OK! So I actually had someone read through my entire story and, hopefully, caught most of the writing errors. Now. NEW CHAPTER!

Killing Loneliness

Chapter 8: Solitude Begs Us To Stay

Loki sat in his chair in his apartment. He could not get his mind off of what Tony had done earlier that day. He glanced to where he had placed his phone hours earlier. It had been going off non-stop with texts that Loki had not responded to, or looked at. All the texts he had received, he quickly deleted.

The phone vibrated. He once more deleted the message without looking at it. Loki still was puzzled by Tony's actions. He knew that Tony had his flings. He probably even just wanted a reaction out of Loki, after all Tony had yet to have a one night stand. Perhaps that was all he wanted out of Loki. He could understand that. He had kissed people before. He even used sex as just an object to gain what he wanted. That was all it had ever been to him. A tool.

Loki had been in shock when Stark kissed him. It had changed his whole perspective. No longer was a kiss just a way to initiate his way to gain what was needed, but something different. Loki had still yet to decide on what the difference was.

So here Loki sat in his thoughts. He hadn't moved since hours prior on returning. He looked over on to the table. He had accidentally taken Stark's reactor. He hadn't known what to do with object that lay there. He should probably return it. Tony had probably been joking when he stated he could keep it. Loki stood and walked over and picked up the device. He traced the edges of it and watched it glow in his hands. He tightened his grip.

He could call Pepper to return the reactor.

Pepper.

She could help sort out his thoughts. She was also really close to Stark and could help decipher his actions.

He awkwardly went to the phone. He went to his contacts and called the only person he could ask what to do. He held the phone against his ear.

Two rings went by before an answer, "Pepper Potts speaking."

Loki bit his lips, "Ms. Potts? It is Loki. I-" Loki tried to think of what to say, "I would like to ask you about something."

"Loki? Is something wrong?" Pepper asked, concern present in her voice.

"I would like to speak to you in person, if that is alright?" Loki sounded nervous.

Pepper seemed to be talking with someone before going back to the phone, "Sorry for that. Anthony keeps trying to take the phone from me." Loki froze when she said that, "Sure, Loki, when would you like to meet?"

"Anthony is with you right now?" Loki started to fidget with the phone. "Never mind, I believe I can fix it on my own, Ms. Potts." Loki heard Tony talking with Pepper in hushed whispers.

"Are you sure Loki? Did Tony do something?" Her voice became annoyed at the last statement. "If you need I can yell at him for you."

"I-It is nothing Ms. Potts. Sorry to be a bother." Loki began to think calling Pepper was a bad idea.

"No. I don't believe you. We will have a lunch meeting tomorrow." She left no room to argue. "Happy and I will be there to pick you up at noon." He could hear her yelling at Stark through the phone.

A mumbled, "Yes, ma'am," Was said by a disgruntled Loki. He didn't want to be on the yelling side of that woman.

"Good." She held power in her voice, "See you then. Bye Loki." And with that Pepper hung up the phone.

Loki had truly made some strange friends on Midgard.

~/~

Loki stood outside his house as the car pulled up. It parked next to his home. The door opened to reveal one Pepper Potts.

"Get in, Loki." She gave him a smile and motioned for him to enter.

Loki quickly entered the vehicle, sitting next to Pepper.

He returned her smile, "How have you been, Ms. Potts? I do hope I didn't intrude on any of your plans."

"No worries, my plans can wait." She shuffled through some paper work that was on her lap. She then placed it next to her.

"Everything does seem a bit hectic since Tony's little speech the other day." She grinned at him, "But he wouldn't be Tony if he hadn't done things like a normal person."

Loki let out a chuckle before looking out the window watching the cars slip by. He was hoping she wouldn't have brought up Tony so soon. His brain started to go a million miles an hour once more. He started to fiddle with his fingers because of nervous.

"Loki?" Pepper brought him out of his thoughts.

"I apologize, Ms. Potts. My mind seemed to have gone elsewhere. What is it you were saying?" Loki gave her an apologetic smile.

Pepper scanned the man that sat next to her. "I was asking you if it was alright if Happy joined us for lunch. He is also concerned about what happened." She paused a moment before asking, "What did happen, Loki?"

Loki pondered what he should do. It was too soon. He could not tell her of the happenings yet. He gave her a false expression, "Have you been able to resolve the issues of… his actions? I watched a bit of the news the other day. A lot of people appear to be unhappy of his decision."

Pepper frowned but answered, "No. We have not come up with a conclusion, but Tony seems to have a plan. He just won't tell anyone what it is." She then got an annoyed expression, "The council is trying to get Tony have the board at the moment. Someone actually put an injunction up against him." She scowled at the thought.

"I see. Are you allowed to know who would do such an atrocity?" Loki quirked an eyebrow at the woman's sudden change in attitude.

"Only if they want us to know." She crossed her arms in annoyance.

It was then they pulled up at a fancy little diner. Happy pulled the car to an open space and got out. Loki opened the door, as did Pepper.

"Happy. It is good to see you doing well, my friend." Loki smiled at the driver.

"Thanks, Loki, just glad to have the old job back. Now let's go eat, I am so hungry I could eat a horse." Happy motioned towards the door.

"I am puzzled. I do not believe you could eat an entire horse. Why would you say such a thing?" Loki asked, bewildered at such a statement.

Happy began to chuckle as Pepper explained to the baffled Loki, "It is an exaggeration. He wouldn't actually eat a horse."

Loki gave it some thought, "I apologize for not knowing the saying." That made Happy laugh even more.

Loki pouted at the driver. This expression even caused Pepper to start to giggle. Loki relaxed much more than he had since his interaction with Tony. It was at this point a waitress came up and walked them to a booth. Pepper and Happy sat next to one another and Loki sat on the other side of them.

Loki glanced at the menu and decided what he would have before turning back to his two companions. "What did you do while… he was away for a job, Happy? Did you drive dull people around instead?"

Happy snickered, "Yes, a bunch of old rich men. It was so tedious. Now I have the loud Tony back."

The waitress came by their table and took their orders.

"Now back to my earlier question." Pepper turned back to Loki, "You have to tell me what happened."

Loki began to fidget with his sleeve. This was a bad idea. He shouldn't have asked Pepper for help. "It is nothing. Forget I said anything at all the other day."

Pepper gave Loki a stern look, "I doubt that. Tony hasn't stopped looking like a kicked puppy all day. You have yet to say Tony's name, and this is the first time I have seen you nervous."

"You got all that from few-" Happy began to say only to be shushed by Pepper.

"What do you mean nervous, Ms. Potts?" Loki stopped all movement as he spoke.

"I have seen many emotions from you, most of them are hidden much like Tony's, but never nervous. Even when Tony was taken, you were calm." Her eyes raked his body seeing every little detail.

Loki knitted his eyebrows together, "You are much better a reading people then you are given credit for."

"I am Stark's assistant. What do you expect?" She crossed her arms, "Tony wouldn't say anything about what he did. All he kept muttering was how much a mistake it was." Her eyes narrowed, "Now spill."

"Give the man a break, Pepper, if he doesn't want to-", Happy once more began to say before being shushed by Pepper again. He let out a groan before muttering, "I shouldn't have come to this lunch."

Loki sighed, it was now or never. "I went to his house the other night. We ate pizza. I helped him rotate out his Arc Reactor. Then I left. End of story."

"Bullshit." Pepper said causing both men to give her a surprised look.

"Ms. Potts I have never heard you say such words before. Are you feeling alright?" Loki asked still trying to piece together why she said that, while Happy only mumbled, "I should have recorded that."

"I am feeling just fine. I have had to deal with a moping Tony all day, and I want to know why." Pepper leaned forward.

Loki murmured something that neither Pepper nor Happy could hear. "Come again?" Happy questioned.

"He kissed me. I have no idea why or what he was thinking but I am confused." Loki exclaimed exasperated. "I have tried to reason with myself that perhaps Anthony just was trying to thank me. He could have just wanted a one night stand; after all he did just get back." Loki began to think of the things that had been plaguing him that day, "Or maybe it was the chemical change when we switched out his Arc Reactor." Loki glanced at the two who were now giving him confounded look. "I – I don't know." Loki started to take deep breathes to calm him. "I have never been this confused in all my years."

The three sat in silence for what seemed like hours. Pepper opened her mouth before closing it again.

"It was probably nothing." Happy was the when that spoke out. "Mr. Stark always likes to be filled with surprises; he just wanted to get a rise out of you." Happy tried to reason. All Pepper did was nod in agreement. She still had yet to open her mouth.

"Do you truly believe that?" Loki asked, trying to piece it together.

"Of course, you know Tony, always the prankster." Happy smiled.

"I have to agree with Happy on this one. Tony did it as a prank that went too far." Pepper gave Loki a strange stare, as if he were a puzzle that didn't fit right.

"How about this, you stop by Stark's house sometime this week and he will explain himself. I will make sure of it." Pepper smiled kindly to Loki, to which Loki smiled in return.

"I must thank you both. You have helped me through this. I have been very befuddled over this incident." Loki said.

"No problem, buddy." Happy grinned at the man.

It was at this point the food was served to them. They began to chat about everyday occurrences and never went back to the topic they had just spoken of.

~/~

"Good bye, Loki." Pepper waved as Loki exited the vehicle. After he left and entered his house Pepper turned back to Happy, who sat in the front of the car.

She glared at the man, "You just lied to him."

Happy glanced in the review mirror, "What was a supposed to say? 'Hey you know my boss doesn't often kiss his best friend. It is completely weird. Maybe he is in love with you?'" Happy sarcastically stated.

"I don't know. We still shouldn't have lied to him! Loki wouldn't like that." Pepper said her voice a bit soft.

"You saw it. The expression he wore." Happy mumbled out remembering the hurt and confusion on Loki's face when he remembered the things that had happened. "He wouldn't have known what to do about someone actually caring for him." Happy sighed, "He might have run away from the thought of Tony kissing him for another reason."

Pepper contemplated Happy's words before nodding in agreement, "You might be right about Loki not knowing what to do, but I still think we shouldn't have lied."

"I did what I had to do for Tony's and Loki's friendship. I won't regret it." Happy said with such steel in his voice that left no room for Pepper to argue. The ride back to Tony's house was quite the rest of the way.

To tell you the truth I REALLY want to write a later chapter that keeps giving me feels every time I think about it. The only problem about it is, That is probably a good 5 chapters away still. BUT I WANNA WRITE IT NOW! ahah. You guys will hate me for that chapter.