Loki couldn't believe Vis had done this to him. Of all people! Though he supposed he was even more surprised that Sylvie had actually gone for it. She'd even been the one to suggest kissing in public. She'd said stage kissing, but still! He hadn't been able to help the butterflies that exploded in his stomach at the thought of it, and so he'd stupidly agreed to this ridiculous plan. It was going to be the death of him.

It was one thing to pretend to fall in love with her on stage, to have to kiss her Petruchio, the match to his Kate. But to do it in real life? To have to hold her hand and kiss her and be affectionate in his real, actual, day to day life and have it be fake? It would surely drive him insane, and yet he hadn't been able to say no to the prospect, just for the chance to spend more time pretending to be her amour.

"I can't believe you!" Loki huffed the second he was back in the car with Wanda and Vision. "How could you suggest something like that?!"

"You didn't have to say yes," Wanda shrugged.

"Shut up! I'll get to you later, right now I'm talking to Vis," Loki snapped at her, then turned his glare back to her stupid boyfriend. "Explain yourself!"

Vis rolled his eyes. "And you call me stupid sometimes."

"Hey!"

Vis ignored him and continued on. "I just did you a favor."

"How?" Loki scowled.

"You now have the perfect excuse to spend as much time with her as you'd like. Take her out on dates, bring her flowers, be romantic. Show her how great being your girlfriend is," Vis explained.

Wanda grinned over at her boyfriend. "You're so brilliant."

Loki was still processing. "So this whole scheme…is a double cross?"

"Exactly," Vis nodded. "It's not to get her with Val, it's to get her with you."

Loki unbuckled his seatbelt and leaned all the way into the front of the car to give Vis a kiss while Wanda laughed at the whole display. "Oh Vis, I'm sorry I ever doubted you!"

Vis winked at him. "I know."

On Monday morning, Sylvie was already sick of the new 'it' couple before she'd even made it to her locker. She'd walked into the foyer of the school only to see Val thoroughly making out with Thor against the trophy case. When she'd checked her phone as she walked past the pair, trying to distract herself, she found photos of the ongoing incident on people's stories, sharing their opinion of it with the world. Maybe if she threw up she'd be able to go home early today.

Instead of going to the bathroom or the nurse like she wanted to, Sylvie made her way to her locker and was putting up her jacket when Nat found her. "Hey…" Nat said, trailing off at the end.

Sylvie could not handle her friend feeling sorry for her, that was the worst. "Hey," Sylvie said casually. "What's up?"

"I just wanted to check on you.." Nat answered, again trailing off with that same tone of pity.

Sylvie pretended not to get it. "Oh, my stomach's fine. Must have been one of those twenty four hour things," she shrugged.

"Well, that's good. But what about–" Before Nat could finish the question, Gamora, another cheerleader, called out to her from across the hall as she headed over, "Nat! Did you get the homework for Turlin's class done? Because I cannot figure out 16 for the life of me."

"Oh yeah, you just have to–" This time, Nat was the one to stop herself as her eyes were caught by another girl passing by. "Hey Peggy?" Nat called out to her.

The brown haired girl stopped, and turned back to their little group, smiling at Natasha. "Yeah, what's up?"

"Did you get the homework for Turlin's class done? Gamora and I couldn't figure out 16," Nat asked her.

"Oh, yes," Peggy nodded, and dug into her backpack for the papers. Natasha pretended to copy down Peggy's answer, while Gamora actually did, before thanking Peggy who then headed off to class.

Sylvie watched the entire exchange with amusement. "Who was that?" Sylvie asked, smirking at Natasha once this Peggy girl was out of earshot.

"Oh, you don't know about Peggy yet?" Gamora said with amusement. "Wow, actually having some self control, are we?" she teased Nat, and then turned her attention back to Sylvie. "She's the girl Nat's been totally in love with since freshman year, even though she doesn't have a chance because Peggy and Steve will never break up. Seriously, they're going to get married and have like five babies or something."

"That's not true. High school relationships hardly ever last!" Nat protested.

"Talking about Peggy?" Val guessed as she joined the little group that was forming around Sylvie's locker.

Sylvie felt the muscles in the back of her neck tighten when she heard Val's voice as a range of emotions ran through her. Excitement, infatuation, joy, disappointment, jealousy, anger. She did her best not to let any of it show on her face. "Yeah," she said, trying to be casual.

"Ah yes, the love that'll never be! Classically gorgeous, all A's, class president, debate champion!" Val's tone became more and more mock-infatuated with each descriptor. "And yet," she continued theatrically, putting the back of one hand over her forehead in faux devastation, "Miss Perfect already has Mr. Perfect."

"I get it, she has a boyfriend," Nat grumbled, not seeming amused by the spectacle. Sylvie could sympathize.

Sylvie watched as one of the members of the football team who she didn't know came up and put an arm around Gamora. "'Sup?" he grinned at her affectionately.

"Teasing Nat," Gamora answered, grinning back up at him. They were dripping with that 'new relationship' vibe, making gooey eyes at each other and everything.

"Don't be so mean," the boy teased her.

"You've never complained about it before," Gamora smirked back.

Natasha rolled her eyes, "You two are so gross. Come on, Sylvie, I don't want to be late to first hour."

Sylvie nodded, but before she had the chance to follow, Loki slid up beside her, in between Sylvie and Val, and took her hand. "Morning," he smiled at her.

"Morning," Sylvie smiled back, and leaned in to peck his cheek. Cue the shocked expressions.

"I brought you this," he said a little nervously, holding out a beautiful lavender tulip. "Picked it from my mom's garden," he explained.

Sylvie found herself actually blushing a bit. It was such a genuinely sweet gesture, he really was trying so hard to help her make Val jealous. She took the flower and slid its stem behind her ear, "Thank you."

"Of course," he said, reaching out and gently tucking her hair behind the flower. Sylvie blushed brighter.

"Uhhhhh, care to explain?" Nat said loudly, snapping Sylvie out of the moment.

"Oh, um, we got together at the game," Sylvie lied, but her shaky answer appeared shy rather than made up on the spot. "It was cold, so we were sharing a blanket, and I guess it just kind of…happened."

"That's so sweet," Val grinned, maybe a bit too wide. Was that a hint of falseness Sylvie detected?

"See? I could end up with Peggy, stranger things have happened!" Nat exclaimed, gesturing towards Sylvie and Loki.

All week Loki did little romantic things like that. He put his arm around her before rehearsal, carried her bag to class for her after lunch, and brought her coffee one morning before school. Was he laying it on a little thick? He didn't think so. He tried to behave exactly how he would if she was his actual girlfriend, and hoped she liked what she was getting. She seemed to, if those smiles she gave him told him anything. She'd started sitting with him and Wanda and Vis at lunch, instead of with Nat and Val and a few of the other cheerleaders, which Loki was happy about since they didn't share any classes during the day. It just felt so natural to him, being with her like this. If she really did get with Val, it would be crushing, but he did everything he could to put that possibility out of his mind.

Which wasn't very hard when she was next to him, her arm casually brushing against his as they ate.

"That coffee was so good this morning," she told him. "Where'd you buy it?"

"I made it at home," he answered.

"Really? How'd you make a pumpkin spice latte at home? Isn't that an espresso drink?" Sylvie asked.

"Oh, he has a whole coffee set up," Wanda answered. "Nespresso machine, even the syrups the coffee shops have. It's amazing."

"Anyone can buy that stuff," Loki shrugged, but he was pleased that Sylvie seemed so impressed. He'd be happy to make her coffee every single morning if she liked.

"You can?" Sylvie asked. "Could you send me the website? I have to get some of those. And a Nespresso machine, I've been converted," she announced.

"Sure," Loki nodded. "I could come over and help you set it up, if you want? Teach you how to make that latte?"

"That'd be great," Sylvie grinned. "Saturday?"

Those silly butterflies were in his stomach again. "It's a date."