Asshole Father Anonymous

The shadow meets the edge of light

Bruce followed later, stuttering some apology before speeding away.

Bruce had fled to the library as soon as he could. At this period in the year, right after the first exams, it was deserted there. It was safe, calm, quiet.
And there seemed to be no one else. Perfect.

The brunette sat down on a chair in the corner between two bookshelves and curled up, taking deep breaths to calm his racing heart. The combination of someone big and imposing, yelling, and defending a father... it didn't work out for him.
As he slowly calmed down and the blood stopped rushing through his head, he could hear someone else.
Shit.
It took him a moment to realise the sounds he heard were soft pants and muffled sobs. Someone else was hiding here distressed. But it didn't sound like Clint. Besides, the archer would probably be in the range to calm down.
Curious and a little worried, Bruce got out of his chair and slowly walked towards the sound. He stuck his head carefully around another bookcase, and there it was.
A small figure was curled up in a corner, shivering slightly and obviously trying to keep silent. Bruce recognised the guy immediately, Loki. Was this what Thor's words had done to the kid?
He could feel anger coursing through his veins but carefully pushed it back down, now was not the time. He had to check Loki's state first.
Making sure his footsteps were audible, he walked over and sat down beside the black haired boy. "Hello." He said softly, after a moment of tense silence.
Loki curled up even tenser, his breathing sounding heavy and distressed. "P-Please... Do-Don't... I... I don't ha-have any m-money." He stuttered barely audible.

It was the first thing Bruce had heard him say, and it was a plead not to hurt him. This was definitely not good. Something was very wrong. The signs were there, and all of them feared something was going on with Loki. Maybe it was time they tried finding out what.
"I won't hurt you. And I don't want your money." Bruce said softly. "I just want to help. Thor said some mean stuff back there-"
Loki quickly shook his head. "I don't need your help." He whispered softly and raised his head just a little to show red puffy eyes and a pale face. What shocked Bruce most however, was the large bruise on his right eye.
Apparently his shock was visible on his face, because Loki quickly grabbed his sunglasses and put them on. "Just leave me a-alone." He whispered as he looked away.

"Who did that?" Bruce asked a little tense. Someone didn't just get a blue eye.
Loki just froze. "No one... I walked against a door." He whispered.
And that answer made Bruce's heart clench. Because it was exactly what he had told teachers a thousand times. Walked against a door, fell down the stairs, had a bicycle accident... While in reality they were hands, fists, feet, knees, and every tool within reach.

Bruce rested a soft hand on Loki's shoulder and squeezed gently. "You don't have to lie to me." He whispered calmly before pulling his hand back and slowly rolling up his sleeve. That got Loki's attention, Bruce saw him glancing carefully his way behind the sunglasses. When he held his arm in the light, Loki could see the cigarette burns, the cuts from glass bottles, the over all scars, and the green eyes widened in shock.
"Y-you..." He gasped and looked up at Bruce. Suddenly he rolled up one of his own sleeves, just partly. The sight caused Bruce to swallow thickly.
The arm was first of all, very very skinny. Then there was an angry red, marking the pale skin. Rather fresh scratches were framed by dark bruises. They were obviously untreated and a few of them already looked too red and swollen. Underneath them were thin scars, Bruce recognised those all too good from Clint's arms.
Loki was looking at his own arm with hollow eyes. "I don't have cigarette burns. He doesn't smoke." Was all he whispered.
It made Bruce a little nauseas, the defeat in the other boy's voice. The surrender, the emptiness. He needed help. Right now.

"Loki, who?" Bruce asked as he rolled his own sleeve back down. He had a good idea as to who, but please... Let it be someone else... Not...
"My father."
Damn.
"Although... He isn't my father." Loki whispered with pain lacing his voice. At Bruce's confused face he continued. "I'm adopted. Thor's not my brother." He explained as he took his sunglasses off again, they were probably agitating his bruise.
Bruce looked surprised for only a moment, that actually made a shockingly amount of sense. "That's not an excuse. He can't do this Loki." Adopted or not, everyone deserved a safe home. Bruce had learnt that now.
Loki just weakly shook his head. "He can. He gives me a roof over my head, he feeds me, he pays for a school I do not deserve, he clothes me. And all I have to pay is some... Anger release. It is better than being homeless." He whispered in a tone that suggested he was only trying to convince himself.
Bruce closed his eyes briefly, it became harder and harder to contain the anger. "Bullshit." He muttered. "There's always another way." His eyes flew open when Loki let out a humourless dark laugh.
"There isn't. Who would want someone like me as their kid? And now I'm eighteen, I have nowhere to go. And I should be grateful for what I have. Thor was right, I cannot do a sport, and my grades..." He looked even more tense at that. "My grades are horrible. Without f-father his s-support I couldn't get a d-degree." The shaking had returned, worse than before, and Loki curled up in himself even tighter.
Bruce had been listening in shock. He recognised Loki's way of thinking all too well, thinking there was no way out. But now he knew, there were solutions.

But this was way out of Bruce his depth, it had been just five years since he got out himself, and that was with the help of the police.
There was only one solution... Phil.
"There is someone who can help. He is still helping me and my friends, he can never tell anyone anything without your permission. He is safe." Bruce said softly. "I can introduce you right now if you want?" He suggested as he rested his hand on Loki's shoulder once more.

It stayed silent for a very long time. But Bruce waited patiently, until...
"Y-yes please?"