Loki's Little Witch [en]

chapter 14. secret's out

Even the slight chirping of a bird could be heard amid the imminent silence of the room, a silence that witch each passing second, made Wanda's heart beat faster and faster, still clinging to the asgardian's arm, expectant of her parent's reaction, which, judging by their faces, only made her expect the worst.

"No," Stephen muttered, shaking his head, "n-no, no, this isn't—

"This was it, wasn't it? Was this your plan all along?" Tony spat, taking a step in front of his husband, not even bothering to glance at his daughter.

"What?" Wanda frowned.

"You did this. You tricked her into—

"No, he didn't trick me into anything," Wanda didn't hesitate to respond offended, being the one to take a step in front of the asgardian, trying to come between him and her father, forcing him to look her in the eyes, "I told you before: we are in love."

"No, you're not," Tony denied this time, "I don't know what he did or what he said to you. He is the one who kidnapped you. He took you away from us. He was the one who cast that spell on you. He made you hurt us! How could you possibly be in love with him?!" his words turned into screams before he could even notice, causing his daughter to shed two tears she simply couldn't hold back any longer.

"I just am, dad."

Her voice cracked on that simple murmur, causing Tony to gasp for air, feeling all the air escape his lungs, lost in the terror clouding his little girl's wet eyes.

"How can you possibly be in love with another man?"

"I just am, dad!"

Tony gasped, taking a step back, turning as quickly as he could, unable to gaze at his daughter not even one more second, after seeing in that perfect pair of emeralds a fear and helplessness he recognized.

"I know it is difficult news for you to digest, but it's the truth," Loki intervened for the first time, stepping beside the redhead once again, "I'm in love with your daughter. I truly am. I have never ever hurt her. Not once. All I have done is protect her. I asked her to keep the truth from you, even when she didn't want to, because I thought that would give us a chance against Mordo. I've been doing everything in my power to find a way to stop him once and for all, and I wasn't planning on giving up, because all I want is for Wanda to be safe," he stopped himself, trying to catch his breath, "but I can't keep on doing this alone anymore. Not now that is not only Wanda's life that is at risk: it's our child's," he looked away from Stephen and sought out Tony's, who had turned enough to glance at him out of the corner of his eye, something Loki noticed, "our child. Your grandchild."

Wanda, who throughout her lover's words had done nothing but gaze at Tony, hoping he'd dare to face her again, tore her eyes away from him and focused on Stephen, "I don't expect you to understand it. I don't expect you to accept it," she swallowed before licking her lips, "all I'm asking is for your help, dad," she continued, causing new tears to roll down her cheeks, "we can't do this alone."

And just like that, Wanda's voice cracked once more, only this time, Stephen couldn't bear it anymore. He couldn't bear to see his little girl beg at them like that, he couldn't bear to see her crying and simply stand there.

"Please daddy," she muttered and that was the last straw for him, that he simply walked toward her, causing her to burst into tears as they came face to face and he gently cupped her face.

"My love," he exclaimed, wiping her tears with his thumbs, trying to brush some hair away from her face, struggling to draw a smirk in his face, "you're going to have a baby."