Of Numbers and Strange Friendships

Chapter 74

Loki didn't usually drink, at least not on Asgard where he could get drunk. Unlike Midgardian alcohol, Asgardian alcohol actually worked on him. It was usually dangerous for mages to drink.

Uncontrolled magic tended to blow up, as Loki and Thor had found out the hard way in their teen years when they'd decided to get drunk. During that evening, Loki and Thor had snuck into Odin's private office to steal his best alcohol, the strong stuff he kept for foreign dignitaries. They'd met up with Lady Sif and the morons three in an empty section of the palace so they entire group could find out what was so great about being drunk. They'd taken to their task with relish, laughing at the ridiculous faces they each made as they took shots of the strong liquor. None of them realized how drunk they were until the alcohol hit all at once. They hadn't realized that alcohol affected mages until it was too late. Loki's powers had gone out of control and his magic was swirling around him. Moments later the wing of the palace they were in had exploded.

They were all grounded until the repairs were completed and Loki had been blamed for the incident.

It was the first time any of them had gotten that drunk. Loki couldn't remember having been that drunk again until the night of the feast in his mama's honor of her coronation as sole ruler of Asgard.

He had learned how to control his magic much better when he was drunk, though it was still a terrible idea to mix magic and alcohol and he did so very rarely.

He also realized far too late that getting this drunk was a terrible idea. That knowledge came to him at the unfortunate moment of him still being drunk when their group all stepped off the Bifrost at the Avenger's Tower.

Being slightly unsteady as he stepped out of the Bifrost wouldn't have been a big deal on its own. He would have just gone up to his room to sleep it off. Even with the rest of the team being equally drunk around him (besides Peter and Wanda of course. Even on Asgard, they weren't of age).

That had been an excellent plan, until Aunt May came running out of the tower. The part of Loki's mind that wasn't completely full of alcohol remembered that she had missed a whole lot of details and last she knew, Peter was dying and being taken to Asgard to be healed. Or did he tell her that Loki had saved him? Loki couldn't remember. Too much had happened in too short of a period of time.

And then alcohol was added.

Alcohol did not help one's memory in any way, shape, or form.

"Oh-shit," Tony slurred. The mortals had gotten less strong alcohol, but since it was Asgardian alcohol, they were all drunk too. Still.

"Language~~" even Steve was slurring.

They whole group seemed to sober, though, as Aunt May ran over and hugged Peter as tight as she could. "Oh god, Peter. What happened? Are you ok? Tell me what's going on," her words were frantic as she held onto him.

Peter returned the hug, his super strength keeping him from toppling over when she hugged him. "I'm alright, Aunt May. Loki saved me. Let's go inside and we'll tell you everything," he reassured her with a gentleness and calm the puppy-like teen usuallyy didn't have the capability to have. He knew that he needed to treat this situation with Aunt May very, very carefully. He also knew that there were some truths that he owed it to his Aunt to tell her. She deserved it with all that she'd done for him over the years. She didn't deserve the lies.

This incident had shown him that he wasn't protecting her by keeping his secrets anymore. She was in just as much danger, if not more by not knowing who he really was.

She deserved the truth.

Loki saw the teen's nerves. He placed a hand on Peter's shoulder. "We'll tell her together, Arachnid," he reassured Peter. His blood brother wouldn't be alone in this.

Peter nodded his thanks. Even drunk Loki could be helpful when he felt like it.

But now?

Now it was time for Peter to reveal his secrets.

All of them.