No matter which way you go

No matter which way you stay

You're out of my mind, out of my mind

Out of my mind, out of my mind

I was walking with a ghost

I said please, please don't insist

- Walking With A Ghost by Tegan and Sarah

English the next day isn't quite as awkward as Tony had imagined. News of the fight had certainly gotten around, and people are whispering animatedly when he strides into the classroom. All eyes turn to him, and the whispers quiet. Loki enters a few moments later, taking his spot next to Tony without a word to the other boy. Their classmates look between them excitedly, but after it was clear that Loki and Tony were not, in fact, going to start punching each other, they turned back to whatever they had been doing.

Tony remembers and digs around in his backpack for the phone. Closing his fingers around it, he slides it across Loki's desk. "Here."

Loki looks up at him for the first time. "Thanks."

Tony sort of expects him to say something further, but the raven-haired boy just turns to the front of the classroom.

Other than that brief exchange, they ignore each other completely throughout the rest of the class. The bell rings without incident, and Tony rushes to get home and enjoy the Friday afternoon off.

He's walking down the hallway, on the way to the parking lot, when he realizes he's forgotten his coat back in English. Turning on his heel, he scowls all the way back to the classroom.

Now Tony's not much of an eavesdropper, usually. But when he sees Loki and their teacher discussing animatedly, he can't help but press his ear to the crack at the door.

"- sorry, Ms. Sigyn, I'll get it in." Loki's voice is sweet and sincere. It doesn't suit him, Tony thinks.

There's a pause, and Tony can hear their teacher sigh. "Loki, I'm worried about you. You seem like a bright kid, and I know you've excelled at this subject in the past, but you need to turn in your homework."

"I will. I'll get it in."

"You know," the teacher says, "I've read your file. Both your academic... and your personal."

"I see."

"Loki." She sighs again, disappointed. "I know about the parties and skipping class. I know about the... other things, as well, and I know that you're recovering from being in a very dark place. I just want you to know that I want to help in any way I can."

"Then you'll know that I am getting all the help I could possibly want." Loki's voice is sharp, and Tony can tell he's packing up his things, eager to leave.

"Just think about it," she says, and Tony steps away from the door seconds before Loki throws it open.

He watches the black-haired head bob down the hallway as Loki lopes away on his long legs.

That night, Tony ponders the conversation he overheard, as well as the pictures on the phone.

He's used to everything fitting together neatly, like machine parts that are made to go together. He's used to people that slot easily into one box or another. He's used to boring, predictable.

Loki is different.

Every time Tony thinks he has him pegged, there's something new. The other boy had so many variables, all changing constantly. He's like a book that's never been read, with each chapter revealing something new. But rather than being read from the beginning, the chapters come in a random order, a tumble of information that doesn't make sense until it's all together.

Tony is sure that there's something in Loki's past, something terrible, that makes him act so strange. Blue eyes and golden hair flash in his mind, and he frowns. There was something about the boy in the phone pictures that wasn't right, something about the way he looked at Loki.

Tony runs his hands through his hair, groaning in frustration. If only he could just know. If Thor was more helpful, maybe he wouldn't be agonizing over this. Or if Loki weren't so... intense, he could approach him about it. Maybe he could just get Loki's file, like their teacher-

Loki's file. That would have at least some information to go off of.

No, no. That would be a major infringement on Loki's privacy. Tony furrows his brow.

He tries to occupy himself with something else, but his mind keeps wandering back to the possibility that he could finally figure out what was the darkness behind Loki's eyes.

He tinkers on various things until late that night (or early the next morning, depending on the perspective). As usual, he doesn't decide to sleep, just drifts off in the middle of something.

Fingers ghost across his face, cool and gentle. Tony opens his eyes, taking in large green irises and a soft smile.

"Hello," Loki says in an almost-whisper.

Suddenly, the scenery changes. He and Loki are standing in a park on a cold winter day. It's dusk, and a light fluff of snow falls from the darkening sky.

Loki takes his hand, leading him along a path twisting between the trees. He follows blindly. They come upon a little ice cream cart, strange in the winter, but Tony doesn't notice. The ice cream man hands them each a treat with a knowing grin, then disappears.

"Do you like ice cream?" Loki asks.

Tony nods, unwrapping a chocolate-dipped ice cream bar. He bites into it, feeling the cold on his teeth.

Loki unwraps his, too. It's a popsicle, green to match the boy's eyes. Rather than sinking his teeth into it, he pokes out his pink tongue and drags it along the sweet surface. He wraps his lips around it, sucking and biting, looking through his long lashes directly into Tony's eyes all the while.

Tony watches, transfixed, as Loki proceeds to eat the popsicle in the most pornographic way possible.

Once he's finished, Tony smiles lewdly and pushes the pale boy against a tree.

Loki's plump lips form a perfect O of surprise, followed by a dark chuckle and an expression of pleased disbelief. "Oh, Stark, I am flattered, but you are too forward. A proper lad never allows himself to be pinned against a tree with such desire until after the first date." He leans in at the last word, his poison-green eyes flicking between Tony's own and his lips. The pale boy's cloud of sweet breath billows in the cold air.

Tony leans in as well. The other boy smells like old books and apples, and something earthier. He parts his lips slightly in expectation.

"Sir?" Loki says, in a voice that's not his own.

"Hmm?" Tony replies. He tries to kiss Loki, but is again interrupted.

"Sir, are you all right?"

"What?" Tony sits up, wiping drool off his face.

"I asked, sir, if you were all right. You were... exclaiming in your sleep." Jarvis's voice echoes from the monitors before him.

"Oh, um. Yeah." He presses a hand to his forehead. "Yeah, I'm fine." He tries to push the dream out of his mind.

Glancing at the monitors, he remembers what he had been thinking of before he drifted off.

He remembers the green popsicle.

Loki's file, he has to find Loki's file.

An hour later, he has a plan.

Hello, dear readers!

Oh my goodness, Tony is so nosy. He's just poking his nose where it's going to be bitten. And the blue-eyed mystery boy... well, I can't tell you anything. Just know he's bad news.

A little sexytimes, just to keep things moving. Stupid Jarvis always interrupting Tony's fantasies.

Sorry it's been so Tony-Loki-centric. There will be some Clint and brief Coulson in the next chapter. Yay!

Thanks for your reviews! I will reply to all of them as soon as I am done with finals next weekend. And thank-you to cara-tenaka, who puts up with my irregular chapter updates. ;)

All my love,
RagAndBones

P.S. I've given up trying to stick to a schedule. Sorry!

P.P.S. Sorry, also, about the shortness of the last chapter. This one is a tad longer, and you didn't have to wait long for it. ;)