Love needs no reason, a thor fanfic

Love needs no reason

On Christmas Eve

Thor was walking from wall to wall, room to room in the apartment, trying to think of an excuse to call Loki. It was winter holiday, and it was also Christmas' Eve and he was sure that despite having a bad relationship with his father, Loki was looking forward to spend it with him. His parents were away, attending a Christmas party on the other side of the country and they were only coming back on the next day's evening so Thor had plenty of time to think about Loki.

They had become rather good friends in the past few months and Thor knew he was greedy, but he wanted more than friendship. However he had no idea about Loki's opinion. It was confusing. Sometimes he was touchy and happy and talkative and other times he kept his fair distance from him. Thor had a bad feeling he would never figure out the guy.

He growled annoyed and tossed the empty pizza box into the already full trash can. He should take it out or something. Must be really cold in hell if Thor Odinson was thinking of doing chores. Well, at least he would have something to distract him.

He went to the dishwasher but it took him more time than he cared to admit to find out how to turn it on. Also, he was sure he missed something so he gave it up; looking around if there was anything he could do without causing even more mess. He was embarrassed and thought of how Loki would laugh at him for that. Loki. His face popped up in Thor's mind again and he smiled to himself.

His pleasant thoughts were rudely interrupted by the doorbell. He walked to the door, wondering who on Earth that could be.

"Loki?" He asked stunned when the door revealed the raven-haired boy.

"Hello." Loki greeted him with an embarrassed smile which was disturbing. Loki always sneered or grinned or smirked or smiled widely, sarcastically but never shyly or awkwardly. Something was off.

"Oh, uhn, hi." Thor replied lamely after snapping out of his shock. "Sorry, come in." He stepped aside but Loki didn't move, only stared at the floor determined, biting his lower lip. "Loki?"

"Yeah, sorry, it's just…" He was struggling to find the right words and when his gaze met with Thor's, he knew he was hurt. He had been crying, too, assuming the redness around his blue eyes.

"What happened?" Thor asked carefully and Loki looked away, embarrassed. He opened his mouth several times but no words came out. "Loki?" Thor was starting to freak out and instinctively reached out, touching Loki's shoulder gently. And then, tears appeared in his eyes but he was determined to blink them away.

"We argued." Loki sobbed, wiping his eyes with the sleeves of his coat. "I'm so sorry to bother you but," he sniffled, looking at Thor in the eye again. "I don't know where else to go so I was wondering if I could-"

"Yes, of course you can stay here." Thor offered helpfully, trying not to sound too enthusiastic. Loki had just had a really bad fight with his father and was helpless and sad and he was about to do a small victory dance, what the hell was wrong with him? "As long as you want."

"Thank you." Loki smiled, a genuine, grateful one this time. "I'm really sorry for the inconvenience but-"

"Loki, it's all right." Thor smiled reassuringly, locking the door behind him. "We are friends. It's not inconvenient at all."

"You know, half a year ago, I wouldn't dream of coming to you in a situation like this." Loki admitted with a troubled sigh but then smiled at Thor again. "You're a good friend."

Thor smiled back at him. "Do you want to talk about it?" He offered but Loki shook his head, tears shining in his eyes.

"No, sorry, I-"

"It's okay, it's okay." Thor stuttered, not wanting to make him cry because a) he had no idea what he should do and b) because he had some ideas but was sure it wasn't the right moment for Loki. "How about you just sit down and I make you some… I don't know, tea?"

"Yeah, that would be lovely." Loki nodded and followed Thor into the kitchen.

Thor was sure Loki's argument with his father was pretty bad and was about something important but he didn't know what it was. And he was also sure Loki was hurt pretty badly emotionally because he had never seen him this vulnerable and lost before. He always had a sassy comeback, a playful sneer or a knowing smirk all over his face and enjoyed teasing Thor. He had expected a comment like 'Oh, wow, I had no idea you know how to make tea' or 'wouldn't it be better to order one? I don't want to get poisoned.' His lack of teasing was a clear sign of a serious problem. Thor wanted to wrap his arms around him comfortingly but had no idea if Loki would want that and didn't want to freak him out. So instead, he concentrated on making a tea because he had never done one before…

A few months earlier

Loki didn't care about popularity. He didn't want to have fake friends, telling him at every day that how awesome he was for being in a rich family or getting good grades or being in the football team. He was never interested in those, unlike someone, named Thor Odinson to be exact.

He was probably the most popular guy in the school and Loki wasn't jealous of him because in his opinion Thor was a dumb troll but he had a unique charm, he had to admit that. They barely talked at occasions when they ended up working in pairs or something like that but they had never had an actual conversation. Not that Loki wanted one.

To put it simply, Thor was the popular rich smartass guy with blond hair, blue eyes and lots of muscles while Loki was the nerdy raven-haired boy with lean body and no friends. Loki was smart, though, he had the best grades and didn't mind being the one left alone since he loved being alone. He bothered no one and expected no one would bother him in return. However there were some idiots who liked spending their time picking on him.

This was exactly what was happening then when two pathetic muscle-men showed him against his locker room, asking if he had some money to give it to them. Loki only gave them a disdainful glare.

"You know, if I had I'd gladly give it to you to buy some manner." Apparently, they weren't amused by his witty come-back and received a knee in his stomach. He flinched and gasped but wouldn't give them the satisfaction to see him in pain. He could easily beat those guys up but he wanted to go to a University and needed a flawless record. He was smarter than to ruin his future because of two lame bullies and if that meant to endure some punches and kicks, so be it.

"Not so cocky now, are you?" One of them asked, laughing idiotically with the other.

"Guys, really, you can do better than that." Loki pushed on, digging his own grave. He got another kick which caused him to bend forward a bit, gasping in pain.

"You're such a loser, Loki, no wonder your own mother rather died than to raise you." Loki was proud of his temper but it was enough and without thinking about his record and future education moved forward to beat the hell out of these two but suddenly someone was blocking his way. He barely saw what was happening because the rage clouded his mind and vision but heard a few rather loud punching noises and then saw the two guys running away not so gracefully. That someone standing in front of him was Thor.

"I could have handled it." Loki hissed annoyed, struggling to stand straight.

"Of course." Thor smiled and there was no mockery in his tone which surprised Loki. He frowned. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Loki waved his helping hands off and leant against his locker, inhaling deeply.

"Good." Thor nodded, still smiling and then added as he was walking away. "Wouldn't want a flaw on that record, would we?" With a wink, he turned left on the end of the corridor and disappeared, leaving Loki stunned on the spot. 'How does he know?'

Loki spent the rest of the day wondering how on earth Thor knew of that. Loki mentioned which University he wished to apply for once in class when the teacher asked but never thought anyone would be paying attention. He didn't want to jump into silly conclusions but his heart jumped slightly at the possibility that Thor might have remembered that.

Only hours later he realized he hadn't thanked him but it was already 7 pm and he was at work. He would thank Thor on the following day. He didn't want to appear rude.

However, he didn't get a chance to thank him on the next day, or the day after that since Thor was always surrounded by his friends and Loki wanted to say it privately. It was silly, he knew, but it was also their secret and he didn't want to make Thor uncomfortable or raise unnecessary gossips. He never cared about them but somehow it just didn't feel right. So he waited and waited for days until he got enough and decided he'd better find out his phone number and text him. He really wanted to put an end to this.

He didn't expect to be this nervous about it. He didn't understand why he was making such a big deal out of it but he couldn't help it. He was really angry with himself so he just typed 'Thank you. Loki' quickly and sent the message then tossed his phone aside as he leant back on the bed, closing his eyes. It was over, finally, and he heaved a sigh of relief. Now everything would be back to normal and-

His phone buzzed. Loki glanced at it suspiciously then grabbed it and opened the new message.

*You could thank me by talking to me in public. Thor*

Loki rolled his eyes. 'Yeah, very funny…' He placed his phone to the bedside table, ignoring Thor's message and grabbed a book closest to him, opened it on a random page and started reading to distract his thoughts. It would have been successful if Thor hadn't been such a persistent bastard. Loki's phone buzzed again soon.

He tried to just leave it but he was too curious.

*So?*

What the hell was that supposed to mean? Loki thought he was joking because let's be real, why would Thor want a company of someone like him? He decided it would be better not to take him too seriously and since Loki didn't have anything to lose he might as well be honest once.

*No, thanks, that'd be weird.*

After seconds he had sent the message came the reply.

*Why?*

Is this guy serious? Loki frowned, biting his lips nervously then texted the answer with a bitter smile he didn't realize he made.

*'Cause losers don't hang out with popular guys.*

He hoped Thor would leave him alone after that because his life was already complicated enough but he was mistaken.

*Hey, I'm not a loser!*

*Very funny…*

*I'm not joking… Anyway, you should come and sit by our table tomorrow.*

*Thanks, but I prefer eating alone.*

Loki pressed send then waited. And waited then continued reading but his mind kept wondering off and he found himself checking his phone for new messages. No new one. He went to have a shower to pass the time but to his disappointment there was still no reply. He had mixed feelings. Partly he was relieved Thor finally let him be but also there was a hint of disappointment and sadness, not to mention annoyance. Because why did he do that? Okay, Loki was pretty hard to reach but he should have tried harder. Plus, how dare he doing this to him?!

Loki groaned frustrated and tossed his phone aside for the rest of the night, forcing himself not to think too much of Thor and about what had just happened. It didn't mean anything. Thor helped him out once, Loki thanked him, they talked a bit via text messages and that's all. He shouldn't over-think it.

But it still hurt his pride.

On the following day, he tried to avoid Thor as much as possible which wasn't hard since he was still surrounded by his friends and apparently paid no attention to Loki at all. Loki was both relieved and annoyed again though he tried desperately not to think of it too much. He didn't even look at Thor because if he had, he would have been able to see how hard Thor tried to make eye contact with him when no one was paying attention. The day passed uneventful, just as the following and the following and Loki was caring less and less about the blond.

Somewhere deep inside he longed to be with him, he wanted to be friends with Thor and get to know him better but he knew it was impossible. People like him and people like Thor don't make friends with each other. It was simply status quo.

It was Thursday afternoon and Loki was at the local book store, working. He loved books so he loved his job. Despite being in a rich family, his father never helped him out or bought him anything. He could live at home and his father paid the bills but if Loki was hungry he had to make his own food and buy the ingredients himself. So he either found a job or starved and Loki didn't choose the latter. He liked that place anyway, felt more like home than his real one.

He was arranging the comic books after some young kids messed it up when someone patted his shoulder gently. He turned back, smiling friendly as it was expected from the workers, asking if he could help but he stopped in mid-sentence. It was Thor.

"Um, can I help you?" Loki asked after coming out of the small shock. What the hell was Thor doing there anyway? He doubted he had ever read a book.

Thor grinned at him. "Since you ignore me at school can we talk outside of it?"

"I don't see why we should."

"That's not the answer of my question."

"I'm working if you can't see." Loki sighed, narrowing his eyes.

"And after?" Thor asked slyly. Loki was confused because he didn't understand why Thor was this persistent but he also wanted to talk to him. He found Thor interesting.

"If I said no would you leave me alone?"

"No." Thor stated firmly, still grinning. Loki rolled his eyes and sighed again.

"Fine, I finish at eight."

"Excellent." Thor's face lit up or was it just Loki's imagination?

Even though Loki expected it he was still surprised when he walked out of the store a few hours later and found Thor sitting on a bench close to the place. He waved at Loki, smiling brightly and Loki reluctantly walked towards him, sitting down.

"Hey!" Thor greeted him, shifting so his upper body was turned to Loki.

"Hi." Loki said, staring in front of him.

"So, how was work?" Thor inquired, trying to make a conversation but Loki wasn't helping much.

"Fine." He replied shortly.

"That's good."

Loki didn't comment so a few minutes of awkward silence followed. Loki had no idea what Thor wanted and Thor had no idea how he should approach Loki but he broke the silence eventually.

"You wanna go somewhere? It's getting cold." Loki gave him a sharp look, stunning him. "What?"

"What do you want?" Loki asked tired.

"Umm, going to some place?"

"No, what do you want from me? Why don't you just leave me alone?"

"I'm trying to be friendly." Thor answered honestly, taken aback by Loki's questions.

"Oh, please, don't make me laugh. We never talk."

"We are talking now." Thor pointed out, receiving a glare. "Seriously, I'm just being friendly. I know you don't have many-"

"I don't need your pity!" Loki cut him off with a snarl.

"Why should I pity you? I think you're a great person and I want to be friends with you." Thor said, managing a small smile.

"Why? So you can boast of me?" Loki sneered sarcastically. "Sorry, I'm not some kind of trophy."

"Jesus, no!" Thor exclaimed. "We've barely talked ever, that's true, but we are talking now and I think you're interesting and I really want to be friends with you so stop making crazy conclusions."

Loki was caught off guard and could only blink. "Why would you want to be friends with someone like me?"

Thor couldn't answer to that because he himself didn't know the answer. There was something in this guy, something that drew Thor towards him though he had no idea what it was. He had always admired Loki in some way in the past year when they'd become classmates and though he had never said anything to protect him when someone bad-mouthed about him, he had never agreed or joined in. He kept his distance.

Loki was still staring at him, his blue eyes piercing. Thor shrugged. "I don't know." He admitted honestly. "I just want to, okay?"

Loki examined his face, searching for any signs of lying but he found none. He was still suspicious and confused but some part of him was really happy. He gave in to that part.

"So, how about Starbucks?" He half-smiled at Thor who smiled back and nodded.

"Sounds great."

It was distracting how many thoughts were spinning around in Loki's mind but he couldn't help it. He tried to busy himself with focusing on drinking his venti soy Americano instead of talking and it also bought him some time to organise his thoughts. He had so many questions. First of all, what the hell was he doing with Thor at a Starbucks at 9 pm on a Thursday evening?!

He snapped back to reality when Thor waved a hand in front of his face and he blinked, looking at him questioningly.

"You seem to have a lot on mind." Thor stated simply and Loki couldn't help a sassy comeback.

"Well, at least I have one." He sneered, expecting Thor to get offended and leave but instead he just deadpanned. Loki held his glare for several seconds then they both burst out laughing at last, the awkward atmosphere dissolving in an instant.

"So, what is your favourite book?" Thor asked after.

Loki shrugged. "I love many books."

"Yeah, I know that."

"Really?"

"Even someone as simple minded as I could deduce it. You always read in class." Thor grinned. Loki was surprised at how easily Thor got used to his strange sense of humour even though he was famous of his short-temper.

"I prefer reading fantasy and science fiction. I've read a lot of science books, too, like about psychology or astronomy. But I'd read anything if it has an interesting plot and well-written." Loki gave a proper answer after a bit of thinking then added. "I also like comics."

Thor was relieved by that last sentence. "I like comics, too. Every Marvel one."

"You kidding, right?" Loki stared at him wide-eyed.

Thor frowned. "Um, no, I'm not. Marvel comics are the only books I read. Why-?"

A wide, joyful smile formed on Loki's lips, cutting Thor off. "I love Marvel." He exclaimed enthusiastically, earning a few disapproving glares from the other costumers but he didn't even realize.

Thor laughed, pleasantly shocked. "I thought I was the only one who loves them."

"You joking! Who doesn't love them?" Loki chuckled in disbelief.

"Exactly."

Loki was indescribably ecstatic after his conversation with Thor. It was a pleasant surprise how different Thor was from his school-self but Loki liked it better. Yes, he sometimes acted like a spoiled brat but he was a really nice person who was fun to talk with. And he didn't think Loki was a stupid nerd. He wouldn't call him a friend after talking once but he saw the potential and hoped they could be friends. This was going to be interesting.

They started to spend more and more time together outside of school, sometimes they talked via messages or called each other and Loki got comfortable around Thor who Loki now called his friend without hesitation. He also got to know a lot of things about Thor, his family, his personality, his friends, his interests and it was mutual. Thor also got to know Loki better once he stopped being so cautious and suspicious about everything. Loki told him about his favourite books and films, what food he did or didn't like and which teacher's class he preferred.

First, they shared simple facts like that but after a while their friendship got deeper and Thor had no problem telling Loki how his mother and father had an argument or which cousin was the most annoying in the family. It took Loki a bit more time, but eventually he also told him briefly that he was living alone because his father travelled too much and he didn't have a good relationship with him since his mother died. He didn't mention details and Thor was more discreet than to ask, figuring if Loki wanted to tell him he would. He just had to wait.

Loki was staring at his book with a scowl as he was trying to memorize the most important facts on the page when Thor's face appeared above the book, grinning at him sheepishly.

"Hey, can I talk to you?" He asked, leaning on his elbows casually. Loki didn't even bother to look up from the book.

"Of course you can talk."

"You know what I mean." Thor gave him a mocking sneer.

Loki raised his gaze to him at last, his face expressionless. "Whatever. You're talking already. Just make it quick 'cause your friends are practically scanning me and it's pretty disturbing."

Thor shrugged, ignoring Loki's rather rude behaviour. "I was wondering if you would be coming to the party tomorrow?"

Loki knew he was referring to Stark's party. It was famous of being quite extravagant and popular; that guy had a lot of money and he always rented the best club for his birthday ever since he broke his dad's Maserati once when he had the party at the Stark Mansion. However, Loki had no interest in it. Nobody knew but he was from quite a wealthy and famous family too.

"You could have just texted me." He pointed out bored then looked back at his book. "But no, I'm not going." Thor exhaled deeply, trying hard not to snap at Loki's ignorance. He was always acting different in school and Thor found it hard to comprehend. He got up and walked back to his friends, and Loki could turn his attention to his precious book once again.

However, he didn't have much time. His phone buzzed a few minutes later and he took it out, glancing at it. He had a message from Thor. Gathering all his willpower he suppressed the urge to send him a death glare and unlocked the screen, opening the message.

*Oh, c'mon, it's gonna be fun.*

Loki rolled his eyes in annoyance and put his phone back into his pocket without replying. He knew damn well it annoyed Thor to no end as well and it caused him sick satisfaction. Pleased with himself, he continued reading.

Soon came another message.

*Stop ignoring me!*

Loki rolled his eyes and put the phone back. Before he got to the end of the sentence his phone buzzed again.

*HEY!*

Loki groaned annoyed. He couldn't see but knew Thor had a small, satisfied smirk all over his face now that he finally got Loki's attention.

*Stop bothering me.*

*Only if you come tomorrow.*

*I don't want to.*

*Please?*

*No.*

*Please? I really want you to come.*

Loki was surprised and sent his reply before he could stop himself.

*Why?*

*Cause you need to go out sometimes.*

*I go out. Now leave me alone!*

Loki dropped his phone into his messenger bag, a clear sign it was the end of their 'conversation.'

"This is so stupid!" Loki glared at his reflection, growling frustrated. He was wearing a pair of dark green skin-tight jeans with a black shirt tucked into his belt and a pair of black Converse. It was so much different from his usual outfit which consisted of a T-shirt with pictures of his favourite video games, comics or movies and a comfortable pair of jeans, one that didn't want to squeeze the soul out of him. He also missed his way too big jumper.

But Thor gave him strict instructions about what he should wear to the party and despite having no idea why, Loki followed them. So, this was the result. He tried to comb his hair, too, but gave up because a few locks always stood into the other direction.

The sound of honk signalled the cab had arrived. There was no turning back now.

There were already a lot of people in there which was good because not many paid attention to him. He found an empty seat at the end of the counter, and placed his elbow on it while he ordered a bottle of beer which was ridiculously expensive but he kept his opinion to himself.

The music was deafening but it was okay. It wasn't his taste but he didn't have anything against it either. He spotted a few familiar faces in the crowd, the neon lights didn't help much, but he didn't bother to go to them and they didn't bother to greet him. He stared at his bottle, getting lost in his thoughts. He wished he had his sketchbook with him so he could draw some to distract himself but he figured it would be just simply lame to do that in a club. He didn't know when he started worrying about what was acceptable and what was not by the people. His friendship with Thor really had a bad influence on his personality.

He was snapped back to reality when someone patted his shoulder. He glanced up and met Thor's startlingly blue eyes. Wait, did he just say startling?

"Hey, I didn't think you would be here." Thor was genuinely surprised.

"Well, some idiot kept harassing me with text messages so I didn't have much choice." Loki gave him a meaningful glare. Thor feigned innocence.

"Really? I have no idea who it could be." He held Loki's gaze for a few more seconds then broke into a huge grin. Loki shook his head resignedly and sighed.

"I'm not planning to stay for long though." He clarified and the corners of Thor's mouth turned downwards.

"Why?"

Loki shrugged. "It's not really my style. And I don't know anyone, so-"

"You know me!" Thor exclaimed.

"Yeah, but you're with your friends and I have no intention of joining your clique."

"Fine, then I'll just sit here with you." Thor grinned and sat beside Loki, ordering a bottle of beer to himself.

"You don't have to, it's fine." Loki said honestly.

"I was the one who insisted you come so the least I can do is to spend some time with you." Thor claimed.

"Thor, it's really fine. I drink this then I go."

"Just have a few drinks with me then you can go and I'll go back to my friends. Deal?"

Loki seriously contemplated the idea of declining but he just didn't have the heart to do that. He glared at Thor and sighed annoyed. "Fine, one more bottle."

"Awesome." Thor was visibly proud of himself. Loki only rolled his eyes at the childish behaviour.

A good ten minutes later Thor's friends appeared and joined them without any question or funny look. Loki was surprised but he had to admit it was a pleasant one. They moved from the counter to a free booth and despite being a bit uncomfortable he was having a good time. He was sitting beside Thor while his two friends, Fandral and Hogun were sitting across, drinking shots. Loki felt slightly awkward because he couldn't add much to their conversation but no one seemed to be bothered about it. Thor tried his best to get him involved and even tough Loki was glaring and rolling his eyes at him, he was happy about it secretly. It gave him a strange sense of comfort. Not that he would ever admit it.

"Let me out, please." Loki turned to Thor, nudging him a bit.

"Oh, c'mon, you can't go home!" Thor whined. Loki was glad his friends weren't paying attention.

"I'm going to the bathroom, you idiot." Loki hissed.

"Nope, I'm not going to fall for it." Damn, he was such a stubborn idiot.

"I'm not lying. I promise." It was still no use so Loki sighed. "Fine, I'll leave my jacket here, okay?" He took said item off and tossed it at Thor who finally pulled his legs up so Loki could get out of the booth.

"You've got to be joking!" Thor stared at the jacket then at Loki, bewildered. Loki, knowing what it was all about, gave him a mysterious smirk then left. Thor looked at the jacket again. It was Armani.

The place was full of people and it took Loki some time to get through the crowd only to find out the toilets were probably even more crowded than the dance floor. He should check downstairs. Rolling his eyes in annoyance he made his way back to find the stairs where someone bumped into him rather harshly, causing him to stumble back a bit. Since it was a dance floor, he only murmured a 'sorry', not even looking up. Then someone grabbed him by the arm and pulled him aside, out of the room.

"What the hell?" Loki exclaimed, staring at the girl standing in front of him. She had her hands on her hips, glaring at Loki in a rather hostile way. She was Thor's friend, Sif.

"What do you want from Thor?" She demanded. Loki was so surprised he could only stare back, frowning.

"What do you mean?" He asked, genuinely dumbfounded.

"Don't play the innocent. Thor doesn't befriend with losers like you. So what do you want?"

"Are you insane?" Loki laughed. This whole scene was ridiculous. However, Sif didn't find it so funny and tightened her grip on Loki's arm, nails digging into the flesh. It was getting painful.

"Listen, you-"

"No, you listen." Loki grabbed her arm just as tightly and removed it. "First, if you ever touch me again, you'll pay for it. And second, I don't know what you're talking about. But no need to be jealous, I won't take your precious crush away from you." Loki had a sick satisfaction at seeing Sif shocked. She tore her hand away from Loki's grip and with a last, hard glare, she walked away.

"Bitch." Loki hissed but she didn't hear it. Great, now he wasn't in the mood to go back to Thor but he had his jacket and also, he had promised. Little did he know he wouldn't go back.

The music was less louder downstairs and there weren't as many people as upstairs which meant he could walk without anyone bumping into him and the air was cleaner, too. There wasn't a soul at the toilets or so he thought.

He heard desperate cries all of a sudden, coming from the girl's bathroom. At first he was going to ignore it but the repeated "Help! Somebody help!" made him change his mind. What the hell was wrong? He pushed the door open only to find a girl lying lifeless on the dirty ground, her friend kneeling beside her, shaking her and calling her name.

"Darcy?" The girl's eyes snapped to him, a hint of relief clearly visible in them. They weren't friends but they had art class together and spoke a few times.

"Loki." Darcy was on the verge of crying. "I-I don't know what's wrong with her, she collapsed all of a sudden and won't react."

Loki knelt beside her and checked his pulse. Good, she was alive. Then he slapped her cheeks slightly, but there was no reaction.

"What did she drink?" Loki asked but Darcy was in a shock and could only stammer. "Darcy! What did she drink?" Loki raised his voice and grabbed Darcy by her shoulder. It helped.

"A few glasses of wine and… and two shots of tequila." She replied in a trembling voice. "It, it wasn't much, she can drink much more."

"Did she get a drink from someone?" Loki demanded. Darcy was thinking then she paled.

"She got some kind of cocktail."

"From who?"

"I-I don't know, I wasn't there." Darcy was crying again.

"Get yourself together!" Loki said firmly. "Go, find Stark, I'll call the ambulance. She must have been drugged." He added while dialling the number. Darcy got to her feet and hurried away, wiping her tears.

The girl's eyelids were trembling, an attempt to open her eyes. Loki lied her down into his lap, holding her in his arms. "You're going to be okay, don't worry." He said, comforting both her and himself. "Just don't pass out, please. I'm right here. Darcy will be back soon and we called the ambulance. You're going to be okay."

About ten, horribly slow minutes later Stark arrived, leading two ambulance men, Darcy following them, still trembling. Then everything happened so fast, Loki could barely recall it from moment to moment. The ambulance man stated that she, Jane, had clearly been drugged and they had to take her to the hospital for gastric lavage. Also, two police officers appeared and Stark left to deal with them.

Loki was standing beside Darcy, trying to comfort her. She insisted on following Jane to the hospital and Loki offered to go with her. This was priority. He would call Thor later. Wrapping his arm around Darcy's shoulder they walked out of the club to get a cab.

It was around 4 am when Loki finally got home. He wanted to call Thor but wasn't sure if he was asleep or at the party, either way, he suspected it would be useless. He texted instead.

*Sorry for leaving. I'll explain. Call me. Hope you have my jacket ;)*

There was no reply he noted in his mind disappointed. It was so stupid. Of course there wouldn't be a reply. Thor was either asleep or partying hard, and he wouldn't hear or check his phone. He decided it would be better to have some sleep but his head was full of the night's events and one sentence echoed in his mind, leaving him no rest. 'Thor wouldn't befriend a loser like you!'

Worst of all, she was right.

He didn't understand why he was so upset. He didn't understand why he cared. And he didn't understand why he was weeping in the darkness.

First thing when he woke up was to check his phone. No missed calls, no text messages. It was after noon, so probably Thor was still asleep. Loki assumed he would call when he woke up and busied himself with getting ready for work. His shift started at 3 pm but he was there before two. He didn't have better things to do and he had been thinking too much at home. His co-workers were happy, because they got a huge shipment and could use some extra help. The afternoon passed slowly and Loki had a strange, unpleasant feeling. He had checked his phone from time to time but nothing.

Somewhere deep inside he hoped Thor would turn up at the end of his shift and have a coffee or something but he miserably noted no one was waiting for him. He tried to call him but apparently his phone was turned off. Perhaps his battery was low. Loki sent him another text.

*I didn't plan to leave. I promised!*

The evening was awful and Loki felt like a complete idiot. He went home on foot to pass the time then made supper to get his mind off of Thor. No use. Then he had a long, nice, hot bath, trying to relax. He even left his phone in his room. Still no use. He watched a movie but didn't pay any attention to it. He avoided turning his laptop on, fearing he would send a few emails to him, too. It was ridiculous! Thor would call him sooner or later; there was no need for Loki to keep troubling him. He called him two more times, just to make sure his phone was turned off.

He went to bed, hoping the next day would be better.

The morning wasn't. He had a full day shift, and he was grateful for it. He would rather work all day than stay at home and do nothing save checking his phone in every five minutes. As expected, no text from Thor. Loki was getting annoyed. How dare he ignoring him? He took a shower, still fuming then he realized Thor must be angry at him, too. He didn't want that so quickly sent him another text. 'This is the last one, I swear!' He said to himself as clicked to send it.

*I get if you're angry but please, talk to me. Shift ends at 8 pm. :)*

After sending it Loki realized how stupid it was. He was acting like they were a couple who had an argument and now one tried to solve the problem while the other was sulking. He shook his head. Nonsense. They weren't a couple, only good friends. And yes, he liked Thor very much because he had shown Loki his other side, one which was rarely known to others and in exchange Loki opened up to him bit by bit. They were starting to spend a lot of time together, going to Starbucks or having dinner at Subway or just simply walking around, talking and joking. And yes, Thor was pretty handsome even for a man's eye and had some muscles, too. Loki liked those small occasions when they hugged, even if it was for a few seconds. And his eyes were really beautiful, Loki liked that shade of blue.

"Oh my god!" Loki exclaimed loudly, his eyes widening in realization. They were acting like a couple.

This was going to be bad.

Success. He finally managed to take his mind off of thinking why Thor wasn't answering only to think of what the hell was between them. He wondered if Thor realized they were acting like a couple, indeed. Probably not. Or was it his goal? But he didn't know Loki was Bi, no one knew it. And he wouldn't pick Thor as Bi or gay. Then again, they never talked about it. Maybe they should but Loki knew it was a bad idea. Their friendship was still a fragile one, he wouldn't risk it.

At the end of the day he came to a decision. He wasn't going to say anything about his new realization. Maybe he was just overthinking it. Better not to mess things up. Life was complicated enough already.

And full of surprises as it turned out. Loki was happy to see Thor as he walked out of the store but he didn't seem to be in a good mood.

"Hey." Loki smiled, walking up to him but Thor didn't bother with the greetings.

"Here's your jacket." He said in a firm tone and tossed it to Loki who could barely catch it.

"Hey, where are you going?" He called after Thor. He was already walking a few meters away. Loki hurried after him. "Are you mad at me?" Thor glanced at him. "Oh, okay, you're mad at me. I know- stop!" He grabbed his shoulder and turned Thor to look at him. "Look, I know you're angry at me because I promised not to leave and I didn't intend to. I had a crazy night, let me explain."

"You don't have to explain, I know." Thor said harshly, anger and disappointment clear in his eyes. Loki felt like he had been punched in the gut.

"You… you know? Then why- HEY!" Thor continued walking away and Loki had to run to keep up. "Are you sure you know the whole story?"

"I don't need to know the whole story, please, spare me from the details." Thor wasn't even looking at him. Loki could bear it no longer. He jumped right in front of Thor and grabbed him by the shoulders firmly.

"What the hell are you talking about? I spent that night at a hospital." Thor's eyes widened in surprise.

"What? Why? Were you hurt?" He examined Loki from head to toe, obviously worried. Loki frowned.

"I thought you know what happened." He said bluntly. Thor looked embarrassed.

"Well, Sif told me she saw you leave with a hot red chick so…"

"Wow, you really have a good opinion about me." Loki said mockingly, glaring at Thor.

"So you wasn't?"

"Jesus, Thor!"

"Sorry, I'm sorry, okay?"

Loki sighed.

"Yes, I left with Darcy Lewis because her best friend had been drugged and I didn't dare to leave her alone. So we got a cab and went to the hospital where we had been sitting for an hour and she was crying, self-loathing and explaining in turns. And forgive me, after such an experience I wasn't in the mood for drinking so I went home."

"I-I didn't know." Thor whispered amazed. "Is she okay?"

"Yes, more or less. They were both fine when I left." Loki replied then glared at Thor in disbelief. "Did you seriously think I left to have some fun with a girl I barely know?"

"Well, yes." Thor admitted awkwardly.

"I thought we're friends." He said reproachfully.

"Yes, we are." Thor claimed. "I'm… er, sorry I doubted you, I just-"

"Fine, okay, I get it. We cleared it up at last."

Thor was standing like a scolded child, shifting his weight from one leg to another, playing with his gloves. Clearly, he was feeling uncomfortable and Loki got the feeling he wanted to know something else.

"Okay, spit it out." Loki crossed his arms over his chest.

"What?"

"I can see you have questions so just ask. We should overcome your trust issues." He grinned.

"What's with the Armani jacket?" Bull's eye. The grin disappeared from Loki's face.

"It's… complicated." He said after a bit of hesitation, looking to the ground.

"And I have trust issues?" Thor chuckled.

"It's different."

"You ask me to trust you and I'm doing my best. Shouldn't it work for both of us?"

The thoughts were spinning in Loki's mind but he had to admit that Thor was right. Biting his lower lip he finally meet Thor's gaze. "You must promise you won't tell anyone." He stated seriously.

Thor frowned. "Okay. But what is it?"

"Do you have plans for the evening?"

"No, but-"

"Why don't you come over?"

The ride was silent and uncomfortable. Thor was used to Loki speaking a lot and this serious mood set off his inner alarms. What was wrong? Then Loki stopped the driver all of a sudden, earning a questioning glance from Thor. He handed the cash to the driver then got out of the car.

"Hope you don't mind a little walk." He said stiffly.

"Jesus, Loki, you're freaking me out. You know what? I don't want to know, let's pretend I've never asked."

"No, it's fine." Loki sighed and glanced at Thor. "It's just… it would be easier if I showed you."

"Um, okay." He didn't have much else to say.

However said little walk turned out to be about one and a half miles of walking in the most elite district of the city. Thor's family was rich but even they couldn't afford to live there. He barely saw any houses, only a few ones from the distance but judging from their gates and gardens they were huge and very expensive. Then at last Loki stopped at a large gate made from wrought iron and pulled a card out.

Thor stared at him amazed as he placed the card against the sensor. It let out a beeping sound and the gates opened. Loki stole a glance from Thor and walked through. A narrow stoned path lead up to the house which was at least 500 meters away but Loki chose the road.

Thor couldn't stop staring at the various flowers and strangely shaped bushes. Even the garden was an outstanding one and when he saw the house he thought he was dreaming. It looked like a smaller version of a castle. It was a four story building with four towers on the corners. Loki walked up to the huge, mahogany door which opened in an instant, revealing a butler. A freaking butler!

"Welcome back!" He greeted him and Loki smiled back, patting him on the shoulder.

"'evening, Richard." He turned back and waved to Thor to come closer. "We have a guest. Richard, this is Thor. Thor, Richard." He introduced them to each other and Thor shook Richard's offered hand awkwardly.

"Shall I inform Martha to make dinner?"

"Oh, no, thanks, no need for that." Loki declined politely. "I'm going to show Thor around. We will be at my residence."

Richard bowed and left. When he was far enough, Thor couldn't hold his amazement back anymore.

"Oh my god! Are you a prince or something?!" He cried out, staring at Loki both in disbelief and excitement.

Loki burst out laughing. "Nope, unfortunately no."

"Then what-?"

"Come, I'll show you around." Loki smiled sheepishly and grabbed Thor's hand instinctively. For a second, he realized what he was doing and was about to let him go but decided against it. There was nothing strange about it. Plus, Thor didn't seem to be bothered so it was okay.

"You mean, your residence?" Thor grinned.

"Yes. Showing you around at the whole house would take half the night." Loki stated. Thor thought he was joking but surprisingly, he wasn't. Then he stopped suddenly, a huge grin spreading across his face. "There's one room though you must see." He said in excitement. "Come."

Said room turned out to be a movie room. Loki had a freaking IMAX room at home!

"Wow, and I was so proud of my 3D television. I'm never going to watch a movie at home anymore." He joked and Loki shrugged.

"I rarely use it though."

"Are you insane?" Thor laughed. "I'd never leave this place."

"You'd get bored of it, eventually."

"You sound pretty snob, you know that?"

"But it's the truth." Loki claimed. Thor's comment clearly hurt his dignity.

"Can we watch something?" Thor changed the topic, getting excited.

"Next time. Now I want to show you my place."

"Your residence." Thor corrected him with a grin.

"I didn't want to sound like a snob again."

"Oh, c'mon, I was just joking." He nudged Loki gently with his elbow. "Your Majesty." He added with a cheeky smirk. It earned him a hard slap on his shoulder.

"Be honoured, you're the first person who is allowed to enter my world."

"You're kidding."

"No, I'm not. I've never had any friends over. Well, I don't have much but still."

"Well in that case, I'm awed by your graciousness, your Majesty." Thor bowed humbly then let out a laugh when he met Loki's expressionless face.

"Are you done?"

"For now, yes."

"Good, then follow me, my loyal peasant." Loki glanced back at him, his eyes shining playfully. Thor went wordless, causing Loki to let out a mocking chuckle.

"Oh, you're going to pay for it." Thor yelled and followed Loki who was running away. It took him some time but caught up with him at last and wrapped a firm arm around his shoulder, pulling Loki against his chest and ruffling his neat hair with the other. Loki was struggling, kicking and pushing fiercely while ordering him to stop but it was useless. Thor was much stronger than him. He left Loki no choice but to bite him hard.

With a surprised cry Thor let him go at last, staring at his arm then at Loki. "You bit me." He stated lamely.

"Well, you didn't let me go." Loki shrugged but then sneered, a challenging glint in his eyes.

"I'll make you pay for." Thor promised.

"Yeah, right." Loki waved him off. "Come, we're not done with the house-tour yet." Loki grinned and walked out of the room with Thor.

Loki's residence, or place as he liked to call it, was on the west side of the castle, on the first and story. It looked like an apartment, just more extravagant and larger. He had a spacious living room, a huge, modern kitchen, a bedroom with a king sized bed, a dining room and a bathroom with Jacuzzi and sauna.

Thor could only stare and gape amazed, looking at Loki questioningly.

"So, my dad is CEO of the Jotunheim Company." Loki confessed as he leant against the counter. "My birth name is Loki Laufeyson. My mum changed it when they divorced and I've kept it."

"So that's why you have a private IMAX room." Thor deducted. The Jotunheim Co. was one of the world's leading cinematographic firms, no wonder Loki lived in a castle and wore Armani jackets. Thor was shocked he hadn't realized it sooner.

Loki hummed in agreement. "Then my mum died about a year and a half ago and I had to move here, to my dad." He continued, sounding sad.

"You don't like him?" Thor asked carefully.

Loki shrugged. "I barely know him. Before mum died I have only seen him about once a year. He was just a guy who showed up at my birthday or at Christmas and give lots of presents but apart from that he gave me nothing more. And now even though I live with him I don't see him often. He is busy."

Thor didn't know what to do. He felt the urge to go and hug Loki but he was sure it would be awkward so he settled with squeezing his shoulder comfortingly.

"I'm sorry."

Loki turned to him with a small, grateful smile and Thor realized their faces were way too close but he cared less.

"Thanks." Loki whispered and placed his hand over Thor's, squeezing it, too. Then in an instant the sad, vulnerable expression was gone and Loki was back to his usual self. "So, this is my home. Now you know why I have the Armani jacket." He jumped to his feet and opened his arms for a few seconds.

"And no one knows it? Not even the principal?"

"Nope." Loki straightened himself proudly then looked into Thor's eyes. "And it should stay that way. Promise me you won't tell anyone." He sounded serious.

"You could have the best house parties." Thor stated, looking around.

"Thor, please! No one can know it." He was almost pleading.

"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. Promise." He smiled then added with a grin. "But you'll have to let me watch movies here."

Loki rolled his eyes but grinned. "Fine, watching alone isn't fun anyway."

Thor had a lot in mind on his way back home. Finding out the truth about Loki's real name and family and everything was one shocking thing but Thor didn't have it on his mind for long. Loki was wealthy, so what? They were still friends, and that was the only thing that mattered to Thor. He was happy, even relieved that they could clear up their little misunderstanding. He knew he was acting like a total asshole and even if Loki had left with a girl at that night he wouldn't have any right to be mad about it. And he wasn't mad. He was just sad that Loki left him for some random chick.

Thankfully, it turned out to be something else and Thor was incredibly happy by the fact that Loki was still single. He had a hard time trying to decide what he should call the thing that was between them. They called it friendship, but was it really that? In Thor's opinion it was something more but he wasn't going to tell Loki. He wouldn't risk losing Loki for some stupid guesses.

Loki was slowly opening his personality to Thor who was happy about it. They spent a lot of time together outside of school. They also went out to drink coffee or grab some food and those occasions reminded Thor of very much like a date. He wondered if Loki felt it, too. There was something strange between them.

Thor tried his best not to think too much about it. Maybe he was just imagining things. Loki was a good friend, his best friend even and they were soul brothers and that's what caused Thor to have strange thoughts. It was friendship, only a deeper one than he had previously had.

However, there was still that little, persistent voice at the back of his mind, telling him these were all excuses.

The next day Thor made up his mind at lunch. He knew Loki hated when they talked at school but he didn't care. He wanted to be close to him, as if some unknown force was pulling him towards him. And he could catch a glimpse of Loki glancing at him or sending him a small grin.

So at lunch, he put his tray down the table where Loki was sitting at, earning a bewildered look.

"What the hell are you doing?" Loki hissed at him, putting his book down.

"Um…eating?" Thor frowned.

"Yes, I can see, but why here?"

"Every table is occupied." Thor reasoned.

"Strange, I see free tables everywhere." Loki smiled mockingly.

"Okay, fine. We are friends. Am I not allowed to have lunch with my best friend?" Thor asked innocently.

"Best friend?" Loki got hung up on that word for a few seconds but quickly gathered himself. "Well, not at school." He argued.

"Oh, c'mon, am I such an awful company?" Thor teased.

"You really want me to answer honestly?" Loki deadpanned but before Thor could reply Fandral joined them.

"Hey guys, guess what, I've got C on my Maths test. I still have hope to pass the exams." He said in a relieved, happy tone.

"Congrats." Thor grinned at him. Loki rolled his eyes and went back to reading his book while two friends of Thor joined the table, too. Sif was nowhere to be seen. Thank god.

"I'm going to kill you." Loki stated firmly as soon as he had stepped out of the store.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Thor said surprised, faking innocence.

Loki only shook his head and pointed at Thor threateningly. "You know it damn well."

"Admit it, it wasn't so bad."

"No, it could have been worse. Like, a car could have hit me or-"

"You're overreacting." Thor cut him with a grin. "Come, I'll buy you a hot-dog or something."

"Fine." Loki rolled his eyes. It had become a habit of him since he started spending time with Thor.

Even though Thor started spending some time with Loki at school, too, his friends didn't say a word about it. Not a good one, neither a bad one. And Thor knew they wouldn't. They were great friends, but since Thor was popular, rich and famous they never dared to oppose or question him. Probably it was one of the many reasons he preferred Loki to the others. Loki was sarcastic and honest, painfully honest, but he had a great personality and he was fun to be with. Thor never felt the need to impress him, he could be just himself with him and it was wonderful. He wondered why Loki didn't have more friends and when they met on Thursday he asked.

"Because no one here is worthy of my precious time." Came the plain and simple answer. Thor suspected there was more than that but didn't want to push him.

"Well, you tolerate me." He pointed out with a grin and Loki shrugged.

"You're an exception." He winked at him then took a cautious sip of his hot chocolate.

"I'm honoured. Which reminds me, what are your plans for the weekend?"

Loki frowned "Why?"

"Do you work?"

"No, I work every week day now so I got the weekend off." Loki replied, looking at Thor expectantly.

"Well, you said today that the canteen food was so bad you could cook better."

"Yes, of course I could. It's not hard to do better than that horrible stuff…" Loki sniffed at the memory. He didn't understand why Thor was grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"And you promised I could watch movies at your place…" Thor added.

"You want to come over?" Loki asked.

"Well, I thought we could watch a few movies and you could prove your excellent cooking ability. I have family event on the next week and after that it's Christmas holiday. So, what do you say?"

"Okay." Loki said simply. Thor was surprised. He had expected it would be more difficult to persuade Loki.

"Really?" He asked unsurely, suspecting a joke.

"Yeah, why not." Loki smiled happily. "I'll study on Saturday so how about you come over at around 6 or 7 pm, hm? I'll cook dinner."

"Awesome, right, okay." Thor nodded eagerly. Saturday couldn't come soon enough.

The next day passed quickly, Thor and his friends sat with Loki during lunch, apparently it became a habit. Then after school Loki headed to the bookstore and worked until 8 pm. He knew Thor had gone out with his friends and he even asked Loki to come but obviously he declined it. But still, he was disappointed he didn't see that stupidly grinning, waving figure across the street when he came out of the store.

He took a cab home, getting out about a mile away and walked the rest of the way. When he arrived he had dinner and fell into bed, falling asleep almost immediately.

Loki wished Saturday would pass just as quickly as Friday. He was up before 10 and after a quick breakfast he started studying. He had to read everything at least three times to remember something at all. He sat for half an hour, staring at the opened, blank document on his laptop's screen but couldn't form a proper sentence. His mind kept wandering off the topic and it was annoying, let alone distracting. Because most of his thoughts were memories of Thor, the time they had spent together, the fun they had had and the jokes they had told. He couldn't wait for Thor to arrive.

It was ridiculous. Since studying was off the list he tried to focus his mind on drawing. He was working on a short comic book and he still needed a few more characters. He opened his sketchbook at a new page and grabbed his pencil, determined to create.

And he did.

Only his new character startlingly looked like Thor.

"What the hell?!" Loki yelled and tore the paper apart, throwing it away. He made a few more attempts but the results were mostly the same. The paper balls gathered around him and eventually he gave up, tossing his sketchbook into the desk's top drawer. One drawing he kept though because even though it looked like a cartoon version of Thor, it was great. Loki didn't have the heart to destroy it.

He checked the time and it was only 3 pm and since he couldn't do anything else Loki headed towards his bathroom to have a nice shower which would help clear his mind. It did, but not in the way he had wanted or expected.

Hot water was splashing against his skin; his wet hair was sticking to his scalp and nape. Loki closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. He placed his lower arm against the cold tiles and rested his forehead on it while his free hand wandered down his body. He stroked his nipples a bit because they were sensitive then moved downwards. He ran his hand up and down on his abs, the muscles jumping under the light, teasing touch. His manhood twitched for attention.

Biting his lower lip he ignored it and snaked his hand behind him. He jumped slightly as his fingers ghosted over his ticklish side. His fingers moved down one of his buttocks then started circling around his entrance but not pushing in. Loki released a soft moan.

His erection stood rock-hard now, craving for attention. A little more teasing and Loki finally wrapped his hand around it. Getting a firm grip, he moved his fist up and down swiftly. He bit his lip harder and squeezed his eyes shut tighter.

"Oh, god." He panted as the climax was building up and his whole body went numb for a second before releasing his seed. He came with a silent moan, trying his best not to collapse since his legs were trembling so hard.

He barely remembered the name he moaned right before he had reached his orgasm. It was 'Thor'. He realized it as soon as he was coming down from his high and his eyes went wide in horror.

This was bad, really bad.

He was lying flat on his stomach, leaning on his elbows and continued staring blankly at the book opened before him. He knew there was no point in studying but it made him feeling less miserably. Because he was feeling already miserable enough. Every time he thought back of his little act in the shower, he blushed deeply and also cursed himself for being an idiot. He knew it was wrong, that Thor wasn't that kind of guy and if he had told him his feelings he would have hate him forever. And he would be right to do so. So no, after briefly considering option one, which was confessing, he dismissed the idea. Yes, he was always honest, not telling the truth physically hurt him, but he knew it would hurt better if he had told and then Thor wouldn't want to see him ever again.

Maybe it was only because Thor was the first since a long time who cared about him. Yes, his mother always cared about him but she passed away and Loki felt a great emptiness until he started spending time with Thor. He made him overcome his problems and feel alive again, even if it was teasing and grinning mockingly. He was back to himself and only because of Thor. He was important and so Loki would keep his mouth shut about his doubts and feelings. It was better for both of them.

Suddenly tears dwelled up in his eyes and in that exact second the entry phone rang. He jumped to his feet in record time to answer. Thor had arrived. He blinked away his yet-to-fall-down tears, wiped his eyes and inhaled deeply, trying to calm his pounding heart. Then he hurried downstairs to the front entrance door, telling Richard it was his friend and he would like to greet him. Richard wasn't pleased but left him be without a word.

"Hey!" Loki smiled, trying to sound as casual as he could but couldn't help his face lighting up at the sight of Thor who gave him a sheepish grin.

"Hi! Sorry I'm this early, but I had nothing to do." He clapped Loki's back and he walked inside as Loki stepped out of the way.

"Early?" Loki frowned.

"Yeah, I know you said you wanted to study but I was really bored at home." Thor admitted. Loki glanced at the closest clock. It was only ten past five. Could it be Thor missed him? No, he convinced himself and ignored the ridiculous suggestion. He was simply excited to watch movies in the IMAX room.

"Nah, it's fine, I wasn't studying anyway." Before Thor could ask further he ushered him towards his place and started talking. "So, I wasn't sure what we should do first. You want to watch a movie, eat or both at once? You wanna help me cooking or you'd rather stay an outsider to that? And I couldn't find out which would you prefer, roasted or smoked meat? Oh, do you want a banana milkshake? I'll make-"

"Whoa, whoa, slow down." Thor put his hands up. "I can't remember all those questions at once."

"Oh, sorry." Loki grinned awkwardly and felt his cheeks turning a shade darker than he would prefer. He hoped Thor wouldn't notice. "So… you want to watch a movie or eat first?"

Thor appeared thoughtful. "We should first decide what to watch." He suggested.

Loki shrugged. "I'm fine with everything."

Thor gave him a look of disbelief. "Really? Even with horror?" He knew Loki didn't like that genre.

"If we must, yeah, you're the guest. But I'd prefer you don't insist." He said in a serious tone.

Thor was a bit surprised at Loki's behaviour but he didn't point it out. Maybe he was just tired.

"Of course I don't insist, I know you don't like it." Then his face suddenly lit up in excitement. "Can we watch Star Trek? Please."

"You like Star Trek?" Loki asked, genuinely surprised.

"Well, of course, who doesn't?" Thor grinned and Loki responded in kind.

"You never fail to surprise me."

"I take it as a compliment."

"Don't be so pleased, it's not happening that often." Loki replied mockingly.

"Well then, challenge accepted." Thor stated smugly and Loki rolled his eyes.

"Whatever. So how about we make popcorn for the movie then we eat afterwards?"

"Perfect."

The only one movie turned out to be four actually as Thor insisted watching as many as they could. Halfway at the fourth they almost fell asleep so they both agreed they should stop and continue the next day. They had a great time but even though the movies were great Loki's mind kept wandering off. Little did he know Thor was dealing with the same problem. After a silent agreement they took a seat on the two couches standing next to each other, so they could lie down sometimes without any discomfort or awkward situation. They spoke little, pretending to be interested in the movie while honestly they were simply engrossed in their thoughts.

As they were walking back to Loki's place, the raven haired guy stifled a yawn. "I hope you don't expect me to cook now." It was almost four in the morning.

"Now I'm really disappointed." Thor stated in a fake-serious tone.

"Sorry, you don't always get what you want. Life is cruel." Loki shrugged, a tired grin forming on his lips.

"You could still cook tomorrow." Thor grinned, just as tired as Loki. Loki hummed without thinking and he stopped as they entered his own place.

"Damn!" He cursed and Thor, being too sleepy to pay attention, walked into his back straight, stumbling backwards. At the same time, Loki stumbled forward, barely able to stay on foot. He spun around to scold Thor only to see him falling off and landing on his bottom. The sight was so hilarious Loki burst out laughing despite his weariness and he almost bent in half, holding his stomach. Thor glared at him but started laughing, too, then got to his feet slowly, asking why Loki stopped in the first place.

"I totally forgot to arrange a guest room for you." Loki sighed. "I don't want to be so rude to wake someone up."

"You wanted me to sleep in a guest room?!" Thor exclaimed, startled. Loki frowned.

"Well, since you're a guest…"

"Oh, no, you won't get rid of me that easily. I'm sleeping here." He gestured around the room. Loki wanted to oppose at first but then agreed. He didn't have the strength to bother with a guest room anyway.

"Fine, come, you can sleep in my bedroom." He walked to the door and opened it, looking at Thor expectantly. He seemed to hesitate, his expression startled again, but he obeyed and went in before Loki. The king sized bed was covered with a silky green blanket and several pillows and cushions of different size and shape. As Thor was examining each one with great interest, Loki walked up to his drawer to find clothes fit for Thor to sleep in.

"Here. Try these." He handed a pair of brown sweatpants and a simple, white T-shirt. Thor thanked and took them, watching Loki pointing at a door close to the bed. "Bathroom." Then he turned to leave.

"Where are you going?" Thor asked, surprised.

Loki turned and raised an eyebrow. "To the living room, of course."

"Are you planning to sleep on the couch?"

"Where else?" Loki frowned.

"Come on, you don't have to sleep on the couch. It's your bed anyway and it's huge enough for us." Thor's reasons were apt but still, Loki wouldn't dare. He might end up doing something stupid and regret it.

"No, I'm fine with the couch. Good night!" He left before Thor could persuade him. He was acting rude, he was well aware of it, but as a tempting offer as it was to share a bed with Thor he had to decline. He wished he could, he really did, but things don't always work out as one want them to. He knew he had made a right choice, even if it was a hard one. Perhaps his mind would clear after a good night's sleep.

It was half past one in the afternoon when Loki woke up, feeling sore and a tired. His dreams were blurry and messy and even though he couldn't remember them, he knew it was the cause of his exhaustion. He suppressed an irritated groan and after blinking a few times he sat up, stretching his limbs out.

He was on his way to the bedroom when he stopped and turned, not wanting to wake Thor up. He wanted to spend some time alone so instead he walked to his desk and pulled his sketchbook from the drawer. He needed to clear his mind and drawing was an excellent way for it.

First he stared at the white pages for minutes, his thoughts always straying off topic but at last the idea came and he started creating. He was still working on his characters for his story which he had been working on for months by now.

He got so lost in his own world he almost jumped out of his skin when a voice sounded a few meters behind him. "You're up early."

"Damn." Loki cursed under his breath then turned, his heart about leaping out of his chest. "Early? It's almost three pm." He grinned.

Thor shrugged. "It's early for me." He walked up to him with a curious glint. "What are you up to?"

"Nothing." Loki said and snapped the book closed in an instant.

"Aw, c'mon, I know you were drawing. Show me." Thor asked for but Loki shook his head in denial.

"Nope, it's personal."

"Please?" Damn those puppy eyes. "I promise I won't laugh at you or anything. Please?"

Loki was silent, thinking. "I'm not finished." He said in a low tone, fixing his gaze on the poison green rug lying in front of the couch.

"Doesn't matter." Thor insisted then smiled encouragingly. "I really want to see it."

Loki couldn't say no. Somewhere, deep in his heart he wanted to show it to Thor though he couldn't tell why. He just wanted to share it with him. A bit reluctantly he handed the sketchbook to the blond and looked away embarrassed.

Thor flipped through the pages slowly, examining every piece of drawing he saw, humming in appreciation and commenting from time to time. Sometimes he asked the figure's or a place's name and asked Loki to tell him about his story but he rejected, saying it wasn't complete and he didn't want to talk about it yet. Thor appeared disappointed but he understood.

"Hey, this looks like me!" He exclaimed all of a sudden and Loki paled. He had totally forgotten about that one! Trying to appear shocked he glanced up at Thor.

"Really?" He did his best to appear genuinely surprised. His heart was pounding even faster in his chest. This was it. Now Thor would find out and hate him forever. He was wrong. Thor didn't seem to take it as an offense, in fact, his eyes were shining with joy and satisfaction.

"Is he also in the story?" He asked and it took Loki a good minute to answer.

"I haven't decided yet." He replied honestly.

"Put him in, please. I want to have my cartoon version in your story." He said enthusiastically.

"I don't… I'll think about it, okay?"

"Awesome!" He grinned. "Hey, can I wear a cape? Please?"

Loki frowned then took the book from Thor who was reluctant to give it back. He expected Loki to put it away but instead he placed it on his desk and took a pencil in hand. Thor was standing behind, leaning over him to have a better look what Loki was drawing. He could barely see anything because Loki did his best to block the view.

Shortly after he leant back on his seat and allowed Thor to look at the cartoon figure which was now wearing a long cape. He smiled happily.

"It should be red, what do you think?" Loki asked. Thor's suggestion was a great one and he was both surprised and content.

"I have no objection."

Loki nodded then put the book aside, pushing himself up from the chair. "I should change my clothes." He stated but before he could took a step Thor wrapped his arms around him and hugged him. He tensed, shocked but it was over just as suddenly as it happened.

"Thank you." Thor grinned.

Loki shook his head shyly. "It's nothing." Then turned and walked to his bedroom, not wanting Thor to see his flushed cheeks. They had never hugged before and though Loki wasn't a cuddling type, he was surprised how good Thor felt against his body, even if it lasted only for a few seconds. He fitted perfectly in his arms.

It took Loki almost fifteen minutes to get dressed, his thoughts distracting. It took him several minutes of slow inhaling and exhaling to calm his racing heart and he did his best to persuade himself it wasn't a big deal, Thor was simply happy because Loki drew a character which looked like his cartoon version. Everyone would be happy. Although, it meant nothing to Thor, it meant a lot to Loki.

At last he composed himself and went to the kitchen where Thor was sitting on a chair, leaning on his elbows on the table. His face lit as he saw Loki entering.

"Are you going to cook?" He asked hopefully.

"Yeah, since I promised. I've already delayed it." Loki nodded and leant against the counter, thinking deeply. "Do you want to help?" He knew it was a dangerous offer, it would have been better if Thor occupied himself with something else while Loki could cook peacefully, having the kitchen all to himself but it would be rude not to offer the chance. And Thor took it.

"Why not? I might not be much help but…" He shrugged and grinned sheepishly.

"Don't worry, I'm not a chef."

"We'll see. Anyway, how about we open a bottle of wine or something?" He suggested.

"You wanna get drunk while making dinner?" Loki stared at him startled.

"I didn't say to get drunk. We would just drink a bit. However, you still owe me a drinking session." Thor implied the event when Loki went out but he ended up helping Darcy and Jane.

"Fine, you got me. Come, I'll show you the vault." Loki beckoned his head towards the door.

"Vault?" Thor muttered amazed and followed Loki.

Three hours later Loki was practically tossing the plates into the dishwasher, not caring if they broke. Thor's suggestion to open up a bottle of wine turned out to be three bottles, and they could barely stand straight now. Loki managed to make an edible meal more or less, but Thor wasn't helping much, in fact, he just made the kitchen a mess. Neither of them cared.

They remained sitting at the table opposite each other, leaning on their elbows to support the weight of their heads. The music was loud, but not as deafening as it would be in a club and they could talk at a normal volume of voice.

"It was delicious, really." Thor praised Loki's cooking talent but he waved off.

"It would have been better if I hadn't been drunk."

"Come now, you're not that drunk!" Thor exclaimed, giggling like an idiot.

"Not as much as you at least." Loki laughed.

"Shall we open another?" Thor gestured toward the two untouched bottles.

If Loki had been sober, he would have objected. They were in no state to drink any more, but the alcohol clouded his mind and bended his judgement. And honestly, he enjoyed spending time with Thor. He knew he would leave soon but he didn't want that. Also, being drunk made him feel less awkward around him and he treasured this feeling. So, with a wide smirk spreading across his face, he replied.

"Why not?"

At some point they went to the living room and switched Loki's laptop on to watch funny videos. He couldn't remember how the idea came but it was a good one since they were rolling on the floor, laughing. Okay, a lot of the videos weren't that funny but in their drunken state they seemed to be.

Loki was aware of Thor leaning over him as he spelled what he should type in and their bodies were way too close. Not that he didn't like it, but it was dangerous. Even in his cloudy mind he knew he had to be extra careful to avoid any awkward situation.

Eventually they got bored of the videos and Loki decided it would be better to get outside so the fresh air might clear their minds a bit. They were heading down the stairs cautiously, leaning against the wall for support. Loki sometimes used Thor's shoulder to keep his balance and it wouldn't have been a problem if he hadn't tripped on the last few steps.

He pushed at Thor who spun around surprised and Loki landed right on top of him, his head a few inches away from him. For a brief moment they stared at each other confused and shocked then Loki pushed himself up, laughing awkwardly.

"Sorry, are you okay?" He asked, struggling to stand up. Thor sat up slowly and stated in a fake-reproachful tone.

"No, you're heavy."

Loki's grin grew even wider. "Can't blame me for having more muscles than you." He replied innocently.

"You wish." Thor grinned mockingly and finally got to his feet.

Loki had no reply to that so they continued their way towards the garden, changing the topic. That was close.

Needless to say, Thor spent the Sunday night over at Loki's, too, since he didn't want to go home in his drunken state. He sent a short message to his mother about staying, checking it at least ten times with Loki to make sure there were no spelling mistakes that would appear suspicious. Thor knew his mother only wanted to know where he was, she wouldn't be mad. Well, usually, she wasn't.

The bed was almost irresistible but Loki managed to turn away from it and left Thor in his bedroom alone while he leant down his couch just like at the previous night. He wished he could share a bed with Thor but his senses got the better of him. He hoped they wouldn't sleep over the next day; it would be hard to explain why they were both late and having hangover.

In the following morning he thanked every god he knew they were able to get up in time.

The next week and a half their friendship reached a whole new level. They spent a lot of time together. Thor came to meet him after work every day and they talked for hours, enjoying each other's company. Loki felt it almost impossible to keep his distance and not to get lost in Thor's ice-blue eyes. He knew it was wrong but he couldn't help since it made him feel alive and full of energy.

They also talked a lot about Loki's story and characters. He often showed the newest drawings to Thor who praised his talent and examined the figures thoughtfully, giving Loki some ideas what he should correct. Loki was extremely motivated and he was already halfway through the story and the pictures.

For the first time he didn't look forward to Christmas holiday because it meant he wouldn't see Thor and he wasn't bold enough to ask him to meet during it. Also, his father was coming home and even though he didn't admit to himself, he was looking forward to spending some time with him. He hoped they would get along well and get to know each other better. There was little chance but he was optimistic.

It was Wednesday, a day before Christmas and it was the last school day in the year. Also, it was Loki's last work day on the week and it was harder to say goodbye to Thor this time. They stretched their meeting as long as he could but it had to end eventually and he left reluctantly, wondering if Thor was feeling the same. He shook his head to dismiss the silly idea. Why would he feel the same?

On Christmas Eve

He went to the dishwasher but it took him more time than he cared to admit to find out how to turn it on. Also, he was sure he missed something so he gave it up; looking around if there was anything he could do without causing even more mess. He was embarrassed and though of how Loki would laugh at him for that. Loki. His face popped up in Thor's mind again and he smiled to himself.