Of Numbers and Strange Friendships

Chapter 44

"Frost giants?" Peter asked, though he knew. He'd seen all the movies about the team, including the Thor movie and the Avengers. The studio had been threatened very heavily by Fury and the team to make sure the movies were accurate and the tone correct. They'd also been bullied into making sure the team saw the final movies before they were out of time to make corrections. In exchange, the team was active in promoting the movie, which definitely helped movie sales.

Long story short, Peter had seen the movies enough times to have them all memorized, though he hadn't really watched more than the Iron Man movies until after he got to know the team. Regardless, he knew well about Loki's heritage.

Loki didn't share what he was, though, even though Peter had forced him to see all the movies. He never claimed to be a jotun, describing himself as Asgardian when asked, or forced to introduce himself. He always claimed 'Odinson' as a last name. He claimed it was because people liked Thor and would be more accepting of Loki and his reform if he claimed the same last name as his brother. It was also because, much as he despised Odin's many faults, he still saw his adopted father as his father, and couldn't bear the thought of claiming Laufey as a parent.

That didn't make Peter and less worried about how Loki would fare facing his own people.

Loki's armor had shimmered into existence and he turned to Peter and Wanda. Wanda's clothes had shimmered to her battle costume as well. Her armor was made of some Shield creation that was as protective as kevlar. She wore black pants and boots and a red top and duster jacket, all designed to protect her. Loki had refused to let her wear that leotard from the comics. And had stabbed the agent who suggested it. The agent had been quietly investigated and very publicly fired for being a disgusting pedophile and the leotard was scrapped from ever being suggested for Wanda again.

Peter didn't have magic to summon his suit with. But Loki and Tony had worked together to make a suit creation for him, contained in the watch he wore. It was one of the very few times Loki and Tony ever had or would work together, but they'd done it for Peter's sake. Peter tapped it and his suit formed around him. Loki mentally sighed in relief, knowing Peter would be safe from the giants' cold.

"What's the plan?" Peter asked him. Fighting on Asgard was Loki's area of expertise so his charges would take their orders from him. Sig held a palm up and an image appeared of the fighting, zooming out so they could see the jotuns at the gates to the palace.

"We'll join the main fighting there," Loki pointed to where Thor was flying in. "Stay close to Thor and his idiot friends," much as the warriors three were drunken idiots, they were also skilled warriors. He looked at Peter and Wanda firmly before he added in a tone that would not be disobeyed. "Do not let them get a hand on you. They can give you frostbite in an instant and kill you with ice, even through all the defenses in your clothes," Loki warned them, remembering his last trip to jotunheim. That trip hadn't gone well at all and he didn't want his friends in danger.

Both teens nodded gravely and Loki took Peter's arm and Sig wrapped an arm around Wanda. They teleported and appeared beside Thor in the battle.

"About time you showed up," Thor greeted Loki as he bashed a giant in the head with Mjolnir.

"We were at the academy!" Loki protested, taking Mjolnir from Thor and bashing another giant with it. The giant just stared at Loki holding the famed hammer. Word hadn't spread yet that he was worthy.

Peter and Wanda leapt into the battle, Peter webbing up the giants and tripping them up, making them easier for the warriors to deal with. Wanda used her magic to contain the battle and shield the fighters from harm. Sig was teleporting all over, stabbing giants in a flurry of movements and speed that matched Loki's fighting style immensely. The pair had trained together for centuries and it showed in their fighting.

Sig lit up when she saw Loki and teleported over to him. "You're worthy!" she said excitedly when she saw Mjolnir in his hands. She was so proud of him for finally being worthy after so many centuries of thinking himself lesser than Thor, he had finally proven himself his brother's equal.

Loki lit up in delight, beaming at the pride in her voice. "I am, my love," he told her warmly.

"Stop flirting and start fighting, you two!" Fandral teased. Loki laughed and tossed Mjolnir back to Thor, summoning his daggers to get back to the battle. He and Sig fought back to back for awhile, magic surrounding them dangerously. He caught Peter staring in awe at the skill they displayed as they fought and swore to himself to train the spider-child in martial arts later.

The fight was long and difficult and Loki saw a group of jotuns surround Peter and all rushed in to attack him at once. Peter tried to jump out of the way, but he was at a disadvantage on Asgard where he didn't have tall buildings to stick to. Loki growled and teleported over to his blood-brother as fast as he could. He threw the jotuns away with magic and turned to Peter.

"Are you alright, arachnid?" he asked.

Peter nodded, then Loki felt the kid's tension and turned to look behind him. "Where is the lost prince?" the jotun demanded as he reached out and grabbed Loki's arm. Clearly, he knew that Loki was the Asgardian prince. He and Thor were pretty obvious, being who they were. And thought that Loki would know where their missing Jotun prince was.

Fuck

That's what they wanted?

Loki was screwed if they found out who he really was. He didn't know why they were looking for the lost prince, but he didn't want to find out either.

"Loki!" Peter called, fear in his voice.

Loki looked and tried to figure out why. Then he saw the jotun still held his arm and had eaten through his armor with his cold. Loki's arm had turned blue.

His entire body had.

He hadn't even felt the cold.

He quickly slew the jotun before he turned to Peter, horror clear on his face. After all this time of being friends with the spiderling, he expected to be rejected for his blue skin and crimson eyes.