It was a dark and stormy night in Stark Tower. It was raining in there because Thor was really ticked off that someone ate all his pop tarts, even the chocolate ones.

"Who is the unfortunate fool that ate my popped tarts?" Thor roared. Loki glanced at him, annoyed, and went back to his book.

Then, out of nowhere, Tony burst in and said: "Hey guys! Guess what…why is it raining in here?"

Loki snorted and said nothing. Tony then looked at Steve, who was polishing his shield under a table. He shrugged silent like Loki.

Dr. Banner, Clint, and Natasha were on the couch across from Loki, huddling under an umbrella. "Guys?" Tony asked. Clint pointed at Thor.

Tony turned to Thor, who was stroking an empty box of pop tarts sadly. "Uh…right. Okay. Guys! Guess what!" Nobody said anything for about thirty seconds. Then Steve, ever the peacemaker, said, "Okay, I'll bite. What is it, Tony?"

Tony beamed at him. "So glad you asked, Spangles. It's my birthday!"

Silence.

Bruce blinked. "Since when?"

"Since now! I was in the lab, you know, being brilliant-" Loki snorted. "-And I thought to myself-'Hey. Wouldn't it be great if today was special?' And what's the easiest way to do that? Cake, duh. Then I decided to just go ahead and make it my birthday. Just 'cause birthdays are awesome and I'm awesome and it seemed like a logical decision." Tony finished his tangent breathlessly.

"…Are you drunk?" Clint asked.

Tony sputtered indignantly. "Uh. No. Do I have to be drunk to have a brilliant idea?"

Everybody looked at him.

Tony looked to be at an uncharacteristic momentary loss of words when Thor finally spoke. "I do not feel like celebrating anyway, Man of Iron."

Tony ran a hand through his now sopping hair and grimaced. "Yeah, I think I caught that. But there's no reason why we can't all still eat cake, right?" Nobody said anything, as usual.

Tony glared at them. "Geez, people! It's quieter than a graveyard in here. What's wrong with you guys?"

"Tony, if we're going to eat cake someone needs to cheer Thor up first." Steve said from under his table. Clint sighed. "I've got nothing better to do. I'll help, I guess." Tony grinned and pumped his fist. Then he zeroed in on Loki, who was reading his book and ignoring all of them. "Lokester! Have I got a job for you!"

Loki chuckled quietly. Everyone watched him, disturbed, as he buried his face in his book and his shoulders shook with laughter. Then he disappeared off the couch, voice echoing off the walls. "I think not, Stark."

Tony pouted. "Drama queen."

Clint, who was huddling under the umbrella for as long as possible, wrapped an arm around Bruce. "Congratulations, Doctor. You've just been recruited." Bruce sighed heavily and gave the umbrella to Natasha.

OoO

Tony, Bruce, and Clint stood in corner in the far side of the room discussing their options.

"Do we have anymore pop tarts to give him?" Tony whispered.

"Nope. I checked. Twice." Clint whispered back.

"What? We don't have a single box in the whole Tower?"

"C'mon, Tony. You know how much Thor eats."

A soft popping interrupted their debate.

Tony and Clint stared at Bruce, who was serenely popping a small strip of bubble wrap.

"Uh…Bruce? What on earth are you doing?" Clint said incredulously.

"What? It helps me think." Bruce said. "It's pretty calming, too."

"Oh. Oh! I'm such a genius! Bruce, you're a genius too. Clint, you're slightly more intelligent than you were five minutes ago," Tony exclaimed suddenly.

"Gee, thanks, Tony. Care to explain to us non-geniuses?" Clint said sarcastically.

"Well, I think it should be obvious, Katniss. Bruce, you got some extra bubble wrap?"

"Of course."

"Okay then. Boys, we have a thunder god to cheer up." Tony, Bruce, and Clint sloshed their way over to Thor. The big Asgardian had discarded the pop tart box and was just sitting there, dejected.

"Yo, Odinson. I've got something for you." Tony whispered conspiratorially.

Thor glanced up.

Tony waved a hand at Bruce, who handed him a strip of bubble wrap wordlessly. Tony handled it like it was thousands of years old and the most valuable thing on the planet. Thor watched wide-eyed as the smaller man proceeded to pop the slip of plastic wrap.

Tony grinned ecstatically and held it out to Thor. "Wanna try?"

Thor looked like a little kid as he took the wrap and played with it intently. To everyone else's delight, the rain stopped within moments.

Bruce shook the water off his glasses while Tony pumped a fist triumphantly. "Yes! That's how you get things done!"

Clint just shook his head. "I can't believe that actually worked."

"Believe it, Legolas. Now, who wants cake?"

END.