Holy smokes I am so sorry it's been so long; honestly I don't know why I couldn't update sooner other than a bad case of writer's block. I truly hope this chapter makes up for your wait, seriously I do.
In this chapter bada bing bada boom big brother has arrived! This was not easy to write, believe me.
I don't own the Marvel characters!
Enjoy!
"Hey Lokes, I found that toy you were looking for." Loki looked up from his anxious daughter's face to see Tony walk in with a stuffed blue kitten with pink stripes. He felt relief overcome him, Kira had some trouble going to sleep in the last few days without it; he hated when she got upset and the toy was just what the doctor ordered.
"Thank the Norns, where was it?" Tony handed it over.
"Found it in between the couch cushions, or Jarvis spotted it before me." Loki carefully nestled it in Kira's little arms, and the child relaxed almost instantly. Loki continued to rock her, even hummed a small tune she loved.
"You're such a natural with her." The dark-haired god looked up and smiled.
"I should hope so, I am her mother after all." Tony laughed.
"True, it's just…you don't see a lot of men these days that show their paternal/maternal side so openly. I mean yeah there are plenty of great dads out there, but some…well some aren't very good at showing it."
"I've been told I'm good with children, I remember in my youth…" his eyes turned fond. "I would go with my moth…with Frigga, to the orphanage with some of the noblewomen of Asgard and deliver things like toys and clothes, even blankets and food. While they were busy setting up, I would often get the younger children in groups and entertain them with magic, even tell stories to keep them busy."
"Did they enjoy it?" Loki nodded.
"The older ones not so much, but they didn't mind." Loki sighed. "One of the few uses I had in Asgard, Thor didn't like being around orphans too much but he at least sent them gifts."
"He didn't like kids?"
"Not so much kids, he just didn't know how to interact with them. If anything, his voice was loud enough to scare some, from the way he spoke you'd think he was…" he paused and Tony snickered.
"From what you've said he's basically an overgrown man child." Loki burst out laughing. "What?"
"It's funny, that's exactly what Pepper says about you." Tony looked at him mock aghast.
"What? Me? A man child? How dare she!" Loki kept on laughing, Tony had to admit it was a pleasant sight to see. Ever since the council meaning Loki had been all but putting his energy into caring for Kira. He spent some time with Tony and Steve, but mostly it was Kira and even Jarvis said he looked a little withdrawn. The meeting brought back more painful memories, and now he had to keep seeing them everyday in his nightmares, but he kept himself together.
"Your attitude gives it away Anthony, but you do bring laughter to the world with your antics."
"That's putting it mildly Mr. Loki."
"Shut up Jarvis!" Tony's tone only made the god laugh more.
"Just stating a fact sir."
"Thank you Jarvis." Loki looked down at Kira, the little one had gone to sleep. He set her down in her crib, covered her with a blanket, and crept out of the room quietly with Tony. They kept walking until they reached the kitchen area, and Tony went straight for the fridge.
"You hungry? Pepper made some sandwiches for later."
"I seem to recall those sandwiches, are for your board meeting today." Tony rolled his eyes.
"She always makes too much, c'mon just one?"
"She made just enough Anthony, I helped her. There's just enough in there for the members, and don't bother asking me to make more because we used up all the meat and condiments." Tony groaned. "If you're hungry just eat that leftover pizza on the bottom shelf."
"I can't, I ate it last night." Loki stared.
"You were up late again? Oh, she's going to kill you."
"She won't she loves me too much."
"That's debatable." Both men jumped when Pepper just strolled into the kitchen, clipboard in hand. "Tony, you swore you'd be at the meeting today and you look like a slob."
"It's just a t-shirt and jeans Pep, nothing they haven't already seen."
"Anthony, these men help keep your company running, the meetings are dull yes, even Pepper said so, but you did promise." The god sighed. "Go take a shower and get ready, you have two hours."
"I look fine."
"No, you look like you just rolled out of bed, now get going before I convince Jarvis to upload your baby photos to the world wide web." Tony gave him a look.
"It's actually the internet, and my photos are stuffed and sealed away." Loki smirked, held out his hand, and Pepper put something in it. He flipped it around, and Tony blanched…it was him as a baby, in the bathtub with a rubber ducky and a binky.
"Not this one." Loki laughed as Tony reached out to grab the photo but failed. Tony kept grabbing and grabbing until he fell off his chair and Loki laughed so hard he fell on top of him. They wrestled around for the picture, until Pepper grabbed it and hid it in her pocket as the two men kept going at it. It ended when Loki managed to get back on top, easily pinning Tony to the floor.
"Ok…Ok, that's enough…Lokes let me up please…?"
"Weeellll…you did say please." Loki stood up easily and let Tony up. "Now, you're definitely sweaty and disgusting right now so I think a shower is in order after all."
"Hey it's your fault, you started this!"
"And I'm ending it, now, go shower before you make the entire tower reek!" Tony pouted, but got up and left as he was told. Pepper couldn't hold back the laughs, but she was quiet enough so as not to disturb Kira.
"Loki, you have most certainly brightened things up around here. I can't remember a time I haven't seen Tony so happy and focused, at the same time at least."
"I'm sure you're exaggerating, Anthony must get happy and focused when he works on his machines, it's about the main thing that brings him joy."
"True, but since you've arrived, you and Kira are his new joys."
"I…really?" Loki was a bit stunned to hear her say it, but at least he kept the blush down.
"Really, Tony's been in a bit of a dark spot since he lost his parents years ago, and of course what happened to him overseas, and his old mentor betraying him, I almost thought he'd go back into it, this time a lot deeper. However, when you and Kira came along, it's like he's a new person almost. Plus, you two are very much alike."
"How so?"
"Well for one you're both so vastly intelligent it's almost scary, two, you both have huge hearts though you try to hide it because you've had them broken so many times, and three, you're both a bit narcissistic and sarcastic." Loki might've been slightly insulted if he didn't find it funny, he started laughing so hard he almost lost his breath.
"Well Pepper it seems you have both I and Anthony figured out, yet you still somehow manage to put up with both of us."
"I'm quite used to Tony, you're almost similar so it's not hard; plus I like to consider it part of my job, keeping the two of you up and about."
"You'll have to get in line, Kira already does that."
"True, imagine what'll happen when she gets older." Loki's face paled for a second, and then he smiled.
"She won't be 'older' for a while, but until then, she's my true joy."
"And she always will be Loki, now, how about you join me for a cup of coffee before Tony comes back?" Loki happily nodded and Pepper poured them both a cup, thank the Norns for caffeine. They spent the next thirty minutes just chatting about Tony and the board's hopes for the meeting, more budget cuts and all, but then Tony came in, dressed in a suave dark navy suit, and newly shined black leather shoes. His hair was combed out, and his face was cleaned.
"Decent enough?" he did a spin, and Pepper whistled.
"Sharp as a tack Tony, if you'd only dress appropriately more often."
"Hey, I try." He walked over and grabbed a mug.
"Tony we have to go in five minutes."
"A quick cup won't hurt, besides, it's your fault for making more." He downed the hot liquid so fast Loki was surprised it didn't burn him. "Ok, let's get going, this shouldn't take too long, an hour if not an hour and a half."
"Or less, if you decide to walk out again." Pepper rolled her eyes.
"Hey, my company, my board, my money, and you…" he pointed at her. "My CEO, best there is."
"Flattery will get you nowhere, now let's go. Loki, we'll see you at lunch."
"Cap should be by soon, if you need me tell Jarvis." A quick peck on Loki's cheek and away they went. The trickster god decided to go check on Kira once more before he'd take a quick nap, hoping this time the nightmares would keep away. They hadn't really been coming since he'd started his…courtship? No, his relationship, with Tony. Being close to the mortal man alone was enough to make him feel safe, and that feeling alone was almost foreign.
Not a day went by when he didn't relive the horrors of being trapped in that mad titan's realm. He could still feel the pain, the torture, and the aches in his heart for his children, all at the hands of the monster named Thanos. He remembered begging to whoever could hear for help, calling out to Thor, Frigga, even Odin, begging them to save him, but no one came. Heimdall, he didn't know if the man heard him or not, but if he had, would he have told the Allfather? Even then, would they risk it to save him? An adopted frost giant runt, abandoned by his own kind as an infant, second to Thor, unloved prince of Asgard? He tried to say he didn't care if they did or not, but he still wished, he hoped, that it was possible.
He had it better now though, he had, actual people, friends, who wanted to help him. Mortals they were, short lives they had, but they still went out of their way to help him and Kira. They could have locked them both away, kept them hidden and used them as Thanos' children did, but no, they protected him. To have friends felt wonderful, as he had little to none on Asgard, and Thor's friends, the bastards, belittling him, never taking him seriously even when the situation called for it; he could never forgive them, they had betrayed him when he was king, and he'd needed their help. Yes he had been responsible for stopping Thor's coronation, and he hadn't feared much when Thor was banished, because the older prince needed that lesson. He didn't plan on keeping Thor away forever, just long enough to prove himself, and then later if possible, help his brother regain his powers.
Loki admitted he was no perfect prince, his reputation was enough to see that. He only wished to be seen as Thor's equal, regardless of strength or power, but Asgard, a warrior society, held little regard for magic, women's craft, and Loki, a trickster and sorcerer, was nothing like the golden prince. The people saw it, Odin saw it, even Frigga saw it.
'I wasn't enough for anyone there, but maybe I can be here.' He made it to Kira's nursery and saw she was still sound asleep, and it made his heart swell, but also ache. The deaths of his other children would never leave him, and he would do anything to protect the only living one he had. Kira would never know her sire, not while Loki was still alive.
"Mr. Loki."
"Yes Jarvis?"
"Captain Rogers has arrived sir, he's coming your way."
"Oh good, send him right in." less than a minute later the star-spangled fighter came through the main doors, where Loki met him. "Hello Steve, have a nice walk?"
"Good as always, nice to walk out of the tower once in a while, Tony and Pepper?"
"Board meeting, she had to practically drag him there." Loki told him about Tony fussing, and the time it took to convince him to shower, by the time he finished Steve was laughing.
"You and Pepper are a force to be reckoned with."
"Hey, someone has to keep him leashed." The two men laughed, Loki led Steve into the kitchen to grab him a snack. "Steve, would you mind watching the place while I take a nap?"
"Sure thing, did you have another rough night?"
"Not as bad as before, but yes."
"You know I've had my fair share of nightmares Loki, we all have. If you're ever up to talking, we're here to listen." Loki sighed.
"I appreciate that Steve, but I'm…" he clapped Loki's shoulder.
"Not ready, I understand, but just in case, you know." Loki was thankful no one was pushing him to talk about the nightmares, he'd already shared more than he would've with anyone. The Council knew of his pain, Tony, Steve, Clint, Natasha, Pepper, Fury, and Bruce, they all knew; while the council was a 'threat', the others weren't, if they wanted to hurt him, wouldn't they have done so already? Plus, he trusted Tony, and Tony would never hurt him. Right?
"Sirs…?"
"Yeah Jarvis?"
"I'm terribly sorry to interrupt your conversation, but my scanners are picking up an odd sensation outside."
"Odd?" Loki and Steve found a window and saw that the sky, which had been clear and sunny just minutes ago, was suddenly getting cloudy and dark.
"Jarvis, was it supposed to storm today?"
"No sir, it was supposed to be a warm day today, plenty of sunshine."
"No storms close by?"
"No sir, not in this particular area; this storm is approaching fast, and I'm detecting heavy amounts of lightning deep within."
"Lightning…?" Loki felt his blood chill, he used his powers to reach out towards the storm and couldn't hold back the terrified gasp that escaped his lips.
"Loki, what's wrong?" Loki started backing away, his entire body shook with fear as he watched the clouds approach the tower.
"That's not a storm!" he didn't hear Steve call after him as he ran from the room, his feet going fast as if hell itself were after him. He ran straight to the nursery, seeing Kira was still sound asleep, and snatched her up before running out towards toward the elevator to Tony's lab, the second most secure area in the tower. "Jarvis!" he screamed as he made it to the floor.
"I'm locking down the lab Mr. Loki, stay inside and I will alert Mr. Stark and Director Fury."
"What about Steve?"
"He's preparing now but he asks you stay put until he or someone else comes."
"Noted, tell Tony to hurry please!" clutching Kira close to him Loki went and hid himself and her into a corner before a loud boom made the entire room shake, and woke Kira. She stirred, then sniffled, and then let out some small cries as her nap had been disturbed. Loki gently rocked her trying to help calm her down, but the second loud boom made her cry louder. A third boom was heard, and Loki could feel the thunderous power above, Thor had come, and he was mad.
"Mr. Loki, I have Mr. Stark on the line, do you wish to talk to him?"
"Yes!" Loki didn't care if his voice was a little high, he wanted to hear Tony's.
"Lokes, are you alright? Where are you?"
"I'm ok, I-I've got Kira we're in your lab."
"Ok, don't leave the lab just stay put. I'm on my way, and I've got Fury coming with Nat and Clint."
"Anthony please be careful, I know it's Thor, but he's a beast in battle please don't underestimate him."
"No problem, you just stay hidden we won't let him near you." Loki just said thanks before the line disconnected, he could sense the fight above, and he could only hope that it would end quickly before it got worse.
Meanwhile:
Steve tried calling out to Loki as he ran from the room, but his attention fell back to the large, black clouds approaching the tower faster than before. He yelled a command to Jarvis to have Loki run to the lab and stay there until help arrived, before he went and snatched up his shield. He didn't have time to suit up, but he had time to send a distress signal to Tony and Fury before a large, massive force struck the tower and shook it.
"Jarvis! Where's Tony and Fury?"
"They're on the way Captain Rogers, five minutes I'd say."
"Ok, put the tower on lockdown, we don't want this Thor getting near Loki." A second boom shook the tower again, and this time Steve spotted a large blur of red and gold flying toward the tower.
"Already done sir."
"Good." Steve braced for action as the window suddenly shattered and the red and gold blur burst into the room, and stood tall as lightning and thunder flashed outside. Steve took in the heavy silver armor coating the tall, masculine brute of a man, it was bright and heavy looking but nothing to the wearer. The man also wore a long red cape that flowed behind him, and the long, shoulder-length golden blonde hair flowed with it. In his right hand was a large hammer that 'sung' when lifted, but Steve kept his stance. He also noticed he man also had electric blue eyes, and a hard glare that came when he stared Steve down.
"Where is he?" the deep voice growled at Steve, but he didn't flinch or waver.
"Where is who, stranger?" he could stall until the others arrived, he just hoped Loki and Kira were safe in the lab.
"Don't play games with me mortal, where is Loki?"
"Loki…he's safe, what do you want with him?"
"I have come for him, now either you tell me where he is, or I will destroy this tower to find him."
"I can't let you do that, Loki's made it clear that he wants nothing to do with you or yours. Judging by your arrival, I'd say he's got good reason."
"Loki is my brother, I thought him dead until recently, I will take him home and I suggest you stay out of my way."
"Or you can stay out of ours." The blonde warrior turned at the sound of Tony's voice before his body suddenly started convulsing and he dropped like a moth to a bug zapper. Steve's shoulders relaxed when he saw Tony, holding a taser gun whose wires connected to Thor's breastplate. Clint and Natasha ran in with their weapons aimed at the unconscious brute, before Fury came in and handed a pair of heavy metal cuffs to Nat. In mere moments the warrior was cuffed and carted off elsewhere before Steve and Tony ran down to the lab and found Loki huddled up in a corner with baby Kira.
"Loki." Steve ran up to him and helped him stand, and he ran straight to Tony's arms.
"It's ok Lokes, it's ok, you're ok." They were both mindful not to squish the baby between them, but as they separated Kira started whimpering and Loki went back to calming her.
"Where's Thor?"
"Fury and Nat are taking him to SHIELD headquarters, they'll interrogate him there."
"He's come for me, he'll force me back to Asgard…"
"We won't let him, Fury's got a special prison for him, so strong even the hulk can't break it." Steve spoke up. "Now, we've been offered a chance to watch the interrogation, do you want to come or stay here?"
"I…I don't know."
"I think you should come with us, while we're up there Pepper can get some repairmen out here to fix the window. I don't think Kira will like the sounds too much." Loki nodded hesitantly, so Steve helped him go back to the nursery and grab the baby bag before they joined Tony heading back to the elevator.
"What about Bruce?" Loki asked as they got into a dark window limousine.
"If I know Fury, he'll already be down there, but Fury said we can observe away from the cell."
"How? By your screens?"
"Don't worry Loki, he won't see us. You just watch and observe, we'll take it from there." The rest of the ride was quiet, minus Kira's baby babble and Loki's whispers of comfort. It took them about twenty minutes going through New York, but they eventually came to a large building that was low and tall with many glass windows. An agent escorted them inside, and to an elevator that took them deep down into the very bowels of SHIELD. Coulson and Fury met them at the bottom, but Fury took the group to an area lined with beeping machines, keyboards, and large screens all showing one thing, Thor in a large, glass, circular cell, still unconscious.
"Where's his hammer?"
"Back at the tower, no one else can lift it so…" Tony shrugged. "How long until he wakes up Nick?"
"No telling, I'm just glad you knocked him out, how'd you know a taser would work?"
"Phil told me how Darcy did the same thing years ago, knocked him right out. He ain't gonna be happy when he wakes up, but he's not going anywhere."
"No, who's taking the first shot?" Steve looked at everyone.
"I'll go, he trashed my tower, I'll see if I can make him break."
"Take Romanoff with you, just in case."
"Tony." Loki gripped Tony's arm. "Don't tell him I'm here."
"I won't Lokes, you stay here with the baby and wait ok?" Loki nodded, and while Tony left to the area, Steve noticed that Thor was starting to wake.
Down by Thor's cell:
Tony and Natasha both stood tall and proud as the large warrior began to wake from his unconscious state. Tony knew he didn't look all that intimidating, but Nat was, so the big guy could very well be somewhat startled, maybe.
"Where…where am I…?" the blonde man looked around until he spotted them, and then snarled. "You." He tried to charge at them, but smashed against the glass. Tony couldn't hold back the smirk, Fury had done well with that.
"That cell's capable of holding someone much stronger than you, and I wouldn't try calling your hammer just yet." Natasha walked a few steps forward.
"You knocked me out…" Thor glared at Tony.
"You broke into my tower and terrified my friend, seems like a fair trade."
"You have no idea, who or what you're dealing with."
"Ummm…" Tony glanced around the room. "Shakespeare in jail?" Thor stood up. "Doth mother know, you weareth her drapes?" he said it in a mocking tone.
"This isn't your business little man, woman." Natasha glanced at Tony, letting him continue.
"It is our business when you threaten my friend, so uh how about we cut to the chase and get to it? Why are you here, on Earth?"
"I have come for Loki; I already spoke of this."
"Yeah we got that, but why are you after Loki?"
"I do not have to answer to you, where is he?" Tony glared.
"He's safe, from you. Now if you think you can just show up and attempt to abduct my friend to a world that hates him just for being him, then you'd best forget it. Loki's not going back to whatever shithole kingdom you came from unless it's his choice, and I doubt you'll get him to agree."
"He is my brother."
"And yet he seems to hate you." Natasha walked up again. "Loki's been here for a while though, why show up now?"
"We've known he was here, but until now I was unable to come to your world. My father used some of his power to send me, and I have my orders to bring Loki back to Asgard."
"Bring him back to what? A family that lied to him his entire life?" Thor's eyes widened slightly. "Yeah he told us about his true heritage, his 'Jotun blood', the adoption, the bullying, hate to say it point break but…your people suck."
"Do not mock my home little man, you have no idea what we've been through." Thor snarled, guy was like an angry dog.
"Oh what you've been through? What about what Loki went through?" Tony glared harder.
"What do you mean?" Thor leaned in slightly.
"Do you know how Loki ended up here? Or what state he was in when we found him?"
"I only know what my father has told me, I have no reason to suspect he'd lie."
"He lied to Loki."
"It was to protect him."
"Maybe, but still."
"My father has made mistakes in regard to my brother, I won't deny it, but he belongs on Asgard."
"I doubt the rest of your people think the same."
"They are rightfully wary of him, after all he nearly killed me and his own race."
"Yeah only after finding out the truth about the adoption, and of course that's before your…friends turned on him."
"You don't know what you're talking about."
"I think I do, now, again, why does your family want Loki back on Asgard?"
"He needs to answer for his crimes."
"Oh, the crimes that he allegedly committed after finding out the truth? Honestly, from what he's told us he wasn't exactly 'stable', so to speak."
"He went too far, but the Allfather has said he'll be lenient with him if he returns with me willingly." Tony rolled his eyes.
"Somehow I doubt that, and still, you're not getting him." The blonde warrior had the gall to smirk.
"Keep saying that little man, Loki will face Asgardian justice." Tony walked up until he was barely an inch from the glass. He stared Thor down hard, and the golden prince did the same.
"We'll see about that." He turned around. "You take over Nat, I need to call Pepper." He didn't wait for an answer as he all but stormed out of the room. When he made it back to the observation area, Loki was there, still holding Kira with Steve and Fury.
"He really hasn't changed much." Loki looked upset. "I knew this would happen."
"Hey, we told you Thor's not taking you anywhere without going through us, ok?" Steve touched his shoulder. "You're here, and so are we, he can't hurt you."
"He's playing the caring big brother card, heavy too." Fury kept his eyes on the screen. "I'm not sure if we can convince him to back down."
"He won't, he's Asgard's prince and loyal warrior, he'll do as he was told." Loki sat down. "There's something else though."
"What is it?" Fury turned to him.
"The Allfather sent him here, likely with a lot of dark energy but…how he's going to get back to Asgard is the mystery."
"They usually used that bridge of theirs right?" Loki nodded.
"The Bifrost, but it should still be damaged, nowhere near finished even by now. Unless…" Loki's eyes went wide. "The Tesseract." Fury seemed to understand.
"You think he'd use it to get back?"
"It's possible, the cube itself is a great source of power untold, and unless the Bifrost is repaired soon, it's the only other way he can take me back."
"Since you used it to travel across dimensions unknown, I think we can all agree. Now we must figure out a plan to keep him away from you and Kira." Loki shook his head.
"He won't give up, he's stubborn that way."
"If he summons that hammer I don't know if we can fight him for long."
"My suit could."
"Yeah but we don't need to make the city a battlefield." No one spoke for several minutes, but Nat kept conversing with Thor and Fury kept watching and listening in. Tony kept his eyes on Loki, and the Norse god seemed to be thinking as well, but when his eyes met Tony's, the inventor didn't like the notion.
"Lokes…"
"I…I don't want to do this, but…I might not have a choice." Steve and Fury turned to him.
"Loki…?"
"I think it might be the only other option." He looked at Fury.
"Are you sure about this Loki? You don't need to…"
"No, but I will. Let me speak to him."
Again I am so so so so sorry about the super long wait, five years too long for an update. I am just now starting to get back into Marvel, I'm very grateful for your patience. I'm also sorry if this wasn't what you expected, but I hope you still enjoyed it.
Next chapter, Loki and Thor talk, but how is it going to go down? Will Loki finally stand up for himself, will Thor get that he's been a terrible brother? Or will he hold onto the idea of taking Loki back, whether he wants it or not?
I can't promise to update so fast, but I can promise it won't take me another five years because I'm looking forward to writing the next chapter.
R&R please!
Later!
