𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗔𝗕𝗬 𝗔𝗩𝗘𝗡𝗚𝗘𝗥𝗦

chapter iv.

Over the next few days Loki barely even saw Tony. He spent every moment in the laboratory, working on finding the cure. Loki often tried to make him come and eat but Tony wouldn't listen. It was the fourth day and Loki was getting concerned; Tony hadn't even come out of the lab last night and there was an alarming amount of breakfast bar wrappers piled up outside the door. Loki set out the bowls of cereal onto the table ("Cheerios are gross! Can I have coco pops?" Steve asked hopefully) when Tony burst in, looking happy.

Deciding not to mention the fact that his hair was a mess, Loki said, "Morning," before handing him a bowl of cereal which Tony ignored.

"I found out that the structure of . . . " Tony trailed off into such a complex speech filled with scientific language that Loki was left staring at him stupidly, trying to understand.

"Speak English, Tony!" Loki exclaimed at last, making Tony stop mid sentence.

Tony looked crestfallen before rolling his eyes and saying in a deliberately slow voice, "It'll help us find the cure."

Loki scowled at being spoken to like a child and was about to glare at Tony when he stopped. The other man was staring longingly at Bruce (who was too focused on his cereal to notice anything).

Loki felt a surge of pity as Tony mumbled, "You'd understand," then just poked his spoon into his soggy cereal moodily.

Loki ate his breakfast and, although Tony wasn't saying anything, Loki was glad for his company. The children had apparently missed Tony as well as they began to catch him up on every piece of drama and every joke that they had missed. After they'd finished breakfast Loki lead them into a private cinema with one wall replace with a giant screen.

"I'll put a movie on for them." Loki told Tony. This was more complicated than it looked.

"Nemo!" Steve cried. "I want to watch Finding Nemo!" He fingered the case desperately.

"Now, I'm not saying your suggestion is bad." Bruce started nervously. "But wouldn't you rather want to watch something more interesting? Maybe more advanced?" Bruce added carefully. He didn't want to upset Steve again.

"Yeah, we all know the story. Nemo gets lost, his dad goes to find him and with Dory's help, it all ends with happiness and fun!" Clint said pulling a face. "Let's watch something better."
They all starting rifling through a pile of DVDs.

"Aha!" They all said in unison.

Bruce held up The Martian. Clint held up the first Hunger Games. Steve held up Cars.

"Well." said Bruce awkwardly.

"What're we watching?" said Loki reentering the room. He saw them all clutching a different movie. This was only going to end in tears.

"Why don't you choose, Thor?" He couldn't help but favourite his brother. Thor nodded and held up and ancient copy of The Railway Children. Clint and Steve groaned.

"Too boring." Steve mumbled.
"Too old!" Clint said with a fake yawn.

Bruce nodded acceptingly. He didn't mind too much.Natasha just watched.

Loki ignored Steve and Clint, and played the movie, watching the kids slowly settle down and watch it.

Meanwhile, Tony sat, working hard. He was interrupted by Jarvis, "Nick Fury is calling, sir, shall I answer or decline?"

"Answer." He said vaguely, not focusing.

"Answering Nick Fury's call."

"Wait!" Tony cried. "Decline! Decline, Jarvis decline, shit, cancel it!"