Chapter 4

A matter of family

NOTES:

Hi everyone and welcome back again for a brand new chapter!

Just a little heads up! This chapter will contain Tony rambling a little about his tools... We did our very best to make Tony sound as Tony-ish and smart as possible but in all honesty, we had not idea on what kind of tools our dearest playboy uses soooo... Please bare with it XD

Anyway, hope you will enjoy!

'Maybe our concern and worry got the better of us...' Thor said after letting out a sigh, his eyes guiltily looking up the stairs where the interrogated had vanished to. 'I am certain my brother and Peter will come to understand all was in good intention, if they will hear our apologies.'

'Yeah, we really should apologize to them…' Steve agreed, rubbing the back of his head with one hand, his feet dangling slightly as he sat on the kitchen table.

'Well, things wouldn't have gotten out of hand like this if they just told the truth from the begi-' but Tony stopped mid-sentence as he saw Steve's eyes staring at him. Eventually, he nodded, 'Okay, you're right, maybe I let myself go, a little…'

'A little?' Steve repeated with a smirk that required further explanation.

'Fine, a lot,' Tony admitted, 'I was just concerned, that's all... And this awful headache is just not helping, at all.'

'Well, you did drink quite a lot, so no wonder,' Steve chuckled, looking at the mess that normally represented his stylish friend.

'Shut up, Rogers.'

Steve looked at his friend in surprise, but could not help but laugh. 'You'll survive Tony, don't worry. You're a big boy,' Steve smiled, watching as Tony adjusted his sunglasses a little.

'Are you sure, nurse? I think, it might be really bad,' Tony chuckled, trying to put on a worried face.

'Nurse?' Thor asked, interrupting their little conversation. 'Like a Midgardian Healer? I did not know you had medical training, Captain.'

'No, Thor, I...'

'Yes, Steve's an excellent nurse, you know, bringing soup when you're struck down by a cold, maybe even BRING AN ASPERIN when one is suffering from a pounding headache,' Tony smirked, placing the back of his hand against his forehead in a dramatic pose.

Steve laughed at the theatrical display and turned his attention back to the god. 'Unfortunately, I'm not, Thor, but I am telling you that if I were, I would take pride in knowing that I was able to save people by healing them rather than by hurting others.'

'Nurse Rogers?' Tony let out in a whiny voice, unable to hide his smile.

'Thought I would not mind letting some people suffer just a little longer,' Steve smirked, shaking his head a little. 'That is not the Stark mentality, Tony, get off that sofa and get yourself an aspirin if you need it so bad. There's nothing wrong with your legs.'

'Okay, I did not want to bring this up, but my knees hurt, now and then,' Tony started with a chuckle but his expression suddenly became worried as he stared past Steve and Thor.

'Serious? Who's the old guy now, huh?' Steve sniggered, but his laugh died as soon as he saw the expression on his friend's face. Both the Captain and Thor turned around and saw the cause of Tony's worried expression.

'Hey guys,' Bucky said with a faint chuckle, hardly looking at the people in front of him. His dark brown hair was messy, his eyes circled in black, but the most noticeable and painful of all was his mechanical arm, which dangled loosely from his shoulder, twitching at random.

'Buck? What hap-' Steve wanted to ask worriedly, but his friend interrupted him.

'Don't ask, I can't remember,' Bucky stated as he looked at his arm with a scoffing chuckle, 'I sure would like to know though.'

'...Well, at least you won't be needing your eye-liner today,' Tony remarked with a grin, earning him a deadly glare from both soldiers.

'Tony, you think you could fix that?' Steve asked, pointing at Bucky's robotic arm.

'Of course I can,' Tony replied, planning to leave it at that, but as the three men were now staring at him, he rolled his eyes, 'Fine, I'll take a look at it.' He walked over to Bucky, taking a closer look at the metallic arm, only now noticing all the scars on the man's shoulder. 'Can you still move it?'

'I guess,' Bucky said and he tried to move his arm, sparks nearly blinding him as they flew into his face.

'Okay, yeah, that's damaged pretty bad,' Tony said as he took a step back. 'Come sit on the table, I'll fix it before you and your Fourth of July arm set my kitchen on fire.'

'Tempting,' Bucky smirked.

'I know, just resist that temptation for now, okay?' Tony said with a smirk. 'Now, let's see.'

'Want me to get some of your tools, Tony?' Steve asked in an attempt to be of use.

'Uh, yeah, looks like I will be needing a slot drive, and Pozidriv bit, of course... Seriously, who created this thing? Okay, I will need my welding machine and,' Tony mumbled, his eyes locked on his new project, which sparked at his hands again. He yelped, after which he looked at Bucky, 'I hope that was the last time you planned on moving?'

'I didn't...'

'Steve, can you just fetch me my tools?' Tony continued. 'Oh, and bring reinforced iron scissors as well, I'm not sure whether I'll need them, but you know, just in case.'

'You're gonna use a what now?' Bucky asked, a little worried.

'Relax, soldier, I'm planning on working on your mechanical arm. I'm that kind of doctor.'

As Steve was still standing in the same place, looking around in a haze of slight panic, Tony sighed and looked at his friend. 'Nurse, did you understand anything of what I just said?'

'Not all of it, unfortunately...' Steve admitted, his cheeks coloring slightly.

'Don't worry, Cap,' Tony smiled reassuringly, 'I'll make sure Friday will guide you to the right ones.'

Guided by the artificial intelligence, Steve made his way through Tony's workplace. After about half an hour he finally returned, carrying way more than Tony had asked for. The four men then all looked up as they heard two pair of feet walking their way down the stairs.

'Maybe it was not such a good idea after all to ask you about all that has happened last night,' Loki chuckled as he and Peter walked down the stairs.

'Ignorance is bliss, isn't that what they say?' Peter said with a sassy smirk, gaining a nudge in his side which nearly made him shriek, but he controlled himself and merely smiled. He then noticed the others in the kitchen, and his attention was immediately taken up by Tony's project. 'Wow, Mr. Barnes, what happened to your arm?!'

'This reminds me of a movie we watched a short while ago,' Loki said as he leaned forward a little and observed the vibranium arm with care, 'What was it again?' he asked, looking at Steve.

'Uh, yeah, wasn't it something called Terminator?' Steve tried, looking at Tony to verify his guess, but his friend did not notice this at all.

'Yes, indeed, though something is missing... Oh, I know,' Loki smirked, swiftly grabbing Tony's sunglasses and placing them on Bucky. 'There, much better.'

'Hey!' Tony grumpily said.

'They'll be back,' Loki said with a grin, looking at Bucky whether he would laugh, but the Winter Soldier was staring moodily at him through the sunglasses.

'Trickster, just a heads up: when Stark's done with my arm, I'm gonna test it on you,' Bucky warned him with a smirk.

'But really, Mister Barnes,' Peter quickly intervened, 'What happened?'

'I am fine, kid,' Bucky reassured with as much of a smile as he could conjure.

'But who did this?' Peter asked, still a little worried as he took a closer look.

Bucky opened his mouth, feeling the desire to tell the teen to mind his own business, but a short and sharp pain ran through his shoulder. He glared at Tony, who was fiddling with the tech and gave him a sharp look.

'Oops,' was all Tony said, his eyes telling Bucky to play nicely.

'I could help too, Tony, if you would like,' Peter said in enthusiasm, searching for the right equipment, 'Uhm, where are your tools? Should I go get them?'

'Ask nurse Rogers, he put them somewhere,' Tony chuckled, noticing the Captain's suppressed smile as he said the words.

'Nurse?' Peter asked surprised and he looked at Steve, 'I did not know you were a nurse, that's so cool!'

'Long story, the tools are over there, next to the sink,' Steve said with a smile, hearing his fellow soldier chuckle from the table.

'Nurse Steven Grant Rogers,' Bucky smiled, looking at his slightly embarrassed friend, his smile only broadening as he imagined the blonde with the iconic white cap in his hair, decorated with a red cross.

'Okay, let's see,' Peter said, glancing at the tools, 'Steve, why is there a...'

'Just, just grab whatever you need, Peter, I have no idea what all of that is, I just hope it will come in useful,' Steve replied, still smiling, though his smile was a little more defeated now.

'Yeah, no, sure, these will all come in useful, I'm sure,' Peter reassured him. 'Here, Tony! You need this, right?'

'I do, but why don't you handle that part, Pete? You're good with tech, right?'

'Really?! Okay!' Peter said with a bright smile as he started to work on the metal arm.

Bucky threw Tony a questioning glance in which a hint of panic became visible, but Tony smiled and nodded reassuringly.

'… Peter,' Steve eventually said, almost breaking the teen's concentration, 'About this morning's conversation...'

'What about it?' Peter asked absentmindedly, his face hovering over the metal project as he tried to get two miniature wires to connect to each other.

'We just wanted to tell you,' Steve said, starting out hesitantly, but straightening his posture as he continued, 'We are sorry, that we basically forced you to talk. It wasn't right.'

'We were just worried kid, that's all,' Tony added as he lowered his tool and looked at the concentrated teen at his side.

'Hey, it's what parents do, right?' Peter said cheerily while continuing to work on the project, but he froze as he realized what he just said. 'I mean guardians! Mentors! Uh, friends who look after you, you know, that kind of stuff...'

Tony and Steve stared at Peter for a moment and laughed, partly out of awkwardness, partly to show their good will, and perhaps also because the comment meant something more to them, something they could not name just yet.

'So, friend,' Steve said with a smile after a while, 'We're good?'

'We're good,' Peter said with a bright smile.

'And Loki,' Tony started, forcing himself to say it, 'We're sorry, we weren't very nice to you either.'

'I will accept your apologies after you kneel down and beg for forgiveness,' Loki said, acting like he didn't care for the conversation at all as he took a large bite out of an apple. 'All three of you,' he added, looking at Steve and his brother.

'Well, I'm sorry,' Tony said as he stood up and faced the trickster, 'But this is all the apology you're gonna get.'

'How disappointing,' the raven responded, though he was unable to hide his genuine smile any longer. 'But I am prepared, good-hearted as I am, to forgive you all.'

'So, all's in the past now?' Tony said after shaking his head with a smile, eager to get back to his project.

'Yes, you may find comfort in the fact that this generous god has forgiven you,' Loki smiled.

'Thanks,' Tony said with a smirk as he turned back to his project. 'I'm moved by your modesty and your willingness to forgive us humble human beings. Really touched my heart there, Lokes.'

The attention of the four men was then brought back to the soldier on the table who let out a loud hiss in pain.

'Oh my God! I'm so sorry Mister Barnes!' Peter hastily apologized as he immediately dropped his tools. 'Are you alright?!'

'I'm fine! Just undo whatever you just did!' Bucky said, grinding his teeth as the pain caused convulsions in his metal arm and the attached shoulder.

'Uhm, yeah, of course!' the teen replied, but his sudden insecurity got the best of him. 'Tony, please help!' he squeaked, blinded by his panic.

'Okay, move aside, Pete,' Tony said reassuringly as he watched the heavily shaking arm. 'Alright, I see what is going on,' he mumbled in concentration as he pulled a wire out of its socket and slightly adjusted a little screw. 'There. You can continue, Pete.'

'Thanks Tony...' Peter said and he picked up his tools. 'But, maybe I shouldn't...' he added as he watched the Winter Soldier catching his breath.

'Nonsense. It went well so far, right?' Tony said as he patted the teen's back with a kind smile. 'Nothing that can't be fixed, Pete. We're not going to let one little set-back get the better of us now, are we?'

'I guess so,' Peter said and he looked at the soldier on the table, who kept his eyes on the ceiling, '… Do you still want me to continue, Mister Barnes?'

'Of course I do,' Bucky replied as he relaxed a little, trying his best to give the teen a little reassurance. 'Just don't do that specific thing again, alright?'

'Roger that, Mr. Barnes,' Peter said with a smile as he started to work on the arm again, a little more hesitant at first, but finding his flow soon enough.

'Oh, your glasses, Stark,' Bucky said as he handed the metal doctor his glasses back.

'Thanks, Barnes.'

In the meantime, Thor and Loki stood next to each other, about five feet of space separating them. They stared at the four men in front of them. The Captain was looking at Bucky with a warm and caring smile, Bucky merely smiling back, and although he did not say anything, his face clearly showed his gratitude. Then there were Peter and Tony, working together on the man's arm, consulting together on how to fix the broken parts, though Peter was mostly following Tony's instructions, listening carefully and learning all he could.

'Brother,' Thor began, breaking the silence between them, 'I believe an apology is in order.'

'You seriously want me to apologize to you?' Loki asked in disbelief, squinting his eyes a little.

'No, no, not at all,' Thor quickly corrected himself, only now looking at the raven, 'It is I who should make an apology to you, so…'

'It is quite alright, Thor,' Loki then said, 'I am certain that you humiliated me, sided with your Midgardian friends and invaded my privacy with all good intentions, like you always do,' Loki replied coldly, his eyes staring forward.

'So... All is well between us?' Thor ventured to ask.

'It is,' Loki answered with a slight smile. 'Forgiven, but not forgotten,' he added, 'Though, if you were to kneel...'

'You are not seriously suggesting I...'

'No,' Loki answered, rolling his eyes with a sigh. 'It was merely an amusing thought, nothing more.'

'Always glad to talk with you, brother,' Thor said happily, a wide grin on his face while patting the raven's back just a little too hard.

'Likewise,' Loki uttered half-sarcastically after he had regained the breath his brother had so lovingly patted out of him.

NOTES:

And that's it for this chapter!

Hope you liked it, please let us know in a review. See you awesome people in three days :D