Chapter Text
Florescent lights are not flattering on anyone; the stark white light tends to wash everything in a sickly pallor. James had insisted that the old bulbs after getting tired of them flickering out far too often. He shouldn’t have sent the alpha out to replace the fixtures alone. In hindsight, he should have seen it coming. Now he’s left with this, the cold hue of white light making his pale skin look almost grayish yellow. On the other hand, maybe it was, maybe he was just ruined and the sickness was finally making itself visible under the utilitarian hum of the cylindrical bulb.
A knock startled him, back thumbing softly against the tile as he looked to the door.
“Loki you almost ready in there doll?” James called, his voice penetrating the thick oak of the bathroom door.
Go away…please just go… “Just a moment.”
Outside, the Alpha was checking his watch once again as he tried not to glare at the closed door.
Omegas and their primping, he sighed, it was a wonder they made it anywhere on time. Loki had enough hair care products in their bathroom to stock a small salon.
Poor James, most of his things had been remanded to a single drawer. Not that the alpha needed much in the way of beauty products. If he were honest, he would leave the house looking like a wild animal if it wasn't for his Omega. Loki took some strange pleasure in braiding his hair every morning before the alpha headed off to SHIELD and on the rare occasions when he would allow it –something more intricate as the styles on Loki’s home world. It was a quiet kind of bonding that they enjoyed in the early gray light of morning.
James smiled at the memory then shook his head and wondered why he thought today would be any different. The alpha wasn't very upset though, what were a few moments extra if it helped his mate feel a bit more confident?
Today especially, anytime they went into the city, more specifically Avengers Tower, Loki always felt like he needed an additional layer of 'armor'. Looking his best was Loki's way of showing he was still just as formidable, even if her wasn't the one standing in a court square demanding mortals to kneel.
Therefore, Barnes leaned back against the wall and watched the second hand tick on.
They were supposed to go to the tower today to pick up Peter and Wendy. Having promised not only the children, but also the little ones parents, to take them out for ice cream. It had become a sort of tradition that once a month the kids would have a special play date with their uncles and spend the night. This would give their parents some much needed alone time. Not that the two avengers were short on babysitters by any means, it was just that the rest of the pack was all under one roof and it was too easy to give into tearful little faces who wanted 'papa or daddy'. It was also far too easy for Steve to check on the twins – which basically defeated the purpose of a planned date night.
“I'll be right out.” Loki's voice sang through the door.
His tone was even if a bit annoyed, hiding the disappointment well. Loki had become so good at hiding, delving deeper into his former title as the god of lies.
The alpha had no idea what was really going on behind the dark oak that separated them. Later he would wonder why he didn't listen to those subtle tugs and pulls within their bond, why he chose to dismiss them as the usual strops that Loki was so prone to.
Loki hadn't been fussing with his hair or tweezing his brows. He wasn't glaring at the mirror or changing into yet another shirt. This wasn’t just a matter of ascetics or a quiet need to be annoying because his alpha did something two or three days ago, that set him off – ‘revenge is best served cold James’.
Truth was a far colder thing, staring back at the omega on a little plastic digital readout. The words NEGATIVE that bounced around in his brain like lead in a steel drum.
NEGATIVE. Failure ...you're a failure NEGATIVE. Why...why can't you even do this right? NEGATIVE. This is what you were designed for, yet you still manage to disappoint. NEGATIVE. He'll leave you. Why would he stay with you? NEGATIVE. Monster. Your insides must be ice as well.
“Doll, I hate to sound like a broken record but we gotta go if we want to make it through that traffic.”
“Coming.” Dry your eyes, just don't say anything. Remember how disappointed he was last time. You don't want to hurt him like that again. Loki slipped on his mask heading out, looking as perfectly groomed as ever. Hair glossy and neat, brushed out of his face, wearing a black buttoned up shirt and well-fitted slacks. James always-said Loki looked like he was one-step from the runway at all times.
“Mm, there he is.” James winked wolfish. “Ya know, if we didn't have somewhere to be.” The alpha started, hands settling on Loki's hips, “I'd be tempted to keep you in bed all day.”
“What where you just saying about being late?” Loki retorted, gently removing his mates roaming hands. He smiled, it was a little weak but easy enough to believe. Honestly, he couldn't bear to be touched right now. Every ounce of tenderness just served as an ugly reminder to his own ineptitude.
“Yeah you're right.” James purrs against his neck before pulling away with a chaste kiss. “Let's get goin. Don't wanna keep the lil squirts waiting.”
Loki held his expression until his mate turned and headed out. “No...Wouldn’t want that.”
“We gonna get to see Unca Bucky and Unca Loki?” Peter asked as his papa helped him into his outfit. He was a big boy but still buttons were hard. So it was okay to have papa's help. Papa always told them that asking for help was important because no one is perfect and you can learn a lot by asking. Even though Daddy never asks for help and Papa, gets cross with him. Papa says that’s just Alphas.
Steve smiled and kissed his son’s forehead, “Yeah you are buddy, I bet you're real excited huh?”
Truth be told, Steve was excited too. A whole day alone with his Alpha that didn't include hours in the workshop, missions, paperwork, or fighting giant angry robots hell bent on destruction. It was kind of wonderful.
Peter nodded and looked over to where Daddy was brushing Wendy's hair and fixing it into two little buns on the top of her head the way she liked.
“There ya go princess, now, which clips do you want?” Tony asked the little one pulling out the little box of clips.
Wendy had a little collection of hair clips that Auntie Pepper and Auntie Natasha got for her. There were even a few from Papa and Daddy in the box and a very special on her Uncle Thor brought to her from Asgard. “The yellow flowers.”
“Stylish yet simplistic, Steve we have a little fashionista on our hands. She gets it from me obviously.” Tony said sliding the little yellow enamel daffodils into his daughter’s hair.
The omega hummed in agreement while slipping on their son’s socks. “Wendy, Peter don't forget the special pictures you made for your Uncles. I know you worked hard on them.”
Peter and Wendy had been looking forward to this day for weeks. Every day closer had the pups nearly bouncing off the walls Tony was glad to have the little ones packed up and out the door for the day. He loved his kids, but he loved silence more, which in itself was funny considering a few years ago the alpha was all about noise and activity. However, he had since learned the value in peace and quiet.
“Unca Loki!!!!' Peter cheered running to the elevator as soon as Jarvis announced the pair’s arrival. Wendy wasn't far behind with her own happy little sequels.
James shook his head and greeted Steve. “Man I guess I'm chop liver.”
“I wouldn't be too offended buckaroo, Petey pie was super excited about watching the dogs poop at the park just last week so...” Tony quipped from where he was gathering up the kids backpacks.
Peter and Wendy were already excitedly talking and clamoring all over Loki who seemed to take the attention in stride. He knelt down and nodded with rapt attention at their little stories and the 'show-and-tell' period of what they decided to wear today.
“We'll have them back tomorrow after lunch.”
“Or before yeah ya know if they need us. Peter has a spare pair of glasses and Wendy's inhaler is...”
“Steve...we got this” Bucky assures. He knows that since finding out that the twins had a few mild health problems from Steve's genetics. It had taken a toll on the omega but the pack had rallied around the couple and their pups.
Tony was already kissing the kids goodbye and surprisingly doing well with a little bit of small talk with Loki. The two of them had learned to coexist better in the last year. Tony had a strange ability to forgive almost anyone, given the right amount of time and motivation the billionaire could come around to anyone's side. That could be construed as both a good and bad thing, depending on who you ask.
“How’s things over at Camp X-brats, you guys do macaroni art and roast marshmallows with your eyes?”
Loki rolled his eyes, “Cute Stark, your quips are ever so witty. Things at the school are going quite well. My students are all skilled beyond their years, in fact, I should suspect that the future crop of super powered villains will be even better than the last. “He smirked.
“Not funny, you are not funny Reindeer games.”
“Oh come now I am a little funny.”
Peter jumped up and down “Unca Loki is real funny.” His sister promptly disagreeing and showing her favor toward her Uncle Bucky. This then dissolved into a “nu huh and ya huh” shouting match.
Steve clapped his hand behind them and the children fell silent. “Enough of that. You both know better. We use our inside voices and we don’t argue.”
The chorus of “yes papa” seemed to be enough to get them off the hook for now.
Barnes laughed watching the display, “buddy, if your ma could see this.” The soldier chuckled and wiped his eye. “Ok, ok, time to go you little heathens. March!!”
Wendy snapped to attention, her twin not far behind as the little ones marched exaggeratedly to the elevator, Loki following close behind holding their little overnight bags.
The trip from the tower to the ice cream parlor wasn't terribly eventful, aside from the usual city traffic and idiot drivers. Loki put on a movie for the children while they headed out of the city. He found himself watching them in the rear-view mirror, Wendy little blonde pigtails glinting like spun gold in the sun, Peter concentrating so hard on the film with his big brown eyes. For a split second, Loki replaced those features in his mind’s eye.
A little, raven haired girl with cool blue gray eyes, or a boy with messy brown hair. His heart even faltered when he considered a tiny baby in a car seat with soft robin’s egg skin and glittering ruby orbs. It was painful to know that he would even want that, he would gladly take that. Years ago, he would have rather choked to death on his own blood than admit parentage to such a child....but now.
Now he felt empty and wondered what it would be like to look in that often-empty back seat and see it filled with pillows and car seats, toys and other distractions. Would his little one wail in the night and James, as kind as his alpha is, take the babe out for a late night drive just to lull them to sleep? Would they be like this one day? Driving into the city so that their children could spend the night with their elder cousins?
Or would that backseat always be empty? Just like him...cold and desolate. Would his alpha one day realize the fatal flaw and leave him to rot?
“Unca Loki! I gotta potty!” Wendy announced squirming in her seat.
James sighed and started looking for an exit, “Munchkin what did your Omega say about going before you left the tower?”
“Its fine I'll take her in” Loki mumbled looking in the glove box for toilet covers and sanitizer. Norns knew what one could pick up in rest area toilets. He could use magic to make them spotless but even then,…one never could be too careful.
“That's not the point.” The alpha sighed as he pulled into a roadside eatery. This one boasting the ‘best burger in the tri-state area’. Lovely, nothing says professional like a cartoon cow telling you to come take a hunk out of his ass. Delicious… “The point is we shouldn’t have to stop.”
“Papa told me to and I did!” Wendy simpered in her seat. “But now I gotta go again!” She pouted and squirmed. “Pleeeeaaaseeee”
“We’re stopin munchkin don’t worry.”
Emergency bathroom stops aside, they were able to make it to their destination without incident.
What’s the Scoop, was a quaint little place. They had a 1930’s theme that James seemed to always enjoy. The place was owned and operated by several young ladies who always tried to great their regular customers by name and remember their usual orders. It was charming and the children also enjoyed the activity and coloring pages at each booth.
“Hey their Barnes’ how are you guys doing!” One of the girls greeted as they walked in. “And you brought my two favorite little pups!” She squeals and knelt down to say hello to the twins.
The other young woman smiled from the counter, “The usual cups and parfaits of the kids?”
Thank goodness for those two, “Thank you Irene, actually I received the text alert to your new flavors?” Loki commented while James squared the little ones away in the booth.
“Sure did,” She smiled and gestured to the case “These are pretty popular in Japan so I thought why not give the customers something new to try out. Whichever flavor is most popular we will keep on the menu. The green one is Green tea, that kind of reddish one is Azuki bean, the pale pink is Cherry Blossom. Wanna try one?”
“Which would you recommend?”
She thought it over a moment, “Cherry blossom is a light cake flavor with a hint of salt. If you want something sweet but not bug your eyes out.”
“Very well, change my cup to that that then. James? Do you want to try something else?”
“No… Wendy sit down. Peter stop, Will you two…”
Loki rolled his eyes and Irene hid a laugh behind her hand. “No worries, they will chill out once they get their treats.” She assured as she started working on their order. “Then you will have a good hour, hour and a half of sugar high before the pass out for a good hour.”
She was right of course, the twin were immediately engrossed in their own ice cream and quieted down. Loki was already internally cringing at the sticky mess on both children’s faces. At least it wasn’t on their clothes yet.
“Hey.” James reached over and took his hand. “You okay? Been kinda quiet.”
The omega had no idea how long he had been mindlessly staring. “Fine, holiday break coming you know, have to test my students and calculate averages. Just thinking.” His lie went over, if a bit shallow in effect. His alpha seemed satisfied enough and that was enough.
“Don’t stress ok doll?”
He hummed in return and took another bit of the sweet sakura treat. The salt reminded him of tears.
“Tony…” Steve wrapped his arm around his alpha that night in bed, snuggling up to the inventors back. He waited a few breathes before nuzzling a little more intently against the alphas shoulder.
“What…”
“I was just thinking, Peter and Wendy will be starting per-school soon, then kindergarten so they won’t be as much of a handful at least for most of the day. In addition, the team has grown a lot in the last few years. We hardly ever get called out on joint missions any more, I haven’t had an assignment in a few months actually.”
Tony rolled over and eyes his omega, he had been up way too long. Long gone were the days of 72-hour invent-a-tons, now he was beat after your standard workday and chasing around two little ones. Today had been a nice reprieve, he only had one SI meeting to attend then took Steve out to dinner at a nice fusion restaurant. A really classy sort of joint that you have to reserve a month in advance. All in all, it had been a good night. “Steve, if there’s a point to this I’d love to hear it babe. In 10 words or less if you can manage.”
As much as he loved Steve he hd a long week and catching up on missed sleep with out tiny bodies sneaking into the covers at three am, sounded beautiful.
“I wanna have another baby.”
Stop, hold the presses. HUSTON WE HAVE A PROBLEM.
“I’m sorry what? It sounded like. My ears....They heard...things, words that sounded as if you wanted.... nah you said you want another baddy right? Since Reindeer Games is off the evil train, no worries schnookipus, I’m sure another evil drama queen from planet Euro-flare will come and ask you to come out and play.”
Steve glare, “I’m serious Tony, we aren’t getting any younger and I want the twins to experience having younger siblings.” Steve would never say it, but he also noticed more gray in Tony’s hair and part of him worried. He knew there was a chance that his aging would never quite catch up to normal and that he would lose his Alpha. He would spend years alone missing this man, but he would have Peter and Wendy. Maybe he just wanted more children because it in a way…those children would keep their fathers memory alive.
Stark covered his face and chuckled into his palms. “Oh god, you Irish Catholics…allergic to birth control.” He pulled his hands away and looked into a pair of serious and longing blue eyes. “You know how hard it was with the twins. Are you sure you want to do that again?”
Steve had thought about it, a lot recently if he was being honest with himself. Maybe the whole 'biological clock' thing was a big farce, but he still felt something. Just a few days ago, he had been packing up some of Peter and Wendy's old baby clothes to pass along to Pepper and Natasha. He sat there holding a pair of Wendy's little socks and almost cried. He missed it. “Yeah and… I think I’m ready to tell people. When the kids were young, I didn’t realize how much it hurt to have people look at us and think it was strange that two Alpha’s were raising pups. I guess I put it out of my mind because we had other things going on. Peter is getting older and I don’t want him to be ashamed about being an omega.”
The alpha sat up and took in the seriousness of the conversation. Obviously, this little dialog had been going on in Steve's head a lot longer than it should have. At this rate, he was going to have a small sports team of kids. Not that he didn't love his kids or have the thought of more cross his mind; Tony just thought there would be more time. “You know I’m with you on going public, I would have called a press conference if you said so the day after they were born. I know how hard it is to stand up in front of the world and tell your secrets Steve, you know that. That said, you don’t have to be pregnant to do it.”
“Tony it’s not just about being convincing. Look, last time - well we weren’t exactly ready. I wouldn’t change our lives now for the world because I love those kids and I know you do too; but I really want this. Not just for me but for us.” Steve reached out and took his alphas hands. “I want us to do this together.”
“…don’t you puppy face me Rogers…no...Ah, damn it. There it is, the eyes and everything.” Tony leaned up and kissed the soldiers pouting lips. /that damn face and those damn eyes. This was why Steve Rogers should never be allowed to become a super villain. He will charm his way into world domination with and army of adoring fans. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea, because right now- All Tony could thing of was how good Steve looked all swollen with those pups – his pups. Damn his Alpha hindbrain. “Yeah, I’m so knocking you up again.” he nearly growled against his omegas growing smile. He wasn't wasting anytime it seemed, already climbing over the solider and pressing him into the mattress.
Steve smirked and looked up at the smug alpha, “you know I'm not in heat right now.”
“Let’s call it practice then. Gotta get little Tony back in the baby making mood ya know.”
“Little Tony?”
Stark smirked wolfish and ground his hips down against his husbands. “You're right, I'm lying...big Tony.”
The blonde snorted, “Don't flatter yourself too much.”
Tony faked horror and flopped back onto his side of the bed. “You wound me Steeebe...I am wounded. How dare you treat your alpha so cruelly you don't love me at all?”
“Aww, is the big bad alpha sad? Do I have to give him a back rub and a cookie?” Steve sassed right back, rolling over to press up against his lover’s side.
“I should make you do all the work, just lay here and let my superior genetics be taken like ripe apples from the tree of life.”
Could this man be any weirder? Steve asked himself that multiple times a day, even so, he wouldn't have it any other way. Not when he watched Tony with the kids, or the bots. Not when he looked to the sky’s for that familiar flash of hot rod red.
The firm touches over each muscle, combined with the reverence of each lingering kiss, left Steve tranquil. Tony's hand move slowly lower and lower. Then teasing across his groin. The omega spread his legs wider, encouraging his to explore. To reclaim familiar territory with every touch.
A sigh escaped him as clever fingers sought out the soft opening pushing between his warm folds. Each languid movement complimented with kisses that traveled down his chest and abdomen. The soft scratch of facial hair sending a shiver up his spine. He could feel the alpha smile against his skin with separately breathy shudder, the cocky snot.
Steve let his head falling back and spine arch when those smug lips found a home around his erection.
“Tony...”
A rumbled chuckle makes this thighs quiver. The alpha looked up with hooded coffee colored eyes and hollowed his cheeks. Steve was a bit of a lightweight when it came to this, if his mate kept this up he’d be done for in a few minutes at best.
Just when the soldier thought the world was turning to putty, his husband pulled back with a wet pop. “Get the lube babe.”
Steve raised his head looking adorably disoriented and flushed from arousal. If Tony was honest with himself, he derived way to much pleasure in seeing the usually calm and collected Captain so unraveled. “Yeah… yeah ok.” The omega wet his lips and stretched out an uncoordinated hand, fumbling for the little vial on the bedside table.
“Look at you.” The alpha purred, sitting back on his feet as he caressed his mates blushing thighs. He loved that about Steve, he was so pale that he seemed to blush everywhere. Silk creamy flesh adorned with blotches of red, it was a feast for the eyes. “This is just a preview sugar, just wait till I get you on your knees all wet and dripping for me.” He said taking the bottle and dripping a cool slick line over the Omega’s primary and secondary sex. “Won’t even need this, you’ll be all hot and ready for me won’t you?”
“Will you stop talking…” Steve groaned
The alpha chuckled softly before draping himself over his mate and pushing slowly inside. “So bossy. It’s a good thing you’re pretty.”