Chapter Text
Chapter XXXV - From Enjoying Threesomes to Being a Parental Unit
For days after his first kiss with Loki, Tony waits for the other shoe to drop. For something to shatter the fragile hope Tony is allowing himself to feel over what it might mean, and where it could possibly lead them.
But nothing happens.
And nothing changes, not really.
Sure, there’s a new level of intimacy to their daily life, lingering kisses and tentatively wandering hands, but even with the addition of these definitely no longer platonic interactions, everything stays more or less the same. They’ve built such a strong foundation over the almost four months Loki has been with Tony, that taking this next step doesn’t so much feel like a next step, but more like a smooth, completely natural progression of things.
Which is why Tony is less than thrilled when, instead of being allowed the honeymoon period they totally deserve, Coulson and Fury show up at the tower to inform them that SHIELD has decided they need to debrief Loki on the events of the Battle of Manhattan, and what has transpired since.
That, and the fact that Tony is not about to just put Loki at the mercy of a bunch of agents who don’t give a shit about the man himself, and are only interested in the Intel he may be able to provide, especially not now that Loki is finally coming out of his shell and starting to work through and deal with the repercussions of his torture and abuse.
“Over my dead body,” Tony snarls, teeth bared, once Fury is done announcing their intentions, Loki’s hand on Tony’s shoulder, the thumb slipped under his tank to stroke soothing circles into his skin the only thing stopping Tony from punching the presumptuous fucker in the nose.
Fury is as stoic as he ever is in the face of Tony’s anger, quirking an eyebrow back at Tony and drawling an unimpressed, “Being a little overdramatic again, are we?”
“Try me,” Tony challenges, an admittedly somewhat manic grin tugging up one corner of his mouth. “Do it and see where you get your equipment and funding from now on. You think I won’t cut you off? Well, go ahead and find out, Patches.”
“That won’t be necessary, Mr Stark,” Coulson says calmly, but sends a sharp look in Fury’s general direction. Having them as Co-Directors is the best damn thing that’s ever happened to SHIELD, in Tony’s expert, thank you very much, opinion. “All we want is to talk, find out if there’s still a threat out there somewhere, and what kind of measures we need to take if there is.”
Before Tony can snap at Coulson as well, Loki himself speaks up. “Director, while my memories of the events leading up to arriving on Midgard and the battle itself are full of holes and vague at best, I am willing to provide you with what I am able to recall.” Tony makes a sound of protest, but when Loki glances at him there’s a mischievous twinkle in his eyes and Tony, biting back an anticipatory smile, falls quiet again. “Provided you accept my conditions, of course.”
Coulson’s eyes widen ever so slightly, the only indication that he’s taken aback. “I believe that is fair. Your conditions being?”
Loki’s expression reminds Tony of the cocky God he’d first met five years ago, full of only half-faked confidence and just a pinch of regal arrogance.
It’s a huge fucking turn-on, and Tony leans a little more into Loki’s touch, happy to see Loki slowly but steadily finding and recovering parts of himself again.
“All our meetings will take place here at Stark Tower and be monitored by JARVIS,” Loki begins, ignoring the scowl Fury sends his way. “And I will have two members of Anthony’s team at my side during all our conversations, one of them being Captain Rogers, as team leader, should he agree to do this for me.”
“Which he will,” Tony cuts in, certain that Steve, disillusioned after the whole HYDRA mess a couple of years back and no more trusting of SHIELD than any of them ever since, will want to sit in on this and make sure that none of the information gets lost somewhere between Loki giving it and SHIELD storing it away out of reach of the Avengers. “And I will be right there with you, as well, Nicky, don’t you worry your shiny, bald head over that.”
Fury grumbles something but nods, one curt jerk of his head.
Coulson holds out his hand for Loki to shake.
***
Loki tells Tony to leave halfway through the very first session, claiming that Tony’s constant scowling and angry interruptions aren’t conductive to finishing the debrief without it escalating into a full blown argument. Again.
“You are being overly protective, Anthony,” Loki murmurs, quiet enough that the other people still sitting around the conference table, and utterly failing at pretending they aren’t trying to eavesdrop, won’t hear them where they’re standing by the door. “And while I sincerely appreciate the intention behind it, I am afraid it is doing more harm than good at the moment.”
“They’re making you uncomfortable,” Tony grumbles miserably, but goes willingly enough when Loki ushers him out into the hall, allowing Loki to draw him in close, melting into Loki’s touch and tucking his face into Loki’s neck, breathing him in in an attempt to calm himself down. “You shouldn’t have to do this.”
Loki, though, is smiling, Tony can feel it against the side of his head. “This was my choice,” he gently reminds Tony, nosing at Tony’s temple and then pressing a lingering kiss to Tony’s hair. “This planet, it is home to me and my daughter now, and I want it as safe as possible for the both of us. For all of us, Anthony,” he says, one hand squeezing the back of Tony’s neck. Voice lighter, with a teasing edge to it, he continues, “Besides, I am supposed to make my own choices, am I not? Or does that only ever apply when my choices are ones you like and approve of?”
“You,” Tony laughs, pulling back enough to grin up at Loki, “are such a little shit. That is something I like, by the way.”
“Good.” Loki smirks right back, kissing the tip of Tony’s nose. “Because I have been told, repeatedly so, that it makes up a rather big part of my personality.”
Standing on tiptoes, hands on either side of Loki’s face, Tony tugs him down to rest their foreheads together. “Still. You sure you’re going to be all right in there?”
“A little more confidence in your Captain, Anthony,” Loki tisks playfully, moving in for another kiss, eyes sliding shut for a moment as he hums against Tony’s lips. “This, it is something I want to do. Something I need to do. Please, let me.”
Tony huffs out a displeased little breath but nods, giving Loki’s lips one last quick peck before stepping away. “I’m sending Nat down to take my place, though. I think Fury’s actually scared of her.”
***
“C’mon, turn that off. Bruce made cookies,” Bucky coaxes and throws himself over the back of the couch, sprawling across Tony’s legs and deftly plucking the tablet out of a loudly protesting Tony’s hands. “Everything’s bein’ recorded, your boy’s fine, has been for the last four days. Stop spying on them.”
Tony scowls, whining when Bucky holds the StarkPad out of his reach. “You are such an asshole,” he accuses, but doesn’t stop Bucky from curling an arm around his waist, making himself more comfortable. “Thought I was supposed to get up?”
“Nope, changed my mind,” Bucky hums, closing his eyes. “I like it here. Pet me.”
“Such an asshole,” Tony repeats, laughing, but starts running his fingers through Bucky’s hair anyway, snorting at the way Bucky starts letting out tiny little groans. If he could, he’d be purring, Tony’s convinced.
He’s known Bucky for a while now, and can recognise his attempts at being comforting. Bucky’s an incredibly tactile person, has always been, according to Steve, but even more so since coming back from his ordeal at the hands of HYDRA. Not that Tony’s complaining. It’s nice, actually, and he’ll never say no to some casual cuddling. It’s his favourite form of team building.
The couch dips again, Johnny sliding into the seat on Tony’s other side. “That’s mine,” he says mock-seriously, linking the fingers of one hand through Bucky’s metal ones, but rests his cheek against Tony’s chest, snuggling up close.
Resigned to his new fate as a human pillow, Tony kicks his feet up on the coffee table. Loki isn’t here to scold him for it, and JARVIS isn’t going to tell. Probably. “Just so you know,” he sniffs haughtily, “I was working on the suit, not-“
“Sure you were,” Johnny interrupts, yawning.
Bucky nods lazily, eyes wide, all faked innocence. “We believe you.”
Tony flicks Bucky’s ear and digs his thumb into Johnny’s neck, making him squeak. “I hate you both. I’m going to revoke your access codes to the tower, leave you homeless and broke.”
“You don’t actually pay our salaries,” Bucky points out, frustratingly reasonable. “And we have an apartment of our own. We’re just here for the free food.”
“Hate you,” Tony grumbles. “Both of you.”
“You adore us,” Johnny singsongs, blowing a wet raspberry against Tony’s cheek. “You think we’re irresistible, don’t lie, baby. I still have the video to prove it.”
Tony groans. “That was one time!”
“With each of us,” Bucky teases, poking Tony’s stomach. “And then one more time with the two of us together. So, three times.”
“Fun times,” Johnny adds dreamily, then starts cackling when Tony rolls his eyes at him.
“What’s fun?” Ana asks curiously, peering over the arm of the couch, and the only good thing about this whole situation, Tony thinks, willing his racing heart to calm down again, is that Johnny didn’t hear her coming either, going by his startled yelp.
Bucky, meanwhile, is laughing at both of them, holding his arm out for Ana to inspect. Which she does, after a moment of hesitation, admiringly running her tiny fingers over the grooves and plates since Tony, even though he has no idea what he’s doing with her, is obviously doing something right.
She’s still wary and careful around most people, but she’s slowly opening up, especially to Bucky and Clint, of all people. Clint insists it’s because they, and Loki, all belong to the Previously Brainwashed club which, according to him, brings people together.
“Daddy, up,” Ana demands, jerking Tony out of his thoughts, making grabby hands at him.
Obeying automatically, tightly wrapped around her little finger as he is, Tony scoops her up, Bucky helpfully lifting his head so she can settle before plopping it back down in her lap, making her giggle. At Tony, he directs a pointed look.
“What?” Tony frowns back at him, then glances over at Johnny, who’s staring at Ana, mouth twitching with badly suppressed amusement. “No, seriously. What?”
“Ana,” Bucky says to get her attention, then points at Tony. “Who’s that?”
“Daddy,” Ana says, squinting her eyes at Bucky as if he’s stup-
Oh.
Oh!
“Congratulations,” Johnny says through his snickers. “It’s a girl.”
Tony swallows hard, burying his face in Ana's curls and kissing the top of her head. He’s not going to cry in front of these two idiots, he’s absolutely not.
Thankfully, Thor chooses that exact moment to announce himself with a deafening peal of thunder.