Of Numbers and Strange Friendships

Chapter 41

Sif turned to Peter. "Your turn Spiderboy," she told him with a smirk, gesturing to the practice circle.

Peter rolled his eyes. "It's Spiderman, not spiderboy, not spiderling, not spiderchild," he grumbled. He turned to Loki. "It's your fault people keep getting my name wrong," he insisted. Which was partially true. Loki liked his nicknames for the teen. It was one of the ways he showed they were friends.

Loki looked shocked and innocent. A halo of magic actually appeared over his head. "Who? Me?" he asked too innocently.

Peter rolled his eyes. "Yes, you Elphaba," he teased, calling Loki the witch from Wicked.

Loki chuckled. "Go get beaten up quickly by Lady Sif, Arachnid," he said, making a shooing motion toward the practice court. "Then we can do something actually fun," Loki taunted his friend. He really did want this sparring match over quickly. He was bored of sparring matches already. Sparring wasn't exactly Loki's favorite activity and he was getting bored.

Bored

Bored

Bored

Peter rolled his eyes. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, witch," he grumbled and made his way out onto the practice circle.

"You don't need a vote of confidence, Arachnid. You will do just fine. Remember, she fights like Thor," Loki called encouragement and waited on the sidelines.

Sif rolled her eyes as Peter approached. "Don't you have any weapons either?" she grumbled at him. She didn't like being faced by kids with no weapons. Especially since it meant they had tricks up their sleeves.

"Nope, don't need 'em," Peter replied with his trademark grin.

"Don't get cocky, Arachnid. She's the goddess of war and this terrain isn't in your favor," Loki warned, afraid the kid was going to get himself really hurt.

Loki needn't have worried. He'd trained Peter well in hand-to-hand combat. The kid's speed and agility kept him safe in the battle, and his web slingers eventually got the best of Sif. It was hard to fight the spiderchild when one couldn't move to actually fight said spiderchild.

Loki smirked and hugged Peter when he'd won. "Well done, Arachnid,"

"Cheater," Sif grumbled good naturedly while Peter freed her from the webs. Luckily, he'd remembered to pack the dissolving solution or Sif would've been trapped for two hours.

Peter grinned. "It was a good match, Lady Sif," he said warmly.

"Your protege is far too much like you, Loki," Sif teased Loki, who offered an elegant bow.

"I do my best," he said, proud of his adopted siblings.

*

"Why do I have to dress even fancier?" Peter whined late that afternoon as Loki was helping him into his court clothes for the evening.

"It is hardly fancier, as this is the same outfit you wore to meet the Allfather this afternoon," Loki replied dryly.

"Six~" Peter whined, trying to use his silly evil scale to get himself out of an uncomfortable dinner.

"Liar," Loki said, wrinkling his nose. Lies always smelled bad to the god. "You are simply uncomfortable. You will spend a lovely evening eating way too much food, drinking none of the alcohol, and then you will dance with your lady and enjoy every moment of it," Loki reminded Peter.

Peter sighed and didn't bother arguing with Loki since he was right. He hated when Loki out reasoned him with things like logic. How dare he.

After they were dressed and ready, they met up with Thor, then the girls, and headed to dinner. Sif was on Thor's arm, Sig on Loki's, and Peter copied them, offering his arm to Wanda. The teens mouths practically dropped open when they saw the great hall decorated for the feast. The full court was there, all in their finest for the feast. Odin and Frigga were presiding over it and Loki, Thor, and their entire group took seats at the head table.

The teens were a bit uncomfortable sitting with the royalty. Their fears were alleviated quickly when Frigga smiled warmly at them and started asking them questions about how they enjoyed Asgard so far. The teens answered enthusiastically about everything they'd seen so far. Peter had to explain his camera when he started taking pictures of the court and the feast. Which also somehow led to him getting a selfie with Frigga.

No one knew how that happened, but it was one of Peter's most prized pictures.

Loki explained all of the dishes to the teens as they were served so they would know what they were eating. They were game to try anything and everything was delicious. They were stuffed before the end of the fourth course, but they kept gallantly making their way through dishes so they could try everything.

After the feast (and the twelve billions desserts that Loki gladly devoured) came the dancing. Loki led Sig out for the first dance and Peter and Wanda just stared. They knew Loki was a good dancer. He'd taught both of them after all. They didn't understand the depth of his skill until watching him with his love. Peter recorded the entire thing and the court watched on in awe as the pair glided across the dance floor, magic shimmering around and after them. There was absolute love in Loki's eyes and joy as he got to dance with his Sigyn again after so long apart.

After that first dance, the rest of the court got brave enough to go out on the dance floor. Peter and Wanda joined them, keeping to the edge of the dance floor. Thanks to Loki, they knew enough to keep up, but they still weren't the best dancers and they couldn't hold a candle to the court-trained Asgardians.

They danced the night away, having a blast dancing with each other and some of the braver court lords and ladies. Loki stole a dance with Thor because he was an annoying little shit and men dancing with men wasn't taboo on Asgard. Thor huffed and rolled his eyes, but put up with Loki's shenanigans. Even while Peter recorded the whole thing. They traded partners all night, though for the last dance, they were back with their proper ladies.

They found their beds late that evening and Peter fell asleep with visions of visiting Hogwarts the next day in his mind.