( it's a little over a month into their ... arrangement. that's what loki likes to call it, anyway. thor prefers to think of it as a relationship, even if it is technically (supposed to be) fake. he still hasn't completely convinced himself that it is. or isn't. he's not really sure what it is, but doesn't feel as formal as loki probably wants it to be. maybe that's just thor, though. nothing is ever so cut and dry with him; he's always for looking for some deeper meaning, even when it isn't (or shouldn't be) there. he has to keep reminding himself that loki is just ... a friend (are they friends or just business partners?), whom he happens to be sort of not really dating.
and whom he is currently having a study date with. at thor's house, because loki is still weird about thor coming over to his place despite the fact that thor keeps insisting they should be keeping up appearances to loki's parents too now that they've already brought thor's whole family into their lie. which is, ultimately, what this whole thing is. a very complicated lie that keeps snowballing into something considerably more real the longer it goes on. or maybe that's just wishful thinking.
nevertheless, they're in thor's room, books cracked open on thor's bed. loki is actually doing his assigned reading, which thor never does. he'll inevitably ask to look at loki's notes at the last minute and loki may or may not oblige, depending on how pathetic thor can make himself look. right now, he's more interested in his chemistry homework. he could just text bruce about it, but the fact is he doesn't really need help with it โ he just wants loki's attention. )
Loki. ( thor nudges loki's book with his foot, nearly knocking it out of his hands. he can already imagine the irritated look gathering on loki's face from behind him, brewing like a stormcloud. thor looks over his shoulder, bright-eyed and totally innocent. ) Help me out with this equation, would you? It's not really a study date if you ignore me for a book the whole time.
( as thor's voice cuts through his concentration, loki wonders — not for the first time — why he agreed to the study date in the first place. it hardly matters what they get up to behind closed doors, as long as they maintain the outward appearance of a relationship. loki reminds himself that it was useful for him to be seen getting into thor's car after school and driving away in the direction of thor's house. and it's useful for loki to build a rapport with thor's family, even if thor's dad is a little intimidating and hela is downright terrifying. ( in fact, if it weren't for thor's mom, loki would begin to question whether thor were adopted. )
and thor does genuinely need help with his schoolwork. no play-acting there. but it's probably dangerous to continue pretending like this is a date when there's no one around to impress. and thor, blessed with a golden heart and good looks, but cursed with a simple mind, could easily become confused if the lines are blurred too much, too often.
loki rolls his eyes and carefully dog-ears his page, setting his own book aside. ) And it's not a study date if I can't actually do any studying. ( he shifts closer to peer at thor's book, and their knees touch. ) I'm sure Jane was all too happy to do the work for you, but that's not part of our arrangement. Now, which equation are you stuck on, exactly?
( thor makes a face, immaturely mimicking loki's chastising where loki can't see it. of course loki actually wants to study. he's completely ridiculous like that.
then loki goes on to mention jane, and thor manages to remember to look affronted, partially because no jane never did his work for him (okay, except that one time), but mostly because loki is still under the impression that thor is doing this to get jane back. maybe he was in the beginning, but now ... he's more willing to accept that it had been a mutual dumping. he's not even sure he misses her that much โ or, he doesn't miss being with her? it's complicated. he still wants to be friends, if that's a thing exes can be without it getting weird. especially when the person you happen to be fake dating and your ex can't stand each other. this will require more thought.
for now, thor is more interested in loki's face. he'd rather study the line of his jaw and the shape of his mouth all night than do his science homework. he's acutely aware of their knees touching, the warmth of that simple contact, and he tries not to become too distracted by it. or, really, by loki in general. he points to the equation in his workbook. )
( maybe jane never actually did thor's work, but thor didn't deny it, and that's as good as an admission in loki's mind. it's odd, but lately whenever he thinks about thor and jane together his chest gets tight in a way it never used to — or at least, in a way it hasn't in a long, long time. he might have had a crush on thor once — who hasn't? — but when it became clear that thor only saw him as a friend, loki extinguished that flame.
was he chagrined when thor chose jane, who was almost as unlikely a fit as loki himself? maybe a little. but he told himself that feeling didn't mean anything. he was just annoyed, as any friend would be, when thor started spending more time with her than with him. and now that the opportunity has presented itself, he's getting back at jane for that and for all of the other slights she's ever inflicted upon him in the years since they'd become rivals.
he looks at the question thor indicates, and his mouth forms a flat line. in all fairness, it is one of the more complicated ones on the page. but loki won't tell thor that. he takes thor's pencil, flips to a blank notebook page, and rewrites the equation. he mouths the numbers and letters as he does so, an unconscious habit.
then, he explains, in the simplest terms possible, how to crack the equation. afterwards, he turns to thor. ) Make sense?
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fake dating au.
no subject
and whom he is currently having a study date with. at thor's house, because loki is still weird about thor coming over to his place despite the fact that thor keeps insisting they should be keeping up appearances to loki's parents too now that they've already brought thor's whole family into their lie. which is, ultimately, what this whole thing is. a very complicated lie that keeps snowballing into something considerably more real the longer it goes on. or maybe that's just wishful thinking.
nevertheless, they're in thor's room, books cracked open on thor's bed. loki is actually doing his assigned reading, which thor never does. he'll inevitably ask to look at loki's notes at the last minute and loki may or may not oblige, depending on how pathetic thor can make himself look. right now, he's more interested in his chemistry homework. he could just text bruce about it, but the fact is he doesn't really need help with it โ he just wants loki's attention. )
Loki. ( thor nudges loki's book with his foot, nearly knocking it out of his hands. he can already imagine the irritated look gathering on loki's face from behind him, brewing like a stormcloud. thor looks over his shoulder, bright-eyed and totally innocent. ) Help me out with this equation, would you? It's not really a study date if you ignore me for a book the whole time.
no subject
and thor does genuinely need help with his schoolwork. no play-acting there. but it's probably dangerous to continue pretending like this is a date when there's no one around to impress. and thor, blessed with a golden heart and good looks, but cursed with a simple mind, could easily become confused if the lines are blurred too much, too often.
loki rolls his eyes and carefully dog-ears his page, setting his own book aside. ) And it's not a study date if I can't actually do any studying. ( he shifts closer to peer at thor's book, and their knees touch. ) I'm sure Jane was all too happy to do the work for you, but that's not part of our arrangement. Now, which equation are you stuck on, exactly?
no subject
then loki goes on to mention jane, and thor manages to remember to look affronted, partially because no jane never did his work for him (okay, except that one time), but mostly because loki is still under the impression that thor is doing this to get jane back. maybe he was in the beginning, but now ... he's more willing to accept that it had been a mutual dumping. he's not even sure he misses her that much โ or, he doesn't miss being with her? it's complicated. he still wants to be friends, if that's a thing exes can be without it getting weird. especially when the person you happen to be fake dating and your ex can't stand each other. this will require more thought.
for now, thor is more interested in loki's face. he'd rather study the line of his jaw and the shape of his mouth all night than do his science homework. he's acutely aware of their knees touching, the warmth of that simple contact, and he tries not to become too distracted by it. or, really, by loki in general. he points to the equation in his workbook. )
This one. I can't figure out how to balance it.
no subject
was he chagrined when thor chose jane, who was almost as unlikely a fit as loki himself? maybe a little. but he told himself that feeling didn't mean anything. he was just annoyed, as any friend would be, when thor started spending more time with her than with him. and now that the opportunity has presented itself, he's getting back at jane for that and for all of the other slights she's ever inflicted upon him in the years since they'd become rivals.
he looks at the question thor indicates, and his mouth forms a flat line. in all fairness, it is one of the more complicated ones on the page. but loki won't tell thor that. he takes thor's pencil, flips to a blank notebook page, and rewrites the equation. he mouths the numbers and letters as he does so, an unconscious habit.
then, he explains, in the simplest terms possible, how to crack the equation. afterwards, he turns to thor. ) Make sense?