Loki Laufeyson - Saviour {2}

Chapter Eighteen - That Time of Year

"JARVIS, play the news." Said Tony that night almost immediately as we sat down. There was a chorus of groans from around the table, including myself, Wanda, Nat and Thor.

"Why do we have to watch it every night?" Wanda complained as she spooned a heap of the creamy Tuscan chicken pasta Nat, Pepper and I had all made. "I swear it is just the same stuff over and over again."

"Because we are the Avengers." Tony replied, already intently focused on the news that came up as a projection in the middle of the table. "Our job is protect the people, so we need to know what is going on in the world. It is important to keep you all informed. "

"Fury tells us our missions anyway." Nat spoke up, halfway through eating a piece fo garlic bread. "Just wait for him to tell us if there is an Avenger-level threat somewhere."

"Fury doesn't know everything." Steve shot her a look and she rolled her eyes, which caused him to shake his head slightly, turning his eyes back down at the food.

I half-filled my plate with the pasta when the bowl came around to me, trying to ignore the fact that Steve was watching me, as he had been a lot lately when I was eating. When I passed the pasta bowl onto Loki, my own bowl only half full, I could basically feel his disappointment and concern radiating from him. I looked up at gave him a glare, to which he quickly adverted his gaze.

I didn't listen completely to the news, I was onboard with Wanda, it was boring. And quite repetitive. I occasionally listened to what other people were talking about, but mostly focused on my food, which was actually pretty good, considering we had gotten a little distracted and forgotten about the chicken when it was on the stove and burnt it slightly.

The news was a mix of something about the economy and politics, which was extra boring, and some weather pattern that was moving in, bringing snow.

"You know what he haven't talk about?" Tony interrupted everyone's conversations, pausing the news as everyone slowly looked at him. "Christmas."

Everyone's faces lit up at the word, but my eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"How far away is that now?" Asked Nat, looking up from her food. "Like, a couple of weeks or something like that?"

"Fifteen days specifically." Steve replied. "It has comes around so quickly every year."

"What does everyone want to do?" Asked Tony. "JARVIS, get ready to draw up a list."

"We have to have a big Christmas tree, of course." Wanda started.

"And plenty of decorations." Added Nat. "Even more than last year."

"Beer." Butted in Thor, a big grin on his face and there were a couple of chuckled from around the table, but JARVIS still added it to the list that replaced the protection of the news.

"Really good food, obviously." Pepper continued. "I'll happily be on that, maybe you would too Emily? Wanda?"

Wanda nodded eagerly while I just gave Pepper a hesitant smile, still trying to piece everything together to figure out what Christmas was. Wanda mentioning a big decorated tree threw me off slightly.

"I'll organise the party," said Tony, "I'll invite the S.H.I.E.L.D agents that we like, and maybe family who wants to come?" He looked around the table and there were a couple of nods, mainly from Clint.

"Can we get those ugly Christmas sweaters as well?" He piped up. "I saw a couple for sale the other day, Laura and the kids and I have been doing it for years, it will be fun with everyone."

That just threw me off even more; a big decorated tree, ugly sweaters and a party? Why would you even want to wear an ugly sweater anyway?

"Plenty of music at the party." Added in Thor as the list slowly grew longer.

"Maybe we can go ice skating earlier in the day before the party?" Asked Wanda. "I saw them setting up the rink the other day. And with snow predicted, it will be even more fun."

"Snowball fights." Said Bucky suddenly, speaking up for the first time as everyone looked at him. "And sledding, remember when we use to do that Steve? Down that big hill in the park?

"Of course I remember." Steve grinned. "At least this time, I'll hopefully be able to stay on the sled without flying off halfway down." Bucky chuckled faintly, a sound that I hadn't heard from him in a very long time.

"And we have to build a snow man too." Bruce spoke up. "We can't forget the big snowman competition that we hold every year."

"And we are making stricter rules this time." Interrupted Nat as she swivelled in her chair to look at Wanda. "You cheated with your powers last time, and it was not fair." There was a faint smile on both of their lips.

"You never clarified that rule" Wanda grinned. "Should have thought of it beforehand."

"Okay then new rule." Tony interrupted. "No fancy stuff in the snowman competition. We are going to pretend that we are normal citizens."

Nat snorted and I felt myself shrinking into my chair as I struggled to comprehend what was going on. So far, there was a big decorated tree, ugly sweaters, a party, snowball fights, some weird thing about sledding down a hill, and now there was a snowman competition? I didn't even begin to try and guess what that was.

"We have to make shortbread too." Thor continued on. "And those other delightful Midgard foods that you have."

"We should definitely have a bonfire outside this year." Clint nodded. "Maybe we can roast marshmallows and have hot chocolates."

"Or we could be sensible and have it inside in the warmth of the compound." Nat raised an eyebrow.

"Oh come on Nat." Bruce grinned. "Don't tell me you're scared of a little snow. You should embrace the Christmas spirit."

"Have you got that all JARV?" Asked Tony before Nat could reply, expanding the projected list and scrolling through it. "Is there anything else we want before I get JARVIS to send out invites and order stuff?"

He looked around the table but everyone else shook there heads. "What about you Emily?" He asked and I tensed from where I had been trying to pretend I was invisible. "What do you want to do?"

"I don't really mind." I said quietly, staring back down at my food as I felt everyone turn their eyes to me. "Anything would be fine."

"Oh come on Emily." Urged Nat, smiling at me. "Surely you have something you like to do every Christmas."

"I... uh not really." I murmured, wishing they would just drop it so I didn't have to make a fool of myself. I didn't know if this Christmas thing was just something the Avengers did or not, but they all sounded so passionate about it, and I felt very stupid not knowing what it was.

"Why not?" Asked Tony. "Everyone has something they like to do on Christmas."

"Don't be a Grinch Emily." Grinned Wanda. "Tell us."

"I...." I hesitated, looking up at Wanda as she called me a Grinch, which added another extra layer of confusion to everything. I looked back down at my food, and knowing they weren't going to leave me alone, I took a deep breath. "I don't actually know what Christmas is."