Of Numbers and Strange Friendships

Chapter 77

"What do you mean I have to go to high school?" Loki whined at breakfast one morning. He had been thoroughly enjoying his breakfast of pancakes and his plots for how to best prank the team next. "I'm nearly 1050 years old and a Master Magician. I have the equivalent of multiple of your realm's PhDs. Why by all the nine would I need to attend high school?" He demanded of the team. Cap and Thor were both in on this madness. It had been Cap who had dared to bring it to the god's attention.

Going to high school for one day for senior prank day was one thing. That was fun and involved no actual school work. That had only involved playing massive pranks on the school.

This? This was really different.

Cap pinched the bridge of his nose. Dealing with Loki when Loki was being stubborn, obstinate, or a little shit was a nightmare. This was Loki in high form and he was prepared to be all of the above if it got him out of attending high school. Tony smirked. He was in on this, but he wasn't helping Cap win Loki over on the subject. The entire team was watching the drama.

"It won't be that bad, starshy. I'll be there too," Wanda reminded Loki, trying to spin the task to sound more appealing. She was about the only one who could. Especially since Peter wasn't there to quell Loki's volatile temper.

"It shouldn't be anything, as I have no reason to attend a Midgardian high school. Much as I adore you, witchling," he added quickly. He did adore his adopted little sister. That didn't mean he wanted to go to high school, even if she was there.

"You do have a reason," Cap insisted, trying to get the conversation back on track. "Peter needs you there. You know he hasn't learned to control his powers yet and while his Aunt knows about his identity as Spiderman, now, we don't want the rest of the school to find out,"

Loki groaned. Cap had him by the balls and they all knew it. Loki would do anything for Peter. Loki sighed. "And you wish for me to be there to babysit him and make sure his powers do not escape his control," he surmised the end of the conversation.

"Exactly," Cap agreed. "Peter needs your help,"

"The mortals will know I'm not a student. And they will be suspicious of a god following Peter around the school. They know we're friends, but they would be suspicious of a god as a bodyguard for an intern," Loki protested, quite logically, he thought.

"You did it on senior prank day," Thor reminded him.

Loki huffed and rolled his eyes. "The principal knew who I was and that I was there. He allowed it,"

"He's in on it. You can shapeshifter and we have a fake identity for you," Cap replied far too reasonably.

Loki huffed again and grumbled, but knew he was boxed into a corner. "Very well," he finally relented. He knew that they were serious when they were ganging up on him. And he really would do anything for Peter. Including attending a Midgardian high school. "However, if you have given me a terrible fake name, Stark, I will not be doing it." Loki still had standards.

"Your fake name is Liam Olson. I'm making the fake documentation myself," Nat reassured him. Loki nodded. The spy was excellent at making fake documents, which the team all knew. "I will need a picture, though, for your ID,"

"Eight," Loki grumbled, despite that Peter wasn't in the tower. The team all knew about their number system. And knew that Loki getting up to an eight on the evilness scale was never a good sign.

Thor was prepared for that, it seemed. "After Lady Natasha finishes the paperwork, the two of us will go out to the zoo and dinner and desserts," he bribed. Loki loved the zoo and could easily be bribed with food. Peter used that trick often.

Loki sighed, but nodded. He really was trying to get along better with Thor. They were rebuilding their relationship. So he had to put in the effort.

That didn't mean he wouldn't still be a little shit about it. "Fine. But you are buying. And I'm getting all the desserts,"

Thor laughed and ruffled Loki's hair. "I expected nothing less, brother," he said fondly.