Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Summary: "It's not a very entertaining party," Anthony admitted while taking something from the inner pocket of his vest, "but that's not your fault. Also- not your fault your brother is an idiot." For the first time Loki actually showed amusement.

Warnings: AU - Loki/Tony - Loki/Fandral

AN: I wrote this whenever I wasn't studying and I don't know where this came from. I just felt like writing some Loki/Tony and this is what happened. I hope some of you will enjoy this and since I have already written the ending, I should be able to update a part every day or so (I still need to beta-read it). I suspect this will count 4 parts, maybe 5. It depends on where I will break the entire story into chapters. Thanks for reading this!

Awake my Soul – Part I

The dinner party was extremely boring and tiring and Loki wasn't sure why the hell he was still there. No one would miss him if he just got up and left, though Frigga might notice. She was his mother after all and wasn't it her duty to at least keep an eye on her youngest son? Then again, Thor was present as well and Frigga was mostly occupied by keeping close tabs on him. Loki couldn't be sure, but he thought his brother had already drunken too much beer at this party.

So far, the eldest Odinsson didn't look too drunk and the stories he was telling weren't too offensive, although Loki honestly didn't want to hear how his brother lost his virginity almost eight years ago. Could it actually be eight year? That would have made Thor...fifteen. It was plausible.

Turning his attention away from his brother and mother, he suddenly caught the eye of his father. This was Odin's dinner party, held for the honour of his sixtieth birthday. It was an official party and many guests were present and Loki was sure he had not even met some of them before. There were old friends, very distant family and even business partners. He knew Odin disliked the evening as much as he did. Too many people. Too much attention.

Odin offered his youngest son a genuine smile and Loki returned it. It was the first affection the two had shown each other for the entire day. That was hardly unusual. They had never been close. Not even when Loki had been a child. He had always been very independent. Odin and Thor, now that was an entirely different story. The two were practically lookalikes and they shared the same interests; politics and the family company: Asgard Industries.

It wasn't that Loki had anything against politics or the company, but he simply had different interests. He was still going to university with psychology as his major. Odin had been adamant that Loki was only being stubborn, but Frigga had supported her youngest son all the way. In the end, she was a good mother, but a bit overprotective at times.

He turned to look at his left and Loki's eyes fell on the one man he knew Odin and Thor despised with their entire heart. Anthony Edward Stark was a powerful, wealthy and very clever man. He was one of the few that could one day pose as a threat to Asgard Industries since his company - Stark Industries - was only growing in strength and wealth. Loki wasn't sure why Odin had invited the man, but he assumed it was something along the lines of 'keep your friends close, but your enemies closer'.

Stark was in the middle of a conversation with a lovely looking redhead and Loki strained to hear what they were talking about. He failed to do so for Thor's voice was much too loud near his right. The story of how he lost his virginity was long forgotten and now he was bragging about how he had one day killed a boar while hunting with Odin. Loki refused to believe that story true because it was simply impossible to strangle such a beast with your bare hands.

It was then that Thor tried to pull Loki into the conversation and Loki was not in the mood for such pleasantries. Certainly not when he knew for a fact that they would all be about pleasing Thor and Odin.

"Excuse me," Loki said much too kindly. He sounded like a snake about to strike. With one smooth movement, he stood up and walked away from the table. He wasn't sure where he could go, but when he stepped into the hallway and noticed the balcony, he remember his sudden need for air.

The black night sky was illuminated with a thousand stars and the air was cool. It was a perfect April-evening and Loki wished he wasn't trapped in this God forsaken restaurant. He didn't know what else he could do on an evening like this, but he certainly didn't want to spend it with a bunch of strangers that only talked to him because he was the 'son of Odin Allfather'.

He could hear footsteps approaching, but he didn't turn around. He suspected it was Thor or perhaps Fandral. The idea of talking to Thor's friend pleased Loki. At least there would be genuine conversation then, but Loki ended up surprised.

"You look bored."

Spinning around, he found the CEO of Stark Industries standing before him. He wasn't sure why, but Anthony was grinning while holding a glass of whisky in his hand. Loki narrowed his eyes, trying to understand what the man was doing here, but in stead he simply said, "I could say the same for you."

Anthony lifted his arms in a 'what can you do about it?' kind of manner before stepping onto the balcony as well. He placed his glass of whisky on the ledge and Loki never took his eyes from him. He needed to be focused if he wanted to read Stark's intentions.

"It's not a very entertaining party," Anthony admitted while taking something from the inner pocket of his vest, "but that's not your fault. Also- not your fault your brother is an idiot."

Loki didn't know why, but he laughed and he realized that this was the first time he actually showed amusement. It had been a very long day. "His stories do get a little wild near the end of the evening."

Anthony took hold of a cigarette and placed it between his thin, red lips. He was grinning and his eyes showed that he meant it. Loki was good in reading people and he could always tell when someone was just being nice or trying to get close to him for a reason. That reason mostly being to get close to Odin.

"I'm Tony, by the way, but you knew that."

"Tony?" Loki leaned back against the ledge, one eyebrow raised.

"Yes. And not everyone gets to call me that. For instance, your brother would have to call me mister Stark. Even your father calls me that and he's like a hundred years older than me. You look like a fun guy, however, so you can call me Tony."

"I'm Loki, but I guess you already knew that." He watched how Tony lit his cigarette and slowly inhaled before releasing the smoke from his mouth again. "Smoking kills, you know."

"I do know," Tony smirked, "but if anything, I don't think a cigarette is going to kill me in the end." Loki only eyed him carefully. "So you are younger than Thor. How many years?"

So this is where the conversation turns for the worst. Loki had held high hoped for Tony, but he proved to be as narrow-minded and boring as the rest of the planet. Why would anyone ever assume that Loki enjoyed talking about his brother?

"Two years," he answered truthfully.

"Baffling," Tony said, "it must be horrible to be so much smarter than him."

Loki snorted and realized that the situation could still be saved. Perhaps Tony could be an interesting conversation-partner. "You have no idea," Loki said, "killing a boar by strangling it? How does he invent such stories? They get dumber by passing year."

Tony sucked at the end of his cigarette before releasing the smoke through his nose. "I don't know why Odin puts so much faith in him. If he rules Asgard Industries for one day, it will go bankrupt. You would be a much better CEO, I'm certain of it."

"No, thank you," Loki smiled politely. The very idea of getting into the family business sent shivers down his spine. He had spent years avoiding any contact with the company, just because he didn't want Odin to dictate his life. "The further away I am from it, the better I can breathe."

"Then what is it you do?" Tony took a sip from his whisky. "I can't imagine a smart guy like yourself wasting his talents."

"I study psychology," Loki answered, "my second year actually. I hope to be a psychiatrist one day and if you believe Odin's version of the facts, that is just because I want to piss him off."

"Ha," Tony moved a little closer to Loki, "you can tell me the truth, Loki."

Now he was confused. "Tell you the truth about what?"

"Are you doing it to piss him off?"

It started as a grin, but it ended in a well meant smile. "I guess it started like that. Father wanted me to work a low job in the company, so that I could get to know it and work my way up, but I refused. I said I wanted to go to a decent university and get a degree. Father was furious, but I had mother on my side."

"She does seem lovely," Tony said, "perhaps the smartest one of the bunch."

"Quite possible," Loki agreed. Tony sucked from his cigarette again and Loki found himself wondering how it tasted like. The thought must have been very clear in his eyes because Tony offered the cigarette to him. "I shouldn't."

"Come on," Tony encouraged him, "I can promise you that if your father busts you, he'll be angry."

For some reason, that convinced Loki. Perhaps everything he did in his life was indeed to make his father angry. He took the cigarette from Tony and brought it to his lips. Sucking it gently, he took the time to taste the smoke and Loki had to admit that it wasn't too bad. Then again, these were probably very expensive so of course they wouldn't taste like dirt.

"Loki?"

The voice of his mother startled Loki and the fact that he was still holding a cigarette did not ease him in any way. Frigga stepped onto the balcony and casually took the cigarette from her son's hand. She dropped in to the floor and stepped on it. "And mister Stark," all the charm had disappeared from her voice, "I should have known that you were with my son."

"I was just telling Loki," Tony said, still awfully friendly, "what a good choice it was to go study psychology."

"I'm sure you were," Frigga said, a part of her kindness having returned. She turned to Loki and shot him a disappointed look. Of course she wasn't happy with catching her son smoking a cigarette with the man her husband despised. "You are missed at the party, honey, could you please come back?"

Loki switched his gaze between his mother and Tony. He knew he should follow Frigga back, but he had a pleasant time with Tony here on the balcony. At least this man was funny and intelligent. The same could not be said about his brother. He was Odin's son, however, which meant he had a duty and responsibilities. The least he could do, was be present at the party.

"Yes, mother," he said obediently. Frigga walked back inside and Loki was about to follow her when Tony grabbed his arm. "Yes?"

"If you ever want a nice evening," Tony said, his every charm having returned, "give me a call."

He wasn't sure whether Tony was being sincere or not, but Loki found himself nodding none the less. When he entered the dinning hall again, he knew for sure that the rest of the evening would be uninteresting, certainly when he heard Thor talking about how he and Sif once kissed behind the dumpster on the school-ground.

AN: Part two will be uploaded tomorrow! Thanks for reading :)