AN: The next couple of chapters might take a little longer to update as they are surprise chapters I didn't realise that I had to write until I went back over to edit and realised that I really had to write them. Also, I just wanted to say, that even though I've written ahead to a certain point, don't be afraid to throw suggestions and queries my way, as that's how the next two came about. This one runs a little short as the last thousands words have been shifted to chapter 8.

Chapter Six

It had been a quiet evening, there hadn't been much trouble in the areas they normally went on patrol, so they'd ventured uptown, a little too close to Avengers tower for Loki's liking, but it wasn't as if he could take over the travel direction when they were moving at this height, swinging around some of the biggest buildings in the city.

Loki gripped on tightly and shouted at Parker as he swung too low above a police car, mouthing off as usual, and a young police officer, in a moment of panic drew his gun and fired a wide shot which only missed them because they were in full momentum at the time.

"PARKER, FOR FUCK'S SAKE!" shouted Loki, into the boys ear as he panicked and then swung them onto a roof top, dropping them out of the line of fire.

"Why'd you have to mouth off to him?" said Loki, gesticulating wildly as he gained his footing on the roof, turning to Parker.

"Dude, it's kinda what I do," said Parker, "he missed us, what are you bitching about?"

"That was completely reckless of you!" said Loki, he would have had no problem surviving a direct bullet hit, but Parker had a much softer head and Loki wasn't sure how much magic it would take to be able to push a bullet out of his skull and then keep him alive afterwards, probably more than he had access to. And if Parker had been shot in mid-swing, they'd have both fallen and the fall might very well have been enough to kill the boy anyway.

"On come on, man," said Parker, "it's Christmas, stop being such a Scrooge McDuck."

More pop culture that Loki wasn't familiar with. Just as he seemed to be learning about one thing, something new would be referenced and he'd be confused again.

"You are INFURIATING, little brother," he said. He regretted saying it as soon as it had come from his lips, because it made him think of Thor and the times Thor had been angry with him after he'd pulled some attention seeking mischief, like hiding a sharp pin in their least favourite Uncle's seat cushion, or trying to become all mighty ruler of Midgard, you know, kids stuff.

"Hey, I didn't ask for you to follow me around all the time," said Parker.

"YES, YOU DID!" said Loki, he wanted to strangle him, but he knew he'd kill him if he did, so he simply gripped his Spider-man outfit instead and shook him to emphasis his point.

"Oh, yeah, I did," said Parker, and Loki knew he was grinning stupidly at him from beneath his mask, "well cheer up, bro, it was all good."

"I hate to interrupt this kodak moment," said a voice from behind them, "but I have been dying to have a word."

Loki snapped his head to the side, he knew that voice.

Oh shit licking, arse, tit, wank, bollocks, twat, fuck, shit, cunt, arse, SHIT.

The man of Iron. Tony Stark.

"GO!" shouted Loki, and Parker leapt off the roof without hesitation.

Loki leapt after him, catching him around the shoulders as Parker spun out a web to quickly catch them mid-air.

"WE CAN'T OUT RUN HIM," shouted Loki, "GET US INTO THAT ALLEY WAY, QUICKLY!"

Parker complied, without argument, swinging them into a nearby alley way, dropping them onto the ground and Loki quickly pushed Parker up against the wall, into the shadows and held his hand over the part of Parker's mask which he knew his mouth was located.

"Keep quiet," he said, "I need to put everything into this."

Loki closed his eyes, concentrating, pushing himself to the limits of the magic that he could access and drew the shadows up and around them, shrouding them in complete darkness. Loki held his breath, risking enough break in concentration to open his eyes and glanced to the side.

He saw the Iron Man suit fly past them. Loki closed his eyes again and resumed on his concentrating. He pushed himself to his very limits, pressure building up in his temples, the bracelet blocking the majority of his magic that was locked around his right wrist had begun to burn, he ignored it. He didn't even know how long had passed when he felt Parker's fingers close around his wrist.

"Puck," he said softly, "dude he's gone, you can…. You can stop now."

Loki took a breath, he opened his eyes, his body felt like it was full of dirty, rancid air. He tried pushing it out and breathing in the new, clean air, or as clean as the air could be in a New York back alley. He slumped to his knees, the shadows began to dissipate, he felt Parker's hand touch his shoulder.

"I'M FINE," he snapped.

The hand withdrew and Loki took several long minutes, kneeling on the filthy alley floor, breathing, regaining his energy until he was able to push himself back up to his feet.

"You ok?" asked Parker.

"I'm fine," said Loki, calmly, "I'm…" he paused, "I was trying to access more than I could."

"Now who's the reckless one?" said Parker.

Loki raised his eyes and gave Parker a death glare.

Parker turned his back to Loki and pointed at his shoulders with his thumb, "Ok, hop on, I'll get you back home, no arguments, you saved our asses just there, it was too fucking close, so let me help you."

Loki grumbled something under his breath and then reluctantly, latched onto Parker and in seconds they were being pulled up by one of Parker's webs and he was soon swinging them out of the alley way and taking via back streets all the way to Loki's building.

As soon as Parker dropped him inside his room, Loki managed to keep himself upright, but only barely and got to his little bed set up where his yoga mattress and sleeping bag was and then allowed himself to collapse down into a seated position on top, leaning his back against the wall. He closed his eyes, taking several long, deep breaths, then grabbed one of his bottles of water, drinking the entire contents in five gulps, then grabbed a second and repeating the same action. Then grabbing the third.

"You'll make yourself ill," said Parker.

Loki hadn't even noticed that Parker was still there, he looked up to see Parker stood opposite him, he'd pulled his mask off and was fumbling with it between his fingers, a look of concern written across his face.

"I just need to replenish," said Loki, "I'll be fine."

He took a few gulps of water, leaving three quarters in the remaining bottle and reached for his supplies, he didn't have the energy or patience to cook some rice or pasta as he probably should have done, so he pulled out a jar labelled 'peanut butter' something which he'd been curious about so far, but hadn't found occasion to break into.

He unscrewed the lid, and it's actual purpose be damned, he didn't care if he looked a fool, he picked up a spoon and dug it into the brown contents and then shovelled it into his mouth. He really hadn't been expecting either the taste or the texture or the sensation of the peanut butter. Though it was so sticky he was glad he hadn't drank the remainder of his water.

All in all he ate five large spoonfuls, and licked the spoon clean before he replaced the lid on the jar and drank half the remaining water. Parker still stood, looking at him, it was beginning to make Loki feel very uncomfortable.

"That guy, the Iron Man, he really put the shits up you didn't he?" said Parker.

"Well I'm sure if I'd remembered to bring my broom handle with me," said Loki, indicating to where he'd left it lying before they'd set off, "I'm sure I would have felt like I had more adequate fire power to deal with the arsenal he had inside his suit."

Loki didn't like how much Parker was attached to him, or how attached he was getting to Parker, because the look on his face, concern and worry, was cutting through Loki and the plan had not been to get attached. The plan had been to save Parker's life, get the hell out of New York, get the damned bracelet off and then use his magic to properly disguise himself so he didn't have to keep wearing the stupid mask twenty four hours a day, and he could teleport himself to a decent hiding place. Some place with a real bed maybe, although he'd settle for running water and a toilet system, two things he was currently lacking in the new 'home' he'd found for himself.

The problem was that Loki had always been a little too good at lying, and now he was lying to himself. He could have found a way to leave the city before now. He could have come back once his magic was back to full power and simply 'spared' Parker's life as a means of saving him and repaying the life debt he owed.

Being this close to the Avengers, being this close to where Thor would no doubt appear when he eventually came looking for him when he realised that Loki had slipped to Midgard and not Alfheim, as would have been the more sensible location. Even for Thor, Loki thought, he was taking his time working that one out, surely he should have realised by now.

"We won't go up town again," said Parker, "it's too close to Avengers turf."

Loki wasn't sure if Parker would be exercising this caution for both of them, or just for Loki, but either way, this actually made him feel a little relieved.

"That would probably be for the best," said Loki, "now we know they're aware of us at least."

Parker spun out a web hammock from the ceiling, whenever he did this they usually dissolved after a prolonged period and Loki would get annoyed about having to clean up the resulting mess.

"We'll stick to areas with less city cameras too," said Parker as he spun, "if they're actively looking for us, we don't want to give them too easy a way of finding us. I mean sure if someone's in trouble we'll go help."

"What are you doing, Parker," said Loki, indicating to the hammock, "you know I have to clean away your web spooge whenever you do that, don't you?"

"I'm gonna stay here tonight," said Parker, jumping into the hammock and letting it sway back and forth a few times until it settled.

"Won't your aunt have a conniption fit if she goes to find out where you are and discovers you are not in your room?" said Loki.

"I'll just tell her I went to a friends house and ended up crashing," said Parker, "she probably won't check on me anyways."

"But you don't have any friends," said Loki, pulling off his boots and laying out on his mattress, sticking his legs into his sleeping bag and pulling it up around himself, not bothering to take off his hoodie and body armour.

"I got you, don't I?" said Parker, throwing him a smirk.

Loki didn't have his own friends. Thor had friends, Loki had always been the tagalong, they couldn't deny him this right, Thor would always insist upon it and besides anything else, Loki was a Prince and was entitled to a little of their respect. But in the end, they'd always been Thor's friends, Loki had been tolerated and nothing more.

Loki looked at Parker, the boys expression was nothing but complete sincerity. Parker was his friend. Parker was his best and only friend. He was his little brother, one who was as fragile as he was strong, one who needed protecting.

Loki shook the sentimental thought from his head, Parker wasn't Loki's friend, he was Puck's. Puck might have been real to Parker, but to Loki he was simply the mask he wore, to protect himself from being discovered.

"I don't count," said Loki, "not as someone you could use an alibi to explain your absence."

"Pah," said Parker, waving a dismissive hand, "she doesn't get too curious about my friends anyway, she won't pry too much. I'm a good boy, I couldn't possibly be up to mischief."

"You're such a cocky little shit, Parker," said Loki, unable to stop himself from smirking. "I hope you don't expect me to tuck you in and read you a bed time story."

"I wouldn't ask you for a bed time story," said Parker, "you couldn't know any good ones, you hadn't even seen Jurassic Park."

"Well I've seen it now," he said, "but I'll have you know, I know plenty of bed time stories, I did have a mother you know."

"I don't remember much about my mother," said Parker, wistfully.

Loki felt guilty. He'd not really pried into why Parker lived with his aunt, and not his parents, it seemed to be a painful memory for him. From the bits of information that Parker had given him, Loki had managed to work out that Parkers parents were dead, and had been since he was a small boy, and his Uncle had recently died as well, leaving him without a father figure in his life.

His aunt seemed to care for him though, she cooked for him and cared for him and loved him. She was a mother to him, Loki knew you didn't have to be born to a woman for her to be your mother.

Loki missed his mother. He missed her badly.

"I bet your aunt is a wonderful mother," said Loki.

"She is," said Parker, and he smiled at Loki, "Let's just get some sleep, we'll keep our heads low for a few nights, see where we are."

"Yes, I think we've had enough excitement for one evening," said Loki, pulling his hood further down so he was practically cocooned. "Goodnight, Parker."

"G'night, Puck," said Parker, "sleep tight."

"Don't let the bilgesnipe bite," said Loki.

"What the fuck is a bilgesnipe?"