Chapter Text
“Pepper? Why does everyone think I’m fucking Steve?!”
Pepper blinked and slowly lifted her eyes from her laptop screen, looking over at where Tony stood at his apartment workstation, hands waving at the screen and wearing his ‘I am going to blow up the universe’ face. “Run that by me again?”
He looked at her. “Everyone seems under the impression that Ironman and Captain America are fucking. What the hell?”
She managed not to burst into laughter. “Get off Facebook, Tony.”
“You knew about this didn’t you.” He rubbed his eyes.
“Oh please, this has been all over the internet since New York. Hell even you think he’s hot.”
“I know lesbians that think Steve is hot and that is SO not the point because Steve could not be straighter. NASA could use his straightness to calibrate equipment.” Tony pouted.
Outside the Avengers Tower, snow came down in thick blankets. Since blowing the hell out of some Florida everglades, things have been fairly quiet really, just the usual local troublemakers needing the occasional bitchslap to mind their place. Loki and Thor were not just getting along, they’d borrowed the plane and gone to visit Jane together. A week-long trip had turned into two weeks, littered with random phone calls and text messages and hey Tony can I buy Thor a motorcycle on this expense card? And Tony had been pouting for days now because dammit he wanted some quality time with his boyfriend.
Also now a permanent installation in the tower was Phil Coulson, whose first name was definitely not Agent anymore. On the other hand, Phil seemed to pride himself on being his own special brand of enigma. Tony still knew next to nothing about him. His music tastes were eclectic but mostly old school (big band, lounge, jazz). He drank Tequila and Vodka like water and knew how to make martinis that Tony had never heard of. He kept strange hours and did god knows what in his office. He also seriously creeped out Loki, which was hilarious unto itself.
“Like that stops people from fantasizing about it.” Pepper was back in her laptop. “Your sudden decision to be more close-mouthed about your love life has left a lot of gossip columnists with less to do. So they’re making shit up. I read it all for laughs.”
Tony sighed and scrolled the touch screen. “They think he lives with us.”
“Well, to be fair, they aren’t wrong.” After all, the building was still the property of Tony and Pepper, even if several floors were now farmed out to Avengers.
“Right ideas, wrong Avenger. Which is silly, considering how many pictures the paparazzi have gotten of Loki and me out and about.”
Tony and Bruce locked themselves into the lab at regular intervals as they tried to reinvent the laptop and smart phone. At one point in time, STARK had made a hardened laptop (a tough book competitor) for the Military that was known as the AK line. Ass Kicker, or Armored Kinetics, depending whether you asked Tony or STARK marketing. The last of the AK line had been made six years ago, and interestingly enough, Phil had one of them, the AK007 line (which, naturally, had been made for intelligence agencies primarily). He was steadfastly refusing to let Tony touch it or upgrade it, which had made Tony light on the idea of bringing the tough laptops back.
“And while you’re at it, make your phones useful.” Phil had said in a snide voice. When Tony had given him a look, Phil had taken one out of his pocket, twisted it between his hands, and shattered it. “You have some serious build quality issues, Anthony.”
He hadn’t even argued the use of his full name because, well, Phil had a point.
But, back to the topic. Tony and Bruce locked themselves in the lab, and Loki dragged them out at regular intervals. Sent them to bed, made sure they ate, and sometimes just drug them outside to force them to be normal social human beings, which was funny in a bitter way when you took into account that Loki was the one with an insanity that affected his social interactions. They went to coffee shops and talked shop there just for the environment. They went out to eat. Hell, they went to the mall just to watch Bruce be awkward and awestruck because he actually had felt safe about being there.
All of this had led to a rather large number of pictures of the Science Triplets on the internet.
“We could just give up and tell the press, you know.” He finally said, making an effort to ignore the idiots on the internet and actually get some work done.
Pepper gave him a look, pursing her lips slightly. “I like the illusion of privacy we have.”
Tony burst into laughter, because goddamn, how accurate was that?
Later that day, Jarvis popped into the lab, straightened his tie, and told Tony that the plane was touched down at the airport and was in the process of unloading. Jarvis’ holographic avatar had started showing up a few weeks after Florida, to various reactions from the group, but he just made Tony smile. Even if Jarvis had made himself tall and lanky and wasn’t that a bitch because that was what Tony was into these days (though, not so much blondes anymore).
The timing was good as well, Bruce and Tony had wrestled the hardware issues to the point they were ready to knock out some test products but Loki had a much better eye for color and lines. Tony had made a lot of money for a long time building weapons (and some very sexy ones), but Loki made stuff normal people wanted to buy. As proven by opinion polls they sometimes threw on the website they now had. Say what you will, Loki had a sense of style.
So he got himself a reasonably healthy snack and went down to the ground floor to await the return of the Asgardian Wonder Twins, not surprised that in spite of weather that was flat out miserable the public was still there. Never one to do things halfway, Tony had declined to have a tree cut down for the lobby and had had a live tree brought in and planted into a repurposed floor level fountain… thing that usually had koi fish they were constantly having to remind people not to throw coins at. So the huge and very alive fir tree towered in the lobby, and filled it with a fresh woodsy smell that was either quite welcome or most hated, depending which staff you asked. Loki had done something magic related and now the branches were permanently coated in cold fresh snow that stubbornly refused to melt in the heat of the building, nicely setting off the decorations and lighting. Somehow a reproduction of Steve’s shield had become the star, which Tony found both appropriate, and non-religious enough for his liking.
The downside to this was that some form of press was always using it as a back drop so the minute he stepped out of the elevator, he was pounced on.
“Mr. Stark!”
“The answer is no.” He replied, claiming a bench to sit on and wait. “No comment, no questions, just no.”
The reporter, a woman, pouted, a camera man hovering over her shoulder. “Well can I at least know what brought you downstairs?”
“What, I can’t enjoy my damn tree?” That got the desired affect he was hoping for and the reporter sulked off, taking her camera man with her but they watched him from a distance, waiting to see if he was going to do anything newsworthy.
It was the music on the overhead that let him know that Loki and Thor were back, because it abruptly changed from holiday music to AC/DC’s ‘Back in Black,’ the volume increasing. That was enough to make most of the lobby denizens look up curiously, then everything stopped when the doors opened and the Asgardian brothers walked in, pushing their motorcycles into the lobby because why would they enter the parking garage the normal way? They were already pulling off their helmets, and Tony felt his heart skip a few beats as Loki threw his hair back out of his eyes.
Loki was in his motorcycle leathers, his long coat on over the sinful black leather pants, steadying the bike with one hand. He was still pale as the moon, tall thin and long dark hair, and easily Thor’s polar opposite. Thor, tall broad and golden, in motorcycle chaps and steadying a Harley with one hand. All in all, they looked absolutely unreal, and their laughter was loud in the room.
“Thank you for the welcome, Jarvis.” Loki remarked, brushing snow off.
“Motorcycles in this weather?” Tony wanted to know, walking over. “We have a parking garage.”
“Well, hello to you too.” Loki made a face. “Miss me?”
“You have five minutes to get upstairs or I am no longer responsible for my actions.” Tony deadpanned, then looked at Thor. “Hey, how’s Jane?”
“Jane is exceptional, Man of Iron, and she sends his regards.”
He honestly had to wonder if Thor heard half the things he said. Even Loki was choking back the laughter.
This was when the doors opened again, and in walked Phil and Steve, both in winter exercise gear. They’d taken up running together once a day, no matter what the weather was doing. Since Phil had rejoined the group, they’d somehow become very good friends.
“Hey, guys, welcome back.” Steve grinned, joining the impromptu gathering.
“Son of Coul!”
“Down, Thor. Down please. A little help here? Guys?” Everyone else was too busy laughing because Thor was a hugger and Phil’s feet were off the floor, looking for the entire world like a grouchy cat. Eventually he gave up and hugged back and it was only then that Thor relented and set him down with a laugh. Once his feet were on the ground Phil popped his neck, straightened himself out and he might have as well been in his suit because suddenly he was all authority and poise, turning on heel and leveling a finger at the reporter and her camera man. “You are aware that we now require a press pass for the lobby?”
“How the hell does he do that?” Loki wanted to know.
“Practice.” Phil replied over his shoulder, then he was smiling that strange gentle smile of his, stepping over to talk quietly to the slightly alarmed reporter.
Tony shook his head and looked at Loki and Thor. “Would you two put your bikes back downstairs. Then seriously, Loki, upstairs or I strip you right here. Pick a location.” Once Loki was laughing and heading for the freight elevator trailing Thor, he looked at Steve. “And would you kindly tell the nice reporter we’re not fucking? On film, even? Because I’m seriously a bit weirded out that people think that, and it’s not like they’re going to believe a word I say about it.”
“They think what.” Steve replied, flat.
“Yeah, man. I know.”
“That doesn’t feel like an appropriate thing to say to any press.”
Tony gesticulated at the reporter. “They’re talking about it anyway. Phrase it anyway you like!”
“Oh just.. fine. FINE. You’re welcome.”
“And thank you.” Tony grinned at him and headed for the elevator, whistling.
Pepper was upstairs in the apartment waiting for him. She’d been in a meeting, but had slipped out early when Jarvis had informed her (via projected words on the paperwork in front of her) that Loki was back. “Is it just me or is Jarvis getting more creative?”
Tony snickered and helped her take the suit jacket off, not that she needed the help but he gave it anyway. “I think he finally gets that he’s allowed to express himself.”
“I do beg your pardon, sir.” Jarvis said in the overhead, sounding more stiff than usual. Tony made a face at the ceiling.
“You know we love you.”
“Yes, yes I do.” Said Loki as he walked in, jacket flopped over his arm and smiling in his curly wicked way. “So, did you miss me?”
The two sets of hands immediately reaching for him were probably a ‘yes’, Loki mused.
Most of an hour later they were in a naked puppy pile on the bed. Pepper was mostly asleep, laying across Tony and resting her cheek on Loki’s back. Loki and Tony were at angles to each other, Tony on his back Loki on his stomach, faces nestled together.
“What’s going on in the lab?” Loki finally asked.
“We need you back in there. We want to put some test product together.” Tony yawned.
“If you two start talking math and ruin my afterglow I will kill you both.” Pepper mumbled.
Loki laughed. “How about my trip instead then, dear?”
“That’ll work.” She shifted, nuzzling one of his shoulder blades, tracing pale patterns onto Loki’s blue skin with one hand. “It’s good to see you getting along so well with Thor.”
“Well, I’m not sure about Darcy still, sometimes it seems like she wants to taser me, sometimes it seems like she’s checking me out.” Loki shifted, goosebumps rising under her fingertips. “But Jane seems to have accepted me, and Thor and I are getting along well these days. It’s not quite how it used to be, before, but even before I was playing games.”
“Better or worse than before?” Tony asked, watching his face. He was long used now to Loki being in their bed without his ‘human’ face on, the red eyes and dusky blue skin of a Jotun so bold against the sheets.
“Better.” Loki said after a moment. “We listen to each other better now.”
“And you apparently taught him to ride a motorcycle.” Pepper hums softly.
“He asked, actually. You know I took my bike with so I could get it on some open roads while he was spending some quality time with Jane, well about the third day of this he said he wanted to learn. He seemed horribly awkward on my sport bike, but happily Darcy had a friend who let us borrow his cruiser. That worked well enough I bought him one.”
“You do realize that Thor in chaps nearly killed the poor receptionist.” Tony smirked.
Loki rolled his eyes and yawned widely, and the conversation died for just a little while, dozing happily in each other’s arms.
“Morning, Jarvis.”
“Good morning, Mr. Laufeyson, and welcome back.” Jarvis replied, snapping into the hallway and walking beside Loki as he walked down the main hallway of the lab level. Bruce and Tony were already arguing densely about something so Loki had just pilfered some coffee and carried on. “Should I warm up your lab?”
“Yes please, turn everything on and…” Loki stopped in the doorway and stared. His lab had been rearranged and the wire table was gone. He didn’t even blink, just turned and yelled down the hallway. “TONY! What did you do to my lab? Why are you always renovating when no one is looking?”
“Because things need to be updated.” Tony replied in a peevish tone, poking his head out the door of his workspace.
“Where is my table?!” Loki wove his arms, somehow without spilling his coffee.
“Oh, right.” Tony came down the hall and slid past Loki like it was something he did to people every other day, gesturing at a silver square that was now embedded in the floor. “It’s in the floor. Six by six foot space on the floor, floor to ceiling work space, you can walk on it and through it without hurting it.”
“What.” Loki said flatly.
“You like to work with your whole body.” Tony replied, watching Jarvis power up the new frame ‘table’ and run a test sequence. “You usually stay standing anyway, but you can roll a chair onto this if you want. I thought this would give you more space to work with.”
He stared at Tony for a long moment, then looked at the demo Jarvis was running. “I’ll see how it works.”
“Well I hope you like it because I sent your old table to Reed Richards to play with.” Tony slapped his shoulder, left the room and was back in his dense conversation with Bruce before he was halfway down the hall.
“Why do I love him?” Loki lamented.
“Because he understands you, sir.” Jarvis replied without missing a beat.
“That was rhetorical.” Loki shook his head and set his coffee on the desk that now held the computer touchscreens. “Ok, bring up everything they’ve been working on…” He stepped onto the floor where his table had been and watched as the lights went down in the room, a constellation of designs popping up around him. “Oh. I might like this. Where to begin…” It was half an hour later when his brain registered something. “Jarvis, who is Reed Richards?”
“Reed Richards, also known as Mr. Fantastic.” A holoscreen popped up, displaying video. “He’s one of the Fantastic Four.”
“More superheroes?” Loki peered at the screen.
“Yes. They are also residents of New York, and Dr. Richards has been a longtime acquaintance and occasional business partner, or rival, of Mr. Stark.”
“And Tony sent him my former table… why, exactly?”
“Christmas, Mr. Laufeyson. And he knew that Dr. Richards did not have one, as Mr. Stark builds each table himself. He said superheroes are hard to shop for.”
“I suppose they would be.” Sometimes Loki felt like he finally got this world and other times he felt like he was staring at a zoo exhibit from another dimension. “Change up my playlist, would you? Faster tempo.”
“Of course sir.” Jarvis changed the music up. “He also sent a table to Mr. Bruce Wayne, if it makes you feel any better.”
“Wayne, Wayne…” Loki looked around and pointed his light pen at a piece of equipment in his lab that had WAYNE stamped on it. “That Wayne?”
“Yes sir.”
“Okay, what’s his motive?”
“He wants to start working on cross-company projects, which means getting everyone on the same page equipment wise. So he’s raising everyone else up to his standards. His words, sir.”
“Why am I not surprised?” Loki snickered into his coffee mug. “This should be interesting.”
“This is Avengers Tower, Mr.Laufeyson. Very little is boring.”
“Touche.”
“So, cross-company projects?” Loki asked later. The Avengers were all in the rumpus room. Steve had made chili, so everyone had gathered there.
“Yeah.” Tony replied easily. “There’s a lot of laws against us buying each other out but I had the lawyers dig around and we can work together without pissing off the feds, so I’m putting together some business proposals.”
“To what end though? This seems rather against the point of profit and competition.”
Tony grinned at him. “A warm light for all mankind to share.” When Loki gave him a look, he wove a hand. “Alright, alright. Remember that drunken conversation about the Wardenclyffe and spaceships? Well, I want to make that a reality. Stark Industries, Wayne Enterprises, a braintrust backing it. Certainly I’m all for profit but this is SPACE. You know, final frontier? That’s not anyone’s, that’s everyone’s. I’m sure we can find a way to make money equally AND work together AND get space travel going.” He took a few bites of chili. “NASA’s done well with what little they have but it’s time to throw our backs in it and get things really rolling. Between us three and my resources, Bruce and his resources, and Reed with whatever he’s got, we should be able to accomplish something or lay a lot of groundwork.”
Loki stared. “Goodness, you’re very serious about this.”
“I’m serious about a lot of stuff, just no one ever pays attention.”
“You haven’t seen Bruce Wayne in a few years anyway.” Pepper said. “He talked to you about the last STARK expo, I know that.”
“Yeah before everything went totally to shit, thank you Hammer.” Tony snorted. “And yeah, that’s another reason I’m doing it, I mean I want to do more with Bruce and Reed anyway, they’re great guys and great minds. I’m a fan of Reed’s.”
“So am I.” Bruce said. “I’ve been following his papers for years.”
Steve was looking back and forth between them all. “You know, I like this idea, Tony. I know what few space ships this planet has are aging.”
“The shuttle was a great idea but there are people who work in this building younger than the shuttles are.” Tony replied.
“Ships that go into space?” Thor asked, quirking an eyebrow.
“I don’t know what you’re imagining but it’s not correct. Think more Star Wars and less Pirates of the Caribbean.” Loki advised.
“Ah. Well, since we are talking about space travel.” Thor lifted his voice slightly so everyone in the room tracked onto him. “I’m returning to Asgard tomorrow.”
“Oh, well, I suppose you have been here a while, you want to do a group lunch?” Tony wanted to know.
“Actually, I was wondering if you’d all like to visit Asgard for, oh, one of your weeks?”
There was roughly ten seconds of silence, then Tony and Bruce simultaneously hit the ceiling in sheer, utter glee.