Though this chapter could be considered kind of dull, I really like it and it contains quite a bit of plot that will become important later. So without further ado, please read on...
Chapter 12
"What did you do?"
"What?" Tony asked, bewilderment clear in his tone.
Clint just grinned up at him, a knowing look on his face. After Tony had gone off with Loki and hadn't return before the end of the free period, he had texted him telling him to meet him in the library as he needed to find some books over lunch. Tony had finally appeared around ten minutes later, out of breath with his cheeks lightly flushed. He hadn't spoken a word to his friend, he barely even acknowledged him as he sat down on a chair opposite.
"Dude you've been gone for like half an hour and now you rock up looking all giggly and love struck and I am pretty sure just talking to Loki didn't do that so what else happened?"
It had always been a problem for Tony that he was terrible at lying to the people he knew so he didn't even attempt to try now. Sighing, he lowered his voice because, for one thing, they were in a library, and two, he didn't want anyone hearing this.
"Okay, okay so we may have kissed, but that's it."
"Did you kiss or kiss because thirty minutes is a long time?"
"Look I'm not going to spell it out for you but yeah, we kissed as in kissed kissed, would definitely give it a PG-13 rating."
"All I can really say is thank fuck for that, you two have been eye-fucking and pining for weeks now. I'm just glad the tension's finally broken. At least I won't have to put up with you moping all the time."
"Hey I don't mope," Tony snapped, but his tone was only a feeble attempt at actually defending himself. If he was honest, he would agree that he had been close to moping lately, though there was no reason for his friend to point it out.
Loki and Tony had spent the rest of their free period together doing things that weren't totally appropriate to do in a classroom. That is to say that they did only kiss but as Loki's tongue had worked its way down Tony's neck before he kissed and sucked all the way up his jaw to his ear, he had thought that if a teacher or another student had entered then, they would be in some serious shit right now.
The only problem was that they had hardly talked meaning they hadn't really voiced what was actually between them. Absently, Tony filed that away as an issue to address soon because, for now, he wanted to dwell on how soft Loki's lips were on his skin and how the other's breathing hitched as he had run his tongue along Loki's bottom lip. He remembered the way Loki's fingers had felt running through his hair, mimicking the movement with his own hand, trying to recreate the sensation. It was nothing, nothing even close to how the real thing felt.
"Yo, earth to Tony, the bell just rang. We need to get to class."
"Right okay," Tony replied, still lost in thought.
By the time he reached the classroom door, he had finally come back to himself enough to realise what lesson he had now. Psychology. The only class that he shared with Loki. Well this was definitely going to be interesting, he thought as he entered the room.
He took his usual seat at the back of the room where he was joined soon after by Bruce. They talked briefly over their homework while the room filled up around them. Loki entered a minute or two after accompanied by Natasha and Darcy. They sat in the only available seats which, to Tony's dismay, were two rows in front of his. No chance of speaking to him now. Not that his Psychology class was the right environment to have talks about their feelings anyway. He supposed that them sitting apart was actually a good thing. At least now he had a hope of actually concentrating on his teacher and learning something.
Once all the students were sat the class began almost instantly, their professor beginning by collecting in their homework and discussing the reading they were expected to have done. It became clear very quickly not everyone had and so they were then subjected to a lecture on the importance of homework and how they were all going to fail their exams unless they started putting in more effort.
A folded piece of paper falling onto his book was what drew Loki's attention from his teacher, back to the world around him. Picking up the paper, he unfolded it gently in his lap and read the words scribbled across it.
What happened during 4th?
The neat italics on the page told Loki that it was Natasha who had written the note. He glanced over at her but she gave no sign of acknowledgement that she had in fact sent it.
Who said anything happened? Loki wrote back.
Clint told me a vague idea of what Tony told him. So is it finally official now?
Loki really really wanted to be angry at his friend for asking him that and he also really wanted to be angry at Tony and Clint, first at Tony for telling Clint what had happened and secondly for Clint blabbing to Natasha. Yet he just couldn't find it in him to care that much today. He jotted down a quick reply that they'd talk later, to which she nodded and pocketed the note.
For once they didn't actually have a meeting after school for their project so they were free to do whatever they liked after the bell rang. What was expected of them was to go home and study but for today Loki planned on going on a long walk with Natasha because it gave them a chance to catch up and allowed him to explain exactly what happened so that she didn't start to get the wrong idea about him and Tony.
They left school swiftly after the bell rang, setting off in the opposite direction to Loki's house. At first they followed the outskirts of the large playing field before disappearing up a much thinner, less trod path, which led uphill to a small wood. Settling down between the tall trees, they sat on a wooden bench and both let out long sighs.
"You've been getting pretty close to Clint lately. Is there something I should know?" Loki began, a teasing note in his voice.
"Maybe," Natasha said dismissively. She noticed Loki still staring at her knowingly and her shoulders drooped as she slumped in defeat. "Okay so it's a little bit more than maybe. We started talking more after I quit the part of Juliet and he seemed really pissed. I asked him about it but he didn't answer so we ended up talking about something else. We were brought closer by our continued meddling in yours and Tony's relationship." She heard Loki say 'what' indignantly but ignored him and continued. "And now here we are, possibly on the edge of an actual relationship."
"I'm so proud of you my dear Natasha, finally growing up," Loki cried dramatically, putting an arm around her shoulder and pulling her into a side hug. "Though that doesn't excuse your meddling."
"Hey you shouldn't be complaining now, not when you're so close to getting your man."
"He's not my man," Loki said, exasperated.
"Not yet," Natasha muttered, looking up at her friend and smiling sweetly. "You still haven't told me everything."
And so he did. He told her everything that happened although with a few details omitted because she really didn't need to know what Tony smelt like or what his lips tasted like. That would probably make him sound weird and Natasha would probably tell Clint or something and it could only be downhill from there. For the most part, Natasha kept quiet although she did make a huffing sound when Loki mentioned that when he phoned up Tony he said he was with Pepper.
"Why was he with her?"
"I don't know."
"Well did you ask?"
"No, that's his business. I don't want to seem like I'm prying and they haven't been together for almost two months now so..."
"Just bring it up casually some time, but if it helps I agree with you. He wouldn't have stuck his tongue down your throat if he didn't like you."
"Thanks Natasha," Loki replied sarcastically.
"You're welcome."
They wallowed away the next few hours with general chitchat then ended up going full circle as the topic of relationships was breached again. Of course it was Natasha who began it. Who else would it be?
"You're coming to Clint's party right? It's for Halloween; his parents are out of town so he's inviting the whole team round, everyone in our little project...besides Mr Logan of course."
"I think Tony mentioned it once or twice last week. Yes I suppose I'll go."
"Don't sound too enthusiastic."
Loki looked at her exasperatedly. "Last time I went to a party I ended up naked in some stranger's bed having no memory of how I got there."
"Calm down, calm down," Natasha said, quieting her friend after his slightly unnecessary outburst. Like she could forget what happened, he reminded her enough. "I'll keep closer eye this time, not let you drink so much. And, you never know, you might get into bed willingly this time and hopefully your memory will remain intact."
"I know what you're getting at and I've already told you. Tony and I haven't even spoken about what happened earlier so I doubt anything that major will be happening any time soon."
"Spoil sport," Natasha joked, nudging Loki's arm. "Come on we've been out for hours and I'm freezing."
Loki walked Natasha half of the way home ignoring her insistence that she would be fine. But after she threatened to break his legs if he didn't go home himself, he left her alone, walking back the way he had come. After closing his front door behind him, he caught the wonderful smell of dinner and followed it all the way into the kitchen to which he was met by his mother. She smiled at him, saying he was just in time and sure enough, just a second later, the oven beeped announcing that dinner was ready.
Taking his place at the dining room table, Loki wasn't surprised to find Thor already present, waiting expectantly for his food. Odin was not there yet but he knew that he would be along in a minute. Even he, in his bitter old age, could not say no to Frigga's excellent cooking. They all settled down and, in silence, started to eat. As for tradition though, the silence was soon broken by Frigga's kind voice.
"You've been going out an awful lot more recently, is there some secret friend we don't know about?"
"No mother," Loki replied politely. "I just went for a walk with Natasha after school...and we're just friends," he added firmly as she opened her mouth to speak. Lying to his mother may sound bad but really, who actually answers truthfully when asked if they like someone?
"Fine, fine, though if there was someone, girl or boy-" she sent Odin a sharp look as he coughed and choked at the mention that Loki would perhaps like someone of the male gender. "Don't be afraid to bring them round for dinner or something, I'd love to meet them. Thor's bringing his girlfriend round next week, what's her name again dear?"
"Jane," Thor said helpfully, swallowing his mouthful hard so he was able to talk. Loki looked at him with barely contained disgust at the display.
"Honestly, there is no one at this point, male or female, that I hold any interest for." He stared squarely at Odin as he said this, knowing how much it would bother him. Loki took pride in the way he could make him flush scarlet with anger and shake violently as he tried desperately hard to contain a shout.
It was no secret in their house that Loki had no preference for men or women, only going by who caught his attention no matter their anatomy. Most accepted this wholeheartedly, not having a problem with it at all but there was one, of course Odin, who did not. It wasn't that he was necessarily against the whole idea of same-sex relationships, more that he just didn't want to see or hear anything about them. He had all out banned Loki from having friends over for a certain period of time until Frigga had confronted him and forced him to see reason. Now he remained silent and watchful, totally ignoring the conversation if anything to do with Loki being with other men was brought up. But today he had had enough, they had gone too far and it was all because of his wife encouraging it.
"Frigga please, talk of something else," he implored.
She looked over the table to him, visibly rolling her eyes. "Okay then...how was your day?"
With that they fell back into their mundane routine much to Odin's delight. Not that he was very good at showing any form of joy on his withering face, Loki thought. Dinner was soon over and they were all excused, Loki hurrying off to his room to do his homework while Thor took a more leisurely walk up to his, not having found the motivation yet to crack on with his own mountain of work.
Once alone Frigga rounded on her husband. "Why must you always be this way, make Loki feel like he is not good enough or that he can't be himself?"
"The boy was fine, for once he actually made no complaint."
"That's not the point and do not refer to your son as 'the boy', his name is Loki and you should address him as such."
"Look, please calm down Frigga," Odin said, raising a placatory hand. "He knows my feelings on the matter as well as you do, he can do what he likes outside this house but when under this roof he can live by my rules. He can bring his...friends back if he wants but I just don't want him doing...doing other things in this house."
"What do you think he's going to do, have sex on the sofa with us in the room? Be reasonable. All I ask is that you are more accepting, don't make comments that could hurt or offend him and just be nice. Please. When the day comes that we decide to tell him about the adoption," her voice dropped in volume as she continued talking. "He most likely won't take it well so just please try to get along and treat him just the same as Thor. You may not agree with his life choices but you can at least accept that it's his life and it's something you can't control so don't try to."
"Bu...Yes dear," Odin conceded.
He didn't like the sudden mention of Loki's adoption cropping up in Frigga's argument. Now was definitely not a good time to tell his wife that Loki already knew and that he was keeping it a secret because he himself had made him agree to. No, this was definitely not the right time. Though he doubted there would ever be a right time.
Halloween arrived before they knew it and, for Tony, this was somewhat of a relief. He needed a break from all seriousness and school. He needed time and a place to clear his head so that perhaps he would find the courage to talk to Loki. Though a week or so had passed since they kissed, neither of them had dared breach the subject to the other. During meetings, they tiptoed around each other, often losing their way while speaking or else apologising profusely if they interrupted the other.
They needed to sort this out and yes a party may not be the ideal location to do it, it could also turn out to be the best location. Just as long as he managed to avoid Pepper long enough so that she didn't catch on to what was happening. He was dreading the day she found out and not just because she's his ex. It was more that fact that Loki was in fact a male and she had been under the impression that Tony had been one hundred per cent straight up until now. So far he had avoided thinking about what his crush on Loki actually meant, he didn't care for labels. But he knew, if Pepper found out, she would question him nonstop and he just wasn't ready for that yet.
Another issue that plagued his mind as well as everyone else's was that their outfits wouldn't be up to par. No strict rules had been put on costumes, you could come as who or whatever you liked as long as you showed that you made an effort and didn't look like you do all the time. Most kept their ideas to themselves which annoyed Tony to no end seeing as he had no ideas himself. Clint was being unhelpful as ever, first suggesting he go as different fruits then moving on to more elaborate ideas. Tony finally told him to piss off when Clint said he had the best idea ever which turned out to be Tony going dressed as the Eiffel Tower.
Clint's own costume was a lot less detailed but still irritated Tony because, for being a genius, he had lost all imagination and vision. In the end, however, his outfit was fine (though not as cool as the Eiffel Tower would have been according to his Clint) and he turned up to his friend's house just as Bruce and Phil were strolling up the drive. They waited while he got out his car, accompanied by a collection of different drinks, all of which alcoholic, and spent the rest of the short walk up to Clint's door admiring each other's outfits.
With the help of his aunt and to the delight of his younger cousins, Bruce had come as a blue and green dinosaur. They had used papier-mâché to creation a hard outer shell with spikes and ridges that sat comfortably on his back. His face was painted in the same colours as his body and he wore a headband that had two horns attached.
"Seriously dude, that is so awesome I think I need your aunt's number." At Bruce's horrified look, Tony quickly tried to correct him. "Not like that...I mean to make me an outfit. Urgh, just never mind."
Phil's wasn't quite so impressive. He had gone simple and classic with the large white sheet and cut out eye and mouth holes that made him look like the perfect image of a childlike ghost. Still, Tony supposed that suited him perfectly.
As the rest of the party started arriving more complements were passed around along with drinks. Tony rolled his eyes and laughed outright when Jane and Thor came together in almost identical outfits. They had come as black cats and had even gone to the effort of drawing on whiskers and making ears. It was when Natasha arrived with Loki in tow that Tony was rendered speechless, only managing to pull himself together enough to mutter the words, "Holy shit."
The rest of the costumes will be revealed next chapter. I hope you enjoyed, please review?! :)
