Chapter 1: Two Small Findings
"Guys, I've found something," Steve Rogers reported into a small earpiece.
"Roger that, we'll be there in a jiff, Rogers." came Tony Stark's voice, then a static laugh.
Steve frowned in annoyance. "Get serious, Stark, and get over here!"
There was another static-muffled laugh. Steve rolled his eyes and sighed. There were some days when he couldn't stand his co-Avenger. Stark was too much of a joke while Rogers was a man of honor and dignity. He didn't have time to mess around.
Finally, the rest of their rag-tag group appeared in the diminutive and slimy alley. Tony grimaced. Thor and Hulk just stood calmly, ready for action. Hawkeye stayed close to Black Widow, making sure she was well protected although he knew she could take care of herself. They all stared intently at Steve. What did he need to share? His eyes glanced at each one of them, their eyes sparkling with curiosity. Impatient Tony retracted the mask into his helmet and grumbled, "What did you drag us here for? To stare at the stupid dumpster? Okay, job done, let's go, guys!"
"No, this is serious business! But you're welcome to stare at dumpsters if that's what you want to do all day, Stark." Steve retorted. He then faced the others, his expression turning softer but still solemn. "It's what's behind the dumpster."
After many puzzled ogles, Steve gestured for the others to follow and they did. In a small group, the Hulk remaining the caboose, they stared at an oddly shaped lump on the concrete that looked like two green-tinted trash bags.
"Um…trash bags?" Clint asked skeptically from beside Natasha.
"Bags of trash do not seem to please." Thor said, one elbow in his left hand, his right hand holding his head thoughtfully. "Patriotic Man, are you sure you are not mistaken?"
"I'm sure, Thor." Steve stepped over to the "trash bags" and put out a hand. (Good thing he was wearing gloves.) He shook the bag where a shoulder on a person would be. "Hey, wake up."
"Trash bag whisperer." Tony muttered under his breath with a smirk.
One of them moved and groaned. It sniffled and twisted around, revealing a little face. Two little faces. The second leaned against the first figure; its eyes closed and mouth open slightly. The first little face scanned through the crowd of Avengers staring at him. His eyes half-lidded he mumbled, "Uncle Thor? Is that you?"
Thor, a frozen, bulky figure, stood speechless. His blue eyes were glittering with compassion, but the rest of his expression was unreadable. He shook his head, trying to wriggle free of his consuming thoughts.
"Thor? Why are they calling you 'uncle'?" Tony asked.
Thor swung his head from side to side, brandishing his shiny blond hair. It was all he could do, staring at the two children on the concrete. Tony decided he wasn't getting any answers out of Thor, so he turned to the kids.
"Who are you?" he demanded, slightly hostile.
"Tony," Steve pressed the name into the air sternly. "Stop it. They're only kids."
Tony fell silent, a smirk of contempt painted on his face. You could tell he was just bursting with witty retorts and cuss words. However, he was quiet, his arms folded neatly across his chest. Steve knelt down to the children's heights. He thought it endearing how one lay her cheek on her older brother's shoulder. She was asleep, not unlike a log.
"Hello there," Steve greeted, his hand extended in a gesture of friendship. "My name is Steve. What are yours?"
The little boy's expression had been tired the whole time, maybe slightly concerned. His gaze went from his younger sister to the floor. He had green eyes, Steve noticed. Familiar green eyes, he noted silently. They both had dark hair that shimmered an oily blue in the faintest of light. They were covered by a large leather jacket. The little girl beside the boy moaned and fidgeted.
"W-wha…?" she began to say, opening her eyes briefly before they fluttered closed again and she fell unconscious for the second time.
"Do you have names?" Tony couldn't hold his tongue anymore. The boy glanced his way and returned his eyes to his sister. He finally shook his head.
"No," Steve voiced, turning to the other Avengers. He bit his lip. We have to do something. I couldn't live with myself if we let them freeze out here. Even if they do look like… He pushed the thought away. "Come on, you can live with us in Stark Tower. I-"
"NO. ABSOLUTELY NOT, STEVE!" Tony interjected angrily. "What if they touch my lab equipment?"
Hulk growled in disagreement.
"Tony!" everyone but the Hulk scolded.
"Mr. Starksson, if they destroy anything of yours, I will replace it with your Midgardian currency." Thor offered, speaking at last.
Stark grunted in submission, feeling the full weight of everyone's eyes on him. "Fine! But I'll kill you all if they do break anything."
The little boy patted his sister's head gently. "Wake up," he told her, careful not to mention a name.
She wiggled around for a moment and then stared up. She had emerald green eyes as well. Her brother still held her close, as if trying to shield her from these strangers. Steve and Thor helped the children to their feet. They decided to fly with their "uncle" Thor to their new temporary home. Thor scooped them up with one arm easily. He then twirled Moljnir in the air, swirling the dust and papers in the alley. Thor took a great leap, making the two children yelp, and was in the air in a matter of seconds. The other Avengers lingered in the alleyway silently until Thor was nothing more than a speck in the sky.
"Does anyone else notice anything weird about those kids?" Clint piped up.
"Other than looking like Loki?" Tony wittedly quipped. "Nothing much."
Natasha rolled her eyes, "And they called Thor 'uncle'."
Hulk grunted.
"Guys," Steve addressed with leadership, raising his hands in a hushing motion. "I know everything looks bad, but they're just kids! They don't pose any threat to us right now."
"Right! Then we can use Loki's kids as blackmail! 'If you don't stop threatening our world, we'll adopt your kids!'" Tony said, acting like he had Loki at pulsar-blast-point.
Hulk abruptly punched Tony in the side, causing the philanthropist to launch into the dumpster. He landed in a huge pile of discarded leftovers. Tony grimaced, scrunching his nose and furrowing his brow.
"Well, at least it wasn't a face-plant. Pepper wouldn't love me anymore if I broke this beauty!"
Hulk stepped forward threateningly and Tony cooled it, sitting in the refuse bin the whole time. Steve looked back to the group with an acknowledging nod to Hulk.
"Thank you, Hulk." Rogers said. "Now, let's go back to the tower and make sure those kids don't get into any trouble."
"Oh crap! I just remembered Pepper's expensive china!" Tony cried in dismay and blasted off, trash flinging everywhere.
Steve sighed and sprinted out of the alley and onto the sidewalk. He was followed by Natasha and Clint, who chatted contentedly behind him. They argued a bit about their abilities and then turned quiet. Steve turned his head slightly.
"You two still alive back there?" he asked in a joking matter. When there was no answer, he whipped around urgently. He panted lightly as he called, "Clint? Natasha?"
He began to panic when he realized that they probably had gotten into a undiplomatic state and began to fight. They'll be back soon, they know where we are. He thought, turned on his heel and began to jog down the sidewalk again. He scanned the buildings and alleys for bad guys, but more importantly, for Clint and Natasha. Of course, Natasha probably would have killed Clint by now, a knife ready to slit his throat ear to ear. Steve poked the thought away but bits and pieces of the murder of Clint ran through his mind several times.
Upon arriving at Stark Tower, Steve stared up and muttered, "This is one ugly building."
He stepped inside nonetheless, making peace in his mind. He calmly climbed onto an elevator and tapped the button for the second-to-the-top floor. The elevator pinged and shifted, making Steve lurch to the right and have to grab the bar on the wall to catch his balance. He huffed, staring at the doors that would take about five more minutes to open. He leaned back against the wall and ran his hands down his face. He yawned. He had been out all morning on patrol with the others without any coffee rations.
More later than sooner, the elevator doors opened gradually and revealed a quaint living room with the maximum amount of windows. There was a bar behind the couch. (There was actually a bar on every level of Stark Tower, due to Tony's "habit".) In front of the couch was a gigantic flat screen television. HD, 3-D, whatever quality you wanted in a TV, you had it there. And on the couch, watching the TV, were those two kids and Thor. Tony was behind the couch, resting his arms on the back of the furniture, seeming mesmerized by what was on.
"Hey, guys. What are you watching?" Steve asked, coming to Tony's point of view.
On the screen was a little yellow sponge in a business suit and fancy shoes. Beside him walked a pink starfish in floral swimming trunks but no shirt. Steve shook his head.
"Why is the kitchen sponge wearing pants?" Steve asked Tony, who seemed to know what he was watching.
"Because his name is Spongebob Squarepants! If he didn't have square pants, he wouldn't have his name and he wouldn't be cool like me!" Tony snapped, his eyes still glued to the screen.
Steve rolled his eyes. He looked at Thor, who contentedly sat with the children. He would glance down at them every now and again, like he was thinking hard about them. Steve hated to do it, but he tapped Thor on the shoulder. Thor turned, a smile plastered on his face.
Steve cleared his throat, "Ahem, um, Thor? May I talk to you for a second?"
Thor's grin faded into a somber frown. He nodded, "Alright, Patriotic Man."
Thor stood, his lanker frame hiding the TV from Tony's sight. Tony yelled at him, but shut up after Thor's glare. Steve and Thor stepped into a small kitchen with linoleum on the floor. Their boots tapped against the floor as they walked in, echoing off of the counters and cabinets.
"What is it that you need?" Thor pried, glimpsing back at the living room momentarily.
"Who are they?" Steve answered with a question.
"Who is who?" Thor played coy. He wasn't fooling anyone, though.
"You know who I'm talking about."
"The kids." another voice clarified.
They turned their heads to see Tony come out of the shadows of the living room.
"You tore away from Bob of the Square Pants?" Thor asked eagerly to change the subject.
"I've seen that episode five times. Literally. Pepper watched it two out of five times." There was an awkward pause, "Anywho, who are those kids?"
"I-"
"Don't make me do a DNA test!" Tony interjected dramatically.
"Tony!" Steve growled.
Thor sighed. "Those two," he gave a nod towards the door, "are Loki's bearings. They are my niece and nephew."
"Oh yes, this is a surprise. Hold on, let me put on my 'surprise' face…" Tony wisecracked.
"I would think it would not be such a stretch. They do look like my brother in every way." Thor said obliviously.
"No I…never mind." Tony grumbled, looking away. "So…we're harboring the bad guy's kids?"
"Er, well, yes…but, we wouldn't be the good guys if we left them out there to die!" Steve defended.
"I concur," Thor agreed, "My niece and nephew may be the son and daughter of Loki, but they are not like their father in any way but appearance."
"Okay, fine," Tony gave in, "Thor, they sleep in your room."
Thor nodded. He could live with that. He departed from the kitchen to tell the good news to the kids. The other two left as well.
Thor stepped in front of the couch, a warm smile spread across his face. "Joyous news, my niece and nephew! You are allowed to stay with me in my quarters! Thank Mr. Starksson and his friends for the privilege!"
The twosome turned around, gripping the back of the leather couch to look at Tony and Steve.
"Thank you, Mr. Starksson and Mr. Rogersson." they said quietly but politely. They turned simultaneously back to a different show.
"Well, great," Tony said. "Now we're stuck with kids. Worse: we're stuck with Loki's kids."
Hey! My first Avengers fan fiction, so please review! Criticism is cool, too. BTW, thank you for reading.