Of Numbers and Strange Friendships

Chapter 21

Loki set up a magic pen to hold the goat while the Midgardian adults argued with Thor. They knew better than to try to argue with Loki. Loki was unreasonable. Thor at least, they had a chance of getting to see reason. Except in this case, Wanda had been harmed. Thor didn't take kindly to Wanda being harmed. None of the Avengers would.

When Thor was safely dealing with the adults and the goat was contained, Loki opened his arms and Wanda ran over to him, throwing herself into his arms. Loki had learned a lot about hugging since the two teens had come into his life. He wrapped his arms around her and stroked her hair. "Shh, witchling. It's alright. You're safe," he reassured her, his voice gentle and soothing as he held her to him. "Calm down, you're alright," he soothed as her magic sparked around her. No one else dared approach the pair until Loki got her calm.

At least the adults finally seemed to believe them all when they saw Wanda in that state.

Slowly, Wanda's nerves calmed and her power resettled. "Very good, witchling," Loki told her proudly when she'd pulled in her control over her powers.

He still held her close while the adults were arguing. They'd gotten the school-board and the rest of the Avengers on the phone. While Loki was calming Wanda, the rest of the adults had come to an agreement. Thor had approved and gave Loki a nod to indicated that he had approved the plan when it was presented to Loki. Loki accepted his brother's judgement. Loki would turn Flash back when they returned to the school. Flash was already suspended (for getting all of the Avengers pissed at the school) and would be facing further punishments when he faced the principal when the buses all returned to school. Loki reluctantly agreed, because he was promised that Flash would be punished further. And that suspension was a big deal.

Loki led Wanda back to the campfire, Peter bouncing along beside the pair. She sat between Loki and Peter and relaxed when they were back to talking about the last mission they'd all gone one. Something nice and normal, at least normal in their twisted definition of the word.

*

Loki graciously used magic to pack up the entire campsite before they left, clearing any tracks that the group had been there. The goat was loaded on one of the buses. Loki had only agreed to turn Flash back when they returned to the school. He wasn't turning the goat back until they reached the school and Thor wasn't inclined to make him.

The trip home was much less eventful than the trip there, as Loki was tired from using so much magic to pack up the entire camp. So he slept most of the way home while Peter and Wanda guarded him to keep the teenagers from bothering him. Most of the kids slept the whole was home too. It had been a big weekend for all of them.

When they got off the buses at the school, the groggy grumpy Loki reluctantly turned Flash back into his proper form. The principal and Captain America were both there to read the bully the riot act. Loki looked smug at the bully being terrified by Captain America, Iron Man, and soon Thor. In uniform.

Bad guys couldn't stand against the might of the big three of the Avengers without wetting themselves.

Loki smirked knowing the kid stood no chance.

He hoped this time the moronic teen learned not to mess with his family.

*

A few days later, Loki found himself pacing the bifrost circle next to the tower. There were runes permanently etched into the earth there from how many times Thor called the bifrost to that spot. Now, Loki was waiting for Frigga to arrive. Impatiently.

Extremely impatiently.

"Calm, brother. Mother will be here soon. The bifrost is perfectly safe," Thor reassured him from where he was standing nearby. Peter and Wanda were waiting with Thor, their schoolbags on the ground next to them as they had to head to class soon. Happy was actually waiting to give them a ride so they wouldn't be late, but both had insisted on getting to meet Frigga before they went to school and no one could say no to the pouting teens.

"She is late," Loki replied stiffly as he resumed his pacing, magic sparking around his fingertips. Wanda looked surprised to see Loki's control so shaken. He was always so in control of his powers, always harping on her to maintain control.

"What number, witch?" Peter asked.

"Five, going on six," Loki snarled automatically with a plaintive look at the sky.

Peter grinned and stepped toward the angry god. "She's just fine, Loki. She would've sent word if there was trouble. Besides, she's not even five minutes late,"

"She is my mother. And she is never late," Loki replied, but softened a little when he addressed Peter. He didn't like upsetting his friend.

Peter gave Loki a reassuring smile. "She'll be here soon,"

No sooner had he spoken the words that the Bifrost opened. Loki took a step back, dragging Peter with him to make sure he was out of the way. Two figures descended from Asgard when they'd only been expecting one. Loki rushed forward when Frigga arrived and wrapped his arms around his mother, while her arms went around his neck and she kissed his cheek. He seemed to deage, giving her a child's affection and love.

He was such a mama's boy.

Thor grinned at the other newcomer and went straight to her while Frigga was busy with Loki. Thor lifted Lady Sif in his arms and spun her in a circle, clearly delighted to see her. That was made even more clear when her arms went around his neck while he held her off the ground and their lips were locked in a passionate kiss.

Yes.

Thor had missed Lady Sif quite a lot it seemed.

"I've missed you, my son," Frigga told Loki warmly as she held him tightly. Hie face went to the crook of her neck and he was content to hold her in his embrace.

"And I have missed you dearly, mother," he replied fondly. He finally let her go after a long minute. They both looked at Thor and Sif whose lips were still locked.

Frigga cleared her throat and the pair jumped apart to the giggles of Wanda and Peter, while Thor turned red at being caught making out with Sif in front of his mother. But really, what did he expect when he was kissing Sif not five feet from Frigga? Thor went to Frigga and kissed her cheek when he regained his composure. "It's wonderful to see you mother," he told her warmly as she kissed his cheek in return.

Loki stepped forward, gesturing to the teens and drawing Frigga's attention to them. "Thor and I will introduce you to the entire team shortly, however, I wished to make special introductions to these members, especially as they are both still in school and must get to their lessons," he explained. Frigga inclined her head in understanding. She was hardly one to drag a young mind away from their education. Loki gestured to Wanda first. "This is my magic student, Wanda Maximoff," he said proudly and Wanda lit up that he was proud to have her as a student. "Wanda, this is my mother, Frigga, queen of Asgard," Loki told her warmly. Frigga smiled warmly, not only at Loki's student, but at the warmth in Loki's tone. He had thawed out a lot in his time on Midgard, it seemed.

"It's an honor to meet you, ma'am," Wanda replied and dipped a curtsy, though Loki had no idea where she'd learned that.

She squeaked in surprised when Frigga hugged her instead. "And an honor to meet you as well, dear," she replied warmly and when the girl started to splutter a protest at being hugged by the queen, Frigga laughed. "Dear, my rank has no meaning here on Midgard. I am simply a mother, visiting her sons and their friends,"

Wanda was red at all the attention and kindness from the queen when she finally stepped back from Frigga's embrace. She grabbed her school bag.

Loki pulled Peter forward, wrapping his arm around the teen's shoulder. Peter grinned at Loki initiation contact for once. It was rare. "And this is Peter Parker," Loki had been thinking long and hard about how to explain his relationship with Peter to his mother. He was afraid she wouldn't understand. Would think less of him for his best friend being a Midgardian child. Even if they were of roughly the same age, when one considered lifecycle equivalencies. "He was my first friend on Midgard and quickly became my closest. To the point that I claim him as a blood brother," he told his mother nervously and they all waited with bated breath for her response.

Would she accept Peter?

Would she accept that Loki was happy?

Would she accept the relationship, platonic as it was, between the two young men?

Or would she, like Odin, shatter Loki's heart?