The Avengers: To Love and be Loved By Me

Morning Rituals

One night turned into one week and one week turned into one month, Pepper still taking residence in the tower, and Steve still not returning her phone calls. It was now August and things were cooling down a bit, Loki and Tony finally able to wake up not stuck together, but other than this it was the same as any other morning. Tony would wake up, stretch, pull the covers back to kiss his little one and then cover his tired lover back up. Loki was now eleven weeks along and slept threw most the morning, being fatigued this month.

Tony then went to fetch the cup of coffee JARVIS already had made for him and brought some tea to Loki, sitting it on the nightstand for when he'd awake, and putting two lumps of sugar the way he knew he liked it. Walking into the living room, he then plopped down on the couch beside Pepper, who was always already up, and cuddled up beside her.

"So what are you up too this morning, Pep?" He asked casually, taking a long sip of his coffee and looking to see what was on the TV. Pepper was watching House Hunters International and rubbing her belly tentatively, her face full of discomfort.

"Eh, just sitting here. I don't really feel great today, Tony, I think the food I ate last night gave me cramps." Considering Loki and Pepper both had had a massive taco bell craving at around midnight the previous night, it didn't really surprise Tony, and he chuckled.

"I warned the two of you that those volcano burritos were a bad idea, but no. You couldn't just order tacos like normal people." Pepper giggled and playfully slapped Tony, the two of them sharing a chuckle that ended in a slight moan of pain for the blonde girl. Tony shot her a sideways glance as he took another sip of his coffee, eying the way she was holding her stomach.

"You know, you're eight months pregnant, Pepper. It's not going to be long now, and Steve really needs to suck it up and be there for you. It's not that Loki and I won't take care of you if push comes to shove, we will, but still I mean it's kind of ridiculous." Pepper took a deep breath and shook her head.

"Oh, I'm fine, Tony. I have a month to go, hopefully by then Steve will get his head out of his ass." Suddenly there was a crash of thunder and Loki walked sleepily into the living room.

"Thor called, he says Fury's trial should be coming up soon and that you are totally kicked out of the Avengers." Tony snorted.

"Like I care, I never wanted to be one anyway." He scooted over and Loki snuggled between him and Pepper, wrapping his arm around the girl, who he'd become unusually close to since she'd been there.

"You alright, Pepperoni? You look like you're in pain." Pepper just shrugged it off and curled into the God, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Yeah, it's probably just some Braxton Hicks contractions." Tony's eyebrows creased with worry.

"Pepper, you said just a few minutes ago is was food pain, is it getting worse?" Pepper nodded.

"A little, but seriously, don't worry about it. Like I said, I have a month left." Loki gently rubbed Pepper's baby bump is a soothing manor and cooed gently.

"Calm yourself, little one. It's not quite time to come see us yet." Pepper relaxed a little and the thunder cracked again, rain beating harder and harder against the windows.

"Hey Rock of Ages, call your brother back and tell him to put a sock in it will you? All this thunder is making me really uneasy." There hadn't been a thunderstorm in New York since Bucky died, and even Loki was a little put off and disturbed by the memories this storm was rousing. Loki got up and walked to the window, watching the sky blacken and then checking the clock.

"It's only ten in the morning...it never rains this early." It was about that time it flashed across the television that they were under flash flood warning.