~From Now On~
Tony moved closer to Loki, causing his breathing to hitch. Tony sucked in a breath, looking at his partner. He was moving even closer, their lips almost touching. Loki made a soft noise as he closed the gap between them, giving Tony a chaste kiss. Tony’s eyes widened, his heart hammering in his chest. Everything felt so surreal, but he didn’t want it to stop. As Loki pulled away, blushing furiously, Tony looked to him.
“Do...do you really mean it?” Tony said, finally breaking the silence that had come between them. “Do you really want to be with me..?”
“I want that more than anything in the world, Anthony.” Loki said softly, his hand moving to hold the others.
Tony shifted, moving to sit as close as he could to the taller one. He rested his head in the crook of Loki’s neck, smiling as he felt finally at ease. His sudden closeness caused Loki to tense, however. He nuzzled into him gently. “There’s no reason to be so tense, Lokes. It’s just affection. I’m not going to hurt you.”
“I know that, I’m just not used to someone being so intimately close.”
“Well, get used to it. I’m a very.. touchy-feely affectionate person.” Tony chuckled.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Loki felt like they had been out there forever, sitting out there with Tony practically melting into him. Unfortunately, they couldn’t stay that way for the whole day. It was nearing showtime again, and they’d have to get ready.
“Anthony, get off. We need to go back in.” Loki whispered to his almost asleep partner.
Tony grumbled, sitting up. “Oh, of course we need to. Of course there has to be a show soon after I finally spill my fucking guts and get with you..”
Loki rubbed his back, trying his best to make him not be so grumpy. “Anthony, come on. Don’t be like that. We can do something after the show, okay?”
Tony sighed. “Okay. You’re coming over to my place. That’s what we’re doing after the show.”
Loki laughed. “Alright, it’s a date.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
With a bit of force, and promises to do everything Tony wanted to afterwards, the pair finally went back inside. Tony had locked hands with Loki, not giving two shits about what anyone would think. Loki was his partner now, his romantic partner, and he’d make damn sure everyone knew he was off limits.
Thor noticed the two walking in and grinned, booming in his a little to loud voice. “Loki! You have found Stark! Where has he been?”
“I just decided to take a break and go outside for a while.” Tony looked to Thor. “Why do you need to know?”
“Well, you were missing for a bit and then Loki went missing for a bit soon after. Were you two together?” Thor tipped his head, almost like how a puppy would when confused.
“I dunno, were we together? You tell me, big guy.” Tony grinned, motioning towards his and Loki’s interlocked hands.
Thor’s gasp caused everyone else to look to the pair. Loki’s face went red as he tried to curl in on himself. Tony furrowed his brows and pulled Loki close to him. “Don’t be embarrassed, Lolo. They won’t care.” He whispered to him, trying to reassure that everything would be alright.
“Stark.. are you telling me my brother finally told you?” Thor’s eyes lit up as he beamed proudly. “I didn’t think he’d ever tell you! I thought I was eventually going to be the one to say that Loki hadn’t shut up about you for almost a week straight.”
Tony chuckled, looking at Loki. “Really? You did that?”
Loki grunted, hiding his face by nestling it into Tony’s chest. “Yes, and it’s not that big of a deal. Pretend that oaf didn’t tell you that.”
“Wait, wait.” Bucky interrupted. “So you’re telling me that you two sat outside for like.. two hours and now you’re together?”
Tony rolled his eyes. “We didn’t gain feelings in two hours. If I’m gonna be honest, I’ve wanted to tell him for a week now, but I just didn’t. Didn’t want to ruin what we already had, you know? Why does it matter anyway?”
Bucky shrugged. “Sorry, I’m just curious. I kinda figured you two would get together though.”
Thor piped up again. “You should tell everyone at the end of the show tonight. Make it known that you’re truly partners!”
Tony looked to Loki, who had tensed at the suggestion. “Maybe not tonight, Thor. I don’t think Lo is ready to tell anyone who isn’t his friend.”
Loki nodded. “Absolutely right, Anthony. I’m glad someone here minds that I have feelings and whatnot as well.” He glared at Thor who just smiled back innocently.
“Well, I have to mind that or else I’d be a pretty shitty boyfriend. Now, let’s drop this and get our asses in gear. Two hours until this place fills up. Let’s get going.” Tony grinned.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The show was almost over. It was a miracle that everything was running this smoothly with everything that had happened, specifically Tony hiding away for most of the day. No one was upset with him though. It was a perfectly normal thing to do, they said. It made Tony feel a little less guilty, but not completely. It didn’t matter now, though. He needed to focus on the task at hand. He cued the last of the performers he needed to cue, then turned to Loki.
“Is everyone out there, Lo?” Tony asked.
Loki nodded. “Everyone but us. Shall we get out there too?”
“Yup. Let’s go.” Tony said, smiling at Loki. He wanted to grab his hand and run out there with him, but it was too soon. Just because his the performers he dubbed his family accepted the two.. it didn’t mean that the rest of the world would accept them. They weren’t exactly what the world saw as a “normal couple.” Two guys.. it just wasn’t right in other people’s eyes.
Tony sucked in a breath. “Hey Loki..?”
Loki turned towards his partner. “Yes?”
Tony held his hand out, hoping Loki would take it. “I know you’re scared to show everyone that we’re together… but.. it’s an oddity. And we kind of run a show of amazingly odd things. Maybe- maybe we could go out there… and tell everyone. Show them that even we’re a bit odd.”
Loki blushed, feeling his heartbeat speed up. He wanted what Tony wanted, he really did. But after making a name for himself.. how would people react? He didn’t want someone to end up hurting Tony- or him- over something like this. Oh god. He looked to Tony. He was giving him puppy eyes.
Loki furrowed his brows and pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind. It didn’t matter what people would think. It wasn’t their life, and hell- if they could find all of Tony and Loki’s friends amazing and wonderful and accept them so easily.. they’d do the same for the couple.
Loki took Tony’s hand, gripping it tight. “Good idea, love. Let’s go show them just how odd we are.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The lights practically blinded Loki as he walked out, hand in hand with Tony. His brain was running at a million miles an hour. He was nervous- extremely nervous. But he wouldn’t let nerves stop him. It wasn’t a big deal, it shouldn’t be a big deal. He wouldn’t let other people dictate his life.
He blinked hard, the lights finally not so bright in his eyes. He scanned the crowd, trying to see the reactions of people. Either no one had noticed, or they didn’t care. He swallowed around the lump in his throat, his grip on Tony’s hand tightening more. His sudden extreme grip caused Tony to look at him.
“You alright? We don’t have to go through with this, you know, we can just say it was part of the act..” Tony ran his thumb across Loki’s hand, hoping to help calm him in some way.
Loki nodded. “I’m alright. I want to do this. Just a bit nervous, is all.” He smiled reassuringly.
Tony made a soft noise, leading Loki out onto the middle of the show area. They stood, looking to the crowd as the music and performers slowed to a halt.
“Thank you everyone for taking time out of your day to come and see the show. As you may know, I am Tony Stark- owner of this wonderfully amazing celebration of humanity. And this is my partner, Loki Laufeyson.”
He motioned to Loki, causing the already nervous wreck to blush. He waved to the crowd with his free hand.
Tony smiled and continued. “What you may not know is that Loki isn’t just my business partner. Earlier today, I finally confessed my feelings to him. I know, I know.. he hasn’t been around but for a few weeks. But I just felt something. Something deep inside me that would-“ He looked to Loki. “That would rewrite the stars just for you. Never in my life have I felt like that towards someone. Bonus is that I feel that way about someone so caring and wonderful.”
The crowd had hushed by now, listening intently on Tony’s personal little speech to Loki. Loki’s face had gone beet red, embarrassed yet flattered that Tony would say such things in front of so many people.
“What I’m trying to say I guess is.. from now on, this will be the Stark and Laufeyson Circus. It’s not just mine anymore, we run this together- like it was intended I guess.” Tony turned towards Loki, grinning. “I hope you don’t mind me adding your name to the sign, I didn’t know if it was too soon to say you’re a Stark.”
Loki chuckled softly. “I’m sure I’ll be a Stark soon enough, love.”
Tony cupped Loki’s face, laughing what felt like the first real laugh in years. “I love you, Lo. Thank you for coming into my life.” He pulled him close and kissed him, gaining some ‘awws’ from the audience.
Loki wrapped his arms around Tony’s waist, smiling. “And I love you as well, Tony. But really? Rewrite the stars? Could you be any more cliche?”