The Balance Between

Kids? Yeah, Let's Have Kids

Loki giggled and shoved some of her eggs into her mouth, chewing as much as she could before swallowing. Tony chuckled and rolled his eyes, turning to his prodigy. "Pete, how's your aunt doing after the accident?" he asked softly. Peter looked up from his notebook and into his mentor's eyes. Loki slowly looked over as well.

It was no secret about what happened to May Parker when it came to the Avengers. Not only did Peter come to Tony sobbing, but Peter wanted all of the Avengers to go and visit her in the hospital. Someone, the police haven't found out who yet (even though Tony paid damn well enough for the case to be at least going somewhere), set the Parkers' apartment on fire while May slept. The attacker even went as far as disarming all of the fire alarms. Luckily for Peter, he was out on patrol duty. But May had suffered severe burns before she woke up and realized what was going on. Even then she broke a few bones on her way out. She's been on life support ever since.

Peter sighed. "Not so great, Mister Stark." Subconsciously, Peter closed the notebook and set his pencil down. "But the doctors are doing everything they can so. . ." He shrugged halfheartedly. Loki smiled softly to comfort the young boy, grabbing his hand from across the table. Peter looked to the goddess and managed a small smile. "I just hope she can pull through, Miss Loki. She's all I have." Loki looked to Tony, her mind racing.

"Kid, why don't you play that Mario Kart game against Clint?" Tony suggested. "Or Sam. Or Thor." He slid the notebook towards him and Loki from across the table. "Just go be a normal kid and have some fun playing video games." Peter nodded slightly and stood up from the table, walking over to the living room and grabbing a controller. Tony waited until Peter was out of earshot to let out a heavy sigh. Loki placed a loving hand on his shoulder. "I worry about him, you know." Loki nodded. "The kid's been through so much and he's only fifteen." Loki nodded again. Tony looked to the goddess, his soft brown eyes looking heavy. "If May dies. . . he has no one."

Loki bit her lip, taking caution in what she said next. "So why don't we. . . make up for those people?" she suggested softly. Tony raised an eyebrow. Loki grabbed one of his hand, holding it with both of hers. "Anthony. . . Why don't we adopt Peter?"

Tony immediately froze, his mind turning into the black and white fuzz that shows up when you don't have television service.

"Wha-What?" he spluttered.

Loki smiled softly, releasing some of the tension between them. "Why don't we--as in you and I--adopt Peter," she tried again. Tony still wasn't functioning properly. "He already lives here and you're already his legal guardian while May is in the hospital. It makes the most sense. And this way he won't be alone on the off chance she doesn't survive."

"But-but. . ." 

Loki held her finger to his lips. He looked to her finger before back into her loving green eyes.

"If and when May gets better, she'll understand why we adopted him," she continued. Tony blinked, still not coming to. "You love him as if he is your own flesh and blood already. I love him like he is my own. Why don't we just," Loki shrugged, "make it legal, I suppose."

"He. . ." Tony started quietly. He dropped his gaze to his hands. What he's about to say, he hadn't told anyone; not even Peter. May, of course, knew, but no one else did. "He is my son," Tony whispered.

Loki didn't miss a beat. "Then I shall love him even more knowing he is the kin of the love of my life." Loki's loving hands once more grasped Tony's. The inventor's soft brown eyes flickered from his hands to his lover's eyes. She smiled reassuringly. He gave her a half-smile.

"Can we keep this under wraps? Please?" Loki raised her eyebrow just enough for Tony to understand. "The team doesn't know and, actually, neither does Pete." Loki nodded. Tony let out a shaky breath, closed his eyes, and smiled. "I love you, Lokes." She pressed a kiss to his temple.