Of Numbers and Strange Friendships

Chapter 7

"Are you sure you don't need anything, Mr. Loki?" Stark's brat asked. Again. He wouldn't stop pestering Loki. It had been days.

Loki sighed. "Five," he told the kid, annoyed by the constant question. His arm hurt and was in a sling; it was still burned from the battle the other day. Burns healed human slow on Loki due to his frost giant heritage and it was making him irritable and grumpy at best.

"Are you sure? I could bring you tea or a new book to read? Put on a movie?" Stark's brat was sounding more and more desperate as he tried to get Loki to let him help him with something, anything.

"Six," Loki replied grumpily, barely keeping his voice from becoming a snarl. He was not allowed to snarl or growl at the kid.

"Please? Isn't there anything?" Stark's brat begged.

Loki rolled his eyes, assuming this was some kind of teenage hysteria. He summoned a dagger and handed it to the teen, who just stared at it confused. "Seven. If you truly would like to do something for me, kindly insert that into my brother for me. Preferably on the right side between the third and fourth ribs," that would cause pain, but wouldn't really hurt Thor. He wouldn't send the kid off to hurt Thor, that would be suicidal, mean, and most importantly, no fun.

The kid just stared in horror at the dagger.

Of course, he wouldn't stab Thor for fun. That was Loki's thing, though it would've been amusing

Loki sighed and vanished the dagger with a chuckle.

"Chocolate cake?" the kid asked, pleading in desperation. He was really desperate to try to bribe Loki with sweets. Loki saw the hopeless desperation in the kid's expression and knew those tears in his eyes. He knew that expression even though he hadn't been able to see it on his own face when he wore it.

He knew that expression from his own face from the moments before he fell from the Bifrost when he was so desperate for Odin's approval and support.

The kid was in crisis for some reason.

Loki couldn't allow that.

He couldn't, wouldn't, not after what he'd been through himself.

He gentled his tone and expression and looked up at the kid. "Why are you so desperate to do something for me, arachnid?" he asked Peter gently. He had to understand the kid's feelings in order to help him. It seemed so very important to help him.

Loki was reminded how very young the kid really was while he watched him hunt for the words he needed to explain the complex emotions. Loki was nothing but a patient hunter. He looked up at Peter expectantly, waiting for the kid's hyperactive brain to settle on the right words. Or at least for him to start babbling until he got to his point.

"You were hurt saving me," the kid sounded so young when he said it, when he admitted what he was really feeling. Loki knew the kid wore a mask into battle partially so the bad guys couldn't see that he was afraid. Loki saw it now and he knew the vulnerability the kid was showing him. "It's my fault-" Peter told him with tears in his eyes.

Loki was on his feet in an instant, and though he still didn't quite understand the hugging thing, had his arm around the teen. "No, little arachnid, no. It was not your fault. You did nothing wrong. We were in a battle. Injuries happen," Loki reassured him, reminded again that he was just a child. For all of his powers and abilities, he really was just a child.

"You shoved me out of the way and took the fire blast yourself. Uncle Thor said you're weak against fire!" the boy wailed, hugging onto Loki and letting tears spill onto his shoulder. The kid was wracked with guilt.

"Hush, arachnid. It's alright. Everything is alright. The Avengers are a team, remember? That is what teams do, protect and help each other. You would have done the same for any of us," Loki reassured him. "I will heal in a few days. Asgardians heal quickly," Loki reminded him, again. "There is no reason to feel guilty."

"But-"

"You would have done the same in my place," Loki told him firmly and knew for a fact that the words were true.

*

"Please, Mr. Loki? Please? Please?" Stark's annoying brat begged after Loki's arm had healed. "Please? I told Aunt May that all you guys ever eat is takeout and that you've never had a proper Midgardian family dinner and she said I could invite you," the kid babbled. He tended to do that, especially when he was nervous. "She even said she would make her famous lasagna!"

Loki gave him a look. "Am I the only one receiving this invitation?" he asked the teen, curious more than anything. Either answer would tell him a lot.

"Yes. You're my friend. And apparently I talk about you all the time," Peter replied.

Loki gave him another look, slightly disapproving. "The invitation is not because your aunt wishes to... get together? Is that the correct term? With me?"

Peter shook his head vehemently and looked disgusted at the very idea. "No! It's not that at all. She's just always nice to my friends. Please? Tomorrow night at 7. Here's my address. If you teleport to the lobby I'll meet you there!" Peter ran off without waiting for an answer, essentially trapping Loki into going to this event.

Loki huffed and rolled his eyes. The little arachnid was annoying. And yet Peter amused Loki. His exuberance could be infectious. And Loki realized he didn't really believe that Peter was truly annoying.

And yet.

...

Annoying little arachnid