#anyway I’ve already read Clint’s previous appearances for my Iron Man readings

[daydreamerdrew]

The Avengers (1963) #16

[hymn2000]

Chiquitita - MCU AU fanfic - C20

Story summary: Something strange is happening. Someone from space has made their way to Earth, armed with a strange weapon. Targeting teenagers, their ray gun, when fired, turns the victim into a toddler. The Avengers set out to stop this, and find a way to reverse the effects. However, they don’t all come out of the battle unscathed.

Previous chapters: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

Part of my Frostiron and Spiderson series.

Warnings/themes: de-aging, family stuff, corporal punishment (early chapters only), mental health stuff, hurt/comfort, hospital/medical stuff

Chapter 20 - Work

-

Loki walked into the lab and found Tony sorting through his tools with little Peter balanced on his hip.

“Please tell me that soldering iron isn’t on”

“No, no, it’s not even plugged in” Tony said. “Hey, could you take the baby for a minute?”

Loki took Peter from him. “Hello, little one”

“Hi daddy” Peter yawned. “I’m all worn out”

Loki laughed slightly. “Have you been a busy boy today?”

“He’s been the busiest” Tony said. “We went food shopping, and then we went to the park, and then we’ve spent all afternoon sorting out and tidying up down here. Very busy indeed!”

“I don’t think you can call it ‘all afternoon’ when it’s only three o’ clock” Loki said.

“Coming from the person who says five o’ clock is the evening”

Loki shook his head. “Do you want to go and have a little sleep, chick?”

Peter nodded. Loki gave him a little squeeze.

“Oh, Loki?” Tony said. “Today makes six weeks”

Loki looked at Peter and gave him a little kiss on the cheek. “I know”

-

Tony sat down with Loki after tea the next evening. Peter was playing on the rug with his baby doll, changing its outfits and ‘feeding’ it with one of his own plastic spoons. 

“This has been a really long six weeks, hasn’t it?”

“Yes” Loki said. “Being back at work makes it feel like it has been even longer”

“We’ve got a bit more of a routine going on now. We’re doing ok, aren’t we?”

Loki nodded. “Li said she was proud of us. She said we were doing brilliantly with him”

“My press manager keeps emailing me. There’s two magazines in particular who keep getting in touch, and a magazine show keep pestering him for interviews with us about this. One of them wants us to get together with some of the other kids Kindsprengen hit. I keep telling him to tell them no, but apparently they’re very persistent”

“Just keep telling them no. We don’t want our little boy under the spotlight any more than he already is”

Tony looked at Peter. He had his baby doll cradled in his arms now, and was very slowly reading a Mr Men book to it.

“He’s done really well with his reading, hasn’t he?”

“That week after my crash gave me a lot of time to sit down with him” Loki said. “He’s a clever thing; he picked it up quite quickly. He’s still very rocky, but, well, he’s done very well”

“How’s he doing with his writing?”

“He’ll write his name at the bottom of his pictures, but that’s about it” Loki said. “I don’t think he likes it very much. He enjoys reading, because he gets to find a story, and that’s exciting for him. He doesn’t find writing very exciting”

“Well, I guess that makes sense” Tony said. “I think we need to go and do something else with him. I know he loves the park, but I’m getting a bit sick of it”

“Yes, me too. He enjoyed swimming, so we could go again”

“Is there a space museum near here? He’d probably enjoy that” Tony said.

“We’ll have to look into it. I wouldn’t mind going to the pool again. I know we’ve got plenty to do with him here, but it’s nice to get out and about sometimes”

“Like you said; we’ll look into it. Maybe we could at least convince him to go on the playground at the park. He’d enjoy it if he gave it a chance. Big Peter’s always loved the swings”

They were both quiet for a minute or two, watching the toddler. The cuckoo clock sounded the hour, and Tony sighed.

“He needs a bath tonight”

“I’ll do it” Loki said. “You need to prepare for your visit to the office tomorrow”

“I might take the kid with me. Get him out of the house, show him off a bit”

“That’s up to you” Loki said, standing up. “Peter, darling? It’s bath time”

“Oh” 

“Oh indeed. Come along now. Put baby in the cot”

Peter obediently put his baby doll in its little cot, tucking it in carefully. He rocked the cot gently.

“Will baby be ok?”

“Of course. I think they’re asleep already” Loki said. “Now come on; bath time”

-

Tony stood in the doorway and watched Loki drying Peter and powdering him and zipping him into his teddy bear onesie. 

“I just had another email from my press manager”

Loki looked up. “Oh?”

“Oh indeed. It was from this company. I’ve never heard of them before, but they say that if Peter is a toddler, we should consider sending him to nursery or taking him to toddler groups. Something to do with it being important and the best way to enrich him”

“Tell them to mind their own business” Loki said, putting Peter’s hood up and tickling him under the chin to make him laugh. 

“I might. I haven’t replied yet. I just started thinking about Peter’s friends. I know Liz sent the box, and then she wrote that letter after we sent her a box, but none of his other friends have really done anything, have they?”

“Quite a few of them texted his phone. Fact checking, I think” Loki said. “But I turned the handset off pretty quickly. Flo texts me sometimes, checking how he is. She says she wants to visit but I’m not sure if she should”

“I think we should talk about that” Tony said. “It might be weird for her. It’s weird for us, and the other Avengers. But they all saw it happen, so...”

“Clint said he’s going to pop in next time he’s away from home. Steve keeps offering to babysit, too”

“Have you heard anything from Thor since he went back to space?”

Loki shook his head, taking the bottle of baby powder from Peter and putting it up high, out of his reach. Tony sighed.

“He needs to stay in touch better” he said. “...Do you think Carol is gonna put in an appearance at some point?”

“I hope so” Loki sighed. “Peter asked for her the other day. I miss her too... I love her, and I know she loves us, but I also know that we’re not her first priority. She has everything she’s doing on other worlds, and then of course she’s got Maria and the girl”

“Monica” Tony said. “You can’t blame her for putting her family first”

“I don’t” Loki said. “I just miss her. And you know how close her and big Peter are”

“That lady is away for months at a time all the time” Tony said. “I think everyone in her life is used to that. Even big Peter”

“I need to put Peter to bed” Loki said, changing the subject.

“Loki...”

Loki picked Peter up, much to the little boys dismay.

“Hey! Daddy, put me down! I’m busy!”

“It’s bedtime”

“I don’t want to go to bed! I want daddy!”

Loki sighed. Tony came over and took Peter from him, cuddling him close, breathing in deeply.

“Um, Tony?”

“Hm?”

“You appear to be inhaling our son again”

“Hm? Oh” Tony laughed slightly. “Yeah, it’s just the best. Y’know when people are just out of the bath or shower and they’re all nice and clean and you can smell the soap on their skin? Ugh, it’s just such a good thing”

Loki just shook his head. “Are you putting him to bed?”

“Can do. Are you at the hospital again tomorrow?”

“They’ve asked me to do an extra shift, but I haven’t decided yet”

“Is Jo Jo working tomorrow?”

Loki nodded.

“I think you should go in” Tony said. “I’ll take Peter to the office with me, and look after him afterwards. Ring them up. Let them know you’ll be in”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, definitely” Tony said, setting Peter down on the bed and giving him his rocket. “I can ask Happy to pick you up in the morning?”

“I’ll just get a taxi” Loki said. “I need the thinking space while I’m bikeless”

“I still don’t think you should get another one”

“I know, but we also both know that the crash wasn’t my fault. I’ll look into it properly some other time. We’re both a bit busy to go motorbike shopping right now”

“Can I have a motorbike?” Peter asked.

“Certainly not!” Tony said. “You can have a good nights sleep instead. Head on pillow, please”

Loki smiled slightly, watching them. Tony was always so good with him, despite what he might sometimes think. Sure, they didn’t have experience with toddlers before any of this had happened - but then, they hadn’t had experience with teenagers before big Peter had come into their lives either. So maybe it wasn’t so different after all.

-

Peter wrinkled his nose at the new-carpet smell in the office building. He held onto Tony’s hand, his rocket under his free arm. He didn’t like it here. It was all weird and busy and he didn’t like all these strange people pinching his cheeks and ruffling his hair. 

Tony was perfectly happy. He knew a lot of people who worked in this office, and some of them he even considered friends. They didn’t see each other very much, and even though the visit was supposed to be strictly business-related, it was good to have the opportunity for a bit of a catch up. Plus, he liked it when people fussed over Peter. People generally fussed over big Peter anyway, so this kind of fuss was a bit different - but not in a bad way. Tony was proud of his son, even the toddler. 

Peter got bored very quickly. He didn’t want to be in this office. He wanted to be at home playing with his toys, or at the park watching the ducks swimming round the pond. He liked those ducks, even the one with the broken beak and the one with only one leg. He’d much rather be with them than with his dads workforce. It was so boring, and he felt like they’d been there for hours. Days, even.

“Still, it’s a shame he ended up in the firing line”

“Yeah, it’s not ideal” Tony said. “Still, we’re getting used to having a toddler about”

“He’s a cute little kid” 

“Yeah, he is” Tony looked down at Peter, who scowled up at him. “What’s that face for?”

“This is boring”

Tony and the other man laughed, and continued their conversation. Peter tried to be good, but it was hard work. Plus, he was starting to feel funny, and uncomfortable. 

“Oh oh, I think someone needs the toilet” the man said, nodding towards Peter.

Tony looked down at Peter, who was squirming and pressing his legs together.

“Why didn’t you say, kiddo?” Tony raised an eyebrow at the man. “I’ll talk to you in a bit. Better get this one sorted before he has an accident all over your new carpets”

-

Peter was very nearly asleep by the time they left the office. He cuddled against Tony’s chest, looking cross. Tony laughed at him as he strapped him into his car seat.

“Now there’s a face! You look just like your daddy” he grinned.

Peter didn’t smile back. 

“Do you wanna go and see daddy?”

Peter looked up at him, and then looked away. Tony sighed and ruffled the boys hair gently.

“Yeah, let’s go and see daddy”

-

Jo Jo laughed and kissed Loki hard on the cheek. 

“You know you love me really”

“Not when you pull this kind of thing!” Loki said. 

“Hey, winning a bet is not me pulling any kind of thing. Don’t be a sore loser” he stuck his tongue out at him. “Right, pay up. Where’s your locker key?”

Loki scowled and handed the key over. Jo Jo took it.

“Ooh, new keyring?”

“Not exactly. The toddler broke the other one last night, and I didn’t have time to fix it”

“Gutting, absolutely gutting” Jo Jo said, shoving the key in the lock and opening Loki’s locker, surveying the contents. “Hmm, let’s see, let’s see... Lokes, your locker is pitiful. I’ve never seen it so empty”

“In my defence, I have been off for a good few weeks for varying reasons”

“Yeah yeah, I guess so” Jo Jo said. “Hmm... Right, I’m having this”

He held up a can of cherry flavoured energy drink.

“You bastard, those are my favourites!”

“Exactly, that’s why I chose it!” he grinned, shutting Loki’s locker and handing the key back.

“Bastard, like I said” Loki said, putting his key back in his locker. 

Jo Jo gasped, holding a hand over his chest. “You wound me”

Loki rolled his eyes.

“You know you love me really” Jo Jo said, sidling up to him. “Come on; give us a kiss”

Loki sighed, but gave him a quick peck on the cheek anyway. Jo Jo grinned triumphantly.

“I’m a god-whisperer, that’s what I am”

“A what?”

“A god-whisperer, yknow, like a horse whisperer, but for gods... You’ve never heard of a horse whisperer?”

“No, I don’t believe I have”

There was a knock on the staff room door frame.

“Oh hey, Mary”

“Are you planning on doing any work today, Jo Jo?”

Jo Jo shrugged. “I’m entitled to a break”

Mary rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Loki, there’s someone here to see you”

Loki quirked an eyebrow and followed her out into the hallway. 

“Hey Loki”

Loki’s mouth fell open when he saw Tony stood there with little Peter in his arms.

“It’s you! What are you doing here?!” 

“Thought we’d drop in and surprise you” Tony smiled.

Loki couldn’t think of what to say, so he just laughed. 

“Aww, you’ve gone all giddy” Jo Jo said, stood at his side.

“I didn’t expect to see them! Hey, little boy, come here” Loki said, taking Peter and giving him a big cuddle. “Aww, you’re so squeezy, baby! Oh, I’ve got to show him off. Come on baby; I’m gonna introduce you to a few people”

Tony laughed and shook his head fondly as Loki wandered off with Peter. 

“I’ve never known a man look so good in scrubs” he said.

“Hey, what about me?” Jo Jo said, preening. 

Tony gave him an amused look. “Hey, is that one of Loki’s energy drinks?”

“Ha ha, yeah. He lost a bet”

“Oh. What bet?”

“He said he was quicker at taking bloods than I am, so we got one of the others to time us individually, and I was three seconds quicker. So, energy drink” he grinned. “His locker needs stocking. You’d better remind him, cos there’s only so many instant pasta pots I’m willing to sacrifice, even to someone like him”

“You’re rubbish at hiding your feelings, you know”

“Oh, I don’t need to hide them” Jo Jo said. “I told him outright as soon as I realised anyway”

“Really? Wow. What did he say?”

“He said he wasn’t surprised. He said he was, of course, an irresistible deity, so it was only natural that I fancied him”

Tony laughed. “Good god, whatever am I married to? He’s so...”

“Brilliant? Funny? Absolutely insane? He’s flippin’ hilarious, that’s what he is. He’s so dramatic sometimes too. But he’s real good at keeping patients calm here, including the littlies”

“He’s great. He’s been so good with toddler Peter”

“Jo Jo!” Mary reappeared. “You’re due in theatre in twenty minutes”

“What? No, that surgery isn’t until three!”

“It’s been pulled forward. Go and get scrubbed in”

“Someone could’ve told me” he shook his head, and looked at Tony. “Scrub Nurse Johanssen is in high demand today. See you later!”

-

Tony finally tracked Loki down introducing little Peter to Doctor Shefska, who smiled at Tony when he approached.

“He really does look like you, you know” he said. “Have you considered a DNA test?”

“Doc, please. Literally every single DNA testing company has asked me the same thing”

“They keep offering us free tests” Loki said.

“They’re idiots” Tony said. “I adopted him, so he’s my son regardless. The resemblance is just coincidental”

“There’s only one way to be sure”

Tony smiled grimly and chose not to reply. Dr Shefska tickled Peter under the chin. 

“He’s a cute little thing. I hear Thor is sourcing a reversal for this”

“He’s trying” Loki said. “We haven’t had many updates, so it’s not something we can put a time stamp on”

“Well, however long it takes, I’m sure there’s going to be a big wave of relief when it’s sorted. How many children were affected again?”

“Twenty seven, including Peter” Loki said. “It doesn’t sound like a lot, but that’s a full class, isn’t it?”

“It is indeed. It must be strange and difficult, especially for you”

“Why especially for us?” Tony said.

“You never knew the boy the first time round, when he was originally a toddler. I wouldn’t mind betting most, if not all of the other parents knew them from birth, so they already had an idea of what they were like and how to look after them as a toddler”

“Well, I suppose so” Loki said before Tony could respond. “But I think we’re doing well regardless of that fact”

“Oh, certainly. He looks incredibly healthy and happy, more so than the teenager”

“Hey, that’s not really fair” Tony said. “He’s got PTSD, and there’s nothing we can do about that, not exactly! This kid hasn’t been through the trauma, so of course he’s gonna look healthier and happier!”

“Tony, it’s ok” Loki said. 

“No, it’s not ok! We’re good parents to normal Peter too!”

“He never said we weren’t”

“He insinuated it!”

“No, he didn’t” Loki said, looking at Dr Shefska. “Did you?”

“No, I didn’t. I fear I worded that statement wrong. I never meant to cause any offence, or make it come across as a judgement. I apologise”

Tony nodded, and took Peter from Loki, giving him a cuddle.

“He’s a very quiet child, isn’t he?”

Loki nodded. “Yes, especially compared to big Peter. Big Peter’s always so loud at home. He’s always got a lot to say. But little Peter...”

“He’s fine. You do get quiet children” Tony said, kissing the boy on the cheek. “I think he’s tired right now, anyway. I think I’m gonna take him home”

“I’ll take my leave of you. I’m due elsewhere” Dr Shefska said.

“Bye” Tony said. He gave Peter a squeeze. “Time to go, baby”

“Oh Tony, let me hold him a little longer” Loki took Peter back from him, giving him a kiss. “I’m not going to want to go back to work now”

Peter looked up at him. “Why?”

“Because I’ve seen you, and now I just want to go home with you”

“Oh. You’re coming home?”

“I’ll be back later, darling”

Tony’s phone started ringing, and he stepped aside for a few minutes to answer it. He finished the call and took Peter from Loki.

“Say goodbye to daddy now, darling. We’ve got somewhere to be”

“Oh” Loki said, taking Peter’s hand. “Where are you going?” 

“Don’t you have work to be doing?”

“Don’t get snappy at me! It’s not my fault tha-”

He was interrupted by an alarm sounding, and people shouting for the crash trolley.

"That’s a crash. I’ve got to go”

Tony quickly turned and left. He didn’t want Peter to hear that kind of incident going off, and he didn’t want to hear it either.

-

Peter scowled at Tony when he was put back into his car seat.

“What’s that face for?” 

Peter didn’t say anything. Tony sighed and shut the door. He was stressed out all of a sudden. He just had one more commitment, and then he could go home. He just needed to get through a few more hours. Just a few. He could do that.

-

No he couldn’t. He thought he could, but Peter couldn’t, so neither could he. Peter was ok for a little bit. He sat on Tony’s lap in the meeting, playing with his rocket quite happily, but it didn’t last long. He started squirming and whining, and then he started interrupting, telling Tony he was bored and asking when they could go home. He didn’t take kindly to be shushed, either. 

Pepper leant over to him. “Do you want me to take him for a bit?”

Tony nodded, and handed Peter over. Peter went quiet for a little longer. He liked Pepper, and she gave him her little notebook and pencil so he could draw. He spent a while scribbling, and could have continued quite happily had his stomach not reminded him that it was way past lunch time already. 

“Daddy?” he said.

Tony glanced at him for half a second, but he didn’t pause in his statement. Peter whined, and looked up at Pepper. 

“Daddy’s busy”

“Yes, he is” Pepper said gently. 

Peter went quiet for a moment, looking round the room at everyone. He didn’t want to be in this meeting. He wanted to go home, and more importantly, he wanted something to eat. His tummy was starting to hurt. He started whimpering. Pepper shushed him and cuddled him close, but it didn’t help much. 

“Daddy!”

“Not now, Peter” Tony sighed, going back to the meeting. 

Peter squirmed in Pepper’s lap, and dropped his rocket on the floor. The man beside Pepper picked it up and tried to give it back to him, but he wouldn’t take it.

“What’s up, little guy?” 

Peter ignored him. Pepper took the rocket from the man and held Peter a little tighter.

“Shh, darling” Pepper sighed, wondering if she should abandon the meeting and take Peter outside.

Peter started squirming more. His tummy was really starting to hurt, and he soon started crying properly.

“DADDY!” he howled. “DADDY, I’M HUNGRY! MY TUMMY HURTS!!”

Tony closed his eyes for a moment and then stood up. 

“This is going to have to wait. I’ll send an email out later” he said.

He took Peter and his rocket from Pepper.

“Mr Stark, we really need your input here. You can’t just abandon the meeting half way through” one man said.

“Is that so? Just watch me” 

He grabbed his briefcase, and swept out of the boardroom.

-

Pepper caught up to Tony at his car.

“Tony!”

Tony stopped, turning to her. “Don’t start; you know I couldn’t stay in there”

“Of course I know that. I’m not that unreasonable” Pepper said. “I just wanted to check how you were. We haven’t had a chance to talk properly for a couple of weeks now”

Tony strapped Peter into his car seat and closed the door, muffling the boys cries. 

“He’s not happy today”

“I can see that. Is he just hungry?”

Tony shrugged. “I don’t know. He’s been a bit funny all day. I think he’s a bit bored. I don’t think he liked the office visit much. He’s just fed up”

“What about you? Are you fed up?”

“Yes” Tony said, and then sighed. “No. I don’t know. A bit, I think. It’s been six weeks, Pep. It feels like so much longer. It kinda feels like it could go on forever”

“I’m coming round tonight”

“What? Oh Pep, Loki’s at work, I’ve been out today, the kids being funny... It just doesn’t sound like a great idea”

“I’d be acting funny too if I hadn’t had my lunch by 3pm” Pepper said, glancing at her watch. “I’ll see you at six”

*