Work Text:
“Come brother! The Midgardian game looks fun,” Thor beamed, throwing an arm around the Peter.
Loki curled his lip into a sneer as he took in his brother’s joyful face. They weren’t here on Earth to join in the young spider’s game. They were here to help the remaining people of Asgard to find a place to call home. The sooner they did, the sooner Loki could be on his way. He could feel the distrust coming from the Avengers and he knew that Stark would not appreciate Loki being anywhere near the boy he was so clearly in denial about being a father-figure towards.
Any other person would have stumbled under Thor’s arm, but Peter beamed widely and bounced under the god’s arm, clutching a frisbee in his hands. He seemed un-perturbed by his brother’s rough handling, embracing it fully.
Peter had been the only one willing to talk to him (other than Thor) and Loki had to admit that despite the boys rambling, he did ask interesting questions. Loki also found the boys powers fascinating – especially when he seemed to be able to sense danger and could dodge anything that was thrown his way without even looking. Something that Stark had not found amusing.
“Please Mr. Loki, God of Mischief, sir!” Peter begged, eyes going wide and pleading. “Please play with us.”
Loki scoffed, unable to keep the sneer of disgust on his face for any longer. Damn, this earthling and his uncanny ability to pull on the heart strings of every person he met.
“Fine,” Loki gave a long-suffering drawl and smothered his smile as Peter gave a loud whoop.
The three made their way out to the immaculate lawns on the compound, Peter explaining the game as they walked. It was fairly easy to comprehend and when they were far enough away from the building, they spread out.
They started off with a few light tosses, close enough that they could still hear one another as they tossed it between the three of them. As they relaxed into the game, their tosses grew harder and higher. Loki grinned wickedly and made to throw to Thor but at the last second, he conjured another frisbee and it went flying towards the unsuspecting Peter.
“Hey!” Peter spluttered in delight as the frisbee faded into nothing just before it hit him.
Loki grinned and the game was on.
Their throws got more wild and harder, eager to catch one another unaware in hopes that they would drop it. Peter gave as good as he got, his laughter ringing around the compound lawns. Loki had to admit that the primitive game was a lot more fun than he anticipated.
Until Loki threw a particularly hard throw to his brother.
Thor got caught up in his enthusiasm for the game and summoned lighting, hitting the frisbee on the edge and sending it soaring through the sky and landing lightly on top of the compound.
“Oh dear,” Thor mumbled, scratching at his beard, looking worriedly at Peter.
“Good one brother,” Loki sneered, shooting a look to Peter, fully prepared to see a look a disappointment on the boy’s face.
“That was awesome!” Peter gasped; eyes alight. “Did you see how far it went?!”
“My apologies, young Stark,” Thor hurried to say. “I did not mean to break your game. I will, of course replace it.”
“Nah, it’s fine,” Peter waved off the gods apology. “Hey! If I go get it, do you think you could do it again?”
Thor shared a look with Loki. “I could, yes.”
“Target practice!” Peter beamed. “I’ll go get it!” and he took off sprinting towards the compound.
“Try not to hit the boy,” Loki drawled. “I don’t think Stark would forgive either of us.”
Thor scoffed. “I have incredible aim. I wouldn’t hit him.”
Loki thought he would conjure a shield around the boy just in case.
Pepper flicked through the files she held, walking and reading at the same time. It was a skill she had picked up early on her career and one that she had mastered quickly. As she walked through the compound, on a mission to find her fiancé, she glanced up occasionally to make sure she was not about to run into anything.
Her eyes flickered up from the page and out of the corner of her eye she saw a flicker of movement. She turned her head to the window and saw a slim figure climbing the window.
Pepper screamed.
She dropped the files, hand coming up to cover her mouth as Peter’s wide eyes met hers before he was slipping and falling out of view. Ignoring the fallen papers, Pepper hurried to the window, pressing as close as she could to look down to see if she could see Peter.
“OMG, Peter,” Pepper gasped, breath fogging up the window. “Shit.”
“Pepper!”
A second later Tony was barrelling into the room, gauntlet covering his hand, charged and ready to attack in an instant.
“Pep?” Tony panted, scanning the room with wild eyes as he got closer. “I heard you scream. What is it? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” Pepper glanced over her shoulder and frowned. “Tony! Put that away.”
Tony came over to her, peering out the window. When he didn’t see anything, he frowned and gently his gauntlet fell away, disappearing into the watch he wore around his wrist. “Why did you scream?”
A light pink flush covered her cheeks as she backed away from the window “I was startled.”
“By what?” Tony asked, incredulously. He automatically turned to follow Pepper as she started heading towards the stairs that led to the lower levels of the compound.
“Peter,” Pepper huffed.
Tony was silent for a beat. “I don’t get it.”
“I forgot that Peter’s powers don’t come from his suit,” Pepper huffed, clutching the railing as she started down the stairs. “He was on the window and I wasn’t expecting it.”
Pepper didn’t need to turn around to know that Tony was grinning widely. Instead, she hurried down the stairs and to the doors that led out to the lawns. She could hear Tony right on her heels, his laughter not enough to curb her worry. As she rounded the corner, she saw Thor and Loki standing by the flower bed, pulling Peter out.
“Peter!” Pepper gasped, hurrying as fast as she could in her heels.
“Miss Potts,” Peter winced, face red and arm cradling against his chest. “I am so sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you like that, I didn’t think –“
“It’s okay Peter,” Pepper cut him off as she reached him, gently hissing as she took in the wrong angle of his arm. “I didn’t mean to scream like that. Are you okay?”
“M’fine,” Peter tried to lie but the pain was evident on his face and the way he held his arm.
“Oh, shit kid,” Tony’s laughter was gone as he looked at Peter’s arm, concern instantly bleeding into his features. “What were you climbing the windows for anyway?”
“I was getting the frisbee,” Peter shrugged, face pulling into a wince as the movement tugged on his arm.
Tony gently plucked out the few stray leaves and dirt that stuck into Peter’s hair, clicking his tongue. “Geeze kid. You have got to be more careful.”
“I’m sorry,” Peter dropped his head.
“Come on sweetie,” Pepper said, taking his good hand. “Let’s get Bruce to take a look at the arm.”
“I really am sorry,” Peter told her, leaning into her as she wrapped a careful arm around his waist to keep him steady.
“It’s not your fault sweetie,” Pepper assured him. “Come on, Bruce will fix you up and then get some ice-cream; very important part of the recovery process.”
Peter nodded seriously, a grin tugging at his lips, the sight making the knot in Pepper’s heart loosen just a fraction.
“My apologies, Stark,” Thor said. “It was my fault the frisbee landed up on the roof. Having seen you son climb before I thought it would be no issue.”
“He’s not my-“ Tony started to protest and then sighed. “Not your fault, point break. I’d like to say this was a rare occurrence, but the kid fell off one his webs just the other day.” He shrugged in a what can you do way.
“I can heal him,” Loki offered.
Tony blinked at the god. He stared at Loki who seemed almost bored by the suggestion, but Tony could see the faint glimmer of worry in his eyes. He shouldn’t have been surprised that Peter could have the god wrapped around his finger like he had everyone else. Still, he worried about Peter spending time with the mischievous god but knew that Loki meant no harm.
“Thanks, but the kid has his own healing factor,” Tony nodded. “I’m sure he wouldn’t mind some company though.”
“Of course! My brother and I shall entertain your son while he heals,” Thor grinned widely.
Loki gave a small nod. “I shall retrieve the frisbee.” And then in a fading blink he was gone.
“Should I be worried?” Tony asked Thor.
“No. My brother is very fond of your son,” Thor chuckled. “He would not harm the boy.”
Tony thought he really should correct Thor more often that Peter wasn’t his son, but all the Avenger’s had been saying it recently and Tony felt a small thrill at the idea of being something to the kid, even if he wasn’t deserving of it.
“Come on, point break,” Tony slapped Thor’s arm. “Peter likes Neapolitan ice-cream when he’s feeling sick.”
Tony had a bowl of ice-cream waiting when Pepper and Peter returned the communal living room. One look at Peter and Tony knew that Bruce had given Peter some of the good drugs.
Peter’s arm was in a blue sling, holding on to Pepper’s hand with his good one as she led him over to the couches.
“How you feeling, kid?” Tony grinned.
“S’ssstrange,” Peter slurred. “Can’t – M’ can’ feel my arm. Did – Did Doco Banner take my arm?”
Pepper gave Tony an amused smile as she gently lowered him onto the couch.
“It’s alright Pete,” Tony chuckled. “Bruce didn’t take your arm.”
“Sweetie,” Pepper hummed. “Can you let go of my hand for a second?”
Peter blinked at their joined hands, tugging but their fingers remained stuck. “Don’ know how.”
Tony’s heart clenched as he saw tears gathering in Peter’s eyes and before he could do anything, Pepper was already handling it.
“That’s okay,” Pepper smiled. With her free hand, she gently peeled back Peter’s fingers and slowly (like pulling of tape) she released his fingers from hers. “There were go. See. All done.”
“Thanks mum,” Peter slurred, slumping back into the cushions, unaware of the bombshell he had just dropped.
Pepper blinked, mouth dropping open before she was smiling brightly.
Tony came up behind Pepper, hand smoothing across her hip and he pressed a kiss to her cheek. In her ear, he whispered, “Mum.”
She turned her head to grin at him, gently elbowing him in the stomach. She side stepped him, giving his hand a squeeze. “I’ll be back in a minute. I just have to grab a few things.”
Tony nodded, taking a seat beside Peter and picking up the ice-cream bowl from the coffee table. “Hey bud, you want some ice-cream?”
“Oh, ice-cream. Thanks dad,” Peter grabbed the spoon, taking a huge chunk.
“Easy!” Tony followed the bowl under the spoon, ready to catch anything that Peter dropped. His heart hammered in his chest and he knew the grin on his face was silly, but he didn’t care. Peter had called him dad.
Peter hummed around the spoon, eyes dropping closed.
Tony sniggered, gently tugging the spoon from Peter’s mouth, praying that no ice-cream followed it. When the ice-cream stayed firmly in Peter’s mouth, Tony put the spoon back in the bowl and gently set it down on the coffee table again.
“Pete?” Tony murmured. “You asleep?”
“No,” Peter hummed, twisting himself until he was comfortably sprawled against Tony’s chest. “Wha’ happen to my ice-cream?”
“You can have some more later,” Tony assured him, gently sliding his fingers into Peter’s curls.
“m’kay dad,” Peter yawned.
“Dad,” Pepper whispered in Tony’s ear, making him jump.
Tony grinned at her, opening his free arm for her to come into. He kept his arm up as she came around the couch and when she was settled on his other side, he wrapped his arm around her and settled comfortably against the couch.
The family didn’t notice Thor and Loki observing them from the doorway, Thor’s grin smug.
“See, I told you he would figure it out,” Thor nudged his brother.
Loki rolled his eyes but found the whole situation particularly heart-warming. He was aware of Peter’s background, the loss of his parents and uncle and was happy that the boy had managed to find family.
“Let’s go brother,” Loki pushed off the door and left the family to have their moment.