Hi there and thanks for reading!
I'm not the most knowledgeable of marvel fans, I just really love the characters and the challenge of trying to write them and have my own take on the MCU, hence why I'm writing this. If I get any of the lore wrong please let me know!
This doesn't fit exactly into any point on the MCU timeline, so it's more of an AU. It's set in about 2014, so the mid 2010s (to put this into context Roara is born in about 1593). It includes Bucky, Wanda, Sam etc.
It's a bit inspired by The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E Shwab which I highly recommend.
It does contain some mature themes, obviously violence is one but mental health issues do come up and I will put a Trigger Warning at the beginning of any chapters I feel need them.
This isn't meant to be a serious fanfic, just a bit of fun! If you enjoy reading please don't forget to star the chapters, it really does help!
I know I'm occasionally a little off with some of the characterisation, but I am trying my hardest! If you have any suggestions please leave it in the comments!
This first chapter is set in 1612. Happy reading!
It was a beautiful day.
We lay together in the field by my village and let the sun shine on our faces. We'd snuck three bottles of wine out of the manor house and were gulping one of them down straight from the bottle.
"Please." I giggled into his ear.
"No."
"But it's my birthday!" I rolled over so I was above him, my blue eyes locking with his green.
"How many times do I have to say no?" He asked, going up on his elbows to be closer to me.
"But I only turn 19 once." I pouted.
He raised an eyebrow. "Yes but you have a birthday every year, or have you forgotten?"
"True." I sighed and moved back to my original position, facing the sky.
"Fine!" He suddenly sat up all the way.
"You mean..." I glanced at him through the corner of my eye. "You're saying yes?"
He threw up his hands in defeat. "Yes! Fine! You can braid my hair!"
"YES!" I got up so fast I nearly kicked him in the face, running around him to gather wild flowers and petals.
"Hey, flowers were not part of the deal." He called after me.
I settled down behind him, the plucked flowers by my side. "Well you don't get a say anymore. By Gods, this would be so much easier if you actually brushed your hair more. You're like my sister."
He snorted at that.
"What?" I asked, brushing my fingers through his shoulder length locks.
"I am nothing like your sister." It was true. My sister was 6, never brushed her hair, and refused to gain any manners.
I smiled to myself. "No, I suppose not. But you're both horrifically stubborn." I sighed, parting the hair into sections. It was certainly softer than it looked, the dark colour contrasting with his pale skin.
"Could you stop yanking at me like that, it is very uncomfortable." He muttered.
"I'm nearly done," I said quietly, tongue stuck out very slightly in concentration. "You should say please." I muttered, placing a daisy in one of the braids.
He laughed hard at that.
"Oi! You're messing up my flower placement." I yelled, smacking him on the arm.
"Trust me Roara, if I ever use the word please then you know it is not actually me."
"Are you sure," I whispered as I finished the last flower, "that there is no situation in which you would genuinely use the word please."
"Only if I were truly desperate. And I am never desperate." He put his hand to the back of his head to feel the braids. I rolled my eyes, knowing as he did so he'd be pulling out the flowers.
He looked over his shoulder to face me, an eyebrow raised again. "I thought I said no flowers."
"Maybe I went a little overboard?" I grinned.
"Alright it's my turn, turn around Roara." This was now my time to raise an eyebrow.
"You?" I asked, "Asking to braid my hair? Do you even know how?"
He feigned hurt, placing a hand over his heart, "How dare you question me?!"
"Fine." I shook my head and turned around. I could feel his fingers combing through my hair, the way mine had combed through his. I barely felt his touch he was so gentle.
"You said trust me." I murmured.
"What?" He asked.
"You said, 'trust me Roara if I ever say please then you know it's not me'. But we both you that you can't be trusted. For example I doubt you're actually braiding my hair right now."
"I am actually braiding your hair. My people have a beautiful braiding style." He sounded genuinely defensive.
"Who taught you?" I asked, genuinely curious now.
After a long pause he said, "My mother. She taught me many things."
"Still..." I sighed, looking into my hands. "I love you, you're my closest friend, but I don't trust you."
"Roara turn around." I felt myself instantly complying. He could do this thing with his voice, where he just sounded...like a king, commanding. You would just do what he says without thought.
He looked at me with more gravity than ever before. Our friendship was mostly built on jokes and laughter, silly things, childish pranks. Not serious conversations.
He took my hands in his, his eyes focused downwards.
"Uh, what are you doing?" I asked him, unsure if I should pull away.
He didn't move, didn't even looked at me. I pulled a hand out of his grip, leaving the other resting between his palms. I pushed a strand of his hair behind his ear. He still didn't look at me. Sighing, I placed my fingers under his chin and gently forced his face upwards.
"Loki," I breathed, "what is it?"
Finally his eyes made contact with mine. "You," he whispered, "are perhaps the only person who can trust me. I promise I will never betray you, and that is not a vow I make lightly."
Somehow I knew deep inside that this was an important moment. Perhaps the most important moment in my life.
"I don't use fancy words like you do but," I bit my lip, "I would die before I betrayed you."
He smiled and looked down at our hands. Without meaning to I had placed my hand back onto his. I looked back up at him, our faces so close they were practically touching. I felt my breathing catch in my throat, my heart start to race. Just one single, tiny movement. Just one.
"Alright!" He pulled his hands away, breaking the moment. "Come on, up, let's fight."
"No, no training today." I moaned. "It's my birthday!"
"Yes training today!" He insisted. "You must be able to fend for yourself. Your birthday won't stop oncoming enemies." He yanked me up. "Remember," he grinned, "one day your life might depend on it. Now run!"
I rolled my eyes but began to run through the meadow, knowing that there was no point in it. Loki was always faster than me. Sure enough I felt two hands grab my waist, the force of him nearly making me fall forwards.
Grabbing one of his hands at my waist I spun around, kicking his legs from under him, following him to the ground and pressing my forearm to his throat.
"Like this?" I asked innocently.
"That'll do." He replied from under me, a mischievous smile on his lips. I knew what was about to happen next.
"Oh fu-" I didn't even have time to register what moves he was using before he had my front pressed to the grass and my arm locked behind my back. "Okay fine! Fine you win!" I yelled.
"Sorry what was that, I don't think I quite heard you?"
"You win, now get off me!" I kicked my legs around and squirmed until he finally let go of me and stood up.
I sat up and brushed myself down.
"Here." He held out a hand to me. "Let me help you up."
"Oh no." I'd fallen for that trick of his one too many times. "I'm perfectly capable of getting up on my own."
I looked at him then, towering above me, and thought about that conversation we had had all those months ago when we had first met.
'Who are you? How can you do those things?'
'I am Loki, God of mischief. Today we are allies but one day you will bow before me.'
'I do not bow to anyone, God or man.'
'One day you will. When that day comes you will know the true extent of my power.'
I stood up, wiping the grass and dirt off my dress, feeling the braid through the back of my long hair swish as I did so.
"What can your powers really do?"
He laughed, shaking his head, "You really want me to show you?"
Maybe it was the heat of the day, or the wine we'd drunk, or the promise he had made to me. Whatever possessed me to do what I did next, I will never know. Keeping my eyes on him and my head up, I bent at the waist with my arms outstretched. I bowed before him.
"Oh great God Loki, show me your incredible powers." I laughed, unable to keep the giggles in as I came out of the bow.
He paused, considering. "Spend tonight with me," he told me, "and I will show you what I can really do. It will be more than you could ever imagine."
"Oh I doubt that."
I was naive. I was young. I was foolish. I did trust him, admired him, loved him even. I would have done whatever he asked of me.
So I made the deal.