The newest Avengers movie finally gave me an idea to continue the universe I had set up in Proprietary and Appropriation. There are no spoilers to the movie, and this story, while a companion to my earlier ones, can easily be read on its own.
Disclaimer: The Avengers and all the characters in this story belong to the Marvel Universe. I just like to play with them.
Tony stares at his wife in disbelief. "Thursday?"
Pepper doesn't even blink. "You're the one who insisted on this one, Tony. I took whatever appointment I could."
"Yes, but Thursday?"
"If it's that big a deal, I can find someone else."
"No," he protests immediately. "I vetted all the options in Manhattan, she's the best. She took care of Beyoncé."
Pepper just raises an eyebrow. He's suddenly reminded of why he chose her as his CEO.
"All right, fine. I'll work something out with the group. Maybe we'll be lucky and he won't attack this week." He says optimistically.
###
The group, predictably, isn't thrilled.
"What do you mean, you're busy?" Clint demands. "You know how he gets."
"I must agree," Thor adds ominously. "I have known him for a long time, he will not take this well."
Tony considers quipping a reply, but Hawkeye is cleaning his bow and his arrows are in reach, and for all his faults, no one has every called Tony stupid. He decides to go with the truth, "I don't have a choice, Pepper says it's the only time available."
"Since when did you ever attend business meetings you were supposed to?" Steve is suspicious.
"It's not business," Natasha calls flatly from the corner. There's a pause as she looks around to all the blank faces and then looks exasperated. "You're all such men."
"You knew?!"
A chorus of "knew what?" echoes in the background as Natasha replies, "The signs were fairly obvious. She's been canceling morning meetings, our fridge is suddenly stocked with an absurd amount of olives, and you've been positively bursting with pride for the last few weeks."
Bruce enters the room during that last bit, munching on a bag of nuts. "Oh, are we finally talking about how Pepper's pregnant?"
Tony ignores the strangled "pregnant?" and turns to him aghast, "You knew, too?!"
"I am a doctor, Tony," Bruce rolls his eyes.
"PhDs don't count," he objects, but before he can go on he's being surrounded by the rest of the Avengers who have gotten over their shock and are tendering their congratulations.
"Thanks, guys," he finally coughs out, after Thor's hug nearly crushes his chest in. "We, Pepper and I, are very happy we can count on your support."
"Of course," Steve's voice is warm, even if there is surprise still written all over his face. "Don't worry, Tony, we'll take care of everything. You focus on her."
The offer is seconded by several voices, so Tony grins. "I'll send a suit with you. No one will be able to tell I'm missing."
He very deliberately ignores Clint's snort from behind him.
###
In hindsight, Tony should have expected it all to go wrong.
Not the prenatal appointment – that goes perfectly, actually – Dr. Crane is a consummate professional and if Tony has to be dragged away from the signed photograph of Beyoncé on her wall, well Pepper never did appreciate true genius.
No, they're leaving the appointment when the trouble starts. The TV in the waiting room is on full volume, and Tony, who had been a great husband and turned off his connection to JARVIS during the appointment - automatically clues in.
"Breaking news. If you're just joining in with us now, the Avengers are now engaging the demi-God Loki in Madison Square Gardens after he has blocked all entries into the arena for tonight's play off game. We are bringing you live coverage from the scene, but be careful, this may not be suitable for children."
Tony scoffs. "As if this doesn't happen every few weeks. Breaking news, my ass." He grins appreciatively as Cap manages to distract Loki enough for Tony's replacement suit to blast him with its thrusters.
Loki takes the hit, but emerges from the resulting smoke with vengeance. A powerful discharge of magic sends all the Avengers to the ground, and by the time any recover, Loki's hands are on either side of the armor suit's helmet.
"Did you think me such a fool that I would not notice?" Loki snarls and he rips off the helmet with a metallic screech. "Did you truly think defeating me would be so easy? That your playmate's attendance today was unnecessary?"
"Brother –"
"Adopted," Loki corrects, and Thor's wince is visible even on the screen. It has been a long time since the Asgardian prince felt the need to make that distinction.
"Brother," Thor insists, and there's a brief flicker of affection on Loki's face. "There was no offense meant," he dodges a knife. "He had an important task he could not reschedule."
"A task," The God of Mischief repeats, eyebrows climbing to his forehead. "More imperative than saving his useless realm of mortals?" As if to prove his point there are suddenly several civilians who are magically lifted to a dangerous height. "I think not."
"Let them go." Clint has joined the fray, an arrow pointing directly at the demigod.
Loki turns to him, a smirk gracing his lips. "What an unfortunate choice of words, my dear hawkling. As you wish."
The humans begin to fall. Pepper gasps behind him, "He won't really." Tony reaches for her hand, because even if it's been a while since these interactions have resulted in any death he honestly doesn't know.
"Loki," Cap shouts climbing over the car Loki had thrown at him. Thor is flying, trying to grab as many of the humans as he can, but it won't be enough. "It's Pepper. She's pregnant, ok, he's with her."
Loki's victims freeze five feet above the ground. "I am the God of Mischief," he pronounces, teeth gleaming. "I will not be taken in by simple tricks—"
"It isn't," Nat interrupts, and there must be something in her blank expression that convinces the Asgardian. The civilians are gently lowered to the ground, but Tony doesn't get to see anymore, because Peppers hand in his is suddenly vicelike.
"Honey –" he turns to her, ingratiatingly.
Her tight smile promises retribution.
###
All in all, it doesn't end up being so bad. No casualties, minimal property damage, and ok, yes, maybe Loki was more forceful than usual, but no major injuries to any of the team - Tony could have hardly expected better. Not that he gets to find that out until later, since Pepper spends the entire journey home furious at him. Since, you know, it's apparently his fault news about their pregnancy was announced to the entire world on live television.
Tony finally returns to find the Avengers collapsed around the living room and makes a bee-line for the scotch.
"We're the ones who got trampled by a demi-god, why do you look so beat up?" Clint demands from behind an icepack.
"Pepper?," Bruce mouths from where he is stitching up Steve's arm. Tony nods.
"I'm sorry," Steve begins, but Tony waves off the apology.
"You know Pepper, she just likes being in control of things. She understands you had no choice."
"So, how'd everything go?"
"Great! Baby's perfect, of course it is, I helped make it."
Natasha rolls her eyes. She's sporting a nasty looking cut on her right cheek.
"I saw parts of it. You all did well, he was brutal today."
Natasha shrugs. "He let up after Steve told him why you were missing."
"Still," Tony says glancing at Thor who has been silently fingering the tear in his cape, obviously caused by a well placed knife, "this is worse than I've seen him in a long time."
No one is wiling to debate that point.
###
Nearly two years ago, Loki had disappeared from the academy. In all fairness, it had been the summer holiday, and even during the semester, the demi-god was known to abscond from time to time. So nobody at SHIELD thinks too much of it. Until, one Thursday nearly a month later, he attacks Stuttgart.
The Avengers, as it happens, are tied up in a budget meeting with the Security Council. The lack of world-threatening threats over the past year had made people complacent, and several new political players had been trying to repurpose the money they thought was wastefully going to the organization and their academy.
Instead of interrupting this meeting, SHIELD decides to send a handler to deal with the Asgardian's latest temper-tantrum. He comes home in a body bag. So do dozens of German citizens, including an old man who, years ago, had refused to kneel to tyranny.
Three Thursdays later, Loki pops up again in Vancouver. This time, Steve, Tony and Natasha take a handful of agents to meet him. Clint had been off the grid, and nobody had wanted to recall Thor from Asgard and tell him of his brother's new defection.
They are eventually able to drive Loki out of the city. Not before twenty two people die - including all the SHIELD agents they had brought with them and very nearly Natasha.
"He won't kill me," Natasha says five days later when she's left the hospital to an apologetic Thor. "He needs Clint to do it."
It takes them close to six months to figure out the rules.
Every couple of Thursdays - "Thor's day," Thor supplies glumly - Loki attacks. There is rarely a pattern to the location - rural, urban, domestic, international, Loki is an equal opportunist when it comes to his villainy. The demigod responds to any attempts to delve into his motives (basically most statements by Thor) by targeting civilians. He takes particular effort to kill any SHIELD agents he might happen to see. And if not all the Avengers should respond… well… he assumes that means he isn't providing enough of a threat and quickly remedies that.
And so things go for the next year.
On the bright side, SHIELD never again gets a challenge to their budgetary requests.
###
The card appears on the kitchen counter a few days after, an elaborate congratulations embossed in gold on the cover.
Tony actually puts it on the mantel. Partially to piss Clint off, fine, but mostly because Loki had taken the effort to include a handwritten message on the inside. It's not like anyone else had bothered to send anything, anyway.
###
A few Thursdays later finds the Avengers outside of Bangkok where Loki has taken the visiting Chinese President hostage with the help of several Thai insurgents.
Tony is in the middle of fending off several of the men, when Pepper calls.
"Are you ok?"
"I need you to get rid of all the olives."
"What?"
"The olives, the fridge stinks of them, and -"
"Honey, I'm in the middle of an operation," Tony interrupts, narrowly avoiding a spray of bullets.
"I know, Tony, I can see it on TV."
"So can this," he lands on the ground, ducking under a ledge and out of the line of site of his attackers, "wait until I get home?"
Pepper looks furious, "I'm sorry your baby is inconvenient—"
There is a crack above him and he looks up to see Loki perched, eyes gleaming. "Gotta go," He injects and disconnects the call. "Thanks for the card." He greets apropos to nothing.
"Distracted, Stark?" The demi-god's tone is dangerous. Tony is involuntary lifted to eye level. "Are you, perchance, bored with our bout?"
"Are you kidding? This is so much more exciting than keeping Pepper company every morning in the bathroom. She's been miserable," he quips trying to keep Loki's attention on him instead of Clint, who is getting into position behind them.
There's a peculiar look on Loki's face before his gaze suddenly sharpens. "Release that arrow, Barton, and I do so swear…" and suddenly Tony is flying back into a tree hard enough to bruise even through the suit.
Which he pointedly shows Pepper later that evening while he cleans out the fridge.
###
A few days later, a steaming concoction appears on Pepper's desk, an ornate L engraved on the vial.
He pulls Bruce away, and the two spend a day in the lab testing the solution for every kind of poison known to man.
"Tony, we have to stop," Bruce says six hours later. "There is nothing here. At best all I can see is a mix of some powerful anti-emetics. It's actually quite genius how he's combined them."
Tony deliberately ignores him. "I was distracted during the last battle, this has to be punishment for that."
"He wouldn't go after Pepper," Bruce tries but gives up at the murderous look directed at him from across the lab.
The next morning, Tony corners Thor.
"Ever since the birth of Sleipnir, my brother has always had sympathy for a woman with child," Thor explains when Tony demands to know what game his brother is playing. "Whatever this is, it will not hurt her."
It doesn't. She doesn't complain of nausea again.
###
Pepper's in her third trimester when Tony decides to throw a baby shower.
As per usual, she objects to Tony's genius. So what if they don't actually need anything for the baby? It's not his fault he's spent his waking hours designing an entire nursery from his workshop. How was he expected to trust the future of his child to some other company's shoddy workmanship?
Tony even plans the whole thing because this is for Pepper – even if she doesn't want it – and it would defeat the purpose if she had to put in work. And, ok, yes, he makes a point to invite all the people from his past who were convinced he would make a terrible husband but a man deserves some ego when he's a billionaire super hero who's saved the world countless times.
The party goes well. Even Pepper admits that she's having a good time. Until –
"I remember Maria's shower," It's one of his dad's friends, an old codger Tony only invited out of politeness. "Your dad announced Obadiah as your godfather at that party. Good man."
Tony/s mouth is suddenly very dry.
"So. Who have you decided on for godparent?"
There are dozens of expectant eyes on him at once. In the corner of the room, he sees Steve watching him hopefully. Rhodey is looking smug by the window, and he sees Pepper's panicked glance at her weird cousin who looks as if she's about to volunteer. And then his eyes catch the mantel –
"Loki," he blurts out.
"Loki," the man repeats. Steve looks crestfallen.
"Uh, yes," Tony warms to the improvisation. "He was the first one to send a card, see."
Clint looks like he's swallowing back laughter, but Thor steps forward, a wide grin etched on his face and clasps his shoulder. "A wonderful choice. My brother will be honored by your trust."
Tony meets Peppers eyes helplessly. She just looks resigned.
###
Things probably would have been fine if not for Thor days later.
They find Loki outside the Whitney. Tony is actually inclined to let him have this one, because good god is their newest exhibit on contemporary art just a travesty. Before anyone can engage, though, Thor lands in front of his brother and pulls him into a hug.
Loki probably looks the most surprised out of all of them, and Tony is sure he would have blasted Thor halfway across the city had he not offered, proudly, "Congratulations! Tony told us the news!"
Tony freezes. Oh no
"Godfather! You must be very pleased, brother."
Loki is now staring at him from over Thor's shoulder, and Tony can't tell if it is out of fury or astonishment. He assumes the former. There certainly is no look of pleasure.
"Truly, I could not have named a worthier choice."
Thor actually probably believes that, Tony reflects. He could absolutely see the God of Thunder naming his psychopathic brother godfather for his future brood.
Loki delicately extracts himself from Thor's embrace. "Yes, Stark has always shown reasonable insight for a mortal," he says pompously. "Norns know none of you louts ought to be trusted with the safety of children. Now, brother, if you'll kindly," and Thor is being violently hurled down the block, "leave me, I must cleanse the world of this utterly misguided aesthetic."
The fight begins in earnest. If Tony tries to goad Loki more than usual, well, better a violent death by demi-God than having to go home and explain this newest fiasco to Pepper.
###
There is apparently some benevolent force in the universe, because Pepper goes into labor on a Saturday. Thirteen hours later, and a squalling Morgan Stark is first placed into Tony's arms.
"She's beautiful, Tony," Steve says warmly peering down at the baby after she's been cleaned up. Natasha is cooing – oh my god, she's actually cooing – over the newborn and normally Tony would have had some choice banter, but –
"Did you see her toes?" he demands instead, still in awe. "Aren't they the most perfect things you've ever seen."
His daughter clearly takes after Pepper, with her wisps of blond hair and long nose. Then she opens her eyes, and Tony loses all capacity for rational thought because those are his.
His amazingly flawless wife who will most definitely be getting some expensive pairs of heels eventually forces him to relinquish Morgan. It's a near thing, though, and if he knew anything about feeding a baby he likely would have absconded with her already.
"We're not letting Thor hold her." Tony announces while Pepper is breastfeeding
Pepper just raises an eyebrow.
"He'll crush her, have you seen those hands?"
"He's held babies before –"
"Asgardian babies. They're more durable. And don't get me started on Bruce! I love the guy, but— "
"We're letting other people hold the baby, Tony." Pepper says flatly.
"Fine," he mutters. "Only with supervision."
He watches them for a while. "Thank you, Pepper, she is…" he trails off not even knowing how to finish.
Pepper smiles at him. "I know."
"Hey," Tony perks up brightly. "If our first try is this perfect, imagine how the second— OW!"
In hindsight, he probably deserved that.
###
"Her crib," Tony is explaining when they bring Morgan home two days later, "can hold two tons and could withstand pressures equivalent to those three kilometers under surface level. It can trigger a protective shield that insulates from heat well above 800 degrees and would withstand most attacks from the Mark–"
"Tony," Pepper interrupts, "does your advanced weaponry system," and there is a definite dry sarcasm to those words, "include that?"
Seconds later Tony is storming into the common area brandishing a knife in one hand, Morgan secured in the other. "Why. Is there. A knife. In my two day old daughter's bed."
Thor gasps in delight. "It's an Asgardian ceremonial dagger." He takes it from Tony's hand and inspects. "Oh, Loki," he croons lovingly, "you've outdone yourself."
"Ok, now I know what it is," Tony interjects tersely. "Why is it in her bed."
Thor looks confused. "It is tradition in Asgard for the godparent to supply the child's first weapon. The quality of the dagger is supposed to reflect the eventual prowess of the warrior and it is considered good fortune to keep it with the baby at all times. Your child is destined to be a fierce shield-woman, I've nary seen better craftsmanship."
Tony is seeing in red. Bruce, who recognizes the signs of anger better than most steps in, "I'm sure, uh, Tony appreciates the gesture. But, uh, here on Earth, we generally don't give dangerous things to, uh, children."
"Dangerous?!" Thor laughs. "My brother would have spelled the dagger to be selectively blunted towards her. He does it for all of his daggers. Watch—" he steps forward, making to cut Morgan's arm.
Tony gasps and is stumbling back, "get away, you madman,"while Steve springs over the couch to put himself in the middle and Clint has an arrow nocked, ready to hit the knife out of Thor's hands.
"We believe you," the super soldier breaths with forced calm, "there's no need for a demonstration. I'll just take this," he carefully grabs the dagger from Thor and quickly hands it off to Natasha, "and we'll put it in her room on one of the high shelves far away from where she sleeps." He gives Tony a sharp look as if daring him to protest.
Tony retreats up the stairs grumbling about demi-gods, propensities toward infanticide, and fascist wives.
###
It takes a few months, but the Avengers eventually adapt to the presence of a baby in their midst. Sure they still have their gripes – Tony recalls the one against Pepper's dictate that weapons were to be kept away once Morgan started crawling – but everyone eventually settles in. Or, at least, that's how Tony interprets the growing pile of souvenirs collecting in the nursery. It seems like some on the team make it a point to buy her something from the various locations they are called to face Loki.
Tony is nearing his way to being content. And then Morgan starts talking. The first couple words aren't the issue. Ok, yes, she said mama first, but dada was a close second and Tony has the rest of her life to fix her priorities.
No, it's her fourth word that causes all the trouble.
"Okee," she babbles at the demi-god on the TV while Tony is trying to feed her.
The room is instantly silent.
"Did she just—?" Bruce gasps.
"Okee," she repeats reaching out toward the screen.
"Oh my god, she did."
Tony is looking around wildly for a different explanation.
"Why can she say Loki's name, Tony?" Clint demands.
Tony splutters. "I didn't teach her that. Thor?"
"Do not look to me. I thought her too young to hear tales of my brother's adventures."
"Maybe she's just repeating words from the TV," Natasha suggests.
"Thor, could your brother have cast some kind of spell?" Steve questions, turning off the TV for good measure.
The god of thunder shakes his head. "I know not of any magic that could cause this."
"Let's see if Nat's right," Steve grimaces and pulls up a picture of Loki on his phone.
"Okee!" Morgan giggles, throwing her spoon on the floor.
Tony groans, burying his face in his hands. Bruce pats his back comfortingly.
###
They get the answer from JARVIS
"What do you mean you've been letting that monster into my daughter's nursery."
"Sir, your security parameters state that access to Ms. Stark's residence is permitted for caretakers and guardians. You named Mr. Odinson godfather."
They watch the recordings of Loki's visits to the tower. Turns out he's been coming a couple times a month, bringing gifts from his travels and regaling her with stories enhanced with magical illusion.
"You know," Bruce points out as Loki's magical butterflies are fluttering around an enthralled child, "it's actually a little sweet."
"Shut up, Bruce," Tony scowls. They watch more. "JARVIS, I'm resetting the security protocol—"
Clint makes a strangled noise.
"What," Tony rounds on him.
The archer looks to Natasha who sighs. "Remember what happened when SHIELD tried to restrict the scope of his class? He kidnapped the entire student body until they agreed to give him full control over his syllabus."
"Are you suggesting we just let that psychopath have access to my child –"
"Have care," Thor thunders, fists clenching. "You are speaking of my brother."
"Your murderous –"
Thor jumps to his feet.
Steve, ever the peacemaker, intervenes. "No one is saying we expose your daughter to risk, Tony. We will protect her with our lives, you know that. We're saying that letting him see her might not be that dangerous—"
"Not dangerous—"
"Tony," Bruce interrupts, in that earnest way only he can. "Loki is maniacally possessive. You know this. Is it really the worst thing if he cares for Morgan?"
Tony looks around the room, even Clint is nodding in agreement, albeit begrudgingly.
"We won't let anything happen to her," Natasha says firmly. Convincingly.
Tony drops his hands in defeat.
###
His acknowledgement that the group was right does not stop him from going after Loki during their next battle. Even the god of mischief can tell that Tony's being particularly aggressive today, and he manages to isolate the two of them away from the main battle.
Loki narrowly disappears the missile Tony sends after him, "I must have done something to offend you, today. Care to share?"
"It's just your general existence." Tony snarls. "Shouldn't be surprising, you've never been to a planet where you were wanted, have you?"
"No, no, this is something more." Loki looks delighted, brushing aside Tony's pointed insult. "Something personal... Your daughter, perhaps?"
"If you hurt her—"
Suddenly, Tony is being slammed against something, Loki's hand wrapped around his throat crushing the metal underneath, green eyes flashing. "If you have regrets you named me godfather, you have only yourself to blame. It matters not to me. But do not dare to accuse me of such faithlessness." Tony gags against Loki's grip. "My promise is to protect and care for her. It would do you well to remember that it in no way extends to you."
Loki disappears, and Tony is immediately bent over, gasping for air.
Pepper takes one look at him when he comes home, a ring of bruises around his neck, and shakes her head. "You utter fool," she smiles affectionately, and drags him to bed.
###
Life goes on.
"You took long enough," Clint calls when Thor and Cap finally show up.
It's one of the rare occasions that they are fighting someone other than Loki – a new fringe group had popped up on the wings with some scary new military technology that they seem to have developed from Chitauri weaponry.
"We ran into a problem." Nobody sounds guilty like Steve.
"In case you hadn't noticed," Tony waves his arms expansively as if to gesture at all the gunfire, "so did we." He zooms away to approach the attackers from behind.
"Tony," Steve calls next time they're in proximity, "it has to do with Morgan."
He stops.
"We got the call while we were with her at the park. We got distracted and didn't realize there was paparazzi."
Tony and Pepper had put in a lot of effort keeping their daughter safe from the press. So far successfully.
"I broke the camera," Thor says, a little too proudly, "but there was something about a cloud. I did not understand."
"Guys –" Natasha's voice cuts in to their earpieces. She sounds winded.
Tony ignores her. "Did you try to buy him off?"
"Hey," Clint's voice is sharp in their ears, "can we save this for later?"
"He did not like that I broke the camera." Thor admits.
"How could you—"
The Hulk jumps into their midst, roaring.
"Ok, right, we'll do this after."
The moment the battle is over, Tony storms over to the Captain. "How could you let this happen?"
"It was an honest mistake—"
"—mistake, that's definitely right."
"We lost sight of her for barely a minute—" Thor protests.
"She's four. It's not like she can wander off."
So engaged in their argument are they that they don't notice they'd missed one of the men until he's gotten a shot off. All of a sudden there's a loud boom and a green flash. When the air clears, their attacker is down, blood pooling from the knife wound in his neck and Loki is bearing down on them, looking furious.
"What—Loki?"
"You imbeciles." He grabs Thor, as if to assure himself he is there. "I would ask what you were thinking, but it is clear to me you weren't."
"Brother—"
"Standing about arguing about a simple photograph instead of paying attention to your surroundings," He sounds shrill. "Had I been in charge of these incapable cretins, you would all be dead."
"A simple photo –how long have you been here?!"
Loki seems to realize where he is, and takes a moment to collects himself. "More or less since the beginning. Minus a short side stop to deal with a small problem."
"The beginning… and you were just… watching?" Clint splutters.
Loki grins, toothily. "I wouldn't have missed this marvelous display of ineptitude for the nine realms. And, as it happens, I bring a gift." Tony catches the computer hard drive out of reflex. "Your reporter sends his deepest apologies for the invasion of privacy."
"How did you—"
"Is he still alive?" Steve demands, fist clenched.
"That, my dear captain, depends on how one defines living." He winks, and finally releases his grip on Thor's tunic. "Do try not to require rescuing again, brother. It becoming unbearably embarrassing."
He vanishes.
They find the photographer later. He is remarkably in one piece, but with the way he is babbling and quivering, Tony doubts he'll ever be able to live independently. He certainly won't ever be able to hold a camera steady.
They never have trouble with nosy paparazzi again.
###
Morgan starts school. It's the biggest parenting fights he and Pepper ever have –
"We're not homeschooling her –"
"It was good enough for me –"
"I love you, Tony, but you have the social skills of a blueberry scone. She needs to be around people her own age!"
As much as Tony likes to pretend it was a joint decision, in the end, Pepper wins. That doesn't mean Tony has to miss out on time with his daughter, though, and he frequently plans for surprise trips in the city after school.
Which is what he had arranged to do today, only to get to the school and find out she wasn't there.
"Mr. Odinson came to pick her up right before lunch. He said she had a health visit this afternoon and would be out for the rest of the day," the apologetic administrator is explaining.
"Mr. Odinson?" Tony repeats.
"Yes, sir. He's listed as godfather in her file."
Tony's makes a note to thoroughly dismantle JARVIS when he gets home
"He picks her up every couple weeks," the administrator adds, almost stubbornly. "He seems like a very caring guardian."
"Oh, I'm sure he does," Tony forces through clenched teeth. "Well, Mr. Caring and I are going to have a long talk on the importance of communication."
Tony storms out of the school, and realizes he has no way of getting a hold of Loki. And then his eyes widen and he is fumbling for his phone –
"Happy," Tony greets quickly, "Is there anyone else besides the two of us who picks Morgan up?"
"No, sir," comes the response. Then there's a pause. "Well, besides your wife, of course. Every couple weeks she calls and says that she's arranged for Morgan to get home."
Tony is already halfway down the street by the time Happy finishes.
###
"WHAT DO YOU THINK –" he storms into Pepper's office barely half an hour later only to catch the small body throwing herself into his arms
"Daddy!"
"What—Morgan?" He splutters, spitting out his daughter's hair. "I thought you were out…"
"Uncle Loki took me to Coney Island. He got me lots of cotton candy," Morgan prattles. And then she frowns, apologetically. "But that was supposed to be a secret."
"Only a moderate amount of cotton candy," comes the mild correction, and Tony startles to see Loki sitting comfortably on the settee in the corner, sipping at a mug of tea.
"You!" He starts, making towards the demigod.
"Tony," Pepper warns from her seat. He stops.
"Health visit?" He raises an eyebrow at Loki.
"A child needs space to encourage free thought and creativity. Those so-called schools stifle mental development with their strict schedules and rules."
Tony scowls because even he can't find fault with the answer.
Pepper glances between them and then stands up. "Thank you for taking her today, Loki."
"It was my absolute pleasure," Loki takes her hint, graceful lifting himself from his seat. "As always, your tea and conversation is a balm. A most needed reminder that not all on your planet is entirely devoid of reason."
Tony stiffens as Loki leans to give Pepper a quick kiss on the cheek. Loki's smirk at Tony softens into a smile when he approaches Morgan, and runs a hand through her hair. "Do not forget your lessons," he cautions.
She grins brightly at him. "You'll come again soon, right, Uncle Loki?"
"As my darling lady commands." He bows charmingly and then sweeps his way out past a glaring Tony.
"Pepper—"
"Don't do this, Tony. I acknowledge I shouldn't have hidden it—"
"You're supposed to trust me!"
"—but he's really good with her—"
"It's not safe!"
"—and she adores him. Look at her!"
He looks down. Morgan is biting her lip, large brown eyes welling.
"I'm sorry I ruined the surprise, Daddy. Mommy and Uncle Loki said you were going to be so proud of everything I'd learned. Are you mad?"
Tony's heart broke. "Of course not," he assures her. "Why don't you," he clears his throat, "tell me about what you and" cough "Uncle Loki did today."
He can sense Pepper smirking, and resolutely pays no attention.
###
"I'm sorry," Pepper begins when Tony slips into their room after putting Morgan to bed, but he immediately holds up his hand. He leans back against the door, pinching his nose.
"She really loves him," he finally says.
"She really does."
"Those trips have been good for her."
"He lets her be a normal kid."
Tony nods. There is another pause.
"You should have told me."
"I was worried you wouldn't let her go."
"Maybe I wouldn't have," Tony allows. He finally lets himself approach her. He sits on the bed, grabbing her hand. "You still should have told me."
Pepper lifts their joined hands and gives his a kiss. "I should have."
"I'm not always going to be reasonable," Tony admits, "but I will always give whatever you say a fair discussion. Don't take that chance away."
"We'll do it together from now on," Pepper agrees, smiling. "No more lies."
"I love you," he offers, settling down next to her.
"Me too," she murmurs into his shoulder
There is another long pause.
Then, "I guess this isn't the best time to tell you that Loki and I occasionally text—"
In one motion, Tony had rolled on top of her, pillow pressed against her face. It barely smothers her giggling.
###
Morgan is eight when they get a call from the principle that she had gotten into a fight.
"Mr. and Mrs. Sta—"
"Ms Potts," Tony corrects firmly. His wife is the CEO of a fortune 100 company, and by god, she deserves her name.
"Ms Potts," the principle amends with a grimace. "We do not tolerate violent behavior at this school."
"I don't know what to say, it is very unlike her."
"You don't think," she glances quickly at Tony, "her home environment may predispose her to pursuing more… aggressive problem solving?"
Tony opens his mouth to protest, and then quickly snaps it shut at the sharp squeeze of Peppers hand in his.
"That is out of the question," Pepper is unyielding and leaves no further room for discussion on that topic.
The principle sighs. "Morgan is one of our very best students, Ms. Potts. As this is her first ever offence, we are inclined to let her go lightly. Three day suspension and she will have to write an apology to Calvin for," she scans the paper on her desk, "flipping him onto the ground."
Tony smothers his grin, and makes a mental note to buy Natasha ice-cream later.
They collect Morgan outside the office. She is petulantly silent the entire walk to the car. The moment she slides into her seat, though –
"I'm not saying sorry," she announces, arms crossed. And Tony recognizes the stubborn glint in her eyes as one he often sees in the mirror.
"Sweetheart—"
"Uncle Steve says we should always fight for the truth."
"I don't think he meant it so…literally…"
"I don't care! Calvin is a nasty liar. I'm not going to take back what I did, he deserved it."
Pepper takes a calming breath, "What did he say?"
"He called Uncle Loki evil, and said Uncle Loki should go to jail."
It had never been something they discussed, but all the Avengers had seemed to have a tacit understanding that Loki's day job would be kept hidden from their youngest housemate. Even Clint, who never had a good word to say about the maniacal demi-God would manage to nod attentively when Morgan would tell stories of their outings.
Morgan knew, of course, that except for Thor and Pepper, none of the other Avengers were overly fond of her godfather, but as far as they could tell, she just accepted that as one of those "silly grown up things."
"He's a dumb meanie who doesn't know anything." Morgan finishes.
Tony and Pepper share a look over their daughters head. Well, fuck.
###
They make it home and settle Morgan in her room because she still got into a fight, and no, Tony, she doesn't get bonus points for perfectly executing Natasha's martial arts lessons.
The moment they leave the room, Pepper has her cellphone out. "I'm calling him."
For once, Tony doesn't complain that his wife is on speaking terms with Earth's most powerful super villain.
Loki's sudden appearance in the common room fifteen minutes later shocks even Natasha to her feet and prompts a slew of curse words from Clint towards Pepper's no weapons in common areas decree. To Loki's credit, he doesn't use the opportunity to further rile the archer up, instead focusing immediately on Tony.
"Where is she?"
Tony jerks his head to the staircase, and Loki vanishes toward Morgan's room.
"Tony," Bruce approaches cautiously. "I know this isn't the best time, but maybe we should consider revamping JARVIS's security to the tower."
Tony can see Steve nodding vigorously behind the scientist.
So, he forces a nonchalant grin, and shrugs, "Performance issues, what are you going to do."
The two appear nearly two hours later. Loki pushes Morgan toward her dad, and makes to join Thor by the window.
"I'm sorry I yelled," Morgan murmurs climbing into his lap, small arms wrapping around his neck. "I'll write an apology."
"Oh! What, uh, changed your mind?"
"Good and evil is all a point of view, Dad," Morgan answers sagely. "It's very complicated, and Calvin didn't know any better."
Tony feels faint. "I see."
"And anyways," she continues cheerfully, "Uncle Loki says I should either ignore when people are wrong or be smart enough to teach them what's right. Fighting to solve problems is for brutes and bullies."
"That's right," Tony strokes her hair absently. And then the words register, "LOKI!"
It is not fair that someone entitled the God of Mischief should be able to personify pure innocence so well.
###
"Uncle Steve!" Morgan protests, handling the menu Steve had drawn. "It's too much."
"It's the big one O, kiddo, there's no such thing."
"Besides," Clint chimes in, "if you didn't want ostentatious you shouldn't have let your dad plan the party."
Tony glowers at him. They were days away from Morgan's tenth birthday. Pepper was nearing the end of her fourteen day Asia stint, and Tony was taking advantage of her absence to… upgrade… the celebration.
Thor appears in the workshop, a large cup in hand. "My father agreed to donate some of the eternal flame for this 'Goblet of Fire' as long as it is promptly returned."
Natasha swoops over to inspect it. "That should do very well. Bruce, how's your stuff coming."
When Morgan had asked for a Harry Potter themed party, no one had expected Natasha to be the most vocal advocate. Turns out, she was a big fan.
I think I've got the right consistency for the butterbeer, but I'm still struggling with some of the candy. Clint, will you taste—"
Tony hides a grin at Clint's eagerness. He feels Morgan approach.
"Dad?"
"Hm," he responds absently, putting the finishing touches on his mechanical dragon.
"Do you think," there is a forced casualness to her tone, "we could, um, invite Uncle Loki to the party?"
Tony's head snaps up from his tinkering. His daughter is watching him cautiously, rubbing her right arm, a nervous tic she had inherited from him.
"Honey," he says carefully. "I'm not sure some of the other parents will approve."
She scowls fiercely, "So what. It's my party."
"You made the guest list with your mom, right? Why didn't you ask her then?"
His daughter looks shifty.
"She said no?"
"Not exactly… She said it wouldn't be wise," Morgan mimics Pepper's tone with the last words. Tony attempts to look disapproving at the imitation. He fails.
"My brother would likely not come," Thor adds and Tony silently curses the superior Asgardian hearing. "He has never been fond large gatherings. Too many fools with mouths, he would say."
"We could at least ask him," Morgan insists. Tony must look uncertain, because she turns her pleading eyes to him. "Please, dad?"
He gives in.
###
Tony has JARVIS strip Loki's number from Pepper's cell. He should ask his wife, he knows, but he also knows what she would say, and Tony has always been better at asking for forgiveness instead of permission.
He breaths a sigh of relief when Loki doesn't pick up and opens the door to his bedroom.
And then stumbles back at the sight of Loki perched at the edge of his bed.
"Jesus, Loki, of all the rooms—"
Loki, for his part, looks entirely unamused. "That number was meant for Ms. Potts, and Ms. Potts alone," he snarls, and suddenly there is a knife flying, pinning the corner of his shirt to the door.
"It wasn't my idea," Tony protests immediately, his right hand failing to dislodge the knife. He was suddenly regretting brushing off Bruce's offer to help upgrade JARVIS' security settings.
"I am a God, you foolish creature, not some lowly servant to be summoned at will."
"It's Morgan's birthday Tuesday," he yelps and at least Loki stops twirling the second knife.
"I am well aware of when my godchild's day of birth is, Stark."
"She wants you to come to the party. It's wizard themed, I think she thinks you'd fit right in."
Loki raises an eyebrow.
"Pepper didn't think it was a good idea. That's why I called," he finishes lamely.
"Your wife happens to be right, in this instance," Loki finally says. The maniacal glint is gone from his eyes though, so Tony relaxes.
"Still, I had to try. For her."
"I suppose you did…" a pause. "This must not happen again," he warns.
"Never again," Tony promises fervently.
"Send my regards to –" the Asgardian waves his hand expansively and then disappears in a cloud of smoke.
Tony takes a deep breath and finally plies the knife out of the door. And then looks up to glare at the ceiling. "I suppose you didn't consider calling for back-up."
JARVIS' voice rings out, "My apologies, sir, but I deemed there was no true danger to you."
Tony flops back on the bed and makes a note to take Bruce up on his offer to reprogram the AI.
###
He can tell Morgan is disappointed Loki wasn't there, but otherwise the party seems to be a big success.
Morgan's busy running around with the other children, though Tony still scowls a little at the Slytherin green robes Natasha had procured her. Try as he might, he could not persuade her of the aesthetic appeal of Gryffindor's red and gold.
"You did well," Pepper sidles up to him, watching their daughter fondly.
They round up the children for food and cake but before anything can be served the screen Tony had installed on the ceiling to mimic the Great Hall roof had transformed into a dark stormy view. He spins to look at Thor, who gives him a wink.
Then all the candles are levitating, the Goblet of Fire lets out a burst of flame bright enough to make everyone shield their eyes, and there is Loki, complete with a fake beard and pointy hat, stepping out.
All the children are staring, mouth agape.
Bruce inches closer to him. "I thought we had fixed this problem."
"Apparently not," Tony manages.
"What kind of wizard are you, mister?" One of the boys with round glasses asks in awe.
"There are no wizards like me." Loki's teeth gleam in the dark, and then the stick in his hand is waving and magic blooms around them.
The show ends with Morgan's gift emerging from the goblet, and even Tony can't begrudge the shining delight in her eyes. There is another flash of cool fire and Loki disappears to the sound of applause.
"That was quite the magic show! You'll have to tell us where you hired him, my sister's been looking for a magician for her son's birthday," One of the parents exclaims to him as the kids dig into their food.
"Yes... Of course." Tony barely manages.
###
Not long after, Tony gets summoned to meet with a SHIELD handler.
"Mr. Stark," the agent across from him finally speaks, fingers steepled in front of him. "SHIELD has some… concerns… over your relationship with Loki."
"My relationship with Loki," Tony repeats, eyebrows climbing.
"Yes, sir."
"The one where he tries to kill me and my friends every couple weeks? Or the one where we try to kill him back."
"The one with your daughter," the agent clarifies, frowning. He gestures to the file in front of him, "We have reports that he is often seen in her company and makes not infrequent stops by the tower with no attempt of arrest."
"You think I like the idea of that psychotic egomaniac running around with my daughter."
"You named him her godparent –"
"IT WAS A JOKE. How was I supposed to know he'd take it seriously."
"Be that as it may, sir, there are some who are worried you may be compromised and would like reassurances."
"Compromised."
"He has been known to, uh, exercise magical control over members of the Avengers, sir."
"You think I'm brainwashed?" Tony demands, voice raising.
"No—"
Tony interrupts. "How old are you? When did you graduate the academy?!"
"I was there when he was a teacher, sir." The agent answers Tony's unspoken question. "He threw my roommate out a window. And destroyed our training grounds. Twice."
"So you know him."
The agent nods.
"Well then, if SHIELD can figure out how to stop him from breaking into my tower or regularly taking my daughter, I'm all ears. In the meantime," he growls, "my friends and I will continue to capture him while you play galaga in your fancy Helicarriers - that I built, mind you - and pretend to protect the world."
Tony slams the door open, to see Clint scramble back from where his ear was pressed to the door. The archer is wearing a wide grin.
"Not a word, Barton." He stalks away.
###
Morgan is thirteen when Tony gets the scariest call of his life. He spares a quick second to shoot off a text the moment he hangs up, and then he is on the move, calling out for the other Avengers.
"It's Morgan," he says when Steve rounds the corner at a sprint, Clint and Natasha not far behind him. "They lost contact with her teacher."
And then the room bursts into activity.
It had been a stupid middle school trip to the Catskills so that the students could learn outdoor skills. But there had been a freak snowstorm earlier that day, and last the school had heard from the team, they had already left the cabins for a hike.
"She'll be fine," Natasha puts a calming hand on his shoulder. Tony has been pacing narrow confines of the Quinjet. "We'll find her."
"Have you thought about where we should begin the search?" Clint calls from the pilot's seat.
Tony doesn't respond.
Steve approaches him, blue eyes soft and kind. "Tony, Thor has just barely finished redirecting the storm. He won't have found her yet. We need a place to start."
"We'll know when we get there."
"How will—" and Steve falls silent begins there is a bright green column of light raising in distance. "Oh."
They all scramble out of the Quinjet to see Loki standing at the mouth of a cave, a tunnel in the snow behind him.
"Are they…?"
Loki's too green eyes meet his and the relief is palpable. "Inside and safe. The idiots took shelter in the cave and got snowed in. I've cleared a path, they're just taking cover from the wind."
And then Morgan is running out and throwing herself in his arms.
Thank you, Tony mouths over Morgan's head. The demi-God just nods.
###
Tony watches Morgan sitting with Bruce at the medical station he and Natasha had set up by the cave. Clint and Steve had already taken the first cleared batch home, and were heading back to finish transporting the rest.
"Leading those kids into caves without being prepared. Just the absolute height of stupidity…" Tony's muttering meets blank faces, and sighs. "It's an expression."
"I see," Loki says slowly. He doesn't look like he sees at all.
"How tall is this height?" Thor asks, brow furrowed.
There is a pause. And then, Loki, completely straight faced, replies, "How tall are you, brother?"
Tony knows the moment Thor understands the insult, because even he can see the God of Thunder prepare to launch at his younger brother. Which he does, and goes straight through, landing in a rumpled heap.
The real Loki emerges from behind where Thor had been standing, shaking his head. Any retaliation is cut short, because Morgan and her teacher are heading toward them.
"Your daughter was very brave." The teacher says warmly. Morgan cuddles into his side, and the hitch in chest finally begins to subside.
"With a house like ours, you have to be."
"Yes. Normally we disapprove of students carrying around weapons on school activities. We'll have to make an exception this time, without Morgan's knife we would have had no way to cut into the ice."
"Knife?" Tony repeats, and then the teacher is pulling out the Asgardian ceremonial dagger Morgan had got as a baby.
He watches in abject horror as Loki takes the dagger, and with a wave of his hand has Morgan's favorite clip pinned back in her hair.
"I told you," Thor says proudly. "It is good fortune to keep it with her at all times. A clever disguise, brother."
Loki inclines his head in acknowledgment.
Tony, meanwhile, uses every ounce of self control he has to avoid burying his face in his hands.
###
Morgan starts high school, which prompts the second biggest fight he and Pepper ever have.
"Absolutely not!"
"Tony –"
"She's only fifteen! She's too young."
"Tony, you had gone to college when you were fifteen," Pepper states, arms crossed.
"Exactly! I know exactly what kinds of dirty things fifteen year old boys think." He pales and grabs his wife's shoulders. "Honey, we can't let her out of the tower, anymore."
Pepper looks unimpressed.
"How are you so calm?!"
"Because I trust our daughter. Morgan is smart and has fortunately inherited her common sense from me. She won't do anything stupid."
"That doesn't mean this boy –"
"Ben," Pepper interrupts, "is a good kid. We've known him for years. We've known his family for longer. You liked him."
"Well I don't anymore," he grouches. "Why can't they wait? There's nothing special about homecoming, it happens every year."
Peppers raises an eyebrow. Tony wilts.
"Fine. But I don't like it. And I want this Ben to come pick her up properly like a gentleman."
"Of course," She says gravely. Her eyes shining with suppressed amusement. He turns to walk away, but Pepper grabs his arm.
"Promise me you won't intimidate the boy, Tony."
He sighs, "I promise."
She releases him.
###
The next few weeks are impossible, and Tony is almost glad when they get called out to meet Loki. His attacks may have become less frequent, but the God of Mischief had lost none of his intensity.
He thinks he sees an opening and ignores Steve's order to hold the line. He darts forward, only for Loki to turn his attention to him and ends up getting himself pinned behind a building, his position too far forward for the rest of the team to provide useful cover.
"You seem rushed, Stark," Loki announces gleefully.
"Yes, well," he shoots one of Loki's minions, "I promised Morgan I'd take her dress shopping today."
"I fear your daughter may be disappointed, today. For I," the building starts to crumble and Tony has to move to avoid being hit, "am certainly not done with you."
And Tony is struck with an idea.
"Truth be told, I don't mind the delay," Tony starts offhandedly. "I'm not overly fond of this idea of school dances and dates."
"Dates?" Loki picks up on the slight emphasis Tony had put on the last word.
"Yeah, some boy from her class."
He shoots at one of Loki's minions.
"You know," he offers nonchalantly a little later, "he's coming over next Friday to take pictures before the dance. I'm sure Morgan would be thrilled to have you see her off."
Loki's pointed smile is enough to raise the hairs on the back of his neck.
###
"I," Tony says, watching the boy shrink in terror at Loki's excessively polite attention. "am a visionary. My decision to name Loki godfather will be hailed as absolute genius by generations to come."
"Tony, you hate when Loki is around her."
Tony waves off Bruce's correction. "Minor lapse in judgment."
Bruce rolls his eyes, but grins with him as Pepper directs them for photos, Ben's hand not daring to wander from Morgan's waist under Loki's watchful eye.
Tony signs, nearing contentment.
###
"Genius," he insists a few minutes later.
Fin
I didn't think I'd come back to this series, if you can even call it that. I went years without finding a good idea. And then the Avengers movie dropped the idea of Tony and Pepper having a child, and there was my spark. It was difficult writing from Tony's perspective, and I'm still not entirely sure I got it right, but I realized I needed to stop analyzing every word. So hopefully no one is too out of character.
Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this newest installment and that you find it a worthy successor to Proprietary and Appropriation.
TTM