Of Deep Conversations and Pity Partys
“Real, uh, nice weather today.”
Tony smiled awkwardly as the team turned in sync to look at him, forks half raised from the takeout shawarma he’d ordered to the tower (God bless independent businesses).
“What!” he protested as Pepper rolled her eyes beside him, “No one was talking!”
“Believe it or not Tony, people are capable of going longer than 10 minutes without conversation or obsession.”
He scoffed, “Oh and I’m the bad guy now. Right. J, note it down. “Tony must not initiate conversion.” I’ll use that technique in board meetings. “
“Tony.” Pepper scolded half-heartedly, still exhausted from the past 24 hours.
On the other side of the room, Romanoff and Barton were curled around each other on a couch, picking at their food; Rogers appeared to be trying to eat the side of his hand; Thor was shovelling food into his mouth like he’d never eat again, and the good ol’ Doctor seemed to be engaged in conversation with the frankly terrifying 8 year old that had somehow integrated herself into the team.
“Since the weather seems to be off limits, we talk about something else. What do people small talk about? Got any hobbies Romanoff? Other than, you know, Black-Widowing? No? Katniss, how ‘bout you? Still no? Are you.. Is everyone just ignoring me? Hey kid! Amy! Blondie, whatever your name is. How's school?”
The blondie in question didn’t even look up from her conversation. “I haven’t been in over a year. So great. And it's Ava, not Amy.”
At this Mr Golden-Boy looked up with concern, “You haven’t been to school in a year? That’s - are you homeschooled?”
“Nope.”
“Kid, “ he said, “School’s important, you know. I get that it might not be the place you’d want to be, but later on in life you’re really gonna wish you’d paid attention and - “
Halfway through, the girl’s poker face broke and she began to giggle, although the sound was tinged with a sense of hysteria Tony really didn’t want to unpack.
“Ah yes, next time I fall into a year long coma I’ll make sure to pay extra good attention to math class Cap.”
The room fell silent.
“...coma?”
She shrugged, “Yup.”
“You… gonna explain?”
Ava shared an unreadable look with the Spider sitting on his couch and then shrugged, tucking her knees up and facing the room.
“Sure, why not? Basically, you see this necklace?” she held up what appeared to be a flawless emerald, trapped in a golden mesh and attached to a chain, Tony nodded vacantly, a slight shiver running down his spine at the sight (what the fuck was that about?)
“Well basically, when I was born, turns out my mom was a descendant of some ancient witchy clan thing, and when she named Loki as my godparent as a joke, it activated some weird bond thing-a-majig, which meant that Loki and I are kinda… connected?
Like, we can sense strong emotions from each other, and we can communicate tele- telepathically and stuff.”
Her face briefly twisted, and Tony noticed Natasha’s hand creep out to squeeze her niece’s (which was weird to think about)
“And when he came down to earth, he made me this necklace, with a bunch of cool spells on it and stuff.
When its working, which it is now, it’s supposed to protect me from harm, as well as doing a bunch of other cool stuff. Like, if I say the word for fire in ancient Norse, I can create a fire-proof shield! Or if I hold an icecube in my mouth, snow won’t melt when I touch it!”
Clint snorted, “Which you then use to cheat during snowball fights.”
The girl gasped, “I would never!”
“Sure kiddo.”
“That’s it, you're no longer my favourite uncle.”
“Oh, and who is then?”
“Bruce.” she said decisively.
Banner looked slightly astounded, while Natasha broke out in what Tony expected was her monthly quota for laughing.
“Banner? He’s not even related to you!”
“Neither are you.” she said tartly.
Before Clint could retort again, Steve cut back in, thankfully, considering Thor’s bemused expression.
“You were talking about the necklace?”
“Oh yeah. So I've got this necklace. The necklace kinda enhances the bond? Like, it makes it strong enough to actually talk to each other, and we can like locate each other as well.
Loki lives on Asgard, but he visits at least once a week, and usually more -”
A light bulb suddenly popped in Tony’s brain.
“The photo!” he declared.
Everyone stared at him.
“... the photo?” asked Pepper hesitantly.
“Yeah! The photo you showed us yesterday, the cute little family pic with Lady Loki. Ava’s the kid, isn’t she!”
Pepper sighed, massaging her forehead.
“Tony, “ she began, “We know. Natasha literally showed us a picture back on the hovercraft. Why do you think I didn’t question the presence of a child when I turned up here?”
“...Ohhhh. Right, yeah. Got it.”
She squinted, “Tony, please tell me you weren’t under the impression she was a random child who happened to turn up.”
“Noo! I mean she introduced herself as his godkid, I just didn't quite make the link. Probably to do with my sobriety. I need a drink.”
Ignoring him, the girl continued with her story. “
“As I was saying, Loki visits a lot, and so when he stopped it was kinda sus. He told us he’d be busy for a bit with some kind of celebration? But - “
“Ah, yes. My coronation, “ said Thor, “Loki was present for the time leading up to the moment - mother insisted we spend time together before the officiation.”
Ava gave him the dirtiest look Tony had ever seen an 11-year old give. Which considering he grew up with himself was impressive.
“But - “she continued, “I started to get weird vibes from my necklace. It felt like… rejection? And sadness. And grief. And then I had a vision in school, of an old man? And Loki was hanging off a bridge, and Thor was there holding him up. I couldn’t hear what was being said, but I’m pretty good at lip-reading, and I’m pretty sure the old guy said ‘No’ and then Loki dropped off the bridge and into some kind of void, and then I passed out and woke up a year later.”
If that was the full story Tony would go sober for a year.
But he might be a dick at times, and he might have more than a slight case of foot-in-mouth syndrome, but even he wasn’t going to prod the child who looked like she might have a mental breakdown if the wind blew the wrong way.
Maybe he could pay for her therapy. That was a nice thing, right?
Thor looked deeply troubled over in his corner, momentarily stopping the endless shovel of food into his mouth.
“That was… that was a deep loss for us all. Loki… perhaps I should tell my tale, since you have told yours. Long ago, Asgard was at war with a nation called the Jotun, the Frost Giants. My father, Odin-Allfather, led our armies to war, to defend Midgard against the invasion. With great skill and might, the monst - the giants were beaten back to their home planet, Jotunheim, where my father claimed the most powerful artefact on their planet as recompse - the Casket of Ancient Winters.”
Ooh, Tony could hear the capitals.
“The Casket has sat in Asgard’s vaults for centuries, guarded. On the night of my coronation, Frost giants broke into the vault, attempting to reclaim it. They were foiled, naturally, yet the repercussions did not end there.”
Thor’s face drew into a look of consternation and guilt.
“I was younger then, and foolish. Despite Loki’s attempts to dissuade me, I led my friends on an attack on Jotunheim. Loki attempted to negotiate our way out, yet I did not listen. I started a conflict that I had no hope of winning, saved only by our father’s appearance. Upon our return to Asgard, Father stripped me of my powers and armours, banishing me to earth, where I landed in the barren wasteland I believe is known as-”
“Mexico,” Natasha murmured.
“Indeed Lady Romanoff. It was there I chanced upon the good man Selvig, with the Lady Jane and the Lady Darcy. They… helped me understand myself better. And in doing so I regained my powers and returned to Asgard. There I confronted my brother, who had… Loki was not well.
Father had fallen into the Odin-Sleep whilst I remained on Midgard, and Loki was forced to ascend the throne. My brother never wished for the crown - since he was a babe, he has only wished for knowledge. I should’ve known something was awry when he began to act like this on Midgard. Loki is the opposite of I in many ways. He has never seeken conflict, he is the diplomat, he negotiates. I should’ve realised something was-”
“Yeah, yeah, we get it. Boo hoo, you’re a terrible brother, you can throw yourself a pity party later. Now are you gonna finish the story or should I just pull it straight out of your memories.”
Ava wiggled her fingers, sparks floating off her fingertips. She looked far more menacing than a 5 foot blonde pixie had any right to be.
“Ava,” scolded Natasha half-heartedly, but Tony could see the proud smirk on her face. Ava clearly had picked up on more than the Widow’s fighting skills.
Thor blinked, but acquiesced, looking bemused but not angry.
“I apologise, Lady Ava, I will indeed continue my story. Loki had taken the throne, and with it, the burdens. It caused… a heavy weight to fall on him. A… madness of sorts. He discovered a secret our parents had kept from him for millenia. He was..” Thor took a breath, “Loki is my brother, my not by blood. During the Frost Wars, my Father took more than the Casket as a prize. He took Loki, as well. Left to die on a rock, smaller than any giant I have seen. Laufey’s son, the Prince of the Giants. Father saved him, taking him home and raising him beside me. I never knew, but I see it now. Whenever Loki complained of being treated differently, I ignored him, and yet now I see that he was right. Loki may have been raised a Prince of Asgard, but he was never treated like one. He told me once that he stood in my shadow, and only now can I see his meaning.
And I… I regret it.
But I was blind then.
There was a conflict, Loki used the bifrost to destroy Jotunheim.
My own warriors committed treason against him to rescue me.
Heimdall worked against him.
And I couldn’t see it.
And then he was falling, hanging off the edge of the bridge, over the void.
Father… father rejected him. In his last moments.
And I couldn’t hold on.”
There was a silence.
And then… crash.
The room jumped, looking over to see… Natasha? Hand slowly trickling red, glass embedded in her palms from where she’d shattered her glass.
“You’re an idiot.”
It was said without malice, quietly.
“Have you any idea how seidr works at all? Of course not, its a women’s job, far too unmasculaline for a prince.
Let me tell you.
Seidr works off identity.
Who you are.
What you believe in.
In the eleven years I’ve known my best friend, he’s told me a thousand tales from Asgard. He’s spent his lifetime being told of the monsters that live across the bifrost. Your father spent a lifetime telling Loki that he was a monster.
His entire fucking identity would’ve been shattered.
His family wasn’t his family. His family were the bedtime stories he’d been told, the boogeymen of his dreams, the monster under the bed.
And then he’s placed on a throne?
A throne, with all the pressure and responsibilities it needs, at 18 years old, left alone, with everyone who was meant to support him either being a brat - because yes, Lo’s told me enough about you and your friends to know that you are all brats - or betraying him.
And then you wonder why he went off the rails.
You want to know what happened during that year?
He was tortured.
The person you call your brother, was tortured for a year straight.
My niece, the eleven year old who called you out on your own self-victimising bullshit, was connected for a year straight.
She felt what he felt, or some of it at least.
And she’s here, trying to fix things, while you cry over a bowl of food about how bad you feel about it.
Бог! (God!)”
With that impassioned speech, Natasha promptly… disappeared?
Literally, one moment she was there, the next she had poofed into thin air.
Damn, that was cool.
“Where’s she gone?” Clint murmured to the eleven year old in question, who was looking far too pleased with herself.
“Back down to base. I’m gonna head down as well. Grandpa Nick said I could see mum in the morning. You coming?”
“Sure kiddo.”
Clint turned to the rest of them, “We’re gonna call it a night. We’ll be back tomorrow to sort out what's happening next. Thanks for dinner Stark.”
Steve frowned, half-standing up, “Is Natasha alright?”
“She’ll be fine. We’re all a little tetchy round here. She needs sleep, caffeine and then pancakes, in that order, and then she’ll probably stop planning murder. If we’re lucky. Whelp, I think that's us done kid. You up to video-calling Cooper before bed?”
“Yes! Yes! Yes! Come on Uncle Clint,”
With that, the girl grabbed Barton’s hand, squeezing her eyes tight. There was a slight pop and then the two disappeared.
“That's… that's science. I don't know how. But that's science. It has to be science. There can’t be actual magic, right Pep? That’s - “
“Wait until the Doc shows up.”
Everyone jumped.
“What… how did you get in here? Who even are you?”
“Me? Oh I’m Deadpool. And I got in through the window. Not really safe of you, is it, to leave it open. As I was saying, just wait until the sparkly magic man shows up. He’ll really blow your mind. Or you. Honestly IronStrange is such an iconic ship, but then again people say that about FrostIron as well, and apparently this author tried to be quirky and made Loki a child. Which is sad, because I’d feel weird trying to hook up with him.
Honestly, what is this author on?
Like, Angsty Natasha, Loki apologist - get some creativity girl!”
“Who are you talking to?”
“The audience! Trust me, they are so confused right now. What? A Deadpool crossover? No way!.
Right, I’m gonna be off now, since I’m not meant to be here and the TVA are more of a bitch than the pedo-man. Sayonara.”
/jk sorry i couldn’t resist
No but seriously, /jk