Yes, yes I know I took forever again to update. But you're in luck because I just watched a shit ton of 80s high school movies so hopefully I'll dish out a few more chapters before my move.

Oh yeah, I'm moving. Fun, fun.

I'm a little stressed right now and I don't generally like writing with so many OC's but I needed some for Steve's family. Based roughly off mine and Livi's stoki rp. AHHHHHHHHHHH I think I have everything from here to the end worked out as well. Not sure how many chapters are left though. Probably a hundred something...ugh. *flops*

Disclaimer: Does not own Marvel Universe

Warning: Probably nothing...? Maybe language

Comments/critiques are welcomed!

"Loki-"

"Just give me a minute, Steve, just—one more cigarette, something…"

"Loki, I can't take you inside smelling like a tobacco store!"

"I don't like people! I don't like meeting people! How did you even talk me into this?"

"Will you come on? You're acting like a child, everything will be fine."

Steve gives up on attempting to pull him from the car and picks him up instead, Loki flushing and smacking at his back. He grabs the bags from the backseat and slings them over his shoulder. Loki pulls on his hair, Steve wincing and attempting not to grin at him.

"Steve Rogers, put me down this instant!" Loki snarls.

He stops, raising a brow at him. "If I do…are you going to run back to the car?"

Loki mumbles. "No…just let me down…" Steve smiles and sets him down, Loki crossing his arms with a scowl. He hadn't even wanted to come let alone meet Steve's family. His nose was still swollen and bruised and his eyes were a little purple too. He flushes and turns away when Steve tries to kiss him.

"Awww…come on, babe," he places a hand on Loki's hip and pouts. "I've already told some of them about you!" Loki blinks. "And my mother's the only one that—acts the way she does, I swear. You'll like everyone else and I'll make sure they don't smother you, okay?" Steve pushes his boundaries a little by nibbling on Loki's jaw, his breath warm against Loki's cheeks. "Please?"

"I…" Loki flushes, turning his head to hide his face. "I look awful though…what if—I mean, I don't want-"

The way his face was busted was sure to raise some kind of question. Loki didn't need these people automatically passing judgment that his family was abusive and emotionally manipulative—since they weren't. Well…Loki was a little. But he knew the kind of picture that was going to be painted when he inevitably explained to a group of strangers that his brother had punched him in the face and the next day he was left home alone for the holidays. Diving any deeper than that and Loki would be the one they passed judgment on.

Not that he thought they really had a right to. Steve's mother seemed to be the epicenter of emotionally abusive drunks.

"Loki…" Steve takes his face in his hands and smiles. His thumb brushes over his cheekbone ever so gently. "You're beautiful, okay? And all we have to say to explain if anyone asks is that you have an older brother. You guys were roughhousing, it's a guy thing."

"A guy thing?" Loki snorts. "The last time Thor and I roughhoused he needed stitches in his hand from where I bit him."

Steve grins. "I'll remember that the next time I try to wrestle with you."

"I'm being serious!" Loki scowls, turning away. "The last thing your family is going to see in me is a guy. I'll be lucky if they see anything less than a twink-"

"Hey," Steve places a hand on the back of his neck and frowns. "Loki, look at me." He complies, Steve's face hard and serious. "I like you, okay? And they're not going to change that opinion for me. I'm going to like you because I like you. Because I think you're beautiful and perfect and funny and snarky and everything in between. If they call you—something derogatory—it's not going to change my opinion of you, it's going to change my opinion of them." Loki's heart was pounding in his chest. Steve leans in to kiss him and Loki wraps his arms around his neck, not really wanting it to end. Steve smiles and presses his forehead to Loki's. "They're gonna like you, I promise."

He wraps an arm around Loki's waist and kisses his hair. Steve pulls him along towards the house, Loki only reluctantly following. It was a large house and it was fairly secluded, as Steve said it would be. Loki had found it interesting that they had such a similarity—a rather large family but one that seemed so secluded from their primary home.

Although…Steve would most likely prove to like it here more than being at home in New York.

Steve sets their bags down as he enters the house, shrugging off his coat and offering to take Loki's. A few voices were coming from down the hall. It was nice. Homey though. Loki was so used to things being spotless and evenly arranged. He glances in the room to his right where two boys were sitting on the floor. The smaller one pulls on his brother's hair and yells. Loki draws back to look around the foyer again. He must have been making a face because Steve places a hand on his hip and kisses his hair reassuringly. He pulls away, hanging up their coats.

"Hello! Anyone home?"

Loki follows Steve as he starts to walk down the hall, the room opening up into a kitchen where a group had already congregated at the counters and at the small table in the corner. A lot of faces light up when Steve walks into the room.

"Steve!"

"There he is."

"What took you?"

Loki stays close to the wall while Steve's greeted by his family. Watching other families was always surreal. The way they hugged and kissed one another or in some instances gave grim nods and handshakes…or somewhere in between. Thankfully there weren't too many of them. Even Steve seemed rather overwhelmed by the initial attention which was rather endearing. With his own flesh and blood Steve still found a way to be completely polite and soft-spoken as if he were speaking with a stranger. Loki couldn't help but smile lightly watching him.

"You got here so late! We were all worried you go lost on the way!" an older woman—his grandmother most likely—kisses Steve's hair and smiles, smoothing it down. Her face barely reached his chin.

"No, no, I just made a little detour-"

"Steve…"

The woman Loki recognized as Steve's mother pushes through the crowd and sighs. She pulls him into a tight embrace and kisses his cheek. Loki hardly recognized her like this. Her hair was brushed and pulled back, she was wearing makeup, and—well—she was wearing something other than a tattered bathrobe.

"And here I was worried you'd gotten stuck in the snow."

"I'm okay, mama…" the corner of Steve's mouth turns up a smile. "How was your drive?"

"Quit smothering the boy, Lydia, you get the rest of the year to do that!" His mother's mouth pulls into a thin line, the older man grabbing Steve's face and kissing it, patting his shoulder.

Two girls—a few years older from what Loki could tell—were sitting at the table in the corner. Loki glances at them when they giggle, looking him over and smiling. The brunette snaps her gum, turning to who Loki assumed to be her sister and laughing. Her sister smacks her hand lightly and bites back a grin.

"Stevie," the brunette giggles, snapping her gum. "Who's your friend?"

The room falls silent. Steve's mother flicks Loki a look out of the corner of her eye with a scowl. Loki's stomach twists into a knot. He didn't care what that woman thought of him but—everyone else was just sort of staring… Loki bites his lip. Steve steps closer to him, his fingers brushing against his arm.

"Oh, uhh-" Steve clears his throat, smiling shyly. "This is—my uhh…friend. Loki."

Friend.

"Steven," his grandmother smiles, "you should have told us you were bringing a friend! Here we were all fussing about why you were so late!" She gives Loki an even brighter smile and pulls him into a hug. He tenses a bit but it's not as unpleasant as most physical contact. "Look how bony this one is!" She laughs, looking at Steve and turning back to Loki. "Don't worry…Steve was bony once too. I can fatten you right up."

"Mother, please…"

"Don't you 'mother' me. You're the one who left your son to driving out here on his own it's no wonder he picked up a stray. We're lucky he didn't drag a gaggle of girls along with him!"

Steve's mother—Lydia—rolls her eyes and shoots a look in Loki's direction. He sticks his tongue out at her when he's sure no one else is looking. Her upper lip curls just slightly as she brushes past him. "Stray being the correct term here…" she mumbles.

The rest of the family seems to disperse around the kitchen and towards a dining room. Steve chuckles as he ushers Loki away from the safety of his wall. He gives his arm a light squeeze and leaves him, sitting with the two girls in the corner. Steve motions for Loki to join him but he shakes his head.

"You two made it just on time. Dinner's just about ready."

Loki asked a few times if he could help. More than one of them told him he was the guest and that he should make himself comfortable. He didn't think they understood that he wasn't going to be able to feel comfortable—at least not until he found a good footing. Everyone seemed nice though. He just—this all seemed so…it was all too—intimate. Was that the right word? Intimate? He wasn't sure. But since Steve had already settled himself Loki sat on the floor in the adjoining room, watching the two boys he'd seen earlier.

He wasn't…good with children. Loki liked them just fine and he was good with babies and toddlers but the ages between then and about middle school was where he had trouble. Middle school was at the age where they were just sarcastic and sassy enough that Loki could back-sass them.

"Hey."

Steve laughs lightly when Loki jumps, Steve crouching down next to him. Loki notices the way Steve seems to glance around before placing a hand on his back and rubbing it.

"You doing alright, babe?" Loki nods. "Dinner's almost ready…if you want we could take the bags upstairs? Take a break?" Steve stands and helps Loki up, the boys not paying them much mind when they step around them.

Loki follows Steve up the stairs with his bag. The house was a lot more spacious on the inside. It felt…narrow but there were a lot of rooms. He looks around as Steve leads him down the hall, turning into a room on the left and smiling, taking Loki's bag.

Steve sighs and runs a hand through his hair, looking around. "It's not much, but…" He shrugs.

"Was this your room?" Loki looks around and hums.

"Well, I—I lived here for a few years, yeah…"

Loki bites his lip. He could hear the slight tone in his voice that bordered on uncertain and tentative. It was the way Loki could tell that he was unsure if it was a subject he wanted to travel. The tone was always used when he talked about his mother. Of course…it was also a tone Steve only seemed to use around him.

"I uhh-" Steve clears his throat, unpacking some of his clothes into a drawer. "I hope you don't mind sharing a bed…" He laughs. Loki walks around the room and hums, sitting on the edge of the mattress that faced the wall. It was a decent sized room. Blue. He smiles to himself. "Although if you want I could always share with the cousins but—they have a tendency to kick and punch and I don't-"

Steve stops. It took Loki a moment to realize he was watching him, turning in confusion when he realized Steve hadn't finished his sentence. Steve frowns. He walks over to him and sits on the corner of the bed.

"Baby…are you okay?"

"Of course," Loki forces a small smile. Why did you call us friends? "Are you?"

"Loki…I know you're not comfortable right now. But it's okay to be nervous." Loki was nervous, sure. Steve already knew that, he had to carry him from the car. "You don't have to hide it, babe."

He sighs. "I'm not…hiding anything, Steve. I'm fine, really. Just…tired."

Loki knew pushing his buttons right now was only going to end in another fight. And worse…one he wouldn't be able to get away from. He needed to hold his tongue and keep his curiosities to himself which wasn't going to be easy. Loki really wanted to ask how his mother could pull such a transformation overnight. He'd literally just seen her and she looked as bat-shit crazy as she usually did. Now she was all tight lips and clean clothes.

It wasn't just that though. Steve knew how vulnerable it made him to expose his family to Loki so why had he invited him along? Was this like Steve telling him he trusted him? If that were the case…why did Steve say they were friends? Loki knew they were friends but he thought Steve thought they were more than that…

Steve furrows his brow, continuing to study Loki's face. He takes his hand and rubs his thumb over his knuckles. "Come on…we should head back down for dinner." He stands and kisses the back of Loki's hand, Loki following him back down the way they came.

Are we just…friends? Loki furrows his brow. Why did Steve say friend? Was he not ready to say boyfriend? He'd called Loki his boyfriend before…maybe he wasn't ready to tell his family. But why? Loki didn't care if they knew. What were they going to do? Call Frigga? The only one he thought capable of something like that was Steve's mother—Lydia. Even then Loki would just have to assure her they got the wrong idea, it wasn't like she was going to automatically take their word for it.

Still…this was only going to add to the things rumbling through Loki's brain.

Steve sits next to him as the rest of the family starts to gather at the table. He grins, giving his knee a squeeze under the table. Loki gives him a small smile. It apparently wasn't the reaction Steve was expecting. He frowns and lowers his voice, "Are you sure you're okay?"

Loki nods and places his hand over his. "Yes…I'm fine, Steve."

He was sure Steve was going to insist that he wasn't but he holds his tongue. His mother sits across from them, glancing at the pair. Loki attempts to keep Steve's hand in his but he draws it away.

"Alright, sit down everyone, I didn't slave over this dinner for nothing."

"Boys, find your seats."

One of the younger ones climbs into the chair next to Loki.

Steve's hand brushes against his arm. "How much stew do you want?" Loki blinks, Steve raising his brow and smiling. He keeps his voice low, leaning closer so Steve could hear.

"What's in it?"

He laughs, handing over his own plate. "Well, it's—beef stew, Loki. It has beef and vegetables…you've had stew before, right?"

"Yeah, with fish heads."

"Fish…heads?"

"It's-" Loki didn't feel like explaining his mother's cooking. He sighs. "Frigga doesn't like red meat."

"You'll like it, I promise," Steve smiles. "And if you want you can eat it on rice like grandpa's doing." Loki's eyes light up a bit. "Kind of like chicken teriyaki. Or—I guess in this case beef but…"

"Why does he eat it on rice?"

He grins. "Grandpa can't eat dinner without rice since he served in Vietnam."

Loki hums. "That sounds alright." He hands Steve his plate and he passes it down.

"I think that's the quietest I've ever heard you be," Steve's mother snorts. She passes her plate down, her eyes flickering over Loki. "Normally you're causing a racket."

"Mama-"

"Oh, Lydia, stop," Steve's grandmother chuckles, "you'd tell Steve he was causing a racket for watching TV. It's no wonder the poor thing hasn't said a word all afternoon."

"Loki's just shy, grandma." Steve smiles, his smile widening when Loki catches his eye. He sets his plate back down in front of him. "And he doesn't eat a lot-"

"Well you can tell that just by looking at him!"

"I just don't want you to think he doesn't like your cooking!"

Loki picks at the goopy sort of stuff on top of his rice and hums. It smelled good at least. And it had potatoes which seemed to be good with anything. He picks up his fork and pokes at the food, trying some of the rice with the broth before deciding he liked it.

The boy next to him tugs on his arm. Loki blinks and looks at him, the boy pointing at something on the table. "Can I have the butter?"

"Oh," Loki reaches for it and sets in front of him. "Of course."

"Thanks."

"So…" Steve clears his throat. Loki turns his head to him, chewing his meat. It wasn't bad. A little sweet but Loki was thinking that had something to do with more red wine than needed being poured into the pot. "Tomorrow we may go into town for a little while. We always go into all the shops to find the gaudiest ornament we can for grandma's tree. She seems to like it."

The two girls at the end of the table grin and shake their heads.

Loki hums. Maybe he'd be able to find Steve a present during then. "That doesn't sound too bad…"

"Anything you want tomorrow though, alright?" Steve smiles, chewing his food slowly. He bites back a laugh. "You could model for me again if you want. You know I like drawing you-"

His grandfather grunts. "You're still drawing, then?"

Steve sits up a little straighter when he speaks. "Yes, sir."

"Well that's good," his grandmother hums. "Hobbies are good to have, aren't they, Alain?"

"As long as he sticks with football too." She rolls her eyes. "You looked into the army bases around there yet? Spoke to anyone? West Point's a good academy-"

"Steven's not going into the army," Lydia scowls. She sits back in her seat with a look and crosses her arms. Her sister reaches out to pat her arm, Lydia swatting her away.

"Well he needs some kind of education," his grandfather scoffs. "You can't keep him in that thing you call a house all day! He needs to go to school, make friends, find a decent girl-"

Loki smirks to himself. Girl, no. Decent…not really.

"He's my son. If I say he's not going into the army then he's not-"

"You're insufferable, girl. What if that's what he wants? Then what are you going to do?"

"Well, it's not what he wants! I'm his mother and I would know, so stop trying to-"

"STOP IT!" Steve's grandmother snaps.

The whole table falls silent. His grandmother stands and glares at the two of them. Steve's face was burning red, his head bowed to stare at the table. Loki picks at his food and looks around at the family's faces as they attempt to brush off the small spat. It seemed that if Loki had gone with his own family things wouldn't be very different from what they were now. Someone would end up fighting with the other and there'd have to be a peacemaker. How did Steve just roll over and let his mother speak for him the way she did though? Loki frowns. Did he do that too?

"Now…we have a guest, could we please attempt not to embarrass our grandson in front of his friend, Alain?" she sighs, serving more stew onto one of the uncle's plates. "Same goes for you, Lydia." She sits back down and clears her throat. The conversations start to carry on as they had been. "Steven, darling, I don't mind what you and your friend do tomorrow as long as I get my ornament, alright? And your grandfather and uncles may need help bringing the tree in."

Steve nods his head weakly. He seemed to have lost his appetite. "Yes, ma'am."

"Besides," Steve's mother clears her throat after a sip of wine. "We need to trim the tree right after we get home from town, you know that."

Lydia and her own mother share a sharp look between them.

Loki clears his throat and gives Steve a nudge. "You'll just have to model for me." Steve blinks and smiles at him.

"Oh!" his aunt—the one that looked like his mother—lights up and smiles. "Do you draw too?" Loki nods. "Well how nice! I bet you two have art class together at school, don't you?"

He smiles shyly. "Yes, ma'am."

The man next to her grins, wrapping an arm around her waist. "So what happened, kid? The family forget you at home?"

She frowns at him. "Ralph-"

"No," Loki laughs dryly, setting his fork down. "I—haven't been feeling good as of late and Fr—my…mother-" he makes a face, "-asked if I'd rather stay home. We go to London so driving wasn't much of an option." Loki glances at Steve. "Steve had come over to wish us a happy holiday and overheard our—predicament and asked if I'd like to go with him."

"And that's when he clocked yah in the nose?"

Some of the table laughs, Loki flushing and looking down at his lap.

"Ralph, for god's sakes, don't say things like that-"

"Oh, lay off, Ruby, I'm only teasing him! Look at the kid, he could've taken Steve easy."

Loki laughs and glances at Steve, expecting him to have a flashback to when Loki's fist had caught him in the jaw. He must have since his hand runs over the bone and grins.

"Well, we're very happy to have you," his grandmother smiles. "And if you get ill at all we have a pharmacy in the guest bathroom. I am afraid that we have a shortage of rooms since we started remodeling parts of the house. I hope you and Steve are alright sharing a bed."

Steve nods. "He said he was alright with it as long as I was. Besides, Loki doesn't really take up a lot of room so we should fit-"

"Hmm..." his mother sets down her wine and shakes her head. "No."

"No?" his grandmother places her hands on her hips. "What does that mean? No? Is that the only word you can say now, Lydia?"

"I don't want them sharing a room."

Steve frowns. "Mama-"

"Why the hell not?" Ralph snorts. "What the hell do you think they're going to be doing?"

"Ralph, language…"

"What? She's being ridiculous! She'd have the poor kid sleep out in the snow if she could have her way about everything."

Lydia's mouth twitches just slightly. Yeah, Loki sort of believed that too.

"I just don't think they should share a bed. He can sleep on the couch I don't see what the problem is."

"Mama-"

"Don't back talk me, Steven."

Loki narrows his eyes at her but holds his tongue.

"Lydia, please, you're embarrassing your son. There's nothing wrong with the two of them sharing a bed. You're acting childish and rude!"

"It may be your house, mother, but he's my son-"

"Don't you talk to me in that tone, Lydia, you know better!"

Loki watches as they argue. The brother had even joined in now, going on about how his two boys could always sleep on the couch. His wife ushers the boys out of the room. The two girls at the end of the table roll their eyes and pull out their phones.

He didn't care for this woman. She was a bit of a nuisance and the way she talked to Steve felt way too condescending…especially since there was no point for her to carry such a tone. Their arguments continue, Loki crossing his legs with a sigh. Honestly it didn't matter where he slept. If he didn't like the couch he'd just crawl into bed with Steve anyways, it was Steve's opinion about sharing that he was more concerned with. He hums when Steve gives his hand a squeeze. His face was red from blushing and his brow and jaw were tense. Loki sort of liked seeing him riled up like this.

Steve stands with a scowl. "Why don't I just sleep on the couch and Loki can have the bed?"

"No!" Lydia frowns. "I don't want you catching any kind of chill you know how bad it is for your immune system and your asthma…"

"Mama, I feel fine, I'm not going to-"

"You don't know that for sure!"

"Lydia, please, I don't understand what your problem is here, it's not like if Steve were sharing a bed with his girlfriend!"

"That's not the point I don't want them-"

"It's fine," Loki announces. Steve looks at him and frowns. He wasn't sure anyone else had heard him. He raises his voice a little. "It's fine, really!" The rest of them quiet down, Lydia staring blankly at him with her arms crossed. "I can sleep on the couch, I don't mind."

Steve's grandmother frowns. "Oh, sweetie, I'm sure we can find you somewhere else-"

"He said it was fine, mother," Lydia hums, finishing her food. "So it's fine."