𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗔𝗕𝗬 𝗔𝗩𝗘𝗡𝗚𝗘𝗥𝗦

chapter xi.

Tony put on some good music and the long journey was spent in comfortable silence as the God and the billionaire leant against each other, sleepy and hungry, but happy. After what seemed like ages, the car pulled into the airport car park. Steve and Clint looked even tireder even though they'd been sleeping. Piling their suitcases onto a trolley, Loki thanked the driver while Tony ran a hand through his hair and picked up Natasha again, which made Loki grin. He knew that Tony would never put her down if she wanted to be carried.
"Where are we going next?" Loki asked curiously.
"You'll find out soon."

***

"Thor! Thor?" Tony called.
"Damn you, Tony! How did you lose him?" Loki said angrily
"I didn't lose him!"
"So, you're telling me he ran away!?" Loki demanded.
"No... No." Tony shifted uncomfortably on his feet. "Well, I don't know... Maybe he-"
"Stop!" Loki pushed Tony hard. Tony opened his mouth to tell him to watch out for Natasha before he stopped himself. "Just stop with the excuses!" Loki yelled as an irritated Tony picked himself up off the floor. "You better watch it before you get yourself arrested!" Tony snarled in response, giving a worried look towards a terrifying security guard who was watching them.
"Don't tell me what to do." Loki muttered, but he took a step back even so.
Tony smirked. "Yeah, yeah," Tony said in a tone that clearly implied that he had no intention of following this statement whatsoever. "We need to find Thor first."
"No, you need to find Thor. I'm going to check in to be plane we need to catch!" Loki said. "I'll take the kids with me. If you and Thor aren't waiting outside where we are boarding in 45 minutes, I swear I will punch you in the face."
Tony sighed as Loki left, the kids trailing behind him.
"Thor?" Tony asked hopefully. The normal blur of airport noise answered him, but no Thor.

***

"Where is he?!" Loki growled angrily. His watch told him that Tony was five minutes late. Loki couldn't do anything else than wait. 5 minutes. 10 minutes. 20 minutes. At last, he saw Tony running towards them, his hair somehow still perfect even though it was almost four in the morning, and carrying Thor. Loki was still deciding whether to kiss him or punch him when Tony grabbed his hand, set down Thor and looked at him quickly, "Board now, yell at me later." Tony commanded, quickly pulling them down the tunnel. Jumping onto the plane just on time, the flight assistant gave them an amused smile before directed them to their first class seats.

The kids settled down quickly in the huge, comfortable seats and Thor pretended to listen to Loki's lecture on getting lost for about five minutes. Tony checked that they were all belted in before forcing Loki to wear his too. "Yes Loki, you are a God! But let's see how Godly you feel when you die of a plane crashing!" Loki reluctantly clicked his belt into place, muttering about discomfort. The kids all pulled out comics and little toys to keep them occupied and Tony was grateful for the quiet at last.

It was the billionaire's favourite part about flying and he stared avidly out of the window as the plane took flight. Every now and then he turned around to see Loki staring at him. "What?" He asked after a while, "Why are you looking at me like that?" He raised an eyebrow at Loki who was blushing slightly. "You just...look cute." Loki murmured, seeming very embarrassed. Tony smirked, "I take it that means no lecture then?" He asked hopefully.
"Trust me, if you hadn't found him, you would be beyond dead."
"Nice to know I'm loved." Tony complained in a sarcastic voice.
"You're welcome." Loki replied, picking up a magazine boredly.
"Loki!" Tony whined.
"Fine, you are loved." Loki said with a sigh. Tony grinned. "Didn't say by me." Loki added a moment later. Tony whined again. Loki just smirked.

"Everything looks tiny." Steve said in awe, pressing his hands up against the small window.
"Duh, we're high up genius." Clint replied, briefly looking up from his comic.
"Someone said my name?" Bruce butted in, which made Thor snort.
"We all know I'm the genius." Clint said proudly.
"No." Natasha said in a quiet voice. The boys stared at her in surprise and she struggled for a moment to find a word, "I am." And the boys, all still shocked from her speaking, nodded dumbly. Natasha looked smug for the rest of the flight.