[One Shot, Crossover] A Surprise for the Mad Titan

[casterofcolchis]

Lenox had landed flat on his rear after another attempt at walking. Ever since he had learned to stand, he had practiced enough that he was now able to walk a couple steps at a time. Medea was kneeling on the ground near him. Rather than pout or cry after his fall, Lenox rested his palms over the soft grass beneath him, and looked up at his mother, as though he was confused as to why he wasn’t upright anymore.

“Try again, little love,” she said softly, reaching out one hand to smooth over his down-like lavender hair.

Lenox met her gaze and reached his arms out to her, wanting to be picked up. Medea chuckled and sat back, not giving in to his desire, though she beckoned him with one hand. “Try once more for me, sweetheart.”

Hearing his mother’s refusal, Lenox pouted, but stood up slowly. He bobbled a little, and hesitated before taking a single step, then another. He managed a third before he stumbled and fell. Medea was close enough that she was able to reach out her arms and catch him before he hit the ground. She smiled and pulled him more fully into her embrace and tucked him closer to her chest.

“Yes, Lenox! You did so well, my son!” she grinned and kissed one plump little cheek. Lenox giggled and squirmed a little in her grasp.

She nuzzled him, her nose against his. Lenox giggled again and pressed his hands over her face. “Mama!”

“You’re learning, you’ve made me so proud. I know it’s hard, but you’ll learn. I promise. At least you have nice, solid ground to stand up and practice on. Your Mama had to learn on the beaches of Colchis. The sand was not so easy to stand on, but I admit it was more forgiving than the hard ground when I fell.”

She had barely finished speaking when their surroundings began to change. The grass and ground melted into a red smoke-like substance, fading into white, soft sands and coastal rocks. Crisp, blue ocean water appeared at the edge of the sands, and the sweet scent of salt water flooded the air. Medea’s blue eyes widened and she couldn’t help grinning madly at the sight. She knew precisely what this was. Lenox looked over Medea’s shoulder and laughed happily as he clapped his hands.

“Papa!” Lenox exclaimed.

Medea smiled as she turned and glanced over her shoulder. There stood Thanos, his gauntleted hand clenched and Reality glowing against the golden metal. He smirked and stepped towards her.

“You recreated Colchis?” She smiled. Lenox wriggled and reached up to Thanos with outstretched arms.

“I thought it might make you happy,” Thanos replied, reaching down and taking Lenox into his arms. He had grown quite a bit since his birth, but he was still small and just barely fit into the crook of Thanos’ arm. Lenox gave a cry of delight as he reached up and touched over his father’s chin. Thanos smirked and gestured to the ocean and all their surroundings. “You see all this, my young one? Your mother grew up here.”

Medea smiled and stood up slowly. The boy was happily touching over the glistening Infinity Stones; the colors always caught his immediate attention.

“He’s improving,” Medea stroked Lenox’s hair, then let her hand rest over Thanos’ arm. “He’s growing faster than I expected. Faster than my other children did. Is this your Titan blood at work?”

“It could be,” he chuckled as he bounced Lenox in the crook of his arm. “I’ve never had a child so young before. He’s so different from any of my other children. I like this, being able to teach him so young and train him. No prior habits to deal with.”

“So your affection for our son stems only in the quality of warrior you can make of him?” Medea smirked.

Thanos chuckled as he looked down at her. “No. You know what I meant.”

Medea let her fingers trace over the ridge of muscle in his bicep, drawing lower along his arm. “I do indeed. He’s unlike any of my other children as well.”

Her teeth pinched her lower lip as she glanced up to meet his gaze once again.

“Have you always had more than one child?” she asked. “I mean, have you always preferred having more than one?”

“There are more possibilities when there is more than one,” Thanos replied. “What one child dislikes or lacks talent for, another may truly enjoy or excel in that same field.”

“True,” Medea agreed, reaching up to take Lenox into her arms. “I’m glad to hear that you enjoy having more than one.”

As Thanos let Lenox slip into his mother’s arms, his brow suddenly furrowed. Medea stepped back, walking in the sand and closer towards the water.

“Look there, Lenox. The sea, you see how blue it is? Okeanos lives there, little love. He is master of the seas and storms.”

Medea knelt in the sand and held Lenox out to stand where the waves would lap at his toes. When the icy water washed over his feet, Lenox gave a sharp cry of surprise. Medea chuckled at his reaction and how he scrambled to get away from the water.

“Nothing to fear, my darling,” she assured him as she reached down and let her own fingers touch the water while her other arm held him carefully. Seeing his mother touching the water unharmed made Lenox relax in her grasp. Surely this cold, wet substance wasn’t so dangerous if his mother wasn’t afraid. He settled his feet back into the water again. This time, rather than cry out, he began to giggle and laugh uncontrollably.

Thanos smiled, pleased with the interaction and seeing his son learn before his very eyes. But something she had said held fast in his mind.

“Why would you ask about multiple children?” Thanos stepped up behind her. Medea smiled as she looked up over her shoulder to him.

“A woman can’t be genuinely curious?” Medea’s tone was light, almost jovial.

“Not women like you,” Thanos replied with a grin.

Medea shrugged as she stood up and cradled Lenox in her arms. She rocked the boy, back and forth. Medea smiled as Lenox looked down to the water. He squirmed and gave a slight whimper, looking up at his mother pleadingly, as though he wanted to get back down to the water. Medea smiled and carefully let him down. She sat him up so that the waves would barely splash his legs. That way he was in no danger of the water overwhelming him or knocking him down. Then she turned to Thanos and smiled.

“Fair enough,” she stepped closer to him as he towered over her. Thanos brought up one hand and she pressed one cheek into his palm. She looked up to meet his gaze. A smile crept across her lips. “I was indeed curious, but there is a reason.”

One hand came up to his bare hand, taking his thumb in her grasp and leading his hand down to her belly.

“Because your next child is already growing inside me,” she whispered.

Thanos’ eyes had followed his hand down to her belly, and they came back up again to meet her gaze when her words sank in. A slow smile crept across his face as he scooped her up in one arm and held her aloft. He spun her around and gave a hearty laugh. Thanos held Medea up and grinned at her, taking care not to squeeze too tight.

“You’re a marvel, you know that?” He grinned as he kissed her. “To carry one child and have a successful birth…and now to carry another? Amazing.”

Medea smiled, her face bright red and full of pure happiness. She nuzzled him affectionately and looked into his eyes.

“I could only accomplish so much with an equally amazing mate. To be the mother of the blood children of such a powerful warrior, champion of the galaxy, the Mad Titan himself…to bear them from my own womb, I struggle to think of anything better,” she held his gaze with her dark blue eyes.

“Well…perhaps the act of conception is one potential example,” Thanos grinned as his lips hovered over hers.

They shared a chuckle and a second kiss while Lenox splashed his hands in the waves as they hit the shore.