(Hey guys! Look, I'm thinking about rewriting Does It Have To Be This Way? Comment and tell me what you think. I might just do it anyway, the writing sucks bad.))
Asia wiped her nose with the back of her hand. Officially, at midnight, she would be thirteen years old. But, the supposed Speical occasion had been ruined by Thanos. He had told her the truth about something she never should have known. He was her father, not Tony Stark. Her whole life was literally a lie.
She wiped her eyes again, and sniffled. It had taken her from May 7th, the day Miloranis was born, until November 30th. The day before her birthday. For months, she had begged and pleaded for answers so she could fully understand why Thanos had said what he did. Her mother had explained what had happened, and why it did, but as gently as possible.
"So, I'm NOT a Stark?" She had whispered. Loki shook his head sadly. "But why did..."
"Asia, just because Thanos made you, doesn't mean he's your father. I am. I raised you, took care of you when you were sick. Asia, you're still my little girl." Tony had pleaded. That was when she took sobbing. They still didn't know where she was.
Asia was sitting on The roof of Stark Tower. The only person who knew she was there was Hel. She had known the entire time, but had tired to persuade The Starks to tell her the truth. It was essential. There was a small click as someone walked towards her.
"Go away, Hel, I don't want to talk." Asia said, looking away from her guest. The person sat next to her.
"Asia-Hope, just because you are alone, does not mean you can assume who has found you." Jorgmun sighed. She looked at him confused.
"I thought you hated me and Derek." She dried her eyes.
"Despite what I claim, no. I do not hate you. You are my younger sister, and I wish to protect you. If I could, I would gladly kill Thanos." He patted her shoulder awkwardly. "Do not hate your father, Sister. He only wishes the best for you."
"Why are you telling me this?" She looked at his glowing human like green eyes. He looked so much like Loki, it scared Asia.
"For the longest time, I have hated my father. And I do not wish you to suffer the way I have."
"I'm still lost, but whatever."
"Asia, you see how your parents care for each other yes?"
"Yeah."
"My father once cared for my mother the same way. When we believed her to have been murdered, he mourned for a long time. Losing my mother drove him to do things he never would have normally done. Then one day, he realized he didn't have to suffer. My father let her go, at least in his heart, and moved on. Tat that moment, I began to hate him. He slept with many people, both men and women, yet I knew he was unhappy. When he returned to Asgard after he attacked the city, All four of us were there. My sister, and my brothers. We begged our grandfather to lighten his sentence, for he had been sentenced to solitary confinement in the prison, and he was sent here to live. We believed he would beg to be sent to the Asgardian prison, yet he grew happy again. It was a shock to everyone. Yet, I suppose it ended for the better." Jorgmun explained. His eyes were distant.
"I didn't know any of that." Asia whispered.
"Of course not, when your mother wishes to hide something, it is hidden." He scoffed, as if Asia should have known that. She giggled.
"You're right. I just don't want to face the truth yet." The girl laid her head on her knees. "Do I have to go inside?"
"At some time, yes. I believe you wish to see your younger brother?" Jorgmun raised an eyebrow.
"I do." She sat up, and stretched. "Jorgmun?" He looked at her. Asia hugged her brother. "Thanks." He was rigged, and uncomfortable, but he patted her back.
Tony sat in his lab, avoiding the inevitable. Pepper's wrath. This was the third Chemo treatment he had intentionally missed, And she had said if he missed anymore, she was going to decapitate him. Or something along those lines.
"Anthony Edward Stark!" She screamed. He winced noticeably.
"Thanks for the warning, JARVIS." He murmured.
"Your quiet welcome sir." The AI replied happily, getting a grumble from the genius.
"Three! Three damn appointments!" She stormed down into the lab. "Do you want to see your kids graduate!?" She crossed her arms.
"Pep,-"
"It's cancer, Tony! You can't take this lightly!" She gave an exasperated sigh.
"Pep, listen. I don't want the chemo. I don't need it."
"Yes you do! You're completely avoiding the fact fact that you have Stage three liver cancer!" She slammed the papers on his desk. Loki was at the top of the stairs, listening quietly.
"Pep, don't shout! I told Loks it was only stage one." He admitted.
"Why? You know how much he-"
"I couldn't bring myself to say it. I don't him to go back to that depression he was in when we found out about that pr- whole thing with the twins. You saw him! This would kill him!" Tony explained. Never once had the thought of hurting Loki crossed his mind.
"Anthony!" Loki called, deciding to descend the stairs.
"Hey, Baby!" Tony grinned. Saved again by the man he loved.
"I have something that may help you." Loki set a golden drink in front of him.
"What is it?" He picked it up, looking curiously at it.
"An Asgardian recipe. And, if you ever wish to lie with me again , you'll drink it." Loki threatened. Tony gave him a wide eyed look. He took a large drink, and smiled.
"Damn! That's good!" The inventor chugged the rest, and Pepper gave Loki a confused look.
"As I said, it's an Asgardian recipe." Loki winked, promising with it to explain it later.
"Now why did you-"
"I heard yours and Ms. Potts conversation. And if you a lie to me again, I will leave you." With that, the god turned on his heel and left the lab. Tony sighed.
"I warned you." She said. There was a light rap on the lab Door.
"Come in!" Tony called, turning back to his desk. Asia poked her head inside the door. She was wearing a sweatshirt with the hood up, despite the warmth in the tower. "Hey kiddo!"
"Um, Daddy?" She smiled weakly. Pepper gave her a look.
"What's up?" He asked.
"I'm not mad anymore."
"And?"
"Please don't be mad at me." She bit her lip. Tony gave her an I'll-decide-when-you-tell-me look. Asia slipped the hood off, revealing her now very short, and badly cut hair.
"Sophia Elizabeth! What the hell did you do to your hair!?" He screamed. Loki took long strides back into the room, having heard him.
"Asia-Hope!" Loki gasped. One side was shorter than the other, it was choppy.
"I would have informed you, sir, but Miss Hope has found a way to mute me through out the entire building." JARVIS chimed.
"Damn it! How did you turn yourself back on!?" She looked toward the ceiling. Tony glared at her.
"Mouth."
"I have an automatic reboot."
"Sh-Crap." She twisted the longer bit of her in her fingers. Loki grabbed her arm, and sat her in a chair.
"Stay there until I get the shears." Loki order. She nodded. Derek came downstairs.
"What's going- Woah." He stared at Asia. "Sis, I know you hate Monica, but you didn't have to chop off your hair to try to be better than her." He scratched his head, while she face palmed.
"I'll let you hash this out, Tony." Pepper said, leaving. He nodded.
"Who's Monica?"
"The girl at school who's been giving Asia a hard time. She's really mean to her. I thought she told you guys."
"Told us what?" Loki had a comb and the same shears Asia had cut her hair with.
"This Monica girl has been giving Asia a hard time at school. That's why she cut her hair." Tony instinctively reached for a glass of whiskey that wasn't there. He sighed. Loki began to trim and even his daughter's hair.
"Monica is the name of a prostitute." He said blatantly. Asia giggled.
"She's just a bitch. I hate her. She has long flowing straight blonde hair, and she's always teasing me about my hair. I hated having my hair, so I put it up in pony tail, and lopped it off. No biggie." She lied. Asia wasn't just hiding her hair.
"Yeah, it kind of is. Why didn't you say anything?"
"I was a little preoccupied trying to find out something else." She sighed. Loki shook his head.
"Take off this infernal sweatshirt." He waited. Asia didn't move. "I said, take it off."
"No." The inventor and the god both went wide eyed.
"Excuse me?"
"Asia, your mom Said to take off the shirt."
"And I said no." She fidgeted.
"I thought you stopped c-"
"Derek!"
"Stopped what, young man?"
"Nothing daddy!"
"Then take off the sweater!"
"Asia, you promised you were going to stop." Derek whispered.
"I did! I swear! I just..."
"You just what? Broke another promise to me?"
"D, I stopped cutting, I swear!" Asia pleaded. She covered her mouth as soon as she realized what she had admitted.
"You were what?" she finally peeled off the hoodie. Scars decorated her arms, as did fresh looking cuts.
"Sophie..." Tony breathed. "What that girl doing to you?" he gently took her arms in both hands. She winced.
"I can't stand it, Daddy. I don't want to do it, but I can't stop either." Tears welled in her arms.
"Derek, go upstairs." Tony said. He obeyed. "Asia, you're a football and lacrosse player. What would happen if your coach saw these?"
"I would lose my spot on the team." Loki finished up her hair, stroking it softly.
"Kiddo, no problem is worth this. Your mom and I , and despite what you think, Derek, we all love you. More than anything. Even little Milo." Tony said. He was crouched in front of her. She was crying.
"I know. It's just with everything that happened recently, with you being sick, and Monica, that evil fucking bitch-"
"Mouth. Sophie, you don't have to do this. We love you, very much, and don't worry about me. I feel ten times better. So, I'll be okay. I don't want see you do this anymore, okay?" His voice was gentle and kind. She nodded. Tony kissed every scar on her arms, some causing her to giggle. "I'm going to start checking, okay? If I see anymore, I'm sending you for professional help."
"Square deal."
"Square deal. Come on, it's late, and your birthday is tomorrow." She got up.
"And, Asia?" Loki smiled softly. "Your grounded."
"For what?!"
"Two weeks, because you cut your hair." Loki crossed his arms over his chest.
"Okay." She stalked upstairs.
"Loks, do you think we've done okay by them?"
"I do, Anthony, I truly do." 2,921 days left with his son, and every second was going to break his heart.
