Written to: Moth's Wings - Passion Pit, crosspost from AO3
Gigil/Gheegle: The urge to pinch or squeeze something that is unbearably cute.
Tony looks at the squirming bundle in his lap, prods it with a tentative finger before quickly jerking his hand away just in case the...thing were to explode or spontaneously burst into flames. Knowing Loki, he wouldn't have been surprised if either of those things were to happen.
Modi burbles up at him, blowing a spit bubble, and Tony frowns down at him. Thor had deposited Modi with the other Avengers before hurriedly dragging Loki off to show him the bedroom that Tony had built for him in the tower, complete with an industrial strength bed, and Tony really would rather prefer not to think about those sorts of activities at the present moment.
Steve, sitting beside him, makes little nonsense noises to the thing, who coos curiously back at him as he waggles his fingers at it.
"Must you encourage it?" Tony asks, rolling his eyes at the captain, who was sticking out his tongue at Modi. "It's already far too noisy for this time of the morning as it is," he mutters as Modi babbles and squeals in laughter.
When Steve just keeps making faces at it, Tony rolls his eyes dramatically and deposits Modi in Steve's lap. Steve gasps in delight and pinches Modi's chubby cheeks, squeezing him close to his chest, while Tony just stares.
"Who's a cute little baby? Who's a cute little baby? You, that's who!" Steve exclaims, tickling Modi whose laughs were piercing through Tony's head.
Tony waves his hand in front of Steve's face, but Steve is completely oblivious to anything besides the squirming bundle in his arms.
"Cap. Malekith just landed in Times Square."
No response, save for Steve giving Modi Eskimo kisses.
"Captain Rogers. There's been a Nazi uprising in Washington, D.C."
No response.
"Steve. Loki just stole the Declaration of Independence."
Tony thought he detected a faint twitch of Steve's eye, but he couldn't be sure, as Steve was utterly and completely fascinated by Modi curling his tiny fingers around Steve's thumb.
Tony tosses his hands up in the air in exasperation and bustles off to drink a cup of coffee or ten.