Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
AN: Just one review (rockndasha, you're awesome!)? That's actually made me a little sad. Oh well... Here is part two. Sorry that it all moves quickly. Like I said, I wrote this between studying so I'm not responsible for it :p
Awake my Soul – Part II
oOo
Two weeks later.
oOo
Not sure whether it had been an accident or not, but Loki had almost literally bumped into Tony after class. He also wasn't sure how he felt about that. His first reaction was surprise, but he had also been pleased. He had only spoken to Tony for a few minutes at his father's party, but he had really enjoyed those.
After a second the doubt set in. It could not be a coincidence that he had just 'bumped' into Tony. There had to be more to this coincidence, like...not a coincidence. Loki felt glad he was walking with Victor and they exchanged doubtful glances. Tony walked towards them and put on his most disarming smile.
Loki found himself returning it. "What are you doing here?" he asked.
"Hello to you, too," Tony remained cheerful, "I was in the neighbourhood and I thought I could pay you a visit. You look like you need fun in your life which I promised to you." Then he turned to look at Victor. "My name is Tony, by the way."
Victor extended his hand which Tony shook. "Victor Von Doom, nice to meet you. I actually heard a lot about you recently." He shot Loki a dirty grin. "I have to go – a meeting with a professor. I'll see you tomorrow, Loki."
With those words, Victor left them and Loki was certain that he had become horribly red. He hadn't talked that much about Tony, had he?
"So you think I need more fun in my life?" Loki couldn't help but ask.
"Absolutely."
"And that's why you're here?"
"Why else?"
"I don't know."
A long silence hung heavily between them, but Tony managed to break it with a warm laugh. "You are paranoid, Loki, but let me make this very clear. I am not here for your father or your brother or any other distant relative. I am here for you."
It was nice to hear that. "I believe you," he said, "but that doesn't mean I want to hang out with you."
"Of course you want to hang out with me," Tony casually placed an arm around Loki's shoulders and guided him away from campus. A few other students began to whisper, but not because of the gesture, but because of who the gesture did. Tony Stark was a famous man around these areas and Loki knew for a fact that a few girls in his class thought he was hot.
Hot wasn't the word Loki would use to describe Tony. More...handsome. Or stylish. Attractive for sure and elegant. Loki chuckled at his own thoughts, but he was glad Tony didn't ask about them. He just allowed the man to walk him across campus.
"You are very sure of yourself, aren't you," Loki said, "but I guess you are used to getting what you want."
"It is known that I am a spoiled brat," Tony grinned, "but honestly, what does it matter what people think of me. I have goals in life and I intend to achieve every one of them. Some are just a bit more obscene than others."
"A bit?" Loki nearly choked on the word. "I have seen where you live, Tony, and I have seen your car, your yacht, your vacation house and your last five girlfriends. All on some cover of a magazine."
"One of my other goals was to become a proper CEO of Stark Industries," Tony countered, "and I achieved that." He removed his arm from Loki's shoulders and distanced himself a bit. Loki didn't know why he didn't like that. "What about your goals in life?"
"Those are easy," Loki informed him, "anger my father, please my mother and annoy my brother. Aren't those the goals of a normal youngest brother?"
"And how are does working out for you?"
"Brilliantly."
They talked for a while like that and somehow, they ended up in Tony's backyard. Loki began to think that he was just bothering Tony and that the guy really should be at work or something, but then he realized there were actually having a lot of fun. Loki was currently sitting down on the soft, green grass on a warm spring evening. The sun was still above the horizon, but long shadows were starting the fill the yard.
He really should be heading back home because at this rate, his paper wasn't going to be finished before tomorrow morning. "-And that's why you have to stop throwing grass at me. I can't fail this paper, Tony, or I'll fail the class."
"No one cares why psychoanalysis is so important to the history of-"
"Shut up!" Loki threw back the grass and even added his pencil in the fight. "Just keep your mouth shut because you obviously have no idea what you're saying so let me finish this." It was bad enough that he had no laptop to write down his opinions and theories. He only had a pencil and a few sheets of crumpled paper. Minus the pencil because Tony was now admiring it with great enthusiasm.
"You really care about Freud, don't you," Tony laughed, "he would be touched to see this."
"I'm ignoring you now."
"Clearly, you are not."
Loki said nothing in return and began to write something down though he knew it made no sense. He wasn't even sure what the basic principles of psychoanalysis were any more. Dam you, Tony!
"Come on, Lokiiii," Tony scooted closer, "stop this. I can't stand you ignoring me."
Biting his tongue helped him stay quiet, but Loki needed all his willpower to keep himself from smiling. It was simply too much fun to irritate Tony and when he felt Tony's hand on his cheek, he felt a sudden surge of energy shoot through his veins. He was unprepared for this, for the closeness and sudden affection and Loki was the kind of man that liked to plan everything.
Absolutely everything.
When had it gone from teasing and playing to this?
Tony nudged Loki's chin up and looked into his green eyes. Carefully, as if Loki might break at any point, he moved his hand towards Loki's hair and then closed the distance between them. The kiss was slow and intense and Loki wasn't sure if he wanted this. He had kissed enough boys and girls before - perhaps even enough to make Thor jealous - but this was something else entirely.
This meant something and that terrified Loki more than anything in the world. Or perhaps this meant nothing at all and Tony was just being a jerk who liked to play with his feelings. Any how, Loki pulled away and quickly began to collect his stuff. He wasn't sure what he was doing or why, but he felt the urge to run.
"Loki?" Tony was up on his feet in no time. "I'm sorry, Loki, I wasn't thinking. Don't go."
Ignoring him, Loki walked away and didn't look back. He heard Tony call his name, but he was grateful that he didn't come after him. That's why Loki continued to walk and he didn't stop until he got home.
oOo
The ticking of his pen against the paper soothed his thoughts. Finals were coming and he still had a lot of studying to do. What didn't help was Tony constantly sending him messages on his phone which Loki was still ignoring. He wanted to answer them, but what exactly could he say? 'It's not you, not me'? Or maybe 'I need some time'? Those were all lame excuses for 'I'm fucking terrified'.
Perhaps he should tell Tony just that, but what could Loki expect from the man? Tony had all the choices in the world so why would he chose a nut-job like him? Well...he wasn't exactly nuts, but his mind could be very screwed up at times.
The door of his bedroom flew open and Thor stormed in. Not that he was angry or something, Thor just liked the idea of storming into a room. It made everything far more dramatic.
"Can I borrow your phone?" Thor didn't wait for a response and merely grabbed the cell phone from Loki's bed. "I really need to answer a message from Jane, but my phone went completely dead." He already began to type.
"Yeah," Loki sighed, "go ahead."
"I promise, I'll bring it right back." And then he was gone.
Loki could only roll his eyes. How did he survive to live with such an idiot was beyond him, but he figured that Thor wasn't such a bad brother. At least he left him alone most of the time. Most of the time because Thor entered his room again and this time, there seemed an actual purpose to his storming.
"What's this?" He demanded to know. He held the phone up for Loki to see one of Tony's many messages. His eyes widened and he cursed Thor for reading those.
"Thanks for invading my privacy, Thor," Loki snapped while snatching the phone from him, "and I don't have to explain anything to you."
"What has he done?" Thor nearly roared. "It must be horrible if keeps apologizing like that. At least fifteen messages say nothing but sorry."
"And he is going to keep sending them until I respond," Loki replied calmly, "it's my decision, right?"
"I will kick the living-"
"Thor," Loki interrupted his brother, "you're making this really hard. Can you please drop it?"
Thor seemed offended. "Why can't you tell me? I'm your brother, you can trust me."
"I know," Loki sighed, "and I do trust you so can you please trust me in return?" He waited for Thor to nod. "Then drop this matter and forget about Tony Stark. I'll handle it."
"If there is anything," Thor stressed each word, "anything at all that I can do to help, just tell me."
"If Tony ever needs a good kicking, you'll be the first to know."
"Good," Thor smiled, "and thanks for letting me borrow your phone."
"Which was the last time," Loki muttered.
Thor only laughed.
oOo
For the next four days, Loki could not stop thinking about Tony. He imagined himself talking to him, laughing with him and having a wonderful time with him. He tried to stop himself, tried to reason with himself, but all the logic in the world couldn't persuade him. Tony was too old for him. Actually, he's thirty, only nine years older which made them both responsible adults. Tony is a player, but how could Loki be certain of that? He had no way of knowing Tony's intentions. Tony is only interested in Asgard Industries. That made little sense. If Tony only wanted to discover secrets of the company, he might as well have befriended Thor because everyone knew he can't keep secrets.
A heavy sigh escaped flowed across his lips. Maybe he should just call Tony and ask why he kissed him. Then again, how could he just call him? It had been almost a week since they had last spoken each other and Tony had stopped sending him messages, but Loki wasn't the kind of man that just gave up. He wanted answers, clarifications and he would damn sure get them.
Grabbing his coat and the keys of Thor's car, he hurried outside and jumped in the dark blue Mercedes. The drive to Tony's mansion would only last fifteen minutes which didn't give Loki much time to think about what he was going to say. Perhaps that was for the best. Too much thinking might make him doubt his actions. Again.
He pulled up on the driveway and readjusted his coat before exiting the car. Loki only hoped that Tony would be home. If he wasn't, maybe that would be a sign that this was not meant to be. After knocking two times on the door, a young redhead opened and Loki instantly recognized her from the party. He wished he knew her name.
"Oh," the woman said, "it's you."
"Hi," Loki said almost apologetically. He didn't know why there lay an accusing tone in her voice and he wondered what he had done to offend her. "I'm looking for Tony."
A long second passed before the woman began to smile. "He'll be glad to see you, Loki," she said, stepping aside to let him enter the house, "he hasn't stopped talking about you since the party."
Loki had no idea how to respond to that.
"I'm Pepper, Tony's personal assistant."
"Nice to meet you," Loki said, shaking her hand.
"I'll get Tony for you."
Then she was gone and Loki allowed has gaze to wander around the room. He had been here before, but he was still amazed by the grandness of the place. Loki lived in a large house as well, but it was very different. This house was more spacious and somehow, more distant and cold. Loki's family home was warm, with pictures everywhere. Both Loki and Thor despised the baby pictures, but Frigga refused to take them away.
"Loki?"
Loki turned around when he heard Tony's voice. The billionaire was dressed in a casual jeans and a black shirt and Loki couldn't believe that the outfit still made Tony look very professional. "I'm sorry if I'm intruding," he said.
"No," Tony quickly said, "not at all. What can I do for you, Loki?"
Loki wasn't sure what to make of that tone. Was Tony being professional on purpose? Being so distant because he had hurt him? Loki only knew that he didn't like it and that he wanted to change it. "I came to apologize for my behaviour. I shouldn't have run away the other day."
Tony guided Loki to his living room and dropped down on the couch. He waited for Loki to follow his example. "You have nothing to apologize for," he said, "I kissed you and you obviously didn't like it."
"No," Loki quickly countered, "I did. I just didn't expect it. Tony, you were coming on very strong suddenly and I know that I have been flirting with you, but I was shocked that you returned those flirtations. I mean, why would a guy like you be interested in a guy like me?"
"In a guy like you?" Tony frowned. "You really don't see it, do you?"
Loki shook his head.
"You're brilliant, Loki," Tony smiled, "you're smart and funny and handsome. At first I thought you were so much like Thor, but at your father's party, I realized you're different in a very good way. I couldn't get you out of my head and I know that I have been coming on strong, but I just didn't want to lose this opportunity."
"What opportunity?"
"To get to know you." Very slowly, Tony reached out and placed a hand on Loki's. "You really think you are that bland? Boring? Loki, you're the most interesting person I have met in a very long time. I am glad that you came to me so I could tell you this."
"I'm not sure why I came actually," Loki admitted, "I have been thinking about you a lot, imagining myself with you. Those are nice thoughts."
"Than lets make them real," Tony said, "let's go out on a date. A proper date. I'll pick you up at seven tonight, we'll go to a little restaurant where no one will bother us and then see a movie."
He hesitated. Loki had been on many dates before, but this was Tony. Anthony Edward Stark. Oh, what the hell! "Okay," he said, suddenly breaking into a large smile which he couldn't control, "I'll be waiting for you."
"Perfect." Tony leaned forward as to plant a kiss on Loki's cheek, but Loki pulled away.
"No," he said, "you can kiss me when our date has ended."
Tony grinned. "Deal."