Cap. 10: A Not So Happy Reunion

Thinking his panicked words over a mere second later Steve found the flaw in his statement. When Loki arrived he hadn't known Lucas was even born. Better yet, he didn't know Steve had been caring a child in the first place! So their son was not his aim.

Almost as if he could read Steve's mind, Loki nodded once.

"You get it now, do you not?" Well, he got that part, but the rest… Loki wasn't after Lucas, so his actual target was him?

Before he got to say a word, the ever question-filled voice of Tony butted in.

"Since when has Goldilocks' evil stepbrother begun fancying Capsicle?"

Natasha and Bruce stared resignedly at him, joined by a sigh from Clint.

"Seriously, Stark? Now? Every heard about the word 'timing'?"

"What? A man's gotta know that kind of stuff-"

"Tony don't, please. Not, not now," tried Bruce, making Tony sulk for himself with his arms crossed over his chest. Bruce looked about ready to comfort him, but stayed put.

Steve was still at a lot of what to do. Everything, being in the tower again, seeing his former teammates and… and Loki, just standing there, saying he had come for him so casually? It was like a grand mix of a dream and a nightmare.

"Steven?" Thor's vibrating voice caught him from his own thoughts. He sounded concerned.

"Locked away… Was to be taken home for a proper trial for his crimes, and punished thereafter, -that's what you said. Remember that, Thor?"

"Ay, I do."

"Then what is he doing here?" Why was it so difficult to keep breathing evenly? He almost had to force the air down his throat, just to keep the world from spinning out of control. Was he hyperventilating?

"Things have… changed."

"Changed? But wh-" Steve began, turning towards the Thunder God. He still kept Lucas safe in his grip, even though said boy fought bravely to keep track of his second father, much to Steve's frustration. A controlled voice interrupted him, however.

"To be an ounce more accurate, nothing have changed. It have just, how should I put it, stepped clearly into the light?" Lucas succeeded in getting an arm free of Steve's rather tight hold of him and caught something pale in his small fingers. One of Loki's digits. Intense green eyes stared straight back at the toddler, then abruptly sneaked over and caught Steve's own. It overwhelmed him so much he reflexively tried to back away, only to have an arm creep around him to rest on his lower back, hindering his retreat. The new proximity of Loki made his pulse rise and his hands sweaty. His back was forcefully pressed towards the Trickster God, and with one arm fighting desperately to keep Lucas somewhat away from Loki, it left only one arm to push the ravenette away. Not that it helped. The solid chest of Loki didn't give an inch. Shoot.

Feeling his cheeks flush even more by Loki's proximity, Steve raised his chin to stare right back at him.

"Why me? Why not somebody else, anybody else?"

A not so subtle click ripped Steve away from those ocean-deep orbs of green that made Loki's eyes, freezing in his spot pressed against the soft leather of Loki's armor.

"Yeah, I would like to know that too. Care to step away from Captain and then answer a few questions of mine, Loki?" The gruff almost cold voice of Nick Fury, better known as the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., usually succeeded in making all around him feel small and leave them with a feeling that they are about to get their ears yelled off, and this time it didn't disappoint either.

Loki tilted his head ever so slowly to one side in wonder, his eyes never leaving Steve's for a second. A smirk was about to cross his lips when Thor stepped in front of him, shielding him from Fury. The following noises from behind Steve made him aware that the director wasn't alone. The many different nearly-silent intakes of breath gave at least 5 or 6 agents away.

"Director, this is a matter of interplanetary importance,-"

"Interplanetary anything my ass! Why the hell isn't that thing behind bars, or in a cave or whatever the fuck it is you do with prisoners in Asgard? Huh? I won't feel sorry for blowing his behind to pieces. All you had to do was ask, no need to bring him over." Okay, Nick had been angry before. From somewhere far away, a place uncountable miles away from Loki and his unbelievably captivating eyes, Steve knew he had to do something to stop this mess from escalating even further than it already had. But.. Why? Why not keep standing on his feet with his son close to his chest and his heart finally at peace? He hadn't felt so calm and at ease within himself since… Well, ever. It felt right. So why, oh why did Nick's disturbing voice keep butting in, trying to destroy all that?

Voices mumbled, some loud enough of bug into his peaceful place-of-mind but not overly so. Then something… changed.

"..-aring at him! Stop it! Now! I will shoot, I don't care if your papa is a big someone in Asgard, but here I get the final word, understand?! So STOP staring at him, God dammit!" Nick was furious, and it gave Steve the chills. He felt so, so dizzy. Lucas tightened his grip on him, finally letting go of Loki to bury in head in the crotch of Steve's neck.

Wait, Lucas? Why was he? While the world wouldn't stop spinning Steve tried to get an overview of whatever happened around him. Turning his head he saw Nick Fury backed up by a good handful of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, in front of him, away from Loki and Thor, stood the other Avengers. 'Tasha with a sinister-looking knife, Clint with his full-out stretched bow with an arrow at the ready, Bruce taking strained breaths while clenching his hands so his knuckles looked white and Tony who… Stood with a wrench? How, when had he fetched himself a-, never mind…

Looking over his shoulder, Steve caught a glimpse of Thor's staggering shoulders. He emitted eternal resignation.

"I have no reason to fight any of your underlings, Fury. But the All Father will have to hear about this, and he will not be pleased with what has transpired this day. He will want to have a say in this matter as well."

Nick didn't even use a second to think the unsaid threat through before answering the Asgardian.

"Oh yeah? Then we better prepare a banquette for his Royal Highness, don't we? But until then." He made a not so subtle gesture for Thor to go away, and the far taller Blond nodded in defeat.

Loki didn't say anything when Thor turned on his heel to face him, giving him a certain glance which could have meant anything. Loki gave him a barely visible nod in return before leaning in on Steve, his hair tickling his ear shell.

"The next time I come will be different. Then I won't be leaving without you, nor our son. Until then." Loki's lips peaked his forehead while his hand ran through Lucas' hair. He mumbled something to the boy which made him giggle softly and let go of Steve. The absent support left him falling directly onto his butt, all the while Loki kept his green eyes on him. He smiled and then stood by Thor's side. All eyes were on the Asgardians when suddenly;

"Heimdal? Let us home." A mere split-second later a bright fall of colours fell on top of the two, and just like that, they were gone.

Barely had he seen it, before another, more horrible thought caught up to Steven's fogged mind; how the hell did he explain himself out of this?!