Of Numbers and Strange Friendships

Everyone stared as Hela dragged Odin through the green and black portal and as the portal snapped shut before anyone could do anything about it. Including Odin. The king of Asgard was gone. There was shocked silence for a long moment as Frigga, Thor, the Avengers, and even Loki and the teens on Midgard all tried to process what had just happened.

Frigga's grip on gungnir tightened and grief filled her expression for a moment, but she only allowed herself that moment to mourn her husband. At least until later. For now, there were duties to attend to.

Thor snapped out of his shock first and looked to Frigga, desperation and panic in his eyes. He'd wanted to punish Odin for being a terrible father and hurting Loki for no good reason, but what had just happened... that wasn't the punishment he was expecting. Not with how strong his father was. The Odinforce, being Allfather, something should have protected him from being dragged away by... Hela. Whoever she really was. "Mother? What was that? What's going on?" Thor demanded, lightning crackling around him in his distress.

Frigga held up a hand to silence him. "Soon, darling," she said before he could protest. "Everyone should be here for the explanation," she added. She then looked up and seemed to look directly at Loki and the teens, though they were watching through a magicked TV realms away. It was like she was looking directly into the camera on that stupid show the spider child liked... what show was that? IT? No... Office Space? No, that was a movie, not a show... why did he have like so much pop culture?? The Office! That was the show. And that's what Loki's beloved mother looked like now as she was looking through his spell to him.

Fuck.

She wasn't supposed to know he was using this spell to spy on Asgard, but she had clearly found out. It shouldn't have been surprising that Frigga could feel and identify his magic, but his brain was still muddled by pain and exhaustion from the stitches and healing potions. Loki knew he wasn't functioning at his best, but still, he wasn't usually this bad.

He'd also not really had any other choice if he wanted to see what was going on on Asgard. And it was a good thing he had, as they would've missed the drama with Hela if he hadn't. So he wasn't at all sorry for spying on his mother.

Though he did look sheepish when she seemed to be looking directly at him. "Loki, return home, darling. Yes, you can bring your friends. Heimdall will be waiting for you," Frigga said to him and the teens.

Loki nodded, as if Frigga could see him. She shouldn't have been able to, through his spying spell, but Loki wasn't trusting in his magic at the moment. He ended the spell and stood. He gestured for Wanda and Peter. /Come on. Mother is waiting. With explanations/ he told them both. They scrambled to their feet, just as desperate for explanations as everyone else.

Peter wrapped an arm around Loki's waist. Loki growled softly behind his stitches, because he was grumpy and in pain. "Easy, witch. You're barely on your feet," he knew that Loki shouldn't be traveling to Asgard right now. Hell, he shouldn't be going anywhere but his own bed, but they didn't have that option, not if they wanted answers. Loki tried to give him a reassuring look, but only ended up sagging on Peter. Peter's grip on him tightened. "I've got you, witch," he soothed as Wanda came up on Loki's other side to support him.

"We've got you, starshy," she added, calling him 'brother' in her native language. Loki's lips twitched up in as much of a smile as he could give her.

The teens helped Loki outside. Loki realized as he looked to the sky while standing in the Bifrost circle that he couldn't call to Heimdall to get a ride home. He nudged Peter and pointed to the sky. Peter had seen Thor call to Heimdall enough times that he should understand what was needed. And Peter was Asgardian now, he had a right to call Heimdall for the Bifrost. He had the right to travel that way.

Peter paled as he realized that implication. He was Asgardian now. It wasn't just a favor that Heimdall would be opening the Bifrost for him, but his right as an Asgardian citizen. He was an Asgardian citizen.

What did that mean for him?

Besides that, he would stay the same age while his loved ones grew old and eventually died...

Loki tapped his mind with his own. /Focus, arachnid/ he told Peter. They would have time to deal with the consequences of Peter's transformation later. Right now, they had to get to Asgard. /Call to Heimdall so we can return to Asgard/

Peter swallowed hard and nodded and gathered his courage before he looked to the sky again. "H-Heimdall-"

/Louder, Arachnid. Like you mean it. You've heard Thor/

"Mama Frigga didn't need to be loud," Peter grumbled.

Loki chuckled, careful of the stitches. /You are not the queen of Asgard, arachnid/ he reminded his blood-brother. Heimdall always kept a very close eye on Frigga if she was off realm. A whisper from her was enough to have him open the Bifrost for her. Frigga had said Heimdall was expecting Loki, but he knew Peter needed to do this properly, to accept and claim this new part of himself here and now, or he would be afraid of what being Asgardian would mean.

Peter nodded and gathered his courage before he looked back to the sky again. "Heimdall! Open the Bifrost!" He called. Then added because he was too polite for his own good. "Please,"

That earned a snirk of laughter from Loki. Loki gripped Peter and Wanda tighter and Peter's eyes widened in shock and awe as Heimdall actually listened to him and the Bifrost opened around them, drawing them back to Asgard. Loki understood the awe in Peter's eyes as well as the understanding.

Peter was well and truly an Asgardian now. Despite everything, he was coming to terms with it, even if he didn't consciously understand that fact yet. That time would come soon. And it would involve tears and anguish when it did. Loki would be there for him when it did and when they could work through it together.

But Peter had taken the first step to accepting it.

He would accept it. He would have to...