Peter supported Hela and brought her to her room. They sat down on the bed together.
"Did you really want to kill those men?"
Hela looked at him.
"I wanted them to live, Peter. I wanted them to live and wake up every night bathing in sweat, I wanted them to tremble and cry, I wanted them to have nightmares of me making them kill themselves every night until they made it end themselves!"
"Ssssh…"
Peter slowly rubbed Hela's back. The young goddess looked at him, her green eyes dark with something he didn't quite understand.
"You don't understand. In thousands of years I never had a family feast. I had almost forgotten what it was like! And then those two mortal fools dare to disturb it, the one time that I get it? You don't understand the anger, Peter…"
"I do. Believe me or not, but I do."
"I have disappointed my father yet again…"
"You haven't. Loki loves you. We all do."
Hela sighed and curled up on the bed. Peter curled right next to her. He pulled the thick black silk blanket over them and held his girlfriend.
"I love you Hela."
Hela didn't answer, and Peter understood. She was an ancient deity, and he was just a 16-year-old mortal. He just wanted her to know that he loved her.
(Pagebreak)
Tony looked at his phone as if the device would bite him. For a moment he peaked at the bottle of scotch standing on the dresser, and then he turned back to the phone. He had a mission, no drinking on missions. When did he invent that rule? He sighed. For some reason he had the idea getting any more intoxicated would not have a positive effect on the outcome of this… He picked it up and pressed the first shortcut key. Then he waited.
"This is the voicemail of Pepper Potts. Please leave a message after the tone, of hang up."
He slicked.
"Err… Pepper… it's me, Tony. I know you're probably the very last person you want to hear from, but… It's Christmas, and I felt I had to call you. I'm not drunk and I'm trying my best not to sound like some creepy stalker, so please don't get a restraining order for me. I wanted to apologize. I'm sorry. I'm not sorry for being with Loki though; he is about the best thing that ever happened to me. I'm sorry for hurting you, while you were always there for me, and I'm sorry for being a dick and an insensitive bastard about it. What I did to you was unforgiveable, and I hate myself for acting as I did. It was childish and hurtful. You have never treated me bad, you were always courteous and kind to me no matter what I did, and that one time you needed me to act in the same way, I couldn't. I'm sorry. I know this must sound corny and stuff, but… it had to be said. We all miss you. I miss you, the team misses you,… Hereby I want to invite you for lunch, any time you want, to talk over the plans for the party, and so that I can deliver my apologies in person. I can imagine they don't mean much over the phone. This is the point where I usually start babbling senselessly to a voicemail, so, I'm going to hang up. I'm sorry. Merry Christmas."
With a sigh, Tony put the phone back in place. He kept looking at it though, as if it would miraculously start ringing all of a sudden. It didn't. Without looking up Tony knew Loki had entered the room. He could feel it, like tension releasing.
"I see you solved your shit."
He looked up and shrugged.
"I made a beginning. I think."
Loki sat down on the sofa, crawling close to Tony.
"Every end requires a beginning."
"What you say, Fortune Cookie."
"What?"
Tony grinned at the god's confused face.
"Nothing, my dear. I just remembered I have to take you out for Chinese once."
An idea suddenly flashed through Tony's mind.
"Have you ever skated?"
Loki raised his eyebrows.
"Do you mean the bizarre sport that requires shoes with wheels and ridiculous looking knee-armor?"
Tony laughed.
"No, ice-skating! It's with special shoes on ice, and it may or may not include all kinds of armor, depending on how good your balance is."
Loki cocked his head to the side. He liked ice; it was one of the things the people of Asgard had never understood about him. His heritage had explained all that, but no matter how much he disliked that he couldn't deny it.
"It sounds… interesting."
"That's settled then! We're going to Rockefeller Centre with the whole group, and we're going ice-skating! And afterwards we're going to have Chinese. You'll love it!"
Loki kissed Tony. Internally he thanked the Norns and everyone who would listen for the man that currently held him tight. All the prophecies had done nothing but predict pain and failure in his life… but perhaps they had been wrong…
(Pagebreak)
The next day held two surprises. The first one was Tony, saying they would all go ice-skating on the ice rink at the Rockefeller Centre –Justin cheered, Hela looked… doubtful-, the second one was the uncomfortable looking strawberry blonde who entered the Tower, shyly asking after Tony. Steve was the first to welcome her.
"Pepper! Merry Christmas!"
He hugged her, and Pepper cracked a smile.
"Thanks… Merry Christmas to you too Steve… Where is Tony?"
"He's either in the workshop, or the kitchen."
Since the kitchen was closer, that was the first place where Pepper went to look. She was quite surprised when she didn't find the modern lab-like kitchen squeaky clean, cold and mostly empty, but instead found it full of dirty plates and pots, the scent of coffee and chocolate cookies filling the air and a softly hummed tune reaching her ears. When she stepped further into the room she realized she wasn't alone. Behind the sink stood a tall, white-blonde woman who was humming a tune while doing the dishes. Pepper didn't know what to say… She coughed, and the woman turned. It was a beautiful mature woman who bore clear resemblance to Thor in her facial features. She smiled warmly.
"Good day, Lady Pepper."
"Err…"
"I am Frigga Allmother, the mother of Thor and Loki. I don't think we have met before."
"How… how did you know my…"
"I know many things. Please have a seat, the cookies are almost finished."
Pepper wanted to say she was actually just looking for Tony, but something about the warm and hospitable kitchen made her reluctant to leave. Thus, she sat down while Frigga poured her a cup of coffee.
"I dread the day my duties on Asgard will recall me… It is never pleasant to leave a place that has started to feel like home…"
For some reason Pepper felt the goddess was talking about her rather than about herself. This suspicion was confirmed when Frigga continued.
"You used to live here too, no?"
"Yes."
"I'm afraid no one informed me of what happened."
"I… I made a mistake."
"I feel this has to do with my youngest son…"
Pepper nodded.
"It's a long story, but in short it came down to me causing Tony trouble, Tony being mad at me, and me moving out."
"I'm sorry to hear that. Have you considered making things up again?"
"That… that was what I came to do, actually. Well, I don't really know… Tony called me last night, I didn't pick up. I guessed he would be drunk and I didn't feel like listening to his mindless banter. But he left a message on my voicemail, sounding quite collected, that he wanted to talk to me, that he was sorry. And I…" Pepper shook her head, embarrassed. "You probably think I'm stupid, but I've really missed him."
Frigga put a hand on the woman's shoulder.
"It is never stupid to miss a friend. Truly stupid is only the one who cannot value the worth of friendship over that of ego."
Pepper looked at her shoes. There was more, but she was hesitant to tell the Allmother about it. After all, what mother wants to hear that someone is jealous of her son? Eventually, explanation wasn't necessary. Almost without them noticing the door had opened, and Loki had entered. Even having more self-esteem didn't stop him from sneaking around… Pepper looked up, and paled at the sight of the god. Much to her initial surprise, the god paled as well at the sight of her. Frigga smiled.
"I think you two have a lot to talk about. I'm going to leave you for a moment."
She left, and Loki and Pepper were left to stare at each other. An uncomfortable silence hung between them, until Pepper caught the sight of Loki's left ring finger, and blurted out.
"You two got married?"
Loki blushed.
"It's… complicated."
Pepper raised an eyebrow and cocked her head to the side. Loki sighed and sat down.
"Yes, we got married."
He clearly saw the sadness in the woman's eyes… it was the same sadness he had seen in Sif's eyes when Thor had declared he wanted to break off their engagement because his heart now belonged to the mortal woman Jane Foster. Before he could say something, Pepper whispered.
"I suppose I should have known…"
Loki wondered what she meant with that, but didn't dare to ask. He remembered very well that the last time They had gotten him, it was because of this woman, and despite that he knew he was protected now, there was always a lingering fear. Again, there was that silence. Now it was Loki who broke it.
"He misses you very much."
Pepper bit her lip. She wanted to yell and scream at Loki, and she wanted to hate him for taking people she cared for from her. One by penetrating his heart, one by stealing his heart... It came down to the same; they were gone from her life. Yet it was more sadness than anger she felt. What had she thought, that she could just come back and everything would be back to what it was before?
"I miss him too… But… Perhaps coming here was a mistake."
She wanted to get up, but she caught Loki's eyes and was shocked by how… honest they seemed. Much too honest for the man in her memory. She turned at him and said, her voice sad and defeated.
"You may have lost the war… but this fight you win."
Loki looked back at her.
"I wasn't aware we had a fight, Lady Pepper."
"You know well enough what I mean."
It was as if the lid went off the cup all of a sudden.
"You killed Coulson. You tried to kill my friends. I am angry with you, Loki. If that doesn't count as a fight, if you think you haven't slighted me, then there's even more wrong with you than I already thought!"
"I…"
Pepper simply continued, the anger gone from her voice now.
"But most of all I am jealous, Loki. I am green with jealousy because you got everything I ever wanted. For some reason I know he won't cheat on you, I know he won't leave you worrying only to turn up the next day drunk off his ass, I know he won't forget your fucking birthday despite having an AI to remind him of it all day! He loves you, and that is more than I could ever say, in all the time I was his girlfriend."
The woman sighed and bent her head, feeling ashamed for letting that all out.
"I want to hate you, Loki. Not because of what you did to humanity, or the planet, or my friends… I want to hate you because somehow you won the heart of the man I would have done everything for simply to have his approval."
"If you want to hate me, feel free. You're not alone."
Pepper shook her head.
"Don't you see I want to hate you simply because I can't? What kind of friend would I be if I didn't allow Tony his happiness?"
"You are a confusing woman, Lady Pepper."
Pepper, tired of all the conversation all of a sudden, chuckled.
"Correction. I am a woman. I can't really blame you to go for a man, really."
"But you would have rather seen it be another man than Your Man."
Pepper nodded.
"Exactly."
Loki nodded and sighed.
"Not that it helps… but I didn't actually mean to marry him. Not saying I regret it, not at all… but the act itself was a bit of an accident."
Pepper's eyes widened.
"Did it include copious amounts of scotch and a Vegas wedding chapel?"
Loki couldn't help but smile.
"Not really…"
And soon, Pepper found out why exactly they called Loki "Silvertongue". With lots of drama and self-mockery he told her how he and Tony had ended up married, and he didn't leave out one embarrassing bit. By the time his story was told, Pepper's jealousy had lessened to a more workable degree. She still didn't really like Loki, but… she would safely say she didn't want to hate him anymore either. Later she spoke to Tony, and apologized herself even before he could.
(Pagebreak)
Time passed, and it was filled with funny and less funny events. Huginn and Muninn followed Hela everywhere, making JARVIS complain about… well, bird excrements in and on everything. Tony joked that they could trace every place Hela liked to come by following the poop trails. Frigga then forced the ravens to either use the toilet or go outside for their "needs". The moment Steve pulled open the toilet door and got cursed at by Muninn taking a leak quickly became one of those unforgettable camera moments, recorded by the ever-present JARVIS… Hela colored her hair hot pink on Justin's request –he said pink looked so much more evil than black- only to hate the result and hide in her room until Natasha brought her a saving box of ultra black hair dye. They all went ice-skating, which was fun for a while… Given that Loki had the worst sense of balance in the world and ended up on his ass almost all the time. When Clint made a remark about it, the god froze the man's skates stuck to the ice. Tools were needed to get the archer loose. Rolling over the ice with laughter, Tony and Loki witnessed how Thor volunteered and threatened to crush Clint's feet with Mjölnir. Of course, their presence on the ice didn't go unnoticed for long. First there were a couple of kids asking for autographs –Loki sort of blended into the background then- and eventually journalists were cornering them. Loki didn't have the chance to hide, and it was clear that the god was feeling mighty uncomfortable. As if the journalists felt that, they increased their questioning even more.
"What is the nature of your relationship?"
"What do you think of people saying you've betrayed Earth?"
"Do you believe in being an example for interspecies relations?"
"Does Loki see a psychiatrist?"
"Are there any new plans to conquer the Earth or other planets?"
"Are you still a member of the Avengers?"
Loki was trembling, and Tony could feel the god's distress. He softly whispered.
"Come on, take us out of here… Let's give them something to talk about."
Loki complied happily, and with a bright flash they both disappeared. The flash was nothing but unnecessary waste of magic, but Loki wanted a tiny bit of revenge on those pesky photographers. After blinking a few times the journalists realized their subjects had gone, and they began to harass the other avengers. The only ones spared of the ordeal were the youngsters. Peter sighed to his friends.
"Moments like this make me cherish my anonymity."
Hela was worried about her father.
"You'll see, he'll get another breakdown. You mortals are so inconsiderate!"
"We are inconsiderate? It's not like we came to conquer your planet, right?"
Hela gave Justin a deathglare.
"You have no idea what was done to him!"
Hela was expecting to get into a fight, and she was ready to defend her father if necessary… but Justin simply nodded.
"True. And I kinda like him now, so… I hope he'll be okay."
Hela couldn't help but smile. It was such a new experience for her, people who actually comprehended… Peter took her hand and made her slide over the ice. She loved it. In opposite what she had thought, ice skating as both easy and fun.
That Hela knew her father well was something Tony noticed when he opened his eyes back at the Tower. Loki was pale and shaky on his feet. Immediately Tony took the god in his arms.
"It's okay… Here no one can hurt you."
Loki nodded, but it wasn't very convincing. Tony pulled him on the sofa and cradled him. After a while the shaking calmed a bit, and Loki managed to speak.
"I… I only cause y-you trouble…"
"My dear, to have trouble with those bloodsucking information whores I don't really need you. So far you have spared me a lot of trouble, because since you live here I have barely said or done anything controversial and drunk they could quote and photograph. They're starved! It's not personal, really."
Loki shivered.
"You know it is. I… I tried to rule them. T-they… they hold grudges."
Tony sighed and pulled the god closer in his grasp.
"Maybe they do, but I won't let anyone hurt you. I promise."
Internally, Tony cursed those damn journalists and their nosiness. He let his hand run through Loki's hair, as he always did when the trickster was upset. Loki's breathing evened out and soon he was sleeping soundly with his head against Tony's shoulder. Even though he seemed to be getting better, Tony knew that using magic still completely drained Loki, not to mention the effect of stress on his system. He put the god under a blanket and held him close. More for himself than for his lover he whispered.
"No one will hurt you. Ever."
(Author's Notes)
Late Merry Christmas to everyone! Yes, I'm slow these days, but I'm having exams and those pesky things eat away at my time like nothing else... It's horrible! (HATING EXAMS: who's with me?)
Now... I know Frigga could easily magic those plates clean, but I imagine her to be one of those people who finds doing the dishes therapeutical. Then... imagine Hela with pink hair. Justin is such a troll sometimes... And yeah, I couldn't help myself... Loki isn't better yet. Duh. And there's a bit of jealous!Pepper in there too!
Now... this is my GIFT to you, dear reviewers...
-Tony brought home... a karaoke installation. Clint cheered, Natasha rolled her eyes, Loki and Thor had no clue what it was, Steve sighed, and Bruce looked very annoyed all of a sudden.-
Tony: IT'S KARAOKE TIME!
Thor: What is this Karaoke thing?
Tony: It's getting drunk and singing the lyrics to songs!
Thor: Oh, we do that too in Asgard! It is wonderful!
-Loki rolls his eyes, remembering barrels of mead being involved and Volstagg giving everyone a headache with a horrid song about glorious battles and food. Mostly about food. -
Bruce: Please tell me you're not going to test this tonight. I'm busy with an experiment that requires all my concentration and it already has me on EDGE!
- Bruce colors a slight tinge of green... They all look at each other. -
Steve: Err... I have earplugs, if you want?
Bruce: No need to even try, if Tony's going to sing I bet they can hear him all the way in Washington.
Tony: That was just because I asked JARVIS to transmit it there! I was drunk and I thought I was the next big thing in music for some reason!
-Bruce drops his head in his hands... It is Loki who comes with a solution of some sort.-
Loki: If I knew a magic spell that could make you hulking out temporarily harmless to us... Would you allow me to cast it?
Bruce: (sigh) Fine... how bad can it be...
(insert green flash and sound of magic)
Bruce: ... Mew?
-On the floor sits a cute brownish kitten. With a pair of glasses. -
Steve: LOKI!
Loki: What? I asked permission!
Tony: and he can still hulk out?
Loki: Pretty sure. Thor, could you grab Bruce please?
Thor: Sure brother!
-Thor grabs kitten!Bruce with his usual roughness, and startled the kitten lets out a growl, before turning into a slightly bigger, much greener, and a lot fluffier kitten... With sharper teeth. -
Thor: AUWCH! He BIT me!
-Loki chuckles mischievously... Then it's time for karaoke. While Thor nurses his "battle wounds" and Steve looks after kitten!Bruce, the others check the available songs. There are many, many available songs...-
Clint: I think Loki should begin...
Loki: What?
Tony: That's fair enough... We pick a song for you, and then you can pick a song for Clint! I know you've been going through some Earth music, I'm sure you have some ideas... And if either of you refuses... Then he gets turned into a kitten too!
-And so a little later, Loki is holding the microphone...-
Please allow me to introduce myself... I'm a man of wealth and taste. I've been around for a long, long year...Stole many a mans soul and faith, and I was round when jesus christ had his moment of doubt and pain... Made damn sure that pilate washed his hands and sealed his fate...
Pleased to meet you; Hope you guess my name...
I stuck around st. petersburg... when I saw it was a time for a change, killed the czar and his ministers; Anastasia screamed in vain. I rode a tank, held a generals rank when the blitzkrieg raged and the bodies stank...
Pleased to meet you! Hope you guessed my name, oh yeah... But what's confusing you is just the nature of my game... Just as every cop is a criminal, and all the sinners saints... as heads is tails... Just call me lucifer cause I'm in need of some restraint...
-Loki gave quite the impression of the (admittedly well-chosen) Rolling Stones song "Sympathy for the Devil"... Complete with epic dance moves. When the god of mischief does something, he does it right... And then it was payback time. Clint slicked as Loki threw him a quite demoniacal grin... Soon a ridiculously happy tune filled the room, and Clint's voice sings tremblingly...-
My Little Pony, My Little Pony... aaaaaah... My Little Pony... I used to wonder what friendship could be... My Little Pony... Until you all shared it's magic with me...
-Lesson learned. Never challenge the god of mischief...-
THANK YOU FOR READING, NOW PLEASE REVIEW! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE! Ponies and kittens in the author's titbit for SillyKitten, Karaoke for jaquelinelittle (and thank you for the song suggestion, that was absolutely brilliant)... I hope you are satisfied! Please review I need your input!