Loki
(ahem)
Marvel (Cinematic Universe) FicsSorted by Character

This page still under construction!!

I write Intense Drama and Deep Intimacy. Intimacy of the nonsexual kind, I mean; only about 10% of my fics involve sexuality or Ships of any kind (and they're in their own section).

(I also update sporadically and flit around among many projects, so it might take months for a given fic to update. If you're particularly bothered by that, best find a different author.)

As of May 4th, 2024, my MCU fics total some sixty-eight pieces, from Drabbles on up to 40k+. Of those, looks like exactly half (34) are WIP, which account for more than twice the word count of the completed fics.

Word Count Breakdown

One fic over 43k and growing
Two more over 20k (and growing)
Two complete fics around 13k
Four WIP around 8-10k each
Four more over 5k, of which half are WIP
Ten more over 2k, of which seven are WIP
Four around 1900 each, of which one is a WIP
Six more over 1600 each, of which five are WIP
Eight more over 1200 each, of which seven are WIP
Five more over 1000 each, of which one is a WIP
Eight more over 800 each, of which three are WIP
Four more over 600 each, of which one is a WIP
And ten more between 100 and 600 words

That's not counting the some random oddities that I wouldn't consider fics per se. Or the handful of MCU podfics I've recorded.

Some quick number crunching says that's nearly 183k of WIP and just under 71k for completed fics and one-shots.

So yeah. Since 2019 I've posted over 250,000 words in the Marvel fandom. This page covers the bulk of them.

Note for Screen Readers

I did my best to provide aria-labels and keep the document order relatively consistent. Unfortunately, I can't figure out a way to stick content into a grid and nest sections in a logical manner. So the header hierarchy gets split across adjacent sections: H2 and H3 might be in one section, and the next H3 in the next section.

I hope this isn't too confusing! It's meant to be a two-column layout for any devices wide enough to handle that.

I really am amazed at the level of complexity and the emotional wallop your writing packs. Let me know when you publish professionally, as I would be willing to pay for something this good in book form!

A note on fan comments

I've tried to condense/reword the comments I've gotten in a way that preserves the original meaning/feel. That might mean fixing a typo, altering the punctuation a bit, or rearranging elements of a larger comment (or set of comments by the same reader on the same fic).

Almost all comments are from my main site, AO3; a couple are from FFN, and one's from Twitter.

Also: I've got a bit of a reputation in the AO3 comments section. As encapsulated by the following fan comics: Doctor Zaniida and Types of Readers: (1) Angst Addicts, (2) Slash Addicts, and (3) Zaniida.

I have a liberal Blanket Policy—I'm never stingy with my ideas, and I love seeing others build off them! If anything here strikes your fancy, feel free to create something based on it. (Exceptions would include group projects, since I can't give blanket permission for work I'm not fully in charge of.)

Hover over (or press on) spoilers to see the contents.

P.S. I'm sleepy as I'm trying to hurry up and get this ready to post, and when I'm sleepy I get wordy, so this page might be significantly more wordy than it needs to be (at least until I can go back and tighten it up).

Princes of Asgard

Most of my MCU fics are centered on Loki. A lot of the action is whumpy; a lot of the angst is him trying to recover from the damage Asgard did to him.

This first section showcases the fics centered around Asgard, mostly about Loki and Thor. I portray Loki pretty sympathetically; as for Thor, well, depends on whether I'm portraying the ideal Thor (what the MCU should've been aiming for), the baseline Thor (how the MCU apparently intended us to see him) or the canonical MCU Thor (how the MCU did in fact present him to us).

I could post a giant rant here, but you can figure out a lot of my perspective through my writing (and author's notes, and replies in the comments sections). I tried to make a short version of my rants here, but as I appear to lack the self-control, I'll simply direct you at some resources that make a lot of claims better than I could:

Perspective on Loki the Downtrodden

The emotional abuse that Loki has suffered—not just during the first film, but in every film thereafter—seems fairly obvious to me, and it's disturbing to have the movies expect us to side with the bullies while segments of the fandom dismiss the abuse. (I suppose I shouldn't complain too vociferously; it's given me plenty of fodder for angsty writing.)

There's a series of posts called Spot the Hypocrisy that I find particularly illuminating:

Faking your own death
Redemption
Kill counts
Torture
Brainwashing and duress

That Torture one? That's where the "canonical Thor is an asshole" thing comes in. Because Ideal Thor (or even Baseline Thor) would not cheerfully torture his brother. Yet we're given a canonical MCU Thor who not only tortures Loki, but wears a shit-eating grin while doing so. A canonical Thor who uses lethal force against the defenders of Midgard before exchanging a single word, simply because they got in his way. A canonical Thor who lies to and manipulates his friends and potential allies to make them join what seems to be a suicide mission (even as he berates Loki for lying and manipulating and… not joining his suicide mission).

Also a canonical Thor who spouts off about brotherhood with every other breath, yet never bothered to:

Listen to his brother's caution at any point prior to starting a war
Notice that his brother was in serious danger on Jotunheim
Mention that he had a brother while explaining his world to his new girlfriend
Ask Loki where he'd been, what happened to him, or if he was even all right (after learning that he was unexpectedly not dead)
Visit him on the helicarrier, any time prior to when it seemed like he might escape
Visit him in the dungeons, any time prior to needing his help
Share grief over their newly dead mother, or even let Loki know how it happened
Retrieve Loki's body for a proper funeral

(I could go on.)

Anyway, Canonical MCU Thor shows many worrisome signs of Narcissism (a worldview completely centered on himself, with little to no ability to see anything from another's point of view or take their rights and wishes seriously), and it certainly doesn't seem that he outgrew it as his character arc in the first film.

And Asgard's treatment of Loki was beyond the pale; there's a reason that the fandom coined the tags Asgardian Domestic Abuse and Odin's A+ Parenting.

For more info, see the collected musings of Kadorienne/Mosellegreen (link to Wayback Machine because the site appears to be down; other link here but it's just titles and a link to the down site).

I'm not part of Loki's Resistance, I just think that most of the arguments they make are spot-on.

Hennyvay, here's a lot of things I've written concerning the inhabitants of the Golden Realm:

Loki's Point of View

Loki and Asgard

Inspired by Chaos War

These first two were inspired by astolat's Chaos War, which was my introduction to the MCU (well… I'd seen a bunch of movies in bits and pieces and out of order while donating blood plasma, but Chaos War was the fic that convinced me to stop putting off watching the franchise). A rather strong start to my MCU fic-writing career, if the reactions are anything to go by!

There is no other way [13k]

When Thor brings Loki home in chains, Loki's convinced that Odin has a dark fate planned for him. He's right—but it's not that simple.

Content Warnings: Briefly gruesome; bittersweet ending.
Link: Acceptable Loss
Based On: astolat's Chaos War
Fan Comment: I'm not sure I forgive you for Chapter 4 but you are one hell of a writer and I will probably read damn near anything you write despite the fact you just ripped my heart out of my chest.

*On hiatus—at a natural stopping point, so it's on the shelf, but I've been persuaded to add two more chapters to show the aftermath.

Frigga

I'd like to do more with Frigga; she kinda gets the shaft in the series. But for now, here's a short, heart-rending piece set while Loki languishes in the dungeon:

How Frigga misses her little boy [500] (Split POV)

Frigga considers the ways her son has grown out of his boyish intimacy with her; Loki considers the ways he'll never have that same connection again.

Content Warnings: Mascara Alert! Canonical character death, and how it affects Loki, there in his cell.
Link: Five Intimacies Lost Over Time
Excerpt: You’re not, he says, and wipes away the illusion with a touch, knowing he’ll never touch her real hands again, and yet not understanding just how immediate that ‘never’ will be.
Fan Comment: You sure know how to twist them screws, girl.

You must believe that [800]

When Loki seeks answers from Frigga, he finds more than he expected.

Link: Hard Truths Need Not Stay
Fan Comments: Loki not fighting it because he doesn't want to hurt Frigga in the process... that sure is some angst; wow. Frigga's almost as much a bastard as Odin

Other Asgardians

Let's start with Odin -- though of course my major Loki w/ Odin piece is Icy Diplomacy, where the primary viewpoint character is Odin and Loki is the deuteragonist. This piece showcases a similarly positive father-figure, but is shorter and lighter.

The Basket [1100]

How is Odin a better father as a dog-person than he ever was in canon?

Link: The Kitten from the Basket
Fan Comments: I've been grinning non-stop since I first read "the Basket" and "Kittunheim".; This is far better written than a premise like this usually gets, and I loved every pun-laden sentence of it. Fantastic work.

But now I must guess which dogs and cats these are.

Loki and Midgard

Random Ficlets

A fic contrasting Loki's treatment by Thor to Loki's treatment by Clint Barton:

Stuck on an Alien World... [450]

A short concept piece; feel free to write a follow-up.

Content Warnings: Don't think there's anything of note.
Link: Ice and Clay
Excerpt

Loki vs. Villains

Thanos

That wrinkled grape is terrifyingly powerful, and apparently I can't get enough of shoving Loki into his clutches. Most such fics are just exploring the feelings of being caught like that, rather than showing how Loki escapes; if they're set pre-Avengers then we know how he escapes, and I'm just making clear that his time under Thanos was not "we made a deal" so much as "he tortured me until I broke."

Maybe it's because I grew up reading Marvel and already knew about Thanos's M.O., or maybe it's because Guardians of the Galaxy was the first MCU film I ever saw, but it was not hard to put two and two together: Thanos tortured Gamora and Nebula into doing his bidding; Loki came fresh from Thanos (and clearly in a bad way) and gets told by The Other that if he fails he "will long for something sweet as pain"; clearly Thanos tortured Loki, Q.E.D. I'm honestly confused how anyone could think that Loki's invading Earth of his own free will.

Let the pain recreate you [800]

When Thanos finally shows up to take a look at the Chitauri's latest prisoner, Loki has been broken down enough that it doesn't take much to shove him over the edge.

Content Warnings: Torture (more implied than shown, but Loki's in a bad way both physically and mentally)
Link: Pain Is Inevitable
Excerpt: They like him, because his body insists on healing itself. Most of their captives die too quickly, but with him they can have fun.

“Do you wish the pain to stop, child?” the man asks, sinking down to a crouch before Loki.

There’s no right answer. There’s never a right answer, because he has no control here, no way of getting them to stay their hand, not even for a moment.

Agony will break that stubborn streak [2k]

When Loki refuses to yield, Thanos demonstrates how easily he can be made to kneel.

Content Warnings: Explicit Torture: Burning metal bound to the back of his knees.
Link: Crawl
Fan Comment: So vivid and disturbing. And wholly believable.

Two other fics focus on Thanos and Loki: One from Tony's POV, where Thanos has captured half the Avengers, and another from Thor's POV, where Loki chooses his own personal hell rather than see Thor die.

HYDRA

While HYDRA's interest in Loki is background to Cuckoos, it takes center stage in the effective sequel:

HYDRA breaks him down much as Thanos did before them [1500]

Loki's been handed over to SHIELD, which is to say, HYDRA -- and they're pulling him apart piece by piece until he serves their will.

Content Warnings: This fic is one long sequence detailing the different aspects of torture between Loki's time with Thanos and Loki's time with HYDRA. Pulls no punches; I think the title is pretty apt.
Link: Stripped Down to Nothing (again)
Fan Comment: Omg my heart! I can feel the hope draining away.

Amazing writing as always!!; Please let someone save him.

Okay, technically this is a miniseries, so it's not complete as such, but each fic stands alone.

Hela

I'd actually like to write some more fics that center on Hela; GalaxyThreads made me aware of the potential for the character as far more than the MCU allowed her to be. But so far, this is all I've come up with, and Hela is mostly background -- the one who set up the scenario that Loki has to go through.

If you want them to live, suffer [500]

When Loki tries to protect the commoners from Hela, she offers to let them live -- at the cost of Loki getting whipped for each and every life.

Content Warnings: It's a full page of Loki getting whipped, and trying to bear up under the pain long enough that nobody dies. It's not pretty.
Link: Lashes
Fan Comment: I really like the idea of Loki sacrificing himself for his people.; ah i loved it!! that pain, and him still thinking at the end that it wasn't enough 😩😢

Thor's Point of View

Distilled Thorwhump

Ever think that Thor gets off light in that first movie? He defies the Allfather, slaughters dozens of people defending their home, and incites a war, and he's sent on a three-day vacation with a hot nerdy chick. He very briefly gets to feel sad about not being able to lift his hammer, the poor dear. Probably even got sand in his shoes.

Ever wish you could watch him endure what it means to be a mortal when he's only ever been a god? Now crank that up to 11, and you have the first entry in my Exile Ain't No Vacation series:

Distilled Thorwhump [2200]

Everything the elements can throw at him...

The first step in the literary tradition of the Alchemical Journey is the breaking down of the ego.

Which is to say, the first step is to be as mean to Thor as possible, and man, do I accomplish that goal. Some 17 Whumptober prompts in a single four-page fic that covers roughly 24 hours of everything nature can throw at him.

Content Warnings: Um. Pay close attention to the tags, okay? It gets bad.
Series: Elemental Fury
Fan Comment: wow. You're really beating the heck out of him, aren't you? The movie didn't do it for me at all, but BOY! I sure feel sorry for the big lunk now

Thor's Regrets

The God of Thunder, grieving [500]

How can life go on with his brother gone?

Link: So Newly Gone
Fan Comment: It's too bad they didn't show more of this kind of relationship in the movie. Just wonderful, hon. Gets you right in the feels.

Victory at a Price [400]

The frost giants have fallen to the might of Mjolnir. But where are his friends?

Link: Blood on the Ice
Excerpt: At first, he’d whooped and hollered, grinning in savage triumph through the blood that streaked down his face. But then his grin had faded. There were no answering cheers—no shouts of victory, no calls for aid. Just… silence, as dead as the world around him.

Random Shorts

Time Travel Didn't Fix It?

I bring you a warning [300]

A bargain has been struck, to bring you a better future... at a price.

Link: Shadowy Warnings
Fan Comment: Why must you torture us like this (laudatory)

Visiting Hours Are Over 1085 (split POV - Thor then Loki)

More Thor

Loki is not Stabby McStabstab

Okay, I'm a bit sleepy while typing this and maybe I should find better section titles later, but… you know that scene? That scene where the writer who held the MCU in his hands went "What, Loki? Yeah, sure, I got this covered. He's the guy who stabs people, right?"

I mean, it's like they had an entire character sheet of MCU Loki's canonical powers—illusions, shapeshifting, astral projection, dimensional storage, memory tampering, all that stuff—and glanced over it, and when the GM got done describing the scene and said "So what does Loki do?" the writer went "Um, duh. He hides a knife behind his back, gets close to the guy, and stabs him in the face!!" And the GM sighed because it was nearly midnight so they just went with it.

Would it have killed them to write a variation on Loki's signature move, demonstrated in multiple films by now, of illusioning himself in front while he's sneaking in behind? Y'know, the move that killed Coulson? At least that could've shown Loki attempting to be sneaky and Thanos stopping him with the Stones in a way that felt less like character assassination.

Anyway, here's my variation on that scene:

It's the only way to save you [2k]

Loki spent enough time under Thanos's tender mercies that he knows exactly what he must offer, if Thor is to be spared. And all Thor can do is watch.

Content Warnings: Loki offers to join Thanos willingly, holding nothing back, if Thor will be spared.
Link: Breaking Point
Fan Comments: I loved how deep emotions ran all along the text and you really made me feel Loki's pain and fear.; I am legitimately bawling. We deserved this set-up in Endgame and I am still distraught that we didn’t get it. And yet… this bROKE me. I am still crying.

And... that's it. For now.

Avengers and Allies

I range all over the place for Avenger/Ally POVs, though Tony, Clint, Peter, and Pepper take some prominence. I love playing up the trauma of their various backstories, and how they're recovering (or not).

Don't forget to check the Ensembles section for fics that focus on the group dynamic, rather than individual points of view. And the fics from Pepper's point of view currently focus on her relationship with the group (one includes Bucky).

Tony and Pepper

Tony's Point of View

Anticipating death [600]

While waiting to die, Tony dreams that the Snap got Pepper too. (And Morgan, because I'd forgotten that she was born after the Snap.)

Content Warnings: Depressing statistics.
Link: Dust and Ashes and Dreams
Fan Comment: Hey, I really really liked this! At first I was a bit confused over Morgan being alive, but I immediately accepted it—you write very beautifully.

Pepper scolds Tony concerning the pandemic [800]

In the midst of the pandemic, Tony has been ignoring his health, and Pepper is having none of that.

Content Warnings: Basically a rundown of Tony's less positive traits, and how they add up to increased risk.
Link: Sleep, Water, Exercise, Sunlight, and Vitamin C…
Fan Comments: This is so wholesome; Good reminder to stay safe right now, and it brightened my day! Thanks! Tony was in excellent character.

They've mocked Loki once too often [1k]

The God of Mischief knows how to give as well as he gets.

I love celebrating April Fools with random crackfics, and this managed to pull in a bit of unexpected angst, plus a delineation of "teasing" (positive) vs. "mockery" (negative). Basically, if the butt of your jokes can't enjoy them, you shouldn't be pretending it's harmless fun.

Content Warnings: Some darker subtext gets hinted at, but not openly discussed.
Link: Ah, Fatherhood
Fan Comments: I like Loki doing pranks as a response to the guys ragging on his kids; I can see why Loki would be pretty angry about the mocking! I think his reaction was quite restrained (and pretty darn funny). You hit the nail on the head in characterizing the relationships between all the characters, especially Clint and Natasha. Loki knows not to go there with Natasha because he's been there himself.

I'd be interested to read Natasha's explanation to Tony about why exactly the mocking was so offensive and Tony's reaction to realizing exactly what he was mocking!

Pepper's Point of View

Pepper connects with the Avengers [600]

Content Warnings: Tony's described in a bit of an unflattering way.
Link: Pepper's Five Moments of Intimacy
Fan Comment: I love how the Thor and Natasha sections both contrast Pepper with Natasha in ways both women appreciate.

Pepper will have her revenge [900]

Thor unthinkingly dissed her, the rest of the team laughed along with it, and Tony knows better than to get in her way.

Content Warnings: An odd convergence of April Fools and the early part of COVID.
Link: Foolish Assumptions
Fan Comment: Those would have been pretty good pranks; subtle and detailed. Definitely a Pepper thing.

Both of Pepper's pieces deal with the Avengers as a group. If you're after her with Tony, you likely already found that piece above (Sleep, Water, Exercise, Sunlight, and Vitamin C…).

If you're after a more extended piece from her point of view, check out her flashback in To the Victor (Chapter Six: ~5000 words): She goes up against Loki in actual combat with nothing but her wits, and doesn't manage too badly!

Peter Parker

Peter's Point of View

The depths of the earth [13k Complete]

Peter finds Loki captive in mythological fashion but under NYC.

Content Warnings: Loki's punishment, and what he goes through to get free, are not for the faint of heart. Peter has a panic attack. General claustrophobic and nyctophobia setting.
Link: Pulled from the Abyss
Fan Comment: I love the way you write Loki, as more of a calm, level headed person rather than someone who's insane and always angry.; It might be essentially self-serving, but Loki's been in the place of fear and powerlessness, so at least he knows what to say. I love the panic attack scene. It is my new best friend.

(And yes, you have panic attacks down cold. Wish I couldn't tell you that with such confidence, but damn. Yeah.)

Real friends help you break into the school lab [2k]

When Peter runs low on web fluid, he gets Ned and MJ to help him break into the school lab to make more.

Content Warnings: One of my fluffier pieces.
Link: Web of Trust
Fan Comment: This is very much in character for all three of them, and I think you nailed their voices.
Ned wanting a better look at the laser-engraved spider is very Ned—as is not wanting the guard to get in trouble.
I was going to quibble about practicality, but Peter getting thousands of dollars in robotics from Stark but no web fluid makes sense, and Peter not just selling the bots (or asking Happy for actual money to get chemistry supplies) is very very Peter. I relate hard to the kind of person who would walk up 100 flights of stairs rather than bother someone for elevator access.

Also, if you'd like to both (a) pick up some new niche skills and (b) have your eyes opened about how much "security" is just "god, we hope people don't try to bypass this so-called lock," I can recommend a jaunt through YouTube's videos on pen testing.

There's also Growing Memories, where the viewpoint is split among Tony, Peter, and Morgan. And Peter's the host in Game Night Newbies, the other players being MJ, Bucky, Nebula, and the Valkyrie.

Other Avengers

Clint's Point of View

“You're serving them now, you don't even see” [2k]

When Loki breaks free from SHIELD's lab, Clint retrieves him easily enough, but the guy's cryptic words stick around in his brain….

Content Warnings: Unethical experimentation. Ableist insults.
Link: Cuckoos
Fan Comment: How frustrating for Loki to get so close and yet so far with Clint there to reel him back in. His fatalistic humor is my favorite though.

I'm debating about writing a follow-up, but it's super low-priority. If anyone else cares to do so, feel free!

In addition, when I created my Actor Birthday Prompts, January turned out to be Hawkeye Month, so I wrote a Drabble (100 words exactly) playing him off Rocket Raccoon. It's kinda dwarfed by all the notes around it, but it's still a cute little fic!

Natasha's Point of View

Finally gave her a fic from her POV! So she gets a section here on my page.

Moments from Death... [800]

They're both in Loki's cage, falling from the helicarrier, just a few moments left to exchange thoughts before--

Content Warnings
Link: Observations in Freefall
Fan Comment: I just can't even with the idea that they are having this entire conversation while tumbling around in hulk's cage while barreling down through the atmosphere. That creates a pretty unique image in one's head.

The fact that it's a contender for the record any% speedrun of enemies to reluctant allies (justifiable, but still funny) also didn't go unnoted.

Nat also features in a few specific fics:

Pit Stop (Fury's POV): Natasha protects Fury while he's blind, low-energy, and disoriented.
Ah, Fatherhood (Tony's POV): When Loki's playing pranks on half the team, Tony rants at Nat and Nat points out why she and Clint got spared.
Cuckoos (Clint's POV): Natasha consults with Clint regarding Loki's cryptic words.

Bruce and the Hulk

I've quite enjoyed Bruce's portrayal in a number of fics, but I haven't yet delved into his perspective all that much. However, the Hulk? Let's see here:

Maybe Loki just needs a hug [1100]

Instead of smashing Loki into the floor of the penthouse, the Hulk decides to give him a hug instead.

The first two chapters (both short, and compiled in the same AO3 chapter) are from the Hulk's POV; the third is from the POV of Endgame's Bruce-in-Hulk's-body.

Content Warnings
Link: Big Green Hugs
Fan Comments: Omg! It's wonderful! Big green friend, smol green friend!; Loki, buddy, you need a weighted blanket and a month-long nap. ...mood tbh xD; I LOVE the story!!! Stories? Stories!! I loved the first one, because man, the hulk has gotten too little love. From canon and fandom. But the second one? Even better! I was kinda confused how you wanted to top that even more, and than I almost cried reading the third!!!! 😭😭😭😭 it’s so wholesome!!!

The other piece significantly focused on the Hulk is Unforeseen Friendship (Loki POV), where Loki has befriended the Hulk (not Banner). Both the first and second installment in the series have Loki discussing Banner, first with the Valkyrie and then with the Hulk, but I don't believe he's ever onscreen.

Allies

If they're not an Avenger, but still have at least one significant POV piece, they go here.

Fury's Point of View

I have mixed feelings about Fury, though they're generally positive. It's easy to write him as a darker character, but if you take the canon as a fumbling attempt to show heroes being heroic, Fury's decidedly on the side of the heroes (even if he takes things a bit far sometimes, and doesn't seem to care about certain personal rights).

Get off the streets for a minute [2k]

When Fury takes a dunk in the river, Nat helps him hide out and recover.

I love scenes where one character helps another bathe when they can't easily bathe themself. I recall Batman helping his girlfriend in the shower, getting out of a poisoned dress; don't recall how old I was at the time, but I thought it was pretty neat. I think "help bathing" was actually one of the prompts that led me to this scenario.

Content Warnings: Mild eye trauma, breaking and entering, some swearing.
Link: Pit Stop
Fan Comments: This is wonderful!! Sweet and mildly angsty...perfect for Valentine's Day!; Love Nat helping out papa fury

Fury also factors into the captive heroes, but he doesn't even get a flashback, I don't think. He's the driving force behind their attempts to escape, but that's mostly background detail, discussed by the other characters rather than shown directly.

Ensemble Pieces

If more than two characters share the spotlight in roughly equal focus, it goes here. So Turtles in a Bottle, which has Clint and Bucky in equal focus and a much smaller section from Coulson's point of view, is posted under both Clint and Bucky, but this next piece, having exactly equal weight given to three characters, doesn't go under Tony or Peter; it's just here:

In addition, you can find a good strong team dynamic in the following fics:

Pepper's fics: Both of Pepper's have her interacting with the group as individuals. Including pulling awesome pranks (even on Bucky).

Monthly Prompts by Actor Birthdays

I sorted most of the MCU actors by birthday, chose one key character per month, and added a suggested theme. January is Hawkeye Month, hence why the original prompt is a ton of notes around a tiny little Hawkeye & Rocket drabble.

In case you're interested in the prompt list, here it is:

Monthly Prompt List

Jan: Hawkeye Month; Theme: Broken arms; Pair with Rocket, Drax, or Luis
Feb: Loki Month; Theme: Trying to escape; Pair with Wanda, Frigga, Thanos, Ultron, or Malekith
Mar: Sif Month; Theme: Survivor guilt; Pair with Nakia, Bucky, or Cassie Lang
Apr: Coulson Month; Theme: Juggling too many assets; Pair with Tony, Yondu, Scott, Maria Hill, or Flash Thompson
May: Vision Month; Theme: Humanity is bizarrely unorganized; Pair with Mantis, Volstagg, Kraglin, Rhomann Dey, or Hela
June: Double Peter Month! (Parker & Quill); Theme: Regretting immaturity; Pair with Darcy, Pietro, Jane, Gamora, or Steve
July: Strange Month; Theme: Magic is no substitute for…; Pair with Groot, Steve, Coulson, Taserface
Aug: Bucky Month; Theme: On the run; Pair with Edwin Jarvis, Red Skull, Korg, Laufey, Thor
Sept: Pepper Month; Theme: Past vs. Future; Pair with Heimdall, MJ, Everett Ross, Sam Wilson, Jasper Sitwell
Oct: Valkyrie Month; Theme: Ordeals of being queen; Pair with Shuri, Carol, Happy, the Grandmaster, or Ned
Nov: Nebula Month; Theme: Adjusting to humanity; Pair with Natasha, Bruce/Hulk, t'Challa, Ebony Maw, the Ancient One
Dec: Odin Month; Theme: Balancing leadership with fatherhood; Pair with Fury, Fandral, Aunt May, Quentin Beck, Stan Lee

Villains

I'm a Whump artist, so of course we're gonna have fun with our heroes getting captured, tortured, brainwashed, and traumatized by the likes of Thanos, HYDRA, and the Grandmaster. The tone of each villain varies by fic; Thanos and HYDRA are always dark, but the likes of Laufey, Odin, and even the Grandmaster are not so predictable.

Notably, I consider Loki a hero, and I haven't yet written him as an outright villain—no, not even in that fic where he captures all the heroes.

For your convenience, all fics with a significant villain dynamic are collected here (although this section's descriptions are simply condensed versions of those given in other sections). I've elected to use excerpts instead of fan comments, though I may have played around with the excerpts a bit.

Asgard and Jotunheim

Hela makes an appearance in Lashes, but as she's mostly background for the scenario and it's pretty short, I don't think it needs its own entry here.

The Shining Ones

Blame astolat for the Shining Ones (a mass of terrifying, transdimensional monsters that show up through random portals and do nothing but devour). They're the backdrop for both of my pieces based on her Chaos War, even though they never show up onscreen.

You can also blame her for the plot bunnies that led me to craft these two fics. One's a character introspective (Loki's point of view during the original fic), and the other… well, astolat hints at dire fates, but evades them; I turn around and write 'em.

See my Person of Interest fic Harold Would Have Thanked Him for another such example, based on astolat's A Really Private Person.

Without your sacrifice, they will destroy reality [13k]

When Thor brings Loki home in chains, Loki's convinced that Odin has a dark fate planned for him. He's right—but it's not that simple.

Content Warnings: Briefly gruesome; bittersweet ending.
Link: Acceptable Loss
Excerpt: “You asked me once, when you had discovered your own heritage, why I did not tell you earlier. I hope, in this case, the answer is quite clear to you: I could not shoulder your burden, but I could at least ensure, for as long as the fates allowed me, that you were unaware of it, and so did not live in despair of your future any longer than you must.”

“It’s true, then,” Loki says icily. “All I ever was—a useful relic, stolen from Jotunheim until you had need of me.”

“You are far more than that, Loki,” Odin murmurs, looking stooped and old, his face layered with sorrow. If Loki hadn’t had years to come to grips with Odin’s propensity for deception, he might have bought the act, felt some twinge in his heart; instead, his scowl deepens.

“How long have you known?” he demands. “When you told me that we were to defend the peace—that we were both ‘born to be kings’—was I a sacrifice even then? When you turned me over to the huntmaster for training, filled my head with tales of heroes, of glorious death in battle? Did you make me look forward to the possibility of Valhalla when you knew I was only to go under the knife?”

*On hiatus—at a natural stopping point, so it's on the shelf, but I've been persuaded to add two more chapters to show the aftermath.

Other Villains

Thanos

Let the pain recreate you [800]

When Thanos finally shows up to take a look at the Chitauri's latest prisoner, Loki has been broken down enough that it doesn't take much to shove him over the edge.

Link: Pain Is Inevitable
Excerpt: They like him, because his body insists on healing itself. Most of their captives die too quickly, but with him they can have fun.

“Do you wish the pain to stop, child?” the man asks, sinking down to a crouch before Loki.

There’s no right answer. There’s never a right answer, because he has no control here, no way of getting them to stay their hand, not even for a moment.

Still want that throne? [300]

Loki learns to be careful with his demands.

Link: The Pressure of the Throne
Excerpt: “Well, my prince,” the Titan rumbled from atop him, shifting slightly and grinding in the agony of the broken rib all over again, “have you had enough of the throne?”

You will crawl to me, on your knees, and thank me for the pain [2k]

When Loki refuses to yield, Thanos demonstrates how easily he can be made to kneel.

Specific Torture: Burning metal bound to the back of his knees.
Link: Crawl
Excerpt: “Pain is a great and terrible teacher. Only through pain can you learn things you never realized about yourself… break through the limits you’ve imposed upon yourself, get to know your true capabilities. Given enough time, enough lessons, you will even learn to appreciate it more than you fear it. But long before that… you will thank me. There is no rescue, no respite even in death. You cannot outlast my patience. But you can embrace your suffering, embrace the lesson, and serve my will.”

“You know, I think I’ll pass,” Loki says, clinging to the vestiges of his old dry wit. He does not struggle while they bind his arms behind his back, cinch them tight; he’s barely got enough strength left to stand.

What will you offer me, to spare his life? [2k]

Thor can only watch as Loki bargains away the only thing he has left to offer.

Link: Breaking Point
Excerpt: “Well, then,” Thanos purrs, looking down at Loki’s bowed and unmoving form. “I suppose that’s something I could work with.”

Loki shudders, and his eyes close with a sense of finality.

Thor’s heart aches. He’s lost his brother twice now, and he’s about to lose him again, to something worse than death. Worse than anything they’ve ever faced. And he’s weak enough that he let this happen.

HYDRA

Soon enough, they'll crack me open [2k]

When Loki breaks free from SHIELD's lab, Clint retrieves him easily enough, but the guy's cryptic words stick around in his brain….

Link: Cuckoos
Excerpt: No matter. If Loki was spouting crazy talk, he wasn’t attacking, and Clint could put up with any amount of bullshit if it meant he’d be taking Loki in again, bound and helpless for another round of tests.

“They want me,” Loki said, his body dipping low, like he’d lost the strength to keep it upright. “Just like Odin. I’m just another stolen relic for everyone to make use of.”

“You expect sympathy from the guy you turned into a puppet?” Clint swapped his arrow for a second knockout arrow, and fired it, expecting Loki to snatch it out of the air like he had during the invasion; it wasn’t like he didn’t see it coming. But the arrow struck right under Loki’s ribs, and Loki curled in on himself, letting go of the tree and groaning as he sank to his knees in the snow.

I'm debating about writing a follow-up, but it's super low-priority. If anyone else cares to do so, feel free!

HYDRA breaks him down much as Thanos did before them [1500]

Loki's been handed over to SHIELD, which is to say, HYDRA -- and they're pulling him apart piece by piece until he serves their will.

Content Warnings: This fic is one long sequence detailing the different aspects of torture between Loki's time with Thanos and Loki's time with HYDRA. Pulls no punches; I think the title is pretty apt.
Link: Stripped Down to Nothing (again)
Excerpt: The mortals’ methods for torture are nearly as effective as when he’d been stripped apart on Sanctuary; the key differences being that they are a little more careful not to kill him, and that he doesn’t try to scream for help, for family. The progressive revelation of just how little Asgard cared for his welfare has done what the torments themselves could not quite manage, and finally eradicated all his remaining illusions. In all the universe, not one single person cares about Loki. He has no family. He never did.

The torturous experiments bled together, memory with reality, until he could barely distinguish the two. The mortals care nothing for his suffering, except as a means to an end. Bending him to their will was almost a side project, at least at first; they were far more interested in finding ways to copy his powers, to heal their mortal bodies or prolong their miserable lives. But he clings to a dark satisfaction: When Odin had sealed his powers, he had—perhaps wittingly, perhaps not—denied their use to the mortals as well.

Ships and Sexuality

Only about ten percent of my fics delve into the nuances of sexuality or relationships; these are the few that I've created for the MCU.

A Disclaimer

The fandom (and, well, society in general) is saturated with sexual content, to the point where it's uncommon for two characters to get close to each other without also falling into bed together.

I provide… alternatives.

So yes, occasionally I write fics where sex happens, but it's not usually for positive reasons, and it's almost never the endgame. Loki and Tony, for example, are going to have sex in at least two fics in this section (I haven't yet gotten to that point in either of them), but that's the lesser of two evils; it's not going to lead to a happy consensual ongoing Frostiron relationship.

I use sexuality to explore themes of consent, trauma, rape recovery, culture clashes, and the ways that sex can get in the way of intimacy. Mind the tags.

Unforeseen Friendship

The middle fic of my Five Moments of Loki series is a standalone, except that the ending is a bit of a cliffhanger. Basically, Loki goes under the knife anxious about whether he's going to wake up in chains (or at all), but the surgery does bring him back to a fairly normal state of functionality, as evidenced by the start of the sequel. I hadn't intended to be more detailed about that part, but a couple people did persuade me to write an epilogue... eventually.

Oddly enough, Loki befriends the Hulk [7k]

After Thanos leaves Loki alive (but seriously disabled), Loki shies from the pity of others, and finds that the only person on the ship who treats him like a person instead of a cripple is the Hulk.

That's very specifically Loki & the Hulk, not Loki & Bruce Banner. Drawing from Marzipanda's Idavollr, I've depicted the two as separate characters sharing the same body, not two parts of Bruce Banner that could be eventually resolved into a single entity (as canon did in Endgame).

Content Warnings: Panic attacks. Severe trauma and unhealthy coping mechanisms.
Link: Unforeseen Friendship
Fan Comment: Some of the things Loki says here just hurt so fricking much! Also, I love the amount of thought that must have gone in to each and every one of these moments in the MCU. It's just a whole new perspective. Love it!

The ending might feel a bit abrupt, but remember that it's part of a trilogy. The third part picks up much later, implying that the operation was successful and no duplicity was encountered. I might or might not expand upon the details at some point; if you feel like doing so, go right ahead!

Lighter and Comedic Fics

Fics that deal with Ships and/or sexuality, but with a light or nonserious tone.

Magic made them do it [1k]

Doctor Strange summons Loki for an unexpected reason.

Content Warnings: Dubious Consent (due to The Will of Magic). Non-Consensual Body Modification (also due to The Will of Magic).
Link: Magical Attraction
Fan Comments: And yassssss this is charming and funny and sweet and all kinds of lovely!; Well, magic wanted them to be horny and have a child together - mission accomplished... :3

And a new Fic Form I created: Rarepair Speed Dating, where you pair unusual characters in some fashion (doesn't need to be a date or even a Ship) but do multiple such pairings with short scenes. The fic itself isn't complete, but each chapter acts as a standalone interaction, so I think it still counts.

Here's one of my first offerings in this fic form: Bucky Barnes with Doctor Strange, Hogun, and Pietro (and plans for him to pair with Kraglin and Darcy).

Rarepair Speed Dating [1400 WIP]

Five quick scenes pairing unusual characters -- in this case, all with Bucky Barnes.

Content Warnings: Deals with some heavy topics, including war history, terrorism, and racism. Includes at least one slur that was common in the era Bucky came from.
Link: Rarepair Speed Dating: Bucky Barnes
Fan Comments: “You lost your arm during an act of bravery; I lost the use of my hands due to an act of hubris. Fascinating as the technology might be, it is a part of your being now; focusing on your physical attributes while ignoring your mind would make me a rather boorish date… and an inattentive host.”