The Gap

spockjasperlokizukowriting

Seven- Apologies

"Class, roll-call!" the primary coach called, stepping forward, still chewing her gum like a cow with cud. She started scrolling down through the list of names, but none of it reached my mind. I was terrified, trembling as I could look at nothing but the black-haired boy, inclined forward over his legs, his taut shoulders rigid, his black jacket fastened up to his chest, long, black pants baggy from his thin frame.

"Be strong," I murmured to myself, my heart pounding, desperately flying inside my chest, hammering at my ribcage uncomfortably. I clenched my clammy hands, wringing my hands as I refused the urge to fidget. "It's only a simple apology. Nothing special."

But it wasn't. It was more than that- it felt like more than that. It felt like a fruitless effort- he wouldn't accept my apology. He wouldn't understand that I genuinely regretted my actions. How could he, when I had given him no reason to trust my word as of yet?

I ran my hands through my hair, relieved that the coaches couldn't be bothered to give me an introduction, and we were released, conversation rising in the air as my peers tumbled down the bleachers and pounced onto the glazed, wooden floor.

I shakily stood, following after the students as they dispersed around the gym, friends being with friends while a few loners dabbled around, finding things to keep themselves occupied. I could only quiver, an anxious wreck, numerous possibilities of screwing the apology up tearing through my mind. I picked up a basketball and nervously dribbled around, attempting to be subtle as I desperately scanned the gym, trying to locate the black-haired boy, my heart skipping a beat as I saw him near one of the stray basketball hoops, shooting with an elegant grace with another boy, the boy from the bus both larger and fitter than his counterpart, but willing to cooperate and play with him nonetheless. I felt my heart sank as I stumbled, forcing myself forwards, walking around the gym, berating myself for being a complete and utter coward.

Isla, seriously? You can't simply apologize to him? You're making this into a much bigger deal than it actually is! my mind screamed at me.

I groaned, pacing in a small corner as I waged the war within myself, stumbling about, not particularly knowing where I was going, lost in my own thoughts. I quickly felt a pair of intense eyes burn against my skin, and I glanced up to find his emerald eyes staring at me, his hands paused at the ball as we both stood stiffly, uncomfortable, completely aware of each other's presence. I blinked, realizing that I had unwittingly wandered into his space, both of us straining in tension.

I panicked, trying to find something to do as he gazed down at me, my hands reacting instinctively as I raised them back and made a shot at the hoop, the ball flying past without even hitting the backboard. The adrenaline raced in my veins as I looked back to the black-haired boy, frozen in place while he stared back, emotionless.

His brown-haired playmate fetched my ball, thinking that it was his until he jogged back up and saw me, his friendly eyes twinkling as he gave the black-haired boy an amused look.

"Well," he said quaintly, eyeing us both, laughter in his blue eyes, "I guess I'll leave you to it."

He handed me my ball, placing it between my hands with an easy kindness before sprinting off in a different direction, joining the lines underneath the yellow climbing net. The black-haired boy tried to say something to him as he left, but the words caught in his throat as he stammered, turning back to me with shining eyes. He then gripped his ball and walked closer to the hoop and farther from me, stopping at the free-throw line and shooting, the ball landing through the basket with a perfect arc, not even brushing the rim as I gawked, unable to do anything.

Working up the courage, I finally staggered forward, shutting in the distance as I raised the ball and made another pathetic attempt at throwing, the ball colliding against the rim and flying back towards the black-haired boy. My jaw dropped and I watched in horror as it smacked him in the shoulder, echoing with a loud, hollow noise and dropping to the floor with a limp bounce.

I quickly covered my mouth to keep in my yelp of terror as he observed his shoulder, rubbing it and throwing me an accusing expression. I trembled, eyes wide as I ran up to him, the worlds falling out before I could control them, aghast that I had hit him again.

"I'm sooo sorry!" I cried, wavering as I struggled to stand still, hand poised in mid-air. "I- I didn't mean that! I didn't mean any of it! I didn't want to crash into you yesterday and I'm sorry that I lied during English! I'm sorry! I'm sorry for everything! Please don't hate me! Please, I feel awful and have been and I was trying to say sorry when I made that stupid, stupid throw and I didn't want it to hit you! Please, I'm so sorry!"

I stopped, the words halting and catching in my throat as my voice cracked, feeling like such a sudden idiot, wanting nothing more than to be gone as he stared at me, dumbstruck, a hand on his sore shoulder. I shook my head, mouthing, "I'm sorry..." once more as I walked away, nerves calming down, relieved that I finally done it- it was over with, gone, done. My head felt like exploding as my eyes watered, but I heaved in a labored breath.

It was done.

THOR

Thor strode down the hallway, the drag in his step absent as he controlled himself, dark thoughts seething in the back of his mind at the Coulson boy's untimely return. Thor had all but forgotten about him in his week-long absence, contenting himself with knowing that he would have Isla to himself for the rest of the week. But apparently not so. Coulson was as determined as he was cruel, the slimy weasel. His return had unsettled the Warriors Three and Lady Sif, bringing about the familiar hostility they had dealt with for years. Fandral had brooded over it all morning throughout Speech with Thor, both struggling to accept that their arch-nemesis had bothered to come back.

Thor glowered at the floor at the mere thought of Arren, trudging through the courtyard and heading towards the gym. Thor was continuing his second-day routine, determined to pick up his brother from PE. Passing period had already commenced, students guiding themselves along the handrails as he walked down a flight of stairs, footsteps squeaking and echoing from the tile floor. Conversations carried around him, but Thor wasn't paying attention, his mind elsewhere in the world, shoving through the crowds unintentionally.

Why did he come back early? Thor moped, clenching his fists again. He had left as abruptly as he had come back. It doesn't add up. Thor couldn't muster a possibility for the Washington trip, but decided that it inevitably wasn't his deal. His father would take care of it later.

Despite Isla to contradict it, Thor couldn't stand mortals sometimes. They could be fascinating, kind creatures, while others were insolent and vain.

But, then again, Asgardians could be as well, he decided, nodding to himself and priding himself on the thought. Thor had run in with arrogance himself (though most of the pride was deserved and well-founded), and had seen the evil of the nine realms, but didn't understand how such a worthless being could hold such power of his emotions. Perhaps it was their history, something that Thor avoided thinking of, or perhaps it was Arren's family: the entire lot being general bad news. Odin was determined to make them allies, but Thor didn't understand Arren at all. Loki had assured him that Arren just had attention problems, but Thor couldn't shake the feeling that it was more than that. That Arren lived to make their lives miserable.

He rolled his fists again, looking down and halting as he felt a smaller form collide with his own and hurtle backwards. He blinked, relaxing, seeing the error- he really hadn't been paying attention to what he was doing after all. A medium height girl grunted in surprise, shocked that she had nearly been run over, blinking with brown eyes as she crawled forward and started picking together her papers.

Thor, concerned, knelt down to her side, apologizing quickly. "I'm so sorry, miss," he babbled, avoiding her gaze, collecting her papers in his large hands and sorting them into a pile. "I honestly didn't see you."

"Oh- I... It's okay, Tom, I guess," the girl stammered, curling a brown lock that had fallen forwards around her ear, the rest of the russet mess pulled back into a pony-tail. Thor handed her his stack of papers, frowning as she carefully placed it back within the respected textbook.

Thor's fingers paused at the mess, considering her delicate, heart-shaped face for a moment before he smiled. "Hey, I recognize you," he finally said with a grin.

She glanced up at him, her eyes wide and hopeful, lips parting as she breathed, "You do?"

He nodded, pleased with himself as he handed her another book. "Yes! I saw you yesterday morning when I was leading around Miss Isla," he explained, keeping another book in his hand as he continued, "Jenelle Fletcher, am I correct?"

Her face fell, quickly taking the last book from his hands as she shook his head. "Nope, not at all," she sighed, dismayed.

Thor's smile faltered, disappointed that he had gotten her name wrong, knitting his brow as they both rose to their feet. "But... I'm sure that was your name..." He gave a small pout.

"The initials were right, but the names weren't," she quickly corrected, hugging her belongings to her chest.

JF... Thor thought to himself, quickly grinning confidently when he decided he had remembered her name. "Jaimie Forager!" he piped enthusiastically.

The girl's face continued to remain grim, her eyes flickering as she pursed her lips and shook her head.

Thor rocked back and forth on his feels, starting to become impatient with his memory. "Janet Flannigan?"

"No."

"January? Jean? Jackie?" he continued, running through the list of female J-names he could summon to thought. He counted them off on his fingers, struggling to think through the mental exercise.

She shook her head, smiling weakly, disappointed. "No... I... I have to go..." She ducked and tried to walk around him, but Thor stood to the side, blocking her, smiling and excited by the game. She scowled, attempting in the other direction when he scooted back into her way, grinning, sticking his chest out a little bit farther as he crossed his arms.

Jane frowned at him, squaring her shoulders as he laughed. "Please, Tom, don't you have somewhere to be?" she asked, exasperated.

"Not until I guess your name correctly," he countered, grinning as she frowned at him. "I swear it's Jasmine."

"No, Tom, please move," the girl flushed, blocked by Thor once more as he side-stepped back into her way. "I have to get to class! I can't be late to Computer Science IV again!" Thor relished her small tantrum, grinning to himself as she fumed and stamped her foot, each action adding a spring of encouragement to his ego. He admired her face, her form as she continued to rant about something having to do with school, continuing to side-step into her way as she tried to escape. He wasn't particularly paying attention to her words- he only watched her for her actions, for how she reacted. It was rather amusing until a few choice words finally cut through his thick mental barrier.

"I swear, Tom, move now! I'm going to be late to class again and it'll be your fault!" she accused, frustrated as she glowered at him.

Thor's smile dissolved, his heart beat hammering as he clenched his fists, a thought suddenly coming to mind. "Wait, one last guess?" he pleaded, determined to win the game and draw it out for as long as possible.

She frowned, tapping her foot impatiently, drumming her fingers against her books, still bright red as she allowed, "Fine. Just one."

The crowds in the hallways were starting to thin, time wearing away. Thor felt his palms become damp, the tension rising, his heart picking up speed. Thor pursed his lips, praying that the name was correct, hoping with all of his heart as he finally stuttered out, "...Jane?"

Her face blanked in shock, her lips parted, the blush fading from her cheeks as she nodded slowly. "...yes... Yes, that's correct..." She tried to frown, but it was conquered quickly by a sweet smile. "I'm Jane Foster."

Foster, Thor scowled. Why hadn't I thought of that?

"Now I really need to get to class," she interrupted in the middle of the self-scorning session of Thor's. "Please, move out of the way."

"Oh, yes, of course!" Thor finally managed through his thoughts, distracted, giving her the widest of grins, proud that he had won. "Till we meet again, Miss Jane."

She gave him a confused expression, returning slowly, "Seeya later...I guess..."

The thought hit Thor like a battering ram, and before he could control it, he stammered out, "Wait- wait, Jane!"

She stopped, turning back to him quickly, her eyes wide. "What?"

He shyly looked down, frustrated that he had never been good at this, but stifled his annoying feelings and simply asked the question. "Will...will you eat lunch with Isla and I today?" he hoped, quickly adding to Jane's stunned expression, "Finley, Vlad, and Hayden will be doing club activities, so it'll just be the four of us, including Sif! I... There'll be room, and it'll be nice to make up to you knocking you over..." He self-consciously rubbed the back of his neck, fighting the red in his cheeks, blinking expectantly as she was at loss for words.

"Well... Well, I..." she stuttered, glancing back up at him to renew a determination within her chocolate eyes. She reaffirmed her stance as she grinned. "Yes. Yes, I will take you up on that. You owe it to me."

"In every respect, I do!" Thor prattled, losing self control as he continued, "and- and it'll be a great opportunity to know you! I... I think we've been going to the same school for... for..."

"Seven years," Jane pitched in, giving him a small smile. "Yes, I agree, it's overdue."

"Too much!" Thor corrected, grinning before his concerned look could last too long. "I... I hope to amend that. I feel like I've almost been rude."

"You haven't," she stammered, shaking her head. "No, I'm assuming you've been busy... Friends, you know, they take up so much time!"

He nodded, his smile faltering. "Will... Will I be keeping you from friends?" he timidly questioned.

"No!" she answered too quickly. "No, not at all! I'm free! I look forward to it!"

Then, ever so quickly, before she could scamper off, he snatched her hand and gently swept it up to his lips, giving her pale fingers a tender kiss as he smiled down at her, Jane's face shocked and turning a dark scarlet, closing the ambsace between them with a small stride. He dropped her hand to her side, grinning uncomfortably, trying to find his confidence as she stared at him.

"Whoa..." she whispered, addled at his action, unable to look away. "Well, that was unexpected..." She then averted her gaze and laughed nervously.

Thor stood still and grinned, feeling a little stupid himself, treasuring the moment he got to make Jane Foster blush before she shook her head, glancing at him before turning and heading towards class, leaving a slightly disappointed Thor standing alone. He watched her stagger off, uneasy, flustered at what he done. Thor didn't quite understand why kissing hands, which was customary for Asgardian males to perform to females they admired, unsettled the women he did it to. He remembered Isla had had a similar reaction to it yesterday, but had come to expect it gradually as time wavered past.

Thor stood resolutely and watched Jane disappear up the stairs, vanishing in the dissipating crowds up the stairs and into the courtyard. The thought of Isla quickly towed his mind in a different direction, and he suddenly pined for lunch all the more, the time in which he could see her again, potentially adding a new friend to the mixture, expanding the social group. Two friends in two days, this is amazing! he thought to himself.

Thor turned on his heels and strode down the hall, elated at how much better his morning was faring, until he heard disgruntled voices from around the corner, the now empty hallway housing a temperate echo as the bell rung, all sounds easy to catch off the resonate walls. Thor frowned as the words became definite, a horrible dread pitting his stomach.

"Look, Hendricks!" a cold sneer heeded. Thor's smile transformed into a glare as he recognized Arren's steely voice, rounding the corner to find Arren flanked by two other boys, mirroring his cruel expression as they cornered their prey. "The Asgardian weakling is surrendering to us."

Thor's heart lurched into his throat and he growled, storming up behind them and grabbing one of Arren's minions by the collar, pulling him out of the way and against a wall to reveal Loki, crossing his arms and staring at Arren with a vengeful look.

"Brother," Thor quickly snapped, Loki stiffening and retreating to Thor's side, feeling protected under Thor's mighty and angered shadow, brothers reunited.

Arren laughed, his cold cackle echoing from the walls while his companions stepped to his side, his amused, hazel eyes piercing Thor as he chortled, "Oh look at this! Isn't this just touching? The baby-brother has fled to his mommy for protection."

"You've stepped too far today, Coulson," Thor snarled, bristling at the insult and towering above him, both larger and more impressive than his counterpart, thick shoulders wide, the vein in his neck pulsing. "Leave here. Now."

"This is just as much my turf as it is yours, Tom," he quipped, folding his arms around his chest and leaning back, chin stuck in the air. "We're merely having the fun I've been deprived of for a week."

"My brother has done nothing to you, Coulson," Thor retorted, clenching his fists, hatred bottling inside him, ready to blow like a dormant volcano. "You're nothing more but an impudent bully!"

Arren's eyes flashed as he grinned. "Ouch. That hurt," he teased with a mocking tone. His friends grinned stupidly at his side, all thin, one with curly blond hair and the other with gelled, walnut spikes, snickering between themselves. "Come on, honestly Tom. A schoolyard felon could do better than that."

"Try my fist for better, asshole!" Thor cried, raising his balled fist for the strike, thunder cracking in the distance as a pale hand shot out and grabbed his forearm, Loki rounding his side and restraining him, knuckles white and green eyes wide.

"Brother, don't," he said through gritted teeth, giving the expectant Arren a hostile glare. "He's not worth it. Walk away. Just leave it. Walk away."

Thor seethed, breathing hard, jaw clenched and teeth bared, his eyes wide in fury as he felt the might of the storm sizzling at his fingertips. If I had Mjolnir, you'd be dead by now, Thor thought angrily, hissing at Arren and shucking Loki's hand from his arm.

"Fine," he growled behind his throat, grinding his teeth together as he stiffly turned, inhaling through his nose. "Come on, brother."

"Don't walk away from me!" Arren hissed, gritting his teeth as Thor strode proudly away, the anger still broiling with him. "Did you hear me?"

Loki walked at the brooding Thor's side, giving his brother a reassuring glance, a silent 'thank you' for coming to his aid.

"I said, DON'T WALK AWAY FROM ME!" screamed Arren, and before Thor could react, he heard a sickening crunch and a loud bang, wheeling around to see Arren grab his younger brother and smash his head into the lockers, driving his nails into Loki's scalp, Loki wincing in pain as he slid to the floor, the bruise on his forehead quickly fading, his cut lip bleeding, mortal form weaker than Aesir form.

Thor cried out in anger, striking out with a bared fist and knocking Arren backwards, sending the boy colliding into his friends, skidding backwards on the tile. Thor advanced, feeling his powers bursting within him, the raw force and brute strength waiting to be commanded, thunder cracking from the double doors at the far end of the hallway, the storm outside brewing with his emotions.

Arren shook his head, his cheek red and bleeding as he scrambled to his feet, spitting back, "You're crazy! You hear that, Asgard? You're crazy! My father WILL hear about this, and you'll be kicked out faster than you can say mythology!"

"Go crawling back to your nest, vermin!" Thor shouted, glaring at them with a murderous rage as the bullies fled, scampering back down the hallway and sliding around the corner, staggering and tumbling in fear and shock.

Thor grunted, muttering, "Good riddance." His anger calmed, the powers he wielded no longer needing to surface, rain pattering against the roof of the school as he turned back to the struggling Loki, sprinting to his side and kneeling down before him.

"Brother!" he gushed, grabbing the smaller youth by the shoulders and forcing him to his feet. "Brother, are you alright?"

Loki shouldered Thor's hands from him, shooting him a cold glare as he rubbed his forehead. "I'm fine," he snapped, wrinkling his nose. "Just...just leave me alone!"

"No, brother, you could be seriously hurt!" Thor refused, running after Loki and to his side as the black-haired youth stormed off, green eyes flashing as he headed towards the doors. "Brother, there could be internal damage! Brother, please, Loki, stop!"

"Why?" Loki challenged, wheeling and halting Thor in his tracks, green eyes hard and watering. "Why, Thor, should I stop to listen to you? Look, I know you're only playing the role of big brother here, but I can take care of myself! And right now, that includes staying the hell away from here for a couple of days! Do you think that I tolerate this place without marginal effort? How do you think I live through every day of this madness? Is it because I ignore the mortals? Is it because I do it for father's appreciation? What do you think, Thor? Hmm! Give me a reason to stay!"

Thor halted, shaking as he clenched the jacket over his heart. "You... I..." He was speechless- the words wouldn't come as his anger crumbled, replaced with worry. "P-please, brother... I..."

Loki shook his head and sneered. "You can't. You can't think of a reason," he stated, voice flat as he swallowed, turning around and hunching his shoulders as he headed towards the door.

"Isla!" Thor finally managed, shouting out to Loki as the God of Mischief froze in his tracks, unable to move, rigid.

"Isla!" he continued. "Isla Selvig! P-please... Brother, stay so that I can introduce you to her! You don't know her yet! Per-perhaps she could be your friend. A friend when no one else will be! She has a good heart!"

Loki clenched his fists. "Isla. Selvig. Is. Not. My. Friend," he forced out, glowering at Thor from over his shoulder, his dark, jade eyes shining. "She... She..." He exhaled, breath hitching as he shook his head and continued towards the door, not looking back, sure footed as he tightened the scarf around his neck.

"Brother!" Thor shouted, but couldn't move as he watched Loki push past the doors, feet planted as Loki disappeared into the thick rain outside, feeling his heart break as his baby brother left him standing.

"Brother!"