Stepbrothers

Part 4

And... Here it is ! No smut yet, sorry ^^;

Once, things were simple. Loki's mom dead, impostors came because of unfaithful father, impostors invaded Loki's mom's rightful place, Loki hated said impostors and traitorous father. Loki planned to leave home. Period. Simple.

And now, it was simply chaos.

Loki had managed to return home, he couldn't remember how, after Thor's... craziness. His dad and Thor's mom were home and chatting happily in front of the TV. Loki retreated to his bedroom, saying he was tired. He laid on his bed and stared at the ceiling for hours. Thor arrived home very late, making his mother worry. Loki heard her scolding him as if he was still a pre-teen. In other circumstances, Loki would have sneered. Right at that moment, getting out of his room and face Thor was the hardest thing he ever done in his whole life.
Loki silently came into the salon. Thor was seated in the sofa, head down, nodding to his mother's reproach. He looked really tired and his usually impeccable appearance was less neat, as if he had been wandering for hours before returning. At Loki's entrance, everybody cooled off. Larry declared that the incident was over and dinner was ready. Fran made a sign that told her son to get up and not to do something like that anymore. Thor took a long, haggard look at Loki as if he was some sort of exotic bird appearing out of thin air. Loki averted his eyes, feeling his cheeks burns and hoping no one would see it.
Dinner went on without much incident. Although Loki and Thor remained silent most of the time. As they were still happily chatting about the wedding, neither Larry nor Fran noticed their children's weird quietness...

***

For a few days, the only thing that had changed was the heavy silence between Thor and Loki. Loki didn't know what to think. Thor's reaction had been out of proportions. He had definitely scared Loki to death and Loki was too confused to understand why. Had Thor, by any chance, been infatuated with the girl ? If so, why insisting on Loki's coolness ? And anyway, what Loki was supposed to do now ? Thor was acting weird at school. Instead of his usual confidence and talent, he was distracted. He ate very little and Loki suspected him to sleep very little for he was dozing off in class. Something he would have never done before.
Then, three days after the incident, as Loki had seen him leave the house with dark circles under his eyes, he decided for once to follow Thor on his football training. Again, something that would have been totally impossible before.
Loki had aboslutely no knowledge of that sport and very little interest in it. A whole bunch of wild boars padded to the head with bars in front of their eyes, grunting, screaming, running blind everywhere, and hitting each other like cavemen was not Loki's idea of entertaining. Yet he understood that Thor was in big trouble. He was at the other edge of the field, head down, shoulders hunched, looking ashamed and defeated. The team coach, his mouth litterally foaming (he was known for having a temper) was yelling at him and waving his hands like a crazy puppet. Loki couldn't hear what Thor might have done wrong but it obviously looked bad.
And Thor actually failing in something was simply beyond the impossible. Well, before the incident.
Seeing the miserable golden-headed figure, Loki decided to take action.
Hoping it was the right thing to do...

***

The parents were out to celebrate the upcoming marriage with a crowd of friends. Manuelita and José were also out since they had relatives visiting. Loki would be alone with Thor for a whole evening.
And he expected answers, whatever they would be.
He waited, seated in the large cream-leathered sofa, reading a book he could not focus on. Ears perking up at the sound of Thor's car. A rather modest pick-up he had before Fran met Larry and that he had curiously insisted on keeping, although Larry wanted to offer him a brand new (and expensive) sporstcar.
Thor came in, looking already exhausted though there was no training that day. Loki saw that this discussion was also necessary for him. He was withering.
"Thor..."
Thor jumped hearing Loki's voice.
– Oi ! You're not asleep ?
Loki frowned. It wasn't even past ten. Was Thor taking Loki for a kid ?
– Thor... we need...
– Not now.
Thor was making an exit to his bedroom. Loki went and grabbed his arm.
– Oh no, you don't ! We need to talk Thor and you OWE it to me !
Thor lowered his head, looking ashamed again and let himself be seated by Loki like a naughty little boy.
– Why didn't you say anything ?" He croaked. " Why didn' t you tell our parents about... what I've done to you ?
Loki sighed.
– No idea. And maybe I should have told but you were right in a way.
Thor raised his head.
– I never look at you. Or at your mother. It's true I used to hate you both so much...
Thor made a grimace.
– Look, Thor !" Loki pursued. "Put yourself into my shoes just for one second ! My mother was barely dead for one year when YOUR Mom showed up ! And with a son that was much more ..." He gestured, lost for words. "Much more brilliant... more fit to... I don't know...."
'Please my Dad' was what he really wanted to say. But seeing that Thor's miserable look he didn't dare go any further in this uncomfortable subject.
– Loki, I told you. I am not blind." Thor said. "And I know all of this. Or at least I guessed. I just wanted... I just..." He raised his hands. " I don't know, give you a family ! To be your ... brother, to share... my mother with you ! You looked so... So..."
Again, Loki saw something weird in Thor's usually dull blue eyes. A gleam that was already there the day he went insane. A gleam so bizarre it made Loki incapable of understanding it. Thor, that Loki had thought so predictable before, had become a true puzzle.
– I just want us to be friends Loki. True friends, true... brothers, stepbrothers, I don't care.
Loki noticed that he was repeatedly tumbling on the word 'brother.' But the conversation was getting nowhere.
– Thor, I need to know why you ... snapped or whatever just because I was talking with Trish Feldman...
Thor clenched his fist. Loki felt the familiar shiver of fear down his spine. He made an attempt to ease the air between them.
– She is not in love with me, Thor ! She's in love with YOU ! She was just trying to get closer to you through me !
Thor then raised his head, now confused.
– You see ? She wanted to flirt with me and like this she could get to you !" Loki was trying to explain but the blue eyes in front of him were now totally dull again... "Look, if you're in love with Trish...
Out of the blue, Thor slammed the coffe table with his fist. Luckily, it was marble or else he would have broken it. Anyway, it shut Loki up.
– I don't care about that girl..." Thor growled. "I don't give a ...
– Thor !
– I am not in love with HER ! I am in love with...
– DON'T !