Don't worry, Ch. 14 is right behind this, just like I promised. And I'd hate to leave you on this cliffhanger...my birthday was Friday which is why these two did take a little longer than I had planned but nevertheless here they are. :)

Seriously though guys I never expected this story to get so much attention so thank you for all the reviews and comments and everything. *kisses all around*

Disclaimer: Do not own Marvel Universe

Warning: Mmm...language. And a word I don't normally use but I knew it would ignite the fire I needed.

Comments and critiques are always welcomed! :D

"Hey, ladies, either you keep a steady pace or you do squats, got it? Everhart, I swear to God, if you don't get off that phone I'll make sure your coach puts you on the bottom of the pyramid next year, got it? Now get off the PHONE!" Ms. Hill blows her whistle shrilly, Christine Everhart making a sour face and stuffing her phone back into her bra.

Loki and Darcy both laugh to themselves, jogging slow enough that neither Darcy nor Ms. Hill would complain. Amazingly the school had it set up that everyone in their class had lunch together and also gym together. This of course had its ups and downs. The main downside being that everyone in their class was together and somehow Ms. Hill kept control of all of them. Boys usually played football or soccer and girls preferred to walk and talk on the track with the obvious exceptions of course. Loki preferred to jog rather than roll around in the mud like an animal and Darcy, well, she was unusually competitive which is why she rarely lost a debate match (and was captain). It was to everyone else's best interest that she didn't join in the physical activities. If they had a choice, Loki would be forced to sit with her on the bleachers while Darcy admired all the guys wrestling one another…mainly Steve.

They do another loop around the track, both starting to feel the ache in their legs.

"Okay, so I'm coming over Saturday night so we can work on my paper, right?"

"Why night?"

Darcy sighs. "Well…I have an away game on Friday, I sleep all day Saturday, and I'm not getting up early just to work on a fucking Chemistry paper." Loki nonchalantly agrees. She stops jogging, taking her time as she pulls up her hair and letting Christine's gaggle of girls pass them by. "Look—I'm going to make this really clear—if I come over on Saturday and find you strung out in your room on some shit I'm punching you out and not talking to you for a week, okay?"

"Yes-"

"I'm serious, alright? I'm tired of dealing with you like that…"

"Okay, yes, I get it," he snaps, picking up his pace. Darcy rolls her eyes and attempts to keep up with him. They continue to walk in silence. Loki could already feel the guilt building in his stomach and she was just making it worse. He turns his attention towards the field to watch Steve and his friends goof off. Loki understood Darcy's attraction he just couldn't bring himself to push together two people that obviously weren't meant to be…he already knew what rejection felt like, he'd been dealing with it his entire life.

Loki glances towards Darcy when she clears her throat. She quickens her pace to get next to him and takes his hand. "Loki…I wasn't trying to make you feel like some little kid, okay, I'm not your parents…"

He nods, slowing down a bit. "I know."

"No you don't, okay, you-" she takes a deep breath, squeezing his hand. "I wasn't there, okay? I wasn't watching you…you could have left with someone or gotten hurt when you fell—look, I'm not going to lecture you about any of this, I promised myself I wouldn't do that and I've never passed any judgment on what you do despite my personal opinions…but when I stay up all night with you and you're out of it like that…" Darcy shakes her head. It was unusual for Darcy to be concerned enough to talk to him about such matters. Loki knew he had a problem he just didn't address it like he knew he should. But he understood that she was upset and he didn't usually coke out in public like he did at the party. "I actually have to work on my paper, so please? Save any alcohol until I get to your place and if you really need a boost…we'll handle it then, it doesn't matter."

Loki gives her hand a squeeze. He pecks her cheek and grins, taking off ahead of her. She yells swears at him having to run to catch up while he laughs. A young blonde walks around the bleachers onto the track, passing Loki and Darcy as they jog by. She was younger with pale blonde hair and dressed a lot like a classy librarian. The girl gives Darcy a small smile—Loki recognized her from the debate matches he went to. Ms. Hill's whistle goes off and everyone stops what they're doing.

"Alright everyone simmer down…hold the balls!" A majority of the guys snicker to themselves, the girl shyly approaching Ms. Hill. "What can I do for you, Ms. Stacy?"

"Well…umm…"

They turn away from the students, everyone taking pleasure in their short break. Darcy pops another candy in her mouth. Loki looks around. Jane Foster had walked over to talk to Thor, his friends teasing him. Barton, Barnes, Storm, and Osborn were all gathered around Natasha who was showing off her acrobatic skills by balancing on the soccer ball with just her toe. Christine and her "friends" were all chattering amongst themselves, phones in hand. He smiles when Steve waves to him, Loki giving him a small wave in return. Barton and his friends all laugh when Clint balances on the ball.

"Boys are so stupid and yet we crave their money, dicks, and attention to keep us satisfied," Darcy shifts the candy around in her mouth. "I wonder what it was like to fall in love and get married before having sex…I mean…if the sex is lousy then what do you do?"

"I think most women take on lesbian lovers."

"No, that's when they're in college…"

Natasha walks up to them and pops her gum. "Hey, Darcy…" she smiles and nods at Loki. "What are you writing your Chem paper on? I haven't been able to start mine yet."

"Yeah, I uhh—I've been too lazy to write mine so I don't know yet."

She nods. "Totally understand. If I'm not spending time with Clint, I'm spending time with Bucky. I'm lucky I'm a good multitasker."

Loki snorts. "Having two boyfriends must be infuriating." Natasha and Darcy both laugh.

There's a deafening pop that echoes throughout the field, five boys jumping back from the now useless soccer ball. All five of their faces pale as Ms. Hill approaches them slowly, picking up the remains of the ball. She observes it and takes a deep breath. Everyone on the track and field was deathly silent. She narrows her eyes and puts the whistle to her lips blowing it shrilly, all five of the boys wincing. "You have thirty seconds—who did it?" All five look at one another frantically. "Twenty-seven…twenty-six…twenty-five…twenty-four…" Two hands raise, Ms. Hill giving them a mocking smile. "Storm! Barton! My office, let's go…" She motions for them to go ahead, Natasha glaring daggers at Clint as he walks by giving her a bashful smile. "Gwen, I'll be right back. Everyone else! Keep acting like you're doing something or you'll be late to your next class doing squats! Gentlemen…we'll be discussing how you're going to be paying back the school for that ball you just popped…"

The remaining three boys break out into a fit of laughter, shoving at one another. Natasha stalks up to them and punches Bucky in the stomach, rolling her eyes as he slinks after her. Everyone pulls out their cell phones, sitting on the track, bleachers, grass…simply taking advantage of the fact that Ms. Hill wasn't hovering over them like a hawk.

"Well…at least Natasha will get her paper done," Darcy sits down on the bleachers, Loki leaning against the railing in front of her. He pulls a carton of cigarettes out of the elastic of his shorts and lights one up.

"I think that defeats the purpose of physical education," Steve grins, hopping up to lean over the other side of the railing. Loki smirks at him and blows a smoke ring into the air. "Show off."

"Always."

Loki kicks playfully at Darcy, pulling himself up onto the railing. "Don't you smoke, Steve? Relieve some stress?"

"You know normal boys relieve stress in a different way," Darcy makes a stroking motion with her fist.

Steve's cheeks redden just faintly, Loki and Darcy making faces at one another. "I can't smoke. I had chronic bronchitis as a kid and uhh…that sort of developed into asthma. Don't usually get attacks but I still carry an inhaler in my backpack, just in case."

"I'll keep that in mind," Loki smiles, taking care to exhale away from Steve.

Darcy tosses her hair back and fluffs her breasts, crossing her legs and fixing her shorts. Loki believed that women subconsciously flirted with their bodies not really to attract attention but simply admiring their own physique in a way. Darcy was notorious for this. He didn't really blame her though…after running for twenty minutes in nothing but an everyday bra he was sure her breasts were starting to bother her. One of the many physical features Loki was happy to let women keep for themselves. She continues to fuss with her hair, Loki starting to become irritated himself. "If you come here I'll braid it for you." Darcy opens her mouth to argue her moving but he interrupts. "I'm quite content right where I am. Either you come here or your hair stays atrocious."

"If you get ash in my hair again…"

Loki smirks, settling her back against his knees and balancing the cigarette between his lips. "Oh, shut up. It will never be as bad as the time I threw up down the front of you."

She laughs. "Oh God…that was literally the worst night of my life…" Darcy looks at Steve, smirking. "I hope you never have to go through something like that."

"I dunno…Thor threw up in my lap once…that was pretty gross."

"Oh I remember that!" Loki crisscrosses Darcy's hair nimbly, pulling it tight. He pauses to exhale. "His sixteenth birthday, right? He was just sort of sitting there, smiling like an idiot-"

"And he just leaned over and puked everywhere…" Steve and Loki both laugh. Loki ties Darcy's hair in place and flicks his cigarette into the gravel. His eyes spark green while he laughs, glancing at Steve who smiles to himself. Darcy pinches Loki's thigh and gives him a look. He rolls his eyes. Loki wasn't flirting—she should know that—what interest would he have in Steve? Honestly, what would he do with him? The guy wasn't going to get wasted with him. It wasn't like they could light up a joint or snort coke off each other's bodies. Steve wasn't a thrill chaser and therefore Loki had no use for him…and he was just too nice. Loki wouldn't feel right corrupting someone like him into doing what he wanted especially since Steve was Thor's friend.

He'd rather jump off a bridge.

Darcy places herself between the two of them starting to converse away with Steve about Coulson's history class. Loki looks back towards the field to give Darcy her moment. Natasha had Bucky in a headlock while he was attempting to fight her off. Christine and her gaggle of girls were all chattering about the homecoming dance that was at the end of the month. Thor…Thor was with Jane. He and his friends were playing some game that seemed to be an excuse for Thor to be carrying and swinging her around. He could tell from that dorky smile that Thor was enjoying any excuse to touch Jane and that usually meant he liked her. Loki nudges Darcy with his foot and motions towards the two of them. "So…are they a thing yet or what?" Both Steve and Darcy turn to look.

"Wow. Jane works fast."

"He hasn't asked her out or anything…at least not that I know of."

Loki shrugs and turns away. He didn't really care. Darcy continues to watch them, smiling to herself. "They'd be so cute together, you know? It would be so perfect—like a mouse and a lion being all cutesy and lovey all the time-"

"You don't know a lot about animals, do you, Darcy?"

"Shut up."

He grins, tugging on her ear. She swats him away.

"So, Steve, you and Loki got to sneak out for lunch, maybe sometime we could do the same…" Loki snorts and shakes his head.

Gwen Stacy catches his eye. They share a mutual smile, Gwen looking back down at her phone. She had cherub-like features, very chubby cheeks and a bright smile, a bit like Darcy but she was paler with freckles dancing across her nose. Pretty—in a child-like sort of way—and one of the few girls at school that didn't stare at Loki like he'd grown a second head. It wasn't that Loki liked her it was just that she was one of the few that didn't believe all of the rumors going around. Most of the school still thought he'd gotten expelled for stabbing and killing a teacher—which was ridiculous.

"How you doin', Gwen?" Harry Osborn approaches her, brushing his hair to the side.

She looks up and gives him a small smile, looking back down at her phone. "Hello, Harry." He makes a face obviously disappointed that she didn't acknowledge him the way he wanted. Harry settles himself right next to her, draping an arm over her shoulders and looking down at her phone. She shifts uncomfortably. Gwen finally scowls at him, picking up his arm and placing it back where it belonged.

"What? Don't like me anymore?"

"I'm just…not in the mood, Harry." She keeps her head down; a smart move. But Harry keeps pushing. He leans closer to her but she turns away. Gwen shifts away, turning her body just slightly to face away from him. Harry leans into her to look over her shoulder. She sighs, shooting him a look.

"So how about me and you go catch a movie?"

"No, thanks."

Harry grins, stretching his arms out and crossing them behind his head. "Hey, come on-"

"I said no." She pushes him away to stand and starts walking down the stairs. "I'm going to go find Ms. Hill." Gwen walks quickly towards the building, keeping her head down.

Loki and Darcy snicker to themselves, keeping their heads low. Apparently Harry had shown an interest in Gwen during the party at Christine's house but she'd turned him down for a freshmen—Loki had forgotten the boy's name, it started with a "P". Because of the debate team Gwen and Darcy were rather friendly. Darcy had a way of charming people she liked into liking her and Gwen looked up to her in a weird sort of way…weird for Loki because Darcy was never someone he would recommend for a role model in any lifetime…but Darcy said it was because she had an immense amount of confidence in everything she did and Gwen tried to reflect that personality. And she was tight with Dr. Banner and Jane who could both get them into the science labs after school.

Harry stands, starting to follow her. "Seriously, Gwen? You're choosing him, the guys a stuck up little prick-" Darcy moves in front of him holding her hand up for him to stop.

"Yeah…" she mock laughs, shaking her head. "No. Not gonna happen."

He snorts. Harry wipes his face and laughs dryly, grinning. "What's up, Lewis? Jealous much?" Darcy rolls her eyes. They both cross their arms, glaring at one another. Steve shifts uncomfortably but Loki tells him not to move. Darcy didn't like being "rescued". Harry narrows his eyes, looking from Darcy to the direction Gwen went and to Darcy again, laughing and scratching his nose. "Oh, I get it…you're doing the whole mama bear act, right? It's cute."

"And you're doing the whole 'desperate asshole can't get over that pretty girl won't go out with him' act, right? Because wow do girls find that attractive."

"Awww c'mon, Darcy…I thought we were friends."

She blinks, staring at him. "You egged my car."

Harry laughs and smiles, shaking his finger at her. "No, no…I was egging the faggot that was with you. Your car was just an accident, I swear." He raises his hand with a smirk. Steve scowls and shifts to get down but Loki gives him a look shaking his head.

"It's my cousin's car. And it took two fucking hours to get that egg out of his hair," Darcy scowls. "Do you know what it's like to get someone with OCD to sit still while he's freaking out about the yolk sliding down his face? Because I don't remember you calling me up to offer your assistance."

"I'm so sorry that my harmless little prank messed up the queer's hair care products. Truly." He places his hands over his heart. "Now…are you going to ask me out, or am I wasting my time?"

"Wasting your time." Darcy moves and Harry sticks out his arm, blocking her way. "Move the arm or it's coming off."

He snorts, brushing his hair back. "Yeah? Well maybe I'm doing to a favor, Lewis, giving you some time to think this over. I give you a chance and you turn me down? Maybe your fat ass should realize that she should take what she can get and be happy about it. You know, unless you want to spend the rest of your life as some faggot's hag."

Steve had had enough. He jumps down from the railing to make his way up to them. Loki hops down from his rail as well but stays where he is. Darcy could handle herself and she was just as stubborn as he was she'd get mad if he stepped in. She flips her braid over her shoulder, her eyes starting to burn. Darcy puts her hands on her hips and takes her usual fighting stance. "Let's get something straight—I am not some twenty dollar hooker that your daddy bought to play with your wee-wee. I have standards, just like all those stick figures that walk the red carpet in Milan, but at least my standards let me appreciate a guy who buys me a bacon cheeseburger and large fry. Since you just proved that the most you're going to let me eat is a fucking rice cake twice a day then why should I even bother? You know maybe you don't realize that guys like you who think you're hot shit in high school get a good kick in the nuts when you get out in the real world. You're going to wish you got a girl like me but I'm going to let you stick with the controlling psychotic mess you end up marrying. Now maybe you should run home like a little bitch and get daddy to pay off some whore so you can have your two minutes of bliss while I go out and find myself a real man who's going to get off just because I do." She places a hand on his chest and pushes him back slightly. "Please get out of my way."

Harry slaps her hand off of him with a scowl, sneering at her. "Some guys actually like the fat ass, Lewis. It's a shame you're too much of a self-righteous cunt." Steve had to grab Darcy's arms to keep her from bludgeoning Harry into the bleachers but she was beat to it…to the shock of all three of them. When Harry Osborn turned around—a smug look on his face—Loki's fist made contact with his jaw and he hit the ground.