Story Time - AstraLowelle - Marvel Cinematic Universe [Archive Of Our Own]

Okay, this post of Tom being asked who he'd like to see Loki going up against in the MCU got me thinking.

I feel like we have yet to see Loki going up against anyone with magical abilities in anything like a fair fight. Strange took him by surprise, and we didn't see anything from Ebony Maw because the whole damn attack on the Statesman was off screen (yes, I'm still bitter about that). And Loki hasn't interacted with Wanda or Wong. So I think my first preference would be a magic user, although I'd prefer him to be fighting alongside the characters mentioned above, so it would have to be a new character.

As Tom says, the X-Men are now part of the universe, so I'd love to see Loki and Magneto trying to figure each other out. Loki would have to get rid of his armour fast! XD

I feel like we've seen him fighting earthbound characters already, so that would be less exciting. Although I'd be curious to see what would happen with Peter Parker. I can imagine Spider-man being agile enough to keep out of the way of a lot of Loki's attacks until Loki gets frustrated enough and brings in the big guns. That could be amusing.

Of course, this is with MCU Loki not series Loki. Now series Loki could wipe the floor with just about anyone!

Wait! Okay, okay... I wanna see series Loki get revenge on Thanos. There. That's what would make this world a better place.

Yelena: for this relationship to work I need you to understand that I am independent

Kate: No totally

Yelena: I'm my own person I don't need you to coddle me or try to fix me or look after me

Kate: Got it, 100%

Yelena: Okay? So just... Space I need space

Kate: (giving a thumbs up) Totally cool

Five mins later Kate's at her desk using her laptop with Yelena sat on her lap, holding onto her front like a koala while she reads her book

Yelena: Hug me

Kate: I... I am!

Yelena: Tighter

Kate: (squeezes)

The Ice - Aftermath

(The Ice - Here)

The cold still clung to him as he stepped through the portal and into his bedroom in the sanctum. The warmth of his room felt like an assault on his senses. His hands tingled painfully a little at the sharp, sudden change in temperature.

The cloak flared off his shoulders, slipping off into a corner to settle onto the chair that rested there.

Movement caught his attention in the peripheral of his vision. He turned to see Tony setting his tablet aside and sliding out of their bed. He was dressed in sleep clothes. Stephen blinked and glanced at the time. It had been getting dark when he’d left Nebraska, with the timezone difference it was starting to get late here. But not so late that Tony—who was the definition of a night owl—would be in bed.

“How are you?” Tony asked quietly as he moved closer. His gaze searched Stephen’s face, and Stephen knew that the weight of everything from today was clear and visible to Tony’s too perceptive gaze.

Stephen wasn’t sure if Wong had told Tony what had happened. Because it had to have been Wong who had given Tony the all clear to return to the sanctum after Stephen had sent Tony away.

“I’m… better.” It was true.

Tony nodded. “You look cold,” Tony said, not pursuing the topic. Yet. “Let’s get you into something warmer.”

Stephen didn’t exactly need help changing, but Tony’s hands were warm on his skin as he helped him undress. There was nothing sexual about the moment, just simple love and affection in every trace of touch. Stephen slid into his own sleep clothes, despite the fact that it was too early for bed.

“I’m not ready for sleep,” Stephen warned Tony.

“I know,” Tony said, his expression was soft. “But I wanted you comfortable. We’re going to read, together. Something light and simple, I’ve pulled up a list. Then we’re going to cuddle and if you want to and are ready, you’re going to tell me what nightmare sent you back home.” Tony pressed his hand over Stephen’s heart. “And I’ll listen. Then we can decide whether we’re going to sleep tonight or if we’re going to get dressed again and go for a walk in the middle of the night.”

Some part of Stephen already knew they were going to end up on that midnight walk. There was something about walking hand in hand with Tony through mostly abandoned streets as they talked about everything and nothing, the strain of long days eased away in the light of the moon and intermittent street lights.

Even when they were silent, it was… it was good.

“All right,” Stephen agreed. “What are we reading?”

“You choose,” Tony said. He returned to the bed where he’d left his starkpad and started going through the list. 

Stephen chose a book of poems and settled onto the bed, back against the headboard as Tony started reading aloud. His voice was soothing, and the words took on a rhythmic cadence. Stephen closed his eyes as Tony started on a poem about new beginnings and let the words carry him into a meditative state.

He wasn’t sure how much time had passed before he opened his eyes again. “I’m ready to cuddle, now,” he told Tony as Tony finished another poem, this one about the different firsts of life.

Tony immediately put the tablet to the side, slipping closer to him.

They got comfortable together, Stephen holding Tony tight against him. It always helped to hold Tony, to feel like Tony was safe in his arms where Stephen could protect him. Even if Tony was perfectly capable of protecting himself.

Sometimes Stephen wondered if that was something that lingered from Donna, Stephen’s need to feel like he could protect those he loved when he’d failed to protect her. Or perhaps he’d always have been this way.

The lights dimmed, but didn’t go out. Not when Stephen didn’t want to actually sleep, just wanted to hold Tony close. 

“I’ve told you about Donna,” Stephen said.

“I remember,” Tony said quietly.

Stephen took a deep breath. “I… When I told you to stay at the compound for a few nights, it was because there was a problem with the nightmare realm. It… well, I dreamt of Donna.” He took a deep breath. “I… I’d prepared myself for the accident, for Dormammu, for Thanos. I thought I knew exactly what would plague me. It… it caught me off guard. I wasn’t prepared.” He took a breath. “She… she blamed me.”

Tony didn’t say anything, not immediately. Instead, Tony’s fingers tangled with Stephen’s, tugging Stephen’s arm that rested over Tony’s hips up to his mouth to press a kiss against Stephen’s fingers. “She didn’t,” Tony said quietly. “You know she never would have.”

Stephen thought of his moment on the ice, the quiet there was never anything to forgive, the quiet I love you.

“I know,” he admitted. The words caught in his throat, because it was true, but it had been so long that he’d held onto that guilt that it was difficult to let go. “But I needed to go back. I needed… I needed to say goodbye.”

“Did you?”

“Yes.”

There was a moment’s pause. “Did it help?”

Stephen swallowed hard. “Yes.” He took a deep breath. There was a part of him that felt like it must be some sort of betrayal to find any sort of peace. But Donna would never have blamed him for it. “It did.”

“It’s what she would want. She’d be happy for you.”

Stephen closed his eyes, pictured Donna again. There was never anything to forgive. I love you. Thought of all of the things in his life that he had finally gotten right. Thought of all those things that he thought Donna would have been proud of.

He held on to the thought tightly and let himself believe.

Landing on top of Sam, then rolling off with this expression on your face?? Sir?? 🤨

Peter: why didn’t you call me?

Tony: I wasn’t..ready.

Peter: ready? for what?

Tony: I wanted to be better when you saw me again. and I thought I could be, somehow. but I’m not. and even if I did get better, the best I could ever be is still some other version of me.

Peter: Mr.Stark, I can’t wait to you to be better. I need you in my life.

Peter: What about you?

Tony: What? What about me?

Peter: What if someone needs you?

Tony: Nobody needs me.

Peter: I do. I need you.

Loki reminds me of Interpol songs

🤤

Mini loki 🧎🏻‍♀️

🧍🏻🤏

This should get more, much more attention.

Review of some anti-Tony comments from Ao3. Part 6

Let’s talk more about things from Part 1 today:

 “Tony was actively attacking someone from behind, who was just trying to leave.”

Eh? So how did that happen that he only attacked from behind ONCE? Semi-behind, to be exact - see my post with Part 1. Why Bucky tried to leave if he was innocent? Just like he did before with T’Challa. “Why did you run?”.

I’ll add the extension of that statement here so we could figure the whole thing out: “Steve was actively defending said person in any way, even if that meant attacking Tony from behind.

And before you get on me about how I'm being hypocritical - it's been done - it isn't the action that's being criticized, it's the WHY behind the action. Tony repeatedly attacked someone from behind who was only trying to flee the scene vs Steve repeatedly attacked someone from behind to protect his best friend from being killed. That's the difference between the two. You can't hold them to the same standard when their reasons for doing the same action are complete opposites. It isn't the action; it's the reasons BEHIND the action.”

Let’s think about the most appropriate thing Bucky could do in the scene instead. Well, first he could say “I’m sorry”. That would be a good start. Doesn’t matter if he was brainwashed or not – his hands were used. “Sorry” is always good in such situations. He didn’t do that.

Instead he raised his gun at Tony and was ready to fire at his face (CA:CW 2:03:15). Yes, Tony hit Cap there. But it was for a reason. And you simply don’t point a gun at a guy who just watched his parents die by your hands, if you are innocent and truly regret this. It was so wrong to attack him that it just showed Bucky’s position “there’s nothing to explain and nothing to apologies for”, if the best thing Bucky could do is to raise his gun and run. Low and cowardly.

But we should actually take a closer look at that scene (starting from 2:02:17), because it’s even more complicated if we watch the scene frame by frame.

2:01:33 – Tony is watching the video of his parents’ death. Steve looks at him with a very interesting expression. At him, not at the video. He already knows what’s going on there. He is looking at Tony for his reaction.

2:01:38 – focus on Bucky who looks a bit regretful, looking at the floor first, but then raising his eyes to Tony.

2:01:53 – Tony hears his father saying “Sergeant Barnes” and his mother calling “Howard!”. Tony glances at Bucky.

2:02:05 – Winter Soldier hits Howard in the head and kills him. Tony’s expression tells us he is enraged.

2:02:25 – Winter Soldier kills Maria, strangling her with his biological hand.

2:02:33 – video ends with Winter Soldier shooting at the camera. Tony is in shock. Steve is looking at him, saying nothing. He had enough time to say something.

2:02:40 – Tony turns to Bucky and makes a step towards him. Not putting his helmet on. He is not attacking yet. Most probably he just wanted to grab him by his jacket and ask some questions or something like that. What Bucky does? He raised his gun at him. We can see tears in his eyes. Why did he do that then?

2:02:42 – Steve says “No, Tony. Tony”. He says that to calm him down, and that would be a good start. But then he does some “stupid-ass decisions”, how Fury would put that.

2:02:45 – Tony turns to him. He is devastated. He just realized something. “Did you know?”. Steve’s eyes are shifting rapidly, and after a long pause (when he was thinking of what to say, I guess), he says “I didn’t know it was him”. By his behavior here we can infer that he is lying. Tony sees it “Don’t bullshit, me Rogers. Did you know?”. Steve looks Tony in the eyes and swallows hard. “Yes”.

Let’s make a digression to show Steve really knew that Bucky killed Tony’s parents.

CA:WS 1:04:50 – Zola is explaining how Hydra eliminated unwanted individuals. Chronicle footage shows Bucky with a sniper rifle and then next frame with news article about Starks’ death. Zola says “Accidents will happen”. Next few frames show Howard in the car in the same position Bucky left him in the CA:CW 2:02:10 scene.  Then Fury’s file is shown, “deceased” – another victim of the Winter Soldier. No need to be a genius to put two and two together. Especially when you don’t know that there were other Winter Soldiers yet. There were no other options – Steve and Nat knew that Howard was killed by Bucky from that exact moment. But let’s add more evidence, shall we?

CA:WS 2:05:28 – Natasha gives Bucky’s case files to Steve. Logic tells us that they should contain his targets. Including Howard and Maria.

CA:CW 2:15:52 – Steve’s letter says “I know I hurt you, Tony. I guess I thought by not telling you about your parents I was sparing you, but I can see now that I was really sparing myself. And I’m sorry…”

Conclusion is pretty clear, isn’t it?

Let’s get back to the pre-fight situation:

So Steve admitted that he knew who killed Tony’s parents (and his own old friend btw).

2:03:05 – Steve’s “Yes” hits Tony. Rogers is just looking at him there. No sorrow or regret in his eyes. Tony loses it.

He is the victim in this scene. He came to help and was betrayed again.

2:03:12 – he hits Rogers with back of his hand. Cap is thrown a couple of steps back.

2:03:15 - Tony puts his helmet on. Now he is going to attack.

Put yourself on his place and answer the question “wouldn’t you act the same way?”. If your answer is “nope, I wouldn’t” - try to pass a CAPTCHA, because you are most probably a robot.

Same moment – Bucky points his gun at Tony. He almost opens fire, but Tony shoots the gun with a repulsor, knocking the weapon out of Bucky's hands. Back to the beginning of this essay – why would you shoot at a victim? Tony, most probably, would just hit him couple of times using his hands, if he had not faced counter aggression.

 Bucky is not running here. He wasn’t trying to run until Steve told him to at 2:04:02. He is attacking Tony. Look at his face (2:03:17). This is not the face of regret or sorrow.