A Kind Of Magic

Chapter 6

*timidly comes out of hiding*

HI! I'm not dead :) (on the outside)

I'm working on another fiction, so keep an eye out for that if you're interested. (I know, I'm a review whore so please DO IT! Pretty please? :) )

Tony moved faster than he possibly ever had before, unfolding the de-aged trickster from his mess of limbs and gently pulling him to his chest.

"Okay-time out. Thor, go and call Bruce, we're gonna need him if this gets any more out of control. Loki's going to... rest or whatever it is he's doing right now. You didn't kill him did you? Uhh... fuck- Clint, balcony... now."

The archer rolled his eyes and stomped out of the penthouse, taking his bow and arrows with him. He wouldn't have any qualms with shooting Tony if he got out of control, which knowing Tony Stark, he probably would.

When the unconscious trickster was settled, Tony joined Clint on the balcony.

"Why do you care so much, huh? It's sick!" Clint hissed angrily, roughly pushing Tony's face away from him. The billionaire bristled, struggling to keep his opinions from exploding and knocking the infuriating archer the fuck out.

Loki's trying to sleep next door, God Damnit!

"He's s kid, Clint! He doesn't remember anything! He didn't do anything to us!"

"He's evil-,"

"Don't you start that shit with me, Barton. We were all nasty son of a bitches once too."

"Sure, but we didn't kill for the fun of it."

"Worse actually, I didn't care. Merchant of death-," he pointed to himself before returning his angry gaze to the archer. "Hell, you gave Natasha another shot and she wasn't exactly an angel, was she?"

"Don't you dare say they're the same, Stark-,"

"It's not far off!"

"I swear to-,"

"Who, Thor? He's desperate, Clint, just like we all were. We can save his brother's crazy-ass; we can save somebody's life. Isn't that the whole point of being a superhero?"

"Fuck you-,"

"Your mom already did."

"My mom's dead, you asshole. I can't stay here if you're going to pretend that kid isn't a mass intergalactic murderer."

"You're a pussy, I swear to-,"

A soft cough from the doorway halted Tony's speech more effectively than anything else could have. Clint scoffed at his reaction and gave the tiny trickster a not-so-subtle-kick to the backside as he walked past.

Loki scowled and stuck his middle finger up at him.

"Where the hell did you learn that?" Tony gasped, outraged, snatching the little guy off the cold tile floor and settling him in the crook of his elbow again. The billionaire would never admit it, but over the past few days, he had grown to enjoy the presence of the little demon child.

"You stink," Loki said rather suddenly, leaning away from Tony to express his discontent. The billionaire would have laughed at Loki's little scrunched nose if his pride hadn't been so wounded. "Y-ech, like... Bilgesnipe!"

"What the-," Tony scoffed, tenderly placing the candor kid on the floor and watching with a deflated ego as he ran off giggling. "Well, he certainly recovered quickly-,"

"Yes, friend Stark. Loki may be young in appearance but lest you forget... he is two hundred years of age, and a God." Thor sighed, having to duck several inches to get outside. Tony was frankly surprised he didn't just smash another hole through his wall.

"Yeah, well, he can't be cute and imposing. That's just not fair. Although, I guess I come pretty close, don't I?"

"Hey Tony,"

"OH MY GOD- BRUCE, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? I MISSED YOU, BUDDY! YOU PROMISED YOU'D VISIT!"

The gamma scientist gently pried Tony's hands off his face, fighting between a smile and a frown.

"I missed you too, Tony. I was in town and decided to drop by, seems like Thor beat me to it, though."

"Yeah, Thor's kinda like that. It's refreshing in a way, 'cause, you know, humans can kinda get boring. And considering there's a problem, Fury told you about that, right? 'Cause if he didn't, well-,"

"Tone, you're tangenting again," Bruce reminded his friend, a tried smile crinkling the corners of his eyes. Tony decided long ago that he it was his favorite Bruce smile. Because even when the gamma scientist was drawn, exhausted and moody, he could always spare a genuine smile for his science-bro.

The billionaire suddenly realized that he had been creepy-staring for too long and flickered his gaze to a very uncomfortable looking God of Thunder.

"Oh, right, yeah. Sorry," Tony waved, his palms sweating with anxiety at the thought of telling Bruce the big news. CONGRATULATIONS, WE'RE DADS! probably wouldn't go down too well with the big guy and Tony didn't want a Tony sized hole in the floor this time. You catch my drift?

"Well, Bruce- darling, Bruce-uh... you see," "Loki is currently a baby and spitting apple seeds all over your tablet screen? Yeah, Tony. I know,"

Well... shit. Okay then!