Jane was suspicious to say the least.
Her eyes followed the god warily as she closed the front door behind them both, sealing them back inside the warm house. They'd just been out to dinner. Dinner. She knew Thor was trying to treat her lately – but dinner?! Surely, something was up.
The mysterious, cheeky grin that Thor had worn all night only served to fuel her suspicions further. He turned in the hallway, arms bracing casually against either wall as he poised in the middle of the corridor. His muscular form was dressed in a smart suit, the top buttons of his crisp white shirt now undone and his tie loose around his neck. His luscious blond hair had been combed back, but now stray strands flopped into his bright blue eyes adorably as he smiled at her. God, he looked gorgeous!
Jane's hand hovered consciously over her bump, feeing the feather light material of the floaty dress she wore. "What?" she asked with a shy smile, watching Thor's eyes scour over her.
They lifted to her face lovingly.
His arms dropped from the walls, and Jane found herself grinning as Thor strode forward with lazy swaggering steps and wrapped them around her, drawing her in close. A light blush pricked at her cheeks.
The smile settled firmly on Thor's face as he gazed down at her dotingly. "You look beautiful tonight, Jane." He breathed softly, blue eyes simply glowing with adoration.
Jane grinned and relaxed into the embrace. Her heart melted in her chest at his butter-soft tone and the words it sung, but her mind was less easy to deceive: "You're up to something, mister." She murmured playfully as he pecked a tender kiss to her cheek.
Thor smirked mischievously and merely shrugged. "If I am, you'll thank me for it later."
Jane's lips pressed together, and she let Thor's seductive voice draw her in for once. She lost herself in his alluring pools of blue as his fingers slyly laced with hers and he stepped back, easing her with him.
Her head tipped dreamily to the side, letting him lead her through the house with a boyish look on his face she simply loved. Her heart started to ease slightly; if it was something bad he'd been dining with her to get away from, he wouldn't be smiling like that. Would he? No, she thought, smiling and laughing to break the silence as Thor led her though the sitting room to the back door.
The curtains were closed, Jane's keen eye spotting how they were subtly tied to the handle of the open back door. She started to get curious again.
Thor's eyes shone with excitement as he took up his place by the open back door, barring the cool, crisp air that drafted the house. Jane caned her neck to see around him; all she caught was a slither of the low light of dusk, beautiful against the landscape, though the closed over curtain hid most of the view through the sliding glass doors.
The god released one of her hands to lean it against the door. His eyes rolled out to stare through the gap of the door and Jane tried to peer around him to see what he was looking at, but his hulking frame filled the doorway too fully to let her peek.
He didn't deny her for long though; his hand pushed firmly at the door, sliding it open. The curtain slid with it, exposing their vast back land to Jane at last.
Her jaw dropped.
A sea of smiling faces greeted her with the light rush of the chilled air outside, and Jane grinned. Their friends and family were all sat in chairs, camped around a small mountain of pink and blue wrapped gifts. A table laden with sweet iced cupcakes was behind them all, a banner propped up overhead: Happy Baby Shower!, it read. Odin and Frigga's unmistakable pink flower and blue hammer graced either side of the words.
Thor's warm hands cupped Jane's shoulders gently as he draped his jacket over them, leaning his mouth by her ear. "Happy baby shower, Jane."
Jane forgot how to walk as Thor eased her forward. "You… you did this for me?" Jane was grinning ear to ear, glancing back over her shoulder at her god as she stepped numbly out of the house. Dinner hadn't been a make-up at all, she realized – It had been a distraction. An excuse to get Jane out of the house while Thor planned this for their return.
"With Lady Pepper's aid." Thor conceded sweetly, casting a polite nod to Pepper. "She informed me it was a Midgardian tradition."
Pepper Potts smiled back at him, her hand covering Tony's on the arm of his chair. The pair was at the center of the party, Darcy and Loki to their left, and Odin and Frigga beside them. On the right hand of the genius and the organizer sat Bruce and Steve, then Natasha, Clint and Erik, two empty seats, which Thor was now leading Jane to, completing the circle.
She lowered herself into it slowly and heavily. "Wow," she gasped, ogling at the vast amount of presents that awaited them. "Guys, you really didn't…"
"Of course we did, Jane." Erik grinned from beside her.
"Yeah, Grandparents United wanted to make a big deal of their first grand kids." Tony cheered a little more enthusiastically than was per normal. A sloppy grin was plastered on his face, and Pepper's hand had to move to his shoulder to tug him back as he leaned ridiculously forward. Then Jane caught the bottle in his raised hand and understood perfectly.
Ah, she thought. So Tony had been bribed with booze, it seemed. Looking around she started to notice the bottles in the hands of the other men too, though they looked like they were pacing themselves better than the billionaire was, calm, sober expressions on their faces.
Jane's eyes rolled over Darcy, her and Loki's chairs pressed close enough for the god to have his arm stretched over Darcy's shoulders. She was curled up in her own chair, legs folded conservatively underneath her body. Jane noted how she looked a tad paler than she ought to. Perhaps her recent illness hadn't shed as much as she'd have liked it.
"Feeling better, Darce?" Jane asked softy as their two gazes linked. She could see the thoughts weighing down behind Darcy's eyes, but it was quickly shoved aside when Darcy realized she was being noticed.
A smirk spread on her face, wiping her expression flawlessly clear. "Just awesome." She assured, a healthy brightness pricking her orbs.
Jane forced herself to believe it as Loki chuckled and reached behind them to fetch a cupcake, gently edging it in Darcy's hands. She let herself enjoy the picture for a moment. Loki must be having the time of his life; Darcy wasn't usually the snuggling type. Whatever was wrong with her must have fuddled with her brain slightly.
"Before we begin," Thor's deep soft voice drew her from her thoughts. "We have more news to share."
Thor's announcement momentarily caught Jane by surprise and she shot her eyes to her boyfriend; the knowing look in his bright gaze soon reminded her of what he was talking about though. They'd had a little discussion over dinner.
Her eyes shifted to Darcy and Loki again. Her eyes flashed to life as she realized she was being watched again, feeling targeted, cupcake pausing in its travel to her mouth. "What?"
A grin stretched over Jane's lips and she felt her hand get engulfed in Thor's large one. She squeezed it back. "We want you and Loki to be godparents." She finally sighed, watching the two very different reactions erupt on the couple's faces.
Loki sparked up instantly; his eyes held a shine that reminded Jane of Thor's when he'd first found out he was going to be a father and it reaffirmed in her heart that they'd made the right choice. Darcy herself looked … stunned. Her jaw dropped, cupcake tumbling to the floor in a burst of crumbs and icing. Jane laughed at it as Thor did, the stunned expression on their friend just priceless!
"Me?" Darcy's spluttered, the little remaining colour in her face slipping away smoothly. "I can understand him," she lightly knocked Loki's ribs in indication. "But me?!"
That had been exactly Jane's reaction when Thor had first suggested the idea. They'd expected Darcy to be… well, she wasn't the obvious choice, was she? Or maybe she was. She was Jane's best friend after all and there was no one she would trust more with her babies if something happened to her and Thor. But Darcy wasn't the blatant maternal type, they knew…
"We would be honoured." Loki beamed for them both, Darcy looking too dumbfounded to speak for herself any more. "Then perhaps this gift is one of appreciation as well as pure good will." He added as he reached forward and picked up a blue striped bag from amongst the pile, handing it over to his brother. "Darcy's responsible for the shirt."
Jane caught Darcy's elbow in Loki's ribs as Thor put the bag in her lap, handing over unwrapping rights to her. She grinned like an eager child.
"No!" Darcy suddenly leapt forward from her chair as she noticed where the present had gone, and snatched the bag from on top of Jane's thighs. Raised eye brows and startled expressions met her, but she merely scowled and tossed the bag back to Thor instead. "It's for Thor, not you." She mumbled in explanation, slumping back down in her chair.
Even better, Jane thought, grin spreading afresh at the anxious frowning look that flittered over her boyfriend's face as he glanced down to the bag. She'd be nervous too! Everyone seemed to lean forward a touch as Thor tentatively picked the white material free of the bag and coloured tissue paper within. He held it by the shoulders as he examined the front, and Jane covered her mouth with her hand as she laughed at the cover.
Black letters covered the chest, black tadpole like shapes that were so not tadpoles swimming beneath them – Daddy's Little Squirt. Darcy had done her editing though: an 's' was scrawled on the end in black marker. Appropriate for twins, Jane thought with a grin.
Across the pile, Darcy shot the god a patronizing thumbs up, his bemused expression revealed as he lowered the gift.
"And just so you don't feel left out, Jane, I got you an extra shirt too." Tony suddenly leapt at the opportunity, plucking his gift from the heap and tossing it to her. Her fingers started to rip at the paper. "Call it a baby shower slash initiation process gift. You're more than worthy of Avenger's status in my opinion."
Jane tried to brush off the fringes of suspicion, Tony's tone sounding like the one of someone buttering her up to get something from her. Or maybe he was just making more effort to get more beer from Pepper. There were a noticeable number of discarded bottles littered around his chair. Jane found she wasn't all that bothered either way as she examined the front of her new shirt and the 'I can grow people. What's your superpower?' slogan that spayed it. She grinned shamelessly.
She caught Tony's bright eye over the garment as she lowered it, and the mischievous smile on the genius's face. He looked pretty proud of himself.
"Check out what the Captain got next." He urged, settling closer to Pepper. "And they say I'm obnoxious…"
Steve dug out the appropriate bag and handed it over to Jane with a sheepish grin on his face. "I wanted it to be something personal." He shrugged.
A few seconds later, Jane and Thor were laughing ludicrously at the two matching baby grow suits they held in their hands, each one completely composed of the pattern of the flag of the United States of America. Little matching hats of an identical pattern were included too.
Other gifts were less ostentatious; they got a child's book of Norse mythology from Erik (Thor spending way too much time eagerly reading what it said about himself), wooden carved toys and woven articles of material from Odin and Frigga, a teddy bear from Bruce that was a notable green shade in complexion… various other practical gifts littered the bulk of the presents but Jane and Thor valued the more sentimental ones more. Though Jane had to admit, she was somewhat relieved by the security stuff the two spies had gathered, in the form of stair gates and secure window latches and other things Jane hadn't even thought about needing!
"And I've got the best present yet, big guy." Tony said, leaning back to reach something he'd stashed behind his chair. Thor watched him eagerly.
Jane laughed when the genius pulled out a six pack of beer.
"This is your salvation." Tony tossed the six pack over to Thor, who caught it effortlessly, in the casual way only superheroes could. "Frankly, I'm astounded you've managed to last this long without alcohol, but when the sprogs pop out and the rules are made redundant …" his eyebrows lifted suggestively, finishing his sentence for him.
A smirk stretched on Thor's lips, though he glanced to Jane anxiously. She could read the questioning in his eyes.
"It's okay, Thor." She laughed. "You're gonna need the outlet."
"Speaking of…" Pepper leaned forward, drawing attention back to her and Stark again. Her fingers plucked out a leaflet from amongst the gifts, something Jane never would have spotted on her own. Pepper held it up with a mischievous grin.
For a moment, Jane just let it sink in, eyes scanning over the words. Then the smile started to blossom. "Oh Pepper, you're an angel!"
The spa leaflet glittered like gold in Jane's eyes just the thought of relaxing, getting a massage, not being pregnant anymore… her eyes fluttered upwards in bliss. She didn't so much as notice Thor's arm settle around her shoulders, easing her into his warmth. She appreciated it though, the chilled November air biting her skin though Thor's jacket.
Then the god leaned forward and picked out a random box that puzzled him, catching his attention. "What is this device?" he frowned, turning the small package over in his hand.
Jane took it from him gently and peeled her fingers through the wrapping paper, glazing her eyes over the labeling beneath. A small smile pricked on her face, the way it always did at Thor's adorable naivety. "It's baby monitor, Thor." She chuckled, snuggling against his arm fondly. God, he was so sweet. How even the simplest thing baffled him.
"We got two." Bruce said with a coy grin, nudging Steve fondly in the ribs. "Steve didn't know what it was either."
Steve's eye sparkled modestly, nodding. "Someone had to explain to me."
"Then may someone explain it to me next?" Thor's frown stayed lightly in place, gaze flickering down to Jane for help.
She handed him back the box to examine at his leisure. "A baby monitor." She began. "They come in pairs and you put one near the baby and keep one with you. When the baby cries, the sound travels through their monitor and into yours so you can keep an eye on them without being in the same room. They work kind of like a telephone, okay?"
Thor nodded slowly, as did all the other Asgardians that had been listening avidly to the description of the foreign Earth device. He set the box down, and affirmed his arm around his woman. "I understand." He said deeply, leaning back in his seat casually.
Darcy saw past the façade effortlessly: "Liar." She grinned, wearing the most sincere smile Jane had ever seen on the woman!
Thor's eyes were sparkling as he chuckled. "Alright," he conceded playfully. It was common knowledge that nearly all technology escaped him. "Although, I am sure we will not need these devices to hear the wails of our young ones if they are truly our children."
Jane's eyebrows lifted, peeling away from his arm to glance up into his face. "I don't know what you're implying, Thor Odinson."
He smirked down at her teasingly. "What I am implying Jane Foster," he said, resetting his arm around her to draw her close. Her hand rested on his chest, holding herself back just far enough to watch his expression tantalize her. "Is that you have a mighty set of lungs on you, my dear."
"That's not true!"
"It so is!" Darcy chipped it with a cackle, circling with glee in Loki's arms. She seemed to have really perked up from before. The sugar must have done her good. "You can really scream when you want to."
Jane frowned warily, very compromising screaming-situations streaming to mind. "… care to clarify that?"
Erik drew the limelight away from Darcy's glinting smirk with a chuckle. "Oh please, Jane. We've all heard you throw him out at ungodly hours of the night at some point or another!" His hand waved at the god beside her and she translated in her head: he meant Thor.
Ah, she thought, reminiscing on the rows triggered by her touchy pregnancy symptoms months ago. And how they ended in Thor's chilly, outdoor demise. Fair enough, she shrugged. She probably had been loud enough to wake the house then, even if she didn't want to admit it! She was just relieved it hadn't been … something else that they'd heard her yell through. She snuggled into Thor's bulky muscular arm to hide her blushing face.
Thor's hand palmed her cheek, easing her back into view. "Don't hide, Jane. I have to give you my gift yet."
Jane blinked up at him innocently, cheeks still pink. A smile played at her lips as she stared up into his bright blue orbs. "You've already given me two babies, Thor. What more do you want to give me?"
"A cake, for one." Darcy cut in, lifting the small double candled cake from the table behind her. The candles were already lit, one pink, one blue, dug into the white frosted icing. A cream ribbon an around the base, Jane's name etched in thin icing on the top, in alternating pink and blue letters.
Thor laughed and took the cake from Darcy, letting Jane's eyes marvel over its pretty form admiringly. He moved it away though. He set it down on the ground, not missing for a second how Jane's neck craned to see it again. Thor smirked – especially as his fingers closed around his gift, propped up against the leg of his chair. A knowing grin spread on his face. He straightened up in his seat, bringing his gift up with him.
He kept it out of Jane's sight, arm hanging over the far side of his chair. His bright blue eyes linked with her chocolate brown ones teasingly. "This is my gift."
The book lifted into sight at last, cover front facing as the god slid it smoothly into Jane's lap, her curious eyes following it every step of the way. Thor watched eagerly as her gaze scoured over the front cover, her smile blossoming beautifully as she read the title in gold letters: Twins Baby Book. The book was large, square and relatively heavy, the burgundy cover binding the pages thick and sturdy.
"What is this?" Jane breathed, finger gently peeling the cover open to answer herself.
Thor couldn't resist saying it himself though, beaming proudly. "It is a collection dedicated to you whilst carrying the twins. Of course, it is not yet finished, but… it is something I have been working on since we discovered you were pregnant."
He watched her loving brown eyes scour over the pages, the first few filled with photographs. Then her frown started to dip; "When did you take these?"
The pictures showed Jane on her side, spanning from her rib cage to her hips, each page titled with however many weeks pregnant she had been. Only Jane didn't remember taking any photographs. In each one her shirt was rolled up from her stomach, exposing the flesh that started to bloom page by page.
Thor blushed sheepishly. "I took them while you slept." He confessed. "It was the only way I could without spoiling the surprise."
He waited tensely in case Jane would not be satisfied with his answer, but the thought seemed driven from her mind as she turned the page past her seventeenth week and was met with the grainy ultrasound picture, stuck down onto the page. Her eyes brightened with her smile. "You did all this?" she breathed softly, flicking hurriedly through a bunch of pages at once, finding the more filled out ultrasound picture from her third trimester.
She looked up at Thor after the blank pages started to run into view, titles still naming the top of them. Her face just looked… happy. Absolutely, and incredibly happy.
Thor grinned. "There is still work to be done." He pointed out indicating the following pages that had yet to be filled with pictures of her belly in the final month of her pregnancy. Then he turned on to the page he was looking forward to filling the most. It was entitled 'Our Babies'.
It didn't take a genius to figure out what sort of picture he planned to fill there. Jane could just imagine it already, the two perfect, tiny babies: freshly made, pink and in their arms at last.
Her hand reached out for Thor's and squeezed his fingers tightly, leaving the book open on the page that was making Jane's heart burst with maternal emotions.
"I wanted to preserve every moment with them." The god breathed beside her, letting her shoulder ease against his body. His arm looped around her and held her there, both staring down dreamily at the book.
"It's wonderful, Thor." Jane beamed on, unable to find the will to put the book down, even though there was nothing new left to see. Her finger tapped at the word 'babies' on the page. "We need to pick out some names. We can't call them 'the babies' forever."
"I thought of that also."
Jane's eyes tore from the book at last as she found herself without Thor's arm around her shoulders, the god leaning forward to pick something from the pile of gifts. Jane just stared; how did any of them find anything amongst all that?! She'd given up long ago. Her eyes followed Thor's hand though, and the slim book he brought back with him. This one looked light and small, very different to the hulking thing in her lap.
She was even able to catch it as Thor lightly tossed it her way. Her fingers righted it and she read the front. Her eyes flickered to Thor, smiling. "Is there anything you haven't thought of?" she grinned playfully as she lowered the Norse Baby Names book.
Thor beamed, leaning back in his chair with a very pleased look on his face. Jane guessed he'd deserved it. How in the world had she managed to bag the most thoughtful, sensitive, caring guy in the whole universe? It was mind-blowing.
Finally, Thor's head bowed slightly, though he retained his grin. "I must confess." He finally conceded with a twinkling eye. "The naming book was Darcy's idea."
Jane turned her grin to her friend across the circle, who'd folded her arms across her chest defensively as everyone turned to look at her. "What?" she finally blurted, gaze flittering around to level the stares. "I didn't want my unofficial niece and nephew to have dumb names, okay! And I didn't trust this guy to do it properly on his own." she justified with a vague wave in Thor's direction. "At least with a book, Jane can limit the damage."
Jane's eyebrows lifted disbelievingly, playful smirk firmly in place. "You're getting soft, Darce."
"Yeah, yeah." Darcy's eyes rolled dismissively. "Can I have some cake now?"
NOTE
There was something I was going to say but… I've forgotten what it was :P
Oh yeah! As most of you smart people have figured out I want to do a Darcy baby –fic after this one. Just little details tugging me down at the moment. Like a title. More baby ideas. The polls will return! Mark my words!