A Thing That Happend

It had been 2 years since Loki had tried to take over Midgard. During which the ex villain had survived through six months of torturous punishment before Thor had broken him out of his gruesome prison, another four months of slowly gaining the trust of his former enemies now turned friends, the Avengers, five joyous months of knowing what a real families love felt like, and finally nine insufferable months of loving a mortal man he could never hope of calling his.

Loki was in the kitchen thinking about his past as he drizzled the roasted pineapple sauce, over the customary cranberry jelly glaze that adorned the seventh of his delectable Bundt cakes. This one he had made especially for his princess of spiders, Natasha, and was a succulent hybrid between a mouth-watering brown butter sour cream crumb cake with roasted pineapple sauce and fingerlickin’ good sticky toffee Bundt cake with cranberry jelly glaze.

Loki had made a treat for everyone he cared for, and as if on schedule, when the clock hit two thirty, the overgrown children who haunted the Avengers Tower had crawled out of whatever crevice they had been tucked away in and made way to the table. Only after Loki had inspected each of their hands- especially Tony knowing how he spent most of his free time in the lab getting greasy and Clint who tend to frolic around in the dusty vents- and everyone was seated did Loki serve lunch, which today consisted of cavatappi with Fontana and a side of mixed vegetables.

The heroes were joined by Agent Phil Coulson as usual, but were also, unusually, joined by his boss Director Fury who, despite the fact that Loki had not caused any problems since his return on earth, hated the amateur chef with a burning passion, and once again tried to make his assets see reason.

“No, I don't want any of the slop! What I want is for you to stop feeding my agents with your alien, mind controlling poison!”, for some unknown reason Fury had gotten the ridiculous idea into his head that Loki was slowly taking over the world with delicious foods and baked goods- which he totally COULD, he just didn't have enough eggs.

“Hey, Loki, are you trying to poison us, so you can slowly take over the world?” Tony rolled his eyes at the director as he asked his redundant question.

“Mommy wouldn't poison us.” Natasha answered before the man being questioned could open his mouth.

“Yea Ma would just get us so fat we wouldn't be able to fight.” Clint scoffed sarcastically before returning to the shoving of pasta into his dark hole of a stomach.

“Nah, Daddy wouldn't let Momma feed us that much without a speech on portion control.” Phil added playing along.

“We’re just friends” Steve muttered as he avoided eye contact with Loki, the three agents had started a joke where they called Loki the Mom and Steve the Dad, which was funny at first but was now an annoying habit the Captain had failed at breaking.

Bruce rolled his eyes at the cluelessness of the pair when he noticed the tricksters small frown at the blonds words.

“You shouldn't even be in this realm,” Fury continued as if no one spoke “Thor should've just left you to die in Asguard, you're no good to us here.”

“My brother is the heart of the family of warriors you have created, Man of Fury, and it would be best if you leave him be” Thor loved his brother more than anything and hated when Fury would try to get him and his friends to turn their backs on him.

“So what? He plays Nanny a couple times and you all think he's a saint or something?” Fury was beginning to notice the group seemed irritated and made the mistake of thinking it was directed at Loki instead of himself ”I think you are better off dead, they won't miss you, no one will. I mean who wants a burden your size?” the man voiced the last comment to Loki and reclined back casually awaiting the support of the others.

Everyone froze at the Cyclops's last words, most out of shock and anger but Loki was frozen out of fear, what if the people he thought of as family really didn't want him around? After what felt like eternity, but was probably only a few seconds, Steve slammed a fist onto the table making the plates and glasses clatter as he glared a hole into Fury's one good eye.

“I will NOT have you speak to Loki like that, not only is he a brother in arms but he is also, supposedly my spouse, and if you have a problem with him, you not only have a problem with me but you have a problem with everyone else in this tower, do i make myself clear?”, the soldiers tone was calm yet deadly, and looking around the kitchen table Fury could tell he had lost the support of the other members in this dysfunctional family.

“Alright I see how it is, Phil come along our slick asses leaving ”

“Actually, sir, Momma says i can't have my dessert until I've finished all my veggies, and with all due respect I'm not leaving until i get my cake.” Phil smile was sarcastic as he faced his boss, and Fury silently left the tower with a vow that this argument was far from over.

“Well, who wants their cake?” Loki asked lightly, trying to defuse some of the tension, and as if someone flipped a switch everyone went back to how they acted before Fury ever showed up. As the team talked in an upbeat fashion, happily anticipating what flavor they're personalized cakes were going to be, Loki placed the Bundt cakes before each one informing each of the flavor and giving a small token of affection, loving how their eyes would light up in excitement.

“Princess you're my guinea pig for this one, it's a new flavor, I've gone and mixed your two favorites, it's a brown butter sour cream crumb cake with roasted pineapple sauce and sticky toffee bundt cake with cranberry jelly glaze, hope it's good!” a hand smoothing the red hair as he moved on.

“Baby Bird got a mint chocolate chip Bundt cake with crème de menthe, since i know you just finished off your last box of thin mints a while ago and are have withdrawals” Loki teased and patted the excited assassin on the head lovingly.

“Peanut you got a brown sugar pear and cherry Bundt cake, I'm sure it’ll be your new favorite. Also I do hope I didn't get you trouble with the director” Loki pulled Phil into an apologetic hug as he began to worry, like any normal mother would do when they realize they could have gotten their child potentially fired. ”If you need you can take my place, I'm sure everyone would agree your a much better fit for the tower then I could ever be, besides I don't-”

“Whoa no ones taking anyone's place!” Steve interrupted and blushed as he continued “Loki you are not by any means replaceable.” Bruce and Thor silently squealed at the adorable interaction.

“Yeah, besides if you leave the rest are gonna follow,” Tony's snarky comment was met with aggressive head nods from Loki’s three children, his two best friends, older brother, Loki’s forbidden fruit of a man, and, if he had been there, Bucky.

Bucky, surprisingly, was the only person besides Steve who could ever talk Loki out of his “I’m -a-bad-person-who-needs-to-die” moods.

“You’re really the only thing keeping us from starving to death or killing each other” Bruce sheepishly grinned as he agreed with his best friend.

“See this is why I made a cherry chocolate cake with fudge frosting Bundt for Tony, because you are sarcastically sweet and this cake is decadently simple.” Loki gave both men a kiss on the cheek before continuing “Bruce I made you a chocolate zucchini Bundt because I know you’re a huge health nut, but everyone needs a little chocolate in their lives.” the trickster had a Cheshire sized grin plastered across his face and threw a wink over his shoulder as he made his way over to his brother.

“Brother, i have made your favorite.” Loki’s tone was teasingly serious

“Peanut butter chocolate?!?” Thor was practically foaming at the mouth and as soon as Loki had given a curt nod, he tackled his brother the ground, both laughing and roughhousing happily.

Eventually Thor released his brother in favor of demolishing his cake, so Loki moved on to the last person, Steve.

“Well, Darling,” Loki’s eyes shined with amusement and, for Steve, everything slowed down a moment and all he could see was Loki “Looks like it's just you and me...”. The moment was ruined by a certain Winter Soldier wrapping his arm around the mischievous god. Steve took a silent step back, clearing his throat as both Loki and Bucky made various sounds of excitement and jumped around, glad they were reunited with their best friend. After gaining back their composure, Bucky went and clapped Steve on the shoulder as Loki ran back into the kitchen getting the last two cakes.

“Glad you were able to take care of him while I was away...” Buck trailed off and grinned as he thanked his best friends secret crush.

“Steve a Caramel Apple Bundt Cake for you , I know how much you adore apples”

“I can think of something else Steve adores” Tony muttered but quickly spoke up the baking god “Hey, Loki I'm gonna take Bruce and Thor back to the lab, so if anything goes down your best bet is the three amigos to your left” The speech was ended with the elevator doors closing, leaving a tomato faced Steve to deal with the snickering agents. “Great,” Steve thought “Now they’ll never stop calling me and Loki a couple…..not that i would mind but….WHOA what am I saying Loki is a friend, that's all! Just a good friend...”

“Awww who are you kidding you know you find him attractive” a voice that sounded suspiciously like tony echoed from the back of Steve's mind, but the Captain quickly silenced it when he saw Loki hand the last cake to Bucky

“Pumpkin cranberry Bundt cake for the brave little soldier who came home.” Loki kissed the man on his forehead and Steve scowled at the interaction.

Loki, never one to forget, walked over to the other soldiers side and cupped his cheek, much like how Thor would do him in one of his more sappy moments, but this was different, he didn't feel the same way for Thor as he did for the man in front of him.

The spell was broken by Jarvis’s voice “Excuse me Sir, but Loki has a phone call coming in” and as Loki turned away from the man of his dreams to answer said phone, Phil, Natasha, and Clint drug their Daddy away to the gym, much to Steve's protests.

Bucky stayed behind to catch up with Loki but when he sat at the island table he noticed how tense his friends shoulders were and waited patiently for Loki to end his call, knowing he would get all his questions answered as soon as the other man got off the phone. Soon the phone was hung back onto the receiver, and as Loki turned toward Bucky he revealed his cold emerald eyes, instantly Bucky was at the god's side, hands on the broken man's shoulders. Fully prepared for one of Loki’s more dramatic episodes.

“Loki it’ll be ok...tell me what happened and I promise you we can get through this.” Bucky talked in a calm tone as if addressing a dangerous animal- which at this point he probably was.

After a few moments Loki began to explain, “I'm going to have to go away For a little while, it appears Fury would like to see me at Shield Headquarters.”

“Fury hates you.”

“Odin threatened to declare war on Midguard.”

“send Thor, I'm sure he’ll understand why you don't wasn't to see the son of a bitch” Loki had told Bucky some of the ways Odin had chosen to treat Loki when he was younger, laughing in his face when the whip would hit the tender flesh of the child the cold trickster used to be. Bucky's teeth clenched at the next words to leave the other man's mouth,

“Thor is stuck in the lab conducting an experiment with our mad scientist and Fury is Demanding my presence. Look Buck i don't want you telling anyone where I'm going, Fury sounded a little off to me and I'm worried it might be a trap”

“All the more reason not to go!” Everyone knew about Furies hatred for the mischievous god and Bucky didn't want his friend hurt.

“It's not that simple,” Loki stepped away from the man before him, not wanting to argue over something he had no control over ”Midguard won't survive an intergalactic war, even with the Avengers fighting”

“What if Odin's throwing another fit, like he did a couple months back when Thor didn't visit for that big battle feast?!”

“If Odin really is throwing another temper tantrum then I'm going to take the brunt of his anger and protect my new home!” By now the two were yelling “It's my turn to play diplomat, Bucky, and there's nothing you can do so just let it go!”

“Fine! Go!” The kitchen was silent as the two ex-criminals slowly calmed down.

“Just….just don't tell anyone where i'm going ok? I don't want any of them to worry.”

“How long?” Bucky finally accepted his friend's decision and hoped nothing bad would happen.

“I'm casting a no harm spell over the tower and occupants, also the fake me will be around so no one will notice my absence, it should last two and a half weeks. If I'm not back by then, or if my clone disappears before the set time you should either start a search or assume I'm dead.” Loki put the magic in place as he spoke.

“Dead?!? Loki don't joke like that”

“I assure you Bucky, I'm not I wasn't a small service and make sure everyone finds happiness.”

“Loki...i don't think...” Bucky's hands were shaking

“Promise. Me.” the god demanded looking as fierce as he did two years ago when he was under Thasos's control, Bucky silently nodded his consent and Loki gave his look-a-like some last minute orders before teleporting away.

Bucky watched the imposter bumble around the kitchen getting it's bearings for a few moments before he walked away with a huff, he was going to the training grounds to let off some steam, and hopefully get his mind off any peril his best friend could fall into in the next two and a half weeks.