AU where Loki is a dance teacher, Stephen and Tony go to his classes because reasons. Loki is really graceful while dancing, Tony kinda has a natural talent, but Stephen doesn't get it??? 💚
I’ve got a very soft place in my heart for dance AUs. So some FrostIronStrange dance AU. He/Him Loki again. In which Tony can dance and Stephen can’t (yet). In all honesty, this started as a headcanon list, but ended up with so many scenes written out, that I just. adapted it into a fic format. That’s why it’s a bit wonky.
Also, join the Frostironstrange Discord if you want me to drown you with my headcanons constantly!
Loki had gotten into dancing to piss off Odin. He finished his law degree and then completely ignored it in favor of dancing. Now he dances just because he loves it, loves dancing on his own or with a partner, loves the elegance and energy, loves being able to hold a room. In the past, he’s danced for theaters from time to time, as well as in movies when they needed body doubles. Ballet when Bucky was out and Natasha needed a partner. Odin still hates that he made an actual career out of dancing, but Thor had come around to it once he saw how happy it made Loki. These days though, he mostly teaches, and though he’s in pretty high demand as a private teacher he always makes sure to hold at least one public beginner class because he loves watching new dancers learn.
Tony and Stephen were looking for a new couples activity to try that wouldn’t aggravate Stephen’s hands. Cooking hadn’t gone well, sharp knives and shaky hands. Gardening was also too much. Neither of them liked language learning in a classroom setting, and neither of them were a big fan of wine. Still, both of them loved learning and they wanted to learn something together, so Natasha recommended dancing to them. Natasha worked as a ballet instructor at the same studio as Loki, so she recommended them to Loki’s Introductory Waltzing class. He fit them into the full class as a favor to her.
So they go to class once a week. It’s pretty basic stuff, and Tony picks it up quickly.
Stephen is the stiffest person Loki has met in his life.
Stephen, Jesus Christ, just move your hips even the tiniest bit.
But Loki and Tony get along well, and Loki loves teaching Tony because he picks it up so quickly. He has such a good natural rhythm, when Loki and Tony dance together the whole classroom watches. Tony even gets to start on some more challenging steps. Stephen on the other hand, is Loki’s greatest challenge.
Finally, they’re getting towards the end of classes and Stephen is getting really frustrated mostly with himself but a bit with Loki, Loki invites them to do private lessons with him instead, because it’s the last thing he can think of to try.
These private lessons end up a little different then Tony or Stephen were expecting. Loki’s figured out by this point, that between his accident and struggling to perform tasks at work, Stephen has all but lost the ability to relax. Since dancing became a stress source for him, it’s made it way too hard for him to just calm down. But he doesn’t want to give up on it because he sees it as a challenge. So Loki is doing everything he can to get Stephen to just relax and move. Tony catches onto the plan and helps as best as he can.
Things are getting better slowly, but too slowly for Loki’s liking and he can tell Stephen is starting to get frustrated again. Up until this point, it’s been Tony and Stephen dancing as a couple, with Tony sometimes dancing with Loki to learn the more complicated moves or when Stephen didn’t feel up to it. Loki pulls Tony aside after their fourth lesson and clears an idea with him.
They get there for their fifth lesson and Tony just heads straight to the couch. Stephen’s confused, but Loki just turns on the music and gently takes Stephen by the hand. He slowly leads him through some easy moves with a softer voice then normal while Stephen’s trying to get his barrings. The change throws him off guard just enough that it helps him shake off the “I can’t” mindset he had before. Tony’s watching the both of them with adoring eyes, so happy to see Stephen finally getting the hang of it. The music is soft, the lighting is low and everything about the situation is as cozy as it can be.
That’s how they spend that whole lesson, with Stephen slowly getting better and better. It’s the first time he’s relaxed in a long time. Loki realizes that a big part of it is also that Stephen was afraid of messing up with Tony and hurting him. He’s not really worried about that with Loki since Loki is the expert in this situation. They actually end up going over their scheduled time by quite a bit since they both get so lost in it. Tony can absolutely see what’s happen, and it just makes him grin because he’s danced with Loki too and he’s felt the same thing Stephen’s going through. Loki just has a way of pulling his partner in and honestly at this point Tony’s been crushing on him for two months.
The lesson finally ends when Bucky pokes his head in and tells them they need to close up. Loki flushes and apologizes and Stephen does too, and Tony just thinks they’re both adorable. Bucky and Natasha spends the rest of the evening teasing Loki.
Stephen and Tony go home that night, Stephen’s in a relaxed mindset he hasn’t had in ages, and when they get home Tony coaxes him into dancing with him. It’s soft and sweet, and Stephen’s a little worried at the start, but he’s got more confidence now and before long they’re waltzing around their living room together.
At the end of the song Tony leans in and kisses Stephen. It’s so soft and sweet that they just have to lean against each other for a minute or two. Soft city noises in the background now that the song has faded out, the only lighting in the apartment is from the streetlamps and stars.
Tony can almost feel the gears whirring in Stephen’s head after the moment passes, and so he pulls him to bed to lay and cuddle.
“Have a crush on our dance instructor? Yes, Love, we both do.”
“… How long have you known for?”
“Long before you did. You were too busy getting upset with yourself to notice.”
“So what do we do about it?”
“Well my current plan was wait for you to figure it out, then have a discussion with you to make sure you were cool with everything going on, then see about asking him out. So we’re on step two right now.”
They end up deciding to ask Loki out after their next lesson.
Meanwhile, Loki has gotten smashingly drunk off Russian vodka with Natasha and Bucky, since someone just realized He Got The Feelings and dear god he did not want to be this cliche but he IS.
He’s just rambling at them for an hour, “-but Stephen’s hands are so gentle??? and Tony has this thing that he does with his hips that I never taught him and it’s ART.”
Natasha and Bucky just quietly pat him on the shoulder, being nice and reassuring because Loki thinks this is a tragic love because the both of them are married to each other. Bucky saw how Stephen was lookin at Loki & how Tony was watching the two of them, and Natasha knows Stephen and Tony well enough to know this is 100% an option.
Tony not so subtly asks Natasha a few questions about whether or not Loki is single when they’re all gathered at Steve’s apartment. Thor, a fairly new member of their group whose brought in because he’s dating Bruce, is like “??? Loki? A Dance Instructor? Tall with Black Hair? Looks like he should be in ballet?”
Tony’s confused, like “Yes??? Have you met him before?”
Thor “That’s my little brother.”
-insert ??? ???? meme here-
Natasha revels that she knew this the entire time, and then loudly says “But yes, Tony, to answer your question Loki is currently single.”
Thor’s eyes narrow. “I thought you were married to Doctor Stephen Strange.”
So Tony has to quickly explain that no, he is not trying to cheat on Stephen and gives Thor the run down on the whole thing. Thor listens and gets it. He takes one long look over Tony, quieter then any of them have ever seen him. “If you hurt him, I will kill you. Our friendship aside, my sibling’s relationship history is already bad enough and I will not have you making it worse.”
Natasha drops her head on her elbow. “That goes double for me. I like you Tony, and I like Stephen, but seriously, Loki does not need another bad relationship. He doesn’t need a one time fling or to be a way for you two to spice up your relationship.” Her tone was serious and it was enough to make Tony think for a long moment.
He talks with Stephen later, and they both confirm that they want something serious.
So come their next lesson, Loki is way more flustered then normal but trying to pretend everything’s okay. “Alright, so I think last time we finally got through to you Stephen, so why don’t you try with Tony this time?”
“Actually, I think I’d like to dance with you again if that’s alright? I wanted to try leading this time.” Stephen was so polite as he held out his hand to Loki. Loki gave a look to Tony, not wanting the other to feel left out of his own dance lesson, but Tony just nodded with a soft smile.
Stephen and Loki start to dance, but it’s different from before. Now Stephen’s movements are confident, Loki’s are nervous. He misses a really basic step and ends up red faced and apologizing, saying he didn’t sleep well the night before. It’s okay though, Stephen doesn’t mind. It goes on like this for a little bit, until Loki’s settled into the rhythm of the song.
The song slows down, Stephen is looking right at Loki and Loki has to look away because he can’t handle his gaze. He can feel Tony’s eyes on the two of them, but it doesn’t feel angry. Notes slow down and fade out, the song has ended now but the two of them are still swaying together.
For a moment, Loki almost goes to change the disc out and play a new song, but he can’t bring himself to break the moment. He looks back up towards Stephen.
Their eyes meet. Tony knows what’s coming next, and he gets up off the couch quietly.
“Can I kiss you?” It made Loki freeze, Stephen’s voice was so soft. He could feel Stephen’s hands tense a little though. Loki realizes he’s preparing to let go in case he says no. But then he remembers Tony is in the room, and he likes Tony way too much to do that to him. Then again, Tony hasn’t said anything yet?
“I certainly wouldn’t mind, but I think your husband might.” Loki responded, giving a smile that didn’t reach his eyes as he moved to let go of Stephen. To put space between them so he didn’t just say yes. But there’s another person behind him. Not holding him there, just arms placed ever so loosely around his waist, wrapping around Stephen’s and making him reconsider moving.
“As long as I get a kiss from you too, I’m game.” It took Loki a minute to process what was going on, but once it hit him, the pieces started falling into place. Loki leaned back just a little bit, moving into Tony’s touch and pulling Stephen in with him.
“Well I guess that’s your answer.” Loki said, his tone now flirty. But Stephen shook his head.
“Do you want me to kiss you? Do you want Tony to kiss you?” He asked, the same question but not quite the same. Another puzzle piece for Loki. This wasn’t some moment of passion or one-time thing. This was planned, and neither of them were making a move unless he was sure. Loki gave it though, hips still swaying ever so slightly to music that wasn’t playing and yet Tony and Stephen were keeping time with.
It had been awhile. After a string of bad relationships, Loki had put the whole concept of romance on hold. He didn’t usually pick good people to date, he wasn’t good at being in a relationship, therapy had helped him figure out that he tried to emulate his relationship with his parents. But.
But Loki didn’t want to give up on love. Tony and Stephen were here, and for someone reason they were willing to give him a shot. So Loki met Stephen gaze, and gave him his answer. Tone firm, voice steady. Gaze even.
“Yes. I think I’d like both those things quite a lot.”