How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful Chapter 2: A New Hope, an avengers fanfic

Avengers || FrostIron || How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful || FrostIron || Avengers

Title: How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful – New and Improved Avengers

Fandom: Marvel | Avengers

Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Marvel Comics for the creation of some of the most awesome heroes ever. This fanfiction on the other hand is entirely mine. No money is made with this, though reviews are more than welcomed.

Warnings: m/m, not Infinity War compliant, team as family, team building, fluff, PTSD, hurt/comfort, past child abuse, explicit intercourse, anal, oral, m/f, f/f

Main Pairing: Loki/Tony

Side Pairings: Valkyrie/Sif, Bruce/Jane, Rhodey/Carol, Happy/Pepper, T'Challa/Ororo

Wakanda: T'Challa | Black Panther, Shuri, Okoye, Ororo Munroe | Storm, James 'Bucky' Barnes

Summary: Post Civil War, Tony has to build a new team of Avengers. Aside from new recruits, there are also two well-known Avengers that return to Earth – with a ship full of refugees. New and more functional Avengers rise from the ashes of the old and new alliances, new friendships and even new relationships are formed. Though the biggest wild-card proves to be Loki, not entirely unexpected.

How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful

New and Improved Avengers

Chapter 2: A New Hope

Rhodey was in awe as he got off the plane. He had never seen anything that could compare to Wakanda. It was breathtakingly beautiful and he immediately had to think just how much Tony would like it. It oozed technological ingenuity and advancement. It looked like the future.

"Colonel Rhodes. We're glad to have you", stated T'Challa as he approached.

"Thank you for having me, your majesty", replied Rhodey. "I'm still not quite sure what I'm doing here. Tony just told me that you would help me, but he didn't get to elaborate before your plane landed. Help me... how exactly?"

"Those are interesting."

Rhodey startled a little and turned to look at the teenager crouched down next to him and examining the braces he was wearing. "And... who is... this?"

"That is my sister. Princess Shuri", introduced T'Challa with a smile and a foreboding twinkle in his eyes. "She is the one who will help you. Help you walk again, that is."

"Help me... walk again?", asked Rhodey slowly, unsure, eyeing Shuri.

Shuri had gotten up again by now and T'Challa chuckled. "Do not be fooled by her age."

"Oh no. No, that's not it. I went to MIT sharing a room with a teen genius, I know what teen genius looks like when I see it", grunted Rhodey. "But how do you plan on making me walk again. Tony had the best surgeons and experts flown in after... and none could help."

"Well, none were me", smirked Shuri. "It's a spinal injury, right? Let's get you to my lab."

"Lead the way, princess", offered Rhodey slowly, looking back at T'Challa one last time.

Blinking slowly, Rhodey allowed himself to be dragged along by the princess. T'Challa watched with a small but pleased smile. He was used to seeing people underestimate Shuri or scoff at her when they first met her, judging a book by its cover. He knew Colonel Rhodes and Tony Stark had gone to MIT together, that the colonel knew that even a teenager could hide quite the intellect. A part of T'Challa was curious what a meeting between Tony Stark and Shuri would look like. And perhaps at one point, after Colonel Rhodes would be better and once T'Challa had a chance to fully talk things out with Tony. Shuri was rather intrigued by Stark Tech and by Iron Man's suits – she had scoffed at first, listing things on how she would improve those suits, but then she dug a little into him, after she had first heard that her brother had joined forces with the man, and when she read that he had built the first suit in captivity out of scrap metal, there had been a spark of awe and respect in her eyes. T'Challa wondered how Tony would take to meeting a teenager more intelligent than him, though after everything he had read about Tony that had proven to be false, he had a hunch how things would go and he would like to see it unfold.

/break\

"Okay, so Karen and I, we had an idea on how to improve the suit – uh, I mean, not improve-improve, Mister Stark, because what you built is amazing and I guess technically it wasn't so much Karen and I, it was really Ned's suggestion, but Karen and I spun it in a way that makes sense-"

"Kid", interrupted Tony fondly, lifting one hand. "Slow down, yeah? What was your idea?"

"Camouflage", stated Peter, his eyes sparkling and the grin on his lips nearly breaking his face. "Ned, who has been creepily obsessed with spiders since I told him, he read up somewhere that some spiders can camouflage and since the Vulture went after your invisible plane, I had to think about how that technology would work on a suit, to give us camouflage abilities!"

Tony frowned curiously and tilted back in his chair some. After the tower was sold and the move was done and Tony returned to New York, Tony had taken a more hands-on approach to mentoring Peter. What had happened with the Vulture was just... too much. But at the time, Tony had enough on his mind already. Now that he was settled – had bought a cozy mansion near Central Park – Tony got to reevaluate what was important in his life, to him.

Rhodey was a priority and he was currently in Wakanda to be helped by T'Challa's doctors.

Pepper was a priority and Tony would make damn sure that her and Happy's wedding would be absolutely breathtaking and the event of the decade – seriously, that Happy still carried the engagement ring with him after all those years, but announcing the engagement of Stark Indrustries' CEO had been a very good replacement news for Spider-Man becoming an official Avenger.

Peter was definitely also a priority. The boy was brilliant and needed someone to support him in it, encourage him. He was part of the team, even if he had not officially joined them.

Stark Industries, thankfully enough, was Pepper's priority. Things were thrown into chaos after the Civil War and Tony couldn't even begin to express how grateful he was to have her in charge.

The Avengers... Well, they should be a priority too, but Tony wasn't even sure where to begin. Probably right here, with Peter. He was a brilliant kid with the heart at the right place and if left to his own devices, he might just get himself killed because he would try to take on an army of Chitauri all on his own if necessary. Supporting him and making sure that Peter knew he would have backup and people to rely on if he needed them, that was definitely important.

"Let's go to the lab and try figure out how to do that", grinned Tony as he pushed off the table.

"A... Are you sure?", asked Peter hopefully. "You're not too busy with work?"

"What work?", laughed Tony, spreading his arms. "Pepper got SI taken care of and it's not like there are any Avengers I'd have to take care of, are there?"

"Mister Stark-", started Peter, voice wavering.

"I told you, kiddo. It's alright", chuckled Tony, resting a hand on Peter's head. "Let's go."

Peter nodded, though he didn't look quite convinced. That kid was too perceptive for his own good at times. And he worried too much about the adults, he should be more of a kid. That train had already left though. Peter was a hero, he already was, and he would always prioritize that responsibility over his own private life. All Tony could do was make that easier for him.

/break\

The Valkyrie courting Lady Sif was quite possibly the most entertaining thing happening on the blasted ship. Lewd comments and broad smirks that made Sif huff and roll her eyes. That lady had standards and was not so easily persuaded; she had learned her lesson from her relationship with Thor all those many years ago. And apparently, the Valkyrie was a bit rusty about seduction, which was what brought the entertainment factor into this. Oh well, it was also the low standard of entertainment all around, Loki supposed. Otherwise he wouldn't pay attention to such trivial things.

"Brunnhilde-", started Bruce with a frown.

"Do not call me that, Banner", warned the Valkyrie with a glare like daggers.

"Hilde?", offered Bruce tentatively, earning a heavy sigh from her. "Hilde, maybe you should just change strategies. Yours is clearly not working."

Hilde glared and crossed her arms over her chest. Thor on her other side laughed in a jolly way.

"Sif has always had high standards. It was what intrigued me about her too", agreed Thor.

"So. What did you do make her fall for you? Clearly her standards can't be that high", huffed Hilde.

Loki had to suppress his laughter at that and the kicked puppy look on Thor's face, before the blonde replied. "I bested her in combat, which... impressed her but also made her quite angry."

"She attempted to assassinate you for an entire month", supplied Loki dryly.

"Quite angry", agreed Thor, waving a hand into Loki's general direction. "But in the end..."

After a long stretch of silence, Hilde growled. "Well, will you tell me or not?"

"No, I genuinely don't know", muttered Thor with a frown. "I... can't seem to remember."

Brunnhilde looked ready to murder Thor right then and there. They had been stuck on this ship for quite a while now and she had not been that intrigued by anyone in a very, very long time. Sif was head-strong, but also physically strong, she was elegant as she fought and witty as she quipped with Thor – and she was straight-up gorgeous. But Brunnhilde? She had spent too much time drinking and burying her feelings and emotions deep under snark and an uncaring attitude. She knew how to pick someone up for a quick fuck, but Sif was quite clearly not interested in that. And Brunnhilde had no idea what to do to show genuine interest in someone... How did someone express that? She had kind of forgotten what it was like to open up, be genuinely vulnerable with someone.

"It was mother", offered Loki when the glaring contest between Thor and Valkyrie grew stale.

"What?", asked the three others, turning toward Loki.

"Mother and I watched your feeble attempts at gaining her attention for a while with great amusement", replied Loki, feigning disinterest in the conversation overall. "When you made a fool of yourself, mother decided to intervene. She went and talked to Sif."

"That makes sense", nodded Thor thoughtfully, looking pained at the memory of Frigga.

"Well, what did the queen say?", asked Brunnhilde with a glare.

"I have no idea. Thor's love-life was by far not interesting enough for me to keep track of how that went", drawled Loki with a careless shrug.

Brunnhilde gritted her teeth at that and glowered. This was indeed going to be the most entertaining thing happening on this blasted ship, until they'd finally reach Midgard. Loki frowned thoughtfully to himself as he left the room. He did not anticipate a warm welcome from them though. The last time the good Captain and his merry band of superheroes had given Loki a run for his money and in their black and white world of good and bad, there was no room for gray, was there?

/break\

"Boss", interrupted FRIDAY just after the latest attempt had exploded in Tony and Peter's faces.

"What is it, Fry? You can see that we're busy, right?", coughed Tony. "No, Dum-E! Put that-"

Peter yelped and jumped onto the ceiling as Dum-E started to spray them with the fire-extinguisher. Which, granted, this time Tony probably deserved it. The two had just gotten too excited about trying out camouflage mode for Peter's suit and... apparently it needed some more tinkering before it worked on a suit without fizzing out due to movements.

"There is a visitor waiting for you upstairs, boss", replied FRIDAY.

"Who is it? I'm busy", huffed Tony, wiping white cream off his face.

Peter was still sticking to the ceiling, laughing delighted. Glaring, Tony threw the fire-extinguisher cream at Peter, making the spiderling yelp and nearly fall off the ceiling. Sweet revenge.

"A Miss Hope van Dyne", replied FRIDAY.

"Never heard that name before. No idea what that means. Why did you think this was important enough to interrupt us?", asked Tony while toweling off the rest of the white cream.

"She says it's about the Avengers Initiative", offered FRIDAY.

"...You should have really led with that, girl", sighed Tony.

Peter looked at him curiously and all Tony could do was shrug. He really had no idea who Hope van Dyne was. Van Dyne, the name sounded vaguely familiar though, but Tony couldn't place it.

"Well, I guess... should I go, Mister Stark?", asked Peter reluctantly.

"One, how often do I have to tell you to call me Tony? Two, you are an Avenger, aren't you?", offered Tony with a shrug. "Not officially, but you're still part of the team. You're not just a kid. If this is about the Avengers, you got as much a right to know what it is."

Peter looked very excited at that before pulling down his mask. Once Tony was relatively cleaned up, he and Peter made their way back upstairs with the elevator. By the time they exited, there was a strict looking brunette woman already waiting in Tony's office.

"Miss... van Dyne, was it?", asked Tony with his polite press-smile, reaching a hand out. "Tony Stark. My assistant informs me that you're here to talk about the Avengers? The last time someone said that to me ended with me in the middle of an alien invasion, so do excuse me for being cautious about this. What exactly brings you here?"

Hope eyed him as she shook his head, then let her eyes drift over to Spider-Man, who just waved at her. Tony could picture the dopey grin he was probably spotting beneath the mask.

"I have been reading the news, Mister Stark", started Hope, not sitting down even as Tony motioned at the chair. "The so-called Civil War left your team... well, it didn't leave much of your team."

"Your point?", asked Tony curtly, choosing to also stand and stay on eye-level with her.

Hope had an aura to herself that wasn't unlike Natasha or Pepper. Composed, strong, not to be underestimated. A smile slid onto her lips, but it was a calculated one. She knew exactly what she was going to say and she was already anticipating the outcome of this conversation.

"I'm here to join the Avengers", announced Hope. "Your team could use the members."

"And... what do you bring to the table?", asked Tony skeptically. "And why would you?"

"Remember Scott Lang?", asked Hope, earning a blank look. "Ant-Man?"

"Oh, the dude who could get super small and super big!", exclaimed Peter excited.

"Him", confirmed Hope dryly. "He stole that technology from me. He was out on probation. He wasn't supposed to leave the country. But he did, for something that did not concern him and without checking the facts first. I read the Accords, I reviewed what had been on the line. He had been a fool to get dragged into the middle of a personal dispute between strangers that did not concern him the least. He gave up his freedom for nothing. And..."

"You're pissed about it?", offered Tony, raising one eyebrow.

"To put it mildly", confirmed Hope with a glare. "I'm tired of the men in my life lying to me to shield me from something they caused. I have more training than Scott. I have the technology. I'm not a former criminal. And I understand the facts. I understand what the Avengers should be. Protectors. Not someone who decides what they want to do and do it without consequences. The Avengers are... important. New York – the world – needs them. Between you, the Vision and War Machine, there are not a lot of Avengers left. There had been no official press-release concerning Spider-Man joining the Avengers...?"

"I'm a... reserve player", offered Peter. "I'm more of a solo-artist than a band-member."

Hope arched an eyebrow at that before turning toward Tony again. "I'm tired of standing back while others do the things I am more equipped of doing. Giving Scott the Ant-Man suit was a mistake from the get-go. He was a just released criminal. But my father didn't think I was fit for it. Now Scott stole it and both him and the suit are gone, because he is a wanted criminal again."

"People have underestimated and betrayed you. Now you want to get active. I can get behind that", nodded Tony slowly. "But, again, what is it you bring to the table, Miss van Dyne?"

Smiling, Hope slowly unbuttoned her jacket and shrugged it off. She was wearing a rather curious golden-black suit of armor. Tony startled slightly as thin, dragonfly-like wings popped up. Peter made an excited squeaky sound at it. That boy would suck at poker...

"I have the same suit as Scott. Only... modified. I can fly and... sting. I have the combat training to fight. I'm willing to sign the Accords, at least the latest draft you proposed of them", replied Hope. "I saw it with my own eyes, what kind of crazy villains this city houses. If something happens, someone has to be there and react. I'm ready to be that someone."

"Right", nodded Tony slowly. "That..."

Hope smiled amused and got a file out of her bag. "My resume. I figured you wouldn't just welcome anyone who walks in into the Avengers. Do a background check, call me."

"I will", nodded Tony as he watched the woman put the file down on the table.

Not just accept anyone into the Avengers who walks in...? Now that would be a very new approach to things. Tony had kind of just dragged Rhodey in. Steve had introduced Sam to Tony more or less in passing and stated that Sam would join the team. Wanda... Tony swallowed hard and shook his head. Just walking in and becoming an Avenger was how it had been done so far.

"We need a system", announced Peter after Hope left the room. "Like... Like an entrance exam, or something. Or some kind of... criteria? Right?" Tony stared surprised. "What? She's right. You know that, Mister Stark. Three people aren't really a team and I feel super guilty for declining, I mean I will totally help if we ever face some really big disaster, but I just... can't full-time commit to being an Avenger. I have my own calling to answer. But I'd feel way better about that if you had like... a real team to back you up. And I mean a real team."

A faint smile graced Tony's lips as he nodded. Peter was right. Hope was right. Sighing, he opened the upper drawer of his desk and pulled out the sheet of paper. Smoothing it down, he motioned for Peter to join him. The boy pulled off his mask now that Hope was gone, looking confused.

"That's the roster, as of now", sighed Tony. "Those who left, those who disappeared and those who remained. I've been thinking about it too, believe me. The Avengers are needed. King T'Challa offered his support in case of major incidents."

"So. Who do you know who'd like... make the team better?", asked Peter curiously. "Rhodey is getting fixed by the Wakandans, right? So it'd be you, Vision and Rhodey. Me and King T'Challa, if you need us. And the lady that was just here who can... change her size? And fly, I guess?"

Tony hummed softly and frowned curiously. "A recruitment. FRIDAY, make me a list of all super-powered incidents in the area. Include background checks. Also, for Miss van Dyne too."

"On it, boss", confirmed FRIDAY from above.

"I'll help you!", exclaimed Peter excitedly. "I swear, we're going to put together an all new, way improved and trustworthy team of Avengers."

Turning some, Tony smiled faintly at the boy. "We will. We'll come up with a process together, to recruit new members. Then we'll test Miss van Dyne and who knows, maybe she will be the first new Avengers to join a new and improved team."

"So... you could say that she's like... A New Hope?", asked Peter with a shit-eating grin.

Tony offered him the most deadpan expression he could muster. "Much to learn, you have."

Peter was positively cackling when Tony cracked the smallest smile.

/break\

Bruce heaved a deep sigh as he stared out the window. It was still so far away, yet it was right there. So blue and beautiful. Earth. Home. If he still had a home there. He wondered what Tony and the others would say when he returned. He regretted the way he had fled the planet as the Hulk, but it wasn't like he had been in control. He just hoped the team would be alright.

"Bruce? What's on your mind?", asked Thor as he approached.

"The team", replied Bruce. "What the future holds. There are hundreds of Asgardians on this ship. We can only hope they will be accepted as fugitives. But me? I am human. I just... don't know where my place will be, once again..."

"You are an Avenger. As am I", offered Thor a bit confused. "The compound, surely? I had hoped to put our headquarters there. Surely Steve and Tony wouldn't mind."

"Surely", echoed Bruce doubtfully, frowning.

He knew things had been tense between Tony and Steve due to Ultron – things between everyone had been tense since Ultron. But it's been over a year since Ultron. Who knew what had happened on Earth while they had been gone...? Bruce frowned concerned. He didn't have a good feeling.

"You're most unenthusiastic about returning to Midgard", observed Thor.

Bruce smiled just faintly. Back on Earth, many only saw the muscular handsome blonde and didn't seem to give Thor much credit beyond, even though he deserved it. Thor was by far not dumb. He could be very insensitive at times, but that was something different. He was strong. Not physically; mentally. He had pushed through the loss of his mother, the loss of his father, his three oldest friends, his entire planet. Thor had lost so much. And most of it thanks to his father's lies.

Aldrif Odinsdottir. Odin and Frigga's firstborn child. A true angel of death. Having been banished by Odin when he could no longer use her, when she became inconvenient. Honestly, the more Bruce learned about Odin, the more he understood why Loki was the way he was. And despite various attempts at trickery, Loki had still fought with them, side by side, against Aldrif.

"Loki tried to destroy the world, Thor", stated Bruce slowly.

"He did. But he has helped us", argued Thor with a frown.

"Earth doesn't know that", pointed Bruce out. "We have to make a very good pitch to prevent Loki from getting locked up right away. And I still can't quite believe I'm saying that."

"Ah, but my brother just has to prove himself. He can do that! He helped save half of Asgard. He can prove himself as a hero to Midgard!", declared Thor very firmly.

"Does he want that though?", questioned Bruce, one eyebrow raised. "Loki doesn't strike me as the hero type. I doubt he wants to bear the Avengers logo and answer to Cap's orders. Do you, Loki?"

Thor startled a little and turned around, while a chuckling Loki made his way out of the shadows. Bruce had gotten incredibly good at spotting the trickster. Not that there was much else to do than learn each other on this ship. Thor, Loki, Hilde and Sif, Bruce knew them all by now, maybe as good as the other Avengers, perhaps some even better.

"A hero of Midgard?", chuckled Loki, looking absolutely delighted. "It would be an amusing twist, wouldn't it? To have the humans worship me on their own account as they worship you, Thor."

And it indeed was. Loki had to admit that the respect he had gained over saving the Asgardians was a quite pleasant change of pace. All his life, he had been the outcast, sneered at by his peers. Always in the shadow of his glorious brother, the pride of Odin. No one cared much for Odin anymore. The one who had banished a crazy lady – his daughter and heir – and brought the destruction of Asgard upon them all. It had shifted perspective of those who survived. Those who had lost home and their families and friends to Aldrif's insanity. To them, suddenly, Odin was the villain and Loki was the hero. How the tables had turned. People smiled and nodded at him when they passed him on the ship now. His magic was no longer something that othered him, it was something that had protected and helped them, had saved them. This sort of respect and acceptance, it was new but not entirely unwelcome. Finally, Loki was en par with Thor. His equal, not in his shadows anymore.

There was a very delightful side to imagining becoming an Avenger – besting Thor on his favorite playground, making Thor's little humans worship him. It could be fun, for a while. And if it became too much work, he could still turn again, as he always did. As long as it lasted.

"I suppose I could have... a little fun with this", hummed Loki. "For now, I really got to get going before the Valkyrie wakes up. I'm sure I'll see you around. It's not like there's anywhere else to be."

With that, Loki disappeared, leaving Thor and Bruce startled and a bit confused. Bruce's bad feeling felt even worse at the little fun that Loki wanted to have. Bruce had seen the potential in Loki, but to Loki, everything was a game where Loki would gain something from. What it was that Loki thought he could gain from being an Avenger...? If he even could become one. Bruce was still doubtful what Cap and especially Clint would have to say about it.

"Where is that green, slithering snake?!", screamed Brunnhilde in that moment, barging into the room. "Where is your brother, Thor? I will skin him alive and make him into a belt!"

Bruce stared wide-eyed at Hilde and tried very hard not to laugh, because the neon-pink hair sticking up into every direction was quite startling. Loki was really getting bored.

Author's note: I will not apologize for the titular pun! Peter 100% would have made that! We all saw him build a Death Star!

So. Tiniest change in the side-pairing list becaaause I realized that unlike the MCU I am not bound by who has the rights to what character and I can actually make T'Challa/Storm happen here! Now, this will not entail a full-blown X-Men/Avengers crossover because that'd just be too many fucking characters, and it will also not be the exact X-Men movie Avengers, because that timeline is so fucked at this point I have no idea what is happening there. I'll take my Storm from X-Men: Evolution and I genuinely believe she and MCU!T'Challa would be a nice match-up.

Also, I made some MINOR adjustments to Ragnarök. I just, I am physically incapable of writing a bastardization like that movie did of Hela. Loki as the adopted son of Odin and all that jazz, I have come to accept as the ~Marvel AU fanfiction~ to Norse mythology, but that that movie fucked not just Norse mythology but also the comics over by having Hela as the daughter of Odin...? I can't. I refuse. And I want to keep the option open to introduce Hela, daughter of Loki, to Tony at one point in this fic. So instead, have random Marvel OC daughter of Odin be the villain of the movie, because I don't care about that character and it still perfectly works, everything in the movie happened just the way it did, only that evil villain lady's name was not Hela but Aldrif.

Now, to the next chapter! We will meet Jane and Darcy and do some recruiting for the new Avengers! ;)