#avengers ff

“MJ’s not intimidating.” Ned scoffed and Peter paused before he spoke again. “Okay, yeah, she’s terrifying. But Y/N isn’t. They’re sweet, and May loves them. Mr. Stark’s been begging me to bring them to the compound so he could meet them, or he would ‘investigate the kid that’s dating his kid.’”

“Wait, he called you his kid?” Ned asked.

“He totally did, even though he changed the subject immediately after he let it slip. And I saw Ms. Black Widow this weekend and I told her about it, and apparently it wasn’t the first time he’s called me ‘his kid.’” Peter noticed the wide-eyed look in his best friend’s eyes and shushed him. “Don’t you dare repeat that.”

“I can’t believe you met her. You better not tell MJ, she’d bully you until you introduced them.” Ned said and then paused before he spoke. “But how do you plan on-”

“Ooh, a plan. I love scheming, what are we doing?” A new voice filled Peter’s ears, and Peter turned around with a smile.

“Hi.”

“Hi.” Peter wrapped his arms around you, and it was your turn to smile when Peter’s lips brushed against yours, and Peter welcomed the familiar taste of your cherry chapstick.

“Ugh, get a room.” MJ said as she walked over, and Peter stepped back from you with his cheeks tinged red.

“Oh, shut up.” The sound of your laughter made Peter’s heart skip a beat and then you turned to face Peter again. “So, what were you and Ned talking about?”

“You know, top secret stuff. Very important… guy stuff?”

“Guy stuff?” Peter’s breath hitched as your eyes studied his face, and he wondered if this is how specimens under a microscope felt. “O..kay. Guy stuff can be a secret.” The first bell rang and you groaned. “Having pre-cal first thing in the morning is the worst. MJ and I will see you in third period. Have fun with your ‘guy stuff.’ I know it’s code word for Star Wars.” You kissed Peter’s cheek before you left with MJ, saying bye to Ned as you walked away.

“Is not!” Peter called after you before he turned to Ned.

“Guy stuff?”

“Shut up.”

~Y/N Y/L/N~

“Peter’s planning something.” You said as you sat on top of MJ’s desk. You had a substitute teacher who could not care less about teaching for your second period today, so the entire class was doing their own thing. You chose to sit with MJ and talk while she doodled on your hand.

“Obviously.” MJ chuckled, a hint of a smirk on her lips. “I know he’s a little extra dorky around you regardless, but he seemed on edge today.”

“Right?” You leaned your head back against the wall, grateful for MJ’s corner desk. “You think that would’ve worn off by now.”

“Dude, you intimidate him. Even after, what, three months of dating?”

“How in the hell do I intimidate him? He’s dated me for three months, and I cried in front of him and May when we watched this sad dog movie two weeks ago.”

“Because you’re hot.” You raised a brow as you glanced at MJ.

“I’m hot so I intimidate him?”

“Get rid of all your personal biases towards Peter and think about it. He had a little crush on Liz and could barely even speak to her. And before you and him started dating, he never dated anyone.”

“Neither have I.” Your brows furrowed and MJ groaned, causing a few people to look over for a second before they turned back to their own things.

“But you’ve been asked out by a couple guys and girls since you started last year. That’s not Peter’s experience at all, and he’s probably feeling like you’re out of his league. Waiting for the shoe to drop and waiting for you to realize that.”

“He really thinks that?” You frowned and closed your eyes, and you tried to wrap your mind around what MJ had told you. Note to self- make everyone who ever doubted Peter or made him feel bad about himself regret it. The bell ringing snapped you out of your daze, and MJ patted your arm.

“Come on, let’s go see lover boy.”

-Peter Parker-

“You’re strangely quiet today, kid. It’s kind of creepy, I don’t think there’s been a single day since I’ve met you that you’ve been quiet.” Mr. Stark said and Peter kept his eyes glued on his chemistry homework. Homework always came before lab time, Tony was serious about Peter’s schoolwork. And Peter would never admit it, but it made him really happy how much his mentor cared about him- not just Spider-Man.

“You’re always telling me how important homework and school is, but now I’m too quiet because I’m doing homework? Sounds a bit hypocritical, Mr. Stark.” Tony smiled at Peter’s comeback; that was the kid he knew. Now he just had to push delicately where Peter wouldn’t notice he was pushing.

“Teenagers, FRIDAY. They’re such brats nowadays.” Tony tossed his screwdriver to the side and he walked over to Peter, peering over his shoulder to see what he was working on. “Covalent bonds? You can do this in your sleep, Pete. Something else is racing through that big brain of yours.”

“Covalent bonds can be very complicated.” Peter said. Very subtle, Mr. Stark. “Just so you’ll stop bugging me, it’s Y/N. You know we’ve been dating for a few months.”

“But you won’t even let me do a background check on them.”

“I think I’m ready to tell them I love them.” Peter admitted. “And I don’t know how to do it. It’s my first time telling them, or anyone, that. And it’s too big of a moment to just casually drop in conversation.” Peter let his head drop to the counter with a thud and Tony ignored the curse that he muttered under his breath.

“Shit.” Tony said after a moment.

“Really helpful.” Tony ruffled Peter’s hair as he took a seat beside him.

“You know Y/N better than anyone, kid. It doesn’t have to be some grand extravaganza. The first time I told Pepper I loved her wasn’t intentional, but I meant it.” Tony said and Peter raised his head, his interest now piqued.

“How did you tell her?”

“Pepper and I had to work all night one day back when we were in Malibu, we had a little security breach, so I made breakfast the next morning to thank her for staying when she didn’t have to. I made us omelettes, made a pot of coffee, and it was a really domestic moment. We ate in silence, exhausted from working all night. I cleaned up and before Pepper left to get ready for work, I kissed her goodbye and said I love you. I don’t think either of us processed it until we were at work, then we discussed it. A couple of weeks later, she told me she loved me over dinner.” Tony smiled, and Peter noticed a special type of fondness in his eyes, a look he recognized as one reserved for Pepper.

“I like that.” Peter hummed, the wheels in his head churning. “Dinner sounds good.” Tony clapped Peter’s shoulder.

“Speaking of dinner, are you staying for dinner tonight? Sam’s cooking tonight, and he’s honestly the best cook here. And Wanda’s been in a baking mood lately, so there’s cupcakes as well. I’m sure if you ask her, she’ll give you an extra one for Y/N.” Tony winked and Peter groaned.

“I’m going back to my homework. Then we need to work on my suit.” A brief pause. “Someone may have… swiped at me on after school patrols. With a knife.”

“...Someone what?”

~Y/N Y/L/N~

“How do we like this?” You stepped in front of your phone, propped against a stack of books on your desk. You were on a video call with MJ, and this was the third outfit you had tried on.

“Keep the pants, change the top. What about that dark green top from your first outfit?” MJ suggested and you gasped.

“You’re a damn genius, I love you so much. Be right back.” You said as you walked out of the camera’s viewpoint to change.

“Where are you two going?”

“Just dinner at his apartment.” MJ opened her mouth to question you, but you beat her to it. “Him, May, and Tony fucking Stark. The man is a genius, and don’t get me started on Pepper Potts. If I were into business at all, she’d be who I aspired to be.”

“Befriend them enough so you can invite me over to meet Black Widow. She could use her Widow Bites on me, and I’d thank her.” MJ fell back against her bed, and you laughed as you finished getting ready. A couple of minutes later, your phone vibrated and you read the text on your screen.

Peter <3: ‘here when you’re ready x :)’

“While you daydream, I’m gonna head out. Peter’s here.” You grabbed your jacket and your apartment keys, then grabbed your phone. “I’ll text you when I’m back.”

“You better. Be safe.” MJ’s voice went up into a teasing tone, and you raised your middle finger. “Love you, loser.”

“Love you, nerd. Bye!” You ended the video call before you switched to messages and opened your conversation with Peter.

You: ‘on my way down now. see you soon! <3’

-Peter Parker-

What happens then?

If when she holds me

My heart is set in motion

“Please don’t embarrass me, Mr. Stark.” Peter pleaded once he got your last text. “I’m already so nervous, I feel sick.”

“Not in the car, kid. Go outside if you need to-”

“Mr. Stark!” Peter whined and Tony chuckled.

“I promise. No embarrassing you, for the car ride. Best I can do.” Peter opened his mouth to protest but Tony cut him off. “Is that them?” Peter looked out the window and saw you, and his heart skipped a beat. You looked amazing, and Peter suddenly became hyper-aware of his own outfit. God, he hoped he looked nice enough. With a gentle shove from Tony, Peter got out of the car and called out your name.

“Wow, nice ride.” You said as you walked over, a bright smile on your lips. “A bit much considering I live within walking distance to your apartment.”

“Yeah, that’s… that’s Mr. Stark for you.” Peter chuckled nervously, and you brought your hand to his chin and lifted it up. Peter swore his heart rate became erratic from the gesture and he was grateful you couldn’t hear it.

“Hey. It’s just me. You don’t have anything to be so nervous about.” As if you were sealing a promise, you pressed a kiss to Peter’s lips. “Now, we should probably get in the car.”

“Yeah, yeah. Here, let me.” Peter was thankful his brain worked enough to open the door to the backseat for you, and you thanked him before you got in. Peter followed after you and he leaned back into the seat with a sigh. God, he was going to struggle to get through the night.

“So, you’re the famous Y/N I’ve heard so much about.” Tony said as he drove, and Peter wished he could web Mr. Stark’s mouth shut.

“Depends on what he told you.” You teased and your knee nudged against Peter’s. Your way of telling him ‘it’s okay.’ “The good things were me, and the bad things were probably me as well.”

“I literally can’t name a single ‘bad thing’ you’ve done, except for not like Star Wars.” Peter said and the two of you began to bicker about the franchise, with Tony occasionally chipping in with his limited knowledge he only had because of Peter. Tony felt honored to be a part of this moment, and the smile on Peter’s face would be in his memory forever.

~Y/N Y/L/N~

“Dinner was amazing, May. Thank you so much for having me over.” You started to clean up your plates, and May ‘tsked’ at you.

“Of course, Y/N. You know you’re always welcome here. And don’t worry about the plates, Tony and I will take care of it.” Tony looked as if he was going to protest, but May silenced him with a look.

“Go on and skedaddle, the adults have this.” You stood up and Peter did the same. Peter glanced in the direction of his room and you nodded.

“We’ll be in my room if you need anything, May. Thank you.”

“Tony or I will come get you when we need to take Y/N home.” May smiled and you both dismissed yourselves before you left for Peter’s room. Peter shut the door, ignoring Tony’s protests, and you sat in a beanbag on the floor.

“Ugh, whatever May ordered for dinner was fantastic. I feel stuffed.” You said and Peter took a seat in the beanbag beside yours. You smiled as you felt Peter’s hand hesitate to hold yours, so you grabbed his hand and laced your fingers together. “Is everything okay, Peter? You’ve been off the last few days, did I do something to upset you?”

“No, no, no, no, no. You did nothing wrong I promise.” Peter said and he squeezed your hand, but you couldn’t tell if the gesture was supposed to comfort you or him. “I had a whole speech planned, but I would make an even bigger idiot of myself if I tried to say it right now, so I’m just gonna tell you this. I love you, Y/N.”

I'm not prepared for that

I'm scared of breaking open

And in that moment, your heart stopped. You always imagined being told ‘I love you’ for the first time would give you butterflies, not what felt like a snake twisting your insides. You knew you would be filled with emotion, but not the complete panic you felt now.

When it came to fight or flight, you had a habit of flight- almost always. And this time, no matter how much you wanted to stay, you couldn’t. I’m so sorry, Peter.

“I have to go.” You stood up and you kept your eyes away from Peter’s face. You had to stay strong, and if you looked at him, your resolve would break and you’d stay. Or you would turn into a cornered animal and lash out until you were free, leaving Peter utterly heartbroken in your path of destruction. You had to get out of here.

“What? You can’t, you can’t just leave.” Your eyes began to water when Peter’s voice cracked, and you could practically see the tears in his beautiful brown eyes.

“I can’t do this, Peter. I need to leave, I have to walk back to my apartment.” You cursed internally when your own voice shook. You can’t do that, Y/N, you’re better than this. You can cry when you’re alone.

“Please… Stay? With me. We, we can talk this through, or-or we can pretend this never happened, but please-”

“Peter!” You cut off his rambling. “I’m leaving, whether I have to go out your fire escape or through your front door. There’s no talking this through, and we sure as hell can’t pretend this never happened. You told me you loved me, Peter.”

“Because I do. And I thought you did, too.”

“Well I don’t.” Liar. “I don’t do love anymore, I can’t. I, I just can’t. And I’m sorry for getting you involved in my mess. You deserve better, and now you can get it.”

“I had the best I could ever want.” A single tear slid down your cheek as you made sure you had all your things.

“Goodbye, Parker.” You walked out of Peter’s room, leaving the one person you could actually love behind in the destruction you caused. You quickly said goodbye to May and Tony, making up a lie about a family emergency, and you shut the door behind you. You ran down the hallway, down the steps of the building, and the cool night air felt like a slap to the face in comparison to the coziness of May’s apartment that you could never feel again. God, you were going to miss her.

You ignored the non-stop vibrating of your phone, knowing it was MJ, Ned, or Peter. You began the walk back to your apartment, and you whipped around when you heard a familiar voice.

“You look like you could use a ride.” Tony Stark had followed you, and he was parked  beside you with his window rolled down.

“I’m fine.” You protested and then it thundered loudly.

“Sounds like it’s going to rain soon.” Tony said casually, as if he didn’t care whether you got soaked from the rain or not. But if he didn’t care, he wouldn’t still be here.

“If this is your ruse to abduct me, it’s not very creative for a genius.” You said but turned to walk towards the passenger seat of Tony’s car, and you got in. Perfect timing as the sound of raindrops hit the windshield. One or two taps every few seconds at first, then a steady hum. If you were at home, it would be peaceful. But you were too on edge to enjoy it.

“Trust me, kid. I have former spies on speed dial. If I wanted to abduct you, you’d never even know.” The words from anyone else would be creepy, but Tony had an advantage with his charisma and charm.

“Only if you call the Black Widow. My friend really wants to meet her.” You found yourself joking, regardless of the ache in your heart. You leaned back against the seat in an attempt to relax before you spoke again. “Alright, level with me, Stark. Why are you here with me instead of Peter?”

“He wanted his aunt instead of me. Which is fair, I’m not exactly the comforting type.” Tony said and you tilted your head, not believing his last sentence. The way Peter spoke about him, it was like he was completely and utterly perfect.

“That doesn’t explain why you picked me up instead of going back home.”

“Touché.” Tony ran his hand through his hair. “I guess I was just curious about what went down, from your perspective.”

“What’s there to say? Peter told me he loved me, and I freaked out.” You found yourself spilling your guts to the man, something about the energy that surrounded him made him feel safe.

“I figured that. Peter asked me for advice about dropping those three words, and when you bolted, I figured he had told you. But something tells me there’s something deeper than that.”

“Wow, you really are a genius.” Sarcasm dripped from your tongue. “Obviously it’s something deeper, the average person doesn’t exactly run whenever they hear their partner say ‘I love you,’ do they?”

“Because you’re talking to an expert on average people here, right?” Tony matched your sarcasm, and you respected him for it.

“That’s fair.” You jumped when it thundered especially loud, and Tony looked at you.

“We should probably get you home, yeah?” You nodded. Tony put his car into drive and pulled into the road, and he began to drive you home. “I would say I don’t normally do stuff like this, but you’re the first of Peter’s friends I’ve actually met.”

“Ned hasn’t met you yet?”

“Peter and Ned have been trying to convince his mother to let him come to the compound for weeks now, but she hasn’t budged yet.” Tony said and you chuckled. Mrs. Leeds was an amazing woman, but god, she was a stubborn woman as well.

“You should pick them up from school one day. Ned may pass out, but he’ll be fine after that.” Tony laughed and you couldn’t help but laugh as well. “But you didn’t have to give me a ride, so thank you.”

“You’re welcome. And I know my opinion doesn’t matter, it’s your life and all, but I think if you can get past whatever happened in your past, you and Peter seemed to be a good couple. And I definitely never do this,” Tony said. “But you remind me a lot of…” Myself, Tony almost said. “Someone I used to know.” He said instead. “So if you need someone to talk to, about Peter or not, I’m a call away. Pull your phone out.” Tony said as he parked in front of your apartment complex.

“You’re just…” You were speechless.

“Trying to give you my number, yeah. You can talk to me, or I can get someone unbiased to talk to you. Sam has a love-hate relationship with the kid, but he’s surprisingly really good at listening and giving advice. Not really surprising given his background, but.” Tony had a habit of rambling like Peter did, and the resemblance made your heart feel heavy. Tony gave you his number, and you exchanged goodbyes before you got out of his car and ran into your apartment.

When you entered your apartment, you were greeted by silence, which you were grateful for today. You walked into your room, plugged your phone into the charger, and laid back in bed, your eyes burning from the unshed tears you didn’t dare to spill. If you started to cry now, you wouldn’t be able to stop, or you’d do something stupid. You’d answer the texts that Peter, MJ, and Ned left you. You’d listen to the voicemails from him and May, and it would worsen the pain you were in right now.

It was rough and fast and I had no idea Steve could fuck like this. Wildly and animalistic, like he was releasing all of his life’s frustrations in my body, each thrust feeling like a hateful gesture meant to bring me pain. But I reveled in it, relishing every forceful pump against my cervix, tears of pure and unadulterated joy escaping my eyes from this turn of events.

When I joked about Steve being incapable of knowing how to get me off, I never expected to end up like this. Straining to take all of his cock in the bathroom of the bar, one of his hands on my hair while the other pawed at my breast. Mine were trying to keep myself up by holding the counter in front of me, my eyes hypnotized by the image staring back at me in the mirror. 

I’d never seen myself like this. Looking so fucked out and happy at the same time, spit dripping from the corner of my mouth and lust clearly visible in my half-lidded eyes. Even worse was the image of the man behind me, a God that looked like he didn’t know mercy in the low light of the bathroom, his grip in me overwhelmingly tight, like he feared I’d run away at any second.

It was very clear that I couldn’t even if I wanted to.

Suddenly, his eyes left my ass to meet mine in the mirror, and he opened the most predatory grin I’d ever seen. “You like seeing me fuck you like the little slut you are, sweetheart?” The paradox of the names made my head swirl, but my lack of response wasn’t enjoyed by him. “Answer me.”

The loud slap he gave the right cheek of my ass echoed around the room, followed swiftly by my own moan at the sting that it left behind. “Fuck! Yes, Steve, I like it. Fuck, I love it so much.”

An abrupt pull on my hair had my back glued to his chest, his hot breath on my cheek. “What did you just call me?” Oh, shit.

“Captain! Sorry, Captain. Please, I’m sorry…” Steve kept pounding me as his eyes ran over my body through the mirror, taking notice of just how ruined I truly was.

“Lose weight, Y/n. Raise your grades, Y/n. Do it better. Do it less. Do it more. You can do better than that. You’re lazy. You’re my daughter, you should be better than this. You’re not good enough.”

That was the way it seemed. No matter what you did, to your parents you were never good enough. No mater how hard you worked to raise your grades, to stay fit, to be a famous role model. No matter how little you slept. No matter how much you hated yourself. You would never be enough. 

You always felt on the verge of cracking. You’d kept it up for so many years, always obeying and working yourself to the bone. You gave up your childhood so you could make your parents proud, but they never were. There was never an ounce of admiration in their voices. 

But now you felt it. All day long, the glass that held in all of your feelings and exhaustion was cracking. You were walking around shaking, raising eyebrows among your cast mates. You felt like you couldn’t breathe, and you knew that the solution would be to go to your trailer and sleep it off, wake up and forget about it, but you couldn’t when you had so many responsibilities to keep up with. The movie, school, online presentation, your body. It was all so much.

“Y/n?” Tom’s voice broke you out of your trance. Your body was tensed, and you awkwardly unclenched your hands and your jaw, focusing back on reality, and on Tom. He was watching you with those big, concerned eyes, a frown on his lips. “Uh, your phone is ringing.”

It was. “Oh, hahahaha,” you giggled brightly, “I’m so sorry! I didn’t even notice. Gosh, I really need to catch up on some sleep!” You grabbed the phone from your pocket. Your heart sunk when you saw the name displayed on your screen. 

Mom.

“Oh, I feel you,” Hemsworth joked, pointing to his dark under eye bags. The others giggled and continued into a conversation about their own sleep deprived souls. Tom smiled at you softly, when you got up to take the call and you smiled back. 

You quickly jogged into an unoccupied hallway out of ears shot of the other cast members you had been eating lunch with. Shakily, you picked up your phone and pressed it to your ear. You closed your eyes and braced yourself, hoping that your own expectations would be enough to keep the glass from cracking. 

“Hi, mom! What’s up-” 

“Y/n L/n. I honestly can’t believe you. I can’t believe that you continue to disappoint us.” Tears already pricked your eyes. Your moms voice was hoarse and disgusted. 

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about, Mom,” your breath shook, heart caught in your throat. 

“Your grades are slipping again. I thought we went over this?”

“I’m- I’m sorry, mom!”

“Are you lazy, Y/n? Tell me, are you lazy?” 

“No, I’m trying my hardest!” 

“Your grades are slipping, you’re gaining weight, I bet your acting is nothing but mediocre. Worse, probably. Have you been reading? Have you been practicing your singing?” 

“I have! I have, mom!” Tears were now flowing freely from your face. You sniffled, hoping your mom wouldn’t call you disgusting for it. Your moms voice was so loud, you had to pull the phone away from your ear, her voice booming so loud that you could hear it down the hallway. 

“You’re lazy and untalented! You’re not good enough! You need to do better!” 

Crack. 

Something inside you flipped. From sorrow and desperate desire to please your parents, your emotions were painted red and fiery. You were filled a fury double the size of your body. You needed to get it out of you, desperately. 

“I’m not! I’m not lazy! I’m not untalented! I can barely rest. All I do is work, work, work to please you, and I get nothing from it. Nothing! All you do is drag me down and scream at me. You don’t own me, okay? Do you hear me? Call me if you decide to be a better mother!” 

You hung up the phone and threw it away from you, the device burning guiltily into your hand. You were sobbing, and you stepped back until your back hit the wall, and then slid down miserably, until you sat on the floor. 

Meanwhile, Tom was standing at the end of the hallway in shock. He had originally gone because he had a meeting with someone, and had simply entered the hallway in an attempt to get to the meeting. Then he’d heard your crying, shaking voice, pleading to your mother. 

His heart had simply broken. And then you snapped. You snapped in a way that adults snapped when they had been pushed to their limit. The way people snap when they have nothing to lose. When they have nothing but negativity left, and Tom had finally understood what you had been going through. 

You, the nicest, sweetest, cutest little actor he’d ever had the pleasure of working with. Now you were crying on the floor, soaking your shirt sleeves. The way you hugged yourself hurt Tom very deeply. 

“Y/n..” his voice came from the end of the hallway. You snapped your head up, cheeks burning red and eyes puffy. You sniffled and wiped your tears in embarrassment. “Hey, no, it’s okay. What’s wrong?” He motioned for you to stay on the floor. 

“My parents are dicks.” your voice was groggy and ruined from screaming. Tom slid down the wall beside you and looked at you. You just put your head back in your sleeves, too self-conscious to let him see you like that.

Tom said nothing, but you felt his hand on your shoulder pushing you, and then his arm under your legs, and then he lifted you into him in a hug. There you cried harder. Because that was what your parents were supposed to do. Comfort you and be there for you. But here you were with some actor you’d only met six months ago. 

Tom understood though, he’d heard it all, and he knew not to try and convince you to make it right with your parents. He just held you there, letting you cry and shake in his embrace, hoping that your parents hadn’t ruined you. Hoping that your life wouldn’t be defined by their selfishness. 

“It’s okay,” he whispered, stroking your back, “you’re good enough. You’re doing so good. You’re talented and beautiful. You’re sweet and you’re smart.” 

Tom told you things no one had ever told you. And you sat there for however long, and Tom missed his meeting, and you missed lunch. But it was okay, because all that mattered in that moment was that you would be okay. 

At some point he pulled your face from his chest, so that he could look into your eyes. 

“I mean it,” he said, “I mean every word.” 

Looking into his eyes, you couldn’t keep yourself from smiling, and you giggled softly, hugging him again. Tom grinned too, just at the little smile and the giggle that had escaped your lips. In that moment you both knew. 

Odin’s silence soured instantly and he slammed his staff on the ground, slamming his son with lightning to stop him in his path, “You did this? You gave this girl the gem she’s wearing?”

“I did.” He repeated firmly, staring from Sigyn’s face to Frigga’s and trying to determine which was more pained that his claim had garnered lightning instead of love from Odin.

“Then there are two disobedient and dishonorable children here.”

Frigga looked pained, her two special children, her two favorites, were beyond her help at this moment. Damaging the ego of powerful men was not easily undone. She hoped for an opening, for a small chance, where she could affect some change on what was undoubtedly going to be severe punishments but she did not know if she would get it.

Loki knew better than to speak to Odin when the fumes were so built up in him and so he bowed his head, waiting for a better moment. Sigyn, however, had not Loki’s experience with Odin’s tempers, and brought up her chin to meet Odin’s eye, “Disobedient, I will readily grant to my lords. I have disobeyed my father and you, in disobeying him, but I am not dishonorable.”

“You think your lack of fidelity is honorable?”

“I do not think I lack fidelity.” Her eyes gleamed, “My father promised my faith to Theoric, I never did. I was handed to a strange man that I did not know and told to be faithful, but the Vanir see further than dwarves and I might have told you if you asked that my heart never knew loyalty to Theoric. When my heart found its keeper, its loyalty has been absolute. So I say to you, regardless of how you will punish me, that I am faithful. Disobedient, but faithful.”

Odin’s face purpled and inside of the throne room was filling with the electric snapping of lightning before it struck. Frigga reached out her hand for his but he held his up to block her, “Such a compliment to women, who are so often accused of having such weak and inconstant hearts, to see such fierce loyalty.”

The purple faded to blue, “Disobedience is unacceptable, and what loyalty has been proven? A bauble on her neck? How does this prove anything to us? She has broken her father’s sworn promise, lied to him, accepted gifts without his permission…”

“Blame me, father.” Loki took a knee, eliciting surprised noises from the few onlookers, “I gave her gifts, wooed her, convinced her to break her word….punish me.”

Odin eyed Loki, “Oh you will be punished for your part, but I think you claim more responsibility than you are owed.”

“If he seduced my daughter and broke my chosen betrothal for her, he owes me his head.” Iwaldi growled, his grip on Sigyn’s shoulder tightening until she flinched visibly and bit back at her father, “I am not some pawn of men—I broke my betrothal.”

Iwaldi tightened his grip and a red blossomed under his nails and Odin saw how Sigyn bit her lip to keep from crying out. Loki’s eyes were trained on the blood, his fists clenched until his knuckles turned white.

Frigga now clapped her hand over Odin’s arm and darkly laughed, “A head! Is that the price now for a bride? And the youngest daughter? A marriage not even advantageous—she was engaged to a soldier, not a king. She was marrying beneath her rank—now she would marry above. A head! For a Dwarf-lord, Iwaldi seems not to see that he has been offered a diamond instead of a pebble.” 

Odin petted Frigga’s hand and looked at Iwaldi, “Mind how you speak of my son, sir. Whatever he has done, he is a crowned prince of this realm and my son. There will be no talk of heads, and,” he eyed Frigga darkly, “there will also be no talk of any new betrothal until these two have been punished for this indiscretion.”

“This is my daughter All Father and her disobedience is unacceptable.” Iwaldi threw Sigyn onto the floor, and stepped on her back to keep her on the ground. Loki was twitching on his knees and could not help himself, “Let her up!”

“She is mine, if I wish to throw her down or build her up that is my right.” Iwaldi thrust Sigyn against the floor again as if to demonstrate his power, feeling powerless because his wayward daughter had managed to make a fool out of him and he could do nothing to persuade her that it was wrong, he could get no apologies from her or coax remorse into her words. 

“Enough!” Odin struck his spear against the floor and silence fell, “Iwaldi, your anger is just and there will be a fitting punishment, for both guilty parties. Let her up so she can look into my eye while she is sentenced.”

Sentenced. The word hit Loki in the gut, “Father, please—“

Gungnir’s weight hitting the ground cut the words from Loki’s mouth. 

Sigyn was allowed up and she rose her head to stare at Odin’s feet, not daring to meet his glaring eye, as he turned to Iwaldi one last time, “I tell you plainly, Iwaldi, that if you care for what her punishment will be, say so clearly now or it will be left in my hands alone—this is your child, have some caution with what happens next.”

Iwaldi softened for a moment and ran his fingers through his daughter’s hair—she flinched at the gesture, not sure if a blow would follow, “Will you reject this seducer?” 

“There is no seducer here--- if you ask, instead, if I would reject Loki, I tell you plainly that I will not, regardless of what that loyalty brings me.”

“Tears.” Iwaldi sneered and turned his head away, dropping his hand away from her, “It will bring you nothing but tears—I want nothing from this girl, All Father, sentence her at your will.”

In from the doors burst a flurry of excitement that made the whole court turn, it was Freyja and her four other daughters, running at a furious pace, Freyja screaming, “All Father! All Father let me speak! Please!”

Iwaldi roared, “I forbade you come!”

Freyja glared at him, fuming, “And who are you to forbid a mother to her child? I consent not to be dictated by men what I shall do with my children.”

Her sisters swarmed Sigyn, putting their bodies between her and Iwaldi. 

They might not have bothered, for like Iwaldi every offer they made to Sigyn she rejected, refused their help, for it came at a price she would not pay: she would not give up Loki for a single one of them.

“What say you, All Father?”

Odin stood from his throne and held his head high, “I say that for her betrayal of her father, Sigyn Iwaldidottir shall lose her family name—she is now just Sigyn, no man’s daughter, and being no man’s daughter, she is no woman’s—she cannot take her mother’s name, nor share in her mother’s titles. No titles will be her’s, she shall be stripped of the society that she has dishonored. Let nothing be given to her but she earns it first—let her know sacrifice, let her know the pain of loss and let her think more carefully on her decisions, when her decisions must put food in her stomach and shelter over her head. She is no longer noble, so she must learn to work to earn her place. That is the sentence I proclaim--- no more, no less.”

Freyja’s head hung low, her daughters—all but Sigyn—crying around her. Freyja looked over at Frigga, heatedly, angrily, as though her friend should have done more to help her, and then gathered up her storm of blond girls and left the room. None of them looked at Sigyn as they left, her stubbornness had beaten down their prostrations and so they had sacrificed their pride in vain. For such vain creatures, that was no small sacrifice and they would remember Sigyn  with a blend of anger and intense grief--- they would, none of them, see her again. 

Iwaldi waited for them to go and he bowed to the All Father, then left without acknowledging the girl who had been his daughter. Alone now, in her ripped clothes, Sigyn let her face sink into her hands. The shock was still apparent, she did not know whether to cry or howl…and before she could think much on it, Loki took her hands in his and barked at his father, “No matter that you bring her low—I do not love her for her titles. I will raise her up again—she shall be a princess before this day is done.”

Odin sneered at him, “Do you think that?”

Loki kissed Sigyn’s hands and then reached over to touch her bleeding skin, healing it with a whispered word and looking into her eyes, “Do not worry, they mean nothing. You are the prize.”

The clash of the spear made Sigyn wince and Odin pointed it at Loki, “I proclaim that no son of mine will marry so beneath himself—Odin’s sons will not belittle themselves to mix with women of lesser station, and so relinquish all thoughts that you would make her your bride.”

“Father—“ Loki tried to argue but the lightning cackled and silenced him, Odin hissing, “I forbid it—there will be no debate from you and your silver tongue. I am not yet done teaching you obedience, as you are nowhere near done learning it--- you will be exiled from Asgard until you have traveled to each realm where fair travel might be had. You must spend at least one month among its people, and you must learn something of great value to them while you are there--- only after those conditions are met can you leave, and Heimdall will be watching to see how you progress. You may not come back here until you have done with this quest, or I will strip you of your magic for a thousand years.”

Loki paled, his punishment becoming a real thing in front of him and he looked frantically over at his mother, “What says the queen?”

Odin gave Frigga a furious look that threatened oceans of lightning if she contradicted Loki’s sentence. Instead she looked over at Sigyn, who had begun crying when Odin said the word “exiled”, and whispered a command to a servant. The All Mother stood next to her husband and nodded at Loki slowly, to show him that she was helping if he would let her, “The All Father is just and wise.”

Odin bowed his head toward her in deference and she continued, “Sigyn, child, stand and face me.”

Sigyn did as she was bid, but despite her great love and closeness with Frigga she dared not raise her eyes above the level of the floor. She tried to stem her crying with as much dignity as she could muster, “Yes, All Mother?”

Frigga squeezed a hairpin so hard that it sliced her palm open and she exposed the bleeding hand to Sigyn, calmly asking, “Can you heal me?”

Sigyn ran immediately to Frigga, knelt before her as a servant—tearing Frigga’s heart from her chest—and Sigyn ran her fingers over the wound and instantly sealed it, “Of course, All Mother. Anything my lady requests.”

Frigga waved to a door to her side and in hobbled injured soldiers: one had a heavily bandaged head that was seeping, one was burned on one half of their body, one had a weeping poisonous bite on his leg and one was missing an arm. 

“Can you help them, Sigyn?”

Sigyn nodded obediently, not thinking that this might be Frigga’s way of helping her, “Of course, All Mother.”

Sigyn lifted her hands and a soft green light began to emanate from them. Loki watched, as he had watched her when they sparred and practiced with one another, as the light wrapped around the first soldier’s head. It folded against his head and he wanted to pull away but Sigyn’s magic wouldn’t let him simply twitch away from it. Loki had always been struck by how sure she was, nothing about the magic was tentative or unsure, she was perfection. The light glowed around the soldier’s head, beamed brightly for a moment, and then disappeared—and with it, his bleeding wound. He unwrapped the bandages from his head and touched what had been a giant gash, bleeding profusely, “Amazing.”

The audience in the hall quieted instantly…and Loki knew precisely what his mother was doing. Loki would be brought back to court once he was shamed sufficiently by Odin, the trick was finding a way to keep Sigyn in court that even the great Odin could not naysay. 

______________________________________________

When he entered the throne room after his long exile, she was literally vibrating with joy. Frigga had to reach over and put a calming hand on her arm, “Calm yourself, dear, or you will faint.”

Sigyn nodded absently but her eyes never left Loki, and from the moment he walked in he sought hers. He looked her over from a distance and he cocked his head, asking the silent question of whether or not she was well. She just smiled at him and nodded slightly, then nodded her head toward him to ask the same question. All he did was wink at her and turn his attention to his father.

The procession, the demands of pomp and circumstance, the feasting of a prince arriving home again….it was endlessly formal and exhausting. Sigyn felt the sting of her new station this day—always an arm’s length from Loki, never able to cross the line. His eyes kept flitting over to her, checking on her, seeing where she was and how she was treated. He was restraining himself, she knew, because as Frigga’s preeminent assistant and lady-in-waiting Sigyn was permitted to sit at the table with the rest of them, but she was not permitted to speak unless spoken to. Loki would have spoken to her all night, but Odin had his good eye trained on them both and he missed nothing. If he was testing them, they were passing—the time he had forced them to be apart had not done a thing to quell their passion, in fact it seemed to intensify it.

After dinner, Odin tapped his scepter against the ground and politely dismissed all servants, with a particular eye on Sigyn, so that his family might have proper time alone with their son and brother to welcome him home. Sigyn rose from her seat without fuss and bowed down to Odin, as all the other servants did, and left the room without a backward glance. Loki watched her leave and she touched her necklace intentionally, drawing circles around its bull-horn frame—he hoped she was reading his mind. He would have to wait and see. 

*

Loki looked over at his mother and rolled his eyes as if to say He’s doing this intentionally.

Frigga smiled at him and leaned over, stealing a moment while Thor and Odin laughed raucously at some bawdy joke, “Patience, dear—she isn’t going anywhere.”

When he looked over at his mother, Loki seemed unsure of himself, like a child for a moment, “Are you sure?”

“Aren’t you?” Frigga winked and a smile spread over Loki’s face again, “You’re right, mother.”

“About what?” Thor interrupted.

“I guessed that Loki was tired from his journey—we have been keeping him up selfishly but the poor dear is half asleep on his feet.” Frigga tutted and fussed, motherly, making Odin smile as if his boys were small again.

Odin, seeming genuinely happy, clapped Loki lovingly on the shoulder and said, “You have done so well, my son. Sleep well and deeply.”

Loki made a good show of being tired and slinking off to his room, but as soon as the door was shut behind him he shrugged off the charade. 

“I thought they might keep you all night.” 

The voice came from behind him, and without turning he smiled from ear to ear, knowing she had read his mind, knowing that his long exile was about to become worthwhile. He turned slowly, savoring it, and joked, “They might have, but I am much tired from my long journey.”

“Are you?” She purred, taking a step toward him, smiling, almost vibrating.

Loki strode toward her, eliminating the distance in a heartbeat, and letting his lips tease hers as he said, “Very much so…You’ll have to put me to bed immediately.”

Sigyn laughed lightly as he pulled her into a long kiss, tempered jointly with gentleness and lust. His head was an explosion--- during the last year he had vacillated between romantic longings of her eyes and her voice and desperate memories of her body clinging to his and he wasn’t sure which instinct to follow.

“I love you,” She whispered into his ear, stroking his hair, “I’ve missed you.”

“And I you, my love….and I you.” Loki picked her up and she wound herself against him, like a snake, like a second skin, and they collapsed onto his bed. The curtains fell around them and closed them away from the world. It was hours before they spoke again—words weren’t needed. It was how they looked, how they touched, that communicated the endless depths that nobody believed belonged to them. The way she ran her fingers over small, newly acquired scars; the way he looked her over for any evidence she had run into trouble of her own—the way they just drank in the sight of one another. 

Finally they lay tangled in one another, finding their breath, and laughing at the fact that their long exile was over.

*

Her hair was longer, he belatedly noticed. He knew his was too. He tugged playfully at the longer ends and looked her over carefully--- there were no other signs of change. Still, most changes take place and leave no sign of themselves behind, he knew that she had to have had experiences while he was away—he just hoped they were pleasant.

“So, what have you learned?” She ran her fingers lightly over his chest, teasing them down his stomach and then back up to his neck.

“A good many things, many of them boring, some very useful.” He leaned his head back against the pillows, wrapped an arm around her to pull her closer, “And what have you learned?”

“A good many things, many of them insightful, some of them tedious.” Sigyn grinned mischievously, “It is rather a different education when you’re a servant in a house and not a lady.”

“I can’t imagine it is to your liking.” He scowled momentarily but she brushed her fingers over his lips and the scowl disappeared.

“Actually, your mother has been wonderful to me and has made it lovely. There were times I forgot that I was no longer her pupil.” Sigyn’s eyes suddenly looked far away and Loki knew that there had been times when her position had probably been brought to stark reality. He knew how cruel some of the people of this court could be, and he knew he had left Sigyn exposed, a raw nerve without its casing. 

“No other interesting developments?” He gently pried, curling one long strand of her hair absently around his finger. 

“I met new people…” 

“Anyone I know?” He kissed her collarbone.

Sigyn giggled as his lips tickled her and then she cupped his cheek and made him look at her, she was admiring him for a moment—her glorious man, hers, and then said, “The Enchantress.”

Loki’s face tensed and darkened, “She decided to visit here did she?”

“She did…you don’t have to look so worried. I had four sisters growing up; one scorned lover isn’t enough to hurt me.”

Still, Sigyn’s words hid a small shadow—Amara hadn’t made it easy on her. She knew that Loki sensed that but she didn’t wish to rile his rage—his rage could be a dangerous thing. 

_____________________________________________________

He was still recently returned and he had not yet had the opportunity to see many of his friends. He had been sent away so quickly that many of them had not had the opportunity to speak with him personally about the affair with Sigyn, and he had not wanted to ask her what they had said to her while he was gone. All she had offered was that Thor had defended her, as Frigga had, they had both embraced Sigyn though she was nothing more than a servant now. There were those like Amara who had not cared that Sigyn had powerful defenders, and he knew that Sigyn wasn’t telling him the whole story. Loki did not press her—they would have endless years to share all stories and he wanted to have some time to just appreciate being home. 

Still, today he would see Sif, Volstagg, Fandral and Hogun as Thor had commanded him on a hunt. He had wished to refuse but Sigyn shook her head when he suggested that and told him to go spend time with his brother, “I’ve not been the only one who missed you.”

When he walked down alone Thor cocked his head to the side, “Where is she?”

Loki looked at him, puzzled, and Thor continued, “Sigyn, I might have thought you would bring her.”

Loki cocked an eyebrow, “Isn’t that strictly against father’s policy?”

“Father isn’t coming.” Thor smiled and nodded at Loki, “We will wait if you wish to gather her—mother, certainly, can spare her for a day.”

Loki looked at his brother, puzzled, and Thor smiled, “Did I not promise you I would look after her as my own dear sister while you were gone? I have kept my promise. I will protect you both from our father’s eyes if I can and offer you what time and privacy I may. I promise—there is no ill intent in the offer.”

So seldom did good favor pass between the brothers that Loki did not know if accepting it was necessarily a good idea—but he trusted it. He could not explain why but some part of him felt that Thor would leave teasing Loki to Loki alone, that Sigyn was something different entirely. 

__________________________________________________

Some time later...

He was walking with his brother, listening to Thor’s revels and conquests, considering how he might use them to embarrass Thor at the next formal function when there was a sizzling and cracking in the air, like magic. 

A figure appeared in front of them, cowering, crying, popping into existence from the clear night sky. 

“Sigyn!” Loki yelled—his heart instantly in his throat, he ran over to her and as soon as someone touched her she shrieked, but then looked up and saw who it was. Her face was frightened, slightly bruised by her chin, and she threw her arms around his neck and let herself sob. 

Thor was beside his brother in a second and the distinct thumping sound of Mjolnir sinking into its master’s grasp, “What has happened? Is she hurt?”

As much as Loki was loathe to admit it, Thor had been the valiant brother to Sigyn when Loki was absent—and he was protective of her for both Frigga and Loki’s sakes.  Loki put Sigyn at an arm’s length for a moment to study her, as he did her arms flexed protectively around her chest and he saw that the top of her gown was torn as if someone had tried to rip it off of her. The bruises on her chin had siblings on her neck, as though she had been grabbed, and her heart was racing so hard he could hear it. 

“Are you hurt?” Loki repeated the question, unable to see anything else but fearing something invisible. 

Sigyn shook her head but her whole body was shaking and her knees were weakening. She was falling to the ground and so Loki guided her down and followed her, wrapping his arms around her again and staring up at Thor, “Get Eir.”

“No.” Sigyn whispered, “Don’t bother her…I’m fine, really. Just frightened.”

“I would say you’re closer to petrified, dear.” Loki stroked her hair as she cried into his shoulder, “What happened?”

Instead of talking Sigyn flicked her wrist and buried her head in Loki’s neck so she did not have to see it again—in front of Thor and Loki played out a memory, a glamour storytellers often employed, absently Loki realized that he didn’t know Sigyn could perform such a glamour. 

The scene was simple enough—Sigyn was walking through the halls with a book in hand, and knocked gently on a door. When it opened it revealed a Bright Elf, not the ambassador but one of the kinsmen he had brought to keep himself entertained—Sigyn was welcomed into the room, but behind her, unbeknownst to her, the elf locked the door. 

“My lady sends her regards and hopes this is what you were looking for,” Sigyn raised the book for emphasis, “if it isn’t, she offers to tour you through the library personally in the morning. She hopes that this is what you were asking for with such urgency.”

“The All Mother sends precisely what I was hoping for.” The elf nodded but did not reach for the book, “You do not remember me?”

Sigyn cocked her head to the side, “Should I?”

He waved his hand dismissively, “Of course, your mother’s trip to Alfheim was not so long ago.”

Sigyn blinked and shook her head, “I am sorry, my lord. I do not know you.”

The Bright Elf crossed close to her, “That is of little consequence… I knew your mother quite well.”

It was something about how he said it, how his eyes raked over her, that made Sigyn uncomfortable. She placed the book on a table and said, firmly, “I do not have a mother anymore, sir. My place is as the All Mother’s loyal servant, I no longer have a family to call mine.”

She tried to walk back toward the door but the elf stepped in her path. She took a step to the right to try and walk around him but he blocked her there as well and she felt all the hairs on the back of her neck raise.

“Yes…the story reached us in Alfheim too. You were disowned for becoming the bedthing of the small prince, but given who your mother is that was no surprise to us who knew her well. A pity your father was so distraught—had he not already learned your nature from his time with Freyja?”

Sigyn took a step back from him, “That is not exactly what happened…”

“Of course it is.” The elf shrugged, “Or something like it.”

“Nothing like it.” Sigyn insisted and took another step backward, when the elf took a step forward she lunged forth, pushed him to the side and ran toward the door, which had been locked and sealed shut with magic she did not know. 

The elf grabbed her hair and pulled her back enough that he could wrap his hand around her neck and shove her fiercely against the locked door.

“Is that meant to be a rejection?” His hand squeezed her throat before traveling up to her chin, “What appeal does that boy prince have to you? Or maybe he bores you? Your mother travels from bed to bed… how like your mother are you?” 

Sigyn tried to reply but his grip on her was too tight, he reached up his free hand toward her breasts and grabbed the edges of her dress, pulling at it. Just as it tore Sigyn exploded in light, disappearing from in front of him and landing on the path in front of Loki.

While Loki and Thor were watching what happened, Sigyn looked behind them and flicked her wrist. A doppleganger appeared and as the brothers grew more and more angry, Sigyn’s copy went directly for Frigga’s room. If she could find the All Mother, there might be hope to stop Loki and Thor doing something regrettable to the elf, no matter how justified their actions might have been it would not be right to start a war. 

Loki was fuming, seeing red, and she could hear the magic snapping around him but she held onto him so tightly that he couldn’t race toward the guest quarters and maul the man who harmed Sigyn. She nestled close to his ear and whispered, “Please…I want to go inside, take me somewhere safe.”

It took him a moment, but he swallowed his rage.

Then, silently, he swept her into his arms and hurried toward his room, Thor shadowing them with his hammer, ready to jump in and protect his family. Loki’s magic burst the doors to his room open and then as quickly slammed them shut, a fire jumped to life in the fireplace and the bed rolled its covers down. A basin filled with steaming water and he was able to lay Sigyn into his bed and immediately go to his wardrobe where he was able to pick from a small selection of women’s clothes. 

Thor was tempted to joke with Loki about the small treasure trove of women’s clothes, but guessed, correctly, that Loki was in no mood--- these were things he kept here for Sigyn. Loki wrapped her in a warm robe before he touched her torn dress and it disappeared, never to be seen again. He started pressing the warm cloth to the back of her neck to soothe her and sat next to her on the bed, constantly looking her over, finally seeing her breathing even out and noticing that she had stopped trembling.

“Do you feel better? Safer?” He asked, studying her and studying her, unable to stop looking for answers to put himself at ease as much as her.

“Yes, better.” She nodded, patting the space of bed next to her, “Can we go to sleep?”

“Oh I won’t be sleeping,” Loki smoothed her brow with his thumb, “as long as that monster is in this Hall.”

“Loki, don’t..”

“Don’t try to stop me, Sigyn. I’m quite resolved.” His face was stern, the rage that had simmered was rising again and Sigyn looked over at the doorway hoping that Frigga would arrive in time to stop the boys from doing something that would ignite a war. As luck would have it, Frigga pushed open the doors at just that moment. Her magic was also clicking and snapping in anger and her sons instantly gave way to her, allowing her to look over Sigyn without a further word.

“How long have you been here?” 

“Mere moments, mother.” Loki supplied, Thor was pacing angrily, “The outrage! The disrespect! How dare any of our people be mishandled so!”

Loki locked eyes with his brother, held up a hand glowing with magic and gripping a dagger, and said, “It would seem they are in need of a lesson in manners. Thor?”

“I would gladly be their teacher.” Thor began whirling the hammer in vast circles but Frigga snapped her fingers and both boys doubled over as if they had the air knocked from their lungs, “Stop that, both of you!”

“Mother?” Thor coughed.

“The poor girl is frightened and you sit here and further scare her by talk of starting a war?”

“Who mentioned a war? I’m only interested in one casualty.” Loki glowered.

“You know precisely what will happen if you both barge in there and assault the man without a further word. Nothing good.”

Loki’s eyes opened in shock, “You aren’t suggesting we overlook this mad behavior? Surely you can’t expect us to do that.”

Frigga’s magic slapped his cheek as if he were a rude child and Loki’s eyes looked downcast as she replied, “Dare you suggest seeing her thus doesn’t wound me? She sent a doppleganger to me, she showed me what she showed you---how do you think I am here so fast? How dare you think this doesn’t cut me to my core—but we cannot simply barge into his rooms and drag him into the yard, beat him bloody, and expect that nothing further will come of it.”

“We can try.” Thor tried but for it Frigga slapped him too.

“You are not children anymore to have tempers that flare and tantrums because of them—you will both calm yourselves and show some restraint that befits grown princes of this house.”

Loki stared at his mother defiantly but she held his gaze. As always the message behind it was Trust me. Against his better judgment he sank into a chair at the foot of the bed…but not before flinging his dagger across the room where it landed precisely in the middle of Alfheim in the great painting of Yggrisil on his wall.  

“She stays with me, here, where I can know she is safe. That is my condition.” Loki met his mother’s eyes with a dark and dismal will, “My only condition, the only reason I will concede.” 

Frigga bowed her head, “Your father will not like it.”

“My only condition, mother.”

Frigga relented, “Very well.”

*

“It has been brought to me that Sigyn is currently being lodged in your rooms.” Odin said, deciding not to mince words with Loki about this topic again, “I want you to send her back to hers.”

“No.” Loki shook his head firmly, “She stays where she is until the Bright Elves return home, and that is the best I can offer you. There will be no negotiating with me on this matter.”

Odin sighed, Frigga had already warned him against having this fight and he was beginning to wonder why he ignored her.

“Loki---“

“No!” The prince snapped, “You are lucky mother restrained us, or Thor and I would have charged their rooms already and demanded justice.”

“So you would kill an ambassador’s kin for revenge?”

“Who said kill? I prefer maim.” Loki sneered, “He manhandled her like a common prostitute.”

“She is returned to you, in one piece, her fears are calmed. You can return her to her lodgings and she will be safe there, with your mother.”

“No, she was rooming with my mother when she was attacked. She stays with me until this is past us.” The prince’s eyes were lit with the fire that always worried Odin, the fire that looked like it could rend a world in two, “She is safe with me, and that is what we both need to keep our heads.”

“You are being dramatic and overbearing—she will be safe in this palace, I promise you.”

Loki’s voice grew quiet, the tone as dark as a black hole and it sucked all the worst emotions to the surface whenever he used it. Truth be told, his father preferred it when he yelled, this voice was so much sharper with its steely near whisper, “And what would you do if it were my mother who appeared in front of you out of the open sky, having been bruised and mishandled, crying and afraid, with her dress torn? If it were Mother who reached out her arms to you and told you she was frightened, told you men in this palace had tried to dishonor and harm her….what would you have done?”

They both knew the answer--- Loki and Thor both had Odin’s impertinence, but long years had dampened it down in him and Odin now felt he had control of it. Still, he knew he would not have surrendered until he had the heads of the men responsible. 

“She is not your wife, Loki.”

“Because of your judgment, and for no other reason. If you lifted your sentence this moment, I would marry her in the hour. I don’t know what other evidence to that fact you require---has the last century demonstrated nothing?” 

Odin slammed Gungir to the ground and cried, “You stubborn boy! Why can you never do as you’re told!”

Loki bowed his head, genuinely admonished, and repeated, “Regardless of what you think of Sigyn and I, in this I hold firm—if you want her out of my rooms before the Bright Elves leave, you will need to send guards to remove her, and I will not submit to them willingly. Be warned.”

Loki left without permission and Odin sank tiredly onto his throne, Frigga appeared from behind it and when he sensed her Odin gave a dry laugh, “You might have revealed yourself to him and tried to impart some sense.”

“I agree with him.” Frigga shrugged, “Sigyn was so frightened, you didn’t see her. And as frightened as she was, she still managed to send a message to me so that I could come and calm down Thor and Loki before they made war with Alfheim over the incident. You know my feelings for the girl—seeing her treated so made my blood boil. And if she feels safe with Loki, I say let her stay.”

“You said let them marry.”

“I still say that.” She smirked at her husband and kissed his head, “What would you have done if it were me?”

Odin grumbled indiscernibly and kissed her hand, holding it in his lovingly, “Is it so wrong to want them to be better than me? To behave better? Act better?”

“They did….they didn’t start a war. All Loki wants now that Sigyn and I have both calmed him is to know that she is safe and that he is in control of that safety. He feels guilty, my love. He feels that he should have somehow known she was in danger—should have protected her, saved her. He does feel guilty that he hasn’t avenged her—at least give him the piece of mind that he is asking for. It isn’t much.”

Odin thought on her words, so similar to Loki’s and yet so much easier to understand, so much easier to abide by. He finally sighed, “Fine—as you wish. Until the delegates leave.”

“They should make amends.” Frigga glowered suddenly, showing her true feelings, “The actions of their kin was outrageous, dishonorable, and cruel. If they protect him from our justice, they are no better. They should be confronted on the problem, and they should make amends.”

“She is a servant, Frigga.” Odin reminded her, “We cannot demand it.”

“She is a servant wearing a prince’s necklace and sleeping in a queen’s chambers—and a servant born from a princess. She is not just a servant, and even if she was she is ours and they have no right to treat her any way they see fit.” Frigga growled and Odin could tell that he would not win this battle with her, especially not if both Thor and Loki agreed.

Some days, the All Father did not feel all powerful, some days he felt outnumbered. Wearily he waved his hand again, “I will think on it.”

Frigga smiled widely….That means ‘yes’.

*

Loki stood beside his father tensely, Thor next to him and equally wound up as the Bright Elves’ ambassador approached, with Sigyn’s attacker behind him. Loki’s fists flexed and unflexed, but he kept his face passive. He wanted to show his father that he could tame his rage, from beside Odin Frigga nodded at her boys, ecstatic that they were standing proud and quiet, holding in their emotions. 

The ambassador bowed low before the All Father and then took his fair turn with the All Mother and each prince. A faint smirk traced Loki’s lips, the game was starting—why else bow to each family member in turn unless you had come to grovel?

Let the groveling begin…

*

The Elf thinks he is quite clever, Loki grinned, playing on Father’s honorable notions of trial by combat. He thinks, as so many do, that only the mighty Thor could be a worthy opponent. 

It was quite the show, the bravado, the dramatic pleas for forgiveness, the manic glint of the eye that said all the words were empty and all the gestures hollow. Loki was not the only one who was bored with the façade—Frigga’s patience was faltering as well. Thor and Odin were watching the Elf more carefully—they wanted to see if this was a genuine gesture or not. Odin, at least, was only hoping that this was a sincere gesture of an honorable man. Thor hadn’t yet sensed the lies. 

Loki shook his head gently, if Thor couldn’t see through this Elf, what sort of king would he make when truly clever people tried to fool him?

“Great All-Father,” The Elf pled, “I think it only fair that I offer up myself for trial by combat.”

“Such combat is a worthy solution,” Odin nodded curtly, “and I shall further be a courteous host and let you choose your opponent and your means.”

Thor smugly stuck out his chin, and Loki saw the Elf size him up--- he might mean to take on the Golden Prince. 

That just won’t do…Loki smirked and thought of the perfect way to show off his own cleverness, and to get his revenge.

“My gracious king, and good father,” Loki’s voice rang like music, “you are too giving to the man. You offer this man a choice of who to battle and in so doing you have presented him a hard choice. Thor is the better warrior—and a brave man would choose him. Then there I stand—not my brother’s equal in size or strength--- and a cowardly man might choose me. This man’s crime indicates he is a coward—you are all but commanding him to battle me.”

The Elf’s ears pricked, he was listening, and his expression darkened at the prince’s very public rebuke, “The All Father gives me a great advantage--- courteous when I am bidding for my name.”

“Honor is important, the more reason for such a one to fight the less impressive prince—cowards hate to lose, and brave men never live past their losses. In a fight like this you would win your honor and gain scorn by defeating a prince of the realm—a brave man would see this as a twice brutal cost.” Loki used a slight glamour to make himself look even smaller and frailer than Thor.

Odin and Frigga eyed Loki, both absolutely convinced that he was baiting the man to pick him. Thor laughed and gloated, “Brave or cowardly, he will fall before me. Who would choose to battle Loki when Thor awaits their command?”

The Golden Prince suddenly seemed dark and his voice took on the growl of thunder, “Choose me, and fall before the Mighty Thor.”

“Choose me, and prove yourself the coward we believe you to be.” Loki smiled, his glamour making him seem so slight that a tense breeze might bowl him over.

The Elf had a maniacal grin when he said, “First I will choose the means of battle---I will battle with nothing more than what I have on my person this very moment, and my competitor will be likewise handicapped.”

He seemed, at a glance, unarmed, but Loki knew there were knives hidden in sleeves and pockets that he would not surrender—not even to stand before a king.

Thor tightened his grip on Mjolnir, Odin nodded his consent to the condition of the battle, and Loki merely grinned back at the Elf who proudly announced, “And I will fight Loki--- for my honor, and for his foul tongue that I might hang it over my mantle when I return home.”

Loki clapped his hands and the glamor fell away, the Elf took a step back as he realized that Loki looked heartier than he had initially suspected, the prince laughed darkly, “When do we start?”

Odin announced the battle to take place in an hour’s time and the two warriors bowed to one another, then to the All Father, in agreement. Sigyn was waiting for Loki outside the chambers, looking livid, having witnessed the entire exchange. When they were alone Sigyn slapped Loki’s shoulder sharply and hissed, “You manipulated him into choosing you.”

“Are you so sad about that?”

“He does not intend to fight you fairly. He intends to sneak in weapons.” She was glaring at him, and her expression got darker every time he laughed in response to one of her predictions.

“I thought as much—a man who molests women doesn’t care for fair fights.”

“He intends to kill you---he will not stop attacking you if you submit.”

“Again, an obvious angle. Are the far-seeing eyes of the Vanir feeling cloudy today? These prophecies are hardly the stuff of legend.”

“You’re going to kill him.”

“Yes, and with relish.” Loki leaned over and kissed her forehead, “And the marvelous part is that no war can come of it, and when it is done, he will not be the only one caught having underestimated Loki.”

Sigyn grabbed Loki’s face between her hands and shook it gently, “Why? Why must you do this? I don’t require death as payment for wrongs done to me.”

Loki put his hands over hers, gently guided them off his cheeks, “But I do.”

He grabbed her chin, possessively, “I require such payment from those that hurt you—no more, and no less. I told you once--  I fight to keep what’s mine. And let them all see his fate and know that they will share it if they touch you—let all our palace onlookers see what becomes of those that harm you, let them not forget for one moment who you are promised to.”

There was an evil tone to him in that moment, one she had seen hints of in the past but had never seen take him over. He talked of killing callously, even more callously than Thor who at least still saw war as a game. Loki had tricked a man into battling him so that he could unleash a barrage of magic on him and not only kill him---Loki would humiliate him first. 

Part of her was beaming—justice belonged in their world, in every world, and she would not say that the man who assaulted her deserved nothing for his crimes. If he were to leave the palace unharmed, she would consider it poor dealings, but she did not like this coming bloodbath any more than a punishment free escape. Still, she knew she would watch, she knew she would flinch when Loki took wounds and she knew that after he won, she would tend to him. She would always tend to him, always choose him, always follow after him even when his path became twisted—and even when she disagreed with him.

___________________________________

More parts to be posted! 

You were twelve then, the only kid running around with the team. Since Dad was a single parent that meant you got dragged to SHIELD HQ a lot for meetings and events. You tried to keep yourself busy by reading books or playing handheld games. You wanted to make things as easy on Dad as possible. Eventually you got to know the team and they’d offer to watch you any time Bruce needed it.

Sometimes it was something small like taking you out for ice cream while Dad worked in the lab or helping you with your homework by explaining long division just one more time. Other times it was letting you stay over for the weekend while he was away on a mission. They weren’t blood relatives, but they were family. You weren’t ready for all of that to just disappear. There was a knock on the door. You moved away from the window and sighed. Here we go.

“I was beginning to worry my date was standing me up!” Steve Rogers commented when you opened the door.

“Sorry Uncle Steve. I didn’t mean to keep you waiting.” You apologized.

“I get it.” Steve nodded. “A lot’s going to change after today. It’s okay if you need to take a minute.”

“Dad needs everything to run smoothly.” You told him. “I promised him we wouldn’t be late.”

“Then we’d better get a move on.” Uncle Steve offered you his elbow and you walked downstairs together. He led you into the kitchen where your Dad, Tony Stark, Thor and Clint Barton where waiting.

They were all practically talking over each other when you and Steve entered the room. Uncle Tony’s tie was still undone, though he’d at least tossed the piece of fabric over his neck. Thor wasn’t wearing a tie, or his jacket and his sleeves were rolled up past his elbows. Only Uncle Clint seemed to be fully dressed for the occasion. His shoes were shined, his tie tied and his jacket fastened at the waist.

“Does this look crooked to you?” Your dad asked Clint. He tugged nervously at his own tie.

“Young Lady Banner!” Thor was the first to notice you. He greeted you with his booming voice before encircling you in his arms. “You look beautiful [Y/N]!” He appraised when he released his hold on you. “You shall make a fine bride yourself, soon!”

“Thor, she’s fifteen!” Clint commented as he straightened your father’s tie. "Give her at least another year before you try to trade our girl off for some goats.”

“Barton our [Y/N] is worth far more than a few puny goats!” Thor huffed.

“You’re both out of your mind.” Uncle Tony laughed. “[Y/N] and I already agreed that she’s never getting married. She’s dedicating her life to science and the pursuit of knowledge.”

“I don’t remember ever agreeing to this…” You disagreed.

“Well you did.” He assured you. “You were seven at the time, but I haven’t forgotten.”

“Tony the ceremony is supposed to start in fifteen minutes. Do you need help with your tie?” Uncle Steve offered, diverting the attention away from you.

“Well, how do I look?” Dad asked you. You thought about telling him that he looked awful and that everything looked awful, but that wouldn’t stop the day from happening. It would only hurt his feelings.

“Handsome as ever.” You told him. Tony swatted Steve’s hand away and began tying his tie. Steve and Clint both turned their attention to Thor, who seemed adamant that a jacket was not necessary. While everyone else was distracted your dad moved to stand beside you.

“So the big day is finally here.” He said.

“Yup.” You nodded, still watching Clint and Steve struggle with Thor.

“I just wanted to say thank you, for being so good about everything.” He commented. You looked away from the show in front of you and up at your dad. “Things have never been easy for us, but I know it’s been really hard the last few months. I was away on that month-long mission, then all the wedding planning stuff was taking up a lot of time…” He paused to sigh.

“It’s okay, Dad.” You touched his arm, trying to assure him. “You’ve always been there when it was important. This was just an adjustment period. It was temporary.”

“Sometimes I feel like you’re the parent and I’m the kid.” He laughed. “I wanted to get you something anyway. Just something small to say thanks for hanging in there with me.” From his suit jacket pocket, he removed a small purple velvet box. He handed it to you. “Go on, open it.”

You accepted the small box and opened it. Inside was a necklace. The chain was silver, and the pendant was a series of small amethysts set in a silver crescent moon. It was beautiful. With his help you put the necklace on immediately.

“You like it then?” He asked worriedly.

“I love it, Dad!” You promised before hugging him.

“I’m glad.” He hugged you back. “I’m sorry we have to leave you to stay with Uncle Tony for two weeks while Betty and I are on our honeymoon, but the good news is once we’re back, we’ll be able to spend lots of time together and you’ll get a well-deserved break from your uncles.”

You wanted to tell him that you didn’t want a break from your uncles. That over the years you’d grown used to the sort of organized chaos they seemed to always bring with them. Sure, they were rowdy, and a little unpolished, but they loved you and you loved them. You didn’t want the fact that your dad was married to impact your ability to be with the rest of your family.

“You boys ready to get this show on the road?” Everyone looked upwards to see Natasha Romanoff calling down impatiently from a nearby staircase. She sauntered down the stairs and was followed by two more Bridesmaids; Betty’s sister and her childhood best friend.

“Why the long face, Lil’ Banner?” An hour had passed since your father was officially married. They were now legally Dr. Bruce and Mrs. Betty Banner.

The happy couple sat at a small table for two surrounded by everyone else. All the other tables were large and round, seating no more than eight people per table. You were of course seated at the wedding party table. The seating arrangement of which had been carefully charted by Betty and the Wedding Planner. As Best Man and Maid of Honor, Uncle Tony and Betty’s sister sat together. Betty’s best friend and Uncle Thor were next to them. Followed by Aunt Nat and Uncle Clint. You were sat between Uncle Steve and Uncle Tony. It was the latter, who had leaned over to ask you what was wrong.

“No reason.” You lied. You continued to push potatoes around in your soup.

“C’mon, you think I can’t tell when you’re upset? You may have fooled your old man, but not me. Your Uncle Tony wrote the book on pent up teenage aggression.” He told you. “Are you upset about having to stay with me for two weeks?”

“No, that’s not it!” You assured him. “I love the tower and I love hanging out with you! You’re the only one who lets me have dessert for dinner.” You glared down at your soup, even less hungry than you were before. “Now that dad’s married, I won’t be around the tower as much.”

“Why not?” Tony asked. “Your dad getting married doesn’t mean that things have to change between us.”

“But it’s going to.” You huffed. “He already told me I’ll be spending less time with you guys and more time with Betty.”

“Did you tell him how you feel?” Tony asked.

“No. Team Banner has to stick together.” You mumbled. “I don’t want him to think I just don’t like her.” Tony looked like wanted to say more, but the wedding planner had come over and handed him a microphone to let him know it was time for his speech.

“Be right back.” He told you with a pat on the shoulder.

“Big surprise, there’s a party and I’ve got a microphone!” Was the first thing Tony said to the crowd. This of course earned a supportive laugh from everyone. “But for once, this speech is not about me. Today, we not just celebrating the marriage of Bruce and Betty. Today we also celebrate the joining of two families. As many of you know, Betty’s parents and sister are here, even her great grandmother was able to make the trip. Some of you may even recognize Bruce’s daughter, [Y/N].” You looked up at the mention of your name and gave an awkward half-wave to the other guests.

“But what you may not know,” Tony turned to look at Betty. “Is that you’re also gaining another sister and four brothers. Because they Avengers are a family too. We argue like families do, but we have each other’s backs like family too. There’s been plenty of family dinners around the long meeting table at the tower. Uncle Clint taught [Y/N] how to ride a bike, and she taught Uncle Steve how to send GIFs on his cellphone.” Tony paused for laugher, which the crowd easily offered up. “So let’s all raise a glass, and let me be the first to say, ‘Welcome to the family Betty’!”

The meal continued while Betty’s sister gave the next speech. Then your Dad and Betty each said a few words and before you knew it, they were doing their first dance. Waiters were clearing the dishes from tables while the DJ invited everyone else to join the newlyweds on the dance floor.

“I know you might not be feeling up to it, but you’d be doing me a great favor if you joined me in a dance.” Steve told you as he offered your hand out. “Can’t have people thinking that even my own date wont dance with me.” He smirked.

“You care too much about what other people think of you, Uncle Steve.” You told him, before accepting his hand and letting him lead you to the dance floor.

“You know, I heard what you were saying to Uncle Tony earlier.” He told you. “You should spend some time with Betty and give her a chance to get to know you. I’m sure that’s what your father meant by what he said. And making room for her in your life doesn’t mean you’re losing any of us. Who else would I get to watch movies with me on Saturday nights? Which reminds me, we’re still on to watch Jaws tonight when your dad drops you off at the tower right?”