Avengers: A Darker Shade of Scarlet

Something Wicked This Way Comes

"Fair One," Thor groaned as he stood in the doorway to the master bathroom. The twins were in his arms, both of them crying fiercely as the thunder god wore a helpless expression.

Dean, who had just finished his shower, opened the sliding glass door and stepped out. "What is it?"

"They continue to cry," Thor sighed. "Their diapers are clean. They have been fed and burped. Can you see what is troubling them?"

Dean smiled and lifted Magni, who was the more vocal of the two, from Thor's arms. Cradling the baby, he looked down into his pinched face and kissed it. "He's bored," Dean said.

"Bored?" Thor asked with an offended scowl. "But I played the peekaboo game with him! He loves the peekaboo game!"

"And Modi," Dean said as he laid a hand on Modi's head, gently rubbing as he read his emotions. "And Modi is overstimulated because Magni is crying."

"Perhaps I should take Modi downstairs with me where it is quiet. I will make breakfast for us while you tend to Magni."

Dean smiled. "Giving me the more challenging task, huh?"

Thor leaned into Dean and kissed him. "Only because you are so mighty."

"I want French toast," Dean playfully ordered.

"And you shall have it." He looked at Modi and grinned. "We'll make French toast, won't we?"

Modi stopped crying and looked up at Thor with content amusement.

"Would you like that, Modi?" Thor playfully asked. "Watch your father make breakfast?"

Dean swatted Thor's ass, drawing his bedroom eyes out. He looked up into Thor's face and smiled. "I love you."

"And I love you," Thor said, cupping Dean's face and kissing him until the babies started to cry more loudly.

"That's our cue," Dean murmured.

Thor and Modi went downstairs and Dean went into the bedroom and took Magni to the changing table. He swaddled the boy, then lifted him back up and began to pace back and forth.

Having empathic powers presented the temptation to use them to soothe the boys when they were upset, but Dean was adamant that he didn't want to give into that. He wanted the boys to have their feelings and be soothed naturally.

"You have a lot of feelings today, Magni," he said in a soft and soothing voice as he rocked him. "Sleepy and angry! Not a fun combination."

Magni's cries turned into pitiful whimpers as he exhausted himself. Dean sang to him, gradually reducing those whimpers until Magni was silent in his arms, his breathing low and content. Once he was convinced that Magni was indeed asleep, Dean laid him in his crib, then crept out of the room.

Thor walked into the kitchen and began assembling the ingredients for breakfast as he bounced Modi on his hip. Van Halen played and Thor sang along to the amusement of the baby.

When Dean came downstairs, Thor had finished cooking and Modi was silently observing.

"Come here, big guy," Dean said as he scooped Modi out of Thor's arms so he could plate their food.

"You know," Thor said as he took a big bite of bacon. "I believe we have this parenting task handled."

"Yeah," Dean agreed as he cut a piece of French toast.

"What's wrong?"

Dean lifted his eyebrows. "What?"

"You had that look."