I Will Be Rising From the Ground

November 2012

Ever since that Friday night with Loki, my interest in him had increased and the girls' inclusion of me had decreased. It hurt, a lot and I tried to hide it, but people could see the difference.

"Passion tea for Anya,"

I smiled gratefully at Anna, the barista at Starbucks, and grabbed my drink.

"Anastasia,"

I glanced up to see Loki, holding a coffee and smiling.

"How are you? I haven't seen you in a few weeks." He pulled out a chair for me before stopping. "You don't have anywhere to be, do you? I'm sorry that was insensitive of me."

"No, I don't have anywhere else to go," I assured him, sitting in the chair. "Thank you for that."

"No problem. How has everything been with the girls?" He asked gently.

"Worse, if that's possible," I murmured. "They ignore me. They don't invite me places. It sucks."

"Tony and I are going to the movies tonight." Loki offered. "Have you met Anthony?"

"I don't think so," I frowned. "Anthony.."

"Stark."

"What?" I stared for a moment. Anthony "Tony" Stark was a senior even though we were the same age. He majored in physics and was the student teacher for one of our professors, Dr. Banner. He was already planning his second degree in engineering. His father was Howard Stark, the CEO of Stark Industries, a multimillion dollar defense company that contracted with the government.

Loki watched my face as I realized exactly who he was talking about and I glanced up.

"I'm invited?"

"Why not?" He shrugged. "We often go to the movies, he won't mind if you come with us once."

"You go often?"

"That's what you do with a significant other," He frowned at me. "Everything okay?"

"I didn't know…" I trailed off, hoping that he would get my drift.

"Neither of us really advertise it." Loki shrugged.

"Okay," I shrugged. "I guess if he doesn't mind, I can go."

"Good." He nodded, pulling out his phone and handed it to me. "I'll send you a text about the time, okay? Tony will pick us up."

I entered my number, saving my name and handing the phone back to him.

"Thank you."

***************()******************()

"What are you going to wear?" Angela asked me as I shuffled through my clothes, trying to decide.

"I don't know." I huffed, frustrated. What I did know was that Tony was picking us up in an hour and a half, and I still didn't have a clue what to wear.

"What about your blue dress, your boots and the brown leather jacket?" She suggested from where she was lounging in her bed. I looked for a moment, thinking about it, before nodding, grabbing the dress from my closet.

"Thanks, Angela," I told her, before heading into the bathroom to change. I tried to justify the time I was spending get ready on the fact that I was going to meet Tony Stark for the first time, but I knew that it wasn't true. My crush on Loki had been growing since I first met him.

After curling my hair, I ran my fingers through it to loosen it, before walking out of the bathroom. Angela whistled, giving me a smirk and I rolled my eyes at her.

"Oh shut up." I told her as I pulled on my boots and my jacket. "I'll be back hopefully before it gets too late."

"Okay." She nodded. "Be safe. No sex."

"Angela!" I groaned, grabbing my purse. "I'm leaving you now."

I could hear her laughing even as I closed the door. Taking a deep breath, I walked downstairs to meet Loki in the lobby. He was in a green shirt, as usual and jeans.

"You look lovely." He complimented me with a smile.

"Thanks," I replied, joining him on the couch.

"Anthony is running late." Loki offered. "He promised to be here in about ten minutes."

"That's fine. I'm not in a rush." I joked, and Loki cracked a smile at me. My smile fell as I saw Ashley and the rest of the girls approaching from the window.

"Don't give them that satisfaction, love," The endearment slipped off his tongue for the first time since he'd told me about Tony. "They don't deserve it."

"I know." I murmured softly. "I do try."

"I know." He promised, his hand resting on my knee. He didn't move it and I started to question him before the door opened and I realize exactly how it looked.

"No PDA in the lobby," Ashley announced. The words 'fuck you' almost fell out of my mouth, but Loki squeezed my knee.

"Anthony is here, love. Let's go."

I knew the "love" that time was for effect and what an effect it had. I saw out of the corner of my eye the expressions on Ashley and the rest of their faces change, and I couldn't help sashaying a little as we left the dorm.

Loki was right; Tony's car was waiting in the road in front of the dorm and I sucked in a breath at the black Mustang GT. It was gorgeous and sparkling clean.

"He loves the thing." Loki explained with a roll of his eyes. "He washes it every week. By hand."

I tried and failed not laughing, smiling as Loki opened the door for me.

"Thank you."

Tony Stark was just as stunning in person with his dark hair and chocolate eyes hidden behind the expensive sunglasses he wore. Loki had put me in the passenger seat, and I hesitated before Tony pushed his sunglasses into his hair and smiled nice and easy at me.

"It's nice to meet you Anya," He said, sticking a hand out for me to shake and I was glad to hear the nickname on his lips. Loki always insisted on my full name.

"Likewise," I hesitated not quite sure what to call him.

"Tony," He supplied, glancing in the rear view mirror at Loki. "Loki insisted upon calling me by my full name, but you can call me Tony."

"Tony," I repeated, my voice masked by the rock music coming from his speakers. I grinned at the old Fall Out Boy and raised my voice a little higher so he could hear me. "Panic! At the Disco?"

"Hell yeah." He agreed looking at me a little surprised. "Nice. Loki where'd you find her? I like her."

I couldn't help but flush with pride at his praise and roll my eyes at Loki's snicker from the back of the car. Tony seemed perfectly happy letting the music play on the ride to the theater, and occasionally I sang along. The drive seemed a lot shorter than I remembered it being, but I didn't complain, just followed Tony and Loki quietly inside.

"Three tickets for Skyfall," Tony told the theater employee, before handing over his credit card without a second thought.

"Tony-"

"Shush," He told me, not even turning around. "Put your money up. We invited you? We pay."

I shut my mouth, and gave Loki a sideways glance. His usual smirk was in place. I expected no less.

"Thank you," I told Tony as I climbed out of the car. "For everything."

"No problem," He promised. "It was nice meeting you."

"You too," I smiled. Loki leaned into the window to drop a quick kiss on Tony's mouth.

"Talk to you later night, love. Drive safe."

"I will," Tony assured him, and I couldn't help but grin at the exchange. The faint sounds of Fall Out Boy streamed out of his cracked windows as he drove away.

"Thank you," I told Loki, hugging him tightly. "I needed a break from this scenery."

"It wasn't a problem at all." He said as he held open the lobby door for me. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to call me."

"I won't."

I had no idea I would need to.