Chapter 1
Rounding the corner into the office he and TJ shared, Steve halted as a wide smile spread across his lips before he could call out the greeting he’d intended. One small eye cracked open as Peggy peered at him from atop TJ’s chest where she was curled. Judging by the StarkPad resting face down next to her the pair must have dozed off while TJ was reading something.
Steve retreated to his desk, but his eyes remained focused on TJ’s sleeping form. Part of him worried about the impact reading all the SHIELD files would have on him. He knew bringing TJ into the search for whatever dark secret the organization was hiding was for the best. TJ was smart. He’d already pointed out a few things that had prompted the team to continue digging further into Project Insight and question just how far the possible corruption ran. Even still, Steve knew he was inevitably going to read about things that would make him worry.
“I can feel you staring at me,” TJ muttered even though his eye remained closed.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you.” Steve apologized.
“S’okay. Didn’t mean to fall alseep in the first place.” Setting the StarkPad on the floor, TJ covered Peggy with his hand as he moved to sit up. “Where’s Bucky?”
“In the gym with Nat and the Clints. Not sure how smart it is to let that little devil watch them training. He might actually learn something.” Both men laughed. Bucky was definitely the fiestiest of the three kittens.
“Were you looking for me?” TJ asked, unable to hide the hint of concern. Two weeks after they’d taken the plunge into dating and he still had those moments of panic that maybe Steve had changed his mind.
“Just to see if you were hungry. Was thinking about making some pizzas for lunch.” Steve watched as his partner grinned at him.
“And yet you’re sitting behind your desk,” TJ teased.
“True. You looked so peaceful that I thought I’d let you rest a bit more. It’s not like anyone around here is going to starve if they have to wait a bit longer for a meal.” Steve shrugged. “Guess I should have gone back to the kitchen instead of staring at you until you woke up.”
“Nah. Making pizza and subsequently enjoy pizza sounds much better than continuing my little cat nap.”
“Meow,” Peggy stretched up to hit his chin with the top of her head.
“I think she disagrees.” Steve noted as the pair laughed.
“Sorry, girl. You can come supervise the cooking.” TJ accepted Steve’s outstretched hand to help pull them off the couch.
****
“This may be some of the best pizza I’ve ever tasted,” Pepper nodded toward TJ and Steve as she reached out to grab another slice.
“I’ll second that notion,” Bruce raised the slice he was half way through into the air.
“Not sure where you guys found the recipe, but please don’t lose it.” Sam shot them a playful warning glare.
“The recipe is safe.” JARVIS intoned seriously, causing everyone to laugh.
“Ssshhh. We’re almost to the best part.” Natasha tried to hush the group so she could hear the movie. Not wanting to incur her wrath, Pepper and the six men all fell silent. They managed to make it nearly to the end before another disruption.
“If I might interrupt,” JARVIS paused the movie. “It appears Thor has returned from his travels.”
“Where is he?” Tony asked as everyone sat up, not sure what to do with this news.
“Approaching the front stairs,” the AI answered quickly.
Jumping up everyone rushed toward the door, though TJ, Sam, and Pepper remained just behind the others less sure of how to greet their newest arrival. Tony flung the door open and just as JARVIS had indicated Thor was bounding up the stairs, cape flowing behind him and hammer in hand.
“Welcome back,” Tony stepped aside, gesturing for Thor to enter.
“It is good to be back. You are all well?” Thor looked around, confirming that the full team was there and noting the additional people in the room. “Heimdall indicated there may be trouble brewing so I came straight away.”
“We’re all in one piece for now,” Steve answered first. “Though Heimdall may very well be right. How’d he know anyway?” The soldier wasn’t entirely sure how the whole Heimdall thing actually worked.
“I asked him to verify you were all well as part of his routine checks on the universe. Odin has kept me busy re-establishing peace in much of the realm, but I did not want to abandon you if you were in need.”
Everyone seemed a bit surprised that he’d thought about their safety given the much bigger concerns he seemed to have with all the other realms to consider and such.
“Well, we don’t know how bad this is gonna get yet, but it’s looking pretty sure that SHIELD isn’t exactly what they’re supposed to be.” Natasha offered up a light version of their current speculation.
“Fury?” Thor questioned.
“He’s the one that put us on the trail, so right now we’re operating on the assumption he’s on our side.” Natasha shrugged, not quite willing to guarantee his status completely until he gave them more information.
“Let us hope he proves you right.” Thor frowned. He’d hoped that Heimdall was raising the alert out of an abundance of caution, but it appeared his friends were genuinely concerned. “If it is no trouble, I will stay to help until we are sure you are all safe.”
“It’s not a problem at all. We already have a room for you.” Tony grinned. “Natasha and TJ picked out the furnishings, so hopefully they’re okay.”
“I’m sure they will be splendid.” Thor smiled as he turned toward the two unfamiliar faces in the room. “You must be TJ,” he extended a hand toward the man standing slightly behind the Captain. “Heimdall tells me that you and our Captain make a delightful couple.”
TJ could feel the heat spread across his cheeks and didn’t have to look at Steve to know he’d see the same on the other man’s face. Thor’s proffered hand seemed to indicate acceptance, but TJ had no idea how the idea of same-sex couples was viewed on Asgard. Trying to hide the hesitation he felt, TJ extended his own hand to accept Thor’s greeting. His hand had no more been enveloped by the Asgardian’s larger one before he was tugged unceremoniously into a tight embrace. Even more surprising was realizing that Thor had released his hand in order to pull Steve into the embrace with them.
“Mother and Father send their congratulations to you both. I am most happy for you!”
TJ tried not to laugh at the idea that the God of Thunder and his parents managed to wish he and Steve well before his own parents could manage the feat. Even more amazing when he factored in that he’d never met Thor or his parents and they resided not just in another country, but in an entirely different realm.
“Thanks, Thor.” Steve sounded a bit confused and TJ guessed he was wondering just how it was that the Asgardians knew so much.
When the large blond finally released the couple they both stared up at him a bit shocked. Seeming to note their confusion, Thor laughed. “As I said, Heimdall has been keeping an eye on things. Although I gather there is much he missed, he did say you were well suited.”
Looking beyond them, Thor spotted Sam and moved to greet him as well. “I apologize, but Heimdall knew little of you. Only that you were a friend.”
“A friend is an accurate description. Sam Wilson,” he accepted Thor’s outstretched hand trying not to grimace at the strength of the god’s grip. “Pleasure to meet you.”
“The pleasure is mine.” Thor grinned at him. “Are you joining the Avengers?”
“I’m not sure my skill set is quite on par with the team’s, but I’m here as back up if they need me.”
“I should really get those wings finished.” Tony muttered, ducking his head sheepishly.
“What do you mean finished? How have you even had time to start them with finishing JARVIS’s install and all the digging we’ve been doing into SHIELD?” Sam gawked at him, brows raised high.
“I find the time. I may not have a lab here, but I was able to start pulling together a few things when we went to New York a couple weeks ago. With JARVIS able to manage the kids in the lab we’ve been able to make a fair bit of headway. They should be ready for initial trails in a few days.”
Everyone stared at Tony, marveling at how in the world he had managed to fit in yet another project without them noticing.
“You have been sleeping, right?” Steve questioned, eyes and voice full of concern that Tony was wearing himself down and they hadn’t noticed.
“Yes. Pepper can vouch for me. I’ve been getting at least 6 hours of sleep a night. Which is 6 more than I was consistently getting before we settled in here and easily 35 more than I was getting in the average week.”
Pepper nodded her head, smiling at the others. “He’s really good at multitasking. I’m pretty sure his brain processes things better if he’s doing at least two things at the same time.”
Tony shrugged in agreement.
“Good to know,” Steve nodded at them. “Now that Thor’s met everyone, what do we do now?”
As if it was waiting on Steve’s question, Natasha’s phone rang.
“Apparently we talk to Fury.”