AP Gov was strangely stifling the following morning. Loki could feel every eye on him. He wanted to yell, to scream, to tell them all to go to hell. He had had no part of the prior day's events. So stop it.
But, being the withdrawn student that he was, Loki sat quietly at his table and took notes. It was the mature thing to do. It was the only thing to do.
AP Chem was more or less the same. In fact the entire day had played out like a poor high school television drama. Whispers and stares plagued Loki wherever he went. Loki wanted to be stuffed into his locker all over again, just to avoid it all.
Like now. Now would be nice.
"Brother!" boomed Thor from across the hall, Sif and The Warrior's Three by his side. Why did those idiots follow Thor everywhere he went? Loki did his best not to run in the other direction.
When Thor finally reached Loki, he wrapped an arm around his brother's shoulders. "Loki, come join us!"
Loki grimaced. That was not going to happen. If anything in the world was going to happen it certainly wasn't this. "No thank you, Thor."
"But we have been granted a five day weekend," Thor explained. "We must celebrate."
Loki maneuvered himself out of Thor's grasp and cautiously backed away. "I'm not the celebrating kind."
"He does not wish to join us, Thor," Volstagg observed. Loki thought it was actually a very astute observation. Normally he wouldn't think Volstagg capable of such intelligence but clearly higher learning has done something for the Viking.
Fandral smirked. "Perhaps he has other things to do. Other people to do them with."
"Such as who?" Thor asked.
Fandral just shrugged but his face said it all. Loki had a sudden impulse to set the kid on fire. That would be just lovely.
"I am your brother," Thor reasoned. "I think I should come first."
"Surprisingly," Loki remarked. "The world does not revolve around you, Thor. There's this little thing called the sun. You might have seen it. But then again, what do I know?"
Hogun chuckled, elbowing Sif in the process. She raised an eyebrow at him. "I thought it was funny," he answered.
Loki sighed. It was like trying to communicate with four very stupid animals. They seemed to know you were talking but they didn't understand what it actually meant.
"I'm sorry, Thor," Loki attempted, "but I really am just going to go home."
"You do not wish to join us?"
The puppy dog eyes. Loki was not going to fall victim to those. "No."
Loki turned on his heel and made a mad dash for the exit. Thor was going to be pouting later, but he could handle the pouting. Puppy dog eyes, not so much.
"Slow down there, Road Runner," Tony said as he caught Loki by the arm. He looked over his shoulder at the five befuddled - scratch that, four befuddled and one (could that possibly be) annoyed - faces staring after them. "That's not traumatizing in any way."
Loki rolled his eyes. "How may I help you?"
"Just a minor query, really," Tony responded, putting on his shades and holding the main door open for Loki. "How do you get home when Thor and the Idiot's Four go out on days like these?"
"I walk."
"You walk?" Tony repeated. Loki nodded. "That seems like such a hassle."
"What are you getting at?"
Tony smiled widely, fingers pointed at his face.
"You look like you just got a stupid transplant."
Tony's face fell. "That's not even possible."
"And yet," Loki mused, "it has happened."
Tony scowled. "So what? You're really going to walk?"
"Yes."
"It's far."
"Not really," Loki said as he began his trek. Tony bit the inside of his mouth in thought. Finally he decided to chase the boy down.
"I was offering you a ride, you know," he explained.
"I know."
"I'm offering you a ride and you decide to walk," Tony nutshelled.
Loki smirked. "More or less."
Tony quietly walked beside Loki. "You hungry?"
Loki sighed as he stopped at the crosswalk. "You're not going to stop, are you?"
"Nope!" Tony grinned. "I'm pretty persistent."
"Fine."
"Great." Tony grabbed Loki's arm and dragged him back to the school. He could hear Loki muttering to himself. "What was that, sweetheart?"
"This is so degrading," Loki repeated, loud enough for Tony to hear.
"No it's not, Loki doki."
Loki groaned into his palms. Tony chuckled as he steered Loki to his car. "The problem with you, Loki, is you're too uptight," Tony said as he dug into his pockets for the key. "You need to loosen up a bit. Have fun. Eat food. Throw caution to the wind. And not walk home because seriously who walks home and oh my gosh where the hell is my key?"
Tony searched his pockets frantically looking up only when Loki cleared his throat, key in hand. "When did you…nevermind."
Loki tossed him the key and Tony happily unlocked the doors. He threw his backpack into the back seat as Loki got in. "I'm feeling Chinese. But I could do Thai. Or maybe just old school American. What do you think?" Tony asked.
o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
Loki had lied to him. Why would Loki lie? That was not the way to their home. Their home could not be found with Anthony Stark.
Thor was very put out. He wouldn't have known, of course, if Hogun had not piped up and pointed out his brother and Anthony in the parking lot. But now he knew. Fandral had been right.
"He probably offered Loki a ride," Sif shrugged. She could not be called a friend if she didn't at least try to make Thor feel better.
Fandral clicked his tongue. "What is it?" Thor asked.
"Hmm, what?" Fandral asked innocently.
"Why did you make that noise?"
"Did I make a noise?" Fandral continued.
Sif rolled her eyes at him. "You know you did, Fandral. Stop being a nuisance."
"I am not a nuisance," Fandral said. "I was merely observing Loki and his… friend."
"Why do you say it that way?" Volstagg asked.
Fandral looked at his friends, eyebrows raised and appearing as innocent as a new born babe. "Say what, what way?"
Hogun was the one to answer this time. "Friend. The way you said friend."
Fandral oh'ed silently, nodding his head. "Then you don't know."
"Know what?" Thor asked. He was quite tired of this running around. Loki was the only one he knew who skirted around an issue in such a manner and Thor felt it did not suit his friend in the least.
Fandral scratched his neck nervously. "I oughtn't say anything," he teased. "I was sworn to secrecy after all."
"If it concerns my brother," Thor commanded, "then I must know, secret or not."
Fandral hid his smirk behind his hand as he said, "Loki and Tony are together, Thor."
Thor scrunched his eyebrows in an attempt to understand his friends words. And then he broke out into laughter. "That is just a rumor, my friend," Thor said once he had calmed down.
"Is it?" Fandral suggested. Volstagg and Hogun turned their attentions to Thor. Sif kept her eyes on Fandral. "Do you recall last Friday?"
Thor nodded furiously.
"Did you not think it odd that Anthony and his friends showed up at the bowling alley as well?"
"It's the only bowling alley near the school," Hogun reasoned.
Fandral nodded. "I, too, thought it mere coincidence."
"Get to the point," Sif hissed.
"Do you recall when I went to make sure Loki didn't drown himself in the bathroom sink?" They all nodded. "But who was in the restroom with Loki?" He paused slightly for dramatic effect. "Tony."
"So he had to piss," Volstagg concluded.
Fandral shook his head. "I've already said too much."
"They weren't…" Sif said uncomfortably.
"Oh no!" Fandral defended. "Nothing of that nature, I assure you. But I'm sure things may have escalated had I not interrupted them."
"You lie!" Thor bellowed, grabbing Fandral's shoulders and shaking him roughly.
"I do not!" Fandral shouted back. "It is the truth."
Thor dropped Fandral, who fixed his shirt huffily. "I do not believe it."
"Believe it, Thor," Fandral retorted. "I saw it with my own eyes. I speak no lies."
Thor suddenly felt rather torn. He would think his brother would tell him these things. No doubt he would. But Fandral had seen the two boys… together. It must be true.
"But Anthony is a boy," Thor blurted. His friends shook their heads supportively. Fandral went so far as to offer Thor a pat on the back.
Anything for a friend.
o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
Loki really didn't understand what Tony was talking about but he found he really didn't mind. They had gone to a small diner that was reminiscent of yesteryear. Milkshakes, cheeseburgers, and other staples of clogged arteries were on the menu and Loki decided that he'd take Tony's advice and throw caution to the wind.
He ordered a strawberry milkshake and a cheeseburger with extra pickles. And curly fries. Curly fries are awesome.
"I know red is rather cliché when it comes to, you know, corvettes, but honestly how many times in my life am I going to find a classic lying around in a junk yard waiting to be loved? So cliché or not, I'm seriously thinking of painting it red. That way I can play Little Red Corvette constantly. Wouldn't that be awesome?" Tony rambled as he bit into a Chicago Burger. "Come on, who doesn't love Prince, am I right?"
"The Artist Formerly Known as Prince," Loki put in while Tony was distracted.
Tony nodded as he washed down the burger with a chocolate malted cherry float. "The Artist Formerly Known as the Artist Formerly Known as Prince."
"Prince Rogers Nelson"
"You know his real name?" Tony asked, clearly impressed.
Loki nibbled on a fry, feigning ignorance. Tony rolled his eyes at him before continuing with his monologue. "But I think I'll paint it red. Or yellow. But not an obnoxious yellow. It's a classic car, it shouldn't look obnoxious. It shouldn't be something that implies I'm trying to compensate for something."
"What could you possibly be compensating for?" Loki asked.
Tony merely coughed as he plowed on. "Nothing. I'm a genius, I'm rich, I'm incredibly handsome. I've got everything going for me. So red or yellow? Maybe both! That'd be cool."
"That's tacky."
"It is not," Tony retorted. "It's awesome."
"As long as I don't have to see you in it," Loki muttered into his milkshake.
Tony offered a hurt expression. "You mean, you won't go riding around in my little corvette?"
"No," he stated. "I have absolutely no intentions of being driven around in a color confused vehicle."
"Fine," Tony pouted. "I'll make it one color."
"Don't change it on my account," Loki protested. "I wouldn't want you to lose the potential coolness it would offer you."
Tony threw a fry at Loki who properly dodged it. "You are one manipulate bastard, you know that?"
"I've been told, yes," Loki smirked, stealing a cherry from Tony's float.
o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
It had been perfect timing. Fandral didn't know when he'd get the chance to spring the news on Thor. That information wasn't the sort of thing you just told a guy. Having Thor see Tony and Loki together made everything so much easier.
Fandral knew they really weren't anything, but if Tony's behavior didn't clue Fandral in to what was really going on, then Fandral was an idiot. And he was under the firm belief that he wasn't. No doubt Thor would make sure his brother and Tony spent as little time together as possible. Which meant more time with himself. Between being tutored and the future get togethers with Thor as a chaperone, Fandral knew Loki was as good as his.
o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
"I think I'm going to die," Loki groaned as he slouched in the booth, his knees knocking into Tony's. "I think this is it."
Tony rolled his eyes. "You're not going to die."
"Oh, but I am, Stark," Loki replied. "I feel like I've just ingested an entire flock of flamingos."
Tony chuckled as he pushed aside his float and stole Loki's milkshake. "You didn't even finish."
Loki groaned once more. "You don't even care that I'm dying."
"I do, Loks," Tony said, sucking up the deliciousness that is a strawberry milkshake. "Honest. It's just that it's a sin not to finish this thing."
"I don't think I will be able to make it home."
"Don't be a baby."
"I am not a baby," Loki insisted. "I am sure no baby is capable of eating an entire cheeseburger, a whole plate of curly fries, half of that infernal milkshake and a slice of chocolate chip cheesecake topped with vanilla ice cream."
"It was a beautiful sight to behold," Tony marveled. "I didn't think you could do it."
Loki slouched lower, his face practically hidden by empty plates and dirty napkins. Tony moved a few glasses around to get a better look at him. "I think I'm going to die."
"You're not going to die."
Tony paid the bill and left a generous tip before hauling Loki out of his seat. "Come on, Lokanator."
Loki slowly dragged himself out of the booth with help from Tony. He straightened himself out before groaning. He had never eaten so much in his entire life. Tony wrapped an arm around Loki's waist and put Loki's arm around his shoulder.
"Till next time, Sue," Tony called over his shoulder as he helped Loki out of the diner.
"That is the most ridiculous name I've ever heard," Loki noted as he tried his best to walk. "Sue."
"This coming from the guy named Loki."
"Hey!" Loki interjected. "I'll have you know that Loki is…"
"Is?"
"Extremely sexy," Loki finished, lamely.
"Really?" Tony smirked. He looked Loki up and down before saying, "I can see that."
Loki tried his best not to blush. He pulled himself from Tony's grasp. "I think I'm capable of walking, thank you very much."
"Ten seconds ago you were dying."
He cleared his throat. "Yes… well… dying and walking are two completely different things."
Tony rolled his eyes. "Whatever, Loks. Just don't throw up in my car."
Loki groaned again. "Don't mention throw up," he muttered miserably.
Author's Note: So my power went out today for not reason whatsoever. It has been doing that the past few days, but today was the longest. I thought I wasn't going to be able to write or get this up, but it has been done. Huzzah! Also, I began writing this on paper. It was super weird. I haven't written on paper in ages.
Also, I was super filled with feels and wrote the ending for this fic and I just want to skip over everything and give it to you. But I can't...but it just made me feel like this story should totally have a sequel. This is just... I need to go and do something. Like that dress I've been meaning to make since May. That might be a good idea.
Felicity G. Silvers: That sounds delicious.
xXshizayaXx: I'll think about it.
SirLillith: It's like I'm watching you or something... I'm not though. So... yeah. And I don't like you. I'm seriously going to have to watch this movie like right now. Where can I steal money?
Jaiime95: I thought bad things when you said yes repeatedly... Sorry. And yay! Maybe not that far? I don't know... I don't think I can take the suspense any longer.
samiam13: I get embarrassed trying to pick up a phone. Tony's just gutsier than the rest of us.
Na'viWolf: I think so. I don't actually own a globe. But it seems fairly accurate. I know! They make me cry just a little bit at night. This is doing terrible things to my state of well being.
Bunnyshadow: I'll see what I can do. And I'm immune to puppy dog faces. Even Thor's.
xRDJ603: Thank you! :)
aardbeien: I have that ringtone...*cough cough* It is kind of embarrassing. It went off in the library on Tuesday and I could just feel people looking at me as I tried to stop Ziggy. But no one calls Loki so it's not like anyone other than him will ever hear it. Yes! Exactly. Dubbed movies are the devil. And I'm so sorry you can't get good movies in English. Pride and Prejudice breaks my heart. Not to mention Matthew MacFadyen is too dreamy for words. And Ben's mustache was magical. It holds all the secrets to the universe.
Kitty Bane: Spoilers. I will never tell.
SeriousStuffHere: Look. They hung out! Just for you.
BoBinthemakings: Why thank you very much. And neither am I... shh. Don't tell anyone.
lol: Feels everywhere! Um... if it's from real life (now that I think about it I've had similar relationships) I probably do it subconsciously. I like to think it's all my mad awesome writing skills. But then, I think I'm fantastic, so that's not very good to go by...
TheCritter91: Frigga the matchmaker. I like it!
Doctor Maz: Sitting in your closet is really comfortable and really relaxing. I've done it on several occasions. I highly recommend it. I actually really like that analogy. It's hardly disturbing in the least. And I'm highly enthused that I have inspired your very own AU high school fic. My fingers are hardly magical but I appreciate the compliment. Also, I'm sure you'll do an awesome job of it.
Discreetly Gleeful: I loved your reactions to those three chapters. And look... an update! It happened!
NotGuest: Oh my. I hope you didn't hurt yourself.
Angelafarooq: You're not bothering at all. It'll most likely be written once this one is finished. Especially since I'm trying to finish this fic before I go back to school in about two weeks. Ew. I don't wanna go back. That would be a terrible show, but I'd watch it anyway. The only terrible show I'd ever watch.
That's it. Wow. Ok. Tired. I'm gonna go... stare at my Loki poster. Until next time my loverly readers.
