Dare
Ok, so asking people out because someone dared you to is a dickhead thing to do but the thing is Loki heard the dare so Tony figures what the fuck, full disclosure is already a thing so that won’t blow up in his face later like every romcom ever. “So,” Tony says, walking up to their locker but Loki shuts it in his face before he can say anything else. “Um,” Tony says intelligently.
“You do know I have ears, right?” Loki asks, head tilted to the side and ok so they look a little pissed but come on, its not Tony’s fault his friends- minus Rhodey because he’s honestly too good for this world- are a bunch of twats.
“I mean yeah, I can see those, which is why I came over here,” he says. “Because you heard the dare thing,” he clarifies, “which isn’t why I’m asking you out. I wanted to do that anyways but you know, the dare thing gave me a reason and I figured since that’s a thing that happened right here no one can surprise you with some asshole thing my friends did because I already told you I didn’t do this over a dare so the rumor isn’t true. Then we bypass that part in the romcom where the couple breaks up because the one is pissed off at the other for starting a relationship under false pretenses even though they both started the relationship under false pretenses so no one should be mad but I’m technically the only one starting a relationship- well I’m trying not to- please say something so I’ll shut the hell up,” Tony says, finally running out of air.
Loki stares down at him, assessing him quite like an irritatingly attractive statue presiding over a sea of subjects. Except Tony is only one subject and he really doesn’t like being presided over. “Why should I believe you when you say this isn’t over your stupid friends’ dare?” they ask, glaring over Tony’s shoulder. “Yes, ha ha, you made him ask out the gender fucked freak- very good joke,” Loki says, clapping their hands together in a slow, condescending way. Tony doesn’t get the hate because Loki pulls off androgyny perfectly and frankly that is an attractive look. People are stupid.
“I have better things to do than waste my own time asking people out over a dare. Also that’s an asshole thing to do, I’d know considering last year I was the one being asked out as a joke,” he points out. So okay, he’s a little younger than people in his grade and he wears glasses, is that seriously that unusual? Then for some reason people decided they liked him and mostly stopped being assholes. He’s about ninety percent sure its because they’re all afraid of Rhodey for some stupid reason- the guy is honestly harmless- but he’ll take acceptance regardless.
“Hmm,” Loki mumbles. “I’m not entirely convinced you could plan a decent date,” they say, nose in the air.
Tony grins because he’s actually had this planned for months. “Well I happen to know you’re a horror fan and since the New York Horror Film Festival is happening at the moment I figured we could do that,” he says with more confidence than he feels.
“Never mind, I’m sold and you better have tickets because if you don’t I will be seriously disappointed. But unfortunately I have to go to history so I can listen to the teacher prattle on about shit I don’t care about,” they say, rolling their eyes before turning and walking off. Tony has literally no details on when, where, whatever else but he figures he can grab the details from Loki later. He turns and faces Rhodey, grinning because that went reasonably well.
Rhodey frowns, “dude, you hate horror movies,” he points out.
“Yeah but like… might be a good excuse to crawl into their lap,” he says. Seems reasonable to him but Rhodey doesn’t buy it. Everyone else looks confused because they apparently hadn’t anticipated Tony having an actual interest in Loki.
“I love you man, you’re the best friend I’ve ever had and I’ll never forget you,” Rhodey tells him, hand pressed to his heart.
Tony frowns, “I have date, not a funeral, Rhodes. Chill with the dramatics.”
Rhodey shakes his head, “Loki is gunna eat you alive, man. This could be the last time I ever get to tell you that you’re awesome and that I’ll miss you when you’re dead.”