He had never done anything against his brother in all those years, of course, but he had never even done anything to defend him from the free insults of Stark and the others, too busy indulging in the antics of what he called his friends; he had been so for all the years of high school, but then something had changed, he was growing up, and he had begun to realize how wrong that was, how stupid it was to let his relationship with his brother slip into the abyss; then both had discovered a shocking truth: Loki had been adopted, and Thor wanted to be close to him at that moment, to support him, to be of comfort to him, but he didn't know how to scratch the wall that had been created between them over the years, that he had helped to build stone after stone.
<< What's the beauty of it, do you want a photo by chance? >> Helena's voice distracted him from his thoughts.
<< Don't mind my brother Thor, he's leaving now! >> Loki replied with a hard and contemptuous look at the blond.
Thor felt hurt, but he knew he deserved that contempt. He wanted to say something, he wanted to apologize to his brother for everything, but as usual, he just turned around and left, feeling like a terrible coward.
<< You shouldn't have done it! >> Loki said as soon as the others were outside the cafeteria and looking at Hel with a serious frown.
She made stretches << I did not like the attitude of Stark! >> said in the quietest tone in the world.
The boy passed his hands in his hair in an exasperated gesture << You don't have to protect me as if I were a princess in danger, I can manage very well by myself! >> He replied dryly, with a hint of anger in his eyes.
A mandarin grin appeared on Hel's lips <<I never had any doubts about this, but don't deny me the fun of making certain cheap bullies pay for it in some way. I can't help it, I just don't tolerate certain attitudes. >>
The anger in Loki's eyes immediately gave way to dismay << You are crazy! Do you realize that he will find a way to make you pay? >> The way he was talking, he would have been said to be afraid of Tony Stark, but he wasn't like that, he was never silent in front of that inflated balloon's harassment; but he was still senator Odinson's son, the only thing Stark could do against him was keep making fun of him, make him feel like nothing in front of the others, but nothing more. For Hel, however, the speech was different.
<< I appreciate the concern, but it is not necessary. >> He said, pointing his extremely serious gaze at the other, then sighed, before continuing << You have to know that I have practically grown up on my own, and when that's the case you can't afford to be afraid or to show weakness in front of certain bullies, or the world will devour you. Give it to them once, and they will trample on you forever. I'm not afraid of Stark because I know how to deal with certain people, I've met worse ones in my life, so I thank you, Loki, but you don't have to worry so much about me. >> ended with a half-smile brave but veiled with bitterness.
Loki was surprised, both because that was the first time that Hel addressed him by name, but especially because of the strength of mind that he saw in those eyes so equal to his own and at the same time so different. That girl seemed not to be afraid of anything, but there was something bitter about it: her was the typical courage of a person who has nothing and therefore has nothing to lose, it was the typical courage seasoned with a strong self-destructive charge, that of those who feel almost indifference towards their lives. This awareness aroused in the boy a strange feeling of anguish that started from the mouth of his stomach up to the point of tightening his throat.
He remained silent, not knowing what to say, as he watched Hel grab his bag and get up.
<< Now I have to go. >> She said as she slipped a cigarette between her lips and was getting ready to go out, yet hesitated, lingering a little longer at that table, as if she didn't want to go away. She felt the other person's gaze on her, and strangely enough, she wasn't bothered.
That situation was completely strange for Helena: she had always had difficulty to bind with her peers and for this reason she had spent her adolescence without a shred of a friend, but, although it was difficult to admit, with Loki she was fine, she felt that maybe for that time she could let go a little and lower her defenses.
Maybe he could start considering the idea of a friendship.
<< Would you like to meet tomorrow for breakfast? >>
to be continued https://zen.yandex.ru/media/id/5d95c339aad43600afc75fd8/the-time-to-grow-up-part-9-5d95f0aac31e4900b2f96cf8