Peter X Wanda One-Shots

Homecoming Date

Author's note: takes place in an AU where Thor Ragnorok happens before Civil War, Loki is reformed and therefore never takes the tesseract. With help of Dr. Strange, Thor, Loki, Valkyrie, and Hulk stop the feud between the avengers at the battle at the Berlin airport. Loki singles out Peter and recognizes the trauma he went through that inspired him to become Spider-Man á la uncle Ben, and decides to take Peter under his wing, and Stephen does the same for Wanda. This is a story told in first person from Wanda's perspective, as she helps Peter search for and stop the Vulture while Peter searches for a date for his school's homecoming dance. Wanda and Peter are the same age. 

"Keep your focus Wanda, the sheer amount of power you hold within yourself takes a lot of control to contain." I heard Dr. Strange remind me calmly. He's been a good teacher ever since he and Wong took me in after the, incident, at the Berlin airport. I've had a lot of regrets regarding my mistakes that led up to that moment, two months ago now, yet Dr. Strange seemed understanding enough, if a little stern. 

"Thank you Doctor," I replied, "I'm still working on it." At that moment we were interrupted by the main doors of the Sanctorum opening and then promptly closing, and it seemed "working on it", would have to wait. "Hello Dr. Strange, hi Wanda!" I heard a familiar voice speak out in a gleeful greeting. It was Peter, the boy in the spider costume from the airport. And following close behind him was his mentor Loki. 

As I rose up from my previous meditation stance I greeted him with a genuine smile and a quick hug. "It's good to see you again Peter." I told him happily. "It's good to see you," he responded in earnest. While we weren't exactly close, as far as I understood it anyway, we had met a good few times before in the local library. I went there as a pastime to read, and better practice peacefulness outside of the Sanctorum, while Peter came to finish what little homework he hadn't already done at school (his aunt May must be proud, I have no doubt). We often sat nearby each other, enjoying each other's company, as I had no one my age to talk to and Peter only had his childhood best friend Ned Leeds. As a result we've become friends, and it seems we would remain as such, for better...or for worse. 

"Loki", Dr. Strange addressed Peter's mentor flatly. "Stephen", Loki responded in turn. Peter and I grinned at each other, trying not to let them see, but their glaring eyes were locked onto one another. As I recall, the last time Loki was here was when Dr. Strange dropped him into a wormhole without warning, out of fear from his past actions. Apparently he left Loki falling for half-an-hour through what was essentially a bottomless pit while he had a completely causal conversation with Loki's brother Thor. Peter was actually the one who told me about this and we had a good laugh together over it. Though Strange and Loki weren't laughing. 

"So, I assume Peter is here to finish his writing assignment since the library was closed and his aunt was hosting her book club at their apartment," Strange lamented as me and Peter slowly walked to the side of the room to let our teachers settle their differences, hopefully. "I keep forgetting you guys can read minds", Peter whispered to me as I lightly chuckled. By "guys", he was referring to me, Loki, Dr. Strange, and Wong, who are all magic users. "He predicted why you would come here earlier, but yeah that too", I corrected him. He responded by playfully nudging my shoulder with his own and I reciprocated, as we giggled and smiled at each other while the "grownups" were talking. "Ah," Loki replied, "you so accurately predicted Peter's necessity for coming here yet you didn't realize that I'd accompany him?" The man responded like the biggest know-it-all, and that's coming from someone whose friends with Peter Parker. I looked at Strange as he rolled his eyes, "Give me a break," he replied in an equally know-it-all-like tone, "you know as well as I do; those powers don't work on other magic users." Loki nodded in response and declared, "Well, if you must know. Peter's remaining assignment won't occupy him for but an hour at most. Will it not Peter?" All three of us looked at him and he nodded his head in his signature adorable awkwardness. "There you see? After he's completed his task, I will accompany him to continue his much-needed training." "Much-needed?" Strange questioned. "Because you're preparing him to bring in that flying maniac on the news using alien technology from your failed invasion of New York back in 2012?" Peter and I looked at each other, surprised by Strange's statement. What he said about New York was true, but it had been a long time since then, and Loki has transformed into a very different person than he was back then. Though it seemed his actions still had long-lasting consequences. Loki rolled his eyes and let out a frustrated sigh. "Oh, so now you're keeping secrets." Strange remarked. "Not very well it seems." Loki replied. "Huh, this is rich," Strange scoffed, "you muck up an entire city with an alien army and technology, which leads to common street crooks to pick up the pieces to become far more dangerous than they otherwise would be. And instead of fixing it yourself, you send a young, impressionable boy who, luckily for you, has the powers to clean up your mess for you." After he scoffed again he looked in our direction and bluntly stated "with great power there must also come greater responsibility indeed, eh Parker?" Peter looked down in sorrow as Strange had opened up a wound in his memory he still hasn't healed from. Now I was growing angry, but before I could say anything myself, Loki beat me to it when he raised his voice and said, "that's enough, Stephen!" Peter looked right back up in just as much shock as I was. A silent pause filled the room for a moment, but was broken by Loki once again when he spoke to Peter and me. "Peter, go to the upper chamber of the Sanctorum to finish your homework. Wanda, you go with him, and provide him with any assistance he may require of you. The good Doctor and I must speak together in private." We automatically did exactly as instructed. I showed him my room upstairs, where it was quite enough for him to finish his work, and I could help or support him if need be.