Healing Each Other (Loki Fanfiction)

Chapter 20

"WAKE UP WAKE UP WAKE UP!" Tony shouts gleefully, prancing through the halls like some drunk reindeer. "IT'S CHRISTMAS MORNING TEAM! RISE AND SMELL THE PINE NEEDLES!"

I check my clock.

2:37 A.M.

Even though I'm tired, the thought of my first Christmas with Loki pulls me out of bed. After grabbing presents, I put on my slippers and run straight into Tony.

"Merry Christmas, Tony!" I say, grinning.

"Hey kid! Let's hope you got me something good." I roll my eyes and head into the main room, where Nat and Thor are already waiting.

"Good morning, little sister," he says tiredly, ruffling my hair and laughing as I protest. I'm still touched that he thinks of me like that. We've only known each other for around six months for Asgardians.

"You and Loki already that serious? A few months ago he was blowing up earth!" Nat teases. I tackle her onto a couch. She struggles for a minute, but I pin her. "All right, I surrender!"

"You'd better. Lighting rod has been showing me some tips in combat," I say, pointing to Thor. "Speaking of Loki, I'll go get him."

It surprises me that Loki is actually asleep. Since the days are shorter here, I thought he'd avoid it as long as he could. I stop briefly over him. He looks so peaceful, so quiet and young. Not a prince. Not a murderer. Not a monster, or magician. Just Loki. My Loki.

Kneeling down beside the bed, I kiss him awake. When he opens his eyes, he gives me the smallest, disbelieving smile, like he can't believe that I'm here. "Good morning, love," I whisper, playing with his hair. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas," he mumbles. "Isn't it a little early?"

"It's a lot early, actually, but I think Tony runs on coffee, not oxygen, so we're all up. Ready for presents?" I pull his tall frame out of bed because whether or not he's ready, I am.

Loki just stares at me for a minute. "You're so beautiful." I glance down at myself. My long sleeved green fleece and black leggings are nothing compared to the Asgardian finery he's used to seeing me in. My messy bun is already falling out. No makeup covers my face.

The fact that he says that makes me love him even more.

"I didn't get everyone presents," he whispers. "Only you. I have two. One is for now. I'll give the other to you later, okay?"

"Okay," I whisper, wrapping my arms around him. Ugh, I always feel so safe when he holds me like this. But the others are waiting, and I can't imagine the ridicule I'd get from Tony if we stay here too long. He wouldn't stop whistling during our caroling yesterday. "Let's go."

We go back into the main room, where everyone is passing around coffee and presents. I plop down next to Thor and start handing out my own gifts. All of them are from Asgardian markets. I smile, just remembering that golden afternoon Loki took me out shopping and exploring in the village.

"These are yours," Nat says, pointing to a mismatched pile of presents before diving back into her own.

I start tearing open packages excitedly, glad that these people had accepted me as part of their family. Tony gives me an Iron Man sweatshirt I slide on instantly. Nat's gift turns out to be a throwing knife. Big surprise there. Clint left me a huge box of chocolate and a note saying to keep it away from Tony. Steve gives me a set of biology-related books, and it's all I can do to not dive into them right now. Thor presents me with a painting of an Asgardian sunset. Wanda and I promise each other a girls day out to compensate for our lack of gifts, considering we really didn't know each other existed. Loki's gift is a copy of the poetry book we read the night on the roof. After opening all of mine, I pass Loki my thin little package. He opens it carefully and his eyes light up.

It's a polaroid. Nothing major, just one I took on Asgard when I realized I had brought it. The picture shows the two of us in the gardens, walking past beautiful flowers and greenery. Surrounding us is this golden light that illuminates both of our faces. I'm kissing him on the cheek and he's smiling softly and the moment seems so tangible for the few seconds we both stare at it. At the bottom, I've written a few lines from one of the poems he read to me.

And listen to my heart - the things it wants to say.

"Hey Eliza, you have one more," Tony says, pointing to this huge box in the corner. "This one needs to be explained a little. It's from Bruce. He's not here, don't get your hopes up," he says, noting my change in expression. "But he got this for you a few weeks before Sokovia. Said he'd been saving for a while, that it was something you always wanted." I walk over to the box, overcome with emotions. Bruce's gift from me is still sitting on my bed. I can't give it to him. But more than anything else, I'm curious.

The cardboard folds down to reveal a small, beautiful piano. It looks secondhand but it's still glossy and black and all of the keys are still there, unlike the one we had as kids. Nostalgia wells up inside of me. He remembered.

"You know how to play the piano?" Tony asks. "Wow, add that to the ever-growing list of your random talents."

"Play something?" Wanda asks eagerly, nodding to the piano. I pull an ottoman over to the instrument, my fingers hesitating over the ivories. I close my eyes and let the music set me free. Silent Night emerges from the piano, with me singing right along with it.  I follow it up with other hymns, songs I haven't played in a long time, or heard in a long time, minus last night when Steve took us to church. The team slowly starts to surround me, joining in one by one. After a few songs, Steve joins me on the piano, and we play a two piece I haven't tried in years. Loki just watches, a calm smile on his face. Everything is perfect in that beautiful moment at 3:06 on Christmas morning.

Until a window breaks, shattering the glass and letting a gust of snow fly in. My fingers whip off the keys as the group collectively turns around to examine the odd object rolling on the kitchen floor. Steve's eyes widen as he recognizes the black ball.

"Get down!" He screams, halfway through the two words when it explodes.

Sorry to end a happy chapter like that... but authors low-key enjoy crushing readers a bit.

Next one will be up ASAP!