Inspired by this fanart: andlatitude . tumblr post / 24930450796

"Trouble in Paradise"

Chapter 1

"Why did you bring me here?" Loki looked about him, as Thor set his duffel bag down in the large resort hotel room. "Fancied an holiday on Midgard and couldn't trust the guards to keep the monster in its cage?" He sneered.

Thor grimaced, "You are not a monster, brother. I brought you here because it might do you good to see the sun."

"Why? So, I can burn? Die slowly by the heat of the burning coastal sand?"

"No!" Thor slammed his hand on a desk, causing the lamp on it to shake. "You have been in a cage underground for months now. I just thought…"

"Thought?" The God of Mischief arched an eyebrow.

"I thought it might make you happy, brother."

"I am not your brother," he spat.

"You are, Loki!" Thor stepped in, grabbing Loki by the shoulders. "We grew up together! We fought, played, trained together! Whether it is by birth or not, you are my brother!"

Loki met Thor's gaze icily. After a moment, the thunder god let Loki go, pacing back across the room, and rubbing his hand over his face wearily. Loki smirked. "Are your trials weakening you? Your slave proving to have too harsh a tongue?"

Thor turned, his face a mixture of horror and disbelief. "When did you become so bitter? What made you this way? No, you were never the most cheerful person, but once you were happy."

"Was I?"

"When we were younger, you were happy. What happened since then?"

For a moment Loki looked genuinely confused. "I don't remember what happiness is like."

Steve downed the shot of whiskey and cringed at the burn.

"Another one, Cap?"

"Oh God, yes, and keep them coming."

"I'm sorry…"

Steve looked incredulously at Agent Phil Coulson, who was giving him a sad half-smile. "It's not your fault. Or is it? I don't know, was it your idea to pretend to be dead and then give me a heart-attack when I see you in the bar of the resort where we're supposed to be relaxing? Or was this another lie of Fury's?"

Coulson chuckled. "It wasn't exactly a lie. After Loki attacked me, I was rushed to intensive care. It wasn't likely that I was going to survive, and I didn't wake up until long after the Battle of Manhattan. It seemed likely that I would die, and if it helped our cause, why shouldn't Fury tell a little white lie that would eventually become a truth?"

Steve grimaced.

"If it makes you feel any better, it was as much my idea as his."

"Not sure if that's better or worse…well, now you're here. Were you just sent here to scare us senseless, or are you watching us to keep us out of trouble?" Steve downed his fourth shot.

"Neither." Coulson laughed. "After I woke up, Fury suggested I take a vacation. You know, almost dying has a way of taking it out of a guy. Acapulco seemed as good a place as any to relax. I was as surprised to see you here, as you were to see me…well, maybe not quite as surprised."

"Not by half." Steve shook his head fiercely. "This is one of the times I really wish I could get drunk…"

"Sorry.

"That's definitely not your fault." Steve chuckled.

"What is it?"

"Well, as great as it is that you're okay, I'm a little concerned to think what everyone else's reaction will be."

Coulson smiled, nodded and raised his glass. Steve clicked his shot glass against Coulson's beer and downed the tenth shot.

"Room assignments? What the fuck is this? Grade school?" Natasha looked at the room keys in her hand, labelled with each of the Avengers names.

"Well, since S.H.I.E.L.D. is paying for damages in New York and this vacation, so I guess they're trying to control potential damage." Bruce Banner shrugged.

Tony raised an eyebrow. "I don't know, but putting Barton and I in the same room doesn't sound like a promising way to keep anything undamaged."

"I don't know…" Bruce trailed off.

"Well, whatever the hell Fury thinks, I'm staying with Clint. Tony, swap with me."

"What?" Tony smirked playfully, sauntering over and wrapping his arms around Clint's waist. As he did so, Clint tensed and his eyes went wide. "What if I couldn't bear to be parted from my Hawkypoo?"

Bruce snorted laughter, while Natasha glared. Clint looked very stunned and confused.

"Seriously, Stark?" Natasha's voice was low.

"Come on! Don't do this to a guy! Separating him from the best ass, after Cap's of course!" With his grin still in place, Tony slipped a hand to grab Clint's ass.

"Tony!" Clint nearly shrieked.

A second later and after a loud crack of flesh, Clint was free, and Tony was rubbing his now, very sore jaw. "Damn, Romanoff…"

Natasha had a pistol trained at Tony's head. "You touch what's mine again, you die."

"Calm down, Natasha." Bruce laid a hand on her shoulder. After a moment, she put away her weapon. "You brought that with you? Isn't this supposed to be a vacation?"

"I'm always armed. Don't tell me I was the only one to bring weapons."

"Of course, I have my bow."

"It's not with me, but in a sign of trouble, the suit can get here in three and a half minutes." Tony turned to Bruce, "New tech, oh boy, have I got things to share with you!" He winked, as he spoke almost giddily.

Bruce smirked. "I'm always armed."

"I know Thor has his hammer, especially to make sure his brother doesn't try anything, and I'd bet Cap's shield is on him somewhere." Natasha added.

"Fair enough." Banner shrugged.

"Anyway, Stark, just switch rooms with me."

"Nothing doing." There was a mischievous glint in Tony's eyes.

"Stark–" Natasha began to shout, when Clint cut her off.

"Don't worry 'bout it, Tash. We don't need a bed to have some fun." He winked at her.

She took a deep breath and sighed, before turning back to Tony. "Fine, but if I walk in and start pulling off Clint's clothes, don't say I didn't warn you."

Tony laughed and they started down the hall to their rooms. Bruce and Tony hung back a bit.

"Hope the idea of rooming with me doesn't bother you that much. I may have to reconsider who the Other Guy saves next time a certain metallic suit is falling through the air."

Tony looked at Bruce, happy to see that Bruce was smiling. "Nah, I just like getting Natasha mad."

Bruce chuckled, "Maybe it's good we're not in the same room."

Tony quirked an eyebrow.

"You may have heard. It's not good to get me mad."

Tony's mouth split into a wide grin. "No, I like you mad best."

Bruce was reading quietly in his room. Natasha had set her bag down, downed some aspirin for her knuckles, shrugged off her jacket, and left the room without another word. Bruce was a little lost, but pulled a book out and dropped onto the bed. During the years in India hadn't given him a lot of leisure time, and it was nice to be able to sit and just read a book because he wanted to.

However, the peace didn't last long, as Tony burst through the door maybe fifteen minutes later.

"Tony?" Bruce looked over the rim of his glasses.

"Well…Natasha wasn't kidding about ripping off Clint's clothes…"

Bruce laughed, "I didn't think she was."

Tony flopped next to Bruce. "Yeah, when they started making out on the bed, I tried to play it cool. You know, show her I didn't care about the spectacle she was making, but as soon as Clint's pants came off…"

"Ha! Really?"

"Yep. I have now seen more of Clint 'Hawkeye' Barton than I ever wanted to see." Tony shook his head in emphasis.

"What?" The corner of Bruce's mouth was quirked in a half-smile. It was rather charming. "Barton's not your type?"

"Oh, god no!" Tony smiled.

"I'm sure Pepper is thrilled."

"She's gotten used to a lot from me."

"I'm sure." Bruce ducked his head a bit, hiding a smile. Then, he straitened his back to look at Tony, a mocking air his posture. "Let me guess. You like curvy girls with long legs and…blonde hair?"

Tony chuckled. "They're okay, I guess, but really I like the brilliant scientists with glasses, curly hair, and very lovely five o'clock shadows. Green rage monsters are a plus." He winked.

Bruce laughed softly. Tony's eyes were shining, and suddenly Bruce wondered if Tony was serious now, or well, serious ever. "Um, Tony-"

"Hey, guys!" The moment was broken, when Steve burst through the door. "Um, don't quite know what to tell you two, but get Thor and go downstairs. Something you need to see. Yeah…Is Nat with Clint? I'll get them." Steve quickly left the room.

"Steve!" Bruce called quickly. "We should probably tell him that they're…you know."

"OH MY GOD!" Steve's scream echoed from down the hall.

"I think he knows." Tony smirked before he burst into giggles.