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Loki didn’t look up from his book even after the child, a boy, he thought, took a seat besides him on one of the benches littered around the school playground. He shifted a bit to the right to give the newcomer some space, but ignored him. They sat in silence for a while, the other boy fidgeted in his seat. Loki thought he was being watched, but thought nothing of it. Maybe it would be Steve, here to return his jacket.
“Hey.” It wasn’t Steve, but it was a voice Loki recognized. He slotted an emerald green bookmark into his book before closing it and setting it down on the bench next to him. Loki looked up at the intruder and scowled.
“Daken,” he sneered, “what do you want?”
Daken seemed unaffected by the other boy’s obvious contempt and discomfort, choosing to smirk at him instead. He sported a magnificent bruise on his face from where Steve’s shield had slammed into him, with a few scrapes on his knees, courtesy of Loki dragging him off the floor to punch him in the stomach.
“I came to say sorry, of course!” Loki didn’t buy it, and he knew that Daken knew that too. He sighed and was about to stand up when the older boy grabbed his arm. “I mean it, Loki.” The boy in question rolled his eyes. “I’m gonna give you something, to show you that I’m being honest about it and stuff.”
That got Loki’s attention and the boy looked at Daken quizzically. Loki liked gifts.
“I offer my friendship!”
“No thanks.”
Daken looked taken aback at that comment, but smiled and tugged Loki back down.
“You should be like, seriously honored and stuff.” The older boy put his arm around Loki’s shoulder and the latter groaned with frustration. Daken continued talking. “I know you have no friends man, I am your save-ation!”
“It’s salvation, you dolt,” said Loki, exasperation oozing off his voice, “and you aren’t even using it correctly.”
“Is that a yes?”
Loki paused, then smiled slyly.
“It’s a maybe.”
They ended up eating lunch together later, not just that day, but the six years that followed.