He stared down at her, her small face smooshed against his chest, her tiny body rising and falling with every breath he took. Just watching her breathe, feeling the swift caress of her heartbeat against his own steady, thrumming pulse lulled him into a light doze, himself.
Until the computer spoke, breaking his reverie, but quietly enough it didn't wake the small form sleeping soundly on him. "The Rogue Avengers have arrived. Boss has asked that I inform you of their arrival and that he is taking them to the Avengers level. He also wishes you to know that you need not concern yourself with their presence. He will take care of it and inform you later of the results of their meeting."
"Thank you, computer," the blonde said, his voice rumbling in his chest and making his tiny companion smile slightly and nuzzle closer to the familiar resonance of her father's voice.
The god stifled a chuckle as he watched his daughter slowly come to, her large brown eyes blinking sleepily as she slowly focused on him. He watched her small pink lips silently form Papa and he couldn't help the grin that spread across his face.
"Yes, little one," Thor said, running a hand through her mousey brown hair, cupping her small cheek in his large, battle-worn palm, "Papa."
She leaned into his warm touch and settled closer to him, if that were even possible, and closed her eyes once more. He knew she wasn't sleeping, but he was grateful to have this quiet time with her.
The girl was innately quiet, her muteness notwithstanding. She hid behind his legs, clutching at his pants and trembling slightly when strangers came around – which wasn't altogether often – and he always swung her up into his arms, allowing her to hide her face in his neck and clutch at his shirt. He knew he should reassure her that not all strangers were bad, but he couldn't help but feel the overprotective voice in the back of his head every time he saw that fearful look in her doe eyes that begged for him to make it better. To make it safe. To make everything ok.
He'd promised himself the day he first laid eyes on her that he would always protect her. If that meant soothing her frazzled nerves when strangers came, letting her fall asleep to the beat of his own heart, or simply holding her when everything else in her small world seemed so chaotic, so be it.
"I love you, Pen," he said, so softly she didn't hear, but she brushed her tiny nose against his chest and huffed a small sigh, curling her fingers tighter around his shirt.
He quirked a smile and let his own lids fall shut once more, allowing the peace of the moment to soothe him for the time being.
The peace wouldn't last long, not when the others were slowly being reintroduced into their lives. He would prolong this as long as he could for the small child on his chest.
For her, he would do anything.