Raindrops Keep Falling (Valoki College AU)

Bad Reputation

And I don't give a damn 'bout my reputation,

The world's in trouble, there's no communication,

And everyone can say what they wanna to say,

It never gets better, anyway...

Loki lays in his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He groans and rolls over, shoving his face into the pillows.

Some idiot is blasting their music below me. I should say something.

"If you don't say something, I will," Clint groans from across the room. Loki pushes himself up and looks at his roommate. "I mean, I'm deaf, so it's saying something about how loud it is."

"You're half deaf, Clint," Loki says. Clint smirks and reaches up, turning off his hearing aids.

"What? I can't hear you, asshole," Clint laughs. Loki rolls his eyes and slumps back into his bed. "Oh wait, this is actually better. I can't hear them anymore."

Loki groans and signs to Clint. "Well, I can."

"The trials and tribulations of hearing," Clint says in a terrible fake Southern accent as he fans himself. Loki rolls his eyes and finally convinces himself to get up and go down a floor and say something to the idiots below him.

"Dear god, now they're singing," Loki mutters. The door slams shut behind him as he marches to the stairs. He gets the room, and without a doubt it is the one directly below his. The music is vibrating the door as he goes to knock.

"Turn the music down someone is knocking!" A girl's voice is screaming over the music. The door swings open and a short girl wearing thick-framed back glasses with dark hair stands there. Loki looks her up and down, appreciating the way her college t-shirt hugs the curves of the girl's body.

"Hey," he says breezily. "I'm Loki. I live above you and—"

"Ohmygod, Darce! Is it the guy who we can hear having sex above us?" comes a loud whisper from some invisible person. Loki frowns, looking at the girl standing in front of him.

"Um, I'm Darcy, and my roommate is the queen of awkward first impressions," Darcy introduces herself. Loki arches an eyebrow but before he can say anything else Darcy slams the door in his face. He takes a surprised step back but waits a moment. He can hear them talking behind the door.

"Just do me a favor and collectively let's try not to be super weird, okay? He's super cute," Darcy says. Loki smirks.

"He's cute? Open the door, Darce!" The roommate yells excitedly, swinging the door wide open. Loki's grin slips off of his face.

"You!" she yells and closes the door again.

Loki, now thoroughly frustrated, pounds on the door again. He's trying to remember the girl's name. She looks more well-rested but it's definitely her. "Open the door, please," he tries begging.

"No!" Valkyrie says from the other side of the door. Loki praises his stars that it's just before winter break and most people have gone home; no one has emerged from their room out of curiosity about the scene unfolding presently.

"Listen, um, Valkyrie!" he exclaims, recalling her name suddenly. "Just open the door."

"I will not, sir," she snaps. Loki has one hand pressed to the door and he's looking at his shoeless feet. I really wish I'd worn shoes.

Wait, why do shoes matter? What am I talking about? There is silence from the other side of the door. Loki pushes away from it and sighs. Well, at least they've turned the music off.

He shakes his head, still stunned, and turns to go. The door cracks open behind him. "What do you want?"

"This isn't about the umbrella, so calm down, Butch Cassidy," Loki says, looking at her curiously. She opens the door a little wider and he looks her up and down. She's taller than he remembered. And she's blonde, which he hadn't taken much note of during their first encounter. She looks different when she isn't soaking wet and half asleep.

Valkyrie clears her throat. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I'm not looking at you...like anything," he protests, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Yes, you are," she argues, mirroring his arm cross.

"Is he coming in for a drink or what? You guys are really awful at this," a male voice comes from inside the room. A man appears in the doorway. "Hey dude, I'm Tony Stark."

"Hello," replies Loki icily.

Tony looks to Valkyrie. "This is umbrella guy?" He looks back at Loki and nods appreciatively. "Not bad," he chuckles as he takes a sip from the beer in his hand.

Tony retreats back into the room and Loki and Valkyrie stare at one another awkwardly. After a moment Valkyrie looks down and then smiles.

"So..." Loki says. "Anyone else in that clown car of a room, or have I been properly introduced finally?"

"Just Darce and Tony," she affirms. "Nice socks."

Loki starts and then looks down. Of course. "Thank...thank you?"

"Um, anyway, if it's alright by you, I'm going to go back into my room now..." Valkyrie says. "Uh...you can...I guess if you want you can join us?"

"No! No...that's quite alright. Well, have a good night, Sundance Kid," Loki smirks and Valkyrie shakes her head. She closes the door slowly and he turns and heads down the hall.

Wait, shit.

He wheels around and arrives back at their door, just in time for Valkyrie to open it again. She leans in the doorframe and smiles at him. "Yeah, I was wondering why you came here in the first place."

"I came to ask you to please turn down the music that you were blasting and screaming along to. But, well..." he hesitates and then squeezes his eyes shut for a second. "For the love of god, please don't make me come down here again."

"Do us a solid and stop having so much sex," Valkyrie groans. Loki pales instantly. "Okay, having sex is fine, just maybe pick a quieter girl next time. Oh, and I have a wrench if you ever feel so inclined to tighten the bolts. Happy to share."

Loki lets out a strangled laugh. "Yeah, yeah. Okay. Deal. See ya around, Sundance. Have a good break."