#ofmoonandthunder

An idea of a simple life was something Steve had given up on some time ago. But then he thought love was off the table when he lost her the first time. Back together by the grace of God or the universe only to nearly be ripped away from each other again. Losing her once was hard enough on the heart - to lose her again would be devastation.

"Jove!" he yells her name over the chaos and destruction. "Jove!" And when there is no answer the panic sets in. "not again" he thinks to himself, frantically looking around but then he sees her standing among rubble. Relief courses through him as he breathes and without a thought he rushes over to her.

No words said, he simply grabs hold of her by the waist, his shield on his back as his other hand moves on the back of her neck and pulls her into a deep and thankful kiss.

Perhaps now is not the time nor the place, but he wasn't going to waste another moment to let her know how he feels. Words were not enough.

There is given pause as Loki gives her a once over taking in her features as he attempts to put the pieces of the puzzle together. Long white hair with her delicate features - and he’s not met her on Asgard. Certainly he would have seen the likes of her. She stands out. Certainly someone of his title would know someone like her if she has one herself.

When nothing comes to mind he purses his lips together, brows raise in question as he shakes his head slowly. “ I do not - should I?” 

There was a tension that Ciri could feel the moment she walked into the room, something unspoken in her presence. When everyone else was gone she sat with Jove and for a time it was pure silence save for the wind blowing on the outside of the walls. 

When it became too much to bear Ciri finally spoke, turning fully to Jove. “I look just like her.” she tells her, her arms folded against herself.  Uncertain if it was simply coincidence but the behavior of those around her made her speculate something was amiss. She just couldn’t put her finger on it as everyone was so guarded that no hints were dropped. 

He knew what it was like to have that responsibility and hold it close to your chest as if that alone was a shield. He’s no stranger to a life where protecting others takes priority over anything you may want or need. He gets it. He gets her. Whether or not she wants to admit it. 

The two of them...it makes sense. 

John takes her hand in his  and holds it just tight enough as he looks her in the eye. “Tell me why you shouldn’t now..? She’s safe, she’s alive...and you have a chance to do whatever it is you want. Come on, Jove...”  John takes a step closer. “What is it you want?”

𝑰𝒕'𝒔 𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒔𝒐 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒕𝒐 𝒘𝒓𝒂𝒑 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅. Her whole world was turned upside down in more ways than one, it's safe to say that it's now spinning out of it's axis and she's left trying to find stable ground. The mother she thought was her mother is not her mother. The woman before her is. A woman who is a princess of the moon. The moon!

A soft sigh escapes Ciri's lips as she looks to the woman who has come to check on her, but all she can do is shrug and bring her hand to her own shoulder.

❝ It's a lot. ❞ she replies. ❝ Everything I thought I knew and it turns out I know nothing ... ❞ down to her hands she looks, messing with the freys of her gloves. ❝ What is even real ? ❞ she asks. All she knows to be true is Geralt has been looking after her, and he's become her father figure - someone she trusts. But she also notices how he looks at Selene...

❝ How do I just accept this ? ❞

𝑯𝒐𝒑𝒆; 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒂 𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒆. To have hope means anything is possible. Both good, both bad. Two sides of the same coin as it were and you never know which side it's going to land. Though Geralt listens intently to her words and understands what she means there is still a weight in them.

He has had hope many times only to find that the shadows have a way of ripping it away. That was until Ciri -- and he vowed to keep her safe. A light in the dark much like the moon high in the sky. Now he understands why that might be.

He turns to her with knowing eyes and hums, nodding his head slowly.

❝ Hold on to that...don't lose it.❞ he tells her. ❝ Because when you do, you can't get it back...❞

𝑯𝒆'𝒅 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔𝒏'𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒐𝒏 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒆, but the truth is he relies on it more than he'd care to admit. Back when he started his career even until now. He needs it more than ever knowing that there are whole other worlds out there - even kingdoms on the moon. It certainly changes one's perception of the universe and the definition of such words as the ones she speaks. But for the moment he holds on to silence as he looks up at the crystalline skies of the Pegasus and he takes a deep breath in. The air is pure, lacking the chemicals and chaos of that of Earth.

❝ McKay would say something about how you don't need hope to breathe, just working lungs. ❞ he chuckles. ❝ but I think he doesn't like to admit that he holds on to it just like the rest of us. ❞

  They look into each other's eyes , his hand cups her cheek while his calloused thumb brushes slowly against her skin. They could fight this, they could find a way to make it so that they were nothing more than what they once were a long time ago. Colleagues, friends, but nothing more.

Steve can't go back to that -- he doesn't want to go back to that. Ever since he met her his life has been turned upside down but that was never a bad thing in Steve's eyes. She let him see the world outside of it's own bubble that sat in shades of black and white. She brought a color to it that was unlike any other that he's ever seen.

He's tired of fighting this. Every day is another battle and yet when it comes to her there is only one thing he wants, one thing he needs. With her she makes him stronger than the serum ever could. With her by his side his faith doesn't waver and he doesn't falter. He knows that with her he'll always have someone who has his back. Not simply out there on the field ; but in life as a whole. He's lost enough in his past life, and in this one.

But the one thing he refuses to lose is this. Her.

❝ I need you like water , like breath, like rain ... like the mercy from Heaven's gate. There's a freedom in your arms and it carries me through...I need you.❞

Send 🎶 for me to shuffle my muse's playlist and write a starter based on the song that plays! @ladamereveuse