"So you're going out on a date? Like, a real date without killing people or blowing stuff up? Or blowing people up and killing stuff? Or getting blown to bits and –"
"Yes, Barton", Loki cut in, clearly annoyed by the archer's rambling. "Believe it or not, I am able to go out with my lover without causing mayhem."
"Which was absolutely not expected", Romanov drawled from the sofa she was sprawled out on with a book.
"I am glad you've all got so much confidence in me", Loki commented drily, rolling his eyes, while he tugged on the sleeve of his white dress shirt under the black suit.
Just in that moment Tony came in, also in a black suit, and stopped for a moment at seeing Loki. It took him a second until he found out how to use his tongue again: "Darling, you look gorgeous."
"Oh my god", Clint groaned. "Look at them. They're all over each other. They're fucking wearing matching outfits." Which was true: Both men were dressed in perfectly fitting black suits, together with immaculate white button-ups and ties (which were different by the way, Tony's a dark wine red and Loki's in his trademark green). "If you two get any more cute with each other, I'm gonna – god, Tony, no!" The archer's protests were ignored and Tony continued straightening Loki's tie. "Okay, nope, get out of my eyes, you're terrible."
"Get a girlfriend, Barton", Tony advised and stepped back. "You're perfect, Snowflake."
"Nicknames? Really? This is too much", Clint mumbled. "You're giving me diabetes. Go away – oh holy mother of God – not you, Loki – they're holding hands. Nicknames and tie-straightening and holding hands, this is too much. Shoo, get out of here or I'm going insane."
"He means to tell you to have fun", Bruce chimed in gently.
"Yep", Natasha agreed. "But you're still disgustingly sweet. So go have fun."
"Where we can't see you", Clint added.
Tony just stuck his tongue out to all of them while the elevator closed, then turned towards his boyfriend. "I still mean it. You should wear suits more often."
"Says the one who spends half of his free time in underwear", Loki replied smoothly. "Or completely without clothing." The inventor just shrugged with a grin. "Are you telling me where we are going?"
"Stop asking, I want to surprise you and if you make these curious children's eyes all the time it's getting really hard to not tell you", Tony replied.
"That is my intention", Loki pointed out with a smirk. He didn't ask anymore though, but sat in the car with his boyfriend ("Look at this baby, Lokes, I rebuilt it myself like, 92 percent of it. This is practically nothing from the crap it's been before, because honestly, it was crap before, but it looked so great so I decided to buy it and put something nice under that awesome housing. For example here, it has an...") and listened to his rambling, enjoying the delightful sparkle in his eyes as he drove and talked. It passed the time easily and soon, they stopped in a street lined with shops and restaurants.
Tony turned off the engine and turned towards Loki, still sitting in the driver's seat, to ask: "Well then, Snowflake, ever eaten Spanish before?" The god shook his head; they had tried a lot of the various things Midgard's culinary richness had to offer, but he could not recall having eaten 'Spanish' before. "Then it's time to make that up", the engineer declared enthusiastically while unfastening his seatbelt. "We get you something nice, and then, I'll have to make you try Churros con Chocolate. Rings a bell? No? Okay, lemme help you." He left the car and hurried over to Loki's side so he could open the door for him, smiling brightly.
"You seem very convinced that I am going to like it", the god commented, although Tony's cheerful mood made him smile himself.
"Oh, you will, I promise. Try to imagine what fried dough and chocolate and love and hugs taste like, and then you can imagine Churros con Chocolate. But first... Empanadas. You'll need to try Empanadas."
"How can you talk about food to that extend?", Loki asked, laughing, while he let the inventor link arms with him to drag him along.
"Wait 'til you tried it and you'll understand. You're such a sweets fan, I bet you'd love Crema Catalana."
"Crema Catalana?", the god repeated and Tony shook his head.
"No, rrrroll the 'r'. Crrrema." He snickered and looked up. "Come in, we're there." Loki looked up at the building they had stopped at and read the large sign over the entrance saying La Tasca de Alexandra. Before he had time to really take it in, Tony pulled him inside where he was greeted by a young woman, clearly Spanish judging by her looks (because that much Loki had learned until now).
"Alexandra, mi amor!", Tony exclaimed (rolling the 'r', of course), a wide grin on his face as he opened his arms. She laughed and he greeted her with a fast kiss on both cheeks before turning back to Loki who had been watching them in silence. "Alex, this is Loki. Loki, meet Alex."
"Hi", she said, still smiling widely, and extended a hand for Loki to shake. "I'm Alexandra, the owner." She chuckled. "Obviously." Her words were accompanied by a very light accent.
"It is a pleasure to meet you", he said politely, accepting the hand. He didn't attempt to stir a conversation though, but glanced over at Tony who was quick to take over again.
"It's great to see you again, I haven't been here for far too long", he stated and she nodded.
"I absolutely agree. I'm still waiting for you dragging your crazy bunch of heroes with you here", she answered lightly, causing the engineer to laugh.
"Believe me, you wouldn't want that", he responded. "They're fit for bars and stuff, but not for a restaurant. Maybe I'll call you to hang out sometimes." He winked playfully.
"You know I won't let this drop now you've offered it, right?", Alex warned. "Come on, I'm going to show you your table." She led them through the quiet, rarely occupied restaurant while continuing her bickering with Tony. It sure looked nice, the furnishing was elegant and the lighting soft, not even a bit too bright. "Sit down, please", she said, motioning towards a small table with a candle standing in the middle of it. They both complied and Alexandra pulled out a clipboard before asking: "Any idea what you're going to eat already?"
"We'll have Crema Catalana", Tony said immediately (and of course with a perfectly rrrolled 'r', "and Churros con Chocolate."
She chuckled and replied: "That's great, Tony, really, but don't you think you should have the main course before the dessert?"
"Ah, yes, main course. Right." Tony looked sheepish. "Well, I wanted Loki to try Empanadas and... those little.." He stared at the air, snapping his fingers absently. "You know what I mean, the... Albondigas, that's the one!", he exclaimed triumphantly. "And I loved the Croquetas last time, could we have some of those?"
"You know what?", Alex chimed in, pocketing the clipboard. "How about I get you a large plate with everything so you don't have to choose."
"Sounds great. You're an angel", the inventor stated.
"I know", she said. "But start calling me Angela again and I'll throw you out, it doesn't even have anything to do with angels."
"But angelo –"
"It's Italian, Tony", she interrupted, scolding him. "Those are two different languages. Also, you only get the dessert after the main course."
"Yes, mum", he muttered, crossing his arms and pouting like a small child. "Surprise me with the wine."
"Good", Alexandra praised and then turned around, leaving Tony to Loki again who frowned first at her, then at his boyfriend.
"Hey, what's with the grumpy face?", Tony asked lightly.
Loki hesitated before asking: "You... like her, don't you?"
The engineer shrugged. "Well, of course, we've known each other for a few years now and she's funny as well as intelligent, so I – wait." A grin spread on his face, delighted and full of glee. "Are you jealous, Loki?"
"Of course not!", the prince protested. "I am above that sort of..."
"You're jealous!", Tony cut in, his smile growing more teasing with each passing second. He rested his elbows on the table and leaned forward. "You're jealous 'cause I'm getting along with Alex, aren't you? Aw, Lokes, have you any idea how cute that is?"
The god snorted and stared at the wall above the mortal's head, trying to fight off the blush creeping up his cheeks as he insisted: "I am not jealous of a pathetic little mortal."
"You know, I am a pathetic little mortal too", the inventor reminded.
"That's something else."
"So you're absolutely sure you're not jealous?", Tony asked, obviously not taking it seriously.
"Not at all", Loki confirmed. "Jealous, I mean."
"Don't worry, I won't try to steal Tony from you", Alexandra (who had returned with a bottle of wine and two glasses) commented, embarrassing the prince even more. She hadn't been supposed to hear that, damn it. "He's quite a handful, I think." Grinning, she ruffled a hand through Loki's hair before turning around to leave again.
The god remained stunned to silence for a few seconds before he said slowly: "Did she just... touch my hair." It wasn't even a question.
"Yup", Tony answered anyway. "She's a bit crazy, but of the nice sort. She's great to spend time with. Anyway, seriously now: You know I'm not gonna cheat on you, right?" He had lost his playfulness and looked very sincere now as he reached over the table to grasp one of the god's hands.
Loki nodded slowly and replied: "Yes, I... suppose I know that." He smiled. "But I still dislike it when you act so acquainted with her."
"Which does by no means indicate that you're jealous, of course", the engineer added, winking.
"Right. Not at all."
Soon after they had 'agreed' on that, the food arrived. As Tony had predicted, Loki absolutely loved it and they ended up ordering seconds (and thirds). Alexandra was delighted over the god's appetite and seemed to enjoy the couple's bickering and constant back and forth whenever she came over to their table (because apparently, Tony didn't just get any random waitress, but the owner herself). It turned out to be a great evening and when they were finished, Alexandra led them outside where it was dark already.
"It's been great to see you again", Tony said, smiling, as the two repeated the gesture from before: a short kiss to each cheek.
"Yep", she agreed. "Am I going to see you two again soon?"
The inventor glanced at Loki and wanted to give a vague answer, but the god was faster as he replied with a bright, charming smile: "Of course you will, the evening was most enjoyable." Then, in front of a perplexed Tony Stark, he stepped towards and bent down slightly to mimic the gesture the two mortals had exchanged before. When he pulled back, Alexandra looked just as surprised as Tony. "Until next time then."
"Um, yes, sure", she nodded and smiled. "Have a good trip home!"
The two walked silently towards the car for a minute, Loki smirking to himself, until Tony blurted out: "She blushed, did you see that? She didn't blush when I kissed her."
"That is surely because you two know each other for so long already", the prince replied.
"Are you sure? Because I think –"
"Tony, you wouldn't happen to be jealous, would you?", Loki drawled complacently.
"Oh, shut up."