Loki did not return to the flat afterwards, instead he stood dumbfounded in the bathroom, slowly scratching his head.
"Sorry sir, but only one can use the bathroom at a- oh. He's gone. Never mind. But… uh, just for the next time?"
"What? Oh yes sorry, of course."
The waiter awkwardly stood back, walking away from the bathroom. Loki slowly walked out, his head in a fit of thoughts. What was he going to do now? He thought he had cornered Stark, that he'd at least get some explanation this time. When he'd tried before he was shouted profanities at and told to mind his own business. How was he going to fix this? But he knew it before he said it. There was only one person who knew him better than he did. "Ms Pepper Potts."
"Hey there stranger, where's stevey?"
"Refrain from using that name it is so cringe worthy."
"Sorry captain Shakespeare. What can I do for you?"
"We need to have a little conversation about Tony."
"Oh, yes. I've been worried about him too."
"He's become so sketchy ever since I started dating Steve…"
"Oh. Well I can explain that much, at least. But don't think it means anything because there is definitely something else bothering him that I can't put my finger on."
"Do go on."
"Well, that mystery man Tony found me with, you know, last year? First year? Well…"
"Steve?" Loki was absolutely shocked, Steve was gay!
"Well yeah, he made us realise we were better off as friends and all of that which I don't want to get into… anyway, the point is why has he been acting even weirder than usual all of a sudden…"
"And you're sure my dating Steve wouldn't be the answer? Well no maybe not he did throw up this morning… or maybe that was just after the ridiculous amount of alcohol he consumed last night." Loki sat with his hand beneath his chin, deep in thought.
"No. There is definitely something else Loki. If it was just Steve he would have told me this morning but… he wouldn't say anything."
"Well now that you mention it… we were talking about Steve for a brief period earlier." Loki thought back to the coffee shop. The table, the sweat on Tony's forehead, his hands flexing against the table as he stood up over it, the bathroom, the sick, the closeness, the look on his face when he let him go, the relief when he caught him again. The mirror, the look in his eyes, in his face, the bags! Then, just as though he didn't know him, he swept out the door and left him standing there. "But nothing major, just that I spent an awful lot of time with him…"
"I think he's worried about you, that maybe because of what happened between Steve and I, he thinks something similar could happen to you… not that it will, he misses you like crazy. He came here the first day you two went out because he had no idea what to do with himself. So it wouldn't be hard to believe that he's looking out for you. But I don't know… is that really it?"
Loki thought over what Pepper had just said. 'misses you like crazy… looking out for you…' He had no idea his absence had affected him… but now he was thinking about it. He was always gone all the time, and before Steve had come along, they spent most of their time in each-others company… they were roommates of course they were. Notes, study, movies, food, nights out, when people came round in general, especially Thor. They were pretty close. But it was what, like three weeks? Not much could have happened in that space of time that he would miss Loki to talk about it with, could it?
"Anyway, I have to get going. Nat said she was meeting me at Clint's to go shopping for a special someone's birthday next week so I had better get going. Now get going, try talking to him again. Maybe Thor, they hang out a lot now too."
"Oh now I don't want anything there really isn't any need. And yes I should probably go anyway… I told Steve I'd meet him later, and well it is later."
"Shush up you're getting something. Okay have fun you two." She kissed him on the cheek, opening the door for him and saying their goodbye's she winked and simply said 'Tony'. And with that Loki set out to Steve's, Tony's current state becoming ever heavier in his mind.
