Oh My, Gods!
If anyone could say anything about Peter and MJ it's that they were rarely ever wrong. If they were going to state something they had researched it or had a legitimate reason to believe it - which was why Pepper so openly believed Peter that something was off about this Natalie woman. That was clearly cemented when they stormed her office. She couldn't be certain she'd still be in Tony's office but she marched, kids in tow, in that direction regardless. She had so many questions flooding her mind. Why was Natalie downloading files? To sell them to another company, or was she already sent by one? What was she downloading?
Wait... Could it be about The Avengers Initiative? Tony had opened up to her about the whole thing, but said he was told he could take part because of his 'volatile, self-obsessed nature and lack of will to work with others'. Which, she couldn't say was wrong, but would have preferred it not be the reason he was rejected. He could do good things after all. The reason he was rejected should have been that his selfish and self-obsessive nature meant he'd do stupid shit without thinking about it. What if they decided they couldn't judge based on personality anymore and just needed more hands? They'd have to do some research to make sure he really wasn't selling weapons under the table and going through with the charity work he had announced he was doing. They'd need to collect all that data... All of which, Pepper had just informed Natalie (as his receptionist), would be relocated to his office. It all seemed to fall into place. She paused. She'd need to know for certain.
"Kids?" She whispered, knowing they weren't far enough from the office to speak any louder. "You wanna take your spying next level?" She was obviously met with over-enthusiastic nods. Natalie should never have mentioned she loved kids because she had two of the cutest most conniving ones possible.
"No, Fury, listen. I don't know how it happened, but the next thing I know I had told them everything. I think the children have mind control powers-"
Peter and May found themselves on a plane a matter of weeks later. Every part of it screamed high-tech, and they tried to keep themselves close to Doctor Banner. Peter was ecstatic to meet the man, knowing what a genius he was. He spoke to him a mile a minute about his 'revolutionary work' and 'awesome theses', Doctor Banner looked almost in tears all the while. When they finally boarded, May managed to slow Peter's incessant rambling enough that he and Bruce had a full conversation about what sciences Peter knew and was interested in. Unbeknownst to Bruce, the plane soon rumbled and soon took to the sky. Neither May nor Peter had been on a plane before, and their ears popping so harshly was something they could have done without. Knowing that the reason they were on some military plane was to go collect a God hellbent on destruction and ruling Earth that Stark had decided he was going to invest himself into capturing made it much worse, even if they knew they'd be safe. Why they had to be there in the first place May didn't know. She was content though to sit in the lab with Bruce while he worked, kindly instructing Peter from across the room on whatever the boy was building out of the man's scraps. When Loki is escorted past the lab Bruce falters, as does May, Peter totally unaware. He looked younger than they expected, maybe twenty years old.
"Ms Parker, we have to get going." He says.
"Where to, exactly? And is Peter not also coming?" The boy looks up at the mention of his name.
"Yeah, am I coming?"
"I don't think so, sorry Peter. I'm going to be taking you to Agent Hill, and then we are going to a meeting." Peter rolls his eyes.
"Oh, delightful. I'm going to be babysat." He says quietly. May doesn't say anything but hits the boy with a glare that makes him sheepish, and he mutters an apology. He found himself with Maria Hill moments later, though she clearly wasn't very good at dealing with kids. She sits invested in her tablet, flipping between three different screens. Two video feeds, and one page for taking notes if Peter could guess. He couldn't see what she was writing or watching though, and he grew desperately bored. He wants to explore.
"Sorry... uhm... Miss? I need the toilet, can you point the way." She sighs, frustrated she has to pull the earphones from her ears, but she tries to hide it. She doesn't do a great job. Whatever she was watching must have been important.
"I can take you if you like?" He smiles and tries to look innocent. May had told him he could get people to kill with that look.
"No thanks, I'm okay... So, those directions?" He was off the second she finished speaking. He came to a door where he could hear muffled voices after a while of peering down halls to nothing, and silently pushed open the door.
"-an impressive cage." And an empty laugh. "Not built, I think, for me." He found where Loki was being kept? Awesome!
"Built for something a lot stronger than you." Peter tries to think of what they could even be talking about.
"A mindless beast; makes play he's still a man." So they're talking about Hulk... Poor Doctor Banner - poor Hulk... "How desperate are you that you call on such lost creatures to defend you?" And in that tone, Peter heard defiance he knew, one of anger, discomfort and of being trapped. The same one he used around Stark. He doesn't register the monologue occurring, all he can hear is how young Loki sounded in that moment.
"Well, let me know if 'one of real power' wants a magazine or something." Footsteps sound with the voice, coming towards the door and so Peter ducks in a corner after pulling the door shut, hoping his grey jeans and black hoodie will hide him enough to not be spotted. He was told to dress a little more sturdy and dark so he could mess around in the lab a little to waste time. The tall, darkly dressed man walks past Peter not noticing a thing, and Peter notices the eye nearest him is covered by an eyepatch. He allows himself time to draw parallels between the man and some kind of space pirate with the eyepatch and all the leather before breaking into Loki's room, entirely alone. He watches how tensely the God stands for a second, jumping when addressed.
"I know of your presence, child." Loki spins. "Have you been permitted entrance here?" Peter shook his head. "And are you aware of the dangers I present?" Peter can't help but laugh after just comparing Loki to a child, and Loki is stunned for a moment.
"You're not dangerous, you're a kid in a box."
"... Pardon? I'm not an infant, boy, I'm a God." Peter smiles and thinks for a moment that he may be wrong. He doubts it though. He could always do the math to check.
"What is the average Asgardian lifespan?" Loki splutters about the relevance before Peter prompts him once more.
"5071 at approximate." Peter taps away at his calculator watch for a second before looking back up at Loki.
"And your age?" He sighs.
"1048..." Loki mumbles and Peter smiles.
"Now, if you divide the average human lifespan (79) by the Asgardian one (5071), then times it by your age (1048), you'll find that you, according to humans, are like 16 years old. Making you, Loki, a child, and one only like 6 years older than me." Loki sighs and looks to think and consider options for a minute before his body shifts, not only to one much younger but after a moment longer also to one appearing female.
"Very well. I have the viewing devices looped. I suppose, as you have figured it out, I can show myself to you." Peter is gobsmacked for a minute.
"No way!" He exclaims. "You're actually genderfluid? Like in the myths?"
"What is... gender fluid? It sounds like rather odd sustenance." Peter laughs uncontrollably. He allows himself a minute to picture what that may look like before remembering he should explain it to the steadily more frustrated Goddess.
"No no no, it's where your gender (Loki looks more puzzled here, and so Peter explains) - whether you're a boy, a girl, or something else - changes."
"And you midgardians needed a label for that? Why cannot it be said I simply am a man or am a woman or anything otherwise?" Peter sadly sighs.
"Because some people don't think you can change it. They think you have to be the one you were told you were at birth. Those people are called transphobic." He couldn't help but be reminded of his walk with May and his mama when he was young, and Loki suddenly feels so much younger. Then he heard an echo of his name being called in the hallway by Tony, instantly turning his head.
"Ah, so that is your name:
Peter? Why does Starkson call you?" Peter sighs.
"Unfortunately, I'm a stark son too," He says without thinking before slapping his hand over his mouth. As he got older it became pressingly obvious he was a secret, so he probably shouldn't let someone being held prisoner in on that. "Uh... I mean... My surname is Parker, and you heard nothing that could suggest otherwise." Loki laughs.
"I will not share that fact, child. Now go, Parkerson, before you are found with me." Loki changes back to the way Peter had seen him before, looking more uncomfortable now in a male body. Apparently knowing humans are dumb has made her reluctant to show her genderfluidity. Peter can understand that.
"One more question!" Peter said urgently, needing to know, thinking of the pentagram necklace his mama had worn. "Do you hear prayers?" Loki smiles, and she responds quieter, slightly saddened.
"Yes. Each one directed to me. Though I don't receive many any longer..." Her sadness over the fact hits Peter, and he can feel the change of his belief in his heart. He hadn't believed in religion before, but it can't really be denied when presented with a goddess who can receive people's prayers. Tony's calls sound louder now, no longer an echo.
"Thank you, Goddess Loki. Bye!" He doesn't wait for a response, he simply slips out the door and around a corner, running straight into Stark's chest.
"What are you doing back here, Peter?" The man sighs.
"I got lost on my way back from the bathroom."
Tony zaps Bruce's side, and Peter desperately forces himself not to speak up about manners. He had to beg to be allowed into the lab again, and he needs to keep his tongue so he can actually finish his project. Besides, he'd only get himself reprimanded by Stark.
"Hey!" He hears the Captain yell. "Are ya nuts?" Peter feels a deep joy not only the scolding of Tony but the thickness of his Brooklyn accent at that moment.
"Jury's out," Peter says automatically, drawing a laugh from Bruce and Steve, much to his elation. Tony goes back to pestering Bruce to cover the embarrassment of being sassed openly by a child.
"You really have a lid on it, huh? What's your secret? Mellow jazz? Bongo drums? Huge bag of..." He looks over at an expectant Peter. "green?" Peter can see Captain America get mad, and he's glad for it.
"Is everythin' a joke to you?" He asks. Stark responds in his usual sassy way, prompting Cap to get madder. "Threatenin' the safety of everyone on this ship ain't funny. There's a kid in the room! No offence meant, Doc" Bruce stumbles through an 'it's alright' excuse, but Peter can tell he's hurt. He probably hears it a lot...
They all bicker and gossip for a moment while Peter gets back to his project. He's so nearly finished. All he really registers is Steve muttering and calling Tony a 'glitterati yuck' and makes a note to find out what that means later.
"It's bugging him too, isn't it?" Tony asks Banner, taking a mouthful of blueberries from a silver package. Peter thinks for a minute that they can't taste good if they come wrapped in foil before remembering he should probably act as though he isn't paying attention, and once more getting involved in his work. That is, until he hears:
"I think Loki's trying to wind us up. This is a man who means to start a war, and if we don' stay focused he'll succeed." Peter can't help but laugh. All heads in the room turn to him.
"What, Peter?" Bruce asks with an encouraging smile. Tony gives a light glare at the pair.
"Not right now, kid, the grownups are talking," Tony says. Bruce clearly doesn't like his attitude towards the boy much, because he soon comments gently.
"Hey, Tony, let the kid speak." Peter smiles. He really likes Doctor Banner.
"Yeah, because you're in the conversation too, Stark, so it clearly ain't just grownups." Peter and Bruce stifle laughs while Tony preps to go on an angry rant. To the relief of all but Stark, Peter takes that opportunity to speak.
"Well I agree with you, Cap, that he's trying to wind you up, but he's not a man, and he's not trying to start a war." At the confused looks, he continues. Peter knew he would keep Loki's gender secret, but he sure as hell won't be keeping his age. He realises then how 'not a man' may sound otherwise, and quickly rambles. "The average Asgardian lifespan is 5071, and Loki is 1048." Peter can see when the math is completed in Tony and Bruce's mind but doesn't expect Cap to catch up. He was right to think that way, because the man looks blown away when Bruce exclaims loudly.
"He's 16?!" Peter nods; Cap looks astounded.
"How old are you, son?" Peter smiles.
"10." Steve laughs, and Peter doesn't fully get why. His confusion must show because Steve soon claps a hand to his shoulder.
"Already smarter than me..." There's a slightly uncomfortable silence following laughs before Bruce prompts Peter to continue.
"Now I'm not trying to make it sound unimportant, but aren't all Asgardian's mighty warriors? And Loki is pretty damn powerful. If you read his mythology you'd know he's had a bad as hell life, and he's only 16..." Peter trails off for Tony to speak up.
"You think it's just the angsty rebellion of a traumatised teen?" Peter shrugs.
"Like when some kid snaps their cap over ice cream?" Steve asks.
"You have any better logic?"
"Romanoff. Tea down, the kid has a plan and we're doing it." Fury barks, startling May and making Natasha stand. She and May, who had been enjoying tea and earnest apologies (for May and Natal- Natasha had often spoken and gotten along) were astounded to see Peter. May can't help but think about how, it seems, Peter can hardly ever keep out of trouble.
"What have you gotten yourself into now, patatino?" Peter sheepishly smiles and sits down, shifting in his seat a little.
"I know how to find out Loki's plan, I just needed to know who to ask to do it. See, I did some math, and Loki is about 16 in human years. Think about the stories you read me, May. They're all true. He's been through so much!"
"He's a scared, angry kid who wants attention and help." Natasha pieced together. Peter nodded.
"When I was younger I used to get angry a lot that that men in my life were either gone or gross. I'd be rude and yell. If I wouldn't calm down, May or mama would keep me yelling until I let the issue slip." May looked so shocked he remembered as the plan he created formed in her head.
"I'd say different things until one of them made you slip up. You need someone to make him want to yell, by why, Fury, should it be Natalie - sorry - Natasha?" She asks. She sounds worried. The red-haired woman sighs with a reluctant smile.
"He goes on about injustice. I've done some bad things, I can make it sound like I expect to be forgiven. Tease him some about it. He has someone I know captured, he'd know all about what I've done." Peter and May look uncomfortable.
"I didn't know that was why it had to be you..." He apologetically whispers.
Peter was fed up. His plan and his findings got them their precious information and the only one to praise him so far had been May. He knew to expect nothing less from Tony, but he was hoping at the very least Bruce would if he came to find him, but instead he finds a verbal battle occuring in the middle of the aforementioned scientist's lab. He listens idly for a minute, silently agreeing or disagreeing, and forming plans of what he'd say back if it were his place. That is, until he hears Tony's voice.
"Everything special about you came out of a bottle." His tone is venomous, and Peter doesn't like it much. Steve had been nothing but nice to Peter so far. He steps forward and a deep festering anger he's held for so many years pools in his stomach, forincing fire through his veins. He can't help it, but he knows he's about to yell. Stark has absolutely no right to tell other people what it is that makes them special or important.
"Everything special about you, Stark, is metal. You act like some high and mighty genius when your supposed genius had to be educated by a pair of kids on how not to be an asshole. And yet you still ignore us, don't you? That sounds very clever, doesn't it? You act like some hero for stopping selling weapons because you prance about in one daily instead! How are you a hero when you make fun of someone you helped create because he wears skirts? You're a sexist, misogynistic, hypocritical, lying excuse for a man that kids himself into thinking his actions are okay, and it's why I will never call you 'dad'." His tirade mixed with the admission of just who he is (which no one had been informed of) silenced the room. It was clear to all that it had been building up a while. Steve's face twisted into one of disgust.
"You wear skirts like some queer?"
"He does, it's weird. Says it reminds him of his mum. That's the problem with leaving two women to raise a boy. And, Petey I don't get why you're talking like I wanted you either. You were a mistake your mother kept around, and I'm sure she's glad to be dead knowing she doesn't have to put up with you and your smart-ass attitude any longer. Not that you're any better Capsicle. Acting like being gay is such a bad thing. Bet you'd have a heart attack to find out I'm pansexual, huh? Not to mention you're probably racist knowing the time you're from-" This lead to the yelling getting worse once more, everyone chipping in with their opinions as Peter silently cries. Yelling about Stark's insensitivity, Fury yelling at Steve as he reluctantly admits that following a black man seemed wrong. Peter can't help but wonder... Was his mama really be glad to be rid of him? It leads to yet another admission coming from Bruce. A rage-fueled admission leading Peter's sobs to grow harder.
"I tried to put a bullet in my head. The other guy just spit it out." Peter just closes his eyes, and thinking of what he decided earlier he prays to Loki and asks him for a clear head, the rage making it too hard to focus on how to stop the yelling. He finds his broken whispers must have been answered, because the anger recedes to just sadness, and just as Bruce was about to admit his secret to staying calm Peter notices something.
"Doctor Banner... Can you please put the sceptre down?" He asks a near-silent room through tears. Moments later a tone rings from across the room almost like a phone's ringtone.
"Sorry kids, you don't get to see my party trick after all..." He angrily mutters, slamming the scepter down as he walks across the room to the table next to Peter. Peter sits on the floor and lets fresh tears fall, tucking himself under the desk Bruce is typing away at. As the group begin to plan, splitting off and ignoring the crying child, Natasha slips under next to him and holds him close, swaying them softly and singing something in what Peter thinks may be Russian. He's fine with the fact Bruce is leaving him alone, he could see him getting steadily greener around the collar during the shouting match, and Peter knew he'd need a while to calm down. He hears Bruce say 'oh my god' before he finds himself engulfed in an overwhelming sudden heat and flung back hard against the wall. He then smashes through the floor, along with Natasha and Bruce as something explodes from the floor of the center of the room.. His head is fuzzy but he can just about hear Natasha speak. His lungs burn, and he longs for his inhaler. God, he can't breathe.
"We're okay!" She says, before noticing a slightly-greener-than-before Bruce and hardly breathing Peter. "We're okay, right?" She asks quieter. Peter can hear her uncertainty as to who to help first, but he's trapped under the same pole as her leg, his entire body being forced down. He can't reach his inhaler, and it's making him panic. He can't breathe, he can't move, and Bruce is only getting greener.
"Bruce look! Look at Peter! He can't have you going green Banner, he can hardly breathe. He's trapped. He won't be able to escape the hulk, and I'm trapped too so I can't help him." He roars, getting greener quicker now. She changes direction, assuming the reaction was negative. "You'll be okay I swear on my life." He roars in pain once more.
"What kind of life?!" Is all Bruce can angrily spit out before the Hulk fronts himself entirely. Peter finds his vision going black faster now with reluctant fear. He'd like to think Doctor Banner wouldn't let Hulk hurt him but he can't be certain. The pressure mixed with asthma and panic is too much. The last things he registers before passing out are the Hulk running towards him and pulling him out from under the bar just after Natasha escapes herself. A mighty roar comes from Hulk, and an angry yell of 'you lied', before he's chasing Natasha, and Peter is left alone to blackout, unable to breathe in the hallway, still so painfully sad.