Loki sat in his tiny desk, notebook out and jotting down notes every now and then as his professor spoke and pointed at the projection screen. It was dark in the classroom but for the light of the projector, and the ceiling tiles actually had tiny holes and LED lights to simulate the night sky. The professor set it up right before the beginning of the year, and the first time the lights went out for the projector, all the students were wowed. Loki wished he had that in his dorm room.

"Now, the project is fairly easy," the professor said, switching off the projector and hitting the lights.

Loki's phone buzzed in his pocket and he reached for it, glancing at the sender. Steve. Loki grumbled and glanced up at the professor, keeping his pen ready to note down the requirements of the next assignment as he unlocked his phone and read Steve's message.

I know we've had a rocky couple of months, but I need a model. Can you come to the art building tonight?

Loki scoffed and set his phone on the desk, taking another few notes before his desk vibrated with the phone again. He set his hand on it to quiet it, finding that Steve was actually calling him, and silenced it. The professor may or may not have heard it, but he didn't say anything anyways, continuing on. Loki set his pen down and took up the phone, tapping on the screen hotly. I'm in class- I can't answer your every whim whenever you call me. And are you serious? Because I'm not going to model for you after that fiasco in the quad. You can't ask me to come model for you just because you want to see me naked; I told you we're done.

He let the teacher assign him a subject and wrote it down at the top of his paper, already scribbling notes for it just underneath. The phone buzzed again and Loki sighed, stuffing it back into his jeans for the rest of the class. When he filed out into the hall with the rest of his classmates, he looked at his phone again, finding a few more texts from Steve. He irritably read through them as he walked to the cafe at the bottom of the building.

It's not like that, Loki. I'm sorry. I really need a model tonight, please?

Loki huffed through his nose and shook his head, replying to the messages once his steam faded. I'm deleting you from my phone because I don't want to hear from you again. Please do the same for me.

He held his phone in one hand and his notebooks in the other as he walked into the cafe, looking over the throngs of heads for one he recognized and went to that table. He tossed his papers on the table and sat heavily in the chair, sighing as he opened his phone again. Tony sat across the table, typing on his laptop and referring to a book at his side.

"What's wrong Space-Chimp?"

Loki blew a stray hair out of his face and swiped through his contacts for Steve's file. The picture of his profile was a serene, loving expression on the blond's face, not really looking at the camera, and Loki felt his heart drop a little in sadness at the sight of it. He deleted the contact anyway.

"Steve's trying to get me to pose for him tonight, so I'm deleting him from my phone."

"You know that won't make him unable to reach you though. He still has your number."

"It's the principle of it. I'm making a point," Loki said distractedly, looking through all his contacts now, seeing who he could clear out. Going up from the bottom, he had to stop and look again at a name he didn't recognize, brows drawn together as he stared and tried to remember.

Cupid?

Obviously it wasn't the persons real name, but Loki couldn't remember ever putting someone in his phone by that moniker. Who would remind him of the boyish god who shot arrows of love into passers-by? He couldn't think of anyone. He opened a new text marked for the supposed 'god' in his contacts. Who are you? I have you as 'Cupid' in my phone.

He didn't wait for an answer, setting his phone down and opening up his notebook to the project assigned to him, making a few more notes. Tony tapped away on his keyboard.

"Hey, did you read my holography paper?" he asked, and Loki didn't look up.

"Yes."

"What did you think? Sounded pretty good right?"

Loki's phone buzzed and he glanced at it, but directed his attention to Tony, just as Bruce arrived to sit with them. They made their quick greetings.

"It sounded plausible, yes."

Tony grinned, pleased with himself. "I think we should do it."

Bruce looked back and forth between them. "Do what?"

"Make an interactive hologram."

Loki broke away from the conversation as Bruce started to question Tony on his plan, picking up his phone to see the message awaiting him.

Cupid, huh? lol Must've made a good impression then. I'm… well, Cupid apparently. Let's stick with that. I like it. What can I call you?

The reply confused Loki, not expecting a playful reply that dodged the question. He thought some more: maybe he met this person at a party- a player who plugged himself into his phone as a 'call me'. He still couldn't think of anyone. But he could get into this game, even if it didn't go anywhere, he could have fun. He thought for a minute, deciding what his secret name would be for this stranger, and picked something mythological as well, since he rather liked mythology. Hecate.

He waited, watching the screen and seeing the ellipsis bubble pop up, indicating that Cupid was texting him back. Bruce and Tony discussed Tony's hologram plan without him, and Loki was fine with that for now, interested slightly in this new person. It took a moment before the reply came, and Loki wondered if his contact was looking up the name.

Are you a girl? Cuz… I don't get with chicks. Sorry.

Loki snorted and typed away, shaking his head. So he had looked it up. I am not a girl. Am I not allowed to give myself a female name?

No no. It's all good. Just wondering. You're a mythology junkie, aren't you? The type that gets offended when someone says Lucifer is the Devil.

I don't get offended, I just tell them they're stupid.

Lol alright.

Loki didn't reply further, setting his phone down and getting into the conversation with Tony and Bruce before he had to go to class again. He wasn't sure why he had entertained Cupid with a fake name for himself, why he would even leave it at that like they would contact each other again. They clearly didn't remember each other, so why start this up when they wouldn't meet? Loki let it alone and concentrated on his studies, going to class after a few more minutes and forgetting about the new contact.

Loki stood in the shower rinsing his hair of shampoo and reaching for the soap, feeling the gentle scrub of oatmeal along his skin under the warm spray. As he washed his face, he rubbed his temples, trying to relieve some strain in his one place of momentary solitude. Then there was a knock on the bathroom door. Loki sighed and let his hands fall to his sides in defeat.

"What?"

The door creaked open let in a small draft of cool air.

"I have to pee," Thor announced with shame. He knew Loki hated being interrupted in the shower.

"Go then."

Thor hustled in and shut the door, and Loki rinsed his face, turning around to get the conditioner out of his hair as well as he listened to the toilet seat being put up and Thor's stream hitting the water. He shook his head. What was a nice moment of warm, steamy, getting-clean shower was turned into a hand-washing in the urinals. Just listening to other men piss while cleaning up. He hated it.

"Who's Cupid?" Thor asked curiously, and Loki's eyes flew open, turning to see his brother in blurry colors through the glass doors.

"None of your business, that's who! Why are you looking through my phone?"

"I wasn't! I was checking the time and you got a text!"

He hadn't even heard the vibration on the countertop.

"It says-"

"Don't read it to me- stay out of my phone, Thor! You can't look at your own phone for the time?"

The toilet flushed and Loki watched Thor stand there, facing him through the doors as well.

"I didn't mean anything by it," Thor complained in his defense. "I didn't think about it."

"You don't think about much. Get out- I have to get dressed."

Thor puffed air at his brother and grumbled, exiting the bathroom and slamming the door. Loki sighed harshly and turned off the shower, sliding open the doors and whipping out his towel before smothering his face in it. He looked at his phone on the vanity as he dried off, stepping out on the bath rugs with wet feet. He shook his hair in the towel and wrapped it over his shoulders to catch the rest of the water, sitting on the toilet lid and unlocking his phone to read Cupid's message.

So, Hecate, where are we taking this thing? Wanna set some ground rules?

Loki's eyebrows shot up in surprise, a little speechless. Ground rules?

Yeah, I'll start, you can tell me what you think. No names unless we actually meet in person, or unless we start dating. No distinguishing marks. No faces. No class names, no majors, no extracurricular activities/clubs.

Distinguishing marks? Loki stared at his phone, setting it on the counter to get dressed as he waited for the reply.

Birthmarks, tattoos. I guess piercings are okay… as long as they're not like super weird that if I saw you out and about I'd know it's you. I feel like you don't know what I'm talking about. Maybe I moved into this too fast.

Loki grabbed his phone as he left the bathroom, tossing his towel over the top of the shower doors and flicking the light off. He went to his bed and sat against the wall, pillow behind him, and he checked that Thor was on his computer, doing school work for once. Are you looking for dick pics? Is that what this is?

Oh hey not yet lol Think about it like this- my number appears in your phone under some phony name and you won't tell me yours, so one of us did it and doesn't remember, but apparently must've thought the other was hot. I'm down to be your sexting buddy if you are, Hecate. We can start small if you've never done it before lol

Loki bit his lip, nervous and curious about the turn of events. A sexting buddy? Cupid wasn't wrong- he'd never sent naked pictures to anyone before, not even to Steve. But he guessed that since they had been in a steady relationship, and could have sex regularly, there was no need to send a picture.

Loki had felt awfully lonely and angry since he and Steve split up, finding that without the art museums to go to together, private modeling that tended to end up in sex, without the companionship of someone he didn't see as a friend-slash-classmate, he felt lifeless and dull.

We don't have to if you're not into that.

Decision made, Loki jumped back into the conversation, tapping back quickly with his heart hammering in nervous excitement. No, no! I'm okay. You're right though- I've never done this. I'm not very… um. Sexy. I'm not sure how well I'll be able to- lol satisfy you.

Loki had never felt more embarrassed and giggly in his life, knowing he wanted to mess around with this stranger and admitting he didn't quite know how to go about it.

Lol I'll be the judge of that. Don't worry, it's easy. Here, I'll start you off.

And then a picture appeared in the line of messages, and Loki touched it to see it full. The figure was in a tight black tank, one tanned arm exposed and lined right down the center with a thick vein. The picture cut off just at the chin and right under the ribcage, just a small piece of what looked to be a good looking body. The lighting in the photo was bright, and it looked like a locker behind him, but Loki could see the muscular definition of Cupid's pectorals, and Loki was grateful that his chest wasn't so big that it looked like he had boobs. Thor tended to have that problem, and if Loki was going to be completely honest, Steve did too. He never told his ex-boyfriend that he disliked it, but he was sure there were things about his own body Steve hadn't liked either. When you're together and trying to make a relationship work, you didn't say your boyfriend had more breast than your mother, even if it was true.

Loki glanced up at his brother, still working at his desk, making sure he wasn't going to come over and blow Loki's whole game. He was immersed, thankfully, and Loki typed back to Cupid, writing and erasing and writing again, unsure of what to say. What would be too much and what's totally out of line? Good lord I need guidance, Loki thought.

Clint frowned as he read the incoming text, sitting on a long bench in the locker room hunched over with his elbows on his knees. There was some laughter echoing from other guys, but he ignored them, concentrating on the conversation in his phone.

The deal's off- you're going to be severely disappointed.

He typed back quickly, confused at the sudden turn. What? Why?

I don't look like that. I'm skinny and pale and not hot.

Clint rolled his eyes, snorting as he replied. Someone came up beside him, sitting on the bench with a towel wrapped around his waist and started pulling socks on. A couple guys padded by in a similar fashion and clapped Clint on the shoulder, congratulating him on his hard work in the gym. Nobody thinks they're hot. I don't think I'm hot- I got this big ass nose that I'm totally down to get chopped off lol cuz that's sexy. Let me see you.

He waited a few moments, and when there was no sign of a quick reply, he typed and sent again. Please? The first one's easy, it's just you in your regular shit so we can get comfortable together.

He let it rest for a minute after that, waiting to see if Hecate would continue with their game or not. The ball was in Hecate's court now. He set his phone on the bench and stood up, pulling his coat and backpack out of the open locker. He shrugged his coat on, a welcome layer of dry warmth between him and the cloying moisture of the lockers. He felt like it never dried out because of the showers. Constantly breathing water.

When the phone buzzed behind him on the bench, Clint prepared himself for the worst, thinking his new buddy was going to back out and leave him hanging. He set his bag on the tiled floor and sat on the bench again, unlocking his phone. The picture that popped up made his eyes widen and heart thump again, a small jolt of arousal shooting through his groin.

Hecate was thin, not skinny, but by the stretch in his arm as he pulled down the neck of his shirt, Clint could tell he had a little muscle. Toned like he was a swimmer or gymnast. Maybe he did yoga, Clint had seen what yoga could do to a body. Hecate's shoulder and collarbone was exposed by the pull of the shirt, and his neck was bared with wavy black locks curling around it, skin tight and pale. Clint's eyebrows raised up and he blew out a heavy breath in appreciation. He started typing back quickly. Damn, you tease. Not sexy my ass- I could bite that neck.

Was it too much for the first one? I didn't know what to do.

Clint chuckled to himself and replied, saying goodnight to his buddies as they filed out of the lockers. No, jesus that was… whoo! Perfect for a first timer.

He opened the picture again and whispered at the show of skin. "Damn." And he chuckled at himself for being so affected by it. He didn't think it had been that long since someone's body piqued his interest, didn't think a picture of a simple neck and shoulder would turn him on so quickly. His brain didn't realize the shadow that came over his phone, someone hovering over his shoulder.

"Damn, Barton, you gonna score a sexy bitch tonight or what?"

Clint's heart leapt into his throat and he jumped, flattening the phone to his chest, and scooting down the bench an inch to get away from his onlooker. "Whoa! Dude back up, you can't see this shit."

The invader scoffed and turned to his locker, taking his towel off and standing naked while he grabbed his underwear. "Please, there weren't even tits in that picture."

"I don't care- I'm protecting the integrity of my sexting buddy, man. Don't fucking look over my shoulder like that!"

"Pfft! Sexting buddy?"

"Yes." Clint got up and grabbed his bag before leaving the locker room, saying nothing in goodbye to the guy. He pulled up his phone again and smiled as he saw another text.

It wasn't that great, you don't have to say that.

Hecate, that's more skin than I've seen in a while lol Not including naked dudes I see in the showers. Feel better? It's fun right?

Yes, I liked it.

Clint smiled and replied again and then put his phone away in his pocket as he walked across campus to his dorm. Then I'll see you next time :) night.