A more light-hearted chapter than the previous ones. Enjoy!

Chapter 5 – Just Another Day…

Tony had decided to get up early. For once. He'd wanted doughnuts for breakfast, and he would have just called someone to deliver it, but Pepper had ordered him to go get them himself.

"If you're going to eat nothing but junk, then at least get some exercise by going down the street to get it," she'd said.

And that was what he'd done.

On his way back into the lobby, he met the eyes of one of the tower's receptionists; a tall, skinny kid called Norman Perfide. After the famous 'Battle of New York,' Tony had been tempted to fire him because he'd looked a lot like Loki with his jet black hair and green eyes, but after Pepper had talked him out of it, the young man had been allowed to keep working at the tower.

"Morning, sir," Norman greeted. His voice was rather different from Loki's; American with a somewhat Scottish accent to it. Tony was grateful for that, it meant he was less likely to have a panic attack in front of the guy.

"Hey, kid," Tony managed through a mouthful of doughnut. "And it's 'Tony,' not 'sir.' How're your brother and sisters?"

"Fen's just got back from fixing up Washington after that incident a few months ago. Last I saw him, he was passed out on the couch. Lucille's alright. Her sleep pattern's getting messed up again, but other than that, yeah. Her job at Costa's been going alright. Said she had a visit from you guys two weeks ago."

"That was her? Cap said she'd looked familiar. Damn, I should have asked her about you! She's hot, too. Let her know I said that."

"Hehe, Thalia went crazy when she heard you and Mr. Rogers were at Luci's job, it was as if someone had given her ten cans of Cola at once. She's still looking for a job though. I was actually hoping to put in a good word to you for her. She's a hard worker and pretty dedicated to mechanics and electronics. Think you'd consider giving her a chance with the industry?"

"I'll think about it. In the meantime, take five minutes off, you've been working yourself to death all week. Go get some breakfast! Pepper says you've been skipping it to get to work on time."

"Really, sir? I'm just fine-."

"You. Canteen. Now," Tony ordered, giving Norman a stern look that ended up dissolving within moments. "Tell the staff I let you go."

"Thank you sir-. I mean Tony."

"No problem. Now go! Someone else can handle the appointments while you're out."

With a brief nod and a friendly smile, Norman immediately got up from his seat behind the chrome steel and glass work desk and made his way to the staff canteen. Chuckling, Tony made his own way to the elevator. Norman was a nice guy, one of the few employees of Stark Industries that Tony managed to get along with and trust. He also loved his sisters to bits from what he'd managed to get from the guy, and he'd seen glimpses of Norman fighting the Chitauri in footage of the Battle of New York, confirming Tony's assumption of him being crazily protective over them as well.

"Good morning, sir," said Tony's AI JARVIS. "The penthouse, I assume."

"Correct as usual, JARVIS," Tony quipped, chewing on another doughnut. He had several more boxes in his backpack, enough for the whole team. Maybe this time Clint would come out from hiding in the rafters, air vents and the room he'd taken over and locked down. "And wake up the others too. Tell 'em that if they don't get their asses into the penthouse, they don't get breakfast.

"Right away, sir."

Once in the penthouse, Tony immediately laid out the multiple doughnut boxes on the coffee table in the living room. Then he made straight for the coffee maker.

"Sweet, sweet coffee," Tony uttered, taking a hefty swig of the life-giving brew.

"What's so great about breakfast that we can't miss it, Tony?" yawned Bruce just as he came into the room.

"I got doughnuts!" Tony announced. "And I went all the way down the block to get them."

"Thank you," Bruce said, barely holding back a sarcastic comment. Instead he sat down on the cream couch and helped himself to a doughnut. The moment he bit into it, he was surprised by the chocolate filling that squirted into his lap. "Tony, got any tissues?"

"Coming right up!"

A roll of tissues hit Bruce in the back of the head.

Thor was the next person in, still in the Thor pyjamas that Tony had originally given to him as a joke. He immediately helped himself to a doughnut, announcing that the kitchens of Asguard needed the recipe for them. Then came Steve through the elevator, back from his early morning run. He'd already had breakfast, but he had a doughnut anyway.

Natasha came in with Pepper, who chose to have cereal instead of doughnuts, but ate one of the pastries each anyway to stop Tony from complaining to them.

"Where's Bird Brain?" Tony demanded, making himself another coffee.

"Right here," Clint muttered, walking into the room at last.

"It's rude to hide yourself from your hosts, you know."

"I was never taught that rule of etiquette."

"Clint, shut up and have breakfast with the team for once," Natasha retorted.

"Come, friend Barton!" Thor boomed, living up to his name as Thunderer. "We shall eat these legendary doughnuts together!"

"Thor, inside voices please," Tony chided, not being very quiet himself.

The rest of the morning was spent with the Avengers feasting on the excessive amount of doughnuts that Tony had bought, generally just relaxing and enjoying the prospect of not having any Earth-shaking missions to worry about.

I think we all know who Norman really is. Sort of... If not then I'm a bad writer...

That last line from Tony is a reference to that famous 'Malk' scene that everyone likes to make animation parodies of. Seriously. Go on YouTube and look it up.