Healing Each Other (Loki Fanfiction)

Chapter 18

"Brrrrr," I say the minute we step out of the Bifrost. A snowflake lands on the tip of my nose. "Ugh, it's freezing. Even though Heimdall said it was a few days until Christmas in New York City, I still forgot a jacket."

"Well, we'll be inside in a minute," Thor says, already striding towards the Tower entry. Loki shrugs his long coat off and drapes it over my shoulders. I give him a quick peck on the cheek before bounding towards Thor like an excited puppy. As soon as I watched Asgard's sunrise, I dragged Loki and Thor to Heimdall. Upstairs. They're all upstairs. Bruce is upstairs. It took a few weeks of begging, but Odin let us all return to Earth for Christmas. I had to actually explain to the princes what the holiday is, but both were eager to join me once they understood. Thor rolls his eyes at the two of us, but he grins.

"You know, Father will probably kill you," he says, referencing our PDA. He's the only one who knows about our relationship, and he's basically our number one shipper, which annoys Loki to all end. I think it's funny. Besides, annoyed Loki is cute Loki.

"Let him try," Loki responds good-naturedly, coming up and giving me a kiss on the cheek. "Can we step inside?"

Once we're in the elevator, a new voice greets us. "May I inform Mr. Stark of who is arriving?" A cool female voice asks. I frown. Where's JARVIS? "Or do you wish to keep this visit a surprise?"

"Tell him it's pizza," I say giddily, thinking off the top of my head. I think the AI obliges because as the door slides open I hear Tony's confused voice ranting about how he didn't order anything tonight and Steve chewing him out for ordering food they don't need. So basically nothing's changed.

"Large mushroom for Tony Stark?" I say innocently, laughing at their wide eyes. He takes in the three of us: snow in our hair, dressed in Asgardian summer wear and identical grins. I take them in: Steve in a red button down and jeans, Tony in a Green Day T-shirt from the eighties, and both sporting expressions of disbelief.

"What are you doing here?" Steve asks, immediately giving me a hug. "I thought you were still in Asgard!"

"I was. Until approximately five minutes ago. I thought the holidays were something I needed to be here for!" I give Tony a hug before he can escape it. "Where's everyone else?"

"Vision and Clint were supposed to be bringing up a tree soon, and Natasha and Wanda went out for decorations," Tony says, shaking Thor's hand. I don't ask who these other people are, or where Bruce is. Probably in the lab, the workaholic. "Everything all right with you now?"

I nod. "Yeah, I'm better. Much better, in fact, but I missed home. I have so much to tell you, but I'll wait for everyone to get here. What day is it, anyway?"

"December 23. You got here just in time," Steve says, smiling.

"December 23 and you still have no decorations up?" I joke, motioning to the room that looks exactly the same as the day I left it, and that was early summer.

"Unlike normal jobs, we don't get a break just because it's the week before Christmas," Tony reminds me. "The team got back a few days ago from Sokovia."

"Sokovia? What were you doing in Sokovia?" I grab a kettle and start to boil water for hot chocolate before sitting at the bar. Loki joins me, while Thor just leans against the wall. That gets me thinking. "Thor? Is that where you were a few days ago?"

"It's a long story, but yes," he says, tossing Mjlinor back and forth between his hands. "Midgard required saving, so I went to save it."