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thomase1 · 1 year

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Two broken make a whole

Avenger!Loki×Fem!Avenger!Reader

What would happen if you were an assasin with the Avengers? What would happen if Loki became one of earths mightiest heros too? Can you two become friends? Or even more? Will you be able to move on from your past? Will he be able to move on from his?

Marvel AU; all Avangers are alive, Ragnarok happened.

Slow burn, talks of past abuse and trauma, angst, loss, randomness, a lot of humour, missions so fight scnes, later smut; a LOT of smut.

Every chapter will have individual warnings. 18+ chapters will be marked as such.

-The character Medusa from the Marvel Comics is not this one, I forgot about that character.-

Also, this is going to have a lot of things not matching up with the actual movies, just an example: I still use Jarvis as the AI even though Vision exists in my story. (Friday just isnt as iconic, sorryyyy :D)

I can tag you if you want, just tell me in the comments and I will tag you! ♡

First chapter below.

Chapter two.

Chapter three.

Chapter four.

Chapter five.

Chapter six.

Warnings; a bit of cursing, yelling, comedy, bit of Loki thirst, wacky attempt to capture the Avangers characters.

Wordcount: ~3000

Enjoy.

It was a normal day when they arrived. Well, normal for you at least.

You were standing in the common room, half living room, half kitchen. It was early in the day, not long after 1pm, so like any normal adult, you went to make yourself some cereal. This is breakfast for you.

You dont have a mission today, so you obviously slept in.Saying that, you were hopeing for a nice, relaxed day, however your wish was not granted. Your peace is beeing disturbed. Not only with their arrival, but also with a lot of Avangers here to welcome the now additions. Most were at least quiet, but Tony and Steve bickering and bitching like little kids is something else. You also know that with Sam beeing here, you will have to hide your snacks. That guy is always hungry. And Scott can be just as bad, him beeing able to shrink to ant size really makes it difficult to hide stuff from him.

As you reach the cupbord, after climbing onto the counter to reach it, they arrive.

Not quietly of course, no, it was with a loud boom of thunder, almost makeing you fall.

You guessed it, the beloved god of thunger and his infamous brother, the god of mischief, here to join earths mightiest heros. You knew Thor ever since you got here yourself, you are good friends. He could be a bit dull sometimes and very oblivious to, well, about pretty much eveything, but he really is just a giant teddy bear.

You never had the pleasure to meet his brother Loki however. Now, you say pleasure, you havent exactly heard good things. Given that the Avangers are your family and he mind controlled Clint, threw Tony out the highest point of the tower and attacked with an army of freak aliens,... To say you arent that fond of him would be the nicest way of putting it.

There was a whole briefing going on to be prepared for their arrival. Lokis arrival. A few members, such as you, have not been part of the team when he attacked earth, that was the reason for the briefing. So everybody got a list of his abilities and such, something that looks like a wanted poster.

-Lokis powers-

Teleportation, Shapeshifting, forming Energy blasts, casting illusions.

Able to read minds and project his thoughts to others, no physical touch needed.

Skilled in magic (seiðr), skilled in hand-to-hand combat. Genius level intellect.

Heritage: Jotunn.

You have memorized the list of his powers, it worried you. Not only that, no, his whole person worries you, god of mischief and lies, a frost giant. You would be toothless against him. Your weapons would have no effect on him, normal daggers wont pierce his skin. Bullets only leaving bruises. So even your trusted Kunai would fail you. Yes, it worries you.

What also worries you is that his is so damn good looking.

While Thor did assure that "Loki is a changed spirit. He no longer wishes to bring suffering to midgard.", nobody was fully convinced. But you promised Thor to give him a chance; for him. You know he loves his brother, even though they dont really express it too much in the crazy relationship they have.

So now you stand here, in your PJ's, pink fluffy socks and hair up in a very messy bun. So much for first impressions.

The others swarmed around Thor, who was booming with delight to see his friends again, hugging his old pals way too tightly. They look like those anti stress balls with eyes that pop out in his giant arms.

Loki on the other hand stood two steps behind his brother, seeming pretty annoyed by the whole ordeal. It appears he isnt one for big gatherings either.

You get away from the cabinet and lean onto the kitchen island, listening to the things Thor has to say. He ends up talking about new Asgard, which is where they came from right now.

After they successfully stopped Thanos, they went to new Asgard, help build the new kingdom further. Everybody thought Thor would, naturally, become king of new Asgard, with both Odin and Frigga dead. But he renounced his claim to the throne, leaving Valkyrie and Heimdall to be voted as the rulers of new Asgard since Loki was voted out by the people.

"Why dont you take that throne already? Oh blondie...", Tony claps him on the shoulder, shakeing his head. "I do not wish to rule, I only wish to build a peaceful future. Possibly with a family of my own." "Let me guess...", Tonys lips thin in a upside down smile. Several people, in unison, answer for him, "With Jane.". Thor nods solemnly and proceeds to tell the others about going to meet Jane later, seeing if they could be able to reconcile.

Poor guy still loves her.

It is the same old story; any time you two really have a chat, you end up at the talk of how much he misses her. You do feel bad, but youve heard it so many times by now. At some point you lost interest and went back to retreiving your cereal, only to realize somebody put the empty box back into the cupbord.

This really took the cake; your day officially ruined. You snatched the empty box and stormed to your roommates and teammates, doubting it was your roommates Nat and Bruce.

"Ok, which assh-" "LANGUAGE!", Steve heckles. You shoot him a fuming, warning, look and continue, "WHO ate all the cereal and put the empty box back?!", you look through the small crowd of people.

Nobody speaks.

Peter looks terrified, but you know he wouldnt, hes just a little timid. Then you spot it, the slight panic in Tonys eyes. You point at him, "You! I see the panic in your eyes, you did it!", you stride towards him. As you do, your bun loosens and plaps down the side, Tony smirks and reaches for your hair. You snap your head towards him, "Do you want to lose a hand today?" He hurriedly pulls back, "Ok ok I did it. I was hungry ok? I'll buy you some later.". You pout, "So am I! This is my day off and all I wanted was a relaxing day and now I cant even have my breakfast!".

"Its after 1 Y/n.", Nat says matter of factly. "What didnt you understand when I said 'day off' and 'relaxing day'?"

Clint looks at you dead serious, "No thats actually the perfect day off. I'm with you on that one." "You also love hanging out in your jammies and pink fluffy socks with your hair in a bun, stuffing your face with snacks all day?", you ask him in play seriousness. He nods, "Yes of course, normally I do paint my nails and put on a nice face mask too.", he plays along. "I always make myself a nice salad and go shopping.", Scott joins in with a nasal tone.

You three break character at that point and fall into laughter. Nat just shakes her head with a grin. Its a real talent of them, they always lighten the mood.

Your stomach growls, "I'm so hungryyy.", you whine. "Cant you just eat something other than cereal?", Sam asks. You think, "I mean, I do have some leftover food in the fridge and some cooki- Why are you looking at me like that?". Sam's jaw flexed when you mentioned the cookies and Bruce looked away when you said leftovers. "Oh come on! When did you even eat my cookies? I saw you come in, thinking 'oh, Sam is here I need to hide my snacks'.", you pout again, but now you are actually a little sad, feeling betrayed. "When you put your hair up. I'm sorry ok? I didnt know it was your day off and you wanted to relax.", he says a little guilty.

"And I didnt know it was your left over food. I'm really sorry.", Bruce says. Oh man, you cant be mad at Bruce, he probably worked late again and forgot to eat until he almost passed out. It has happened before, Tony found him. Ever since that day Jarvis is able to tell the heart rate and general well beeing of people inside the tower.

You sigh, "Its ok guys, just... ask in the future ok? I just remembered, I should have some waffles- oh god please no...", you see Scotts smile drop and know exactly what that means. "I thought they were Tonys, I'm sorry.", he exclaims. "Hey! I'd be very careful Tumbelina. If I held a grudge, I could, litrally, smash you like a bug.", Tony looks at him through hooded eyes.

You sigh and awkwardly sway on the balls of your feet, "I'M HUNGRYYYYY!". That got everybodys attention, all eyes are now on you and you blush a little.

You arent just hungry, no, you are hangry. A dangerous state for an assasin to be in.

"Ok. Lets just settle this. Pizza on Tony?", Steve looks at Tony. He rolls his eyes but nods. Just as you happily turn away you realize how rude you actually are.

"Oh and-", you walked to Thor, giving him a big hug which he happily returns, "Welcome back thunder.". "Y/n, havent lost your wit I see.", he says with a chuckle as you pull apart. "No, I havent. You got to with these scatterbains.", you chuckle too. You hear several offended noises in the room which only seals your words.

You turn around to Loki who still looks pretty detached, but also so unfairly handsome. "Havent had the fortune of meeting you up to now. Y/n, alias Medusa.", you put out a hand to shake, looking into his eyes.

His eyes remind you of dense treetops; a dense green through which the bright blue sky shimmers. He looks at you for a second before stepping closer, giving your hand a firm squeeze, "Loki, god of mischief. I am certain you have heard only the very best of me.", he smirks.

He smells of leather, mint and winter. Like fresh snow. Devine. You bite your tongue to distract yourself.

"Yes, precisely. Like throwing Tony off the rooftop.", you smirk back. "Alright, thats it! Go order that Pizza before I change my mind!", Tony interrupts with an offended hand at his hip. "Lets order together then.", you suggest, squeezing onto the couch next to Peter. You like the kid, you are only 4 years older than him, so you get along quite well.

After 20 minutes you finally ordered all 11 Pizzas. Took Thor a bit to convice Loki to give it a try, saying 'it tastes like Valhalla in a box'. And you agree with that analogy wholeheartedly.

You took Peter with you to collect them from the lobby and going straight back to the common room. You didnt even have time to announce the feast before Sam and Thor snatched the boxes out of Peters and your arms. Its a mistery how they didnt scatch up your exposed skin. "You guys act like you havent been fed in weeks!" "I have not eaten in five hours! I am practially starving. It takes substance to maintain this physique!", Thor tries to reason. Loki rolls his eyes, one of the first emotions you saw on his face up to now. "So you have a reason for nearly takeing my arm, but that one just stole and ate my cookies!", you point to Sam who is already opening every box to find his Pizza. Hearing you he just shrugs and continues looking.

You sit down again, next to Peter who sat back in the same spot he just left. After a few moments everybody is seated and has their Pizza.

To Thors joy, Loki enjoys the food he was praising to him. Not openly of course, but he couldnt keep the corner of his mouth from twitching up. Everybody knows, no complaint is praise enough.

"So, where will you guys live?", Steve asks to break the silence. Loki just looks at Thor, who swallows audibly at the question, "Well, we would need to look for a place to stay except- You know, if we could take residency in your noble castle Stark.". You stop eating, giving this your undevided attention. "I mean sure, theres enough space. Just dont call the Hammer through the walls; better yet, dont break stuff at all. And behave!", he looks directly to Loki at the last part. He raises his hands in mock surrender, "I wouldnt dare.". "Dont worry Stark, I wont let the goat mistreat your benevolence. Thank you for your kindness to not leave us without shelter.", the blonde god bows with a teethy smile.

Your eyes wander to Loki who is seated on a hassock, jaw clenched at the nickname Thor just called him. Mighty lord above, that jaw- You swear something inside you just ignited. And those thighs, wait. Why the hell are you staring at his thighs? Why must that armour of his be so tight in those places? I bet he purposefully got them made like that. God get a grip woman! You pinch yourself and peel your eyes away from that sinful eye candy which now even lives here. Ugh, thats gonna be a challenge.

"I know, I'm such a self less guy, right?", Tony says, shoving a piece of pizza in his mouth. You scoff at him, and even Bruce raises an eyebrow at him.

Which reminds you of bounderies that have yet to be set. "No takeing my stuff and no going in my room without permission!", you raise a pointer finger, pointing between both of them. "Of course lady Y/n.", Thor assures you, to which you narrow your gaze. As long as there is enough pop tarts your food should be safe from Thor, but Loki?

You will have to see what happens.

That dude can teleport, shapeshift, he could go into your room without you even knowing. The thought makes you tingly, NO! Get your mind out of your panties Y/n! Hell, he could probably even shift to look like Nat! You nearly spirall down the lane of paranoia but you shrug it off. You panicking would only encurage him.

"If there are two more residents now, we really have to start writing down groceries. This cant keep on happeing, or somebody's gonna get shanked." Tony looks at you annoyed, "Just tell Jar what to get. It will show up in the app. As I've told all of you at least ten times.". "Hey! Dont get pissy with me! At least I try to make a homemade meal every now and then, everybody else just orders food! No wonder Fury orders annual fitness exams!", you lay an offende hand on your chest. "Just tell him in the future!", Tony rolls his eyes.

"Fitness exams? Well, that is new.", Thor laughs. "Oh yea, these [you point at Tony, Sam, Scott and Clint] have got cought one night, throwing something which can only be described as a grease feast.", you tell the god who hadnt been here for a few months. The culprets avert their gaze, clint starts whistling and Scott clears his throat. "That sounds revolting and yet I want to be part of a feast like that.", Thor mutters, makeing you face palm yourself and Sam clap his shoulder with a nod. "Well, you will have to do it secretly, Fury is onto all of us. Which reminds me, we have to burn the evidence of this right here or he'll make us do burpees again.", the memory makes you shudder.

"Oh come on, a bit of exercise would be really good for all of us.", Steve says sternly, earning several annoyed grunts. "A bit of exercise?! Have you forgotten what Fury did last time?", Tony says in a higher than usual voice. "It wasnt that bad-", Steve tries to continue but several people cut him off. "NOT THAT BAD?!"

"Thats easy coming from the super soldier!", Nat speaks up. Yes, even she struggled during the Burpee incident. "I had to wear my suit to even go to the bathroom! Do you know how much Pepper mocked me?!", Tony bores his fingers into Caps chest, furious from the reminder of those days.

"Three days I couldnt move! And the following week was hell on earth, every movement hurt! Even the hulk was out of it!", Bruce whines. You swear you heard Loki snicker and whisper "Server you right.". Brucy was in so much pain, the hulk broke out, but even he couldnt move. It was a pathetic sight, the unbeatable hulk starfishing in the hallway, whiped out by some burpees. If Loki knew, he probably wouldnt stop laughing, given his and the hulks history.

"I couldnt lift my arm to press the elevator buttons! I CRAWLED to my room, THATS how bad it was!", you damn near cry at the memory.

"You are all just out of shape!", Steve shakes his head. "Shut up!", Nat throws a magazine at him but he, of course, catches it.

"I'm so glad to not be an official member yet. I think I would have died that day, I'm not even kidding.", Peter says small. "Lucky.", you mumble.

There is a few moments of solemn silence, until Thor says, "So when are we doing the next grease feast?", earning himself a room full of offended glares.

#loki god of mischief #loki x you #loki x y/n #loki x reader #avenger loki #avenger reader #loki odinson #loki laufeyson #loki fanfction #sexualapocalysesociety #loki smut #dom loki #sub reader #loki fluff #tbmaw

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imthepunchlord · 4 months

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In your au which kwamis could be in the prodigious and miraculous side forces?

Hm... for this, I'll stick to what is canon. I'm not going to think about the groups, just going to roll out where I think they could place.

Miraculous

Ladybug, largely works off Tikki and her advise of prioritizing others and being considerate of them, the power to mass restore would work nicely with the themes around Miraculous. Ladybugs in general also work with the themes and ideals of Miraculous, they are known for love and luck, but they are also known for divine intervention, being direct servants of God and the Virgin Mary, and will go out of their way to assist and heal those who are suffering. And a lot of what I read up on Ladybug in terms of myth and folklore stems from Europe, so makes sense for it to be European based.

Bee I would vote Miraculous working off it's symbolism and themes, as bees whole thing are about the community, communication, provision, prosperity, and team work. Venom techncially would be a more Prodigious power, but that is something I could see Cat's Cataclysm do (destroy one's mobility), we could roll with Bee having a different power. Pollen would also need an overhaul in terms of personality, probably have a lot of the same moral stances as Tikki, but could be more aware and considerate of humans, wants to be more engaging and flexible on guiding them as she wants to help them thrive as they're meant to be vs Tikki's ideals on how humans should behave, and could have a bit more sass and a slight temper that has her "sting" back. Bee I've also seen more info about them in Europe (with Celts and Greeks) than with China.

Peafowl I would vote Miraculous. In terms of symbolism, it works better for Miraculous, they're tied to vision/looking to the future, rejuvenation/phoenix ties, taking in evil and turning it into beauty, purity, protection; peacocks kinda have the same level of significance on Europe vs China, but it's a bit more iconic with it's ties to Hera. The power would need to be changed as the ability to make literal life, fully control it, and terminate at a snap of a fingers isn't very Miraculous. Duusu I would also vote to get an overhaul in personality as they went more birdbrain persona, and Duusu probably should've been more on the elitist and vain, but still benevolent and optimistic.

Rabbit I was a little unsure on but I think ultimately would be more Miraculous than Prodigious. Rabbits at the core are known for speed, creation, artistry, healing, and providing, the latter aspects seen with the Moon Rabbit and the Easter Bunny, which originates from Eostre, a goddess of spring and harvest. The power and kwami would need to be changed up as time traveling is pretty OP, and the AiW reference I don't think works well.

Horse I would vote Miraculous, they are heavily tied to protection, heroism, nobility, and divinity. And not just in Europe, but also India and China too. From what I've seen research wise, everybody agrees horses are majestic and awesome, to the point that anything negative to them in myth is small in comparison to the benevolent icons they are in various myths. So while Horse pops up everywhere and could go anywhere, it would match with Miraculous by what they largely represent. And Kaalki echoes this, while she is an elitist snob, you do know she has a high standard and expects her humans to be noble heroes.

Goat I would vote more Miraculous, especially if you incorporate Sheep into it as well. Between the two, it's ultimately a very positive symbol that echoes ambition and bravery, as well as provision, gentleness, and fellowship. You do have goats and sheep tied to various gods, like Ares, Thor, and Agni; if doing power changes, I would vote making Goat THE combative force of the Miraculous. And the little we see of Ziggy suggests to me she'd lean more Miraculous.

Rooster I would vote Miraculous. They do have some negative association (ego and aggression), but their ties to honesty, vigilance, prosperity, confidence, valor, and protection stand out a lot more. Mythology often has it a herald of what's coming, so I would vote it have something relating to foresight instead.

Prodigious

Cat I would initially vote Prodigious, though it would mean that Cat and Ladybug aren't uniquely a pair anymore, but maybe that's for the better since the show didn't do a good job at making them a pair as the Ladybug is established as being far more important than the Cat is. But the power of Cataclysm can go either way in used for beneficial or destructive use. Plagg would also meet the qualifications of a Prodigious kwami by being more morally grey, understanding the one is just as important as he'll encourage humans to be selfish, go do what they want, and he'd rather skip out his heroic duty. Cats in general also have mixed themes, they can be lucky and unlucky, they can be loving companions to independent loners, they can be sources of protection or bringers of chaos.

Turtle I stand by being a Prodigious, while not chaotic as some others, it is more tied to prioritizing the self. One's own longevity and survival, one's own protection, though it does have that possibility of being a shield for others. The little we have of Wayzz suggests he leans more Miraculous. Turtles though are very big in China, being one of the sacred animals and thought to be a rare equal to the dragon, so makes sense for it to be tied to China.

Fox I'd vote Prodigious, as the power of making illusions is typically more antagonistic in use, though it can be used for greater good. Foxes are also dual in moral standing and protrayals, some are heroes that win with trickery, while others are antagonists that trick and take advantage of others. Sapotis Trixx also matches with a Prodigious kwami as they sounded like they were for Alya going against LB and using the Fox full time, but did drop in the word trustworthy to remind Alya that she is being trusted by LB, and leaves it up to this human on how to act. It's was a bit of a gamble, and Trixx's best moment, so it's a shame they became more childish. Foxes do appear in various culture, though the eastern fox is a lot more iconic, so it feels fitting to be in the more Chinese based group.

Mouse would be a Prodigious. Rodents in general stand out for cleverness and communication in mythology, and they do have good and bad associations while being more positive in the east while more negative in the west. By power, it's technically working with others but it's also working exclusively with yourself. And the little we see of Mullo is quite impish. So Mouse I'd say is a Prodigious.

Tiger would be Prodigious, not only does it have strong ties to China, this eastern king of beasts is tied to chaos and change and is the yin counter to Dragon, seeking to challenge the order Dragon established. Clout would match with a Prodigious power, though I would vote it be changed as that's technically a power Cataclysm could also do. Roaar as a kwami I don't have enough on personality wise outside being curious and pushy. But for sure Tiger would be a Prodigious.

Dragon by default of being the Chinese Zodiac Dragon and the western Dragons are often malicious, would be a Prodigious. And by default of powers tied to elements in a storm, that can be beneficial or chaotic. What we see of Longg suggests she's a kwami that would lean more Miraculous, everything else would have her be a Prodigious kwami.

Snake would be a Prodigious to play off it's duality, as this animal represents life and death, good and evil, justice and vengeance, wisdom and power. It's been tied to divinity and protection, but also wickedness and betrayal. That power can be flexible in it's use. The little we see of Sass suggests he'd lean more Miraculous, but truthfully, he should be along the lines of Trixx, having quite the silver tongue and be morally grey.

Monkey hands down is a Prodigious. With a power and kwami tied to being chaotic and impish, it has no place amongst the Miraculous. And of course, monkeys have cultural significance in China but not so in Europe.

Either

Butterfly I did Prodigious as an example, but honestly it could go either way. It's power works off being a social butterfly, elevating someone else up to help a community/area, ideally making heroes. That works off Miraculous caring for others over the one. It can be used to make villains, but it could be a difficult to misuse as you are relying on another person, and people are unpredictable, and this power heightens their emotions, which can make them even more chaotic. But it can also match with Prodigious as it focuses on granting to one. And it can be a chaotic power to use. And it's easy to misuse, as despite people being unpredictable, Gabriel didn't have that much of a struggle. Kwami wise, Nooroo I see leaning more Miraculous. But for themes with butterflies and moths, that kinda goes more Prodigious, cause they're tied to love and death, omens of change, chaos and transformation, represents the soul. So Butterfly can go either way, it could be Ladybug's equal as a Miraculous, or it could be one of the more powerful Prodigious.

Ox can go either way. Including bulls into this, this animal has been tied with being a literal powerhouse and can be destructive (bulldoze, bull in a China shop, bulls having a tie to the destroyer, Shiva), but it's also tied with sacrifice, shouldering the burden of others, bravery, strength in character and in a physical sense, and standing your ground. It's also an animal tied to divinity, with the Sacred Bull showing up in different cultures. So I could see it go either way, and there's not enough on the kwami for me to say where he would go.

Dog could go either way. They do have a lot of positive associations tied to unconditional love, acceptance, loyalty, duty, diligence, fellowship, protection, and assistance, but there are also a lot of dogs tied to Hell/the Underworld/death (Cerberus, hellhounds, Cu Sith, Barghest, Sharvara and Shyama, Garmr). And if Dog does incorporate Wolf too, then there's the iconic Big Bad Wolf and mythical Fenrir. So Dog could go either way on being a Miraculous or Prodigious.

Pig is also in the same boat as it has mixed reception. In the west, it has negatives of being lazy, gluttonous, aggressive through boars; but in the east it's tied to luck and prosperity. Kwami could go either way, what we see of Daizzi is sweet, but he also seems rude and oblivious. Gift would lean more Miraculous, but I'd also vote it being changed as it feels like it's one of those powers that were done to work off the human planned for the Miraculous than the animal, like Chloe planned to get Bee so it has a "stinging" power even though bees are so much more than stingers.

#ask Punchie #miraculous prodigious #kwamis

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motherknuckers · 2 months

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I was showing my auntie and cousin some of the undertakers most iconic matches with shawn michaels.

Triple H: *comes out to drag a bloody Shawn Michaels out the ring*

Auntie: "now who the hell is this"

Cousin: "I don't know... Thor?"

#wwe #the undertaker #shawn michaels #triple h #degeneration x

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welpjesuisla · 3 months

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Tagged: 10 Fandoms, 10 Characters, 10 Tags

⁄⁠(⁠⁄⁠ ⁠⁄⁠•⁠⁄⁠-⁠⁄⁠•⁠⁄⁠ ⁠⁄⁠)⁠⁄ Thank you for the tag @x-authorship-x 🥰

John Doe (UnOrdinary)

First off, yes, his name really is John Doe LOL. He's not a very popular type of main character - at least in my experience. He's fiercely protective and cunning. And he struggles a lot with figuring himself out. He's the kind of main character that you have to follow around even when you don't agree with his decisions.

Shikamaru Nara (Naruto)

Underrated fr. Like we have so very few braincell holders in Naruto and Shikamaru is a reluctant holder of one. Despite his genius we all are aware of just how human he is. He still is vulnerable to the natural things of life and his own emotions.

Yes i am going to go on living life pretending that the Burrito version of Shikamaru doesn't exist :)

Ochaco Uraraka (Boku No Hero Academia)

The cute girl that could and would fight you and WIN.

She has a special place for me. She could have so easily been left at just the cute best friend girl or the poor girl gag or quirky love interest. But she isn't! And it's refreshing! She takes the path she set out on seriously. She has a kindness about her but she is also determined to do what's right. And she's prepared to take what steps she needs to protect herself and others. If you say her match with Bakugou didn't change your brain chemistry YOU'RE LYING!

Obi (Akagami No Shirayukihime)

The man that he is. Full disclosure, I've read a lot of Shoujo but OBI is truly the first character that I craved more of. Seriously, I want his backstory so bad but I fear we'll never be allowed to have it. He's an assassin turned official knight. He's roguish but just as seamlessly can be a gentleman. He's dangerous but he chooses to be soft and fond. Don't even get me started on the found family dynamics!!

Minhyuk (I Love Yoo)

The best big brother/best friend ever.

Minhyuk is THE BEST. And I accept Nothing Else. He's the pillar needed in crazy situations. Even if he's not physically there. He understands when to push and when to play around. Genuinely the only guy I trust with Shin-ae's literal life (Sorry, Dieter). He has her best interests at heart even when he's not completely in the know about what's going on. Dude is willing to try fighting CEOs to protect her and DID fight her stalkers.

Padme Amidala (Star Wars)

Okay her taste in men is to be taken with a bucket of salt BUT!!

Come on! Queen!! Undercover specialist - posing as her on Lady-in-waiting is such a boss move! Unafraid of active warzones and assassination attempts! Fashion icon!

Loki (Thor MCU)

As you may be seeing: i have a tendency to gravitate to characters that are usually inclined to manipulation and violence complex. I could genuinely go on and on about the beautiful depth of his character but then I'd get sad about what he became in Ragnarok and onwards. But yeah, love Loki - adore him truly!!!

Koushi Sugawara (Haikyuu!!)

Chaotic good at its finest.

THE Morale!! THE Refreshing!! THE Mom!! OUR Vice Captain!! The lovely Suga!! The biggest chaos gremlin of them all! Would literally win in a fight with every single member of the Karasuno team (with merciless cheating lol). I love the diversity in him: he can be the steady senpai, flipping at a switch between happy-go-lucky and excitable aggression, seems like the least threatening member when he loves screwing with the other side mentally. He's great >:)

Diana Prince (Wonder Woman)

Literally my favorite rendition of Wonder Woman. She's sheltered but well-intentioned. She's determined and doesn't let things like social norms get in her way. She brought humanity to a setting we constantly forget the humanity of. She's not afraid of being emotional because there's no shame in it. She showed us what some heroes forget to show us, that things aren't always good and bad guys.

Kim Dokja (Omniscient Reader Viewpoint)

He's such a mastermind, he's great!! A MENACE UNLEASHED!

Okay so admittedly, i don't think I'll even be able to scratch the surface of the genius that is his character. He's literally Upgraded Coping Mechanism on top of Well-used Coping Mechanism. A Reader given the same detachment from reality that protected them but debilitated them but now it makes them the most powerful and prepared. And he uses it with so much tangible smugness

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olet-lucernam · 15 days

Text

A Hollow Promise [26] chapter vi, part iii

{_[on AO3]_}

main tags : loki x original character, post-avengers 2012, canon divergence - post-thor: the dark world, canon-typical violence, mentions of torture

summary: In the aftermath of the Battle of New York, the Avengers need a few days to build a transport device for the Tesseract. With the Helicarrier damaged and surveillance offline, SHIELD sends an asset to guard Loki in the interim: a young woman who sees the truth in all things, and cannot lie.

Even long presumed dead, her memories lost to her, Loki would know her anywhere.

And this changes things.

Some things last beyond infinity. And the universe is in love with chaos.

(Loki was never looking for redemption. It came as an unexpected side-effect.)

chapter summary : astrid gathers her allies, and draws the attention of her enemies. loki pays a heavy price for a victory.

recommended listening : let's get it started, måneskin

tag list: @femmealec, @mischief2sarawr

special thanks to the lovely @mischief2sarawr: when i had to rewrite pretty much all of this, their encouragement helped me get it done within a matter of days, instead of weeks. (thanks for the virtual tea, sarah <3)

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Actually- Ophelia wasn’t even her second appointment.

During daylight hours and early evening, the tight-woven alleys of Shinjuku’s Golden Gai were almost serene, lined with potted plants, faced in pale stone. By nightfall, however, the countless micro-bars that hemmed the narrow passageways threw open their doors and exploded into neon light and colour and conversation, entrances plastered with stickers, interiors crammed with patrons, walls pasted with advertisements and unique theming, spilling with the smell of beer and charcoal smoke, electric signs and sandwich boards and utility boxes jutting out like soliciting hands over the stone stoops.

Each establishment only had a tiny footprint- two storeys high and barely large enough to host more than a dozen patrons at a time- and therefore tended to be selective, some only catering to regulars and refusing tourists.

Fortunately, Astrid had been introduced at a few of the bars before- and she was due to meet someone there.

She had been waiting outside, carefully tucked out of the way of passing foot traffic- the same wool coat from Cornwall now arranged as a cape over her shoulders, draped over a black cocktail dress with one sleeve artistically falling off her shoulder, polished up with her favourite pair of blush-pink heels, filigree golden hardware glinting- when she felt a familiar presence storming up from behind, Manolo Blahniks snapping on the pavement.

A hand seized her elbow, dragging her into the bar with a hiss.

“You suck, ‘Strid.”

Astrid heard the annoyance, and general insincerity beneath it, and grinned.

“Hisashiburi, Miko-chan,” Astrid said in sugar-coated, casual Japanese. “Genki desu ka?”

“I hate you,” the voice groused.

Laughing quietly, Astrid allowed herself to be shoved into the tiny space, and towards a perilously narrow staircase, climbing to the second floor to seek out one of the small booths.

She had barely lowered herself into her seat, shrugging the coat from her shoulders, when the other person dropped heavily into the chair opposite her, unceremonious and pointed.

Socialite heiress, fashion icon, and sole grandchild of the chairman of Fujikawa Industries, Rumiko was confident, intimidating, and the consummate, catty epitome of the rich bitch archetype; she was Regina George’s grasp on social capital, thrown into a blender with Heather Duke’s utter ruthlessness, topped up with Cher Horowitz’s fashion sense. Overdressed in a silk Givenchy slip dress, complete with Cartier earrings and a matching watch, her satin-gloss hair tumbled to her waist and wisped above her downturn eyebrows, jaw locked in a scathing disapproval that would make a lesser being curdle into themselves.

“What are you even wearing? You could have at least worn that Dior piece I got you.”

Astrid smirked at the familiar barb, electing not to point out that her dress was Valentino, and the shoes were Ralph and Russo.

“Good to see you too. Am I buying the cocktails?”

“Fuzakenna yo, kora! You disappeared for two years, yes, you’re buying the cocktails-”

“It was eighteen months, I gave you the heads up, and in my defence, I was abducted for fourteen of them,” Astrid rattled off, already slipping out of her seat and pulling out her wallet, stuffed with freshly obtained yen. “I’ll be back.”

Rumiko jolted. “What?! You were abdu-”

“Later. Long story. Drinks first.”

“You’re a dead woman, North, I swear-”

Astrid hid her grin.

Predictably, Rumiko had loosened up enough to listen to her by the time she reached the bottom of her first drink. If they had talked over coffee, or brunch, Astrid wouldn’t have been able to get a word in edgeways. Rumiko was incorrigible when her temper was piqued, and Astrid had expected her disappearance to be an issue.

The two of them had met by chance, years ago. Rumiko’s paternal grandfather was Kenjiro Fujikawa, the CEO of Fujikawa Industries, a tech company with a niche in sophisticated surgical robotics. While she was merely expected to marry whichever worthy successor Kenjiro selected for her, Rumiko was still regularly pulled to attend medical conferences, and various industry-based galas and dinner.

It was at one such event that Astrid- as Astrid North, not as Alethia- had met her.

The two had become friends, in the kind of half-accidental way that might have happened if they had attended the same school. But they had become close enough that Astrid had expected Rumiko to be a little sour, when she returned, even with the warning that she would be disappearing for a while. Rumiko hated being left in the dark, and Astrid had told her nothing.

She hadn’t expected the sourness to be masking masses of pure, trembling relief.

So as Rumiko guzzled down her second sidecar, Astrid gave her the truth.

It was far from everything, but it was enough- and more than Astrid volunteered to most- either those who knew Astrid, or those who knew Alethia.

When she was finished, Rumiko set her half-empty coupé glass on the table, not quite slamming it down, faintly disconcerted.

“Okay. If it wasn’t for New York, I’d be getting out the straitjacket.”

“If it wasn’t for New York, I wouldn’t be telling you this,” Astrid rejoined, swallowing a mouthful of her espresso martini. She felt oddly drained, brimming with endorphins, like the aftermath of a workout.

“That’s fair,” Rumiko said dryly. “You sound insane. It’s literally like the plot of Men In Black- wait. ‘Strid. Could you be an alien?”

“Maybe.” Astrid admitted blandly, shrugging one shoulder. “I haven’t eliminated the possibility.”

Rumiko blew out a breath, head dropping forwards briefly. “Okay. We need beer. And fried chicken.”

“Mm, good call.”

Once their table was packed with piping-hot plates of fried izakaya dishes, their glasses refilled- Rumiko switching over to a frothing plastic pitcher of beer and Astrid taking up sake- Rumiko was significantly calmer, hardening over with the kind of ruthlessly practical, efficient composure that would have made her an excellent successor to FI, if her grandfather had been an ounce or so less of a misogynist.

“Okay, so- let’s figure out where you stand.” Rumiko said efficiently, picked up a piece of karaage with her chopsticks, grease and sesame seeds glistening on the batter. “I mean, it all depends on what you want, but either way-” she pointed her loaded chopsticks at Astrid, before popping the fried chicken into her mouth, “this agency.”

“This agency,” Astrid agreed with a dip of her head, sipping on her sake.

“You’re off their radar right now, but it sounds like they have the sheer resources and numbers to just keep looking, so, that’s likely temporary.” Rumiko tapped her nails against her glass, leaning forwards against her elbows. “Okay. Do you have any backchannels you can use? Anyone who seemed sympathetic, or might hear you out if you got in contact? You might be able to cut a deal, if you can figure out some leverage. It’s either that, or you’ll need a deterrent. Some way to make the cost too high, or the gains too low, to keep coming after you. Again, you’ll need leverage for that. Where are you staying right now? And how long can you lay low? If we can buy you some time-”

Astrid’s expression had cleared, focused as a lens, and Rumiko paused.

“What?” She prompted.

One shoulder lifting, Astrid bought her cup to her mouth.

“You really need to start that PR crisis firm, Ru.”

Startled, Rumiko reared upright from her casual slouch. “The fuck, ‘Strid?”

“Well, I have just told you that I am wanted by a secretive multinational agency,” she pointed out, dropping her voice low enough to blend within the camouflaging ambient chatter of the tiny bar, “who abducted me and has been covering up the existence of magic and monsters since the forties- and you acclimated within fifteen minutes, then launched straight into working out how to handle it. Remind me again why you’re not making bank from this? Aside from your grandfather being a jackass, I mean.”

“Oh my god, we’re so not doing this right now,” Rumiko muttered into her glass, followed by an unladylike gulp of beer.

One corner of Astrid’s mouth curled.

There was a subtle, telling flatness in Rumiko’s scowl, as the words and their sentiments sank in- like water soaking into soft earth, swiftly and undramatically, absorbed and drawing itself down.

Setting her cup aside, Astrid let Rumiko ignore it, for now. “Are those my only options? Bargain, deter, appease?”

“What, you have another plan?”

The question wasn’t quite rhetorical, but it was tinted with a rational scepticism.

If Astrid had been anyone else- anything other than truth incarnate, or someone who had gone up against SHIELD for years with nothing but her wits and her ability to arm her, fallen in love with a demigod, and promised him everything- she might have agreed.

“If the world doesn’t work for you,” she said, taking up her chopsticks and plucking a cube of fried tofu from one of the plates, swiping in through the dipping sauce, “then change the world. Right?”

Rumiko froze, looking from under her fringe to glare at her incredulously.

“You’re not fucking serious.”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Because that’s insane.”

“Is it? The world already broke in New York. I would just be rearranging the pieces.”

“I take it back,” Rumiko said bluntly, dropping her chopsticks and topping off her beer glass. “I’m getting the damn straitjacket.”

“Good luck with that,” Astrid answered breezily. “I’ll give you a clean number, later, so don’t worry about me disappearing again. Not completely, anyway.”

“You’re insane,” Rumiko reiterated.

“But you think I can do it,” she stated neutrally, meeting Rumiko’s eyes, the words tasting golden and hot in her chest, metal and bright.

Rumiko stared back at her for a long, fierce moment.

“You’re serious.”

Astrid picked up and popped one of the mayo prawns into her mouth. “Yes.”

Rumiko hissed out an exasperated breath, worry creeping into the crimp of her perfect eyebrows.

“’Strid.” She said grimly. “Seriously. Going up against a multinational spy agency. Is this really worth it?”

“Yes.”

The heat in the word burned like a brand.

Rumiko looked back at her, despairing and incredulous and impressed.

“You’re insane,” she said resignedly.

Astrid laughed. “If you set up the scaffolding for that PR firm within two years, I’ll give you a gift.”

“I am not starting a-”

Rumiko paused.

“A gift?” She echoed, intrigued and sceptical. “What kind of gift?”

“That would be for you to find out. You know I give the best gifts, Ru,” Astrid pointed out. “Remember when I gave you the wing mirror from your ex’s car?”

Rumiko’s mouth tilted into a nostalgic smile.

“That was a really nice present,” she conceded fondly, before grimacing, reaching for the pitcher to top up her beer glass. “But tonight, all I want is alcohol.”

Astrid laughed, and leaned in to clunk her cup again Rumiko’s glass.

“Ah, fine. I suppose I owe you that much,” she agreed easily. “But in that case- shots?”

Rumiko’s eyes glinted.

“Karaoke?”

An hour later, as they stumbled out of the bar, arms linked and heading out to get into trouble somewhere in Kabukicho, Astrid dropped her notebook into her pocket with its second entry.

Ink pens.

Ophelia would be deeply insulted if she ever found out that she wasn’t even Astrid’s third port of call.

Astrid was tempted to tell her. It would be good to regulate her ego.

The taste of alcohol was still sour in her mouth, swilled with water, the tang masked by the fresh espresso and gelato that was gently melting in a glass bowl in front of her.

The afternoon air in Rome was cool, despite clear sun-soaked skies and the heat of the crowded streets. Clouds of chatter and the clink of plates and glasses reflected against the warm, pale-yellow brick, the buildings carved with classical ornamentation, spilling with artfully cultivated vines, stained with graffiti. The sett-block pavement was hemmed with café boards, parked motorcycles, and folding wooden-slat bistro tables; cream parasols and restaurant awnings created pockets of deeper shade, between arched shopfronts.

Astrid spooned up the last of her affogato with a swirl of silverware, lips sealing over the spoon.

Seated at the café bar, she was twisted side-on against the counter, watching the passing foot traffic and outside tables through the windows. A cross-breeze drifted over her every so often, cutting in through the entryway and seeping through her clothes, refreshing her overheated skin.

“Propiro l’affogato, sì?” The ageing server behind the counter prompted, briskly pleasant as he calculated her bill. “The, ah- qual è il nom inglese-”

Astrid swallowed a melted mouthful of vanilla, cream, and espresso.

“It’s affogato in English as well,” she told him, startling the waiter. “Il mio Italiano è pessimo?”

“No, no, per niente! Il tuo accento è- your accent, it’s very good! Molto bene. Ma- in Rome,” the server bought a wrinkled hand to cup his ear indicatively, “you hear it, sì? I can tell you’re English, a little.”

Astrid nodded, setting her spoon down and gently pushing the empty glass bowl away from her.

“Ah, vedo- è il tuo orecchio, non la mia bocca, sì?”

“Sì, esattamente! Ho sentito che- I can hear, that you learn it when you are grown,” he said with a grin, “not when little.”

“Ah, vedo- ciò ha senso. I did a summer at Sapenzia,” she explained gamely. “I had a friend who used to say the same thing. That my cadence gave me away.”

“Aha, bene, bene! You’re here to visit your friend?”

“Sì, ma- as a surprise,” Astrid admitted, unsnapping her wallet from where it rested at her elbow, before glancing towards the windows, and the bistro tables arranged within their sight. “Ah- do you see the two women seated under the vines?”

The waiter paused, looking up and leaning to see. “Sì- la bruna e la rossa?”

“Sì. La bruna? Quello è il mio amico.”

His dark eyes widened demonstrably. “Veramente?”

Astrid grinned at him, resting her chin on the hell of her palm. “She doesn’t know that I’m here.” Slipping a credit card loose from her purse with her free hand, she rapped it against the bar top. “Do you think I could pay their cheque, signore? Come una sorpresa?”

His mouth formed a silent exhale of understanding, tapping the side of his aquiline nose before returning to the register. “Naturalmente, signorina- ah, you want me to tell her it was you? Or will you tell her later?”

“Mm.” Astrid watched the server pull up the order details of the table. “Do you have a serviette, signore?”

Less than five minutes later, Astrid left the café, stepping out into the sunlight just in time to see the same server pausing at one of the al fresco tables.

As Astrid had observed on her way into the bistro, two women were seated underneath the arch of a vine clinging to the outer wall, with several half-finished plates on the table between them.

The first- a redhead, the coppery tresses cropped into a flattering pixie-cut, broad-shouldered in an olive jacket and white capris jeans- had her back to Astrid, the slight curve of her face in profile just barely visible. The second woman was facing towards her, torso leaned askew and head tipped up, mildly annoyed askance painted across her face like a fresco as she spoke to the server.

Arms folded forward onto the table, the fall of her black hair almost bleeding into her tank top, Vittoria Montesi hadn’t changed much from when Astrid had last seen her. She was still model-lean, as though she subsisted solely on coffee and cigarettes- which was probably accurate, if her on-call diet hadn’t changed since residency- with a full, sceptical mouth, poised to argue and drive and diagnose.

Astrid waited just long enough to see the server hand her the napkin, before melting into the crowd with a grin and a lilt in her weaving steps, escaping towards the tourist trap of the Fontana di Trevi.

A new addition was jotted into her notebook with a borrowed pen.

Coffee grounds.

Several hours later, Astrid departed from the Gallery.

Arriving back at the Madripoor penthouse, she stripped out of her clothes, changing into a comfortable camisole, jersey shorts, and thigh-high socks, and retrieved her notebook from the breakfast bar.

New shoes, Astrid wrote onto her list- before flipping the cover shut, tossing the pen down, and collapsing into the sofa with a soft groan.

Four.

It was a start.

Lying in the demi-dark, cheek pressed into the arm of the couch, impatience hummed under her skin like an electric current, settling in the roots of her teeth. Her heart drummed hard and impatient against the adipose-softened wall of her breastbone, eyes open.

The silver light of the city rinsed through the windows, across the apartment, pooling across the floor like the shallow waterline of the incoming tide. Her synapses were slowing, sloping into a long-overdue caffeine crash- but four felt like not enough, not enough, not enough.

She had done more on less sleep.

Four would need to be hundreds. Thousands. Tens, hundreds of thousands.

Four was not enough.

It had only been twenty-four hours, but it had been almost natural, for her to slip into the mindset that she had lived in for years: keep moving, keep working, don’t stop, don’t hesitate, be smart, be quick, be relentless, use your greed, use your selfishness, next step, next step, next step-

Everything else became easy to ignore. The storm within her, whatever doubt and anger and loneliness and turmoil broiled inside, pressing behind her eyes like to urge to sob, became simple fuel, like glucose, until she was done.

None of it would matter, once she got what she wanted- and if it did matter, she would deal with it then, when it was safe.

It was easy, because Astrid was her father’s daughter. He had taught her how to use her worst traits as a whetstone, to make herself scalpel-sharp.

Her flesh was cooling, the cushions were warm, and her limbs grew heavy and slack with every passing moment.

And she suddenly remembered Loki’s parting words to her, as she had finished the dregs of their rose tea at the Cornish tea parlour.

I should get up, darling, he murmured reluctantly. I must get to work. But make sure you take your rest- I want to see you later.

Astrid sighed into a smile, defeated.

Sly bastard, she thought fondly.

She shouldn’t keep him waiting.

Lifting her head just long enough to set an alarm on her phone, Astrid dropped the device on the coffee table and sank back into the sofa, limbs sliding across the upholstery in a drag of wool and cotton and bare skin, as she let sleep claim her- just for a little while.

54 weeks and 6 days out

“I’ve walked the deserts for miles Swam the waters for a tide Searching places to find A piece of something to call, mine A piece of something to call, mine- Coming closer to you-”

You will be careful, won’t you, Astra?

“Hm?” Astrid paused her singing, fingers still strumming at her keyboard, the click of the keys weaving her response into the comment box like a shuttle in a loom. “With what?”

She clicked post, watching the response box disappear.

The text popped up within the thread, slotting into place in the conversation, sealed into format. Astrid clicked away, skimming the rest of the forum.

This, Loki replied, with the mental equivalent of an expansive gesture. Whipping up a group over which you do not have full control.

“Mm, you’re one to talk, alderliefest,” Astrid commented, eyes unmoving from the screen of her laptop, reaching for the plate at her side, “with what you’ve been doing through- Brunn, was it?”

Brunnhilde, Loki confirmed- but immediately becoming distracted by what Astrid had bitten into.

Cut thick, the slab of pain pavé was spread with unsalted butter and honeycomb- treacly and faintly earthy with clouds of unprocessed pollen

It tasted of late summer and wildflower meadows, and dirt on her skin, a shock of calories into her system.

Over the weeks, Astrid had been narrowing down Loki’s preferences. Within his sweet tooth, it seemed that he had a particular weakness for anything that featured honey, or chocolate; honey reminded him of Asgard, of better memories and better days, of the royal city at golden hour and light-hearted laughter, of his brother’s broad grin and of a flash of pale-bright hair that always sent Astrid’s stomach swooping with something unidentifiable whenever it flickered into her mind, through his.

Chocolate seemed to provoke thoughts of Midgard. It made him think of city cafés, of her bed in the penthouse, of cold mornings as she went through her morning routine, of the warmth of the crook of her neck and the view of snow-capped mountains through broad windows.

Astrid had gained a new appreciation of chocolate.

And touché, Loki conceded, his thoughts still humming with pleasure at the taste of the honeycomb.

She tongued the soft film of beeswax from her teeth, quietly content for a precious, ephemeral moment.

It felt better, at least. The ache of their separation- and the omnipresent lack and malcontent that she could live with, but never quite ignore- was less when he was there, and she was reminded that she was doing something, moving closer.

Coming closer to you, Astrid hummed the sweetly-lilting bar.

A warm breeze swept over her, as she glanced up over the top of her screen.

They were in Chile today- on a rooftop amongst the soaring metropolitan clutter of Santiago. Astrid had positioned herself to gaze out at the distant summer-red of the Andes, looming above the basin of the city, hazy through the sun-bright smog; the building she was perched atop was within view of one of the city’s many green spaces, the lush foliage a shock of emerald against the concrete, a faint rush of traffic carried up on the thermal lift.

She changed where she worked every day, cycling through a roulette wheel of hemispheres, climates, continents, countries, the only prerequisites being a stable internet connection and a good view. But she had noticed that Loki liked mountains, and cool open air, and she had begun peppering them in as often as possible.

I, however, am far more removed from my work, Loki pressed, edged with caution. And circumstances leave me beneath suspicion. You are far closer to the fire, songbird.

“Mm.” Astrid traced her collarbone absently. “True.”

Her gaze dropped to the screen, sucking a smear of honey from her opposite thumb.

“But these ones are less the fire, more the firestarters.” She added lightly.

The forum was thick with activity.

The hacktivist group known as the Rising Tide was a hornet’s nest- a collective that had sprung up in the wake of Culver, devoted to dragging SHIELD from the shadows into the cold light of day- and one that Astrid had repeatedly agitated, pointed in the right direction, and watched swarm SHIELD’s most recent project.

With New York, they had been galvanised, by a publicly validated raison d’être.

The corner of her mouth folded up ruefully.

Their organisation was an ad hoc nightmare, and they were incapable of communicating with the general public without coming off as uncredible, melodramatic, conspiracy theory whackjobs - but the Rising Tide were her first true allies, arguably, and incredibly skilled at what they did.

They had given her the lead in New Mexico. Astrid would always owe them a debt, for that.

“Anyway,” Astrid said, straightening, arms extending above her head, feeling her shoulders and spine click and realign, “arguably- if anything is the fire, it’s me. It’s only a matter of time before they try to extinguish me. Before the inevitable, I should burn as bright and hot as I can- don’t you think?”

She felt Loki sigh, fondly exasperated.

As long as you don’t burn out completely.

“Completely?” She noted the specificity.

He smirked, and nipped at her shoulder. A little destruction is good for the soul. Cathartic. You deserve a little of that.

Astrid laughed softly, and imagined her own fingers running through his hair.

From his shiver, it seemed that practice was slowly beginning to pay off.

“Well, I have heard that volcanic soil is amongst the richest and most fertile in the world.”

Ah. You do have a rather volcanic temper, beloved.

“You think so? Interesting. I would call yours glacial, prince.”

She felt his eyebrows steeple in askance, faintly sardonic.

Passive and slow to act?

“Quiet. Patient. Underestimated,” she listed, leaning back slightly, feeling the illusion of him catch her weight. “Ruthless, and relentless. And with the power to reshape the world while no one is paying attention.”

Loki breathed out a laugh, and planted the sensation of a kiss behind her ear, eliciting a pleasantly startled noise from her.

Such shameless flattery, he murmured against her nape, mood warmed beneath the teasing. What am I to do, in the face of such an assault?

Astrid sighed, sinking into him- and willed herself not to think.

“Surrender,” she suggested breathily. “And believe me.”

The phantom of his arm curled around her waist, mouth nestling at the shell of her ear, folding himself around her.

His mood was tepid, opaque.

The anxiety she felt was a pit, somewhere behind the wall of her abdomen.

She refused to dwell on it, and risk drawing the keen edge of Loki’s attention onto it.

Her laptop gave a chirp of distress, and she looked up. The internet connection had dropped again.

Grateful for the distraction, Astrid sang the signal back into strength.

“I’m moving, I’m coming Can you hear what I hear? It’s calling you, my dear Out of reach-”

The bars rocketed up back up, Wi-Fi boosted from a café several dozen feet below.

Astrid exhaled a smile, propping her chin on her palm. “Take me to my bea-each…”

Old songs- ones that she had listened to and re-loved thousands of times over- were best for weaving magic as she multitasked.

Combing her hair back behind her ear, Astrid flipped through her tabs, refreshing each one, keeping up the melody under breath.

“I can hear it, calling you I’m coming, not drowning Swimming closer to you-”

One of her dummy social media accounts reloaded.

Astrid scrolled through her feed at a reflexive skim, idly liking a few posts to keep up her account activity. She was keeping track, but not sincerely expecting to see a moving of the needle, just yet.

It was something that the Rising Tide, for all their skill and drive and passion, hadn’t quite recognised yet: they could afford to lay out the trail, prompt the question, and wait.

Slow is fast, Astrid reminded herself.

Ah. Stark is trending, Loki observed idly.

“Hm?”

Astrid paused, glancing at the trending topics sidebar.

“Ah. Hardly surprising, beloved.” She lifted her shoulder. “Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist. And the world’s first modern superhero.”

Loki rearranged himself nonchalantly, like draping satin.

Is your heart still set on him, as an ally?

Astrid hummed through a sigh, leaning back slightly more, lounging against him and tipping her head to the skies, propped on the strong ledge his shoulder.

“I think,” she said slowly, “that not even trying to work with him would be like shooting ourselves in the foot, with our last bullet, while in the middle of a firefight, and then amputating the limb with an unsterilised knife and no anaesthesia.”

Graphic, Loki remarked dryly. But I take your point, my heart.

“Can I take that your approval?”

Why should I withhold it? Stark appears to be a wise choice. And the best option, amongst the Avengers.

“Damningly faint praise, prinsinn minn. We’re not exactly spoilt for choice.”

He snickered. Astrid couldn’t ignore how it sublimated at the edges into wistfulness, and a resignation that had fermented from frustration and outrage and hurt, like wine in a cask.

They both knew who Loki was thinking of- the one who should have been the better option.

It was a wound and a rift that Astrid hesitated to touch, for now.

“Still,” Astrid redirected, straightening on the palm of her hands, “I value your opinion. I want you to tell me if you think it’s a bad idea.”

I don’t, truly. An arm slipped around her waist, its weight comfortable and comforting. Astrid had to bat away the reflexive desire to feel the lean muscles flex against her abdomen, as Loki dragged her flush back against him, pinning her to the length of him. Stark listened to you, is aware of the threat, and offered me a drink, he teased. You can keep him if you wish, songbird.

“I have to obtain him, first,” Astrid riposted. “Or have him decide to obtain me.”

Just talk to him, sweet thing. How could he possibly resist?

She grinned broadly, shaking her head, the sickness in her abating. “Now who’s flattering?”

Refocusing on the trending bar, her head cocked as she caught up, wondering whether it was a personal scandal, a Stark Industries development, or a cheap editorial that had put the name in people’s mouths today.

Trending Topics #christmaseveeve #tonystark #mandarinbombings #happyfestivus

Mandarin, Loki noted, reading through her eyes. As in standard Chinese, the fruit, or the bureaucrat?

“None of the above- I think.” Astrid said distractedly, the pixels beginning to split in her vision. “It’s the supposed head of a terrorist organisation. They’ve claimed responsibility for a series of bombings, over the past few months.”

Supposed head? Loki echoed shrewdly.

She twitched her shoulder upwards wearily. “Someone is appropriating a name that doesn’t belong to them. I saw one of the videos, after the most recent incident. I know enough about the Ten Rings to know that this is someone dressing up in their colours. Especially with that moniker they-”

She halted.

Loki went still with concern.

Astra?

Gaze blank, her tongue was numb as she answered.

“The Ten Rings.”

What about it?

“Three years ago. Afghanistan. Do you remember what I told you? The incident created Iron Man.”

Loki froze.

And what better way to bait Stark, he said, quiet and sharp, than to use the name of an organisation that almost killed him?

Astrid’s hand darted out, clicking on the tag, hoping that it was just a coincidence of the algorithm-

BREAKING: Tony Stark’s mansion bombed in suspected terror attack – Iron Man missing

“Fuck!”

[PREVIOUS] | [MASTERLIST] | [NEXT]

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srvgers · 1 year

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matching thor: love and thunder icons (jane & val)

please like or reblog if you’re using/going to use !!

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favcharacterpoll · 8 months

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ROUND 3 MATCH 42: GWEN VS. USAGI

Gwendolyn Poole, alias Gwenpool, faces Usagi Tsukino, alias Sailor Moon. Who do you like more?

Gwen Propaganda:

"recently confirmed aroace!"

"GWEN IS ALSO PINK PLEASE VOTE GWEN She once wielded Mjolnir by wearing Thor's severed arm like a glove"

Usagi Propaganda:

"One of the literal most popular characters of all time, but also in my opinion the best protagonist ever written. Kindhearted and loving, powerful and pacifistic. She feels incredibly human and is universally loved in the fandom and across continents in popular culture."

"Girlie is bordering godhood, a reincarnation of a princess of an old moon kingdom, is the strongest in the universe, other people who are also some of the strongest serve her. Yet she's. Still the same person she was in the beginning. She's silly, and despite her kindness and power, she keeps being incredibly goofy.

And despite it all, she's so cringefail!!! Will cry bc a 5 year old got candy and not her, will call it unfair (and that 5 year old is her daughter from the future. Despite her power, she is incredibly human.

And while she is a stereotypical teen girl, and has her own thing about romance going on, the ultimate focus of her life is being Sailor Moon. It is protection not only of the Earth and the human world, but the universe entirely.

64.media.tumblr.com

GIF by rainbirdsky

Lastly, I've seen some people mention that Norma is bisexual for their propaganda, but so is Usagi! Yes, she ends up with Mamoru, however throughout the series and the manga she develops numerous crushes on women. Haruka, the character above, is one of the examples. She also very commonly remarks on other women's attractiveness throughout the series.

And while the anime (especially 90s version) hid Usagi's queerness, the original manga shows many instances of her crushing on girls.

Lastly, no matter if you're a die hard Sailor Moon fan or someone who watched Sailor Moon as a kid, her cultural impact is undeniable. Sailor Moon is one of the most iconic, one of the best written, characters ever created. She led to the modern resurgence of currently popular pop culture themes such as first love, personalification of celestial bodies, powerful women in media, fashion trends from the 90s to today. And while several characters had wonderful style, Usagi's was the most influential of them all:

She influenced 90s comeback, high chromatic clothing, preppy style sweaters and crop tops, full pastel, big cropped denim jackets on top of preppier styles, and overall femme styles.

Her influence also shines through fansites that have been running for decades.

That's all that really comes to mind, so vote Sailor Moon RIGHT NOW!!!"

#polls #gwendolyn poole #gwenpool #gwen poole #marvel #marvel comics #marvel 616 #tsukino usagi #usagi tsukino #sailor moon

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rawiswhore · 1 year

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William Regal x Fem Reader- "Spill the Tea"

Many professional wrestlers have been famous enough to be considered for roles in popular movies.

The Rock was offered to play Willy Wonka in the 2005 Tim Burton remake, Trish Stratus was considered to play Jessica Alba's role in "Sin City", Triple H was considered to play Thor in the early 2010's and Chyna was offered a role in the 3rd "Terminator" movie.

When you were at the zenith of your wrestling popularity in the late 1990's, you were considered for many roles in popular movies.

Some of the roles you were considered for and offered were Elizabeth Hurley's character in "Bedazzled", Carmen Electra's role in "Scary Movie", one of the angels in those "Charlie's Angels" movies, Lara Croft in the "Tomb Raider" movies, one of the strippers in "Night at the Blue Iguana" and one of the barmaids in "Coyote Ugly".

Even in the early 2000's when your popularity had winded down, you were considered for several roles in popular movies, like playing Elisha Cuthbert's character in "The Girl Next Door" and Anna Faris' role in "Just Friends".

However, you turned down all of those roles down due to the scheduling you had to do for the World Wrestling Federation (as well as the WWE).

Looking back, you regret turning down to play some of these movie roles, in particular in "Coyote Ugly" and "Night at the Blue Iguana".

Speaking of which, if there is something that is really popular in pop culture going on, the WWE/F will try to cash in on it and reference it.

Examples would be Al Snow's Chihuahua Pepper being based off of the iconic Taco Bell Chihuahua who was popular AF at the time and the Kat recreating a moment in her dressing room based off of an Austin Powers movie gag.

Since you couldn't really be in "Coyote Ugly", you're going to bring that movie to the World Wrestling Federation.

Yes, the WWE was still called the WWF when "Coyote Ugly" was released!

On a "Sunday Night Heat" episode in September 2000---which was one month after "Coyote Ugly" was released---William Regal was sitting backstage in front of a circle shaped table, where there was a silver tray sitting on top of this table.

This tray contained a matching silver teacup and teapot on top of that tray.

You marched down to William, and as you walked up to him and the table he was sitting by, the camera was filming you walking sideways, and many male fans in the audience got out of their seats and cheered for you and whistled at you.

The outfit you wore was similar to what the women in "Coyote Ugly" wore---wearing hip hugging pants with a midriff baring tank top.

You placed your hands on top of the table William was sitting at once you stood in front of it, where you slightly bent yourself down.

"Hey" you greeted him with a slight smirk on your face.

William wasn't taken aback by seeing you, in fact, he enjoyed looking at you, his eyes studying you up and down.

Your eyes looked inside those teacups to see if there's any tea there, and lo and behold, there was.

"May I have a sip of tea?" you asked him with a smirk, the index finger of one of your hands raising off of the table and pointing inside that tea cup, asking him for a drink to be polite.

"Go ahead!" William offered with a smile.

He actually doesn't mind it if you have a sip of tea, with the way you look.

"Thanks" you replied with a smirk on your face, where one of your hands took one of the tea cups and raised it up to your mouth, where you took a sip of it and arched your head back as you drank that tea.

It isn't very classy to drink down tea like you're drinking a shot glass, but there's a reason you're drinking your tea like that.

You raised your head up after you drank that tea, placing the cup of tea back on the table.

"Y'want me to pour you some more tea?" you asked him with a grin on your face, removing your hand off of that tea cup when you asked that.

"Oh yes, please!" William replied excitedly, smiling and eager to await.

This was making the audience really think of "Coyote Ugly", and that was the intention.

William may be a classy English gentleman, but he can enjoy some rowdiness.

One of your hands grabbed that tea pot by its handle and raised it up from the table, where you tilted it above one of the empty tea cups and tea poured out of that pot and into the cup.

As the tea poured into that tiny little tea cup, your eyes were looking inside the tea while your mouth grinned, and your hips were gyrating and grinding left and right while your knees were bending a little bit.

You were basically acting like those women in "Coyote Ugly" pouring alcohol in people's drinks while they sexily danced on top of bar tables.

Your eyes were careful when you watched how much tea gets poured into that cup.

William, on the other hand, was looking at you pour that tea in the cup, his eyes focusing both on you and the tea being poured.

His eyes were wide and eyebrows raised.

"I wish I had a stripper pole right now" you admitted to him with your eyes looking at him. "Maybe even danced on top of a bar"

Male fans in the audience got out of their seats and cheered hearing that, agreeing with you.

William would have to agree with that, considering he wants to see you work that pole.

You didn't pour all the tea inside that pot, you were saving that for later.

You then raised the teapot until it was positioned straight, where you placed the teapot back on top of the table and let go of it.

You strutted around next to the table William was sitting by until you were close enough for hands to reach and touch him, and your hands grabbed William's button down shirt and pulled it apart until the buttons popped down out of the holes.

This really took William by surprise, even though this moment was rehearsed and staged.

The audience was completely shocked seeing this moment, both male and female fans.

As the buttons kept being separated away from the holes due to you opening up his dress shirt, more of his bare skin was getting exposed underneath that shirt.

William wasn't disgusted over you ripping his shirt up at all, but his eyes were looking at his bare chest and torso getting exposed.

After his shirt was unbuttoned, with your eyes looking into his eyes and with a smirk on your face.

"Is this tea hot?" you asked him.

"Not quite" he admitted.

You're not going to do what he thinks you're going to do.

Oh yeah, you did it, but at least you were polite and asked him if this tea is hot so you won't hurt him.

One of your hands let go of his shirt and grabbed that tea pot on top of the table, where you tilted it above his chest and poured that tea on top of his torso, where warm tea poured out of the pot and landed on his bare chest, the tea dripping and running down his skin.

The tea wasn't that warm, but the fans really reacted to this.

Fans---both male and female---cheered seeing this moment, whereas William's face was panicking and freaking out a bit.

Some of the tea was even sinking into William's clothes.

You, on the other hand, were smiling and grinning while your eyes looked at his chest as you poured that tea on his torso.

The skin on his torso was turning a little bit pinkish from getting slightly burned by that tea, but he wasn't completely burned by it.

You then raised that teapot up until it was sitting up straight, and you then raised that tea pot up until it was a few inches above your head, where you tilted that teapot and let it pour out tea on top of your face and on your body.

Your hand holding that teapot motioned it to pour on your face and on your top, making that tea pour across both of your tits.

You wore no bra underneath your top, so your nipples were poking through it.

When you poured this tea on top of you, male fans in the audience got out of their seats and cheered, although is this really sexy?

While you were pouring tea on top of yourself, you swayed your hips left and right sexily to dance, placing your opposite hand on your hip as you swayed and grinded your hips and body.

Your makeup surprisingly wasn't running as you poured tea on yourself, but your hair was getting wet and tea was soaking through your tank top.

"Is this sexy?" you asked him as you poured that tea on you. "I wish I could pour some water on myself right now"

So you could recreate another "Coyote Ugly" scene where the barmaids pour water on themselves when they're standing on top of the bar.

You would toss the rest of the tea in the teapot at William's chest to completely recreate this scene.

You actually recreated a few other "Coyote Ugly" moments in episodes of WWF shows, including when they poured water on themselves.

Since you couldn't be in "Coyote Ugly", you'll at least bring it to the WWF.

#william regal #wwf #2000 #2000s #00s #coyote ugly

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itcamefromthetoybox · 2 years

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The Warriors Three

“Thor: Love And Thunder” is dropping soon, and I for one am absolutely pumped for it! Thor is my favorite MCU hero, thanks in large part to the cheer and warmth that Chris Helmsworth brings to the role, and “Thor: Ragnarok” is one of my favorite MCU movies. So as you can imagine, considering this is a toy blog, we’re gonna be talking about the toys! Specifically, 3 for the price of one, with the “Love and Thunder” Deluxe Action Figures of The Mighty Thor, King Valkyrie, and Thor!

So why are we doing a 3 for 1 deal? It’s because each figure is similar enough that it’s a good idea, especially since the similarities make the differences more striking. To do a good review of one, you need to compare it to the other two.

Thor himself is an icon of the MCU. He’s the Norse God of Thunder who was banished to Earth to learn humility and became a galaxy-traveling hero and founding Avenger. Valkyrie was introduced in the third “Thor” movie as a hard-drinking, jaded brawler with a heart who later becomes King of New Asgard during the events of “Avengers: Endgame.” The Mighty Thor is actually Thor’s ex, genius scientist Jane Foster, who now wields Thor’s old magic hammer, giving her all the powers of the original Thor. As the movie isn’t out yet, there’s not much else known of her heroic identity, but I’m excited.

Now, I normally don’t do this, but I want to talk about the figure packaging. Each figure comes in a package with an image of the toy on the box instead of a window on the box to see the actual toy you’re buying. On the one hand, that’s great, because the toy’s not getting exposed to germs during a very much still ongoing pandemic. On the other hand, this does make it hard to tell the quality of the figure you’re getting, so any paint errors or damage will be a surprise. Each figure is wrapped in tissue paper and tied to a cardboard insert to keep it safe, though this did still result in my Valkyrie’s swords getting bent a bit.

Each figure has a gimmick that’s triggered by squeezing their legs. Thor raises and swings his hammer, Stormbreaker, Mighty Thor spins her hammer, Mjolnir, and King Valkyrie swings her waist to to the right so she can do a slash with her twin swords, which look like her Dragonfang sword from her previous appearances. How good the gimmick is varies from toy to toy. With Thor, it works great. There’s no problem and everything goes as planned. Mighty Thor runs into a slight issue. You need to position her right arm just right to make the gimmick work, Otherwise, it will either start but get blocked by her cape, or just halfheartedly work, with all the enthusiasm of a high school senior taking a final, and the hammer will stop swinging about halfway across. With Valkyrie, you need to hold her upright to use her gimmick, or else the weight of her cape weighs her down a bit.

A full-body suit of armor seems like a good move, until Loki attacks with a giant magnet.

In terms of looks, Thor and Mighty Thor look great, like they just stepped out of the comics, which is good because that is how their in-film costumes are supposed to look. Mighty Thor honestly looks better, though, with more paint and details sculpted on, while Thor, despite also having great sculpting, feels like he’s a bit lacking on paint. As for King Valkyrie, while the figure mostly also looks great, I feel like Hasbro could have done better with her head. While it does look like her, and the hair’s really good, her head’s not quite in proportion to the rest of her. It’s just a little too big.

There’s one detail I absolutely love about all three toys; they have different body types. Thor’s a broader guy, with clear muscles and armor, but he’s not built like He-Man. His build’s very realistic, even with all the armor. Mighty Thor’s got some clear muscle and bulk to her, which matches how Natalie Portman worked out for the role, but it’s a more realistic build than we often see in female superhero toys. To quote my fiancee, “there’s a bit of idealism, but it’s not bad, honestly.” Valkyrie has a smaller build, which matches her actress, and has a completely unique body, instead of just a repaint of Mighty Thor’s. Considering how often toys just repaint character bodies, especially with female characters, it’s nice to see this toyline went out of its way to do better. It’s also depressing that “these two women got unique figures with different body types” is where the bar is.

The one pose she can be in if you want to use her gimmick.

So yes, the toys look great. On the other hand, all three figures are very limited in terms of articulation. Valkyrie has the best articulation, since both her wrists, her shoulders, and her head can move around nicely, though her hair can hinder the head sometimes. Mighty Thor is also decent, though her shoulders have a little less articulation and her hair can get bent by moving her head. Thor, meanwhile, is the weakest with articulation. His left arm has the same shoulder limits of Mighty Thor, and his hair and cape block his head from moving much, to an even greater extant than the other two figures. Also, unlike Mighty Thor, who can move her arm the gimmick is centered around without the gimmick being involved, Thor can’t move his gimmick-infused right arm without triggering his gimmick. The arm will just drop down. All three figures have no leg articulation, because you have to squeeze the legs to trigger the gimmick. I do give them a pass on this, though, even after looking at Laser Blade Buzz Lightyear’s leg-triggered gimmick, because these figures had a smaller budget than Buzz did, so it’s understandable their legs aren’t going to be an articulation hot spot.

Thor and Mighty Thor are the strongest figures in this line, though Valkyrie only loses points because her swords are very thin and can get bent very easily. Don’t put her in a box or set anything on top of her, or else those swords are gonna suffer.

Her sword got bent because I picked her up at a bad angle. BE CAREFUL!

The “Love And Thunder” deluxe figures are currently available at retail for about $16, which does feel like a little much until you account for the rising prices since the 90’s. By today’s standards, that isn’t bad. They’re very clearly aimed at kids, who will definitely enjoy them, and the gimmicks make for fun things to fidget with. I would definitely recommend them. Next time, we’re going to be looking at more “Thor” stuff, because I am PUMPED for this new movie, so be ready! This is JL, signing off and wishing you Happy Toy Hunting!

#thor #mcu #mighty thor #jane foster #valkyrie #king valkyrie #thor love and thunder #love and thunder #toy #toys #review #toy review #thor toys #marvel #disney

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