Of Numbers and Strange Friendships

Chapter 28

Loki kept his word and kept Peter off of patrol for two days to force him to catch up on his school work. He was especially merciless on Peter when it came to reviewing the Spanish material he had shirked on.

Surprisingly, no one in the tower felt sorry for the teen.

Loki was told he shouldn't help Peter cheat anymore, but when they caught sight of Loki's bootcamp studying punishment, they stopped scolding Loki. Instead, they laughed at Peter's misfortune.

He would never, ever, get that far behind in his studies ever again. He didn't want to go through Loki's bootcamp again. It was torture on even his big brain.

Loki was an insanely hard taskmaster.

And Peter still owed him two favors.

Peter was doomed.

*

"Spider-child, you already owe me two favors, are you sure you wish to add a third?" Loki asked a sourly one morning. Peter had come to the tower before school and insisted that Loki needed to come to school with him that day. And had gone so far as to drag Loki from the tower in his pajamas, dragging Loki away from the breakfast table. Luckily it wasn't pancake morning or Peter would have gotten stabbed. Loki had growled as his clothes shimmered to simple jeans and a t-shirt with his helmet on it and threatened to stab Peter for the indignance of being dragged from the tower in his pajamas.

Peter had dragged Loki all the way to the school with him, despite Loki's growls of protest. Damn kid was super strong. And knew Loki wouldn't hurt him, despite how many times he threatened to stab the teen. "I'm repaying one of those favors today. Trust me," Peter told him with a grin. "I have a surprise for you at the school. You'll love it!" he promised.

"A surprise... at the school... what could possibly be of interest at your Midgardian high school?" Loki asked dubiously as he walked with Peter to the school. It was easier than being dragged like an uncooperative puppy held on a leash by a five year old.

Wanda caught up with them and linked her arm with Loki's free one. His other wrist was still held firmly in Peter's grip. "You got him to agree to come, Pete?" she asked unnecessarily, really she was asking how Peter had managed to convince Loki to come.

Peter grinned his trademark lopsided grin. "I dragged him out of the tower in his pajamas," Peter replied with a smirk, making Loki growl.

"What is this about?" Loki demanded grumpily of his annoying younger siblings. Why did he adopt such annoying twerps?

They both giggled in reply. "You'll find out when we get there. You'll love it, I promise!" Wanda told him while Peter nodded his agreement.

Loki sighed, resigned to whatever the teens were up to. They paused about a block away from the school. "You need a piece of magic before we get there," Peter told him.

Loki gave him a look. "Are you quite sure this is not a third favor, spider-child?" he demanded grumpily.

Peter huffed. "Yes, but you won't get the full enjoyment if the teachers can prove who you are too quickly," he explained overly patiently. "They'll ignore you if you look like a student. Please? I promise, it'll be worth it!" he begged.

Loki huffed and rolled his eyes, but his magic shimmered around him and he dragged before their eyes. He was exactly what they'd imagined he'd looked like as a 16 year old. His long raven hair remained, but he was a gangly teen, thinner and less muscled than his usual appearance. He reached up and tied his hair up in what Peter had referred to as a 'man-bun', and looked over his clothes. He sighed, as a shirt with his helmet on it was a touch too obvious. The shirt changed to a black shirt with the Norse symbol for Mjolnir instead and black and white converse. He had a black backpack over one shoulder. "Better?" he asked, sounding put-upon.

"Better, as long as the teachers don't look too close," Peter agreed. He hoped the teachers wouldn't ask about the new student for the day, though Loki had a silver tongue and could lie himself out of any situation. Given proper motive.

Peter just had to get Loki to the motive before the teachers noticed him.

They made it the rest of the way to the school and Loki stopped dead in his tracks when they arrived at the front entrance to see the statues on either side of the entrance dressed in dresses with gaudy makeup. The flag on the flagpole had also been replaced with a long string of underpants of all shapes and sizes. All of the picnic tables in the outdoor lunch area had ended up on the roof somehow.

Loki looked at Peter and Wanda expectantly for an explanation for this strange occurrence at the school.

Peter grinned at Loki in reply. "Welcome to Senior Prank day!" he told his friend excitedly. At Loki's raised eyebrow, he continued. "The Seniors are the students who will be graduating at the end of the year, in a couple of weeks. As a last hurrah, they take a day to perform pranks on the school. It can't be anything that is permanently damaging to the school or truly hurtful to anyone," Peter added quickly, knowing he had to set boundaries on the mischief before Loki got carried away. "But they spend the entire day performing pranks. It's mischief, chaos, and tons of fun!"

"And you invited me?" Loki asked, impressed that Peter would think to invite him to such fun.

"I'm sure they could use help from the master of mischief and chaos," Peter said a little too enticingly. He'd brought Loki along, not just to observe, but to actively participate in the chaos.

Loki's eyes lit up in absolute delight at all the possibilities. An entire day where he could perform as much mischief and magic as he wanted? And be praised by the students he was aiding in their attempts to perform pranks on the school?

It was heaven to Loki.

"This will be such fun~"