So, what I'm supposed to do with that info? –B.
Tony looked at the screen of his phone for a moment while the teacher was explaining stuff on the board before replying. Which class was this?
You asked; I answer. –T.
He waited for some minutes and the device vibrated over his notebook. He put his pencil case in front of it, he wasn't that disrespectful to be calmly texting in the middle of a lecture. He wasn't on the back row to do it so. Besides arriving late, the only available seat was one almost at the front of the classroom. Such a lucky guy.
So you know he doesn't know you. –B.
Tony held his laugh at Bruce's response. Maybe the best way to discover something was letting Loki without sleep a good couple of hours and interrogate him later. He should, at least, try.
Quite the contrary, in a rage attack he confessed to know me. –T.
He wrote the response with something close to a triumphal smile. Oh, there was nothing better than being right with a prediction. Well, there were better things, but the taste of satisfaction it left in him was pretty cool. Plus, it was an 'I told you so' to Bruce.
Tony waited some minutes that were used to write a couple of things on his notebook until he got a new message.
So you know he knows you, happy now? Going back to your house? –B.
Tony almost rolled his eyes at such sentence, then he remembered that doing it would call the attention of few people. And it wasn't as if he didn't enjoy attention. He was Tony Stark and the attention was really important, but in that moment he didn't feel like explaining he was talking with his best friend about a guy who he practically had obliged to live with him. Er… that sounded a little bit weird, didn't it?
What are you talking about? I finally confirmed that he knows me, now I need to find out how we met and why he hates me. –T.
You do have a problem. Can't hear me but I'm sighing. –B.
The image of Bruce sighing while rolling his eyes was vivid on Tony's mind, as if he was looking at him at that very moment. It was that seeing Bruce that way for something –foolishness, according to Bruce- that Tony did was really common. Tony actually counted the times he made it when they were on high school. When they were at the same time, it scored more points.
Be tranquil, Brucie. But if I get sued for kidnap attempt, you have to know that's a fake denounce. –T.
He waited with a mischievous smile on his lips. Though he didn't had time to write a single word, the reply got really fast.
What does that mean? –B.
Before he'd write something, a new message appeared on his screen.
Tony, really, what did you do? –B.
It was kinda funny how much Bruce worried about the stupid things Tony did. It didn't matter what the situation was, Tony had Bruce to anticipate the consequences that he'd ignore until realizing that Bruce was right. And, despise that, Bruce was willing to help him getting of problems, even when he was complaining about the aftermaths where he was involved, Bruce did everything that was possible to help him.
Tony smiled for himself before replying.
Stop distracting me, d'you know I'm in class? Your constant messages impede mi learning. –T.
Yeah, sure. –B.
Tony left the cellphone resting on the table, next to his notebook while he took notes about what the teacher was saying, of that was what he'd tell Pepper that he was doing, when he was more focused on making a doodle of a little Loki sleeping on a table.
Some minutes passed by before the phone vibrated again on the desk.
Hey, answer me. –B.
Tony exhaled through his nose while smiled amused. If that called the attention of someone or not, Tony wasn't able to detect it. And he didn't even care.
Classes. –T.
I hate you. –B.
Tony sent a heart emoticon to Bruce and put his cellphone on his pocket when he realized that it wouldn't vibrate again. He decided to come back to take notes of the contents, and wondered why the hell he was using a copybook if he could use something digital until he remembered that it was easier to make senseless drawings on the corner of a notebook rather than to open a program to doodle in it.
His stomach roared* loudly and he decided that the first recess would be used to eat something. He wasn't even able to drink a coffee in the morning, fucking insomnia. Fucking schedule.
Loki was trying with all his might to keep himself concentrated in the class, but his attention was almost completely on his empty stomach that was demanding to be feed someway.
He cursed not being prepared and not having even a biscuit inside his backpack. With all the hurry of the morning, he had not be able to take not even a miserable apple from the kitchen. Damned Stark.
He exited hi class when he heard the bell indicating the end of the period and he walked with large footsteps towards the closer café, which was not surprisedly enough a Starbucks. Loki waited in the line until ordering an Espresso Macchiato and a chocolate brownie, what? He did deserve it. Ad he could afford it. Besides, he needed to awake completely.
When he already had his order on his hands, Loki walked until the table he had put the eye on when he realized it was empty. He decided to take the risk and send a message to Sigyn before taking a sip of the delicious coffee. While he took a bite from the brownie and delighted himself with the chocolate on his mouth, the cellphone vibrated on the table, indicating the presence of a new message.
Hey, you. How have you been? –S.
Loki smiled feeling relief, at least Sigyn had time.
I thought I asked you first. –L.
I'm fine, and you? –S.
The shortness of the answer made that Loki wonder some things. Was everything really okay?
Are you sure? –L.
Loki waited some minutes feeling weird. Obviously they could not talk about meaningful things through texting, but even so…
Loki cursed the moment he decided to look what time it was, the bell which would end with the recess was about to ring at any second. He sighed before typing quickly.
I am sorry, I need to go to classes. Can we talk when I get home? We could make a video-call. –L.
Sounds good. I'll be waiting. –S.
Loki put the phone in his pocket, trying to ignore the feeling on his chest. It was not as if he was stupid, he knew that Sigyn had things to be worried about and it was really impersonal to talk about important things through text messages which took an eternity to get to their destiny, but… he didn't like having to wait to talk with her. And she was the only person Loki could talk to.
Loki stood up and started walking towards the classroom where his next class was, with the coffee on his hand. There was still a bit left and he could finish it on his not-assigned seat.
At the end of an exhausting and unexciting school day, Loki walked quickly to the exit, wanting to get as sooner as possible to the apartment, silently thanking Amora for giving them the day off. He did not even want to know if she had or had not the authority to do that, Loki just cared about getting home earlier, connect his computer and being able to speak with Sigyn. He didn't even think about the possibility of Stark being at the apartment while he was having such a craved conversation.
Luckily for him, Loki found the apartment empty when he crossed the front door and thanked the welcoming silence.
He walked towards his room, to avoid a certain egoistical from interrupting him while Loki was focused talking with Sigyn, and he threw his backpack to the bed, he would tidy up his room later, it was not that important.
Loki sat on the chair in front of the desk and hurriedly turned on his computer, waiting for it to arrange, hoping that Sigyn was already in her bedroom, with her computer lying on the mattress and her seating with her legs crossed, covered with a sweater or a blanket on her shoulders, surfing around some blog while she waited for Loki to connect. When the program opened, Loki realized, satisfied, that Sigyn was online and he decided to talk to her.
"Hello," he said with a small smile, looking at the girl, who was just like Loki had pictured her.
"Hey, shouldn't you be working?" Sigyn asked smiling.
"No. Amora wants to decorate the café, you know, Halloween and that kind of stuff, and she did not want for us to help her because we would be hindering, according to her," he replied shaking his head, with a bigger smile, "Maybe I will go to help her tomorrow, anyways."
"Halloween?" she asked really confused. Neither Loki nor Sigyn had celebrate it while they had been living together.
"She wants to attract more customers with that. Even with costumes and such things."
"Er… what kind of costumes?" She asked raising an eyebrow. Loki immediately understood the message hidden behind the gesture, Amora was a… peculiar creature.
"Average, I guess. I hope," he commented, earning a chuckle from Sigyn.
"With the face you have now, a zombie one would really suit you."
"You would also be like this if you—" Loki stopped midway when he realized what he was saying, his smiled fading slowly.
"If I…" She invited him to continue.
Loki didn't want to reply. He didn't want to worry her, although he knew it was useless trying to hide it from her, he could say by her gaze that Sigyn knew exactly what he was referring to. Her expression screamed worry, there was no need to be a genius to realize that, it was a matter of seeing her. Gods, why Loki had to be so stupid? Drinking the coffee to be completely awake had been not really fruitful. When had he lost his capacity to think clearly?
"Did you have a nightmare?" Sigyn asked ending the silence that had extend for too long.
"Something like that. I do not remember what was it about, but it took me a lot going back to sleep," he decided to lie. What was the point on telling Sigyn about the content of his nightmare? That would only make that Sigyn got more worried and he would have to remember the horrible feeling that ran through his body.
"That explains your face."
"Come on, you had seen me worse," Loki commented with a smile, trying to leave the matter aside.
However, that simple sentence brought memories to his mind, the kind of he would have preferred to forget. Yes, it was true, Sigyn had seen him after days without sleep, after days without coming out from his room. It was not as if Sigyn had met him at his best moment. And Loki knew that the same memories went to Sigyn's mind when she looked a little bit doubtful about what she should say and he wondered if she had reproached herself about having commented how tired Loki looked. He hoped not.
"For the final exams," she finally said after some moment of silence.
"Yes. When we studied together, you used to fall asleep before me," he replied with a smile.
"'Before you'? Sometimes you didn't even sleep. I passed the tests without collapsing on them."
"Ah, youth," Loki said letting go a breath.
"Don't act as if you were old," Sigyn crossed her arms.
"You cannot feign that you are mad with a smile on your face," Loki said widening his smile. Ah, how he missed talking with Sigyn. He was sure she would have softly punch him on the arm if they had been face to face.
"True, true," She said letting her arms on her legs, "So, how are things with your dear roommate?"
"Good, good, he is really a mess, you should see his room, oh, he tried to kidnap me in his car, he drives too carelessly, ah, and he already knows that we meet at some point."
"Did you tell him? Wait, 'kidnap'?" Sigyn asked puzzled.
"I fell asleep, he insisted on us going there together, I said no, he threw me to his car; I was sleepy, I was frustrated and angry. Then, BAM! I told him a couple of things about him," Loki said, ending with a sigh.
"What kind of things?"
"Basically I told him that the reason why he was at MIT was due to his father and not because of his stupid, incapable of remembering my name, brain."
"Wait, did you lose your temper due to the nickname?" She asked holding a smile.
"Does it have something funny?" Loki asked with a frown. Why Sigyn felt amused with the situation?
"I'm sorry, I could have imagined a lot of scenarios where you would lose it, but that being due to your name…"
"It bothers me. He does not remember me, appears out of nowhere, ruins my peace and has the nerve to forget my name."
"Are you planning to tell him?" Sigyn asked, regaining some of her seriousness.
"No!" he claimed energetically "Why would I choose to humiliate myself in that way? If he does not remember, it's for the best. Less issues to care about."
"Are you sure about that?"
"Of course. I do not care in the slightest."
"Hmmm, right."
"And what does that mean?" Loki asked raising an eyebrow.
"It matters so little that you hare here, complaining about that," she said thoughtfully, making Loki to look at her, seeking for an explanation. But before he could think about one, Sigyn talked again, "Not that I can blame you."
"Sometimes I hate that you know me so well, Sigyn," Loki sighed dejected.
"I know," she replied with a radiant smile, "But there has to be something good."
"I do not longer need to worry about starving," Loki said with a little smile.
"And at least you got to classes in time. He had a good intention, didn't he?" the blonde asked tentatively.
Loki's smile faded away quickly.
"I do not need his help."
"I know. And I do understand," Sigyn's smile stood there, "Just… don't get carried by your emotions, okay? You have come really far leaving the past behind, why should you focus in it now?"
"That is true. I should not forget what is really important," he replied forcing a smile, hoping to convince Sigyn.
And it was that he still had some things he wanted to say. He wanted to tell Sigyn that it was impossible to see Stark's face without wanting to punch him. However, he knew that trying it would not end with good results. Both things. Telling everything to Sigyn nor punching Stark. And it was really frustrating. Both things. Maybe the first one was more frustrating, it almost felt like lying to Sigyn and faking at her side. Front, in reality, because he could not be by her side.
Loki decided that it was better to leave the matter aside and asked Sigyn some question, making the conversation to be completely about her. It was way better than having to think what to say every five seconds.
Everything was going well until Loki's phone started to ring insistently.
"Gods, this thing does not shut up," Loki said hanging the call for the third time.
"Do you know who it is?"
"No, it is an unknown number," he replied showing her the phone screen through the camera.
The cellphone began to ring again and Loki had the urge to throw it from the window. Or turn it off.
"Maybe you should pick it, if it's so insistent, it could be something important," Sigyn suggested.
"Okay," he replied sliding his finger on the green button placed on the screen, "Hello?"
"Oh, you finally picked the call!" exclaimed the voice at the other side of the line, "I tried to call, I don't know, thirty times."
"Stark?" Loki asked gaining a curious gaze from Sigyn. Maybe turning the phone off would not have been a bad idea.
"Oh, yeah, that's my name."
Tony was outside the well-known door and opened it to get inside.
He could notice how empty the place felt, it was as if decades had happened since someone had walked inside and not just few weeks. It even felt colder than outside, thought that could be due to the ceramic floor. Whatever the way it was, Tony didn't like the feeling of being there. Not in that way.
"Jarvis. Protocol home, sweet home," he commanded once he had closed the door and had threw his stuff on the sofa.
"Immediately, sir," was all that was needed to say before the lights turned on and Tony felt how Jarvis took control of the house. Seconds later the stereo started to work and the silence had been replaced by music.
"Much better, huh?" He commented walking to his bar.
Maybe it wasn't a really good idea to stark drinking if he had to drive later, so he decided to simple open a soda from the fridge.
"Certainly, sir."
"As if you could really feel."
"I was talking about you, sir. Silence does not suit you well."
"No need to say it," Tony spoke before taking a sip from his soda.
He felt a metallic noise in his room that was growing more every time as it came closer to where he was. Tony recognized Dum-E's wheels sliding on the floor.
"Hey, you," he said leaving his can on the table, "Come here."
Dum-E started to move and was about to throw a couple of glasses that were placed on a table until Tony made him stop and he walked toward the machine.
"I seriously need to make you some settings," Tony commented moving to the table, in order to make sure that there wouldn't be need to clean broken pieces of glass from the floor. Nor wood.
He walked around Dum-E a couple of times while the robot's claw followed every one of his movements.
"I wonder if you fit through the apartment door," Tony said scratching his beard, "Jarvis."
"Sir?"
"Do you have any way to tell me the measures of the apartment?" He asked walking to his room. It was just the way he had left it, messy and with few of his things.
"I only would be able to make some approximations, sir."
"Hum…"
Tony exited the room with a measuring tape. He approached Dum-E and started telling the measures to Jarvis.
"Jarvis, do we have the phone number of Luke, I mean, Loki it bothers me when people change my name?" he asked seating in one of the chairs, with Dum-E following his steps. It was pure lucky that his feet didn't end up crushed, "Hey, be careful."
"The possibility of get it with Miss Potts is quite high, sir."
"Pepper, right," Tony recognized touching his forehead with the screwdriver, "Jarvis, send a message to Pepper."
"What do you want it to say in it, sir?"
"What do I know? Hm, something like 'Hey, Pepp, I need Loki's number'" he ordered before taking the screwdriver and tighten a couple of Dum-E's screws. Literally it had loosen screws, eh, "That's what happens when you're clashing stuff around," he complained.
"The response given by Miss Potts is asking for reasons, sir," Jarvis replied after some minutes.
A couple of excuses and a call later, Tony had Loki's number and had told Jarvis to dial it.
The tone ringed a couple of time before the wanna-be-call hanged. Tony damned and tried again. And again, obtaining the same aftermath.
"Oh, God. Maybe Pepper gave me the wrong number? Argh, why he doesn't pick it?" Tony asked to the air, combing his hair back with his free hand. Why there was people who had phone if they were unable to answer it?
After some more tries -because it was impossible for Tony to give up- he got an answer.
"Stark?"
"Oh, yeah, that's my name, don't waste it," he answered smiling. Thought maybe it had been too stupid to start that way. Now that Loki knew it was him, he could end the call and don't answer it again.
"Well, shit," he said frustrated.
Tony tried to call again and after a while, he succeeded.
"What do you want?" Loki asked exasperated. Luckily for Tony, Loki had not turned off his phone.
"Calm down. I need a favor." He replied with a tranquil voice.
"A favor?" Loki asked sceptic. Tony imagined him raising an eyebrow. He wasn't that far from reality, anyway.
"Can you measure the door, please?" Tony asked softly.
"Why would I do that?"
"'Cause you're a good person?" he tried to convince him, "You are, right?"
"Yes, sure. I do not have the meanings to do it," Loki replied after a moment. Tony wondered if he was saying it just because he didn't want to do it.
"Uh, what a fortuneless turn of events," Tony said almost for himself, "Thank you, anyway."
Tony decided to leave the 'I guess' for himself.
"Goodbye," was what he got as a response before the call ended again.
That meant the he'd have to do it by himself. And he could have gone in that precise moment, take the measures and come back. But, on the other hand, it was getting late, and he knew that there was an open bottle of scotch that wouldn't last so much in that state and it was Friday… So he would go the day after to solve that. He supposed.
Tony got up from the sofa when Jarvis' voice had become unbearable and he knew that the best way of getting his daily energy was making coffee. A good dose of strong coffee. Did the coffee patch already exist? Maybe he should work in something like that. Though it'd mean not being able to enjoy the taste, which would be a shame. With the coffee burning his throat Tony walked to the front door and exited the house after telling Jarvis to not do something extravagant until he returned.
Once he got to the apartment Tony noticed that he had forgot the keys at the house and he cursed himself loudly while he exited the car, he hoped that Loki was still on the place. Please.
Tony knocked the door a couple of times until it opened and he could see Loki in pajamas. He wondered in what kind of state was himself, because he hadn't even bother to see himself on a mirror before going out. Well, who cared?
"Tell me you did not lose your keys in a ditch," Loki said walking from the door.
"How funny. Nice pajama," Tony replied closing it and taking off his jacket.
"Nice shirt," Loki said sitting at the table on the kitchen, in front of a couple of toasts and a coffee.
Tony noticed that his shirt had some grease stains. What time was when he fell asleep? What time was it now, anyway? He threw a glance to the clock on the wall and realized it was only eight a.m. why had Jarvis woken him so early? Probably to tell him to go sleeping at his bed. Or something like that. Maybe he should have paid more attention to what Jarvis was telling him when he woke him up.
"You always get up this early on weekends?" Tony asked feeling curious. He couldn't know it, because the last weekend he had slept until midday. The aftermath of staying awake until dawn with his tablet.
"Do you always got out on Fridays and come back in this state?" Loki asked before taking a sip from his coffee.
"Touché."
Tony gave a look to Loki's breakfast. It looked really good. Had Tony eaten something the day before? He didn't remember. Probably he hadn't.
He got carried away by his instincts and stole a toast from Loki's plate.
"Hey!" he exclaimed looking at him furiously. Tony smiled.
"Thank you," he said before giving it a bit, "Hey, this is really good."
"When was the last time you had a decent breakfast?" Loki asked almost in a whisper, softening a little bit his countenance, while Tony kept chewing.
"Sorry?" Tony asked after shallowing.
"Nothing," Loki replied turning his gaze again.
Tony knew it was better not to pressure him. After all, he had stolen food from Loki and he was still alive. There wasn't a motive to risk himself. Plus, he had come back from another reason.
So he walked towards the door and took the measuring tape from his pocket. He was about to dictate the numbers until he remembered that Loki didn't know anything about Jarvis. Maybe he would think that it was like Siri, but once again he decided to be prudent and went to his room in order to search for a notebook and a pen. It was easier than explaining.
When he had the table measures, he moved to the wall in front of the couch in the living room and repeated the process.
Tony hated silence, he had always hated it, so he supposed that the best thing he could do was to connect his earphones to his cellphone while he made his task.
Loki was dedicating to finish his breakfast, giving him occasional looks. Because he was intrigued. He wanted to know the reason why Stark was walking from here to there measuring walls and halls, mumbling a couple of things while he wrote on his notebook.
When his breakfast was over and he had finished washing the dishes that were used, Loki knew there was not motive or him to be in the kitchen anymore. So he went to his room to grab clean clothes and then to the bathroom, where he took a quick shower and got dressed, a long-sleeved green shirt and a pair of black skinny jeans. It was starting to get cold, so opting for a jacket seemed like the most appropriate idea.
One he got out from his bedroom, he encountered the one in front of his, looking even more chaotic. Loki avoided sighing at watching the scene and he knew what was about to happen.
"Hey, Loki. Have you seen my tablet? I can't find it anywhere," he asked disarranging more the room, Loki was surprised about that being possible.
"I have," Loki said his response walking through the hallway.
"Really?" The brunet asked following Loki to the kitchen, with hope in his eyes. Maybe he feared to have left it in a place where he wouldn't be able to have it back.
"Yes."
Not that Loki cared too much, so he chose to not comment anything while he walked closer to the fruit dish and took an apple. He stored it in his backpack and Tony spoke again.
"You know where it is or you only saw it?" He asked confused. Why wasn't Loki giving him any solid response?
"I know where it is," the black-haired replied opening the fridge to grab a bottle of water.
"And you don't plan to tell me?" Tony asked really frustrated. God, what did Loki gain with this ambiguity? What was his problem? Probable he was his problem, Tony thought almost rolling his eyes.
"Have you seen your room yet?" Loki decided to ask, putting the bottle inside of this backpack. The fridge was closed now.
"Yeah, you saw me searching in there," the brunet replied exasperatedly, "You know where it is? Yes or no?"
"I know, that is not what I mean," Loki said searching for his keys.
"So…?" Tony asked almost taking his hands to his face.
"Have you seen the state of your room?"
Loki found his keys on the worktop, next to the coffee maker.
"'The state'?" Tony asked feeling more confused. Loki gave him a look, "Oh, yeah, it a little bit messy?" He offered tentatively.
"A little bit." Loki replied. Tony could feel the sarcasm.
"What does my room have to do with my tablet? Wait," he closed his mouth for a couple of seconds before pointing the other guy in the room with his index finger, "You have it," he concluded.
"Indeed," the green-eyed boy affirmed, trying to hide a grin.
"Are you blackmailing me?"
"I am motivating you to clean your room. It is needed," Loki answered before closing his backpack.
"You know I can track the place where you left it, right?" Tony tried to threat crossing his arms.
"Oh, really? Do you, also, have the tech to open a lock without its key?" the black-haired asked smiling.
Tony had to admit it, he was impressed. Impressed and pissed. Hell, why the fuck had he went to go living there? *
"I should've suppose you wouldn't give me all the apartment keys," The brow-eyed let out a sigh running his hand through his hair.
"I am no fool," he replied with a shrug.
"But I'm in the middle of a project!" Tony complained. There no way in hell Tony would waste the day cleaning his stupid room. It was easier to call someone who did it.
"Such a pity," Loki said without feeling it.
Tony exhaled heavily and decided to let it pass. It wasn't giving up, it was postponing a victory. He didn't have time. He could survive some days without his tablet. At least his cellphone hadn't been taken, that would've been more painful. What was this, was he grounded? He had never been grounded for cleaning his room before. He wouldn't let Loki enjoy this too much, he would've to pretend he didn't care even in the slightest about his tablet.
"Whatever. I'll be out a couple of days."
However, Tony hoped that his precious tablet were on a save place.
"I thought that was what you were doing," Loki said sliding one of the straps on his left shoulder, "Leave the door closed when you get out. Be careful with locking yourself out," he recommended walking to the door.
Loki left the apartment and Tony cursed him silently. He had to take the babysitter role seriously. He could see how much the black-haired was enjoying it.
"Jarvis," Tony spoke once he was sure that Loki had left the place, "Coordinates. Now."
"As you wish, sir."
After some minutes, Tony was facing Loki's wardrobe and he knew that it was so much for his investigation about the matter. Who knew what kind of things could be found behind those doors? His curiosity was at its top, but a part of him believed that Loki knew the exact order of every single thing in there. And other part of him only wanted to keep assembling and disassembling Dum-E, so he decided to just exit the room.
He walked to the kitchen and left a measure tape in one of the drawers. One could never one when that kind of stuff could be useful. And he would've a reason to bother the black-haired. Everyone won!
He made sure to have everything he needed from the apartment before exiting through the door. How sad it was that the door couldn't be open from outside without the keys. Though if that was the case, Loki would've to wait for Tony to get out before leaving, so they could left the apartment locked and the whereabouts of his sequestrated tablet would still be unknown.
Tony got in the car and drove to his ex? house.
When he arrived, he entered almost slamming the door. Yes, he was pissed. Not even Howard had grounded him for not organizing his room. Well, it wasn't as if Howard had cared about the state of Tony or his stuff. While he didn't need to interfere, Howard didn't seem to give a fuck about what he did or didn't. For some reason which Tony didn't want to admit, thinking about that made his anger to increase significantly.
He felt frustrated.
Tony walked directly to his bar and poured himself a glass of scotch. He threw his head back and drank all the liquid in one shot, then he left the glass on the table with a hard hit, it's was a thing of luck that it didn't break. Tony shook her head from side to side before filling another glass, one he would drink sip to sip while he was working. Or that was the fine until he decided to take the bottle and walk with it on his hands to the room he used like a workshop.
"What is his problem?" Tony asked when he left the bottle on a table before throwing himself to one of the couches with the glass on his hand.
"I believe it is the order in your room sir," was the response that he got from Jarvis.
"If he thinks that's a mess, I will show him," he said drinking a sip, "Jarvis, tell Dum-E to come here."
"As you wish, sir."
Some seconds later, Dum-E entered bumping with the door frame and a couple of things that were close to him.
"I need to calibrate your sensor," he decided exhaling softly, "Though is a little bit cute seeing you bumping with everything, you're like a baby. An annoying and cold baby. Eh, I wonder if Loki was an annoying and cold baby," Tony commented getting up and approaching Dum-E.
After some hours that Tony didn't bother on counting, his phone started buzzing in his pocket. He noticed it was a call from Bruce, so he decided to not answer it and take his laptop, which was on one of the tables. Tony left it on a chair, in front of where he was seated.
"Jarvis, can you start a video-call with our friend Brucie, please?" he asked sitting again.
"Of course, sir."
Tony waited a moment and turned his gaze to the screen when he heard Bruce's voice through the device.
"So, you choose to call and you don't even pay attention," he said with his arms crossed.
"I was waiting for you to talk first, I get nervous to do the first move," Tony answered with an almost flirty smile.
Bruce snorted and shook his head, amused.
"You don't change," he finally said with a smile.
"No," Tony replied smiling too.
"How's things going around there?" Bruce asked trying to hide his curiosity. Tony knew exactly who he was referring to.
"He dared to kidnap my tablet, Brucie!" Tony exclaimed looking at his laptop camera, feeling aggravated,
"Don't you have your laptop and phone?"
Talking through video-call while they were doing different things was common for them. It almost was like being in the same place. A lot of times they had met at the other's house with no real reason, without even doing something together. Tony'd be disassembling some device and Bruce'd be perfectly watching a movie on the sofa, why'd be different while they talked on chat?
"So? Are you justifying him?" Tony asked crossing his arms.
"You haven't even told me why he 'kidnapped' your tablet."
"Because my room is messy," the replied came in a really low voice, the speaker was looking clearly pissed and almost humiliated by the reason.
Bruce looked puzzled before talking.
"What? Sorry, I couldn't hear you."
Tony didn't know if Bruce truly hadn't heard him, couldn't believe it or simply he wanted to listen to it again for his own entertainment.
"Because my damned room was messy!" Tony answered euphorically, "Really, who he thinks he is? When though when I told him I don't need a babysitter! Everything's Pepper's fault."
Due to the sudden silence he received, Tony looked at the screen with a frown.
"Hey, you still there? Your phone broke or what?"
"Sorry," Bruce replied with a hand covering his lips, "I'm trying to hold my laughter, to be honest."
"What's funny about it?" Tony asked without changing his expression.
"How did he took it away from you?"
"Why do you have to answer with a question? Whatever, I got to the apartment and wasn't able to find it, I asked him if he had seen it and he gave me a lot of ambiguous answers until I realized he had it. 'Have you seen your room?'" Tony answered mocking Loki.
Bruce wasn't able to hold it anymore and started to laugh lively, making Tony to feel even more offended by the whole situation. He didn't have been able to threat Loki with Jarvis. He hadn't have a change.
"Really, what's so funny?"
Bruce tried to calm down, which took a couple of seconds where Tony wondered if maybe Bruce had lose control and had gone mad.
"The great Tony Stark grounded for not cleaning his room," he finally said with an amused sigh, recovering from laughing, "You can't deny the whole scenario is funny."
"No, it's not."
Tony seemed really angry and pissed for being stripped of his tablet for a reason he probably found stupid. Maybe it was the first time he got grounded for something, Bruce thought. The most possible thing was Tony always getting his way.
"You should probably tidy your room, then."
"I do not negotiate with kidnappers."
"Stop getting yourself in trouble," Bruce said smiling. Tony wondered if the smile was because of his now ended laugh or because he knew that it was impossible to keep Tony away from trouble, "Ah, hey. The guys will pick me up 'cause Clint wants to go to a café that is according to him is wonderful and Natasha suggested that we all went. Can you give the apartment address so we can pick you up?"
"Ah, sure. But now I'm at my house—"
"What? Why?"
"I'm fixing some things," Tony answered with a shrug.
"You're so unpredictable when you want to be," Bruce said shaking his head before walking with his phone in hand around his house, "All the fuss to be living with Loki and now you're at your house."
"I'm working on something, and deciding to what things I should take there. I need my chair," he tried to justify.
"Uh, sure. So, what was the kidnapping issue?" Bruce asked sitting on a different couch.
"I already told you, he kidnap my tablet," Tony replied looking at him confusedly.
"No, no, I mean your text, what were you talking about?"
"Oh, that," Tony scratched his hair with the screwdriver's handle, "So, long story short, we both overslept and he didn't want me to take him to fucking college, so I chose to ignore his protests and just made him to get in the car. I think he hates me now. Oh, wait, maybe he stole my laptop because of that! He's seeking revenge, I knew it! The room has to be his excuse."
"Yes, because that makes so much sense," Bruce said taking his wallet from the desk next to him, "They should be coming soon, so I'm ending the call. Take a shower and change your clothes-
"How can you know if I hadn't take one yet?"
"It's obvious. I don't know if that shirt is grey or used to be white. How many hours have you been working in whatever you're working?" he asked lifting an eyebrow. As if Bruce didn't know the way Tony neglected himself when he was focused on some kind of project.
"You know? You're totally right, I should take a shower now. I don't remember the last time I took one, heh"
"It was two days ago, sir."
"Not a question you should've answered, Jarvis," he said reluctantly, "Well, Brucie, see ya!"
Tony ended the call before Bruce was able to reply or complain about the nickname and he closed the computer resting on the table.
"I don't smell that bad," Tony said moving his face to his armpit and he inhaled deeply before hawking his throat, "Ugh, never mind."
Tony was able to comprehend Loki's comment.
The guy stood up and walked to his former? bedroom, where there was still part of his clothes, he took some before going to the bathroom. After a shower that made him feel lighter once he got rid of all that dust, Tony got dressed with a black AC/DC shirt and a pair of worn jeans. Then he exited the bathroom barefoot and he put a pair of black sneakers in his room.
While he walked to the living room, he noticed at one of the screens Steve's car getting closer to the house, so he took his wallet and collided whit Dum-E when he was walking to the front door.
"Hey, you. Move, go to your corner and think about why you shouldn't get in my way. Clue: I can dissemble you and sell your parts on eBay."
Dum-E moved his claw, showing regret and did what had been ordered. Tony got out from the front door while the car was parking, opened one of the back doors and got in, sitting next to Bruce.
"So, what's Nat driving? And why's Clint at the front? Was it really necessary to leave us with Steve, big back? Hi, by the way," Tony said earning some 'hi's from Steve and Bruce.
"Steve lost a bet," Natasha replied through the steering wheel.
"Sure, that's why you torture our backs," Tony said pointing at him and Bruce, "Nobody thinks on Brucies' sake?"
"I'm fine here," defended the alluded.
"See? He's not being sincere anymore."
Natasha rolled her eyes and started the car.
Tony wanted to ask why Clint was the one at the front seat, but he knew Nat would say something he wouldn't understand, course him in Russian or not answer at all. So he decided to let it pass. There would be time to hassle about it, there was no reason to risk their lives.
"So, where're we goin'?"
"To a wonderful café," answered Clint turning to Tony.
Tony let out a sigh, the same words that Bruce had said.
"And you could use some food. I'm assuming you didn't eat breakfast," Nat commented throwing a look at him through the rear-view mirror.
And Tony cursed himself for asking. He could feel worried gazes coming for Steve, Bruce and Clint on him.
"Tony, it's important that you—"
"Shut your mouth, Steve," he replied shooting a hatred gaze. "I had breakfast, right?" Tony tried to defend himself.
"Just coffee doesn't apply as breakfast," Bruce said from his seat.
"I ate toasts," Tony added. It wasn't completely a lie. He did have a toast. It was stolen from Loki, but it was a toast and it counted as breakfast.
"Oh, I can imagine where," Bruce murmured looking at Tony's window, who stared at him with a raised eyebrow.
"So, you moved but now you're at your house. What, the honey moon didn't work out?" Clint asked turning at the road.
Tony wondered two things: how many people had heard Bruce's comment and how many had a wrong concept in their minds.
"I'm working on a project, that's all," Tony said downplaying the issue, because it wasn't really important.
"So, how it is?" Steve asked doubtful.
"The apartment? Small. But it's closer," he answered looking forward, trying to see if he knew the streets or the place they were heading.
"And your roommate?" Clint asked.
"Annoying," was his almost-instant response. And a kidnapper, he wanted to add.
"Oh, really?" Nat asked without looking away from the road.
"In reality, Tony likes this guy," Bruce said trying not to laugh.
"Oh, yes, you don't know how much he fascinates me," Tony said rolling his eyes sarcastically, "How much 'til we get there?" he asked Nat.
"We're almost there," she answered taking a turn.
"What, trying to evade the matter?" Clint asked with a playful voice.
When Clint finished his question, Nat had already entered the park lot and Tony had commented the fact of arriving while the car stopped. He exited it quickly and stretched one he was out.
"Someone's trying to escape," Nat commented with a fierce smile getting out the car.
"Obviously, you know how annoying is having your back cramped by Mister here?" he asked pointing at Steve, who just looked at him with an eyebrow lifted, "Can we go inside now?"
"Why did you decide to move?" Steve asked while they walked to the place.
"'Cause MIT was too far and I always got there late. Pepper was bothered by that," he answered with a shrug.
"Why not moving alone?" was Clint's question.
"Dunno. Helping someone who needed a roommate?"
"Told you," Bruce added while he opened the door for the group to come in.
Tony just rolled his eyes again while he entered the place and followed Clint to a table. He had to admit it, he liked the Halloween décor. It was really soft, but it looked nice.
"His real objective is having him falling in love," Bruce concluded sitting next to Tony, earning a punch on the shoulder.
"If that was my objective I would have succeeded long time ago," he said with a proud smile.
"Sure," Clint said looking at him amused.
"Loki, go to able four," Amora ordered from the cash register.
Loki gave it a quick look to the indicated table and he could feel how fear invaded every cell of his body. This could not be happening.
"Can I take nine, change tables with Skurge?" he asked trying to dissimulate his feeling by his voice.
"No. Go, c'mon."
Loki let out a sigh before putting a smile on his face. Damned good service policy.
He walked tentatively towards the table, fortunately Stark was not facing him and maybe he would not look at him. Maybe.
Without caring if he interrupted the conversation the group was having, Loki spoke once he found himself close enough.
"Good afternoon, I will be your waiter today. My name is—"
"Loki?" Tony asked turning. Loki noticed he looked really surprised and rolled his eyes internally.
"That is what my name tag says, I am so happy that you know how to read. Your friends must be really proud of you," he said keeping his smile, "Have you decided what are you going to order?"
Tony cursed the smiles that his friends had to fight to hide. He was sure that Clint would start laughing like crazy at any moment.
Bruce tried to lighten the situation by being the first to order. Followed by Nat, Steve and Clint, who was still trying to hold his laugh. Tony was the last to order and he decided for the pancakes with ice cream. He had to take advantage of the fact that they served it.
"Anything more?" Loki asked after writing it on his notepad.
"No, go away, shoo," Tony said waving his hands at him.
Loki decided to not say anything, he would not risk his work due to Stark's manners. He walked to Amora and gave her the order, then we walked to another table, cursing in his mind. After that, he waited for the table four order to be ready and he placed it on a tray he carried there.
When Loki had already left the group, the conversation started again.
"Now I understand why you want to enamor him, Tony," Nat said before drinking from her strawberry milkshake.
"How funny," he answered taking the fork with pancakes to his mouth. He had to admit it, it was delicious.
"Do you get along?" Steve asked taking a bite from his burger.
"Nah. He hates me," he said with ice cream falling for his cheek.
"Why?"
"No idea. That's what I'm trying to find out."
He took another fork full of pancakes and the same old question arose on his mind. What had really happened? He needed to find information and the only way he could think of was getting to Loki's good side, which would be, at least, interesting.
"How's that going?" Nat asked after her last sip.
"At least I know he's got feelings," he answered shrugging.
"Maybe you fucked his girlfriend," Clint suggested. Tony gave him a look with a raised eyebrow.
"Of course," he replied without losing his expression.
"Hey, it wouldn't be the first time," Clint excused himself lifting both of his eyebrows.
"In my defense, if they loved their boyfriends so much, they wouldn't have been carried away," he said showing his hands.
"Shameless," Steve said before finishing his Coke bottle.
"Not my fault."
Nat rolled her eyes and Bruce shook his head.
Minutes later Loki got there with the same tray to take the dirty dishes.
"Are you going to need something else?"
"No, only the bill," Steve replied smiling. Tony wondered why the smile.
"Okay." Loki said nodding while he took Steve's plate.
"I'm not giving you any tips," Ton said before emptying his drink and leaving the glass on the table.
"That would not be necessary," Loki replied taking the glass and putting it on the metal tray, "You are already paying for my food," he finished with a bright smile.
Tony could feel Bruce's elbow bumping his ribs and he felt the urge to punch his arm.
"You have to survive someway," he murmured loud enough only for Loki to listen, with a satisfied smile.
"I will take the bill in a moment," Loki said almost automatically, trying not to let the words hit him so much.
Loki felt a weight on his shoulders and he wanted to drown in the dishwasher water. It was something really strange, something was wrong. He knew something had changed on his face when he went to the cash register to ask for the bill and Amora looked at him with a hint of worry.
"Is everything alright?" she asked still staring at him.
"Yes," he replied hearing his voice weird. He softly cleared his throat before repeating it, "Yes."
"Any particular reason why you didn't want to attend that table?"
Amora knew she was right, Loki usually just went to the tablet that she assigned for him, without emitting any sort of comment.
Loki looked as the bill came out from the register without replying. Although he knew that his silence was a kind of confirmation, he knew that he could not tell anything to Amora. He could not even think of a good excuse, why had his brain decided to shut down?
"Skurge!" called the blonde, gaining his boyfriend's attention, "Can you take the bill to table four? Loki feels a little bit dizzy."
Skurge gave a look to Loki, who did look tired.
"Sure," he replied taking the paper from Amora.
"Thank you," Loki said succeeding at smiling.
"Go to rest," Skurge told him while putting on Loki's shoulder the cloth on his hand.
Skurge walked to the table and Amora turned to Loki again.
"You can go to the back and refresh a little, if you want to."
"I will," he said turning quickly.
Tony found himself weirdly surprised when he noticed the muscular guy giving them the bill, had they changed the skinny one? He turned on time to see the weird-looking expression on Loki0s face and he couldn't help but feeling a little bit responsible. He wouldn't blame himself completely, Tony hadn't done anything to him.
He was the one who took the bill from the guy and left the money on it before complain.
"Goddamnit! I told you we weren't leaving tips, Bruce!" he exclaimed standing up.
"But I didn't—"
Bruce was silenced by a stomp given by Tony before he started walking to the door, followed by the rest of the group. Bruce shook his head letting out a sigh before starting to move his feet to get out from the place.
A/N: Well, hello there! It's been a long time, but this is kinda a long chapter, so...
(I actually wasn't sure about leaving it there, but it kinda happened xD)
I've been going throught difficults days, so I'm really sorry for taking to long between chapters, I hope you enjoyed this one as much as I enjoyed writing the café scene!
Lost of love to anyone wtill reading this