That's The Difference

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Summary: Companion to 'I Don't Want To Be Different Anymore' where the young Avengers are in High School for their first Proms. Darcy gets dumped, and now Loki's the one to be there.

Darcy never expected in her life to be this excited for anything. Especially not prom. She was power to the woman, and all that fun stuff.

But the minute dreamy junior Donny Blake asked her to go to the prom with him, she had to say yes. He was just about the most sought after guy in school. Aside from Thor and Tony- if only in their own heads.

She went out and got the long dress, resisted getting her nose pierced like she had planned, and of course bought the boutonniere for his suit.

And now it was the week before prom, and Darcy was rambling excited about everything.

"So, Darc, what do you think about getting a room for you and I after this dance and have a little private time?" He flashed her that brilliant, gorgeous, smile. And she almost gave in. Almost.

"I don't know, Donny. My parents are expecting me home after the dance. Plus, I barely even know you. I don't want to just get a hotel room and regret it the next day." She said, uncertainly, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I'm certain you won't regret it, doll. Come on, everyone knows that's the real reason people go to prom."

"That's not the reason I'm going, it's not the reason my friends are going. We were all going to hang out after prom at Thor's house, you know that."

"I really don't want to discuss this right now, are you in or out?"

"Out." She said, annoyedly.

"Then you can forget about prom." He said, turning on his heel and walking away. He stopped mid step about three feet away and turned back around. "And by the way, I only asked because everyone said you were easy."

The look of pure shock nestled on Darcy's face was unmistakable. She could even move from the position she had settled herself into in the middle of the locker bay.

Who had said she was easy? And who had a personal vendetta against her that would say that? She thought of Jane but immediately felt guilty. Not only was Jane way to old for that, Jane was too sweet of a person to do something like that. How would she even get in contact with him anyway? The only clue to her was that Jane had said if she were younger she would probably date him. Blach. Jane would not do something like that.

She continued to stand dumbstruck in the middle of the aisle until her annoying yet addicting posse of neighbors came to get her, as they always did, after school. Loki close in tow but not quite in the group, as usual.

"Yeah. I totally asked Pepper to the dance. She said she didn't have a test or anything to study for so she'd be there. I told you she was into me." Tony bragged as the leader of the group, what a surprise.

"Did Clint finally buck up and ask Natasha yet?" Bruce teased as if they weren't standing next to him, looking bashful. Well. As bashful as the two of them could look. Darcy swore they were destined to be cops or something. Poker faces of champions. "I'll take that as a yes." he smiled lopsidedly.

Bruce and Steve opted to go dateless, but bought a couple's ticket for themselves as it were, couple's tickets were cheaper than single tickets. Though they denied the extra few bucks for a picture together, Darcy would have paid big bucks to own a copy of that.

"Yes and Jane has agreed to take a break from science things and go with me!" Thor boasted, she could see Clint roll his eyes and clench his fist.

Loki and Darcy made brief eye contact before Loki practically rushed to her side, sensing something amiss.

"What of you, Loki! What lovely lady has the honor?" Thor boomed. It amazed Darcy that even though he was seventeen years old, he stilled yelled as if he were a small child trying to get someone's attention.

"Not now, Thor." Loki chastised, and looked at Darcy with concern in his green eyes. "What's wrong Darcy? You look upset."

"Looks as if someone doesn't have a date!" Tony practically rubbed it in, gee, Tony really changed over the years...ha ha. "Why don't you and lovely lady Darcy go together? She looks about as dateless as my dead great grandmother!"

"That means she doesn't have a date! I get it!" Thor laughed loudly, he was the epitome of dumb jock. If Darcy wasn't so blindsided by Donny, she would have laughed.

"I did have a date. Until he dumped me because I wouldn't put out. And I resisted piercing my nose for that douche." She huffed. "I even paid the money for that stupid flower thing that goes on his stupid suit."

"Who, Darcy?" Loki's silky smooth, yet posh and oh-so-British, voice rang out in the silence of the group after a pregnant pause. Darcy looked unsure for a minute. Loki could be very mischievous. She joked that is he were a deity he would rule the world of mischief and tricks. One slip up and Donny could have his face beaten into a pulp by several over protective people.

"Just promise you won't hurt him? He's not worth it." Loki sat for minute, then silently nodded, the rest of the group excused themselves; feeling like they were intruding on a private moment. "Donny Blake. He said he only asked because someone said I was easy."

"I'll kill him." Loki said quietly, yet menacingly.

"Loki, please don't!" she said, grappling the lapels of his green jacket.

"Give me one good reason I shouldn't." he said quite angrily, and frankly, it scared Darcy.

"Because there's a difference between people like him and people like you. He's the bully who beats everyone up. You're my sweet best friend who cheers me up."

"Darcy, it's a little different when he questioned your morals and virtues. This isn't some game, he's going to go tell everyone things, untrue things, about you!" He basically yelled to her. "I just don't want you to be like me, an outcast."

"I don't care, let them talk. I told you once already, all that time ago; the first time I met you, remember? We're gonna look back and be grateful that we were different than everyone else. It's not who you are in high school that defines you. It's the person you choose to be after that makes you who you are." She said quietly, hugging him around the waist. "We're peas in a pod, you and I. We're meant to stick together, you're never alone. I'm never alone. Not when you're here."

"Fine, then, Darcy Lewis, my best friend and fellow pod pea, go to the prom with me." He proposed. Darcy laughed and looked at his completely serious face.

"You don't have to do this, I know you weren't planning on going in the first place."

"But I want to, I only wasn't going, because I couldn't go with you." he smiled sweetly.

"And that's the difference between guys like Donny Blake and you. Donny won't go because I won't put out, and you'll only go because it's me you want." She laughed. "I knew I kept you around for something."

Days later, the prom rolled around. Darcy exchanged her black dress for a forest green, strapless mermaid style dress to match Loki's.

They had their pictures taken, and went out to eat like any group of prom friends would, and danced like no one was there. A.k.a. Very badly.

They made fun of Donny who was surrounded by his posse of football players with their girlfriends, him; dateles. He tried to ask Darcy to dance, a fast paced grind-worthy sort of song, and Loki punched him in the face.

They were escorted out and returned to Loki and Thor's house to watch bad horror movies until the early light of day when they all watched the sunrise.

And no one knew it would be the start of something greater for Loki and Darcy; for everyone.

A/n: I'm back! I know I said it was a one-shot but this plot bunny took me by surprise last night, and I decided to expand on it!

I May or may not expand this story a few more chapter into their lives, but I haven't decided yet, therefore I will leave it as a completed story in case I decide not to write anything else on it.

Good? Bad? Lemme know!