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Finding time to get away and just relax was hard to manage for anyone, but some had a few extra layers of challenge. An adult, for example, naturally had more responsibilities than a child, and therefore less opportunity to step away. An adult with a career added to the pressure, and when one was so well known and in the public eye as Tony Stark, whole new challenges came into play. Challenges such as remaining incognito and keeping details of any trips a closely guarded secret to avoid hangers-on, ensuring that everything he left behind was being well looked after - one worry relieved with Pepper around, at least.
And all of that was before even adding fatherhood into the mix. Really it was a toss-up most days which added more complication to his routines: being a loved/reviled superhero or being an adoptive dad to triplets.
… it was the triplets. Compared to raising three super smart - and careening into puberty - alien children with magic and shapeshifting abilities, saving the world on occasion was a breeze.
Still, time could be found, could be made to take a step back from everything, and the five of them could all unwind. And since the summer vacation had proved to be a little more... raucous... than planned, something a little simpler seemed in order.
Tony smiled as he looked down at his family.
He wasn't sure why it was, but it often seemed that when they all got together, they somehow wound up on the floor. Not that he minded. There were plenty of pillows, the rug was thick, and the fireplace put out plenty of warmth, as well as spilling soft orange light over them all.
All of them were asleep - save perhaps Loki, who had a habit of only dozing when Tony thought he was fast asleep. But Loki was on Tony's left side, sitting with his back against the couch they'd all otherwise abandoned, his head resting on Tony's shoulder. Though he didn't need the extra layers, he was wearing the cashmere sweater Tony had gifted him, a deep green to complement his eyes - and to match with Tony's red one for the season.
In his lap and using that cashmere as a bed was Jör, asleep and honestly almost too big to still be using his father as a pillow. The two of them were managing, however, with one of Jör's hands loosely fisting into the sweater, his face slack in sleep. He was also wearing a sweater - a garish red, green, and silver one he'd picked out for himself, worked into patterns of snowflakes and reindeer.
Hela had done much the same as Jör in her choice of sleeping places, but had picked Tony as her sleeping spot. She was a bit smaller than Jör, for which Tony was grateful, and still fit neatly into the crook of his arm. Her hair was loose and covering part of her face, but overall she had been much more relaxed about the left side of her face showing on this trip. She'd even been good about not wearing her glove constantly while inside. It probably helped that it was only them on this trip, it made her feel more secure.
And then there was Fen. With no free laps available, the little troublemaker had decided to plunk himself square in the middle of everyone, lying on his back down the length of Loki's right leg, which was extended out in front of him, and half on Tony's left, which was curled up. He was the only one not wearing a sweater, opting instead for his usual tee, though it was seasonal as well, decked out in snowmen and holly. The kid was a rumpled mess as usual; hair a bird's nest, limbs all askew, mouth wide open with his head tossed back and snoring lightly. Occasionally one leg would twitch in his sleep.
It was, perhaps, the best winter evening in his entire life. Certainly the best in recent memory.
Since their little family came together, they had celebrated a sort of combination of Christmas and Yule each year. It was a fairly easy process, as Tony had no religious hang-ups about keeping the holiday 'pure,' and Loki had a similarly relaxed outlook on the Yule traditions. In the end, from Tony's perspective, it was a slightly more pagan Christmas that went on for two weeks. A little tiring, but fine by him. It just meant more time to indulge all his favorite people, and to embarrass them as well if possible.
This year Tony had suggested a getaway over the Yule holiday. Just spending time with one another and no one else. When they got back they could have a slightly belated celebration with the rest of the gang, but for now…
They really were all getting so big, Tony thought. Big, strong, wickedly smart... and very independent.
Tony shifted, moving one leg and readjusting his hold on Hela. It caused a small ripple effect of grumbles in their nest of slumber. Loki sighed heavily and resettled against Tony 's shoulder, Fen snorted and turned his head before continuing to snore, and Hela murmured something unintelligible and tried to bury her nose deeper into his sweater. Jör was the only one who seemed unaffected, sleeping on peacefully. Tony smiled at all of them.
The mountain resort he'd brought them to wasn't completely private, but it was very close. Tony had picked it out carefully as somewhere that was remote enough the kids could cut loose and frolic freely in the trees and snow without fear of terrifying any locals, but still 'civilized' enough to have creature comforts like electricity and access to a grocer - even if it was a couple hours away. He knew that, technically, he didn't have to be quite so picky about the location, that he could have chosen somewhere literally in the middle of a wintry nowhere and they would be fine. Between Tony's resources and Loki's magic they could manage practically anywhere.
Except that's not what this getaway was about. It was a getaway, a time to unwind. He didn't want either of them to have to focus their energy on the basics of living. This was a time for them to escape, to arrive at their location and for practically everything to be taken care of for them.
And that was exactly what they had gotten. The kids absolutely adored the winter wonderland of the mountain forest, and the first few days had spent practically every moment of daylight playing under the boughs. Even Jörmungandr enjoyed being out in the snow, which surprised Tony at first, considering the boy's usual aversion to cold. Though he was always the one curled up closest to the heaters and the fireplace once inside.
After the initial excitement had worn down a bit, Tony had set about to teach them all how to ski - and was more than a little surprised to find that Loki already knew how, and was proficient!
"I never pictured skiing being that big of a pastime on Asgard," he admitted once Loki had demonstrated his skills.
Loki had flashed him a grin, cheeks flush with cold and eyes bright. "Remind me to share with you some tales of Skaði. The woman has a wicked sense of humor and is unmatched at anything to do with snow."
And there had been stories later. Fun times of Loki's youth when he and Skaði had met, and all the times he would sneak out and demand she teach him various skills. From the sound of it, she was of a mind very much like Loki, and the two of them got up to plenty of mischief together when they could. It was nice to hear stories from Loki's early days that were untainted by sorrow or anger, and the two of them taught the triplets the fine art of skiing.
Later, at the insistence of the kids after all of the Skaði stories, Loki also gave them all some archery lessons - which Fen hardly needed, thanks to Clint - and then some lessons on winter foraging skills. There was a lot to learn, and the kids took to it all like the sponges they were. Dinner that night and breakfast the next morning both had distinctly local flavors.
And every evening as the day drew to a close, the sun and the temperature both dropping and the sky darkening, they would all troop inside to spend their evening warming up, cooking, eating, playing games, exchanging gifts, and telling stories. This evening had involved games of tafl in front of the fire after dinner, with Loki and Tony taking turns telling stories from their youth. The kids had all developed a taste for those sorts of stories. Tony certainly enjoyed hearing Loki tell tales of himself, and he seemed in turn to be greatly amused by Tony's anecdotes of his time in MIT.
It was nice. Having his family all around him, warm and cozy and safe, the firelight soft on their cheeks as fat snowflakes piled up outside... it was nice. It was comfortable.
Content, he realized. He was content, and happy with his family piled around him and sleeping soundly. Time would come soon when they would have to leave, return to the real world and the passage of time, and all that might bring. But for now…
Tony tightened his grip for a moment before settling back, allowing his head to rest against Loki's. The crackle of the fire, the steady breathing and occasional soft snore lulled him into a deep, restful sleep.