Of Numbers and Strange Friendships

Chapter 26

Frigga remained on Midgard for a couple more days, seeing the sights with her sons and the strange collection of people who formed the team that had become their found family. The entire team, including Peter, saw her off at the Bifrost circle next to the tower. None of them were surprised at all that they all got hugs from the queen of Asgard. She had adopted all of her sons' friends, though Peter and Wanda most of all.

She looked over both of them and smiled warmly before she gave them each another hug. "My darlings, my sons should bring you to visit Asgard when you are on break from your schooling. Loki said you get a long break during the summer?" she asked them both.

They both nodded. "Yes, Allmother," Peter replied, polite as ever, which made Frigga smile. She adored the polite teens.

"Are you sure you want us to come visit, ma'am?" Wanda asked, equally politely. Even though Frigga had insisted she was just visiting as a mother and not a queen, the teens were treating her just as politely as they did any adult. Granted, the rest of the team treated the queen with the respect she deserved too.

"Mother? You know how the Allfather feels about Midgardians in his realm..." Loki reminded her tentatively. He would love nothing more than to show his friends his home, but he didn't want them smited by Odin either. And Odin really didn't like mortals in his realm.

"Mother..." Thor added, equally worried about the kids in Asgard and Odin killing them for being there. Though Thor didn't think he'd actually killthe kids, but he didn't want to take the chance. Or put up with Peter pouting and crying for weeks after he got kicked out of Asgard without getting to thoroughly enjoy it.

Frigga gave her boys a warm reassuring smile, though Loki saw the mischief in her eyes. He got at least some of his mischief from her and it was evident in times like these. And Loki could see it in her eyes, but he was always a patient hunter, another thing he'd learned from Frigga, and knew to wait for her to tell them what she was up to. "Don't fret, darlings. I will sort out the arrangements with your father. If I wish for your friends to come visit us, then it will be so, as long as your blood siblings wish to visit, of course?" she asked the teens who lit up in excitement and nearly bounced for joy at the possibility of getting to visit Asgard. Everyone knew how rare it was for mortals to get to see the golden realm and they wouldn't pass up the opportunity. Frigga smiled warmly at their excitement. "Then my sons and I will make the arrangements. Study hard, both of you, and make sure my Loki is happy," she told them.

Loki hugged his mother for far longer than any Midgardian man would be caught hugging his mother. He didn't care. He buried his face in the crook of her neck as he'd done as a child. She smiled fondly at her son, who would forever be her baby boy, no matter that he was over a thousand years old. She held him to her and stroked his hair.

"I missed you so much, mother," he told her, softly enough that only she could hear. He still wasn't comfortable with the others knowing so much about his emotions.

"And I have missed you. I will see you again soon, my son," Frigga reassured him as she held him tightly. "And I will tell your father about your worthiness. He will be proud of you," she added.

Loki scoffed. "The Allfather will never be proud of me," he told her, his words filled with his ages old hurt. Thor was always the favorite. No matter what Loki did, or how hard he tried, Odin had never appreciated his younger son. Despited that he had chosen to take Loki from Jotunheim, despite that he had adopted Loki and chosen him, he still couldn't be bothered to love the child equally.

He and Thor had cast such large shadows. Loki only ever wanted a little light for himself.

"He may not understand you as well as he does Thor," Frigga admits. "But never doubt that he loves you, though he does not always know how to show it,"

Loki knew better than to argue with his mother. So instead, he pressed a kiss to her cheek. "I will miss you, mother," he told her softly.

"And I will miss you, my son. Never forget that I love you,"

"And I, you, mother," he told her warmly.

He stepped back and let her enter the Bifrost circle with Sif. She called to Heimdall and the Bifrost opened around the pair. Loki didn't stop staring at the spot where she had been until Peter came up beside him and took his arm. "C'mon, witch, we need to go patrol. And get pastries from that new shop on 7th!" Peter told him brightly. Peter wouldn't let his friend remain sad for long.

"Six," Loki told him sadly, still staring at the spot where Frigga had been.

Peter considered that for a moment and hugged Loki around the waist. "You'll see her again soon. Summer break's coming up really soon," Peter reminded him brightly. "Now c'mon!" he added and dragged Loki, grumbling and laughing in equal measure, out to go patrol.

*

<Mr. Loki, please come help! Boys bathroom 3rd floor> Loki stared at the text message. Peter should be heading to class. Not texting him. What trouble could he have gotten into at school of all places. Loki reread the message. 'Mr. Loki'. The arachnid only called him that when he needed a favor. A big favor.

Loki sighed and stood from the couch. He teleported directly to the requested bathroom, making a mental note to have the arachnid pick a better meeting place for future emergencies at school.

"Mr. Loki! You came! You came! Thank you so much!!" Peter exclaimed, hugging Loki and reminding the god of an excited puppy.

"Yes, spider-brat, I came," Loki teased him warmly. Peter knew that Loki used to call him 'Stark's brat' "Now, what is the emergency?" he asked, looking around the dingy bathroom with disdain. He wanted to get out of here as quickly as possible.

"I have a Spanish test in five minutes!" The teen wailed with tears in his eyes. Loki rolled his eyes. This was hardly an emergency.

"If that's all..." he said and prepared to teleport back out.

"No! Please! I failed my last test since I was out on patrol and couldn't study! And now? Now Señorita Gomez said- she said only an act of God could make me pass now!!" he pleaded. The teen had come straight to a god to get the help he needed. Just as the teacher requested. Even though that wasn't what she meant.

Mischievous twerp was learning more than anyone anticipated from Loki.

"..." Loki paused, considering the teen's words. He was proud of Peter for coming up with this solution. He smirked his trademark mischievous smirk and his form shimmered until he looked identical to Peter. "I'm on it," he told his friend, who predictably hugged him.

"THANK YOU!" Peter exclaimed.

"You will be studying the material properly this evening. And you will never get into this situation again," Loki told him firmly with a stern look that didn't belong on Peter's face. Peter quickly nodded his agreement and promised up and down that he wouldn't let it happen again. He would help, but Peter would do twice the studying to make up for it. But Loki couldn't let Peter's future and 'internship' be in jeopardy.

"Room 305, just down the hall," he pointed in the right direction and vaulted up to the drop ceiling to hide in the ceiling tiles until after class.

Loki huffed and rolled his eyes, looking put-upon until he donned Peter's lopsided grin and bounded off to the requested class. The rest of the students didn't seem to notice that Loki wasn't really Peter. Except Wanda, who giggled and gave him a knowing smirk, but wouldn't tattle. Loki sat the exam and answered every single question correctly, including the bonus. He nearly laughed at how easy the speaking portion was using Allspeak.

Hopefully the teacher didn't know that shapeshifting was one of Loki's powers.

Regardless, she seemed impressed.

Loki's hands were in his pockets and he whistled on his way back to the bathroom to change places with Peter again.

His good deed for the day was accomplished and it wasn't even noon.