comment_fic 731-735: Avengers, Kings, HL
Sep. 11th, 2012 10:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tigriswolf.
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Title: on raptors' wings
Fandom: Avengers movieverse
Disclaimer: not my characters
Warnings: post-film, AUish
Pairings: Bucky Barnes/Clint Barton
Wordcount: 330
Point of view: third
Prompt: any, any, I'm not a monster.
Back before SHIELD, and after the army thing went sideways, before (and after) Hawkeye and after Barton, he ran with an assassin so cold it was his name - Winter Soldier. Call me Winter, the Soldier told him, and I'll call you - well. What would you like?
He wasn't Hawkeye. He wasn't Barton. He was angry and wanted to taste blood, so he told Winter, Call me Raptor.
.
Raptor and Winter Soldier worked together for three years before SHIELD came calling and Coulson promised Raptor he could be more. Raptor looked past his shoulder at Winter, lining up the shot, and shook his head.
Winter nodded, took a step back, and vanished. Coulson didn't look away from Raptor - no, not Raptor anymore, Barton again - but his shoulder lost some tension, and he gave Barton a small smile.
.
It wasn't Hawkeye who hunted down and brought in Black Widow. Fury knew it, and Coulson, and Natasha Romanova herself, looking into his eyes and murmuring, Winter.
Raptor smiled at her, for a brief, heartrending moment, and then Hawkeye turned it into a harmless grin.
.
When Loki took Hawkeye as his own, it wasn't Hawkeye who planned the missions and attacked the Helicarrier. It was Hawkeye who allowed Fury and Hill to live, who let Black Widow beat him into the ground. It was Hawkeye who watched Thor take Loki home.
It was Hawkeye who went hunting Winter Soldier, but it was Raptor who found him.
.
Yes? Winter asked, sprawled over the couch of this week's hideout, raising an eyebrow at Raptor.
Coulson is dead. Black Widow wants atonement.
Can I come home? Raptor asks.
Winter smiles at him, eyes thawing just a bit. Of course you can, he says.
.
When Tony Stark hacks his way into the Avengers' latest mission, something about a Russian assassin named Winter Soldier, both Steve and Natasha let out small sounds of pain.
When Winter Soldier's partner's face shows up, Natasha bows her head, fists clenched.
Title: endings and beginnings
Fandom: Kings
Disclaimer: not my characters
Warnings: spoilers for everything
Pairings: het
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 50
Point of view: third
Prompt: Kings, Silas, what we give up for power
There is a woman Silas has long loved - and she is not his queen. Not in any way he can acknowledge.
There is a son Silas has held tightly - no one who matters knows the boy’s name
There is a daughter carrying a child she cannot bear - heralding his end.
Title: I shall count and bury the dead
Fandom: Highlander
Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Sylvia Plath
Warnings: future!fic
Pairings: none
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 325
Point of view: third
Prompt: Any, Any, You don't know everything about me.
Duncan stares at Methos with horrified eyes, swallowing compulsively, mouth opening and closing - but he doesn't say a thing. He gasps for air, seeking something, and Methos waits.
Methos always waits.
He is Death. Death is the end of all things.
Duncan had known that - Cassandra saw to it. But Methos helped kill his brothers, and he kept his head down, and he deferred to Duncan, and Duncan had moved beyond it.
Five thousand years. Of course there's a past there. And morals change. The world is no longer flat and suddenly things are crimes that never were before, and Methos learns, yes. Oh how he learns.
And Duncan's hand is on his sword, and tears are on his face, and he splutters out a horrified question, but he does not want an honest answer.
No one ever wants an honest answer.
Five thousand years. Longer, even. How can you count years before counting is invented? You can't. You just pick a nice round number, something suitably ancient, and you pretend.
You lie.
Methos lies. Methos lies a lot. He has written history books without a whisper of truth in them, and humanity teaches what he wants taught.
And Duncan swings the sword because Methos has finally done something so evil he must be destroyed, his essence stolen, everything he's done forgotten.
Methos will not be forgotten. Methos will not die.
Duncan has known Adam Pierson, and Adam Pierson as Methos -
Duncan has not yet met Death.
Duncan knows nothing. He is a child, playacting a man, playacting some sort of guardian for the mayfly humans, and he believes he is right and just and good.
And maybe he is. Maybe he's the best man in the world, in the entire history of the bloodstained rock –
But Methos will not let Duncan kill him.
And if Duncan wants to die today, then Methos will allow it.
So Death raises his head and draws his sword.
Title: it's dark in a cold December
Fandom: Avengers movieverse
Disclaimer: not my characters
Warnings: post-film; mentions of A+ parenting
Pairings: Odin/Frigga
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 315
Point of view: third
Prompt: Any, any, a parent telling a child the real story of their heritage/birth/upbringing.
"There are things more important than blood," Odin never said.
"I saw a child in a danger, an innocent on the battlefield, an infant I could never harm," Odin never said.
"I brought you home because I could do nothing less, as a man and as a king," Odin never said.
"I raised you as my own and I grew to love you," Odin never said.
"You are my son in everything but blood, and I love you," Odin never said.
"You are not a monster, nor are your birth people - propaganda and fear grew into legends, and I tried to keep such filth from you," Odin never said.
"I am proud of you and I love you," Odin never said.
.
"Loki," Odin says, looking down at the war criminal who has attacked three realms. "What have you to say in your defense?"
Loki is silent, head held high and meeting Odin's eye.
He is found guilty of all charges and sentenced to solitary confinement until he repents or Ragnarök, whichever comes first.
When he disappears from a cell meant to sap all magic, only Odin, Frigga, and Thor are not surprised.
.
"You have a gift," Odin never said.
"You must learn to judge how much strength goes into each spell, to marshal your resources," Odin never said.
"You are stronger than I ever was, or your mother," Odin never said.
"Magic and cunning are just as important as strength of arms or forthrightness," Odin never said.
"Asgard will need a level head to balance your brother," Odin never said.
"I am proud of you and I love you," Odin never said.
.
"We should have told him centuries ago," Frigga says, head turned from Odin. "I should have silenced all talk of the jötnar as beasts and monsters."
Odin's eye is closed, head bowed.
"Get out of my sight," Frigga says, and silently, Odin goes.
Title: blue
Fandom: Avengers movieverse
Disclaimer: not my characters
Warnings: AU during Thor
Pairings: Odin/Frigga
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 250
Point of view: third
Prompt: Thor, Loki + Odin, Odin gave Loki hugs as a child.
His hands are blue. He stares at them, and then the blue crawls up his arms, and he's gasping, he can't breathe, he is blue-
And Father is there, and Loki looks at him, and Father's expression is sad. "Oh, Loki, my son," he says. He is not angry. He spent his fury on Thor, it seems, and Loki breathes slowly, trying to keep the panic at bay.
"Loki, I have moments before the Sleep is on me," Father says quickly, but calmly. "Please, can you last until I awaken? We have much to discuss." His words are clipped, but his hand is warm on Loki's blue skin (blue, blue, monster) and the blue recedes. Loki watches it vanish, watches his skin pale.
"Yes, Father," he whispers.
Father smiles, murmurs, "Good boy," and collapses.
Loki catches him, eases him to the floor. He glances at the Casket then his hands (pink, peach, prince), takes a deep breath, and calls for the guards.
.
When Mother tells him he is Acting King because Thor is still banished, Loki shakes his head.
"I cannot, Mother, not now," he confesses, hands latched together to stop the trembling. "I am not fit."
Mother's eyes are gentle. "Are you sure, my son?"
Her son. Is he?
He meets her gaze. "I will wait until Father awakens, Mother," he says.
"Then I must depart and be regent in your father's stead." Mother kisses his forehead and strides from the room.
Loki looks back at Father.
His hands tremble.
.
.
Title: on raptors' wings
Fandom: Avengers movieverse
Disclaimer: not my characters
Warnings: post-film, AUish
Pairings: Bucky Barnes/Clint Barton
Wordcount: 330
Point of view: third
Prompt: any, any, I'm not a monster.
Back before SHIELD, and after the army thing went sideways, before (and after) Hawkeye and after Barton, he ran with an assassin so cold it was his name - Winter Soldier. Call me Winter, the Soldier told him, and I'll call you - well. What would you like?
He wasn't Hawkeye. He wasn't Barton. He was angry and wanted to taste blood, so he told Winter, Call me Raptor.
.
Raptor and Winter Soldier worked together for three years before SHIELD came calling and Coulson promised Raptor he could be more. Raptor looked past his shoulder at Winter, lining up the shot, and shook his head.
Winter nodded, took a step back, and vanished. Coulson didn't look away from Raptor - no, not Raptor anymore, Barton again - but his shoulder lost some tension, and he gave Barton a small smile.
.
It wasn't Hawkeye who hunted down and brought in Black Widow. Fury knew it, and Coulson, and Natasha Romanova herself, looking into his eyes and murmuring, Winter.
Raptor smiled at her, for a brief, heartrending moment, and then Hawkeye turned it into a harmless grin.
.
When Loki took Hawkeye as his own, it wasn't Hawkeye who planned the missions and attacked the Helicarrier. It was Hawkeye who allowed Fury and Hill to live, who let Black Widow beat him into the ground. It was Hawkeye who watched Thor take Loki home.
It was Hawkeye who went hunting Winter Soldier, but it was Raptor who found him.
.
Yes? Winter asked, sprawled over the couch of this week's hideout, raising an eyebrow at Raptor.
Coulson is dead. Black Widow wants atonement.
Can I come home? Raptor asks.
Winter smiles at him, eyes thawing just a bit. Of course you can, he says.
.
When Tony Stark hacks his way into the Avengers' latest mission, something about a Russian assassin named Winter Soldier, both Steve and Natasha let out small sounds of pain.
When Winter Soldier's partner's face shows up, Natasha bows her head, fists clenched.
Title: endings and beginnings
Fandom: Kings
Disclaimer: not my characters
Warnings: spoilers for everything
Pairings: het
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 50
Point of view: third
Prompt: Kings, Silas, what we give up for power
There is a woman Silas has long loved - and she is not his queen. Not in any way he can acknowledge.
There is a son Silas has held tightly - no one who matters knows the boy’s name
There is a daughter carrying a child she cannot bear - heralding his end.
Title: I shall count and bury the dead
Fandom: Highlander
Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Sylvia Plath
Warnings: future!fic
Pairings: none
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 325
Point of view: third
Prompt: Any, Any, You don't know everything about me.
Duncan stares at Methos with horrified eyes, swallowing compulsively, mouth opening and closing - but he doesn't say a thing. He gasps for air, seeking something, and Methos waits.
Methos always waits.
He is Death. Death is the end of all things.
Duncan had known that - Cassandra saw to it. But Methos helped kill his brothers, and he kept his head down, and he deferred to Duncan, and Duncan had moved beyond it.
Five thousand years. Of course there's a past there. And morals change. The world is no longer flat and suddenly things are crimes that never were before, and Methos learns, yes. Oh how he learns.
And Duncan's hand is on his sword, and tears are on his face, and he splutters out a horrified question, but he does not want an honest answer.
No one ever wants an honest answer.
Five thousand years. Longer, even. How can you count years before counting is invented? You can't. You just pick a nice round number, something suitably ancient, and you pretend.
You lie.
Methos lies. Methos lies a lot. He has written history books without a whisper of truth in them, and humanity teaches what he wants taught.
And Duncan swings the sword because Methos has finally done something so evil he must be destroyed, his essence stolen, everything he's done forgotten.
Methos will not be forgotten. Methos will not die.
Duncan has known Adam Pierson, and Adam Pierson as Methos -
Duncan has not yet met Death.
Duncan knows nothing. He is a child, playacting a man, playacting some sort of guardian for the mayfly humans, and he believes he is right and just and good.
And maybe he is. Maybe he's the best man in the world, in the entire history of the bloodstained rock –
But Methos will not let Duncan kill him.
And if Duncan wants to die today, then Methos will allow it.
So Death raises his head and draws his sword.
Title: it's dark in a cold December
Fandom: Avengers movieverse
Disclaimer: not my characters
Warnings: post-film; mentions of A+ parenting
Pairings: Odin/Frigga
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 315
Point of view: third
Prompt: Any, any, a parent telling a child the real story of their heritage/birth/upbringing.
"There are things more important than blood," Odin never said.
"I saw a child in a danger, an innocent on the battlefield, an infant I could never harm," Odin never said.
"I brought you home because I could do nothing less, as a man and as a king," Odin never said.
"I raised you as my own and I grew to love you," Odin never said.
"You are my son in everything but blood, and I love you," Odin never said.
"You are not a monster, nor are your birth people - propaganda and fear grew into legends, and I tried to keep such filth from you," Odin never said.
"I am proud of you and I love you," Odin never said.
.
"Loki," Odin says, looking down at the war criminal who has attacked three realms. "What have you to say in your defense?"
Loki is silent, head held high and meeting Odin's eye.
He is found guilty of all charges and sentenced to solitary confinement until he repents or Ragnarök, whichever comes first.
When he disappears from a cell meant to sap all magic, only Odin, Frigga, and Thor are not surprised.
.
"You have a gift," Odin never said.
"You must learn to judge how much strength goes into each spell, to marshal your resources," Odin never said.
"You are stronger than I ever was, or your mother," Odin never said.
"Magic and cunning are just as important as strength of arms or forthrightness," Odin never said.
"Asgard will need a level head to balance your brother," Odin never said.
"I am proud of you and I love you," Odin never said.
.
"We should have told him centuries ago," Frigga says, head turned from Odin. "I should have silenced all talk of the jötnar as beasts and monsters."
Odin's eye is closed, head bowed.
"Get out of my sight," Frigga says, and silently, Odin goes.
Title: blue
Fandom: Avengers movieverse
Disclaimer: not my characters
Warnings: AU during Thor
Pairings: Odin/Frigga
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 250
Point of view: third
Prompt: Thor, Loki + Odin, Odin gave Loki hugs as a child.
His hands are blue. He stares at them, and then the blue crawls up his arms, and he's gasping, he can't breathe, he is blue-
And Father is there, and Loki looks at him, and Father's expression is sad. "Oh, Loki, my son," he says. He is not angry. He spent his fury on Thor, it seems, and Loki breathes slowly, trying to keep the panic at bay.
"Loki, I have moments before the Sleep is on me," Father says quickly, but calmly. "Please, can you last until I awaken? We have much to discuss." His words are clipped, but his hand is warm on Loki's blue skin (blue, blue, monster) and the blue recedes. Loki watches it vanish, watches his skin pale.
"Yes, Father," he whispers.
Father smiles, murmurs, "Good boy," and collapses.
Loki catches him, eases him to the floor. He glances at the Casket then his hands (pink, peach, prince), takes a deep breath, and calls for the guards.
.
When Mother tells him he is Acting King because Thor is still banished, Loki shakes his head.
"I cannot, Mother, not now," he confesses, hands latched together to stop the trembling. "I am not fit."
Mother's eyes are gentle. "Are you sure, my son?"
Her son. Is he?
He meets her gaze. "I will wait until Father awakens, Mother," he says.
"Then I must depart and be regent in your father's stead." Mother kisses his forehead and strides from the room.
Loki looks back at Father.
His hands tremble.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2012-09-12 08:10 am (UTC)Of course Methos has his own code of life, independent of any present values, kind of admirable. The mental picture of him in his Death mode is awesome <3
*hugs Loki*
(no subject)
Date: 2012-09-12 02:22 pm (UTC)Thank you for reading!
I find it kind of annoying that the only time we saw Methos-as-Death in canon was set three thousand years ago, in a flashback. Such wated potential.
(no subject)
Date: 2012-09-13 01:42 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-09-13 08:55 pm (UTC)Thanks for reading!