Chapter Text
It was already dark out when Thor banged his way into his brother's room, the door nearly unhinging.
Loki looked up from where he was curled up on his bed, a book in his hands, "Thor, when the door's closed it usually means to knock."
"There is a party tonight!" the blond boomed. "And we are going."
The smaller of the two brothers just arched an eyebrow before turning back to his book, "Have fun then. I'll be staying home."
For half a second the larger brother's face fell before he shook his head. "No, brother. You always stay in. That's not the point of college!"
"No, you're right. The point of college is to study, get a degree and hopefully go on to a career. Unless I am greatly missing something," Loki replied, dryly, reaching for a bookmark.
"You are," Thor protested, stepping further into the room. "Come on, brother! You have to live a little. What are you even reading?" he asked, plucking the book out of Loki's hands.
The black-haired man sat up straight, reaching for the book, "Give it back! I don't care for the parties you go to. I have my dance club for social interaction."
"It's a club," Thor replied, still looking at the book. "That's different. You should meet more people."
Loki finally managed to grab the book, "If I go tonight are you going to drag me out to any others this quarter?"
"If I say I won't will you come?"
The younger brother sighed, and finally nodded, "But only if you promise not to drag me out again before break."
Thor made a face. "Must you be so adverse to sociability and fun?"
"I hardly consider these revelries fun, brother," he rose from the bed, stretching.
Thor rolled his eyes. "Just... smile, alright?" he said, already leaving.
His brother offered him a grimace instead, finding a less rumpled shirt and switching it out with the one he was wearing.
"Come on, brother!" Thor called from the door.
"Coming!" He snatched up his jacket and pulled the door to his room closed before joining his brother, passing the taller blond on his way out of the apartment.
c-c-c-c
By the time Thor and Loki finally arrived, the party was already in full swing. Though it wasn't at his apartment, the host of the night was Tony Stark, which meant it would probably go down in the annals of parties everywhere.
Said host was not really enjoying it however.
Steve Rogers looked around, trying to locate the host of the evening. He finally spotted him and made his way over, offering the smaller man a bit of a grin, "Hey, Tony. Not a bad turn-out for you tonight."
Tony turned, blinking in some surprise and his eyes lit up slightly. "You came," he said, sounding a little surprised. "Well, I certainly have a good turn out now."
The blond's smile brightened, "Well, I got an invitation, figured I ought to at least show up."
"There were invitations?" Tony blinked once.
"Sort of? Pepper mentioned it on our way out of class a couple days ago," Steve answered with a shrug.
"So you came," Tony said, with an easy grin. "How sweet."
The smile took on a confused edge, "I thought I'd at least stop by anyhow. See how it was going."
"And how are you finding it?" Tony asked, still grinning and looking more relaxed.
"A bit noisy, kinda crowded, but not all that bad."
"Really?" Tony asked, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'm surprised. You don't seem the type to show up at parties. Like those thrown by me."
Steve half-shrugged, "I'll probably clear out early, but I don't mind when they're getting warmed up."
"But, that's the most boring part," Tony protested.
The blond offered him a long look, "Yeah, it's also the part that makes it so I can get up in the morning."
"Oh please," Tony waved a hand grandly. "That's not the point of a good party."
"Some of us like to be awake for class," Steve answered.
Tony gave him a long look. "Oh please. Firstly, that's the whole point of throwing parties on the weekend, and secondly, class is hardly all that important."
"Some of us think it is," came the response, accompanied by a small frown.
Shrugging again, the slender man waved a hand. "Well, yes and no. Skipping out on one class is hardly going to end the world though."
"Is school really that much of a joke to you?" Steve asked incredulously. "It's better to have those for emergencies than for a hangover."
"You gotta live a little," Tony shot back, eyes flickering.
"Like you?"
"Well, not everyone can reach my standards," Tony replied, puffing up slightly as someone ran into his shoulder on the way to the bar and he brushed them off.
Steve looked him over, shaking his head, "No, they can't. So I'll 'live a little' in my own way, if it's no trouble to you."
"Well how's that then?" the shorter asked, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Going to the early part of parties, and getting up in the morning for classes, work, and or a run," the blond replied.
"And the fun there is...?" Tony asked, tilting his head and smirking.
"Not being groggy all day, which means enjoying daytime activities more."
Tony rolled his eyes. "But, don't you enjoy the nighttime activities?"
"Not all of them," Steve answered.
"Then which ones do you enjoy?" Tony asked, not quite leering but more than prepared to.
The blond blinked at him, taken aback even as the faintest of blushes tinged his cheeks., "I don't think my activities, day or night, are really your business."
"Business? No. But I'm curious."
"You know that old saying about curiosity? You might keep it in mind."
"But satisfaction brings the cat back," Tony replied, smirking. "Besides, my curiosity brings about such lovely results."
"Well, you're going to have to live with curiosity then," Steve answered with a frown.
"I'm good at finding things out," Tony said, reaching a finger to tap him on the chest. "You could give in now, it was a simple question."
Steve took a half step back, "You've been drinking already?"
"What?" Tony frowned. "Have I—? No."
"I don't see why you're pushing about that question," Steve shook his head.
"I'm just interested in knowing more," Tony shrugged.
"Like what I do with my nights? A little personal don't you think?"
"Depends on what you're doing with them," Tony laughed. "Besides, it's not like mine aren't all but public knowledge. Perhaps I just expect the same."
"Some people like their privacy," Steve replied, shaking his head.
"It's over rated," Tony shrugged, the music starting to pound at the back of his head and maybe he really should start drinking as more and more people started entering the space.
The blond shook his head, "Well, I should go say hi to some other people I can see. I'll see you around, Tony."
"Sure you will," Tony muttered, fully expecting it not to happen but grinning up at Steve anyway. "Have fun and try to actually relax."
That earned a small laugh, "I'll try."
"Yeah, you try," Tony said, clapping him on the shoulder and weaving away before Steve could walk away himself.
The blond watched him go before shaking his head and slipping away into the crowd as well.
The party continued in full swing, Thor finding several of his friends, and all but completely abandoning his younger brother along the way. After leaving Steve, Tony flirted and otherwise blended in, though he only really started drinking when he noticed the bright smile the blond was turning on a curly brown haired girl.
An hour in found Tony sitting on the table in the dining room, swinging his legs and smoking as he surveyed the party. Rhodey had long since stopped coming to his events, and Pepper had begged off tonight. Which meant when he got to this point of the night, there was no one to distract or entertain him, and he was starting to feel itchy, wanting something to happen.
Loki was beyond unimpressed with the noise and the crowd at the party. He was still trying to determine if there was anything he could extort from his brother for dragging him to the party, but couldn't seem to think of decent leverage that would actually make that idea work. He ducked into the dining room, finding it fractionally less crowded than the living room and entry. That wasn't to say it didn't have its own crowd, but he finally felt like he could breathe again. God, he hated these things.
Taking another drag of the cigarette, Tony's spine straightened slightly at the sight of the dark haired man entering the room. For all he could see was that the man was the only sober person in the entire room--probably in the entire party and he grinned.
His green gaze sweeping around the room, Loki sighed when he found yet another place his brother wasn't. He was long since ready to leave, but even with that still had to find some excuse to get the keys from Thor if he was going to take the car. He paused when he spotted the smaller man on the table, but shook his head, stepping further into the room.
"So, I'm surprised," Tony said, when the other came closer and could actually hear him. "I thought I knew all the gorgeous people on campus already."
Loki blinked at him for a moment before shaking his head, "There aren't that many of them."
"Perhaps not, which is why I thought I was well aware," Tony replied with a smirk. "Where have you been hiding?"
"Oh you meant me?" Loki rolled his eyes, "Not in your area of the school apparently."
"Which is a crying shame, I have to say. Who did you think I meant?"
"I had no idea, I tend not to listen to those who have been drinking too much."
Tony rolled his eyes. "That's hardly me. Not at this point. I haven't drunk enough to be tipsy yet. So, who are you?"
"Why don't you tell me who you are, first?" Loki responded, leaning a hip against the table.
That got a half shocked look from Tony. "That's a hell of a thing to say to the host of the party, you know."
The taller man's brow arched as he looked him over, "Oh, so you're Tony Stark."
Tony held a hand out with another smirk, his left hand still holding the cigarette. "I'm just surprised it took you that long to know."
"I don't usually attend these," Loki answered. He eyed the hand and finally shook it, "Loki Laufeyson."
"Alliteration," Tony remarked, taking another drag before he used his grip on Loki's hand to drag him closer.
He stiffened at that motion, nodding briskly, "Yes. Makes it easy to remember."
"I think you're easy enough to remember all on your own," Tony smirked, finally snubbing out the cigarette, leaving a free hand. "But it's a nice name."
"Thank you I think," Loki attempted to pull his hand away.
Tony wrapped his free arm around Loki's waist instead. "It was a compliment. As if calling you gorgeous wasn't enough of one."
He startled, very tense, "What are you doing?"
"Looking," Tony smirked, before rising suddenly, letting Loki go only long enough to stand on the table. Taking Loki's arms again, he tugged, insisting the other join him. "The light's better up here."
Loki dug in his heels, his green eyes widening, "No way in hell."
Tony tugged on him again. "Host of the party. Get up here."
His gaze darted around, but he finally grit his teeth and got up on the table.
"Was that so hard?" Tony grinned, and then one of his hands came up and touched Loki's dark hair. "You should come to more parties."
Loki tensed again, tilting his head away from the touch, "I don't care for them."
"You should come to more of mine, specifically," Tony amended.
"I don't come to parties. I don't care for them. Too noisy and crowded. Besides, what makes yours so much different than others?"
"Well, I'm here," Tony smirked. "Right now we'll say that counts for something."
Loki looked singularly unimpressed with that, "Of course, and that greatly improves everything I'm sure."
"Don't you know that it does?" Tony grinned, resting both his hands on the other man's waist and holding him there.
His hands moving to cover Tony's and start to push them away, the taller man shook his head, "I was in fact unaware of that. Let go."
Instead Tony leaned forward and kissed him. It was a perfectly logical thing to do for Tony and he was trying to ignore the parts of his mind still functioning enough to tell him the ways this could be a bad plan.
Loki tensed completely, yanking back away from the kiss and shoving the host back, "Get off!"
Tony stumbled half a step back and shrugged. "Must I?"
The other just stared at him for a moment before hopping down off the table and striding from the room. Where the hell was his brother?
For a moment Tony stared after him before plopping back down on the edge of the table, fishing out another cigarette.
Loki finally found Thor off to one side in the living room. He reached his brother's side and held out his hand, "Keys. Now."
The blond turned in some confusion to him. "Brother! There you are!"
His green eyes narrowed, "We're leaving. Keys."
"Is something wrong?" Thor asked, blinking, mind not entirely processing.
"I'm sure you'll hear about it tomorrow. We're leaving. And before you get the idea to ever drag me to another one of these things again let me remind you that I know where you sleep and I have an infinite imagination," Loki growled.
Thor blinked, finally fishing out the keys to his truck and dropping them in Loki's outstretched hand.
"Are you getting a ride with someone else, or coming home now?"
One of Thor's friends shoved at his shoulder. "Take him home. He's drunken more then he should already."
Loki nodded once at that, grabbing his brother's wrist and starting for the door.
c-c-c-c
Pepper Potts arrived at Tony's apartment around noon the day after the party, knocking to let him know she was there before letting herself in, "Tony?"
There was a grumbled sound from the bedroom and a scuffle before Tony emerged, wearing lounge pants and looking rumpled and annoyed. "It's early. What are you doing here?"
"It's noon, and you need a new suit."
"Noon is early and you know it and what?" he blinked at her owlishly for a moment before muttering something dark. "Please tell me you at least brought fuel first."
She held up the bag and tray in her hands, "I come with breakfast and coffee."
"And this is why I put up with you," Tony said, sinking into a chair at the table, already pulling up the screen he'd built into it ages ago and tapping a few commands.
She set the food and coffee down, shaking her head, "You know you love me."
"No, it's definitely the food and coffee. There's no other way I'd let you drag me out to buy new suits at this time of day."
"It's the best time for it. And there's a really nice store that I've been meaning to drag you into for a while now." His friend settled down into one of the other chairs, "How was the party last night?"
He shrugged, working his way through the coffee and the fast food breakfast. "It happened. I may have made an idiot of myself in public, which is entirely to be expected and drank too much. What's this store called?"
"Does it matter?" She asked, arching an eyebrow.
"No," he grinned. "How'd your quiet night of finishing projects go?"
"Efficiently. I got the projects finished and actually got to sleep last night, so that was good too." She smirked, "And I'm not dealing with a hangover this morning either, which is even better."
Tony rolled his eyes. "Please. What is it with everyone and insulting hangovers?"
"They're painful and make the next day hell?"
He waved a hand again. "Ruin? You give the hang over too much credit. Come on then," he said, rising. "Let me get dressed and we can go."
Pepper smiled, "Alright, go get dressed. I'll be downstairs."
He waved her off, heading back into the bedroom. It only took a while for him to re-emerge, hair tamed, sunglasses on, and wearing jeans that cost more than a pair of pants ever should have.
Pepper smirked at him, "Looking good, Tony."
"Please, Pep," he said, glancing at her over his glasses. "When do I not?"
She grinned, "Do you want me to answer that question?"
"I'm sure I know the answer," he said, sticking his hands into his pockets as they walked. "And it's probably when I'm very drunk or you're very disappointed in me or both."
"Actually, mostly just the drunk bit. But it's not often."
"Please. Considering how many people sleep with me when I'm drunk? I'm sure I'm at least a little attractive then too," he said and paused. "Well, except when I got rejected last night."
His friend blinked at that, "You got rejected last night? How? Who?"
"Some kid—dark hair, green eyes, only sober one at the place? Almost shoved me off the table," Tony said, pushing the sunglasses further up his face.
"...He was sober and you pulled him up on the table?"
"He was pretty!" Tony protested. "How did you not let me know we have someone like that on campus?"
"Because I still have no idea who you're talking about?" She responded as they finally reached the suit shop and she stepped inside.
"Well, it," Tony started, knowing he remembered the name but unwilling to just drop it between them. He was trying to figure out another way to describe the other when he walked into the shop and stopped. "Oh."
Loki looked up when his manager told him that the new customers were his to deal with, and there was a definite implication that it would be best to make sure they came back too. His green eyes widened and then narrowed when he spotted Tony Stark just inside the door. He pasted on a smile and made his way over, "Welcome in. Is there anything we can help you with today?"
Pepper offered him a smile, "Loki, I didn't realize you worked here."
His smile turned slightly more genuine as he greeted her, "Pepper, good to see you. Yeah, I've been here for a while. What can we do for you?"
"Tony needs a new suit," she replied with a half shrug.
Tony had snapped his mouth shut when the dark haired man walked over, finally turning to Pepper and pointing at the sales clerk. "Him."
Pepper blinked, trying to process that in context before turning to her friend, "You mean...Tony!"
"What?" Tony protested, spreading his arms out and eyes sliding over to glance at Loki through the sunglasses.
"Oh, so you've heard then," Loki murmured before turning to Tony. "What sort of suit are you looking for, sir?" Pepper just shook her head at both of them.
"You're a lot nicer today," Tony drawled before he could think about it.
"And you're less drunk," the clerk grit out before he realized what he intended to say.
"I was barely drunk," Tony protested. "You can tell because I'm standing today."
"The point still stands."
Pepper cut in, "We're looking for something for a charity event next Saturday."
Tony rolled his eyes behind the sunglasses. "Why am I going again?"
"Because you missed the last four, and you can at least have the decency to show up to one."
He made a face before turning back to the clerk. "Navy pinstripes, or the nearest thing, three buttons. Go fetch."
Loki stared at him for a long moment, before smiling thinly, "Size an measurements?"
Pepper offered him an apologetic look before rattling them off. She watched him hurry off to see what he could find before she turned on Tony, "You could try to be a little nice."
"He just about pushed me off a table," Tony said. "And that was being nice. I could have given him the run around of everything I didn't want first."
She sighed, "You hauled him up on the table in the first place, didn't you?"
"It had better light," Tony muttered. "Oh, and by the way, you know him?"
"Better light? Really, Tony? And yeah, he's in one of my dance clubs on campus."
"So you did know who he was and not tell me," Tony pouted at her a minute.
"Well, he's Loki. I guess I don't really think about it," She shrugged in response.
Tony shot her a dark look from behind the glasses.
"What? Yes he's gorgeous, no I didn't think you needed to know about every pretty guy on campus. Especially since you're still hung up on Steve Rogers."
"I am not--" the shorter started to protest and snapped his mouth shut. "Pep, there are days I wish I didn't know you."
"Love you too, Tony," she responded dryly as Loki returned with the requested suit.
"I hope this is satisfactory?" He glanced from Pepper to Tony.
Tony gave it a quick once over. "It might need some taking in," he replied. "So, do you like suits then?"
"We have a fitting room where we can see what needs to be done so that it fits you properly," Loki offered, ignoring the second question.
"Sure," Tony drawled, voice honey. "You didn't answer the question."
"Do I enjoy suits? That entirely depends. I enjoy fashion, but not suits specifically," the taller man answered as he started to lead them to the fitting area.
"So what fashions do you like?" Tony asked, following on his heels.
He rolled a shoulder, "Those that have some inspiration in the past. It's difficult to specify."
"I'll accept picture aids," Tony smirked.
"I don't have them on me," Loki replied. "But for your sake I'm sure I can dig some up somewhere."
"Cool," Tony beamed, aware that the other had just all but agreed to see him some other time.
Loki handed over the suit as he unlocked one of the fitting rooms, "Here you are."
"My hero," Tony snarked, slipping into the room quickly.
Glancing at Pepper, Loki offered her an arched eyebrow, "Is he always like this?"
"Usually."
"I can hear you," Tony protested, stripping quickly to pull the suit pants up, considering.
"Good," Pepper responded.
Loki shook his head, "Is the suit satisfactory?"
"It's looking like it," he said through the door, getting the jacket over the band tee shirt he was wearing, and stepping out to show Pepper more than the clerk, since she tended to like it when he was dressed properly.
Pepper made an appreciative sound, "It works, well even."
Loki's gaze swept over the suit critically as he considered how it hung and the way it fit. Lingering over the cut of the shoulders he nodded slightly in silent agreement.
"Well," Tony grinned. "That was easier than usual."
His friend smiled, "Great, I need to find myself a dress next, so we'll buy this and then deal with that?"
"Yeah," Tony said, giving Loki another look through the glasses before shutting the door between them again.
Loki just blinked, shaking his head, "Can I do anything else for you, Pepper?"
The redhead glanced at him, "No, but thanks, Loki. I think we've got it from here."
Tony exited moments later, very practiced on the art of getting in and out of suits quickly. "You're getting the commission though, right?"
The clerk looked at him, "I hope so?"
"I'll put in a good word," Tony grinned, suit draped over one arm.
Managing another thin smile, Loki nodded slightly, "Thank you."
Still smirking, Tony moved to walk around him, free hand brushing along his hip for a moment.
Loki startled, taking a not so subtle step away from the smaller man. Pepper sighed in something akin to frustration as she followed Tony.