What if...

Moving On

*Loki's POV*

In the months following Ben's "would have been" death I went through stages. At first there was the initial fear I had given Odin a direct line to track me down. I became so paranoid Peter had to quite literally fight me to leave my covers, until Ben got mad that we were breaking things throughout the room. Plus the school called warning if I missed any more days I was in danger of failing my year. Not that I cared if I got held back, but May went into mama bear mode and to be frank it was terrifying. The next stage, acceptance, at this point I had come to accept I would never be able to outrun my past. So I packed a bag, kept it hidden in the closet, amongst other things, and one night once everyone was asleep or so I thought I snuck out our bedroom and just as I reached for the front door the lights flicked on. Ben very angrily and aggressively ushered me back to my room. For the next week I had to endure lecture after lecture from Ben telling me he didn't know what he'd do if I had left. One night as he was yelling at me he told me he thought of me as his own, and I broke down. That was the night I moved on, I let go of all my pain from my childhood, I let my fears float away. Nothing else mattered except Ben, May, and Peter, my awkward little makeshift family who hit me with their car. After about two months school was beginning to edge toward final preparations, and there was still no sign of Odin.

I began to experiment, small stuff at first. A dagger here, a small illusion there. A month or so later when I still hadn't heard from or seen Odin I became more comfortable using my magic again. When going on my missions with Peter I would use some of my more advanced moves once in a while. This one time Peter was trying to take down this bank robber, whose partner was sneaking up behind him with a knife so I threw a force field at him. The look on this man's face was priceless, but that's besides the point. All through summer I came to the conclusion that Odin had given up his search for me. I've been gone now for nearly eight or nine months, perhaps he has just decided to live his best life and leave me well enough alone so long as I don't go barging back. School starts again in two days, I've spent the last week practicing a special surprise for Peter's birthday, and today's the day.

*Peter's POV*

"Happy Birthday to you..." Uncle Ben, Aunt May, and Loki all sang in unison placing the cake before me. As I blow out the candles I hear Uncle Ben get his deep bellied proud voice come out as he puffed his chest and said "16 Peter. You're practically a man now. With great power comes-" Loki interrupted him in a playful way, not the disrespectful teenage way "Comes great power, yeah, yeah, yeah. Can we get to the cake now!?!?" he said leaning forward to scoop up some icing with his finger. "Responsibility Loki. Responsibility." Ben said playfully pushing him back and cutting Loki off from the cake. The two wrestled a bit while Aunt May went to go cut the cake. Loki asked "So what did you wish for Peter?" The question caught me by surprise and I'm not sure why. It's a common enough question, I mean I get asked it every year, but this year I didn't really have a wish. If you asked me a few months ago I would have said to be with MJ in a heartbeat, but ever since the day I asked her out she's done anything to avoid me including, and I quote, "Sorry I stopped breathing last week...". I guess it was for the best though, so what I said was "For us to be happy." gesturing to Loki and I, Uncle Ben standing up from his crouched headlock position in which he was giving Loki a noogie asked "What am I chop liver? Does no one have any love for the old man?" Loki taking this moment of distraction to his advantage broke free from Uncle Ben's arms, jumped up and tackled him to the ground. "How'd you like that old man?" he asked laughing. Aunt May came in scolding the two of them "Stop that boys, before one of you gets hurt! Benjamin! You're gonna throw your back out again if you keep this up!"

After cake we opened presents, and Aunt May said she had one more surprise she still had to pick up from the store. Once she had left Loki announced he had a special show to give us, one that thankfully did not include stripping. "Midgardians from the Realm of Earth. May I present you the wondrous god of trickery. God of illusions. You know him. And while you may not admit it you love him! Loki the great!" Loki said mimicking every magician announcer he's heard over the past months, then proceeded to do the audience's cheers. "WHOOOOO!" I cheered on clapping and laughing. At first he showed off his daggers, which is cool but it's something we've seen since day one so it wasn't too impressive. But then things started moving all around the room, it was insane. Sometimes I forget just how powerful he, a literal god, could be. To me he was always just the sweet sarcastic asshole I called friend.

"Now watch as I transform myself." he said just before a soft green light covered his body, when we could see it again he no longer looked like he. Loki was wearing two well sized... err, well.... His chest had enlarged to ball shape. Loki's hair was down to his butt, and his features had softened to look much more feminin. If I hadn't known his pronouns I would've never known the difference. "Am I your type yet Parker?" Loki said striking a pose, hand on hips the other on his head. I have to admit, Loki was an attractive person but instead I just laughed. Uncle Ben jokingly interjected "You two are practically brothers. Now I don't know about Asgard but here on Earth incest is not looked well upon." Loki seemed amused laughing, I however felt my cheeks turn BRIGHT red. Loki slyly and flirtaciously responded, "It's only incest if it's blood right?" with a wink to me. Luckily I was able to change the subject quickly "So Loki, what's the grand finale?" Loki transforming back to his usual look said "Ah, thank you my boy. Now watch youngsters, and watch closely..." Uncle Ben interrupted "Who you call youngster, you youngster" Loki straightened up whipping his cape down like the drama queen he is, demanded "SILENCE OLD MAN. I AM OVER A MILLENIA OLDER THAN YOU. NOW RESPECT YOUR ELDERS AND LISTEN YOU GUISER. For my final trick I will improve the looks of one of you, any willing audience members?" Immediately I raised my hands, imitating that one overly eager child at a party I yelled "ME! OH! ME! PICK ME PLEASE!" Loki lifted his cape to cover his mouth in the batman stance, and scanned the room. His eyes passed right over me and closed in on Uncle Ben, who mind you! Wasn't raising his hand! "You there, good sir. Would you please step up to the stage?" Loki said, pointing to him. Uncle Ben sighed and stood up, once he was on the stage Loki continued his performance "We have never met in our lives, correct sir?" Uncle Ben going along with it shaked his head no and sarcastically said "NOPE. NEVER. I've never even seen your face." Loki gave his sly smile and said "Well that's about to change..." He covered Uncle Ben's body with a blanket, and when it dropped so did my jaw. I was shocked what I saw standing before me was not one but TWO Lokis. I couldn't tell them apart had Uncle Ben not gone "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE BOY? GIVE ME BACK MY BODY NOW!" Loki with a laugh grabbed my hand and made a break for our room "YOU'LL NEVER CATCH ME OLD MAN!" When we got to our room Loki immediately jumped out the window onto the fire escape demanding I do the same. As I climbed out he jumped onto my back, as he does from time to time, and yelled "MUSH!" pointing upward toward the roof. And so I did, we began our climb to the roof with Uncle Ben cursing out Loki the whole way up.