? I didn’t realize I was loud enough to disturb you.”

Shaking your head, you took Loki’s hand in yours. “I know you’re a fan too, darling. And admit it, you find Bono attractive as I do.”

Loki thought for a moment. “Not in a personal way,” he said slowly. “But were he Asgardian, I can see where he’d…err…have more than a few interested and willing sex partners.”

You decided that was about as much as you’d be able to wring out of him for now. “Would you rather I not go backstage?”

Loki let out a reflexive laugh. “Ha! After the amount of currency I had to surrender for the pass? Norns, you’re going!”

You chuckled, finding Loki’s insecurity a little more ‘cute’ than you should have. “Oh my God,” you answered, caressing Loki’s soft face. “Here you are telling me I’m being silly for swooning over a singer while also pushing me into meeting him. I guess I can’t live with or without you, either.”

--------

@mochie85 @lokisgoodgirl @roruna @holdmytesseract @muddyorbs @xorpsbane @mischief2sarawr @fictive-sl0th @silverfire475

#loki #mcu #mcu loki #fanfiction #loki fanfiction #mcu fanfiction #mcu drabble #drabblefest

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