You going to Stark's tonight? Loki rolled his eyes at the note, before scribbling a reply down and passing it back.

No. And note passing, really? This is a new low, even for you.

He heard Natasha's scoff as she read it and smirked to himself. "Loki! Since you find algebraic formulae so amusing, would you be so kind to explain your answer to the class?" Apparently not as to himself as he thought. He made a mental note to never talk to Natasha Romanoff again and quickly recited the answer.

Despite his best efforts, he was unable to escape the inquisitive mind of his best friend and ended up being pulled aside after class.

"So, why aren't you going tonight?" Natasha demanded. "I thought you had fun last week."

Loki scoffed. "Fun? I had my chest cut, woke up in Tony Stark's bed, and now have the entire school thinking that I'm gay."

"But you are gay, dumbass."

"Bi," Loki corrected. "However, I don't want the entire school knowing,"

"Why? Tony's bi, and no one cares."

"Tony doesn't have a conservative father who would kill him if he found out. Especially if he found out from his other son, who happens to go to the school where the rumours are circulating." He raised his eyebrows pointedly. "Understand now?"

"So what? Screw your family, move out and come live with me." Natasha suggested, only half-joking.

"I don't speak Russian, so I'm afraid that option's out."

Natasha smiled, and paused to open her locker. "Hey, you could learn! Or," Her eyes lit up. "You could do something really outrageous like get a tattoo or piercing and then tell them you're into guys and girls, and they'd be so busy being angry at you about your tattoo or whatever, they wouldn't care!"

Loki looked at her wide-eyed. "I cannot even comprehend how you come up with these ideas. Does Clint know what he's getting himself into?"

"I think he still thinks I'm a cold-hearted, serious, and calculating, bitch."

"Along with the rest of the school." Loki muttered.

"At least they don't think I'm gay for Tony Stark."

"Hey! I heard my name!" The man himself strode up to them.

"Speak of the devil, and thou shalt appear." Loki murmured.

Tony elbowed him gently. "You're mean." Loki just glared at him. "Will you guys be at the party tonight?"

"Yes!" Natasha said and the same time Loki replied with "No."

"Aw, come on, Loki. Why not? It'll be fun!" Tony protested.

"You said that last week and I ended up with stitches-"

"Stitches? Really-"

"- besides, I don't like parties." Loki finished, shutting Natasha up with a glare.

Tony, seemingly given up, shrugged. "I guess there's always next time. See you guys later!" Tony walked off with a wink.

Loki scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Wow."

Natasha turned to him with her eyes wide. "Wow indeed. The sexual tension between you two is practically palpable!"

"Could you shut up? I am so sick of everyone going on about this, the entire school is talking about me behind my back, I don't need it from you too, dammit!" Loki said sharply, storming off down the corridor.

"Loki, come on. This is what best friends do." Natasha called out after him, only to receive the finger in return. She sighed and ran after him, grabbing his shoulder. "Loki, look at me." Loki turned to stare stoically at her. "There's something's wrong, isn't there?" At her words, Loki relaxed and rubbed his forehead. Then it clicked. "You actually like him, don't you?"

"A bit, I guess?" He muttered in response.

"Why didn't you tell me? I could've, I don't know, talked to him?"

"You tell anyone about this, even Clint, and I will make sure everyone knows about what happened in Sao Paulo." Loki threatened.

Natasha rolled her eyes. "No you won't. And I promise I won't tell anyone."

Loki nodded his head in thanks and begun to walk off, only to be called back yet again.

"Hang on, we have discussed how to go about this yet!"

"Go about what? He's not into me, Natasha."

She grinned. "I wouldn't be too sure of that. Come home with me, I'll tell you my plan."

"Darcy Lewis, I have it on good authority that you're in love with Jane Foster." Darcy was pulled out of her daydream by a lunch tray slamming down next to her.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She lied.

"Oh, but I think you do." Loki grinned. "And I think you're worried that a certain Sif will tell everyone as soon as she has a decent enough reason to."

"How the fuck do you know-"

"Doesn't matter." Loki waved his hand flippantly. "What matters, is that I have a solution to your problem, as I am suffering from the same problem."

She raised an eyebrow. "I'm listening."

And that was the start of Loki and Darcy's "relationship". What better way to convince everyone you didn't have a crush on someone by dating someone else?