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Sticky: Prompt Table #2 - ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fandom_empire 2024
Feb. 12th, 2024 05:13 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
innitmarvelous_og
innitmarvelous_og
Parker's heart was pounding in her chest as she hid herself behind a filing cabinet, her breathing coming in shallow gasps. She could hear Special Agent Dwayne Pride's footsteps echo throughout the otherwise devoid of personnel NCIS office, and he was drawing closer to her hiding place with each passing second.
She knew that she dare not move or even shift her weight to alleviate the dull ache in her right leg. The files she needed were just within arm's reach, but she was very close to being caught this time by the seasoned NCIS special agent.
Pride's voice reverberated through the room, muffled but unmistakable as the man talked with his daughter on the phone. Parker's pulse sped up, her muscles tensing up as she prepared herself for him finding her.
But to her surprise and relief, Pride's attention really was focused on his phone conversation. His voice began to drift further away from her location with every second he didn't discover her.
"Oh, honey, that's great. I..."
Parker let out a silent breath that she didn't realize she'd been holding as his voice left her hearing. She allowed the tension in her shoulders to relax along with the rest of her body. She didn't move any further however for a few more moments just to be sure he was gone, listening for any signs he'd returned.
When the coast seemed finally clear, she emerged from her hiding spot, and swiftly retrieved the needed files as silently as possible. Them with a sense of urgency, she tucked them underneath her arm, and made her way to the window she'd come in to exit.
As she slipped out into the warm New Orleans night, Parker could not help the surge from the adrenaline pumping through her veins. She had narrowly avoided getting caught this time thanks to her quick reflexes and finely honed agility.
Parker hurried back to their safehouse, and after passing along the files to Nate, she let them all know she had had a very close call with Pride.
"Sounds like we dodged a bullet there," Sophie input as Nate nodded in agreement.
"Surprises like that is why I sent the world's best thief," Nate said, with a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth, "Good work, Parker."
FE 2024 Prompt Table 2 Fill 40 - Today
Feb. 21st, 2024 08:31 pminnitmarvelous_og
Today was a day that both Morgan and Jiya had been anxiously awaiting, which was the arrival of their anniversary, As they sat on the balcony of their apartment and watched as the sunset painted with sky in colors of orange and pink, Morgan took Jiya's hand in his own as his heart overflowed with love for the woman beside him.
"Happy anniversary, Jiya, my love," he whispered, gently kissing her temple.
"And to you, my dear Morgan," she replied as she laid her head on his shoulder. In that moment, wrapped in the peacefulness of their love, they both knew that today was only just the very beginning of part of their journey through life together.
Part 2 | Part 3
FE 2024 Prompt Table 2 Fill #39 - Museum
Feb. 21st, 2024 08:30 pminnitmarvelous_og
Morgan and Jiya walked with fingers intertwined as they made their way through the Avengers Museum, their daughters Zara and Meera were skipping ahead with excitement. The museum was truly a treasure trove of information about Earth's Mightiest Heroes who had saved the world countless times in the last sixty years. Morgan could not help the pride he felt as he watched his daughters soak it all in like sponges.
They wandered from exhibit to exhibit, Zara's eyes lighting up as she spotted the section that was dedicated to Iron Man. "Daddy, Daddy, look! It's Grandpa! It's Grandpa!" she squealed in excitement, causing other people who were nearby to look in her direction.
Morgan smiled at them as Jiya wrangled their oldest daughter in, and he said, "She just really loves Iron Man. You know, kids?" The entire time he is saying this, he was hoping that no one would recognize him — for being either the son of Tony Stark or Dr. Stark, the doctor whose research team whose research would eventually wipe cancer off the face of the planet.
The nearby parents smiled, nodded, and went back to their own families.
"Daddy!" Zara called out again.
Smiling Morgan walked over to her and put his hands on her shoulders, "I see, sweetie. I see it's Grandpa."
He smiled as she went back to looking at the glass encased suit of armor. He smiled on the outside but on the inside he couldn't help but feel a tiny ache of sadness. His life had been a good one, even an amazing full of people he loved and that loved him. But among all of those people, the one who had always been missing was the man whose face he was now staring at.
Oh, his Mom and Dad had made it a point to tell Morgan everything they could also his father, about the kind of man he had been beyond the public persona and what history would record about Tony Stark. While Morgan was grateful to have those stories about his father, in the end, they were still just stories without any personally lived context for, and because if that, Morgan knew he'd always have an ache in his heart that could never be filled.
His inner turmoil didn't go unnoticed by Jiya, and she put a hand on his arm murmuring, "It's okay, Morgan. We're here so you and the girls can see your father and celebrate his legacy."
Morgan blinked away tears, and nodded, so grateful for his beautiful wife's love and support. Zara slipped away to run over to where her sister was looking enraptured at another glass enclosed piece of armor. Taking Jiya's hand again, they walked over to where their girls were.
"Daddy, did Grandpa really make all of this?" Meera asked, her beautiful dark eyes wide with wonder.
Morgan ran a hand over her hair, a bittersweet smile on his face, "Yes, baby, he did. Your grandfather was one of the most brilliant men to ever live. He loved to invite and build things, like these suits of armor."
Zara pulled on her mother's sleeve, her eyes excited as she asked, "Mommy, did Grandpa fly in that suit? The signs says that he did! Did he?"
Like Morgan, Jiya had only heard the stories about Tony's exploits as Iron Man, but nevertheless, she nodded, "Yes, Zara, he did fly in that suit. He was the one and only Iron Man."
As they continued to explore the museum, Morgan felt a sense of gratitude for the man who had been the father he had known, James Rhodes, or Rhodey as he had learned his father had called him. His Dad had raised him, loved him, and had long with Morgan's mother, and had guided him throughout his life. He had done so with his father's blessings as Morgan had heard the message his father left behind in the days before his death. Thanks to his father, Morgan did not spend his childhood wanting a father to love him. He had everything he had needed and so much more.
***
After having lunch in the Museum's cafe in which they all feasted on Iron Man themed Arc Reactor veggie burgers with fries and Tiny Treats by none other than Ant-Man himself, they decided to go to explore the second exhibit that they were all excited to see, which was the War Machine exhibit.
Morgan and Jiya stopped just short of entering the exhibit, having let the girls go ahead of them some Morgan could take a moment to prepare.
Jiya squeezed his hand, "Are you certain that you want to go in? I can go through the exhibit with the girls if it's too much?"
His Dad had been gone twenty years, and Morgan still missed him beyond words.
Morgan took a deep breath, and shook his head, "No, I'm okay. I want to see the exhibit. I want to see how the world remembers the man who was my Dad."
"If you're sure?"
"I am... but thanks for being concerned, honey. Come on, we'd better get in there before the girls wander too far ahead of us," Morgan replied, kissing her hand before leading the way inside.
Meera spotted them first, and she excitedly pointed to the larger than life portrait of Morgan's Dad, "Look, Daddy! It's Granddad!"
Morgan smiled, looking at his Dad in his military uniform that proudly displayed every medal he'd ever been awarded, and he nodded, "Yep, sweetie, that's your Granddad all right."
In the meantime, Zara was entranced with the War Machine armor his Dad had worn as part of his Air Force and Avengers careers.
While he stood there gazing at the portrait of his Dad, so many memories came flooding back to his mind — memories like how his Dad taught him to ride a bike, playing catch in then backyard, and helping him put together the most intricate LEGO sets he could find.
He cherished the memories of the late-night conversations they'd had when he'd gotten a little older talking about life, love, and how doing what was right echoed in his heart. He could still hear his Dad cheering him on from the sidelines during the years he played baseball and the wonderful laugh his Dad had when they'd laugh together until tears of mirth ran down their faces.
Once more Jiya must have sensed how he was feeling as she wrapped her arm around his waist offering him her love and support. Morgan wrapped his arm around her in return, leaning into her embrace, so grateful for her presence and for her love.
"Daddy, Daddy, come see!" Zara's excited call broke through to him. "Come see the tanks Granddad picked up!" She was jumping up and down in excitement, along with her sister.
Morgan looked at his wife, gave her a kiss, and then he walked over to where his girls were chattering away about their Granddad.
FE 2024 Prompt Table 2 Fill #38 - Never
Feb. 21st, 2024 08:30 pminnitmarvelous_og
"I never thought I'd say this," Morgan began, his voice tinged with emotion, "But I'm very grateful for each and every twist or turn that life has thrown our way."
Jiya's eyes were sparkling when she turned to him, curiosity bright as she asked softly, "Oh? Why is that?"
Morgan smiled, his gaze lingering on their children as they played in the yard, "It's because through it all, we've grown so much stronger together. With every obstacle that we'e triumphed over, it's drawn us even closer together," he explained, his words carrying the weight of truth from the years of their shared experiences.
Jiya took his hand in her and squeezed it with gentleness, and she whispered, "I could not agree with you more. I think at this point our love will withstand any storm that comes our way"
innitmarvelous_og
Eva looked up at the little bell over the door's jingle as she stepped into the cramped bookshop. She inhaled, allowing the musty scent of the aged paper and leather bindings to wash over her senses. There were rows of overflowing shelves were towering in every direction, and there were waterfalls of novels and tomes of that threatened to spill their contents all over the creaky hardwood floors.
"May I help you find something, my dear?" a silky voice asked from somewhere in the stacked maze. A moment later, a slender man with a playful sparkle in his emerald eyes who appeared somewhere from among the packed shelves.
Eva could feel her cheeks warm at his words, wondering if he were the owner of this bookshop or just an employee. Either way his gaze was intense yet also charming. She held the worn book in her hands closer as she turned to answer him, "Um yes hello, I um actually have been looking all over the place for a very hard to find first edition copy of the play Cynthia's Revels."
The owner, for she decided he must be the owner, tutted a bit as her came over to her. His fingers were deft as he plucked Eva's book from her hands, and looked at the title, "Ah I see, an illuminated soul who seeks the Bard of Avalon's lost work. There are not many who share a refined literary passion these days."
Eva resisted the urge to close her eyes to better enjoy the richness of his voice as he appraised her with loft approval of her taste in reading, "Your battered copy sings the praises of a true lover for such relics. Pray well met, Book Pilgrim. May I present myself? I am Loki, and I am the keeper of this fine realm's Novel Nest."
Eva smiled, finding her shyness falling away at his world flair and charm. She decided to meet him head on.
She smiled, "Well met yourself, Loki. Per the object of my quest, I want to see if someone as well-read as you might have any leads on where I might be able to find my prize."
Loki's smile grew even wider, with his green eyes sparkling, he beckoned to Eva to follow him into the stacked bowels of his bookshop.
As they went when he said to her over his shoulder, "Perhaps, O lady lover of the written word. But I must caution you, treasures of such caliber usually have a way of being evasive. But I will do my humble best to aid you in acquiring that which you seek and have without a doubt proven unobtainable up to this point. Now, shall we scour my volumes and see if we cannot locate your literary gem, hmm?
Part Two
Part Two
FE 2024 Team Fill #18 - Lighthearted
Feb. 21st, 2024 08:28 pminnitmarvelous_og
"Honey, I'm home!" Morgan called out in his best Ricky Ricardo impression as he walked through the apartment door.
Morgan made his way to the kitchen, and the aroma of Jiya's Aloo Posto being kept warm and ready on the stove greeted him before he made it to the door. Once there, he could see the pot with the dish with Jiya there beside it with her back turned to him, swaying her hips as she sang along with one of her favorite Bollywood soundtracks.
Morgan grinned as he more with stealth to sneak up behind her, and wrap his arms around her waist, "Dinner smells so amazing as always, my gorgeous chef!"
A surprised yelp came out of Jiya's mouth before she started to giggle, and swatted his hands away playfully, "You/re such a menace, Morgan Stark! One day I'll have to invest in a bell to warn me to let me know when you've arrived home!"
"Aw, but think how much we'd miss out on these precious reunion sneak attacks," he murmured as he nuzzled her neck until she squealed.
"Oh you're incorrigible! At least let me get our dinner plated before you succeed in distracting me again and it burns!"
Morgan gave her a cheeky grin before he obediently released her, and moved to set the kitchen table while Jiya scooped the aloo posto over some basmati rice. When she came over to the table with heaping plates, he snagged her wrist again, and pulled her into a sound kiss.
"Mmmm... perfect as always," he muttered against her smiling lips, "Now please do tell me your tales of your latest exploits while I shovel in this heavenly manna into my face!"
With an eye roll Jiya laughed, and took her seat across from her charming dork of a boyfriend. Morgan listened attentively as she begun a story about an unruly patient she had had during her morning rounds. Morgan grinned the entire time as he tucked into every bite of the comforting, delicious food with every bite reminding him of the home and love he'd found in her.
FE 2024 Prompt Table 2 Fill #36 - Pub
Feb. 21st, 2024 08:23 pminnitmarvelous_og
The evening air is crisp as it swept through Oxford streets as Detective Inspector Robert Lewis and Detective Sergeant James Hathaway made their way to one of Oxford famous pubs, The Eagle and Child. They'd had a long and taxing day at work, filled with paperwork and interviews related to their latest case. As they entered into the historic yet cozy establishment, the familiar scene of ale and the chatter of the patrons greeted them, instantly helping to lift their spirits.
Robbie stepped up to the bar, his eyes although tired still had a smile in them for the bartender, "Two pints of bitter, please."
The bartender nodded, and produced the requested drinks, setting them in front of Oxfordshire's finest before going off to attend to another patron.
Hathaway leaned against the bar, running more over through his close cut hair, "We've a bit of a long day, haven't we, sir?"
Lewis gave a nod, rubbing the back of his neck, "You could say that. So many days anymore it feels like we're swimming against the tide instead of with it."
James chuckled softly as he understood that feeling all too much, "Well, at least we're not alone and are in good company." He gestured to the busy pub around them.
Robbie raised his glass in a toast, "To having survived another day in the trenched," he remarked with a hint of irony.
Hathaway clinked his glass against his boss, a small smile playing on his lips, "And to all of the cases we've managed to crack already and the ones that are still waiting their turn to be solved." There was a hint of determination in his voice.
They sipped their beer once more, enjoying the familiar taste as it washed away the weariness of the day. For just a moment, they simply stood in cordial silence, happy in each other's company, and the sanctuary of the pub that once sheltered and Lewis and his friend.
James leaned back, his gaze pensive, "Perhaps not today, sir, but tomorrow is another day. And who knows what mysteries it might bring?"
Robbie smiled, a spark of hope lighting up his eyes, "You're being more optimistic than I feel."
Hathaway gave another soft laugh, mischief making his eyes shine, "Someone has to be a balance to your pragmatism, sir."
Lewis raised his eyebrow, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, "Well, I suppose I can't really argue with that logic, can I?"
As they bantered back and forth, their conversation went from the mundane to even something resembling profound, while they savored their drinks and the camaraderie they'd built together over the years. The ambiance of The Eagle and the Child was comforting, helping to the weight of the day's troubles fly away as if they were on an eagle's wings.
As the evening wore on, the pub began to empty out, causing Robbie and James to reluctantly finish their drinks as duty would call them back to its embrace. But for a little while longer, they lingered in the warmth of the pub.
Then as they finally stepped out into the cool of Oxford's night, Robbie clapped James on the shoulder with a grateful smile, "Thanks for the company tonight, James. I don't know what I'd do without you around."
Hathaway smiled in return, "Likewise, sir. Until tomorrow then?"
Lewis nodded, "Until tomorrow. Goodnight."
"Goodnight, sir."
innitmarvelous_og
Once, just for once, Tony would like to spend his birthday with his father instead of his surrogate father, Edwin Jarvis. But as the morning of Tony's 10th birthday dawned, it was becoming clear that wasn't going to happen again this year.
Tony had really tried to not get his hopes up as he went downstairs for breakfast, but he couldn't help peeking around the corner of the dining room, hoping his dad would be there. Instead though he found Edwin Jarvis along with his wife Anna setting the table as usual.
"Ah, good morning, Master Tony," Jarvis greeted him warmly, "And a very happy birthday to you."
Tony sighed, and mumbled, "Thanks, Jarvis."
With a sympathetic tut, Anna gave Tony a gentle peck on the cheek, "Now, now, none of that! No long faces today! It's your very special day today, dear."
Tony nodded, and asked, "Is Dad, uh, you know..." He couldn't quite make himself finish the question, since he knew he wouldn't hear the answer he hoped for.
"I'm afraid your father had to leave quite early this morning for an important business meeting in Washington DC," Jarvis replied in a regretful tone, "But he did ask that I wish you a happy birthday for him."
Tony just nodded, trying to not show how much his father's absence hurt him once again. Howard Stark was an important, busy man — Tony understood that very well, or at least he did in his mind. But that didn't help it to hurt his heart any less when his father couldn't seem to ever make any time for him, not even on one measly day a year.
"Well, Mrs. Jarvis and I have plenty of festivities planned to help make this birthday one you'll never forget," Jarvis continued in a bright, cheery tone as he did his best to cheer the boy up, "Starting with your favorite breakfast in the world!"
Anna guided Tony towards the table, her smile as bright as her husband's, as was her tone, "That's right, my dear! You can have all the chocolate chip pancakes, whipped cream, and bacon you want!
While the Jarvises doted on him over a decadent birthday breakfast, Tony couldn't help but feel that at least there were two people who seemed to care more about him and his happiness than his own parents did. Sadly even when his mother was around, she was lovely, but she often seemed to be thinking about other things and was distant in other ways.
It was really the butler and his wife who had been the most constant presence in Tony's life as he'd grown up. They had always celebrated any of his accomplishments, had comforted him through his struggles, and they'd lavished him with the love and attention they would have given their own child had they had one.
Once Tony has gorged himself with chocolate chip pancakes, Jarvis brought out a modestly wrapped gift, "This is just a small token of our affection, Master Tony. Though I would wager that you'll find it rather useful, if I know anything about you mind."
Tony's eyes lit up as he tore off the wrapping paper, revealing a sleek, professional-grade tool kit that was filled with all kinds of wrenches, pliers, screwdrivers, and many other gadgets. "Wowwie! This is really amazing, you guys! Now I can really get to work on all the projects I want to do without having to borrow Dad's tools!"
"Which was precisely our thoughts," Jarvis said with an indulgent smile, "We know how that all too brilliant mind of yours is always thinking about tinkering away on your next great invention."
"Just be sure not to lose any of those tools this time," Anna added with a wink. "Or we'll have to take the cost out of your allowance!"
As they all shared a laugh, for the first time that day, Tony felt his mood being lifted. No matter how much his real parents always seem to let him down, the Jarvises never failed to do what they could to make him feel special and cared for and about.
Once he'd thoroughly examined and admired his gift, Jarvis cleared his throat, "Now then, I think we have some other things prepared for a young master to help him celebrate a momentous birthday such as this one. Shall we see what we have in store for you next, Master Tony?"
FE 2024 Prompt Table 2 Fill #34 - Kitchen
Feb. 21st, 2024 08:21 pminnitmarvelous_og
"All right, Dr. Stark, for today's lesson we will cover a foundation of Indian cuisine, which is curry," Jiya proclaimed, her tone authoritative as was her point with a wooden spoon, "Now are you ready?"
Morgan snapped an exaggerated salute, "Yes, Master Chef Banerjee! Your student's mind is but an empty vessel, and it is ready to absorb your great, infinite culinary wisdom."
Jiya batted his arm playfully as she tried to stifle a laugh, "You are very lucky that you're cute, because that little sloppy salute deserves kitchen demerits."
She pointed him in the direction of the counter where an array of vibrant spices, herbs, and veggies were laid out at the ready. As she listed off the ingredients one by one, he repeated them with a furrowed brow.
"Now, the most important step in making the perfect curry is for the cook to take the time to bloom the spices," Jiya explained as she poured some oil into a saucepan. She glanced at Morgan with a nod, who in turn tossed in cumin, cardamon, cinnamon, and all other parts.
The aromas were heady as they wafted throughout the kitchen, making Morgan's eyes go wide with appreciation, "Wow... I didn't know something to simple could turn into such an experience!"
Jiya winked at him, "Just you wait!" She then showed him how to saute the onions and garlic while she stirred into tomato puree. Afterwards she adjusted for consistency and seasonings with experienced precision.
Morgan was in pure awe as he watched her smooth motions, "You make it all look so effortless."
"It's simply years of watching my Mother make this very curry," Jiya said with a smile, her tone wistful, "But the real key is to pour in your love into whatever the food is you are preparing."
She stepped behind Morgan, and wrapped her hands around his so she could guide his hands in the final parts of finishing the curry. He lost himself in the aromas along with the warmth of her embrace.
Sometime later, they were rewarded in their efforts as Jiya ladled the deep ruby-hued curry over a pure white mountain of basmati rice, sprinkling cilantro on top to complete it. She pinched Morgan's cheek affectionately.
"And there we are, my star pupil — your first curry made with our own two hands! Delicious, no?"
As he shoveled an eagerly awaited bite into his mouth, Morgan nodded with a grin as his taste buds exploded in ecstasy.
As he swallowed, he raised an eyebrow at her, "Mastered of the first lesson? I think that's overstating things a little bit, o great and wise chef. But I know that as long as I have you with me to be my lifelong and very personal tutor, I'll be happy to keep trying as long ad it takes to perfect my attempts!"
FE 2024 Prompt Table 2 Fill #33 - Sunday
Feb. 21st, 2024 08:20 pminnitmarvelous_og
A shrill beeping startled Morgan out of a dreamless sleep. He groaned as he cracked open one eye as he looked over at the clock and saw 5:32am glaring back on the nightstand clock. He picked up his pager, and found what he expected to find: the number for the oncology ward.
"So much for sleeping in today," he muttered, as he threw off the covers. Jiya did not stir while he slipped out of bed quietly, and then out of their apartment to head to the hospital.
Morgan was by his patient's bedside by 6:15am. Mrs. Delgado's chemo had caused a fever that had spiked overnight, and had become so serious that it required prompt care. While he adjusted her IV meds, Morgan ran threw her treatment history again — her difficult surgery, the long radiation sessions she had endured, and her astounding perseverance through it all. He knew he owed her only his very best efforts.
Then three admissions and a complicated case review panel later, Morgan was finally able to escape the hospital at around 4pm. Although he was utterly drained, he still made a stop for groceries on his way home. He knew Jiya would be starving after her own 12-hour shift came to an end.
Once he got home, Morgan headed straight for the kitchen. The first thing he did, he fired up the old, battered rice cooker, then he mechanically chopped vegetables with efficiency. The flavors of coconut milk and the smell of spices soon wafted through the small apartment. Making his wife' recipe for Morgan was his culinary love language.
He had just transferred the finished curry to a waiting bowl when the door opened. Jiya dropped her tote, and then immediately melted into Morgan's arms as he held her close.
"Long day?" he murmured into her hair.
Jiya nodded against his chest with a weary sigh, "Yes, far too long. We had three different patients to crash today, and one of them we couldn't..."
As they settled on the couch together, Morgan massaged his wife's tired feet as she ate the lovingly prepared curry and decompressed from her day by telling him about it. For a few blessed hours, the world was shut out in their tiny oasis of comfort.
At 9pm while they were half dozing, half watching a movie together, their peace was shattered once more as Morgan's pager sounded out signaling that a patient was crashing. He sighed, gave Jiya a lingering kiss, and then he rushed out the door to head to the hospital again.
innitmarvelous_og
Sigyn was strolling through the lush palace gardens, breathing deeply in the heady perfume of the myriad of flowers surrounding her. She was smiling softly, humming the music she'd heard last night, as she relieved her dance with the handsome Lord Theoric. Last night had been the first night of Vårensankomst, one of her favorite celebrations of the Asgardian year... well it was once boring ritual of giving thanks to the gods was over with. (Personally Sigyn found the whole thing a little silly since Asgard was called the Home of the gods)
Every previous year they'd come to the city to celebrate, Sigyn had enjoyed the many nights of feasting as it meant she got to eat as many sweets as she pleased, and she could play with her friends until the first rays of the sun graced the morning skies. She was set to do the very same this this year even when she was getting to old for such things when by happenstance, she looked across the grand hall.
Theoric had been standing there, conversing with his comrade in arms when by happenstance he had turned his head in her direction. Their met, and suddenly, Sigyn could hardly breathe! He was the most handsome man she'd ever laid eyes on.
One of her friends, Thalia, she thinks it was was tugging on her arm for her to follow their group. Sigyn ignored her, and Thalia gave up, running off with their friends.
As she watched, Lord Theoric had excused himself from his conversation, and had started walking towards her. Sigyn had wanted to either heave forth up all of her dinner, or flee, but she did neither as he at last arrived.
He'd given a courtly bow, extended his hand, and asked, "May I have the pleasure of this dance, my Lady?"
Sigyn blushed as she bobbed a curtsy in return, and took his hand, "You may, my Lord."
With that, he has led her onto the dance floor, and had done his best to lead her in the dance the musicians were playing. Sigyn cursed herself for not paying more attention to learning how to dance proper Asgardian dances instead of the ones she'd learned on Midgard, Still he had smiled and had looked at her as if she were the most beautiful goddess in the Nine Realms.
"Your smile is betraying your thoughts, daughter mine," came the voice of her father as he appeared out of the shadows of the trees.
Sigyn jumped back, startled out of her reverie, she pressed a heart over her racing heart, "Must you always do that, Father? Hide in the shadows like that?" Although her words were scolding, there was no heat behind them. She noted a knowing smile had crept upon her father's face, and with a sigh, she waited for the questioning to come.
"I cannot help but notice that you seem rather... quixotic today, my little snowflake. Perhaps it may have something to do with a certain Lord Theoric I saw you dancing with for most of the evening last night? Is he the one responsible for the dreamy glow about you this morning?"
Sigyn felt her cheeks flush in spite of herself, "And what if he is, Father? I found Lord Theoric to be charming and courteous."
"Is it those qualities that inspire this starry-eyed look for you, snowflake, or is there another reason?"
"Perhaps I also find him pleasing to gaze upon as well."
Chuckling, Loki wrapped one arm around his daughter, and hugged her. For all the talented she'd shown in the art of magic, his daughter was not as skilled at hiding things that had to do with the affairs of the heart.
"Fair warning, my snowflake, that along with your fancy of this young lord comes my scrutiny of him. I will be keeping a close watch on him for as long as he has my daughter's favor."
Sigyn rolled her eyes as she'd seen her Pop Pop do many times, and said, "Of course you will, Father. Although I think I am wise enough to handle my suitors alone." Before he could say another word, Sigyn conjured a butterfly that danced around his face as she then danced her way further into the gardens.
As he watched her dance away, Loki felt concern, and he muttered, "Ah, my dear little snowflake, you're so headstrong and perhaps too confident like your father. Please, my dear, do not be like me when it comes to the matters of the heart."
A voice suddenly and rudely interrupted his thoughts, "Loki, brother dear, what mischief are you stirring up on this fine day?"
Loki turned to look at his brother as Thor walked towards him, laughing heartily. "Ah, Thor, always quick to be suspicious of what I am doing!" He said this in half jest and half accusation, "I was merely taking in the beauty of the garden, brother. Though I cannot delay here forever as I have a task that needs my attention."
Thor raised an eyebrow, his smile vanishing ~~expression turning serious.~~, "A task? Is something amiss?"
Loki dismissed him with the wave of a hand, "Nothing that would concern you, brother mine. I must merely stand guard for one in matters of the heart."
"Sigyn is enchanted with Lord Theoric then," Thor inquired.
"She is," Loki sighed.
"Ah, young love. It is both a grand and vexing thing, is it not?"
Loki's smile faltered as he looked one more time in the direction Sigyn had gone, "Indeed, Thor. It is indeed." With that he vanished before his brother's eyes, leaving Thor to ponder the mysteries of love and the mischief make he called his brother.
innitmarvelous_og
Tony was sitting at the table, sipping his morning coffee as he watched his son and Ethan and daughter Eva wander into the kitchen as their still sleepy eyes adjusted to the morning light.
Ethan gave a big yawn, before he plopped down in a chair, "'Morning, Dad."
"'Morning, champ," Tony replied with a smile, "Did you have lots of fun yesterday, sport?"
Suddenly Ethan was fully away as his face lit up with an excited grin, "Yeah, Dad! Mommy took us to the zoo, and we saw lions, and tigers-"
"And bears, oh my!" Tony finished for him, chuckling at his enthusiasm, "Sounds like you had quite the adventure with Mommy. And what about my little princess? Eva, did you enjoy the zoo too?"
Eva's the younger of the two as she's 3.5 years younger than her brother. She nodded as enthusiastically as her brother, her curls bouncing with every bob of her head, "It was the best! I really loved the monkeys, Daddy! They were so silly and funny!"
Tony ran a hand over his daughter's wild bed head, "I'm glad you both had fun yesterday. Some needed to while Daddy was stuck in old, boring meetings all day long!"
Pepper chose that moment to enter the kitchen, and she rolled her eyes at her husband's statement, "Oh please! You were in a room full of scientists and engineers all day yesterday! You were having as much fun as the kids if not more!" She gave him a kiss and went to pour herself a cup of coffee.
"'Morning, Mommy!" Ethan and Eva shouted in unison.
Pepper returned and sat down by Tony, "So did they tell you about our trip to the zoo yesterday?"
He nodded, smiling, "Yeah they did. Sound like you guys had more fun that a barrel of monkeys!"
Pepper chuckled, nodding. "We did have fun but I think Eva's favorite part of the day was when we had ice cream after we left the zoo,"
Eva grinned, "Yeah, yeah! Daddy, I had Hunka-Hulka Burnin' Fudge!"
Tony rolled his eyes, and acted like he was going to get up, "Just for that, little girl, I think you need to be Tickle Monstered!"
Eva shrieked and hunkered down in her chair, "No, Daddy! Don't!"
"Okay, I'll have mercy this time but I'd better not hear again that you love Uncle Bruce's ice cream flavor more than you do Daddy's!"
"Okay, Daddy!"
"Speaking of Bruce, how was he when you saw him yesterday, Tony?" Pepper asked.
They finished breakfast, and started to decide what they wanted to do together as a family.
"Hey, Dad?" Ethan said.
"Yeah, Ethan?"
"Could we go to the park today? I really want to fly my new kite!" the little boy said.
"New kite?"
"Yeah I got a new kite at the zoo yesterday! I has sloths on it!"
Tony shared a glance with Pepper then said, "Cool! Yeah I think we can fit the park in for today, champ."
"Say, why don't we have a picnic at the park? Make it a whole day family affair?" Pepper suggested.
"That sounds like a great idea. I'll go get the kiddos ready and-"
"I'll get our food ready!"
"Come on, kids, let's go get ready to go to the park!"
"Yay!" Ethan and Eva exclaimed, running down the hallway to get ready for more family fun and memories.
innitmarvelous_og
Loki tried not to pace the hallway outside of his daughter's chambers, but in the end, he was unable to stop himself as his mind returned to the day years past when she was born. The day of her birth had been both a tragedy and a triumph as he'd gained his little snowflake but had lost his beloved Eva in the process. Still not all expectant mothers have had a curse placed upon them by a dying, revengeful witch, as Sigyn had not, and he knew she would come through this just fine.
Still each and every time he heard his daughter cry out or one of the midwife's apprentices made an appearance to fetch something for her, it was all he could do not to burst into the chamber with Sigyn, and shove Valir, his son-in-law, aside.
"Fear not, my Lord," one of the apprentices reassured him when she emerged from the chamber, "Lady Sigyn is tended by one of Asgard's most skilled midwives. All will be well."
Loki gave her a withering look before he resumed his pacing of the hallway. Of course he knew Sigyn was in very capable hands, yet his heart still thundered in his chest with every groan and whimper that reached his ears from within.
Midnight was marked by the bell tolling its solemn sound, which marked the arrival of another day. Loki paused, hoping that with the next time the bell rang out, his daughter's child would have made their way into the world at last.
Then as if the child heard his heart's desire, a small cry that grew most lusty with each second came from behind the chamber's door — a newborn's cry. Loki's breath caught in his throat.
A few moments later the door of the chamber opened inward, and the chief midwife came out, a wide smile gracing her face, "The babe has arrived at last, my Lord. A fair, healthy maid-child has graced the halls of Lord Valir this night at the stroke of midnight."
Relief washed over Loki at the midwife's words, and then a tidal wave of joy enveloped him.
"Lady Sigyn is asking for you, my Lord," the midwife said.
Loki nodded, and brushed past her into the chamber.
Sigyn laid in the bed, propped up against many pillows cradling a tiny bundle close to her chest. She looked up at him when he stopped at the foot of the bed, her eyes shining with happiness. She was clearly exhausted but Loki's not sure he's ever seen his daughter look so radiant as she does now.
"Hello there, Grandfather," she murmured as Loki comes to bend over the bed.
As Loki drank in the sight of his daughter and first grandchild, the trickster found that he had no clever quips, no mocking barbs to smother the love swelling one hundred fold in his chest. Instead, Loki simply drops a tender kiss to each one of their foreheads, allowing his tears of joy to say everything that needed to be said.
"Would you like to hold her, Father?" Sigyn asked.
Loki's eyes went to the other side of the bed where his son-in-law was seated, quietly observing them. As much as he wanted to hold his granddaughter, he was not about to rob Valir the honor of being the first to hold his new child.
Valir smiled as if he knew what Loki was thinking, and he nodded, "Go on, the midwife placed her in my arms mere seconds after she was born."
Loki nodded his thanks back to Valir before returning his attention fully to Sigyn and the precious bundle in his arms. With infinite gentleness, he extended both his arms, and carefully took the swaddled baby, bringing her to his chest to cradle her.
As the tiny face came into view, Loki could not help but be stunned by how utterly perfect she seemed to be. There were wisps of soft, downy hair that graced her head, of which Loki did not doubt came from both his beloved Eva and his daughter. And when she slowly opened her eyes, she looked up at her grandfather with unfocused by bright eyes, Loki's breath caught in his throat. For there in her gaze was the striking emerald green hue that so unique to his side of her family line.
While continuing to study her face, Loki inquired, "Have you decided upon a name for this little snowdrop?"
"Snowdrop? Sigyn said with a smile, recognizing it as her father's endearment he had always called her.
Her father nodded, "Yes, it seems fitting."
Sigyn smiled at her father, "Indeed it is, I love it. And to answer your question, Father, we have decided to name her Freya, in honor of—"
"Your grandmother," Loki finished with a smile.
Oh Frigga would be thrilled and honored, and he hoped, would smile when she heard the name of her newest great-granddaughter. With Odin once more fallen into the Odinsleep, it seemed like the Queen smiled so little these days.
"A fitting choice — for both her great-grandmother and for her, as he beauty will be great."
The newborn yawned, and closed her eyes again, sighing off to sleep in the safety of her loving grandfather's arms. As he looked at her, Loki knew his life's purpose had never more apparent to him — he would be fierce in his love of her and he would help to guide her in his life in any way that he could.
Tonight has truly been the most special of nights, and Loki had never been more thankful for what he had been given.
Part Two
Part Two
FE 2024 Prompt Table 2 Fill #29 - Garage
Feb. 29th, 2024 08:27 pminnitmarvelous_og
Eva Stark was a rising star in the culinary world. Ever since she could remember, she had a passion for cooking that started with her helping her mother with dinner. She entered culinary school after she graduated high school, and worked hard to become a 4-star chef at a top restaurant. She succeeded in everything she wanted to accomplish in the culinary, never forgetting her roots of her small town as she did so.
Tony Stark, her father, was her town's top and number one mechanic. He could fix anything and everything that had an engine, whether it was cars or tractors. If her mother had given her a love of cooking, then her father had instilled in her the love she had for tinkering with machines. Her love of tinkering had proved to be beneficial in her cooking in ways she'd never guessed as the tinkering had helped her hone both precision and attention to the little details, just like her father.
Pepper Potts, her mother, was one of the most loved teachers in town at their local elementary school. She always encouraged Eva's love of learning new things and exploring her world, whether it was through her cooking or helping her father take apart old appliances with her father. Another trait Eva had gotten from her mother was her love of helping other people, something that Eva had worked into her cooking on days she volunteered in programs that fed the less fortunate.
Finally, Eva's older brother, Ethan, was a talented artist who had moved away from their town to New York to pursue his dreams in the arts. Even with him living hundreds of miles from them, they all remained close to one another and they supported each other in their individual endeavors.
One day when Eva was in the middle of prepping everything for dinner service that evening when she got a call from her father. Her Dad was in a bit of a bind, and needed her help for what some might consider to be an unusual project. It seemed the town's only milk truck had broken down on the outskirts of town. The milk truck was a very important part of town as it was used to deliver fresh milk to the town's families on an almost daily basis.
"Of course, I can help, Daddy. Just give me a day or so to get back to town and we'll have the milk truck fixed in no time!"
With the end of that phone call, Eva packed up her tools and headed back to her hometown as quickly as she could arrange it. She dropped off her things at her parents house, then went to find her father. It didn't take long to find him since everyone in town knew about the milk truck and was able to tell her the location. When she arrived at the spot, she found her father in the middle of a group of farmers she'd known most of her life, all gathered around the milk truck. The farmers were all smiles when they saw her as they were all eager to get the truck back to delivering.
After hugging her father, Eva said, "Well, first things first and I think that's we need to get the milk truck towed back into town. But that's only if you don't want to start hauling all your tools out here to Farmer Stokes's field?"
"All the same to you, Tony, Miss Stark, I'd prefer that you didn't, since I plan on letting my cows in this field today," Farmer Kurt L. Stokes piped up.
"Okay, towing it to my garage it is then!" Tony said.
***
It took about an hour to get the tow truck out to the farm, get the milk truck hooked up, and then towed back to Tony's shop. Once the milk truck was in the shop, father and daughter got to work to see what had caused the milk truck to break down.
While they worked, they talked, laughed, and caught up with what was happening in their every day lives as it'd been awhile since Eva had come home. After they'd been working a few hours, Eva suggested they take a break, and she got out the thermos of milk one of the farmers had given her while they'd waited on the tow truck.
"So, Daddy," Eva began, taking a sip of milk before continuing, "You know how you and Mom have had the suspicion that I am seeing someone. And you know how I've uh been denying it?"
Tony nodded, "Yes, I know and know." He sipped his own milk and took a bite of one of his daughter's homemade chocolate chip cookies she'd brought with her, "So are you? Seeing someone that is?"
Eva nodded, and took a deep breath before she said, "Yeah... yeah I am seeing someone, and we're actually coming up on the six month mark soon."
He gave a whistle, "Wow! Six months already, huh?"
"Yeah."
"So, is it okay for me to ask who he is?"
She nodded, "Yeah, yeah it's okay. It's... Loki Laufeyson." As she talked she watched her Dad closely to see his reaction.
Tony's eyes widened, even as he nearly choked on his milk. After a coughing fit, and wiping away his tears from it, her asked, "Loki Laufeyson... as in the other chef you were bickering with every two seconds on that cooking competition you did?"
"Yes, he's the one," she confirmed, smiling sheepishly.
Tony whistled again then said, "Wow, honey, never in a million years would I seen that one coming since you two really seemed to... not like each other. Or was all that animosity between you two a part of it too since you were doing a so-called reality cooking competition?" He made air quotation marks when he said the word air, "I made I've heard how sometimes they ask competitors to put on acts with each other to make these shows more interesting since people love juicy drama."
"Well in our case what you saw was not an act put on for benefit of the show. I mean if you want to confirm it, just ask Darcy, and she'll tell you that neither Loki or I even liked each other before we went on Commander Chef!"
"No love lost then, huh?"
"No, there wasn't. We literally could not stand each other!" Eva said, rolling her eyes as she recalled her past interactions with Loki.
"So what changed between you two?" Tony asked.
Eva took a moment to gather her thoughts, thinking on where exactly the unexpected turn in her relationship with Loki, and had transformed it from hostile rivalry to something that was definitely friendship and perhaps love? Finally she sighed, and said, "It's kind of a long story, Dad, but I'll do my best to sum up. It turned out that after the show had ended, we both went back to our respective restaurants, and we continued on with our careers. But somehow, over the next month, we kept bumping into each other at the most unexpected places."
"Such as?" Tony inquired.
"Well for one, like the restaurant that prepares and serves quality, nutritional food to the poor and the homeless. I like to volunteer there whenever I can, and one day I went in for a shift, and found Loki of all people already in the kitchen.!"
Tony arched an eyebrow.
"I'm serious, Daddy! Loki was there, chopping up rainbow carrots!"
As she continued to recount the transformation in her relationship with Loki, Tony listened attentively, his curiosity piqued by the unexpected turn of events. When Eva had finished, he leaned back against his workbench, and thought about everything she had told him.
"I'll say it again, wow. That really is quite the plot twist," Tony remarked with a chuckle, "Who would have thought that behind all that bickering you two were doing was hiding the spark of romance?"
Eva grinned, relief washing over her at her father's positive reaction, and she nodded, "Yeah, it's crazy how these things work out sometimes. I mean we went from not liking each other at all to collaborating with each other in the kitchen, and well, outside of it too."
Her father gave a pensive nod, "I suppose maybe it could be the magic of good food? I mean I've never tasted his food but I have yours, and believe me, it has the ability to bring people together in more ways than just one."
Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching the garage. Eva looked to the door to see who it was, and she found Loki standing there with a sheepish smile on his face
"Hello, I hope that I'm not interrupting something important," Loki said, his gaze going back and forth between them.
Eva shook her head, and she gestured for him to come closer, "Not at all. Dad, as I'm sure you know, is Loki Laufeyson."
With a warm smile, Tony extended his hand in greeting, "It's nice to meet you, Loki. Eva's told me a lot about you."
Loki shook Tony's hand with a polite smile, "Likewise, Mr. Stark. I hope Eva hasn't been causing too much trouble."
Tony looked at his daughter, and laughed, "Oh you have no idea."
"Well, we've got about another hour or so left of work to do to hopefully get the truck up and going," Eva said, wiping grease from her hands onto a rag.
"Do you need any help?" Loki asked.
"Do you know about about engines?" she countered.
"Touche. No, sorry, I do not. I'm a man who takes his automobile to the shop whenever something might be wrong."
Loki looked around the garage, his eyes lit up in interest, "Well, there must be something I can do to be of help. Perhaps, I can fetch tools for you or hold something in place for you?"
Eva gave him an appreciative smile at his offer, "Actually, that would be great. Dad, could you pass me the wrench?"
"Sure thing, sweetheart," Tony said as he handed her the requested tool.
Loki eagerly jumped into helping them, fetching and handing tools over, and kept parts steady as Eva and Tony worked on getting the milk truck repaired. Despite his lack of mechanical expertise, Loki's willingness to help them and learn impressed them both.
While the worked, Eva stole glances of Loki. There was something endearing about the way he threw himself into whatever task they needed him to do, the way he rolled up his sleeves and the way his brow furrowed when he was concentrating that made her heart flutter.
Eventually their hard word paid off as the milk truck's engine turned over and roared to life, causing the three of them to cheer.
"Yes, we did it!" Eva exclaimed, throwing her arms around Loki in a happy hug.
Loki grinned, hugging her back, "Teamwork makes dream work."
Tony put his hands on both of their shoulders, eyes shining with pride, "We couldn't have finished this as fast without your help, Loki. Thank you!"
He nodded, "It was my pleasure, Mr. Stark."
With the milk truck now running smoothly, they stepped back to admire their handiwork. And as Eva looked at Loki, grease smeared across his cheek and a triumphant smile on his face, she couldn't shake the feeling that their partnership extended far beyond just fixing a truck. Perhaps, she thought, it was the beginning of something more.
FE 2024 Prompt Table 2 Fill #29- Office
Feb. 22nd, 2024 08:06 pminnitmarvelous_og
To say the silence in the headmaster's office of Brierton Academy was intense would be an understatement. Ethan was usually a model student so he had never set foot in the Headmaster's office outside of being welcomed to the school again — this is until today. Now he was in the most inter office, seated before Headmaster Reynolds' large oak desk with his stomach tied in nervous knots.
Reynolds peered at Ethan from over his glasses, "Do you know why you are here, Mr. Stark, instead of being in your afternoon French class?"
Ethan swallowed hard and nodded, "Yes sir. It's about what happened during the algebra test today."
The Headmaster crossed his arms, "Yes, it is. Would you care to explain what exactly transpired in your class? As I understand, from what I've been told, it seems as if you allowed another student to copy your test and thereby was helping him to cheat."
Ethan's cheeks burned with shame as it was true. His best friend Daniel had been struggling with the advanced algebra class they were both in, and he'd begged Ethan to help him pass this test. Ethan had agreed to let him do so on the condition that this would be a one time only thing, and that Daniel would let Ethan tutor him afterwards until he grasped the mechanics. He'd made sure Daniel could see and be able to copy his answers.
"I am very, very disappointed in you, Ethan," Reynolds said, "Cheating is a violation of the core values we try to instill here at Brierton Academy: integrity, honor excellence. I expected far better from a student such as yourself."
Ethan dropped his gaze, "I know, sir. I made a mistake and I have no excuse. Daniel was panicking about failing and..." He trailed off as he realized that he had, in fact, been making an excuse just then.
Reynolds shook his head, "You know helping a friend to cheat is as dishonorable as doing the cheating yourself."
Ethan sighed, "I know, sir."
"I'm afraid there will have to be consequences."
Ethan felt his heart sink. He thought about his parents' reactions when they found out about this. They would be so disappointed in him.
It was like Reynolds was reading his mind when he said, "I will need to call your parents. They have to come in as we don't take incidents like this lightly."
"Please, Headmaster, I am willing to accept any punishment, but don't call my parents yet," Ethan pleaded, "Let me tell them myself."
Reynolds gave his request some consideration, and then nodded once, "Very well, Mr. Stark. You'll report to detention every day after school for the next month. You will also be failed on the test you allowed Mr. Goldman to copy from. I will give you until to tomorrow morning to inform your mother and father about this infraction before I call them myself."
"That's more than fair, sir," Ethan said with a breath of relief, "Thank you, sir. I promise this won't ever happen again."
"See that it doesn't, Mr. Stark. You're dismissed to return to class."
Ethan nodded and left the office, already dreading facing his parents — especially his Dad. Tony had been like a superhero to Ethan when he was growing up and not just because he'd been Iron Man. He hated the fact he was going to disappoint him like this. He just hoped that his parents would understand that this was a one time mistake, and he would be able to regain their trust.
By the time he got home, Ethan had enough nerve worked up to confess. He found his parents in the living room. Pepper had her feet on his Dad's lap with a laptop on hers reading emails while his Dad was giving her a foot massage.
"Hey, sport, how was school today?" Tony asked looked up with a bright smile that quickly faded when he saw Ethan wasn't smiling back, "What's wrong? Did something happen at school today?"
Ethan nodded, and took a deep breath, "Mom, Dad... I got caught trying to help someone cheat today on my algebra test."
Pepper sat up, closing her laptop while Tony leaned forward.
"Start from the beginning," Pepper said gently, "Tell us everything."
Several minutes passed as Ethan explained how Daniel had been having a hard time algebra lately, and how he'd begged Ethan to let him copy his answers just this one time. When he got to the part about being sent to the headmaster's office, Tony's frown deepened/
"So Mr. Reynolds knows about this too, and not only your teacher?" Tony sighed when Ethan nodded, "Oh Ethan... I can't even begin to tell you how disappointed I am that you'd do something like this."
For the third time today, Ethan's heart sunk at how clear the disappointment in his Dad's voice was, "I know that I screwed up big time agreeing to this. I don't even know what I was thinking, letting Daniel copy me like that. It was wrong and like I told Headmaster Reynolds, I am willing to accept any punishment from school.... and from you guys."
Tony ran both hands over his face as he tried to organize his thoughts. This was a tough one for him as Ethan's Dad. One one hand, he really was disappointed in his son's lapse of judgment. Cheating went against everything they'd ever tried to instill in Ethan and his sister.
But on the other hand, Tony also remembered being a teenager, and the desire to fit in and help his friends. Sometimes accomplishing those things meant he'd made poor choices. His own father would have come down on Ethan like a ton of bricks for something like this. Tony didn't know how to handle it just yet but he knew he wouldn't be like his father.
"Oh, you can bet there will be consequences, Ethan," Tony finally voiced, "But first, let's talk about why did you do this? Did Daniel pressure you into helping him?"
"No, Dad," Ethan said, shaking his head, "Daniel didn't really pressure me into helping him. It's just that he was freaking out about the possibility failing and maybe being held back a grade. He begged me and I mean begged me to help him. I knew it was wrong but I told I would if he'd let me tutor him afterwards. I just couldn't take seeing my best friend having such a hard time, you know?"
Pepper have her son a look of sympathy, "Oh honey, I know you wanted to and were just trying to help Daniel, but cheating wasn't nor ever is the answer. And although you offered to tutor Daniel , was still only a temporary solution, and look at all the trouble it's caused."
"Yeah, Mom, I know. Believe me, I regret it with every fiber of my being," Ethan said in a miserable tone, "Mr. Reynolds gave me a month's worth of detention but what was worse was seeing the disappointment in his eyes. I hope I never inspire him to look at me that way again!"
"I bet he was," Tony said, leaning back sighing, "Cheating is a very big deal, especially at a prestigious school like Brierton." He scratched the back of his neck, "Then there's the fact there will be a permanent mark on your academic record."
Ethan's eyes widened with alarm at that, "You don't think...they'd expel me too, do you?"
"I don't know, champ. I honestly don't know," Tony said. "That'll be up to the school's administrators to decide. You need to understand that your actions have consequences that can sometimes be really big ones."
Pepper nodded, and chimed in, "Your Dad's right. The headmaster could consider this a major violation of the student honor code you agreed to abide by. You're serving detention, but he might also decide to suspend you, or expel you from school if he decides it's merited and wants to make an example for the rest of the students."
Ethan's eyes welled up with tears at the thought of being expelled, "But but Brierton is my dream school! I worked so hard to get in on my school records alone and not just because I'm a Stark! Please, you have to help me explain to Mr. Reynolds that I will never, ever let something like this happen again! I will accept any punishment he deems necessary! He can even paddle me if he wants to!"
"They don't use corporal punishment at Brierton," Tony said, "Which is probably a fortunate thing for you, because I am sure a paddling would be one of the disciplinary actions Reynolds would insist upon!"
Pepper sighed, and said, "Of course we'll talk with Headmaster Reynolds. But Ethan, this really is serious. You have to completely understand that."
"I do, Mom, I swear! I am so very sorry that you have no idea how sorry I am. I've never felt worse in my entire life about something like this!"
As Tony watched his son breaking down, he felt a pang in his heart. As much as he was angry and felt let down by Ethan's cheating, he found it hard to stay that way when Ethan was so genuine in his remorse. He needed to remember that he'd done stupid things too and worse when he was Ethan's age."
He pushed aside his disappointment for right then, and Tony got up to wrap Ethan in a hug, "Hey, relax, son. This is not the end of the world here. We just want and need you to truly learn from this."
Clinging to his Dad, Ethan tried to get his feelings under control, "I will, Dad. I promise that I will. I will do whatever I have to to make this right."
Tony let go of him and looked him in the eye, "Okay, here's what we are going to do, Ethan. First of all, you are going to accept whatever disciplinary actions Mr. Reynolds decides on. You are not going to argue or try to get out of it. You broke a really big rule, so you are going to have to, thankfully, take your metaphorical licks."
"Yes, sir," Ethan agreed."
Tony went on, "Second, you are grounded for one month. That means no video games, TV, seeing your friends outside of school, internet, or talking to JARVIS except for what's related to your school work. You're going to be staying in your room during this time, thinking about what happened. This is too serious."
Ethan opened his mouth to protest but stopped himself and just nodded, "You're right. I deserve all of that."
"And third," Pepper cut in "You have to go to Daniel and explain to him, face-to-face, why you won't be helping him cheat anymore. He needs to learn the lesson too."
"Oh boy, that's going to be fun and awkward," Ethan said with a grimace, "But I will do it. I mean whatever it takes to make this right, huh?"
Tony squeezed his shoulder, "Exactly what I wanted to hear. We won't let this one mistake define you, Ethan, but you will have to show us, Mr, Reynolds, your teacher, that you'be learned from this."
Looking his Dad in the eye, determined, Ethan said, "I will, Dad. Tihs was a first-class screw-up, but I am going to make sure it's one I don't ever repeat. No more cheating, even to help my best friend, and no more letting you or Mom down like this. What you guys think of me means too much to me!"
Tony hugged him again, smiling faintly. His son had a big heart, he didn't doubt that. But kids make mistakes as Tony knew better than anyone. The important thing was that Ethan learned, truly learned from this blip in his character.
"I know you will, kid," Tony said gruffly, "I know you will. And don't you worry, we still and always will think the world of you."
innitmarvelous_og
Full Thanksgiving size: https://i.imgur.com/ipULDESl.jpg
Full Christmas size: https://i.imgur.com/NEVgDEb.jpg
Full Christmas size: https://i.imgur.com/NEVgDEb.jpg
FE 2024 Prompt Table 2 Fill #26 - Friday
Feb. 22nd, 2024 08:03 pminnitmarvelous_og
Tony and Steve stand in the former's workshop, staring at a peculiar device.
"So," Steve began, crossing his arms, "This thing switches minds?" There's a silver of skepticism in his voice.
Tony smirked, "Yep, just like Freaky Friday."
"Just like what?"
With a mischievous grin, Tony reached out towards a button, "Let's give it a whirl, Cap. What do you say?"
"Tony, n—"
A flash followed and, with it, their view of the world. Tony, now in Steve's body, stumbled a bit as he attempted to adjust to his newfound strength. Meanwhile, Steve in Tony'n body, marveled at all the thoughts that were going through his head. Even as they struggled to adapt to being in the other one's shoes literally, they were also gaining a deeper understanding about each other's perspective.
FE 2024 Prompt Table 2 Fill #25 - Home
Feb. 22nd, 2024 08:02 pminnitmarvelous_og
Sigyn is seated on the bearskin rug before the hearth's fire working on her studies when she looked up and over across the way, "Father?"
"Hmm?" Loki responded as he turned the page of the volume he was reading.
"What does home mean to you?" she asked.
Loki looked up his gaze drifting to the flickering flames for a long moment. Finally, he beckoned Sigyn over, and patted the space on the chaise beside him. Sigyn got up, and went over to her father where she curled up underneath her father's arm while he considered his answer for her.
"For a long, long time, I did not feel as though I had a true home," he finally admitted in a soft voice, idly running his fingers through her ginger hair, "For I was always the outcast, the capricious prince who didn't seem to belong, which was true whether I was here in Asgard or if I wandered to another place in the realms."
Sigyn looked up at her father, a look of sadness on her young face, "That sounds lonely, and very sad."
Loki nodded, "It was very lonely and sad. But then one day, when I was in one of the loneliest places I've ever been in my life, I met your Mother for the first time―"
"And you fell in love?" Sigyn asked with a big smile, her eyes bright.
"Not precisely, my snowflake."
"Oh."
Seeing his daughter now resembling a deflated balloon on Midgard, he continued, "You see, your mother then was... quite young at the time we met for the first time. No, my little snowflake, the feeling I experienced that first time that I met her was that of fascination. For you see, at that time, I was... imprisoned by the order of your grandfather."
Sigyn nodded, as she knew her father had been a prisoner here on Asgard for a time.
Loki went on, "I was fascinated because here before me, when I was the loneliest I had ever been in my life, was a little child with the reddest crown of hair I've ever seen standing before me when she should not have been. Although she was clad in blue as an Asgardian maid-child, I knew there was something different about her, for how else could a young child slip past Odin's guards?" He could not help his smile at the memory of their and Odin's exasperation at Eva's tenacity as she found way into the prison quite often.
He went on, "The fact she was also the daughter of one of my past... honored adversaries attributed to my fascination. Your mother was clever even as a child, as she would evade Odin's guards several more times to come see me. Eventually her visits were stopped when she, and your uncle returned to Midgard. But I never forgot her, and throughout the next years that remained of my imprisonment, I thought of her. When I was granted my freedom by your grandfather, I visited Midgard and renewed my friendship with your mother, who was now a young woman... who still had the reddest hair I had ever seen."
"And that's when you fell in love with Mother, right?"
"Yes, snowflake, it was during that time, I fell in love with your Mother, and she with me although for a time we when both too afraid to admit it. But that is another story for another time. Now what were we speaking of before the waking reverie overtook me?" he asked in a melancholy way.
"About what home means to you, Father," Sigyn said quietly.
"Ah, yes," Loki said, reaching down to raise Sigyn's chin upwards, "Home is not simply a place, my snowflake. Rather it's made up of the people and the memories you share with those you love. It is those who give you comfort and joy, and you them. Although I felt alone for many years in my life, I now call myself doubly blessed — for I found a home when I found your Mother's love, and each day I share you, my darling Sigyn, I find it anew."
Sigyn smiled laid her head on her father's chest, "I'm glad, Father."
Loki wrapped his arms around her, and held her for a moment, the only sound in the room was that of the fire crackling. Finally, he kissed the top of her red head, and asked, "Why are you asking me this, my snowflake? What brought on this heady question to your young mind?"
"My tutor. She wants me to write about what home means to me."
Understanding, Loki nodded, "And what will you tell her in your composition, my little snowflake?"
Sigyn busied herself by tracing her fingers over the golden threaders intricately woven across Loki's tunic. After a moment, she finally said, "I will tell her that home means that it's not a place but home's is wherever you are with you're with all the people who love you the most and you love them. Which means that home for me is here on Asgard when I'm here with you, Father, and on Midgard too when I'm with Gam Gam and Pop Pop and Uncle Ethan and Auntie Maggie!"
Loki smiled at his daughter's great, innocent wisdom, "I believe your composition regarding home will be one of excellence." He kissed the top of her hair, "But even so, I shall have to remind Lady Meya that you are still rather young for such heady thoughts and considerations."
Sigyn giggled, "Oh, Father, I'm glad she gave me the assignment since I got to learn more about how you fell in love with Mother."
FE 2024 Team Fill #11 - Shamrock
Feb. 15th, 2024 06:04 pminnitmarvelous_og
Father Francis John Patrick Mulcahy stood before the congregation made up of weary souls, some of them from the 4077th, but most of them consisting of the wounded well enough to attend the service. His voice was gentle as he addressed them, offering what comfort and hope he could in the middle of the war that felt as though it'd never end.
"Did you know that Saint Patrick was supposed to have used the shamrock to illustrate the Trinity?" he asked, pausing to let his question hang in the air for a moment.
The question had its desired effect as a murmur of curiosity went through the congregation. Father Mulcahy gave one of his soft smiles, and continued, "Yes, it is said that Saint Patrick used the leaves of three found in the shamrock to symbolize the God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit — as a way of showing how three distinct persons could still be One."
A few of the heads before him nodded their understanding.
With his smile growing bigger and his eyes shining with the light of his faith, Father Mulcahy added, "Just like the shamrock is one plant with three leaves, so also is God in three persons. It's one of the mysteries of our faith that maybe hard to understand sometimes even with Saint Patrick's fine symbol, but it also reminds us at the same time the depth and complexity of our faith."
The soldiers listened intently, finding comfort in the priest's words in the middle of all the uncertainty and even in the fear that surrounded them on a daily basis.
innitmarvelous_ogThe golden light of Asgard's sunset bathed the palace in warm shades as Loki found himself lost deep in thought. His thought were not focused on anything to do with the realm, but rather they were on the newfound happiness that had found its way into his life with the arrival of Lady Brynja.
As he wandered throughout the palace gardens, Loki's mind was alive with a mixture of emotions. Brynja, who had come to serve as a lady-in-waiting to the Queen, had become an unexpected source of joy for him as they shared laughter, more than a few murmured secrets, and stolen moments in between her duties. But even in the midst of his happiness there was one question lingering in Loki's mind.
The palace gardens offered a place of peace, and Loki sitting on a bench, watching as the brilliant colors of the sun going to her rest play in the sky. He felt the tingling of Brynja's presence as she joined him.
"You seem to be lost in your thoughts, my prince," she stated, her azure eyes full of curiosity.
Loki sighed, "I find myself contemplating the way ahead of me, Brynja. What has developed between us, this newly found happiness that we share... it is a gift I never expected to find again. But as the days pass by, I can't help but dream about what the future might be."
"And what do you dream about for the future?" she asked.
Loki turned to face her, and he reached out for her hand, giving it a light squeeze as he said, "I wonder if... if I should seek to make this happiness I have found in you more permanent. I wonder if take the next step by granting you the throne of my heart."
Brynja's eyes widened, surprise and excitement mingling together, "Loki, is this what you truly desire? For us to be wed?"
He nodded, pouring into his words all the sincerity that he could into his words, "Yes, Brynja, more than anything. Before you came into my life, it was both full yet empty. I had fullness because of Sigyn, and please don't misunderstand next my words. There is fullness yet there is also a profound emptiness because my other half has been gone for all of these years."
"And I help to fill this... emptiness?" Brynja asked.
"Oh, Brynja, you do so much more than merely help. You do fill the emptiness. After I lost Eva, I did not believe it would be possible for me to feel this way again, but I erred in that belief. But it is contingent upon..."
"It is contingent upon what?" she inquired, "Please tell me."
"It is contingent upon the happenstance that you feel the same way as I do."
Brynja squeezed his hand, her gaze soft as she said, "My heart mirrors the feelings of yours. I too have found happiness and fulfillment in being with you that I never knew could exist. I... I love you, Loki. I have for some time now, and I prayed that you would come to feel the same as I did."
A smile tugged at the corners of Loki's lips as relief washed over him, "I do, my dear lady, I do."
"But?" Brynja prompted, then added, "I perceive that you are hesitant to take any further steps beyond our proclaiming our love to one another."
Loki kissed her hand, and nodded, "I am hesitant, my love, but not in the way you think. The reasons for my hesitance have nothing to do with you personally."
"Then what? What are the reasons for your hesitance?"
Loki's gaze drifted towards the horizon where the last rays of sunlight were about to depart the realm for the night. He took a deep breath to ready himself for the words he was about to speak.
"My hesitation is not one that is borne out of any doubts regarding our love, Brynja," he began, voice steady, "Rather it is a hesitation rooted within the echoes of my past, in the shadows that still linger from a time where the greatest happiness I had ever known in my life was ruthlessly shattered."
Understanding dawned in Brynja's eyes, and once more she gave his hand a squeeze, "Of course, I should have realized. I know of what happened, of the great loss you endured in the past, Loki. But our future together and our love does not need to be overshadowed by the past. You and I have the power to create our own destiny, and to shape it in the way we choose."
Loki nodded, gratitude in his heart for her understanding, "You are both right and wise, my love. It's not that I doubt our will to overcome those shadows together, but they are still there. Perhaps the real problem is one that comes from how vulnerable loving another makes an individual. I am also afraid, I think, that once I embrace this new happiness I have found with you I will lose it again."
"Oh my love," Brynja exclaimed, "The only way you will lose this happiness is if you do not have the courage to seize it. Do not let this chance to be happy or our love pass you by out of fear!"
"You are both wise, strong, and brave my Lady," Loki said as he pressed a gentle kiss to her hand, "You are right. I cannot allow fear of what may come to pass to rule my life. I want to have a life witih you, Brynja, and I will... but only if you feel the same as I do."
"Are you asking me if I will marry you?" Brynja asked, a sparkle in her eyes.
"Yes, I suppose that I am in a... rather boorish manner," Loki replied with a hint of a mischievous smile playing on his lips.
Brynja's laugh echoed throughout the palace gardens. She reached out to stroke his cheek, "In that case, yes. My answer is yes. I will marry you, Loki. And I will be by your side for every day my lungs take in breath."
Relief and joy knew no bounds for them as Loki pulled Brynja into his arms. As the sun faded at last, the garden was warmed by their love, and time seem to stand still as their lips found one another.
The journey ahead would not always be a smooth one or without difficulties but with Brynja by his side, and a life shared with her, he was filled with hope again.
Pulling away from her, Loki looked into her eyes, "Now all that is needed is for us to speak with Sigyn."
Brynja nodded, suddenly worried, "Do you think she will reject me?"
"To be quite honest I—"
Behind them, the bushes stirred, immediately shattering their privacy as both shot to their feet. Loki had opened his mouth to call out whoever was in them, when a small, familiar form emerged.
Sigyn ran towards them with the biggest smile on her face as she shouted, "I'm going to have a mother!"
Laughing they both embraced her, as Loki said, "Yes, my little snowflake. You are going to have a mother."
