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bookishwench“Welcome home!” Pepper said cheerfully, then she took in the disheveled appearance of the four of them and her expression became worried. “Is everything okay?”
“Indeed,” Thor said. “It has been an interesting few days.”
“If by ‘interesting’ you mean treachery, plotting, and an appalling breach of hospitality that nearly ended in an execution, then yes, it certainly was,” Loki said, breezing past them. “I hope there are snacks. I’m starving.”
“As am I,” Thor said, following him, with Peter close behind and smiling weakly at Pepper, who looked horrified.
“Ehm, greetings?” Sif said awkwardly.
“Oh, right, hi!” Pepper said, turning back to her. “I nearly forgot you were here too. It’s Sif, right?”
“Yes, how kind of you to remember,” she said. “May I claim temporary sanctuary here?”
“Sanctuary?” Pepper asked, looking like she might collapse. “Just how bad did things get up there?”
Sif grimaced, saying only, “Bad.”
“Okay, fine, any friend of Thor’s is always welcome here,” Pepper said, “and some of Loki’s. Well, a few. Really, at this point, it’s just you, and that’s because you come with really good references.”
“Hey, kid,” Tony called out jovially, coming into the living room. “Have a good time?”
“Sorta?” Peter ventured.
“Sorta?” Tony repeated, raising an eyebrow. “Sounds like there’s a story there.”
“It is indeed an epic saga that shall someday be sung by the bards,” Thor said.
“O…kay,” Tony said. “Peter, where’s your bag?”
“Asgard,” he said, suddenly feeling incredibly tired. “Whoops.”
“Did you guys have to run out in the middle of the night or something?” Tony asked, looking rather impressed.
“I think we would prefer to wait until after the new year’s birth to tell our tale,” Thor said. “For now, let us eat and drink and celebrate without thought of anything else.”
“Fair enough,” Tony said, walking towards the bar, “as long as the Bifrost doesn’t suddenly land a squad of those horned-helmet weirdos on my roof, I’m all good.”
Sif, Loki, Peter, and Thor exchanged a look that plainly said they hoped Odin wouldn’t take it that far.
That night, they remained mute about everything that had happened, watching “Rudolph’s Shiny New Year” with the rest of the team (utterly baffling Sif) and eating close to their own body weight in food. By the time fireworks lit the night sky and the evening ended with the happy announcement of an upcoming wedding, Peter was so tired he thought he might collapse.
“Where are you guys going?” Peter asked Loki, Thor, and Sif as they headed to the helipad. “Not home?”
“Are you mad?” Loki said, looking up at the stars. “No, we shall simply direct Heimdall to set us down elsewhere. Sif, what do you think? Terma? Vanaheim? Indigarr?”
“Why am I not being consulted?” Thor asked, looking offended.
“Because you have horrid taste, and I don’t wish to spend the next month chasing after a large, slobbering monster in a quest for ‘unending glory’ or whatever term you apply to your insanity,” Loki said. “So, Sif, what is your pleasure?”
“Vanaheim, I think, if no one disagrees,” she said.
“At this point, I would take Jotunheim if it meant peace,” Thor said.
“At this point, so would I, which is saying a lot,” Loki said. “Do you want to do the honors, Thor?”
“No,” Thor said, then put a hand on Peter’s shoulder. “Go ahead. Give it a try. He’s always watching.”
Peter shuddered a little and wondered how he would ever take a shower again without being slightly creeped out, then looked at the sky.
“Um, Mr. Heimdall, sir? It’s me, Peter Parker. I’m the one who threw up when I met you? Sorry about that. Anyway, Thor and Loki and Lady Sif want to go to Vanaheim now, if you don’t mind and it’s not too much trouble, please,” Peter said. “Thanks!”
Loki buried his face in his hands and shook with suppressed laughter as the brilliant light of the Bifrost surrounded them and whisked the three of them away, leaving Peter standing on the rooftop alone.
“Kid?”
Peter turned around to see Tony walking towards him.
“Yes, Mr. Stark?”
“Happy’ll drive you home,” he said. “May’s waiting up for you.”
“Thank you,” he said, sagging as the full weight of his exhaustion hit him like a brick wall.
Tony regarded him curiously before finally saying, “Okay, you know what? I’m not even going to ask what happened. I trust you’ll tell me when and if you’re ready. But you’re okay?”
“Yeah,” he said, “it’s just really good to be home. Thank you for inviting me to the party.”
Tony watched him walk to the elevator, the doors sliding shut and taking him out of sight again, as Pepper came up to him and wrapper her arms around him in a tight hug.
“At least Peter’s home safely and the New Year’s party is done,” Pepper said, surveying the damage to the room. “What do you say we let this wait until morning and get some sleep?”
“Sounds perfect. Things should be a lot quieter from now on,” Tony agreed.
He was wrong.
