Prologue
The sound of the waves crashing against rocks mirrored the heartbeat he felt. It was as if the ocean itself understood his pain and echoed it back to him. Darkness enveloped him as tears ran down his cheeks, his sobs blending into the rhythmic crash of the waves, a haunting symphony of despair. The moon shone against the waves, casting a shimmering path of light on the water. Its beauty reminded him of the person he loved; their radiant presence now gone, leaving only memories and a profound ache in his heart.
The familiar brown haired man walked barefoot on shore. He had been here for hours thinking about the person he loved, thinking about that stupid jet black hair, that stupid smile, and those stupid green eyes. Every detail of their face haunted him, a bittersweet reminder of the love he lost. Every time he thought about him, a sharp pain appeared in his chest, a constant reminder of the love that was lost and the emptiness that now consumed him. His heart ached, yearning for their presence. As he walked the shore, he stopped and turned his gaze to the ocean, hoping the waves could somehow wash away the lingering memories of a love that was no more.
His whole body shook as he cried and gritted his teeth in anger. “I loved you so much and this is how you pay me. You promised you would stay. You fucking liar.” Tony swallowed hard, the pain of loss consuming him once more as if the wound had freshly reopened, leaving him feeling more alone than ever. No matter how much liquor he consumed, the numbness it brought could never truly drown out the pain in Tony’s heart. The alcohol may temporarily distract him, but the ache of loss remained as strong as ever. He wiped away a tear with a trembling hand, its saltiness mingling with the taste of tequila on his lips but the tears still rolled down his cheek. He closed his eyes, trying to suppress the pain, but the memories of his lost love only intensified. He knew it was time to move on, but the pain of his lost love was something he could never forget.
He grabbed his chest as he gasped for air, his chest tightening with every sob feeling as if the weight of the world was crushing him. It was in these moments, when the pain became unbearable, that he wished he could simply will himself to forget, to erase the memories that tormented him. Each inhale was a struggle as if the ocean breeze had turned into a suffocating force, mirroring the suffocating pain in his heart.
He looked up at the moon, its ethereal glow casting a mocking light upon his tear-stricken face. The moon's serene beauty seemed to taunt him, reminding him of the person he loved. The moon glow brought back memories of their passionate nights, when their bodies intertwined under its gentle light. He could almost feel the warmth of his skin against his own, the softness of his touch. But now the moon served as a cruel reminder of what he had lost, intensifying the ache in his heart even more. Unable to contain his anguish any longer, Tony let out a scream of pure despair, his voice echoing across the empty beach and mingling with the crashing waves. Life is so cruel, Tony thought as he continued to cry, his body trembling with every sob.
The waves continued to crash relentlessly as if mocking his pain and the moon just continued to silently witness his shattered soul. He picked up the bottle and took another swing letting the burning sensation run through his veins as he let out a satisfied sigh. He closed his eyes , letting the beauty of alcohol consume him fully. Tony embraced the temporary escape it provided, allowing himself to be lost in its intoxicating embrace, even if just for a fleeting moment. “ I hate when you drink.” His love voice echoed in his head like a tornado. His love used to hate it when he drank but he couldn’t help it.
He opened his eyes as he started across the ocean. He hated this, he hated the world and he hated Loki Laufeyson. But how could he hate the person that brought light to his heart when all he wanted was to have him back in his arms, to feel his love once again the pain of loss twisted his emotions leaving him trapped in a tormenting paradox of love and hate. He could still remember the joy of his embrace, the warmth of his touch and the laughter that filled the air. He wanted to return to that moment but he knew it was gone leaving him with nothing but memories and an aching void in his heart.
~*~*~*~
2 years later
Tony sat in the back of the classroom as he listened to his lecture class. He hid a yawn with the back of his hands. He felt tired after staying up all night doing his engineering project that needed to be turned in today and studying for his chemistry exam. To make things worse he hadn’t slept the previous nights because his roommate, Clint Barton was snoring loudly in the bed across from him. He thought he would get used to the snoring but he had been wrong when he heard Clint snoring those nights ago. He sighed and ran a hand over his face. He looked around the class and saw that no one was paying attention. He looked at his watch and it was 12:30. He still had a few minutes to go before class ended . He would rather be in engineering class than be here with Mr. Scott. “Please don’t forget to turn in your homework,” Mr. Scott reminded the class. Before Tony knew it, everyone was gathering their belongings and walking out. Tony stood up and quickly gathered his stuff, eager to get the hell out of there and maybe catch a quick nap before his next class.
Tony walked down the steps with his homework in hand, placing it on the desk before attempting to leave. "Mr. Stark, can you please stay," the professor's voice called out, halting him mid-step. Tony glanced back at Mr. Scott, who was now scrutinizing his paper from the last class with a serious expression. Tony sighed, annoyed. The remaining students stopped what they were doing and glanced at Tony, starting to whisper among themselves. He could feel their eyes on him, adding to his frustration as he turned back to face Mr. Scott, bracing himself for whatever was coming out his mouth.
Tony rolled his eyes as he waited. It wasn’t every day they saw Tony Stark getting in trouble. The remaining students walked out giggling and whispering about what Tony Stark was getting in trouble for. Tony ran a hand through his hair; all he wanted to do was leave this class, but the universe was against him. The professor glanced at Tony through his eyeglasses, his eyes softening. "Mr. Stark, I want to congratulate you on your essay. You did really well, and it was one of the best I've read this semester." Tony raised an eyebrow. He had expected something worse but this was better than what he thought. "Thank you, Mr. Scott," Tony replied, his frustration melting into a sense of relief. "It's clear you've put a lot of hard work and thought into it," Mr. Scott continued, handing the paper back to Tony with a smile. Tony couldn't help but feel a swell of pride as he took the paper, realizing that maybe all those late nights were starting to pay off. "Keep it up, and you'll do great things," the professor added, giving Tony an encouraging nod.
Tony couldn't help but smile. "Thank you so much, Professor," he said, genuinely touched by the praise. "I do my best at what I do. After all, I am a Stark," Tony replied confidently. The professor chuckled softly. "I wouldn’t expect less from a Stark," he said, his eyes twinkling with amusement. Tony's smile widened, and he thanked the professor once more as he walked out of the classroom. He chuckled softly to himself. If only the professor knew he had the help of his friend Natasha. He knew he had to thank Natasha later; without her invaluable assistance and sharp insights, he couldn't have pulled off the project so successfully. Her expertise had been the secret ingredient to his triumph. If he had to be honest, he hated writing essays and he hated English lectures. Thankfully, Natasha had helped him with it. Without her guidance, Tony doubted he would have managed to produce anything worth reading.
He quickly turned down the hall, pocketed his glasses, and continued walking. Everywhere he looked, girls would giggle and blush when they saw him. He couldn’t help but feel proud of his appearance. He was very handsome for a 21-year-old student, with long and messy hair and a charismatic smile that could make anyone weak in the knees. His signature goatee added an extra touch of sophistication to his overall look, making him the center of attention wherever he went. Tony knew that his appearance was one of his many assets, and he couldn't help but enjoy the attention it brought him. After all, it wasn’t every day a Stark stepped foot in a school like Harvard. He relished the blend of admiration and curiosity that followed him, knowing that he was living up to the legacy of his name in more ways than one.
He let out a long yawn, feeling the exhaustion from the sleepless nights catching up with him. He couldn't wait to get to his dorm and fall asleep. As he exited the building and walked across the campus, he stopped mid-step when he saw his friend Natasha Romanoff, leaning against the tree trunk, a book resting on her lap. He couldn't tell if she was asleep or awake with her sunglasses blocking her eyes, but he decided to approach her anyway. As he got closer, he realized she was indeed asleep, her book forgotten in her lap. Tony couldn’t help but be an asshole. He wanted to scare her. He walked over to her and crouched down before Natasha, admiring her peaceful expression. Her delicate features were accentuated by her long, flowing red hair, and even in her sleep, there was an air of strength and resilience about her. Tony couldn’t deny that Natasha was not only beautiful, but also one of the most intelligent and capable people he had ever met.
He couldn’t help but think that she was going to be an amazing spy. Her intelligence, resilience, and ability to adapt to any situation made her the perfect candidate for such a role. Tony found himself wondering what kind of thrilling adventures and dangerous missions she would embark on in the future of her career. “Are you just going to stare at me or are you going to sit your ass down?” Natasha said, making Tony smirk. He had wanted to scare her, but now that she had caught him. Tony couldn’t help but laugh. “I was just appreciating the view,” he replied with a playful wink. Natasha rolled her eyes at Tony’s flirtatious comment. “Save your charm for someone who actually falls for it,” she retorted, a hint of amusement in her voice. “Well?” Natasha asked, raising an eyebrow. “Well what?” Stark replied, playing dumb. “Are you going to sit or not?” Natasha said, a hint of impatience in her voice. Stark chuckled and finally took a seat next to her, enjoying their banter between them. He leaned his head against the tree trunk and said. “I can’t believe I’m sitting with a future spy.”
Natasha snorted at Tony’s comment, shaking her head in amusement. "And I can't believe I'm stuck here with a billionaire playboy," she quipped back, her eyes twinkling with mischief. Tony chuckled, appreciating her quick wit. "Well, at least we're both in good company," he said, flashing her a charming smile. Natasha rolled her eyes again, but there was a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "You really think flattery is going to get you anywhere with me?" she asked, her tone teasing. Tony shrugged, leaning back comfortably. "You never know," he replied with a smirk. Natasha nudged Tony on the shoulder, grinning. "If being a future spy means I get to outsmart guys like you, then I’m all for it." Natasha knew that Tony’s intelligence and wit were formidable, but she was determined to hone her own skills and become a spy who could outsmart even someone as clever as him. She saw it as a challenge, and one that she was more than ready to take on. “Keep dreaming,” Stark said, bumping his shoulder against hers. Natasha chuckled and popped a can of soda open, taking a refreshing sip. "Dreaming or not, I'll prove you wrong, Stark," she said with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Just you wait and see." Tony smiled. He loved to tease her about how she was never going to outsmart him, but he knew that sooner or later she was going to do it.
Their playful banter and friendly rivalry only strengthened their bond as good friends. Despite their teasing, Tony genuinely believed in Natasha's abilities and was eager to witness her rise as a spy. He knew that she would surpass even his expectations, and he looked forward to the day she proved him wrong. They stayed silent, which Tony didn’t mind. He enjoyed the quiet moments with Natasha, knowing she understood him without the need for words. This was one of the things he appreciated most about her; she respected his space and waited patiently until he was ready to speak. This is why he considered her his best friend; he hardly called anyone friends these days. In a world full of people who were only out for their own gain, Natasha was a rare gem. Her loyalty and understanding were unmatched, making her a constant source of comfort and trust in his life. She genuinely cared about Tony and their friendship, never expecting anything in return. It was refreshing to have someone in his life who was loyal and selfless, someone who would be there for him no matter what. Tony cherished their bond and knew that he had found a true friend in Natasha.
He had no family; his mother and father died, leaving him with his father's friend Edwin Jarvis. Jarvis adopted him into his little family, but since he was in the U.S. Air Force, he was barely home, which left Tony largely in the company of Jarvis's son, Bruce. "So he could say he’s been alone all his life until he met Natasha. With Natasha he could be himself. Before I forget…” Tony said, glancing at Natasha, who was on her phone texting who knew what. Natasha sighed and looked up at Tony as she popped her gum. "Forget what?" she asked, curiosity evident in her tone. "Professor Scott congratulated me on my essay," Tony said. Natasha snorted, "And thanks to who?" She asked, glancing back at her phone. Tony chuckled, "Thanks to the amazing Natasha Romanoff." Tony said, pumping his shoulder against her again. Natasha smiled and rolled her eyes. “I thought you didn’t have class on Tuesday?”
“That’s because I don’t,” the red-headed girl answered with a shrug. She popped her gum loudly, making Tony raise an eyebrow.
"Then why are you here?" he asked again, daring Natasha to give him another smart-ass answer. She smirked, her eyes glinting mischievously. "Maybe I just like your company, Stark," she retorted, giving him a playful nudge. Tony sighed, "I'm serious." Natasha sighed as she took another sip of her soda. “Wanda's boyfriend came to see her, and he’s in the dorm with her. Honestly, I didn’t have the energy for their personalities.” Tony hummed, “They can’t be that bad, can they?” Natasha sighed and crossed her arms over her chest and glanced at Tony. “Trust me, hun, you don’t want to know.” Tony laughed. “Why do you look so exhausted?” Natasha asked, changing the subject. Tony sighed and leaned against the tree trunk, looking up at the sky. "I pulled an all-nighter to study for my chemistry exam," he confessed, rubbing his tired eyes. "I've been cramming formulas and equations into my brain all night, and now I feel like a zombie." Natasha chuckled sympathetically and nudged him playfully. "Well, you better ace that exam after all the effort you put in," she teased.
Tony chuckled, "Yeah, I hope I also had to do my engineering project and have you heard how Barton snores? That's another reason for staying up late." Natasha chuckled, "Yeah, I heard him snore. That's why I kicked him out of my dorm the other night when he came to my dorm drunk."
“He’s lucky he hasn’t gotten caught,” Tony said. Natasha sighed annoyingly. “That’s his problem if he gets caught,” she replied, rolling her eyes. “I’m not his babysitter.”
The two stayed in silence again. Tony closed his eyes and sighed. Natasha nudged him. “If you’re tired, why don’t you go home.” Tony opened his eyes staring into the distance and sighed. “Clint is going to be there and I don’t want to hear his snoring.” Natasha chuckled. “Kick him out.” She said as she gathered her stuff. Tony stood up stretching his arms. He turned to Natasha and said. “Welp, I'll be taking my leave, see you.” He turned on his heels but before he could take a step Natasha said. “Aren’t you forgetting something?” A smirk appeared on her lips. Tony turned and raised an eyebrow, playing dumb. “Forgetting what princess?” he asked. Natasha chuckled at the nickname and rolled her eyes giving him a playful shove. “My hug, genius,” she replied. Tony stepped closer and said, “And your kiss,” with a mischievous grin, leaning in to plant a playful kiss on Natasha’s cheek. Natasha shoved him with a playful smile, pretending to be annoyed. “You never change, do you?” she teased, before giving him a hug and playfully pushing him away.
“ Ouch," Tony said, rubbing his shoulder where Natasha had playfully shoved him. "You really know how to hit hard, Nat." Natasha smirked and replied, "Well, you deserved it for trying to be all smooth with your cheek kiss and mischievous grins." Tony laughed, shaking his head. "You know you secretly love it," he teased. Natasha rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress a smile as he walked away.Tony made his way to his dorm once in the halls he noticed a black haired guy who looked to be around the same age as him looking at the map for the dorms. Tony raised an eyebrow in curiosity but he soon recognized the guy. He had seen him talking to Clint in the hallways or more like Clint flirting with him. Clint had been persistent in his attempts to ask the black-haired guy out, but he kept getting rejected with a shy smile. Tony couldn't help but feel a mix of amusement and sympathy for Barton's failed attempts at romance.
He racked his brain, trying to remember the name that Clint had mentioned so many times before. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t put a name to that face. Tony sighed as he walked towards him he was curious on why he was here and to finally know his name.
“Are you lost?” Tony asked. He didn’t know why he was talking to him but there was something about him that made Tony want to talk to him. The black haired guy turned and smiled at seeing Tony. Tony’s breath left his lungs when he saw how beautiful he looked. Up close he could see how green his eyes looked; they were like emeralds. They even sparkled when he smiled; it was enough to make Tony’s heart skip a beat. No one smiled at him but Nat and Clint when they were joking but never a stranger with a beautiful smile. It made Tony giddy.
"Yes, I'm looking for a friend's dorm, 205, but I seem to have forgotten which floor it's on," the black-haired guy replied with a nervous laugh. Tony’s heart once again skipped a beat. Tony chuckled, trying to hide his sudden infatuation, “Well, lucky for you, I happen to live on the second floor, and that’s where dorm 205 is. I can show you the way,” he said, his voice coming out smoother than he had expected. The black haired beauty smiled in relief, grateful for Tony’s offer to show him the way. “That would be fantastic,” he replied, his emerald eyes shining with gratitude. “Since I'm still new, I keep forgetting where everything is,” he added with a sheepish grin. Again Tony was stuck. It was like all his words left him. “Aren’t you going to show me?” the beauty asked, making Tony chuckle nervously. “Yes, of course,” Tony said, feeling his face heat up with embarrassment. He extended his arm, gesturing for the man to follow him toward the stairs
They walked up to the flight of stairs talking and laughing at random topics that they could think of. The awkwardness had faded as Tony and the beautiful man continued to talk and laugh, their conversation flowing effortlessly. Tony couldn't help but feel a sense of connection and excitement building between them, as if they had known each other for much longer than just a few minutes. As they reached the second floor, Tony realized he didn't want this interaction to end. He slowed his pace, savoring every moment of their shared laughter and easy conversation. When they finally arrived at dorm 205, Tony hesitated, not wanting to say goodbye just yet. He wished they could continue to talk. The gorgeous man also thought the same thing; he didn't want this conversation to end. He wasn’t good at talking with people but with this stranger he actually liked it. “Well, here we are,” Tony said, gesturing his hand towards dorm 205.
He couldn’t help but hope that their encounter wouldn’t end here, that he would get the chance to see the black haired beauty again. The man turned to Tony and smiled beautifully, “Thank you…” He paused, he had been so engaged in the conversation that he didn’t catch Tony’s name. Tony smiled charmingly. “Anthony Edward Stark but everyone calls me Tony.” The man smiled as he extended his hand to Tony who eagerly took it. “Loki Laufeyson.” Tony noticed that Loki's hand felt warm and soft on his own. The touch sent a shiver down his spine, and he couldn't help but feel an electrifying connection between them.
“Well Anthony thank you for showing me the way, “Tony couldn’t help but feel giddy all over again. “You're welcome.” Loki turned to knock on the door. The door opened but Tony couldn’t see who it was since Loki was blocking the door before Loki could walk in he turned to Tony and smiled. “See you around.” Tony beamed with joy. “See you around.” Tony said as he watched Loki walk inside, closing the door behind him. Tony sighed as he turned around to open his door to his dorm. Stark & Barton were written in gold on a white board on the wall. Tony sighed he knew his friend was already home he opened the door and just like he thought blondie was sitting on his gaming chair playing video games. His eyes shifted towards the brunette.
“How was class?” Clint asked as he turned his gaze back to the T.V. “I wasn’t even paying attention. All he did was talk about a boring book that I didn’t care to remember.” Tony replied as he removed his school bag and shoes. He dropped them on the floor with Clint football gear. He flopped on the bed as he let out a loud sigh. “Man, I missed my bed.” Clint laughed. “Who doesn’t miss their bed.” Tony shrugged, “I don’t know.” They stayed silent; the only noise in the room was the clicking sound of Clint's game remote, accompanied by the occasional burst of laughter or frustration from him. Tony closed his eyes, still replaying his encounter with Loki in his mind, and couldn't help but feel a sense of longing to see him again.
Clint turned to Tony when he noticed how quiet and smiley he was. He raised an eyebrow curious on why Tony was like that. "What's up with you?" Clint asked as he took off his headset and placed them on the side of the table, turning his whole chair to face him. Tony opened his eyes and met Barton’s blue eyes. He couldn’t wait to tell him that he talked to Loki. He couldn’t wait to rub it on his face. “You know that guy that you are always talking to.” Clint frowned, “Loki, what about him.” Tony smirked. “I talked to him today.” Clint eyes widened, “No fucking way.” Tony chuckled, “Yup I talked to him.”
“How did that happen?” Tony chuckled, “I have my ways.” Tony chuckled again, keeping the details of his encounter with Loki to himself. He knew that revealing how he got the chance to talk to him would only make Clint more curious, and Tony enjoyed having a little secret all to himself. Clint ran a hand through his hair in disbelief, “Waw you’re so lucky every time I talk to him it doesn’t end well.” Tony giggled and replied, “Well, maybe it’s because you’re bad with words. But don’t worry, I can give you some tips on how to actually talk to him and know how to approach him next time.” Clint rolled his eyes and scoffed, “Oh please, like I need your advice. I’ll figure it out on my own.” Tony sighed, “Suit yourself.” Clint sighed and leaned against the chair as he looked up at the ceiling. One of the tiles was coming loose, and he wondered if it was going to fall on Tony. He held back a laugh, secretly hoping it would knock some sense into his head.
After a few minutes of silence Clint says. “Man you’re a lucky son of a bitch.” Tony shrugged. “I have my ways to charm people.” Clint made a disgusted look at Tony’s comment. "Charm people? More like to annoy them to death," he retorted, clearly unimpressed with Tony’s self-proclaimed charm. Tony barked out laughing, his eyes gleaming mischievously. “Oh, come on, Clint. You can’t deny that my charm works like a charm. Just admit it, you're secretly jealous of my smooth talking skills.” Clint turns to pick up his headset putting them on. “Uhmm not really," he said, feigning disinterest. "I prefer my own approach when it comes to talking to Loki." Tony raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk on his face. "Oh, really? And how's that been working out for you?" Clint huffed “It’s coming out great,” But deep down, Clint couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy, knowing that Tony had managed to have a successful conversation with Loki while his own attempts always seemed to go awry. “Whatever.” Tony says before turning on his right side with his back facing blondie. “I can’t believe I’m saying this again but you’re one lucky fucker.” Clint says, gaining another burst of laughter from Tony. “He’s a real beauty isn’t he?” Clint asks as he glances back at the T.V Tony sighed and said. “He sure is.” Clint closed his eyes, he had hoped that Tony wouldn’t agree. But how couldn’t he agree if he’s a bombshell. Finally they stayed quiet. Clint continued to play his game as for Tony he passed out as he thought about how beautiful Loki is.