Of Numbers and Strange Friendships

Chapter 6

Loki and Peter were sitting on the living room floor one day when the alarm in the tower went off signaling some kind of attack that the Avengers were needed for. Loki stood, summoning his battle armor and golden horned helmet with magic as he rose gracefully. Peter scrambled to his feet like an overly enthusiastic puppy and was stripping off his outer shirt and jeans to put on his suit. The kid had finally learned to wear a skintight undershirt and bike shorts under his clothes so he could change quickly without showing the world his underpants. No one wanted to see that, least of all Loki. It was Loki who had made the suggestion. And provided the garments which would magically not be able to be seen under the kid's skin-tight suit.

Peter hadn't stopped thanking him for a week straight.

The rest of the team was entering the common room in uniform as Peter was putting on his mask. Cap looked concerned as ever at the overly enthusiastic puppy going out on missions with them. He usually avoided it whenever possible. The kid was only 15, but he wanted so much to help.

"There's monsters attacking downtown," Cap announced when everyone was assembled. "We want to take them out as quickly as possible. Save the civilians," he directed that last part at Loki, who rolled his eyes.

He knew he was supposed to save the civilians.

He wasn't a moron.

Just because he hardly cared about the mortals didn't mean he didn't know what he was supposed to do. Plus they were civilians. Even Loki knew that civilians needed defending. Even if they were puny Midgardian mortals who he wanted to stab most of the time.

The team headed out, Thor and Ironman flying in, the kid swinging on webs with Loki teleporting along beside the kid. He'd somehow become the kid's de facto babysitter on these kinds of missions.

They made it quickly to the battle and found the monsters Cap was talking about. Horrible creatures, some breathing fire, most just wreaking havoc. Stark started working on the perimeter to keep the monsters contained and the civilians out of the way. Loki drew his daggers and jumped into the battle, keeping an eye on the kid while he did. Peter was tying up the things with his webs for the others to take down, keeping a fairly safe distance like he was told.

Loki was impressed the kid was listening for once. Until the kid landed near Loki to web up one of the creatures and didn't pay enough attention to what was going on around him. "Arachnid!" Loki yelled and grabbed the kid, lifting him off of his feet and throwing him out of harm's way. Or was it yeet-ing him out of harm's way? Was that the right use of that idiotic word the kid liked so much?

That wasn't important.

What was important was the fireball one of the fire breathing monsters had thrown at the kid when he wasn't paying attention.

What was more important was that Loki didn't have time to save both himself and the kid.

What was most important of all was that Loki saved the kid and took the hit himself.

He cried out in agony as the fireball hit him full out and he went flying. He flew far from the impact and rolled hard along the asphalt. It was only centuries of combat training that had him rolling back to his feet, though one arm was severely burned and one of the horns on his helmet had broken. He was severely burned and in a lot of pain, but that just fueled his rage. He growled and lunged back in to attack the fire breathing monster, throwing ice at it to weaken it, just as it throwing fire at him weakened him.

Frost giants were weak against fire.

Severely.

Loki's arm was a burned mess, hanging limp at his side and he fought back the pain. He was a trained warrior and continued the battle as if nothing was wrong.

"Mr. Loki!" Peter yelled concerned and scared for his friend as he rushed back in to help. He webbed up the monster while Loki covered it in ice. It was down for good after that. Peter fussed over Loki's arm worriedly and Loki could sense the tears in the kid's eyes beneath his mask.

"Stop fretting little arachnid. It will take more than a little fire to take down a god," Loki reassured him. "Come along. There are more monsters to deal with. And be careful," he ordered the kid.

"But, Mr. Loki, your arm-!" the kid wailed, hurt that Loki had been hurt saving him.

"Six," Loki replied calmly. "And it is only that high because we are in the middle of battle and I am unfortunately injured." He took the kid by the shoulders, shaking him a little to make sure he was listening. It was hard to tell behind the mask. Loki used a bit of magic to swirl up some defenses so they'd be safe while he gave the kid this much-needed pep talk. "The arm will be fine. It will heal. Now is not the time to fret over an injury. We are neck-deep in monsters and we are warriors. You wish to be an Avenger. It is an admirable goal. We have a job to do here, teammates and civilians to protect, monsters to eliminate. A warrior does not worry over a wound during a battle unless it is life-threatening or will keep them from fighting. This wound is neither of those things. So get your head in the fight. Pay attention and do your duty. Prove that you are the hero you wish so much to be," Loki told him firmly.

"Y-yes Mr. Loki," Peter straightened his spine, set his shoulders and prepared to jump back into the battle.

"Good arachnid," Loki told him approvingly and he felt the kid light up at the praise. All the kid needed was a little praise and he was bouncing like a puppy. Loki dropped his shields around them and the pair jumped back into the battle.