Seventy

Morning came too early. The doorbell rang repeatedly as we both refused to get up. Finally Loki had enough and answered the door. There was a shriek. I jumped out of bed, getting tangled in the sheets. I threw on some sweats, running to the door I hoped Loki was ok, I hoped it wasn't Thor at the door.

I came to a dead stop at the sight I was presented. Loki's naked Jotun ass in the doorway, as he had opened the door for our guests. Nat and Bruce had already seen him in his natural form, Pepper had not. She lay in the doorway being cradled by Bruce.

"Love bug? Beautiful? Forget something?" I cooed, walking to him.

"Pants?"

"Well, yes." I said, following one of the darker lines up his chest with a fingertip. He placed his hands on my chest, suddenly flushing darker as he caught the color of himself. He corrected his color and magicked on some sweat pants.

"Help?" Bruce asked breaking the moment. I knelt to help carry Pepper to the couch. After she was settled I went to make coffee for the group.

"I'm going to get dressed." Loki announced, trying to slink off.

"Do something with your hair too, gorgeous. It looks like someone had rough sex with you all night long." I called after him.

"Not all night. I think we got some sleep." He called back.

"I'd say get a room, but this is your house." Bruce said and faked puking.

"Making up for lost time." I laughed at him. "I only realized I lost a year. Most celibate year since I was fifteen."

"I'm curious, you said you were gone a month. Were you having that much fun?" Nat finally broke her silence.

"No, it was only thirty days, more or less. It didn't just feel like a month, it was a month. Thirty sunrises and sunsets." I tried to explain. They both gave me weird looks.

"Time is different on Alfheim." Loki rejoined us, helping my failed explanation. "The orbit around its star is much longer. As is its rotation. A month there is equivalent to a year here. It takes some getting used to." He finished. I handed him a cup of coffee. He'd gotten redressed in a pair of jeans and one of my concert tees. His hair was perfect, so perfect I wanted to mess it up again.

"Is time like that on Asgard too?" Bruce spoke, being the curious scientist he was. I walked coffee to each of them. I lifted Pepper's head and sat. I rested her across my lap. Loki sat on the arm of the sofa, an arm draped over my shoulders.

"No, Asgard's time is similar to here." He sipped his coffee.

"So what did we miss in a year's time?" I asked.

"Well, you two left, aliens attacked and now rule the world." Bruce kidded. I looked to Loki, who wore a smirk.

"Ha ha, no really?" He said.

"The team was spilt there for awhile." Natasha spoke. "I told you Thor is overturning every rock looking for both of you. I can't tell you who he wants to kill more. Jane is beside herself. We almost brought her. She lost good friends when you left and she lost Thor to searching. Pepper was trying to take care of her, get her out of the depression she's stuck in. I think Clint's accepted it. Steve is another story. I don't think he'll ever look at you the same."

"Good, he was always Daddy's favorite. I hated him anyway." I joked.

"James and Sam have accepted it too. At least Pepper's relationship with James withstood this shake up." She sighed.

"Yours didn't?" Loki asked.

"No, Steve and I went our separate ways a few days after. He said he couldn't trust me anymore because I didn't tell him when I found out. He never asked, I never said anything." Nat shrugged.

Pepper slowly opened her eyes, taking in the situation.

"Well, good morning." I smiled, brushing her hair out of her face.

"I'm still dreaming, aren't I?" Pepper said woosly.

"And why do you say that?" I questioned.

"Last time I woke in your arms was sometime ago." She smiled up at me.

"You're not dreaming." Loki asserted himself, kissing the top of my head.

"You were blue!" She screamed, throwing herself against the far end of the couch.

"I hate to see her reaction to the other guy." Bruce mumbled while trying to calm her. I pulled Loki into my lap. I knew he didn't want the group to see his reaction, but I saw the pain his Jotun form brought.

"I'll make it to you later. An apology for her behavior ." I whispered to him.

"I'm sorry." Pepper covered her face with her hands. "I wasn't expecting you to be naked or blue. Actually I was expecting Tony to answer the door, naked."

"Gee, thanks." I groaned. "Don't worry love bug, I love you blue and naked." I kissed his forehead. I traced where the dark lines should be on his chin. I had begun memorizing where the lines lay on his body.

"I am curious about your Jotun physiology. Thor was very unhelpful." Our resident scientist spoke.

"Another day." Loki mumbled.

"I'm still sorry, Loki." Pepper added. He got up and busied himself in the kitchen.

"Excuse me." I said getting up. I wrapped my arms around his waist, kissing his neck. "Pay them no mind. I love you and that's all that should matter."

"I know." He sighed.

"Why have you been going back to your Jotun form anyway? You've only done that if you were really hurt. You're okay, aren't you?"

"I'm fine."

"Love bug?" I whined.

"Can we talk about it later, when we're alone."

"Sure." I said giving him a quick kiss before returning to the sofa.