It started with the small things.
How you had once been a frequent couch potato post-mission that not even your father or step-mother could get you out of watching yet another mindless series, now you were to be seen nowhere near the couch and seen more in the hallway to whatever direction you were to be in. Someone's room or your own. Tony and the rest of his clique were yet to figure out.
The first idea was you had just gotten so bored of watching in the common room and decided to seclude yourself in your own. But then Pepper caught sight of the barely concealed marks around your neck. She tried her best to hide the info to herself, but when Tony and Rhodey had also noticed the detail, their mind had gone haywire and the overprotectiveness in your father and father-figure had gone overboard with Pepper and poor Bruce trying their best to ease it down.
"Why don't we just ask her who she's dating." Rhodey, being the more reasonable one in the group suggested and it was the best idea, instead of Tony's own plan at the moment.
All four individuals were settled in the security room, practically kicking the reluctant Happy out in the process. Tony was keen on finding out who he was going to kill this time. It's been a long time now since he had used his laser on someone.
"There." Bruce pointed out just as you made your way to the tenth floor that housed five of the Avengers.
Steve Rogers, Bucky Barnes, Sam Wilson, Thor Odinson, and Loki Laufeyson.
"Damn, Y/N." Before Tony could figure out whose room you were making your way into, the video recording was cut and the static screen with the Override in all red replaced the footage. "Sometimes I wonder why I taught that kid so much."
So this was where the mystery begins. Who were you seeing that you had to go through such lengths as overriding the AI to get to your destination without anyone knowing?
"We can quickly rule out Wilson since he's dating Carter, right?" Rhodey asked.
"Maybe it's Loki?" Pepper had suggested earning a moment of silence from the men before all three of them broke into rounds of laughter. Like it was the most impossible thing to even happen in the moment.
"Have you seen the two of them together, Pep? They'd kill each other on the spot." Tony interjects, just the idea of his sweet precious daughter getting it on with Professor Snape brought a sudden shiver down his spine.
"I think it's Thor." Rhodey pointed out.
"Maybe it's Barnes?" Bruce responds, unsure of his own guess.
"Nope my money is on Rogers." Tony had spoke the most confident about the three.
Pepper had watched three grown idiots bet on such a ridiculous information when she had caught her walking right into Loki's room before the feed got cut. She bit her lips, keeping the information to herself for now. She's not gonna admit it, but a moment of bragging rights towards the three doesn't sound too bad.
~
CASE #1; THOR ODINSON
"Lady Stark, how was your morning." Thor's booming voice had took everyone's notice, including the three men dead-set on finding out the truth. Pepper had decided to sit this one out and decided to go back to running the company while the three man child continue on with their little games.
You had beamed hands up in the air and Thor was quick to wrap his arms around you and lift you right off of your feet. You had always been a snuggle person, and no one was safe, not even the ever stoic, no-nonsense Nick Fury was safe from your affection. So this was normal--at least for Tony and Rhodey's standard that were also a frequent received of said affection from you. They could name two individuals that they have yet to be seen close to affectionate towards, it was Bruce who you respected his personal space and Loki who steers clear of you whenever you were in the hugging mood.
Being placed back on your chair in the kitchen in between Loki and Natasha, you had listened to his story of things being well back in New Asgard.
What the three men didn't account for was the large hand resting on top of your thighs, away from anyone's gaze from under the table. A smile rested still on your lips even as the warmth continues to spread at the little gesture your boyfriend had made. But you made sure to keep your attention on Thor and his stories. After everything that had happened to him and even to Loki, it was good to know that he was starting to move on and build a life for himself here on earth along with them.
"Will I be seeing more of Jane here from now on?" Your question earned a sudden groan from Rhodey which quickly made you jerk your head towards the man.
Seeing his mouth being covered by your father and even Bruce made you raise your brows at them. Was there something wrong with your question?
"I believe so. She will be helping Dr. Selvig with a project here in compound. It's good to finally have her meet you." Thor beamed, happy to be able to talk about his girlfriend for once.
"Hope she brings Darcy along too." You pointed out hand resting on top of Loki's own bigger hands. It was just a good little secret for the two of you to keep--but if he keeps up with this antics of his, you weren't sure if just a simple Override code on FRIDAY's system would ever suffice.
CASE #1 CLOSED
~
CASE #2; JAMES BUCHANAN "BUCKY" BARNES
"How's Bucky doing?"
It was almost a ceremonial thing at this point--post mission. Bucky would get it all over his head when it comes to anything related to HYDRA and you were keep to be there to check up on him and even stay with him all night if the need arises. Just like now, as everyone had tried their best to relax after all the carnage and death they had to witness at the hands of HYDRA and Bucky wasn't taking it good as the rest of the team, as much as you did.
With Bucky deathly quiet, more than he usually was, it had worried you. More so when Sam, Sharon, and Steve couldn't break him from his trance. It was your turn to see if you could break him out of his own mind. Everyone was uneasy around Bucky--not because of his past that was no longer placed against him, but just for the general fact that no one seems to know what to do with a centennial like him--except you, somehow.
"What are you in the mood for, Buckaroo?" You inquired, joining him in the sofa, personal laptop already placed on the coffee table. Both of your ignoring the fact that there was a 146-inch TV already mounted on the wall. "Are we in a mood for action or some trashy romcom?"
The gleam in Bucky's eyes stayed for a moment before you were met with the blues sparkling all over again. A smile played on your lips, resting your head on his left shoulder, a favorite spot you had, notwithstanding the vibranium arm that it was attached too. The more reassured you were about this part of himself, the more likely he would also grow to love it, even after everything that had come in this past of his.
"So what are we watching tonight, Bucky?" You asked again, happy to have him wrap his vibranium arm around your shoulder.
"Somehow I'm in the mood for some of those trashy reality shows you're into." He points out and you were quick to open your Netflix and booted Keeping Up With the Kardashians just for him.
"Will I ever get to meet Sarah or is Sam's head still up his ass?" You inquired after a few minutes into the show.
Away from the chaos of the compound or the mission, Bucky had found peace, in the form of Sarah Wilson in Louisiana with her two sons. You wanted nothing more than to meet the woman that had been one of the few reasons Bucky still had this hope in himself away from his past.
"YES! I WIN!" The screech from you own father had the both of you jumping from where you sat, laptop unceremoniously plopping on the carpeted floor in the process.
Turning to where you father was ungracefully dancing in front of an annoyed Uncle Rhodey and Bruce, you really wanted to know what was going on between the three of them, but just the idea of joining in whatever bullshit the three of them had found themselves in already made you head hurt.
God, the more you thought about it, the more you feared what reaction the three of them could have if they find out about your relationship with Loki. For sure, Tony wouldn't be dancing the way he was if he ever did find out, but it was Rhodey's own reaction you feared the most--would he stop your father from trying and failing to kill Loki for dating you? Or would Bruce go all Hulk Smash on him all over again just for the hell of it?
CASE #2 CLOSED
~
CASE #3; STEVEN GRANT "STEVE" ROGERS
"I know damn well what I was doing!"
It wasn't a normal occurrence to have you annoyed as you were in this moment. Mission Debriefing were usually ten minutes at most, but not this time. Not when you were almost killed thanks to one of the goons had it not been for Steve that saved your ass before the trigger could be pulled. It also meant it brought back all of the hesitation and doubt in the Captain's mind of having you be part of missions.
"I'm not a fucking baby, Rogers." You spat.
"Language."
"Fuck your prudeness, Rogers." you spat right back. "I got it handled, his gun didn't have any ammo. I was gonna kick his ass as soon as he pulls the trigger."
"This is not a game you can play around. You could have been killed. That's gonna be on me. You think the henchmen didn't have any backup guns or weapons on him?"
"I got it covered. I'm not a baby anymore, Rogers."
"Well stop acting like one!"
Narrowed eyes, you challenged the man to do what he had been itching to do all throughout your ride back to the compound. You were ready for what he had planned, a decision that will never be swayed when it comes to him.
"You're off the roster for a month, Stark." Steve finally announced and you were quick to stand right back up to your feet, caring less if the meeting wasn't over yet. You were fed up with America's ass and want nothing to do with him right now.
You'll apologize when you're no longer feeling the effects of adrenaline coursing through your veins. But for now, fuck him and fuck his self-righteous ass. Turning away from the man and the rest of the team, you had headed out of the meeting room and straight to the familiar room in the tenth floor. Making a familiar turn, you had opened the door without knocking and your smirking boyfriend was already waiting shirtless on the bed.
"Mission didn't go as planned my love?" He smirked arm already open for you.
You didn't respond and only found yourself plopping down to his chest and forgetting about anything and everything that concerns the mission, the Avengers, and the weirdness that had been your family for the past few weeks. A month away from your usual duties doesn't sound so bad as long as you were here in his arms. Away from anything that has to do with your duties.
"Is the offer to visit New Asgard still on the table?"; You inquired knowing your father, it would take him a couple of hours before he tries looking for you to check on you and most probably agreeing with Rogers but wouldn't be caught dead in admitting as much.
"And be charged with kidnapping?" He smirked, wrapping his arms around your back. "I would love nothing more."
Maybe a little mischief and chaos in your life would do you good for once.
~
"Someone's sleeping in the coach tonight." Tony had pointed out the moment his own daughter has stepped out of the meeting room. The self-satisfied smirk playing on his lips, much to the annoyance of not only Rhodey and Bruce, but even Steve as he tried his best to understand what the Billionaire was talking about.
"The hell would I sleep in my own coach when I have a perfectly good bed to sleep on." Then there was the times that Steve's annoyance got the best of him, it was moments like this, in front of the rest of the team and when Tony was getting on his skin, it was bound to have the two of them butting heads for the rest of the team to stop.
"Sure. After my daughter kicks you out of her sheets, a cold bed might do you some good."
And the gears in Steve's brain was slowly turning, horror washed all over him at the insinuation the man was having towards him and his own daughter. Y/N? Sweet little Y/N that everyone loves and try their best to protect at all cost when his own father was lacking. Why was Tony making such an accusation?
"Tony that's disgusting, even for you. I'm not sleeping with Y/N and I never will. She's like a sister to me." He found himself defending himself but you as well. "Where the hell did the idea come from?"
The smirk on Tony's face slowly disappeared and eyes widen as realization was sure to dawn him. Rhodey and Bruce seemed to have also come to the realization of the last person they would even think of getting involved with the Baby Stark was the God of Mischief himself.
"FRIDAY, call Pepper!" Rhodey had called for the AI just as Tony had stood from his own chair and out of the meeting room. "Now!"
CASE #3 CLOSED
~
CASE #4; LOKI ODINSON | LOKI LAUFEYSON
"After our trip in Asgard, I think it's time we told Dad--about us." You whispered against your boyfriend's lips, his breath fanning against your own.
Your relationship with Loki was nearing a year now and you didn't know how long you could hack FRIDAY's system before your father gets suspicious. It was also getting harder for either of you to hide your relationship from not just your family but the rest of the team. It's not that you don't enjoy the privacy and the thrill of hiding, but you can't live with yourself with treating Loki as just a dirty little secret.
The man has changed, you had become witness to the little changes the man had made since his arrival. He still had a darkness in him that you can never really understand, but the rest the part that he shows to you, it was what matters for now. He was trying, really trying. To be good, not just for you but for the sake of the world he had once attempted to rule over. He opened more, not to the rest of the team, but to you and to Thor. It was just a sight to see him, have him make his brother understand where he was coming from, why he had made such a drastic decision all those years ago.
"Will you ensure my safety and life at the hands of Stark?" He smirked, large hands resting against the exposed skin of your back.
"I can ensure you that and more." You smirked hand slowly sliding down to cup his growing erection. "Want have a preview too?"
Before your lips could even touch, the familiar handful of people behind Loki's door had you pulling away and before you could find a place to hide and you were presented with a blaster-wielded Tony, a so-done Rhodey, Bruce that looked like he didn't want to be here, and your step-mother Pepper, face palming herself but the smile on her face was very much evident.
"The hell is wrong with you?" You find yourself screaming at your father as you stood right in front of the blasters he had pointed at Loki. "You could have knocked! I could have been buck naked!"
"Since when has this been going on?" Your father question finally placing his weapon down.
"Since when has it been any of your business who I date or fuck?" You questioned right back earning a sour look from everyone present. It was not an image any of them wanted to think of right now. "I know how you're like with the people I get involved with. I'm not gonna let you ruin this for me, Dad. I love Loki and I'm gonna fight for it if I have to."
You had wanted the ground to swallow you up, this was, in the best of your memory the first time you've gone out and admitted your feelings for the God of Mischief. You could count the time you had gone out and said the word out loud and in the presence of the people that mean the world to you. This was not how you want them to find out, not like this when your father looked like he was about to commit manslaughter.
"If it's of any help, I love your daughter, Stark." Loki finally stood, gently pulling you back as he had now stood in front of your father, the lack of fear and the beaming smile at your admission. "The actions of my past, it would take more than an apology to make up for. But your daughter, means more to me than you would ever think and she is the last person that I would ever hurt."
"Hurt her, even just a single hair in her body and you won't have to worry about me, but each and every single member of the team." Tony muttered and your eyes widen as he shook your boyfriend's hand.
"Understood." Loki smiled, a genuine one, far from the sarcastic one he was so used to wear whenever he goes toe to toe with anyone in the team.
"I lost $1000 because of you." Tony muttered to himself earning a groan from Rhodey and Bruce as the duo finally left the roof seeing no more danger at the hands of either Loki or Tony.
"What?" You questioned.
"It's a long story." Pepper assured, smiling as she pulled Tony with her out of the room. "We'll talk about it later." She winked before finally pushing Tony out of the room, placating all of his complains as the door was once again shut and you were left to look at Loki in utter confusion.
"What--"
"I think it's much better if we don't ask too many questions." Loki sighed, locking the door before pulling you right back to the bed and now getting the preview you had been talking about.
CASE #4 CLOSED