very merry

in case any links don’t work, all fics are under their fandom tags and the tag: #merry writes

CAROL - featuring Carol/you (4), Carol/Therese (19)

HAUNTING OF BLY MANOR - featuring Dani/Jamie (1)

HARRY POTTER - featuring Marauders (1)

THE HOBBIT - featuring Galadriel/you (4), Thorin/you (2), Bofur/you (1), Fili/you (3), Galadriel/Celeborn (1)

MARVEL - featuring Hela/you (12)

NIGHTMARE ALLEY - featuring Lilith/you (1)

OCEAN’S 8 - featuring Lou/you (17), Tammy/you (3), Daphne/you (3), Lou/Debbie/you (7), Debbie/you (2)

RESIDENT EVIL: VILLAGE - featuring Alcina Dimitrescu/you (9), Karl Heisenberg/you (1)

STAR WARS - featuring Obi-Wan/you (1)

You blinked in surprise, before dropping your oil-stained cloth and apron on your chair and following the Queen from the kitchens.

She walked briskly down the hallway and you hurried to keep up, curious as to what was going on. You had been employed with the Organas for a decade now, had served and cleaned in every nook and cranny of their estate, and had become fast friends with their young daughter, whom you had tutored, cared for, and babysat multiple times.

Breha led you to her personal chambers where a clean, quite fancy-looking outfit was laid out over the bed, with added accessories and shoes even.

“Right then,” she said, clapping her hands. “This is yours. I think the sizing is fine, we based it around your uniform size so it should fit. If you could be ready and be at the doors of the landing platform in about half an hour, that would be fantastic. Just stay inside and wait until you’re told otherwise.”

“My lady?”

“And,” she brushed an oil spot off the side of your cheek. “Do tell me if the kitchen duties are boring you. You know we’d employ you to do anything you’d like around here. After everything you’ve done, it’s the least we could do.”

“Oh, thank you my lady, but there’s help needed in the kitchens, so I really don’t mind cleaning at the moment.”

“Very well,” she sighed, stepping away. “Half an hour, please. Don’t be late.”

“My lady?” you interjected again before she headed out the door. “Is there something going on?”

Breha smiled again, with a strange twinkle in her eyes. “Nothing to worry, dear. Just a surprise.”

-

“We can never repay you.”

“Well, she has already done that,” Obi-Wan sighed, looking over his shoulder at little Leia, giddily playing with Lola. Bail had a wry smile on his face as he followed his gaze to his adoptive daughter,

“I fear for her future, Obi-Wan,” he said. “The empire grows stronger and bolder. Not many can be trusted, and those we did trust… some are disappearing as we speak.”

“Well, if you ever need my help again, you know where to find me.” Obi-Wan clapped Bail on the shoulder. “I won’t be disappearing like that again.”

He turned to Breha, and grasped her hand. “Farewell, my lady.”

He pulled away, but Breha was still holding his hand. He looked up at her, and could sense she was holding something back.

“But before you go,” Breha interjected, shifting her eyes to glance at Bail. “Why not stay for dinner?”

Obi-Wan frowned, incredulity written all over his face. “Dinner? At a time like this?”

“Well, there’s lots to catch up on, isn’t there?”

“I don’t think being in hiding for ten years makes for a pleasant dinner conversation, Lady Breha,” Obi-Wan chuckled dryly. “Besides, it wouldn’t be safe.”

“I think you’ll want to stay for dinner, my friend,” Bail said, a mysterious lilt n his tone. “There’s something… someone for you to see.”

Obi-Wan furrowed his brow, his hand slipping from Breha’s and resting at his lightsaber hilt. “Is it dangerous?”

Bail gave a small smirk and nodded his head towards the entrance at the end of the walkway, where the metal doors slid open.

-

You fiddled with your sleeves, nervous at presenting yourself. You could only imagine some figurehead friend of Bail and Breha wanted to meet you out of all people. Perhaps an old politician friend they thought they could trust from the Old Republic. Maybe Leia wanted her to come for some silly party adventure. Whatever it was, you could take it.

As the doors finally opened, you squinted at the sunlight and looked out to see four figures standing by a small ship. Two were the Organas, one was little Leia, and the fourth…

Obi-Wan felt himself go numb at the sight of you. Still a distance away, but you, alive, and breathing.

He brushed past the Organas without much thought, feet feeling heavy as he thought he was seeing a ghost at first. Perhaps it wasn’t you, perhaps it was a trick of the light, or he really needed sleep. He stopped a few feet in, wind ruffling his hair as he stared.

But then you stepped out onto the walkway in the sunlight, and he saw your familiar beauty and kind eyes light up with disbelief and astoundment. You were wearing simple silver robes – an outfit he’d never seen you in before. Your face was clean, a bit wearier now, but your smile seemed the same. He inhaled sharply as the sun hit you and you suddenly stopped walking, a frown on your face as you looked at him from the distance.

First you thought, no it couldn’t be. Obi-Wan wouldn’t risk appearing like this, surely. What would he be doing here? Your heart was pounding and you felt yourself go numb when you realized, no, it really is him.

Then you broke out into a jog, and then you were sprinting towards him, and then he too began running towards you. Suddenly the only thing that mattered in the whole universe was getting to him, right now.

Your feet hit the stone beneath you as you ran, robes fluttering behind you. Wind rushed past you in a daze. Every second he came closer you couldn’t pry your eyes off him – afraid he’d disappear again.

The gasp of relief as you flung your arms around him sounded like music to his ears. It was hard to think it had been ten years when suddenly it felt like the old days again.

“Obi-Wan,” you breathed, voice breaking already. His arms wrapped around your waist and his own breath was shaky. You held the nape of his neck, caressing through his locks with a tenderness he had missed.

You wanted to breathe him in, remember the touch of his hands, the feeling of his body.

“I never thought I’d see you again,” you muttered into his cloak, eyes watering. “I didn’t know if you were alive… or far away… or…”

You pulled away from him to properly take in the sight of him. He had a rough, rugged beard that was thicker than the last time you saw him, and his hair was straggly and longer with much more greys.

“Oh,” you said softly, hand cupping his face with your eyes tracing the lines along his skin. “Time has not been kind to you, my darling.”

“What a kind way to tell me I’ve aged horribly,” he muttered with a huff of a laugh. His voice had your head swimming in wonderful, soothing molasses. You chuckled. He kept you close to his body, arms securely wrapped around your waist. “You haven’t changed, my dear.”

You threw your head back and scoffed, “it’s been ten years, Obi. Of course I have.”

“Well, to me, you haven’t,” he smiled. Your hand slipped down to rest on his chest, and you felt the throbbing of his heart, fast and nervous. He looked at you with softened, kind eyes, like the eyes that would look at you across from the booth at Dex’s Diner. Like the eyes that glistened when you had that rushed, heartfelt goodbye. Like the eyes that stared at you in the dark of the Jedi Temple when you stole a kiss from him, quickly and sweetly.

“I didn’t know you were on Alderaan,” he muttered. “How long--?”

“Since that day,” you said, looking up at him. The day when everything changed, and everything had gone wrong. “Bail told me he was taking the girl, and suggested I go with him. I had nowhere else to go, not when you…”

“When I told you that you couldn’t come with me and the boy,” his eyes were downcast, shifting away from you with a remorseful voice. “But why didn’t you tell me?”

“How could I? You insisted on the secrecy, and I wanted all of us, you, me, them to be safe. Plus, you were already gone by the time I had made my choice.”

Obi-Wan opened his mouth, desperate to find out more, but then a small girl flung herself around your form and pulled at your robes.

“You know him?!” Leia gasped. You chuckled, returning the hug.

“Yes, Leia. We happen to be very old friends.”

“Emphasis on old,” Obi-Wan added. You shot him a look as Bail and Breha both joined you again, beaming with wide smiles.

“So, old friend,” Bail chuckled. “Now will you stay for dinner?”

Obi-Wan took one glance at you and smiled. “Yes.”

A/N: Back on the star wars bandwagon folks... maybe more to come?? I need to catch up on all my shows 0.0

The ballroom had been lavishly decorated with candles and drapery. Each of the Lords had shown up dressed to the nines with a little entourage, and Alcina let you handpick staff and villagers to invite that you knew and trusted; friends, acquaintances, you named it, and they were there. 

Karl had accused Alcina of becoming soft with a human at her side. Alcina had smiled and blew a plume of cigarette smoke in his face, neither agreeing nor denying him. 

The truth was, she was much happier this way. You brought joy and delight to the castle. With the weather steadily warming at this time of year, you had even taken it upon yourself to take the daughters outside to blow off steam when they were restless and begging to kill some poor soul at work in the kitchens. 

At one point, they had managed to adopt a young Vârcolac wandering through the woods. You had no idea how, but the beastly canine was now their personal pet, as obedient as a lapdog and as murderous as the lycans. 

Sure, maiming and death still occurred occasionally, but hey, you weren’t a miracle-worker. Trespassers were still killed on sight, traitors and disobedience were awarded with limb-chopping or decapitation depending on the Lady’s mood, but you were quite proud to say that the Castle was much more welcoming, and more importantly, clean. 

You had revitalized Castle Dimitrescu, and had rejuvenated some of the humanity in the Dimitrescu family itself. Gosh, what an accomplishment. Though it didn’t happen overnight. There was enough blood spillage, shouting, skillful avoidance and trickery to last you a lifetime. But after all that, and after a wonderful new deal with the Duke to provide top-quality livestock for fresh blood and meat in the Castle, you felt you deserved a nice celebration. The farmers had agreed to tend to the Castle’s new livestock in exchange for peace. There was enough to feed everyone what they needed, and in return their families and friends were protected. Now, eating human was an occasional delicacy for Alcina and her daughters, and Alcina felt she enjoyed that a lot more than barbaric slaughter and tearing limbs without care. It felt like a luxury and a treat, though a little twisted.

The night you had convinced Alcina of your ways was when Dani, restless and out for blood, had held you with her blade at your throat, screaming obscenities and demanding her mother let her cut your throat so that you would stop meddling in their affairs. She called you a whore for sleeping with Alcina yet going behind their backs to change their way of life. Alcina nearly let her daughter kill you, thinking what’s one more? when three of the maids had burst from the kitchens and cellars, yanking Dani off of you. One lost a hand, another lost her head. Alcina stared in wonder as the women crowded you and declared they’d protect you, because none had shown such care to them in all their time at the Castle, despite being allowed to live. 

It had made Alcina long for love and loyalty again. Ruling with fear only got your so far, and she questioned if her morals were worth thinking about again. And what’s worse, you didn’t want the power over the staff that you had given yourself. You simply wanted things to be quiet and peaceful and good.

And then on the next day, when you made amends with Dani despite her threatening to kill you again by offering a fresh dish of raw meat and blood, Alcina realized she had been falling in love with you all along. 

Now, Alcina watched you from her throne-like seat, leisurely laid back with a fresh cigarette and a newly fitted cream dress adorned with subtle crystals, reminiscent of her jazz performances when she’d be decked out in sequins and dazzling pearls. She had a fur boa draped over her arms, and exuded the power of a rich matriarch. 

Alcina had never seen the grand ballroom like this in all her years under Miranda’s service. As a younger woman before the Cadou, yes, there were many lavish feasts like this. But since the world took a dark turn in this small part of Romania, there had not been this much laughter in a room for decades.

You were swinging from one dancing partner to another. The Duke had provided a lovely band to perform and you took every opportunity to dance with their music. Your shoes were tucked by Alcina’s seat after you complained about your toes hurting. Alcina had smiled and slipped them off for you, kissed your hand, and sent you on your way to the dance floor. You were dancing with the baker now, who had learned to make blood-infused bread specifically for the Castle, and mastered new pastry skills for your sweet tooth alone.

“Oh Mother, this feast is hard to resist,” Daniela groaned pathetically by her mother’s side, pushing her raw lamb around on her plate. “I remember a time when all these people would have been appetizers, dinner, dessert, and then some!”

“Calm now, Dani,” Alcina scolded lightly. “You’ve been doing so well. What is it now, four weeks?”

“Almost five,” she pouted. “Can’t I have a cheat day?”

“If you do, Y/N might be cross with you.”

“Not even one of the mean ones?” 

Alcina scanned the crowd. Everyone was in good spirits and seemingly well-behaved. There was one guest however, that Alcina didn’t like. He was too much of a flirt and far too cocky for his own good. He had tried to charm you on the way in, much to your dismay and to the amusement and jealousy of Alcina. He was properly drunk, hanging by one of the tables with another glass in hand, and not even trying to hide the fact that he was eyeing a few of the maids passing by with plates and glasses, who seemed most uncomfortable. 

“Hmmm,” Alcina thoughtfully blew out a smoke ring. “Maybe that one. But don’t make a scene, Dani. And don’t make it obvious.”

Daniela giggled devilishly and poofed away in a herd of flies.

“Must you encourage her so, Mother?” Bela sighed from her seat at the table. Out of the three, she had been the most strong-willed, coming up with new enticing ways to eat raw meat and blood to keep their appetite up. Daniela, however, always had more of a taste for the hunt than the actual meal at the end, and that was even harder to resist. 

“We both know a cranky Daniela is much worse than a satisfied one,” Alcina hummed, sipping her glass of wine. 

“Perhaps she just needs a lover,” Cassandra interjected. “That should leave her satisfied enough.”

“And who do you suggest is mad enough to put up with our sister?” Bela scoffed, chucking a piece of veggie at Cassie’s face. She burst into a cloud of flies to avoid the impact, and the meagre carrot rolled around under the table. It was just for decoration anyway. 

The Lords each had a seat amongst the Dimitrescus. Donna had Angie perched on her lap, who was tittering away with nonsense and annoyance. The most intriguing guest was a curious masked individual that had come in quietly next to Donna. They appeared genderless, though being clothed in robes of deep, dark blue, and not speaking a word made it hard to decipher what kind of person Donna brought in by her side. Still, Alcina was pleased to see her sister had finally found a partner of some sorts. 

Karl had brought another monstrosity of an experiment that was much more behaved than the last one. It resembled something between a large dog and a small horse, and made no noise. You had made sure the half-mechanical creature was well looked after. Freshly oiled, and freshly fed. 

Sal, poor, lonely Sal, seemed much more in his spirits than usual. You had convinced him to take ownership of his own life, and find something to do besides pining over Miranda’s affections. With your care and attention, you had discovered how much of a romantic Salvatore Moreau actually was. He needed things to romanticize his life. So, to add onto your list of crazy, silly ideas, you helped him find a skincare routine, gifted him a modified typewriter that he could use with ease, and a pile of water-friendly toys to splash around with. 

Alcina had been flabbergasted at the sight of a happy, laughing Sal emerging from his water-filled home. He told them how he had finished another one of his short stories, and the exercise of chasing weights at the bottom of his lake had made him much more content. You had laughed and clapped excitedly for him. 

“I don’t know how you do it,” Alcina sighed that evening as you crawled into bed with her. “You have more positive hope in your pinky than I do in my whole body. What on earth possessed you to give Sal a moisturizer?”

“Hey, those waters aren’t the best for your skin you know,” you tutted. “Sometimes a little self-care goes a long way. Turns our a lot of his moping has to do with those sores and humps -- they’re apparently very painful. Aren't you glad he’s not whining for Miranda and begging for someone to love him now?”

Needless to say, they all loved you. And they were all thriving because of you.

That is why no one has told Miranda about you.

Alcina knew Miranda would find out about the party and that she had not been invited. She’d be in for a scolding of a lifetime, probably a bit of torture, but she knew she could handle Miranda on her own. That wouldn’t be the problem. This way, Miranda’s anger would only be pointed at her, and not you. Heaven forbid the priestess ever found out what hold you had over Alcina. You wouldn’t survive a second in her presence. She begged whatever gods or demons existed that Miranda would never find out about you.

Alcina felt another deep sense of dread fill her, and suddenly had the urge to drag your to her side and keep you close. Perhaps the party was too large. Perhaps not this many people should have come. Perhaps--

As if on cue, you appeared by her side. Face shining with a glowing layer of sweat from dancing, you took her cup of wine and took a deep swig -- the taste of blood no longer disgusted you. Alcina felt her worries melt away and smiled happily.

“Hello, darling,” she said softly, leaning down to greet you with a deep kiss. You giggled as she teasingly nipped at your bottom lip. “What happened to your dance with the baker?”

“Oh, he stubbed his toe. He needed to sit out for a second,” you pointed to where the baker was sitting at a table, who was rubbing his feet with a grimace on his face. 

Alcina chuckled deeply. “No one can keep up with you, can they?”

“Well, one person can,” you replied. “But she’s refusing to dance with me!” You tugged at the boa and she scooped you up to set you in her lap, back pressed against her chest as you surveyed the masses.

“Darling, I hardly have the grace of a dancer anymore. I would knock over at least five dancers in the process. You don’t want to dance with me.”

“What if they all sat down and it was just us?”

“Then I would mess up out of sheer panic,” Alcina grinned. “What if I stubbed your toes? Crushed them? I wouldn’t forgive myself.”

“Ugh, fine.” You turned your head up to look at her. “But you better make it up to me tonight.”

Alcina gave you a chaste kiss and then trailed her lips down your cheek to your neck, as a strong, possessive hand curled around your middle. “It’s a deal. You may live to regret that statement.”

“I doubt it,” you hummed softly, squirming as warmth filled your body at her lips caressing your skin. “Maybe we should just go to bed now.”

“And leave all the festivities?” She tutted. “Your guests will be disappointed.”

“Don’t act like you haven’t been thinking about it all night. You always do,” you huffed, your hand grasping Alcina’s. “I’ve been thinking about it too, you know.”

Her hand clutched you more tightly, and a low growl came from her throat just behind you. “Don’t tempt me, dear. I might strip you now and take you right here until you pass out. Wouldn’t that be a sight for them all?” 

The end of her sentence had dissolved into a low, hungry whisper. Possessive, demanding Alcina was always your favourite. You grinned, lifting her hand from your form and kissing along the knuckles. 

“Patience, my love. Before you know it, the night will be over.”

Suddenly, Daniela appeared in front of them, fresh blood dripping from her scythe and mouth, probably from the drunkard that Alcina had pointed out. You were about to scold her for going against her new diet, but her wide, panicked eyes caught both yours and Alcina’s attention first. The night was definitely over now.

“You know, this would be a lot easier if I became obsessed with something new again, quickly,” I grumbled, abusing the delete button on my keyboard as I rewrote a sentence again.

“What’s wrong with the things you’re currently obsessed with?” A low chuckle came from the other side of the room. Lou stepped through the doorway and to the side of my desk, planting reassuring hands on my shoulders. “Just write another steamy fic about me... You’ve got plenty already.”

“Yeah but I don’t want to just write about you, no matter how much I love writing about you,” I look up at her and she tuts, stealing the pencil from my mouth. “I have to keep up with different things!”

“Well, you keep promising them you’ll write more about us,” Hela grumbled from the couch in the back of the room, pointing between her and Alcina, who was hunched over uncomfortably in the small office space. “How many parts does Babysitter still need to finish the story, hm?”

“Don’t start,” I groaned, hiding my face with my hands.

“And Songbird was supposed to be just three parts, right? Now what, you’ve given yourself about ten total? You think you’ll have the stamina for that?” The Countess added.

“You’re not helping! Any of you!” I snapped, closing my laptop and getting up. “I need a drink.”

“I hope it’s one of my brands,” Alcina commented. “You know they’re the best.”

“I don’t drink blood-wine, Alci.” 

Lou, trusty Lou, followed me around the elaborate palace of writing I had constructed for myself, flicking through a notebook of drafts and characters from my recent writings. 

“You really stuck around with this, didn’t you?” She gestured to the pages of scribbles.

“What?” I asked, grabbing a glass from the cabinet in the kitchen. 

“Me, Debs, Hela, Carol, Alci, basically everything Cate Blanchett played and then some.”

“Oh, shut up,” I growled. “I wrote about some other characters too you know!”

“Yeah, years ago,” Thorin muttered, sitting at the kitchen island next to Obi-Wan. “We both barely got any mention. Fili’s story took years to finish, didn't it?”

“Boys, I promise I still love all of you. It’s just that the women characters have been more on my mind recently.”

“Well, you haven’t written about all of Cate’s characters,” Valka muttered, and Bernadette nodded. “When are you gonna invite Lydia in?”

“When I have the stamina to even begin thinking about such a complex character! I could barely write one fic about Lilith as it is!”

“Oh, sorry, we’re not complex enough for ya!” Karl snarled, chugging back my entire last bottle of wine. “This is shit, by the way.”

“Hey! That was my last bottle.”

“This is your dream, just think up another,” he scoffed, chucking the bottle into the sink.

“Just pick something! Anything will work, and to be honest, I’m surprised you haven’t written about me yet,” Legolas sat perched on one of the tables, fiddling with the ends of one of his arrows. “There’s loads in Fellowship you could write on.”

“Jesus Christ, where’d you come from? And no, I can’t just pick something! I need a good explanation for my insane hiatus... again!”

“Ah, you’ll be fine,” Bernadette replied. “The loyal fans will understand.”

“Don’t call them fans,” I muttered. “I feel weird thinking that people out there actually enjoy my writing.”

“Besides,” she kept going, “You’ve been coming and going as you please anyways since the start! Isn’t that indicative enough that you can take all the time you need if you need it?”

“Doesn’t stop me from feeling guilty though!” I sighed. “I feel like I owe my writing another piece. Something good. But that’s scary, because what the hell is supposed to be good? And what if no one reads it? It’s not even a ground-breaking novel, it’s just silly little paragraphs about characters that aren’t even mine.”

“So what?” Lou crossed her arms, leaning against the doorway -- her best place to pose. “You like writing it, so write it. Doesn’t matter if people read it. You don’t even have to post it, if you don’t want.”

Galadriel walked in beside her, hands deftly clasped in front of her. “There’s plenty to write about, meleth-nin. You’ll find something. If it’s not a fic like this, maybe something else. And if something is unfinished, let it be. That’s what the process is for.”

I opened the kitchen cabinet, and sure enough, there was another bottle of wine. But, instead, I reached for the apple juice next to it. It was nice and cold, despite not being in the fridge. God, I loved imagining things. 

“I could write more smut -- people like reading it, and it’s fun to write,” I shrugged after chugging half a glass. “But what if I should try something more? Maybe a couple parts to a story, like in dreams, but just stop it after a few, and not force myself to think of it as a massive novel with endless chapters? That’s what happened with Babysitter... I had a fantastic idea and now I’m scared to take it somewhere.”

“Maybe one day you’ll finish the big ones,” Obi-Wan mused, stroking his beard from the table. “You could always try a different series that you’ve already seen, watched, and loved. Maybe that’ll get the ball rolling. There’s lots more to Star Wars than just me.”

“I know, but I love you,” I pouted. “And Star Wars is massive!”

“So is Tolkien,” Thorin shrugged. “You’ve written about us plenty.”

“Could’ve written about me,” Loki grinned. “You basically did, of course, but you made me more the side-character. I think I would do really well as the protagonist--”

“Maybe take the time to watch new stuff, you know, the things you keep saying you’ll get into, but then don't?” Debbie suggested, pulling out a massive list of my to-be-watched and to-be-read. I pouted again, I wanted to, but had no idea where to start.

They had all entered the dining room now, Alci sitting on the floor to make room for her head. And they all looked at me expectantly. There was a typewriter on the table.

“Oh, no, absolutely not. I’m not writing something while you’re all sitting here watching me.”

“Well, what’ll it be then?” Hela countered. “You’re gonna finish this fic and be done for the day -- or should I say, year?”

“I don’t know what to write about!”

“Write about this,” Bernadette said, gesturing wildly around the room. “And then maybe something new will happen after.”

“You know, this is definitely a fever dream,” I grumbled. “I could never look a so many of Cate Blanchett’s characters at once and be able to form complete sentences.”

Three peculiar flies landed around the typewriter, buzzing haphazardly. Alcina shooed them away and the three daughters materialized, hanging from the chandelier.

“If you break that, you’ll pay for it!” I warned.

“If we break it, that means you made us break it!” Cassandra cackled. “Can’t win, sweetie. Not even in your own daydreams.”

“No, I suppose not,” I slumped in the chair and looked at the blank page. “Writing fic isn’t meant to feel like a chore, right?”

“Don’t ask us, we’re not writers,” Karl grumbled, sitting at a plate of hot food piled high. 

“Where did that come from?” I gaped. He wagged a finger in the air in thought while chewing a massive piece of steak.

“Hmn, I think... you might be hungry. Best get some fuel when you wake up.”

“But first,” Carol said softly, resting her hand on my shoulder. “Write something. Anything. Any word.”

I thought for a moment, the clock in the hall ticking loudly. Fuck it.

Tony tossed a 3D dart onto the screen, huffing as it landed in the middle of the ocean. There were numerous darts already pinned on more unsavoury places around the globe that you really weren’t a fan of.

“What do you say about that one then, Y/N?” he said, breaking the silence. “The middle of the ocean must be quiet enough for the both of you. Maybe you’ll find Atlantis.”

“Quit it, Stark,” Natasha replied. “Finding a new location for them is not the most ideal plan at this time.”

“Just trying to cheer everyone up, Nat.”

“Well stop trying, because it won’t work.”

“Don’t bicker,” you interrupted. “But Natasha is right. I can’t wrap my head around moving away to somewhere like Antarctica right now.”

“We could send them to Barton’s safehouse?”

“I really don’t think we should bother Clint right now,” Nat replied, her tone low and remorseful.

“But he’s all alone! Surely some company--”

“Stark.”

Her curt voice made you wince, realizing the implications of Hawkeye being ‘all alone.’ You picked at the nail a little more, wondering if you should try to reach out to him later to see how he was doing.

“Your world really is just crumbling at your feet, isn’t it?” Hela added, sensing the uneasiness across the room. “How easily humans break.”

“You’re not really helping your image right now, Hela,” you murmured across the table.

“She’s right though,” Thor agreed. “What is the rest of humanity supposed to do now?”

“We go into hiding,” Tony crossed his arms. “We find ways to live low. And maybe someday we find a way to fix it.”

“Why’s it always gotta be us, huh?” you sighed.

“That’s the shit you get with the name of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, sweetheart.”

“Why not find a way to fix this now?” Rhodey piped in. “Find who we can, buckle down, then locate Thanos.”

“Rhodey, we don’t even know if there is even a way to fix this at all,” Natasha sighed. Her eyes were weary and glossy with unspoken emotions. Your friends had all been tired for a very, very long time.

“I don’t know about you, but I would love to take a break for a while. Let the governments fix their half-empty countries. We’ve done enough,” Tony shrugged. “I’ve always wanted to have a cottage in the middle of nowhere, you know? With like, a lake. Maybe some birds.”

“Tony Stark in the wilderness? That would make a good reality show,” you commented. He chucked a 3D dart at you and it passed through your shoulder.

“Hey, you’d be surprised how capable I am out there.”

“But seriously, why not? We have all the capabilities of going into space and finding Thanos,” Rhodey continued, seemingly the only one with any vigour and charisma left out of everyone in the room. Probably out of everyone in the entire state at this point.

“Rhodey if you don’t stop talking I will snap your back,” Loki said. “Imagine we find Thanos tomorrow, how on earth could any of us take him on? We can barely stand.”

“We need a break,” you said. The group looked at you, stillness settling in the room. It was unusual, being the one they turned to for reason and leadership. You had to admit it would take some getting used to. “Hell I need a break, and I’m not even a superhero.”

You stood up, legs aching from the adrenaline, the running, and events of the day. Suddenly all you could think of was a long, steamy bath. “Tony is right. Plus, if we’re all in the same place, we’re easy targets. The world is too unbalanced and unstructured for us to make any plans like we did before. And... well, maybe we can even find peace with it.”

“Peace with half of the world disappearing?” Nat scoffed.

“Just for now,” you added, chewing your lip.

“Look, the last few weeks have shown me the reality of the Avengers, and all you aliens, gods, whatnot.” You gestured around the room with an absent, flitting hand, “The way you live your lives will kill you if you let it. But that means you have to keep fighting. And...” you felt a sudden wave of emotions choking your voice. You looked down at the table and tapped it absentmindedly with a finger. “...I don’t want to keep fighting anymore. I don’t think any of us can.”

Steve had been quiet up until now, his chin resting on his fist as he watched the conversation unfold. You sat down slowly as he spoke, now that there was a pause, “It’s settled then. Those of us who want to go into safehomes get to do so. Those who want to stay here or around civilization get to do so. We stay in touch when needed, but we go on with our lives. All we can do now is lay low and rebuild the world.”

“And ourselves,” you muttered. You felt the brush of a heel against your leg and you looked up to meet Hela’s gaze as she pressed reassuringly against you underneath the table.

“I’m knackered,” Tony stretched languidly and let out a deep breath. “Goodnight kids. We’ll figure the rest out tomorrow.”

“Shouldn’t we eat first?” you asked. “I don’t know about you, but I could use a burger right now.”

Tony snapped his fingers in agreement and pointed at you, “this is why I’ve always liked you, kid.”

-

Your new room was a bit larger than the last, fitting for both you and Hela. Your limbs were jittery with nerves as the evening had ticked by. Dinner was solemn until Tony put on a rock playlist, and you were pulled to your feet to dance on top of the dinner table. You were glad for the distraction. Hela had laughed at the sight of you spinning around without a care in the world. The sound had struck you in the heart and left you on a high the rest of the evening.

Thor, Hela and Loki kept at bay all night, which you were grateful for. No one tried to fight or kill one another. You had leaned over to your Goddess and whispered praise for actually behaving for once. She had replied with a darkening of her cheeks that surprised you.

Now, Hela was scanning the room, wondering why everything was so sleek and bare. Where were the gold decorations? Where were the elaborate furnishings? The bed frame was practically a box with no real character added to it.

“Tasteless,” she commented, just as the sound of the shower in the bathroom adjacent to the bedroom turned off. Hela stiffened, looking around at what she should do when you came back into the room.

A few minutes later you re-entered the room with a clean face and pyjamas on. Hela was fumbling with the bookcase. She was snarling under her breath, and you bit back a smile. A simple hair tie kept her thick black hair out of her face, and you were struck again by the domestic sight of her in the same room as you. It felt like a lifetime since you had seen her like this.

Hela kept opening the slim book covers with no pages inside, dumbfounded by the lack of paper and why on earth Stark would keep empty books like this.

“Tap the inside cover with your finger,” you suggested. Hela glanced up, startled by your voice. Her green eyes flitted longingly over your form for a moment before she did as you suggested. The book lit up with the title Treasure Island. She tapped it again and it popped out of the book in a projected screen from the metal cover.

“You humans make everything so complicated,” she huffed.

“Did you need the bathroom?” you asked, nonchalantly, closing the bathroom door behind you.

“No, thank you,” she said, putting the book back in its place. When she turned,  you were already under the covers, tucking yourself deeper under the blankets. A silence followed between the two of you.

“What?” you asked, pondering over her continued stare. She seemed... lost.

“I’ve missed you,” she whispered, barely audible.

As the shock of her vulnerability passed through you, your eyes brimmed with  hot tears again. You held up the covers and beckoned her into bed.

Instantly, her arms were around you. The armour dug into you, but as she held you it melted away until your body came in contact with bruised, soft skin.

“I’m sorry I ran,” she whispered against your neck, face buried there.

“Stop apologizing.”

“But I am.”

“We both did stupid things,” you said. Her leg came to wrap around your hip, tugging you even closer. Oh, how you had missed her touch.

“Hela,” you muttered as her lips began pressing against your collar bone, fingers grasping to pull your shirt down a little. She stilled, meeting your eyes with an unwavering gaze.

“Please don’t leave again.”

Her eyebrows furrowed with emotion as you tucked hair behind her ear and sighed. She pulled you closer and then rolled you onto your back before straddling your middle. You couldn’t tear your eyes away from hers as she leaned down to kiss you.

“Never again, my love.”

Your breath hitched with excitement as her cool hands slid under your shirt and cupped your middle around your ribcage. Her mouth opened for you and you gladly pulled her closer as your tongue explored hers.

“Call me that again,” you asked huskily, rolling your hips as her thumbs brushed over your nipples.

“My love,” she said, lips pressing against your neck, just by your ear. Her low voice made your tummy do wonderful flips. “My only.”

You finally managed to get your brain working again and reminded yourself to touch her. You reached up and cupped her breasts, squeezing the soft flesh eagerly. Then you trailed down, holding onto her thigh as you urged her to rock against you.

Hela growled by your ear, making you shiver. She pulled away to undress you and sat back to look at you, hands stilling as she stared at you again.

“I love you.”

You didn’t think tears would be the way you were going to respond to that, but they prickled at the edge of your eyes anyways.

“I love you too.”

She covered your body with hers and you wrapped yourself around her, kissing her with everything you could muster.

At some point, one of her hands had made its way down your middle and was circling your aching clit. The gentleness of it made you mewl desperately, and she swallowed your cries eagerly. The orgasm it gave you was soft, deep and left your core aching for more.

“Can I taste you?” you whispered.

Wordlessly, Hela laid back and you switched places, your hands palming her supple thighs and stomach, before pressing and coaxing her to open her legs for you.

“You’re everything,” you murmured, kissing her abdomen. She huffed in amused confusion,

“What does that--?”

She didn’t get a chance to finish her question, and you didn’t think to answer, because you buried your mouth in her core and all Hela could do was let out a weak gasp.

She rocked her hips against your mouth with slow movements, enjoying your soft and nervous pace. Her hand wrapped itself in your hair, and she murmured sweet nothings as you suckled her clit and made her quiver with a gentle, cascading orgasm.

Both of you were sweating lightly by the time you came up for air and you couldn’t help but giggle as she groaned and stretched with post-orgasmic bliss.

“Come,” she requested, opening her arms. You settled in her hold, burying your nose in her soft hair. She was fresh and clean and alive, and you couldn’t have asked for a better way to finish the day.