we can be heroes

private writing blog. darcy lewis, natasha romanova, peter parker, steve rogers, thor odinson, scott lang. other blog

[hcvrtbrcvk]

It wasn't unusual for Bucky to suffer a sleepless night. The horrors that he had gone through I and the things he had done... No -- the things he was made to do. When it looked like he wasn't going to go back to sleep anytime soon, Bucky decided to just have a little walk and hope this was going to calm mind down. The building was empty save for the agents monitoring the situation, yet the mayhem was more or less contained for the day. But whether it was quiet or not, it didn't matter for Bucky as he was always on high alert -- even in his sleep. He decided to calm himself some tea in the common area and then head out to the observation deck.

The city and its busy sounds somehow made him feel slightly better and observing it and seeing that nothing really was happening help keep his mind at bay and helped reminding him that he was safe now, Bucky heard Steve long before he saw him. "Eh, you know how it is," he shrugged in reply to his question. "Plus, hard to fall asleep when Sam snores like a tractor," Bucky added with a chuckle, his expression softening when he looked at his best friend. "What about you?"

[bunchofjackassesx]

Steve huffed a quiet laugh, shaking his head. “Yeah, I don’t know how he sleeps through his own snoring.” His lips twitched in amusement, but the humor didn’t quite reach his eyes. He shifted slightly, resting his forearms on his knees. “Didn’t feel like sleeping either,” he admitted. “Figured I’d check on things. Guess I wasn’t the only one wandering.”

His gaze flickered over to Bucky, taking in the way he held himself—relaxed on the surface, but still wound tight beneath it all. Some things never changed. Steve let the silence settle for a moment before speaking again, quieter this time. “Nightmares, or just a restless night?” He wasn’t pushing, just giving Bucky the space to answer—or not—if he wanted to.

[cosmiclvex]

Peggy bit back a laugh as she walked into the kitchen, surveying the battlefield that was supposed to probably be edible. “Well,” she started, reaching for the wooden spoon from him. “I’d say it’s the thought that counts, but I think even the thought might be a little overcooked.”

She dipped the spoon into the sauce, winced at the consistency, and let it drip—or rather, plop—back into the pan. “Alright, love, let’s call it. Time of death. This is a lost cause.” She smirked and grabbed her phone off the counter. “Pizza or Chinese?”

[bunchofjackassesx]

Steve sighed, running a hand through his hair, then gestured vaguely at the mess in front of him. "I don’t know what happened. I followed the recipe exactly." He glanced at the tablet, as if hoping it would suddenly reveal some hidden step he missed. "Well. Mostly exactly." He watched the sauce plop unceremoniously from the spoon, lips pressing into a thin line. Yeah, there was no salvaging that. With a resigned huff, he untied the too-small apron and tossed it onto the counter.

"Chinese," he said, rubbing at a smudge of flour on his wrist as he glanced at her, a sheepish smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "But for the record, I had a whole plan. Candles, music, the works. Just... y'know. Without the fire hazard."

[cosmiclvex]

Sam snorted, tilting his head as he watched Steve process whatever the hell that was. “Yeah. Huh. Real insightful.” He stretched out, kicking his feet up onto the coffee table, flicking a kernel at him. “So? What’s the real verdict?"

[bunchofjackassesx]

Steve caught the stray popcorn kernel before it could hit him, giving Sam a dry look before tossing it back into the bowl. He exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "I don’t know, man," he said, running a hand over his jaw. "I mean, I get why people like it. But—" He hesitated, gesturing vaguely at the screen. "That was the big twist? He was dead the whole time?" He shook his head again, leaning back against the couch. "I figured it out halfway through. The kid was talking to him, but nobody else was. Seemed kinda obvious."

[cosmiclvex]

Wanda eyed the onesie Thor held up like it held the answers to the universe. “Loki pleased? That’s a gamble, honey. I don’t think it’s about what a baby needs,” she said, glancing up at Thor. “It’s about what Loki thinks the baby should have. Which means practicality is out, and dramatics are in.” She smirked and slid her hand around his arm, giving it a squeeze. "Seriously, though, I think it's cute. And it's from you, so I don't think you could go wrong. Also, I really am loving the whole I'm a god and prince who's shopping in a baby store on earth vibes you have going on, though. It's very amusing."

[bunchofjackassesx]

Thor chuckled, setting the onesie back with an amused shake of his head. “A fair point. Loki has never been one for practicality—though I suspect neither are most infants.” He glanced around the store, as if expecting something truly grand and theatrical to reveal itself among the rows of neatly folded blankets. “Perhaps a cape? A tiny helm? Does Midgard make such things for their young?”

He grinned down at Wanda as she squeezed his arm, his shoulders shaking slightly with laughter. "Amusing? I will have you know, Wanda, that I take my role as an uncle very seriously.” He straightened his posture, as if to emphasize his point, nearly knocking over a display of pacifiers before quickly righting it. “This is a noble quest! One which requires great wisdom and—” He paused, lifting a small, plush dragon from a nearby shelf. His expression turned thoughtful. “—and possibly this.”

[bunchofjackassesx]

Darcy was running late, as usual, with just enough time to grab her coffee before heading to the tower to meet with Loki. She fumbled through her bag, fishing out her wallet while balancing her phone, a stack of papers, and the precious coffee cup in her other hand. Of course, her phone decided that now would be the perfect time to send a notification, and she glanced down, distracted.

That was the exact moment she collided with someone. Her coffee splashed outward, drenching the stranger in front of her. "Oh no, no, no!" Darcy groaned, wide-eyed with horror. "I'm so sorry!" She quickly set her coffee down on a nearby counter, grabbing napkins from the counter like it was some sort of emergency response drill. "This is a disaster. I swear I'm not usually this clumsy," she mumbled while frantically trying to blot at the coffee stain on his shirt, her cheeks flushed. "Okay, well, maybe I am, but I swear, I try not to be." / @cosmiclvex

[bunchofjackassesx]

Peter sat back in his chair, absently tapping his fingers against his glass as he stared out the window. The bar was quiet, a soft hum of conversations around them, but his mind was far from peaceful. The familiar weight of nostalgia pressed down on him, and before he realized it, he spoke without thinking. "You ever wonder what would’ve happened if we hadn’t lost touch after high school?" He shifted in his seat, meeting Harry’s gaze. “I mean, I guess life happens, right? We go our separate ways, find new people, new things to do. But... sometimes I wonder if it could’ve been different. If maybe we’d stayed close, if we’d figured out all the stuff we were dealing with back then together." / @cosmiclvex

[bunchofjackassesx]

The apartment was cozy and warm. He could hear Aunt May moving around in the kitchen, probably preparing breakfast. The scent of coffee and pancakes floated into the living room, making his stomach growl. It was simple, peaceful—everything he needed right now with the responsibility of being Spiderman felt like a weight he couldn't bear on his own. He hadn’t realized how much he missed these kinds of days until they were happening again.

As he sat down on the couch, he absentmindedly tapped his fingers against his leg. His mind wandered to the usual worries, but today, none of that seemed to matter. He had this moment with Aunt May—just the two of them, no pressure, no rush. For once, there was no web-slinging or life-or-death situations. There was just… them. "That smells good, Aunt May," he called out, reaching for the remote though he waited before turning the television on. "Anything I can do to help?" / @cosmiclvex

[bunchofjackassesx]

Thor stood amidst the aisles of the baby store, eyes wide as he examined an array of items that seemed so small and delicate compared to the vastness of his usual surroundings. He picked up a tiny onesie with a grin, holding it up to his chest. “Do you think Loki will be pleased with this?” he asked, his voice full of genuine curiosity, yet tinged with a hint of uncertainty. The shelves around him were filled with soft toys, baby blankets, and clothes in shades of pastel, and he seemed slightly out of his element. Glancing around, he turned to Wanda with a puzzled expression. “Where do we even begin? There are so many things, yet I do not know what a baby truly needs.” / @cosmiclvex

[bunchofjackassesx]

The halls of Avengers Tower were quiet at this hour, the usual hum of activity dulled by the weight of the night. Most of the team had turned in, their rooms dark behind reinforced doors. Steve had planned to do the same, but something kept him awake. Maybe it was habit—decades of staying on high alert, even when there was nothing to fight. Whatever it was, all he knew was that sleep was hard to come by that night.

Steve found Bucky in the dimly lit corner of the observation deck, half-hidden in shadow, staring out at the city like it held all the answers. His metal fingers tapped absently against his knee, the only sound in the quiet room. Steve didn’t say anything at first, just walked over and sank down beside him, leaving enough space to breathe. He rested his arms on his knees, following Bucky’s gaze toward the skyline. “Couldn’t sleep?” he asked, voice low but steady. / @hcvrtbrcvk

[bunchofjackassesx]

The credits rolled, and Steve let out a slow breath, leaning back into the couch. He reached for the popcorn bowl—mostly empty now, just a few kernels left at the bottom—and gave it an absent shake. His eyes stayed on the screen a moment longer, as if waiting for something else to happen. He tapped his fingers against the side of the bowl. Thought about it. Eventually, he sat up, rubbing the back of his neck. "...Huh." / @cosmiclvex

[bunchofjackassesx]

Steve stood in the kitchen, arms crossed, staring down at the disaster in front of him. The pasta had somehow turned into a gluey mess, the sauce looked more like sludge than anything appetizing, and the roast in the oven smelled off—not quite burnt, but definitely not right. With a sigh, he glanced at the tablet propped up on the counter, the glow of the cooking website taunting him. He scrolled past the recipe instructions and skimmed the comments for help.

"Don't trust the cook time on the roast—mine came out raw in the middle!"

"The sauce thickens fast, add extra broth."

"My husband loved this! But I changed half the ingredients and used a slow cooker, so maybe try that instead?"

Steve pinched the bridge of his nose. That last one wasn’t helpful. Neither was the fact that he’d already followed the instructions to the letter, and somehow, this was the result. A sudden hiss from the stovetop caught his attention. The pan. The sauce. Damn it. He lunged for the spoon, stirring frantically, but it was too late—the bottom had already started to burn. "Aw, hell." / @cosmiclvex

[cosmiclvex]

“What can I say? It’s part of my charm," he deadpanned, giving her a look. "They were fire resistant. FYI. Like, I sent a massive fireball to them," Johnny said, like that explained everything. "And other dude was just standing there. So, I'm not sure what I was supposed to do," he added, slightly louder, in case the man his dad was stupid enough to marry was still around the corner. Turning his attention back on Natasha, he continued, "If I'm gonna die, I'm not gonna die by just standing there. I'm gonna die trying to take out a robot army." He pulled a face when she swatted his hand away from the bruise. But herealized instantly that was stupid, because the motional made it feel like he'd been hit in the face again. "Ow." Johnny finally got up and went to the freezer to get ice. "I really do appreciate the concern for my face, though. And I'm taking that as confirmation you've finally realized its perfection. That's all I've ever wanted in life." But the feigned cockiness was muted by the frozen pea bag on his cheekbone. He blindly reached for his phone and managed to open the camera app so he could look at the forming bruse. "God, this is gonna be so ugly..."

[bunchofjackassesx]

She couldn’t help but snort at his dramatic flourish as he fumbled with his phone, though her eyes softened at the sight of him holding the ice to his face. Despite his usual bravado, she could tell he was still feeling the aftermath of the encounter. “Perfection? Please, you’re lucky I even tolerate looking at that face.” She rolled her eyes, crossing her arms again, but there was an unmistakable warmth in her tone.

As Johnny grimaced at his reflection, Natasha stepped forward, her expression turning more serious. She reached out to gently guide his hand with the phone away from his bruise, not wanting him to dwell on it. She studied his face for a moment, then gave a small, amused sigh. “If this is your idea of a 'glorious' death, I’ll pass on the front row seat, thanks. But hey, I’ll give you credit—you’re persistent if nothing else. Still, next time, how about we try keeping our skin intact and the fireballs aimed in the right direction?”

She leaned in closer, giving him a once-over and shaking her head. “You’re lucky you’ve got that ‘charm’ of yours to make up for your lack of common sense. But seriously, Johnny… just take a second to think next time, yeah? You don’t always need to be the one rushing in. You’ve got people who’d rather not have to put your sorry ass back together every other day."

[bunchofjackassesx]

Thor’s lips curved into a smile, a genuine warmth lighting his face. Her words settled in his chest like a steady drumbeat, grounding him in the moment. “That,” he said, his voice low but laced with sincerity, “is something I can promise you, Wanda. I’ll be here—however you need me, for as long as you’ll let me.” His eyes never left hers, as if silently reassuring her that he understood the delicate balance they were navigating. He picked up a glass from the table, raising it slightly in her direction. “To new beginnings,” he said, his grin softening. “And wherever they may lead us.”

[cosmiclvex]

Wanda felt her heart ease at his words. She lifted her glass, smile forming at her lips as she met his gaze. “To new beginnings,” she echoed. Their glasses clinked softly, and as she set her drink down, her fingers brushed against his once more, but the touch lingering just a little longer this time. “I think I like the sound of that,” she added, feeling that this new beginning could hold something worth holding on to.

[cosmiclvex]

"Ah, yes. Complicated. The middle ground between pretending not to care and walking around all dark and brooding. And you do seem to excel at that part as of late. But if you do start reciting poetry under the stars, I demand to be informed immediately. I wouldn’t miss that for the world," he teased, though the playful tone from earlier had softened, his expression gentler now. Loki let a moment pass between them before he added, "Don’t let complicated be the reason you push it away. Whatever it is." He leaned back against the wall behind him. "You always put everyone and everything else above you. You were so worried about Jane and before Jane it's always been me." Loki tilted his head to the side, "It’s been a while since I’ve seen you want something for yourself."

[bunchofjackassesx]

Thor winced at Loki’s words, though he didn’t shy away from his brother’s gaze. There was truth in it, and it stung more than he cared to admit. He had always put others first, always worried about everyone else—Jane, Loki, the realms, even his own duties as a prince. But wanting something for himself... that had always been a foreign concept.

“I know,” he said quietly, his voice softening as he looked at Loki. “It’s just... hard to let myself want anything after everything with Jane. I don’t even know where to start with wanting something. It feels like I’ve been stuck for so long, and now... it’s all just a blur.” Thor’s hand ran through his hair again, his usual confidence faltering for a brief moment.

He turned away from Loki slightly, looking out toward the open hallway as though the answer might be waiting just beyond the walls. “I’ve been trying to figure out what comes next. What I want. But it’s... it’s like I’m still trapped in the past. And I don’t know how to move forward without dragging all of it with me.”

Thor finally glanced back at Loki, his expression open for once. “But I’ll try, Loki. I will. I don’t want to keep pushing everything away, even if it’s easier than facing the mess.” He let out a small, self-deprecating laugh. "Even if that means not brooding under the stars just yet."

[cosmiclvex]

Tony huffed a laugh, tilting his glass toward Thor in a mock toast. “There it is. The I do care, but not too much.” He took a sip, letting the silence hang between them for a moment. “Honestly,” Tony eventually continued, looking at the other man. “That’s about as good as it gets. You try too hard to be him, you’ll drive yourself nuts. If you don’t try at all, well, then you’re Loki. And you eventually crack under the pressure and go nuts.” He teased, but then his smirk softened. “That’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately, though. If Johnny does end up taking over the company one day, I want to make sure people aren’t holding him up next to me or Bruce. Let him screw up in his own way, not because he’s stuck fixing whatever legacy we leave behind. I know what that weight feels like and I don’t want that for him. But speaking from experience, I know he won't outrun the comparisons. And you won't to Odin. People love to measure you against ghosts, even the ones still breathing. Eventually, hopefully, they'll stop looking for Odin in you and start seeing Thor. And I personally think you and your brother have done a damn good job trying to separate yourself from whatever the fuck he’s doing up there.” Leaning back, Tony draped one arm casually over the chair beside him. “And hey, worst-case scenario? At least you're hot and have both of your eyes.”

[bunchofjackassesx]

He leaned back, letting the conversation settle in, then chuckled at Tony’s analogy. “Well, if I end up cracking like Loki, I suppose that’s just... another chapter in the family saga, isn't it? But you're right, I don’t want to be Odin, and I sure as hell don't want to be compared to him all the time. I think... I think I’m beginning to understand that it's more important to just be Thor. Not the son, not the king, just me. And, you know,” he added with a smirk, “if that doesn’t work out, I’ll just start a side hustle as a professional model. With these good looks, I’d make a killing.” He winked before turning serious again. “But seriously, Tony, I get what you mean about Johnny. It’s not easy being under someone’s shadow, and I’m sure you’ve got a lot of pressure to make sure he doesn’t feel that. I think, in the end, we all just have to keep moving forward, even if we’re not sure exactly how.” He paused, his expression softening. “And, for the record... I think you’ve done pretty well in your own way, too.”

[cosmiclvex]

“You mean be your annoying little brother?” he offered, brow raised. “Yes. I do.” Loki was ready to argue as Thor denied the date again, but then he caught the slight twitch of his lips. A smile Thor was clearly fighting back. So Loki let it go—for all of five seconds. "A friend thanking another friend with a romantic picnic spread and candles. Right." He tilted his head to the side, as if contemplating that. "I've never thanked someone else with a romantic picnic and candles. And if you're about to say that's because I've never thanked anyone, that is also correct." Loki smirked, before shaking his head, tone softening somewhat as he continued, "You know it wouldn't be the worst thing in the universe if it was a date, though. It's nice not seeing you mope around and be depressing."

[bunchofjackassesx]

Thor let out a low, amused chuckle at Loki’s words, a small part of him thankful that his brother had decided to let go of the teasing—for now. But of course, Loki wasn’t one to hold back for long, and Thor knew the next jibe was coming. "I said it wasn’t a date," Thor repeated, though this time his tone was lighter, more resigned. "And I mean it. Just because there were candles and wine doesn’t mean it was anything beyond that." He rolled his eyes, but there was warmth in his expression now.

Thor’s smile faltered slightly at Loki's softened tone. He wasn’t sure how to respond to that kind of openness, not with everything still weighing on him. The truth was, he was trying to move on—trying to navigate the mess of emotions that came with losing Jane and figuring out where he stood with Wanda. The last thing he wanted was to give Loki the satisfaction of seeing him struggle with something more personal.

"It’s just… complicated," Thor said after a moment, his voice quiet as he glanced at his brother. "I never intended for it to be a date. Wanda said we’re just seeing where things go, and I’m trying to respect that. But I'll admit, it's hard. I've never felt this connected to someone. Not since... well, you know."

[cosmiclvex]

MJ shook her head, biting back a grin as she took the lights from him. “Suffering and perseverance, my ass,” she said, her tone dripping with mock disdain. “This is what happens when you refuse to admit defeat.” Mary Jane took one end of the tangled lights and handed him the other, assessing the damage. "See. You made this a million times worse than it was before."

[bunchofjackassesx]

Peter took the other end of the lights, holding it up like a reluctant participant in a tug-of-war. “Worse? No way, this is a work of art,” he said, trying (and failing) to hide his grin as he tugged on the lights, making the tangle even more complicated. “Okay, fine, maybe a little worse,” he admitted, his grin widening. “But fine. Show me how it’s done, Doctor Light.”