Loki froze, shocked. Then he was returning the kiss. He moved his hands to drape around Tony's throat. It was the sweetest thing he had ever tasted. It was coffee, smoke (from Tony's work. The boy didn't smoke) and Tony. They broke for air and Loki sat up staring deeply into those secret-keeping brown eyes.

Tony held the kiss for a moment, surprised at both his and Loki's gentleness and tentativeness. Tony most certainly was not the chastest of people, so this subtle, slow kiss was fairly new to him. After a few moments he rests his forehead against Loki's, staring into his eyes. He had one hand on the slim waist and the other was threaded through his long hair.

Loki sat there, not moving. He wasn't quite sure what had happened He wanted to draw back but he didn't want to upset Tony. His lips were tingling and smiled slightly.

"I would apologize, but I don't feel like it right now." Tony said quietly. Now his logic had returned and he seriously doubted the rationality and possible consequences of his actions. What if he scared Loki? Went too far too fast? He wasn't exactly known for being patient. If he wanted something, he made it his. But with Loki had to be patient and understanding, and he had to strip away his selfishness and ego. It was all very humbling, and terrifying. Loki had quite a lot of power, concerning Tony. "Any better now?"

Loki rocked back and put a hand to his lips, beginning to blush. "Don't. Apologize." He gasped. "I ... I've never before been kissed."

Tony smirked, but not sarcastically. "I thought for a while you were "going out" with that girl. Sif, I think her name was. Thinking on it, I now assume that was an all Odin driven thing, right?" He moved to the couch and sat, moving Loki with him.

Loki nodded. "Yes. She's dating Thor now, remember?" Loki settled himself, his knees weak. He was suddenly buzzing with energy. "She was the one who made all the moves. Gods, she was a nightmare. I think that was when ..." He stopped and put a hand on his lips again.

Tony's brow creased. "When what?" He asked, honestly curious. He had talked to Sif a few times and she most certainly was not Loki's type. She was pretty much a female version of Thor. Athletic, violent, and not overly intelligent yet outrageously popular.

"When ... " Loki fought himself. " When I began to wonder if men were more my thing." There. He'd said it. He waited for some kind of rebuke. They'd kissed, but he couldn't really understand Tony.

Tony shrugged. Loki definitely was the first male he'd ever kissed. Tony had been with plenty of girls. And although none of them had ever been long term, not all of them had been terrible. Pepper and him and been quite the couple, but their differences had been a little too diverse. Pepper understood the reason behind Tony, and she could tolerate it, but she didn't know firsthand why he was like he was. "Yeah, well, I just copy the philosophy of I like who I like. It's best to keep one's options open."

Loki looked at his friend and his cheeks began to burn again. "Do you ... do you like me?" He whispered

Tony sighed. Loki doubted himself. Again. Second guessing his worth. Tony wished he could just cut off some of his own confidence and give it to Loki. Like a skin graft. "Loki ... of course I like you. I more than like you. I ... I trust you." Tony spoke very simply, hoping that the gravity of his words came across. Tony always wore his mask, his façade ... his suit of emotional armor. It protected him. He had built his armor when he was living with Howard. He had learned to control his emotions and limit his true emotional connections. If you didn't get close to anyone, nobody could hurt you. No strings attached. So even though he put on his confidence and he was slightly promiscuous, he never let anyone close. Truly, brutally close. Except Loki. He could open up to Loki, be honest with him, and he knew that Loki would listen and understand.

Loki smiled at the words. "No one trusts me. I'm trouble."

"What and I'm not?" Tony answered, smiling. "Loki- I could go into all the details about why I trust you, and why I ...Feel the way I do about you. But that would be long and overly romantic, and serious." He looked at Loki, searching his eyes as though he could glimpse his thoughts if he tried hard enough.

Tony was trouble, Loki agreed, still smiling warily "You don't do romance, then?" He leaned against Tony, taking it one slow move at a time. If Tony tensed Loki would move and pretend nothing had happened. Loki cuddled against his friend, pulling his unarmed leg to his chest and his injury over the arm of the couch,

Tony noticed the small movement and put his arm around Loki gently yet protectively. "Hey, I usually don't do emotions. Ever. So this whole romance thing is kinda new territory for me."

Loki sighed, very tired suddenly. "I know. Wake me up," he yawned, "when we leave for school." He pulled Tony's arm over his chest like a blanket.

]"Do you want me to make those doctors excuses? Or do you want me to save them until you ankle is better and we can just take a vacation for a few weeks?" Tony asked, fingers distractedly stroking Loki's hair as it fell over his lap.

"Hmm? I think we should at least try school. Odin might bring the police to your door if Thor reports my absence. Don't want that."

"Alright then." Tony muttered, resting his hand against his companions. "I'll wake you up for dinner." He whispered, perfectly content. Tony just sat there thinking deep thoughts for a few hours while Loki slept on him.

When it was around dinner time Jarvis knocked on his door. "Come in." Tony called quietly, determined not to wake Loki just yet. His uncle walked in and asked if he could make them dinner, but Tony declined. He had an idea. He was going to attempt to cook dinner tonight. Besides, he had some work to do and he and Loki could hang out in the kitchen. When Jarvis left, Tony gently rubbed Loki's shoulder.

"Loki, wake up." Loki blinked awake, groggy and slightly sore from his odd sleeping position.

"Huh?" Loki muttered, gazing blearily at Tony. Was it dinner already? It felt like he'd just closed his eyes.

"I have some very special dinner plans. Care to join me in the kitchen?" He said softly, brushing a stray lock of hair out of Loki's eyes. "Do you want me to carry you, or just have you lean on my shoulder? Both are fine with me. Whatever's easiest to you."

Loki slid his feet off the couch. He grabbed Tony's arms and pulled himself up. He tried to balance on his good leg and calculated the distance versus his grogginess. "Carry me," he decided, sinking into Tony's arms.

Tony caught him with his expectant arms. Again he carried Loki with an arm around his neck and one beneath his knees. Tony was really surprised by how light he felt, especially because he was taller than Tony by a few inches. "You good?" he asked, adjusting Loki in his arms. This was most certainly going to be less of an ordeal that the last time he had carried him. No rough terrain, no weighty bags, and no new injuries to hinder them. Just a quick trip from Tony's wing to the kitchen.

Loki smiled. "Perfect. I'm not too much of a burden am I?"

"Nothing I can't handle." Tony said, walking through the living room. The Stark Mansion was very large, very edgy and very modern. It was also rather minimalistically adorned, save for a few prized pieces of artwork. And it was also a bit of an unending labyrinth. But Tony knew it well, and he quickly used a short cut to go to the kitchen. When they arrived at the enormous kitchen, Tony helped Loki onto a stool in front of a huge granite bar.

Loki situated himself, smiling at Tony. "So, what are we making?" he pushed up his sleeves.

Tony grabbed his self-modified IPad and brought up a few pages at once, scrolling through them. "I'm making an Italian favorites of mine ... Pasta de la mar ... seafood and linguine. And you, my honored guest, are going to forge a doctor's excuse for that ankle of yours. It'll be quicker and easier than hauling you to the hospital."

"Alright, but I want to help with dinner. It promises to be delicious."Loki agreed, taking the iPad.

"Here's your doctor's signature ... just copy this." Tony handed Loki the paper thin and transparent iPad. "As for dinner, you can always deal with the clams after they're steamed." He smiled and began running around the kitchen. In one pot he put a handful of small clams and placed them on the stove to steam. From the fridge he pulled out the scallops and shrimp. Pouring olive oil generously into a large pan, he lightly seared the remaining seafood.

Loki worked, becoming distracted by watching Tony. He had his father's signature down better than his own ... but this one was new. He wanted it perfect, so there was no doubt that he'd been the doctor for this. "That smells absolutely divine." He commented to the tune of sizzling seafood, his tummy rumbling.

"Thanks." Tony said, pausing his dance momentarily. Although neither Howard nor his mother had cooked, the kitchen had been designed to have such flow that it truly was like a dance, moving from once counter to the next, the stove perfectly accessible from any angle. When the clams were steamed, he pulled off the lid and dumped out the small shells in a bowl. "You offered to help. Could you get these little buggers out of their shells? I'll start the pasta. Then I'll just sauté the rest of the seafood in some garlic and white wine ..."

Loki smiled and pushed the tablet away, exchanging it for the bowl. "That I did." He agreed, picking up his first clam before laying eyes on another bottle against the closest wall. "Tony ... what do you say we open some wine? I am used to having some kind of drink at dinner, even if I didn't join in the consumption of alcohol."

Tony shrugged, "White or red for this? Either would work, but I'm using white for the sauce. Up to you." He said as he dumped in the fresh pasta from the new bakery into a large simmering pot.

Loki tilted his head to side, in thought. "Red," he decided as he freed the clams of their homes.

Nodding, Tony pulled out the two bottles of wine. One was a simple fairly new vintage white Pinot-Grigio perfect for cooking. The second was a relatively old-vintage, not ancient but still a respectable aged Cabernet Sauvignon. Clearing away all other pans, he put all the seafood (scallops, shrimp, and clams) into the pan and poured a little bit of white wine. To this he added a healthy amount of garlic, olive oil, and butter. He noticed that the pasta was done and with much steam he strained the thin, little pasta. He put this in a large bowl and waited for a few minutes, stirring the seafood. When the white wine was reduced slightly and he had made a wonderful sauce he poured the mixture into the pasta and mixed. Finally he poured out two glasses of the red wine. "Viola!" He said eyeing his creation happily.

Loki smiled, having watched the entire process. "You're a wonderful chef." He commented.

Tony grinned. "You haven't even tasted it yet. It could be disgusting." He plated the pasta and pulled up a stool next to Loki. "Probably not, though." He added as he sat down.

Loki shook his head and took up his plate and glass. "I doubt it is anything but heavenly." He twirled some pasta round his fork and stabbed a helpless shrimp. The he ate his mouthful. It was absolutely divine. He took a sip of the wine and swallowed everything. "This is wonderful. Who taught you how to cook?" to show he truly meant what he'd said he took a larger forkful.

Taking a few bites, Tony shrugged. "My iPad. Before I handed it to you. Jarvis is a good cook and all, but he's very much the minimalistic French chef. And I think I secretly took a few cooking classes once. Howard definitely didn't want his son learning how to cook. But, here we are." Although he supposed his narcissism, the pasta was definitely good. Jarvis had chosen some really fresh seafood and the white wine added a wonderful fruitiness and lightness.

"Well I love it. Frigga taught me how to cook. She said men should know how to cook. I'll have to cook tomorrow night. "Loki took another sip of the wine. It was all fantastic. "This is also wonderful. How old is it?" He knew it to be Cabernet Sauvignon.

"Hmm ..." Tony glanced at the bottle. "1978. Not a bad year ..." "You weren't even alive in 1978!"

Loki protested. "That's the secret to a good vintage!"

Tony said, chuckling. Although he was not an expert in wine for he usually preferred large quantities of scotch or absinthe, he still could appreciate the intricacy and complexity of a good wine. And he most certainly could discern the difference between a good, aged wine and a new, cheap wine.

"I know. I grew up drinking wine. Odin has expensive drink taste. This is quite good. I hope your uncle won't kill us for drinking the entire bottle." Loki then remembered the rules, one of which stated that they not drink and turned a shade darker then his drink.

Tony shrugged. "He left. He won't be back till Thursday. So as long as we don't do drugs or burn the house down, we'll be good. Besides, this is good wine. That makes it okay ... I think." He smirked, eating his pasta hungrily.


Loki relinquished and enjoyed the meal. "I'm not complaining." he agreed, reaching over to refill his bottle. Full to bursting, Loki sprawled over the counter, drawing designs in his leftover sauce waiting for Tony to return. His friend had gone in search of more drinks. Loki was tired, warm, sore (that was his ankle and he wished it would stop complaining, maybe a bit tipsy, and the happiest he'd ever been in his life.

Tony had cleaned and put away the dishes while he was still sober. Now he was resting his head and thinking very carefully. The wine had both muddled and sharpened his senses. He thought slower but with more precision. He turned to Loki and he smiled sincerely. It was nice to see Loki letting loose a little bit. To see him happy and free of worry, to see him relaxed.

Loki turned to meet Tony's gaze, smiling himself. "I see why you drink so much." He muttered "it feels so good when everything is fuzzy."

"Yeah but functioning in school when everything was fuzzy started getting difficult. But, that doesn't matter now." Tony shrugged, and stood up slowly, carefully trying to retain his fragile equilibrium. When he was sure he was stable, he held out his hand to Loki. "Let's head to the living room. You'll soon drink me out of house and home, Shakespeare," He laughed. Loki laughed, half falling off his stool as he took Tony's arm.

"No, I won't" Loki promised, his voice slurring. He hoped he could keep said promise. It just felt so good to let go in something other than violence. It felt so good to forget, even for just a moment, the hell his life had suddenly become.

Tony caught him, holding him close for a moment. He attempted to try some sort of leaning thing with Loki's arms around his shoulders but because of the height difference that proved rather difficult. So once more, he ended up carrying Loki "bridal style". He pushed through the door to the sleek living room and contemplated setting Loki down on the plush leather couch. "Where do you want to go, Loks?" He muttered softly.

"Go?" Loki was confused. "Go where?" he tried to curl his legs to his chest and hissed when his ankle protested. He had all but forgotten about his injury.

"I'll just ..." Tony trailed off and carried his companion past the couch and into the bedroom. He very gently set Loki on the large bed, and then he went around to the other side and lay on top of the sheets.

Loki smiled, sloppily, "I love you Tony." He whispered.