The Prince and the Sol

*Christmas with the Odinsons Pt. 1*

Loki and Eliza's first Christmas together, in the year following Civil War.

ELIZA'S POV

"Can you believe this is our first Christmas in our new home?" I ask excitedly, dragging Loki through the seemingly never-ending rows and rows of evergreen pine trees. My breath materializes in the air as I speak. "It makes me feel so grown up!"

"Love, you're twenty-three years old. You are grown up," he points out.

"I know, but it's different. We get to do everything ourselves! Isn't that completely crazy?"

"Is the correct answer yes?"

"You bet it is."

"Then yes, it is crazy indeed." He takes my mittened hand in his, which is covered with a leather glove. Despite his being a Frost Giant, his touch warms me up almost instantly. I suspect magic. "I still don't see why Midgardians bring trees into their homes for this holiday."

"Because it's fun! And they smell good!"

"That is true," Loki admits. Both of us unconsciously sniff the cold air as we tromp through the shallow snow. It's a few days until Christmas, and it's going to be white. "All right. What about that one?"

I study it like a surgeon studies his patient. "I don't know... I don't think it's big enough."

"Darling, it's at least a foot taller than me." I raise my eyebrows at my six foot four husband.

"I know!" I exclaim. "It's too short!"

"The only thing short here is you."

"Loki!"

"Kidding, love, kidding," he says, giving me a gentle kiss on the hairline. "How big are you thinking? It is just the two of us in the house, you know."

"That means more room for a bigger tree."

"Okay... what about this one?" He points to another tree, slightly bigger and fuller than the last. My eyes must light up, because he grins at my expression. "I'll take that as a yes."

"It's perfect!" I throw my arms around Loki and he spins me around until he trips. We both tumble to the ground, a tangle of snowflakes and limbs and pine needles and laughter. I roll over on top of him and he pulls me down for a kiss. A few golden swirls of light emit from my fingers, and Loki's green magic performs similarly.

After a few blissful minutes kissing, I regretfully roll off of him. We can't get carried away, not here. Not in public, where we're still technically wanted and on the run. Asgardian magic swirling around a Christmas tree farm is definitely abnormal, and I don't want a lecture call from Steve the week before the holidays. It's like getting put in the Naughty List.

"No, no, get back down here!" Loki demands, his raven locks wet from the snow and messy from my hands.

"Lokes, we can't be caught. Kiss me at home."

"I am a prince. I shall kiss you wherever I please."

"Is that so?" I grin. "Guess you'll have to catch me!"

Without warning I take off into the trees, laughing the whole time. He chases me around the lot, but I'm small and fast, so he eventually has to teleport in order to catch me. I shriek as he grabs me around the waist and hoists me over his shoulder, carrying me back to the chosen tree. He sets me down with a wild, mischievous grin.

"You win," I acknowledge, hands up in surrender. "We need to cut this down. Where's the ax?" His blank expression tells me exactly where it is, and that's how we spend the next hour cross-legged on the ground hacking at the trunk with small daggers. "You had one job."

Loki shakes his head with a smile. "Next time you should remind me, my little sol."

"I did."

"I don't remember that."

"I told you twice."

"No, I don't think so." We continue this playful bickering until the tree comes crashing down in between us.

The two of us hoist the tree up over our shoulders and unsteadily carry it to the car, where we drive home. I sing carols the entire way and force Loki to sing with me.

"Okay, time for the best part: decorating!" I exclaim once we've set the tree up in the living room. Loki lazily summons two cups of steaming hot cocoa. One floats in the air over into my chilled hands. I smile gratefully. "Thank you, Lokes."

"Of course, darling," he purrs. I drag the big box of ornaments over to us. "Where did we get all of these?"

"Some were mine before, and I also went on a shopping spree the other day. I know, I went a little overboard."

"A little?" He eyes the overflowing bins of tinsel garland, jingle bells, wreaths, reindeer, and Nativity sets. "This is a little to you?"

"When it comes to holidays, yes, it is." I pull a Santa hat out of a box and perch it on top of my head. Striking a dramatic pose, I ask, "how do I look?"

"Ravishing, love," Loki says with a wicked glint in his eye. "But you cannot top this." Out of nowhere, his golden helmet appears on his head.

"Hey, look! Reindeer Games is back!" I cheer.

We spend the next few hours decorating the tree. I quickly realize that Loki has an artistic eye, and he's very helpful in deciding where things should go. Finally, there's only one thing left: the tree topper. I hesitate as my fingers close around a familiar little figure in the box. It's the Iron Man we put on top all those years ago in Stark Tower. I bite my lip and will the tears not to spill. As much as Tony hurt me, as much as I wish I could hate him, the truth is I really miss him. I miss his laugh, and late nights tinkering in the lab, and afternoons driving down the highway blasting music.

"Eliza, are you all right?" Loki asks, coming up from behind me. His emerald eyes fall upon the item in my hand and understanding fills his face. He pulls me into a gentle hug, and we just stay like that for the longest time.

"I miss him," I say, my words muffled by Loki's shirt. But I still said them, and he still heard it. "I miss them all."

"I know, darling. I know," he whispers soothingly into my hair. When a few stray tears escape the corners of my eyes, he wipes them away with his thumb and caresses my face.

"They're family. All of them. And Christmas is a time for family. Tony was the reason I was locked up for weeks, but I still don't have it in me to hate him."

"I'll hate him for you if you want." Loki hasn't gotten over his anger about the whole Accords incident, and I don't really blame him. If our positions were switched, I'd feel the same way.

I shake my head. "No, I don't want that. I wish he was here. And Steve, and Natasha, Bruce, and Thor, Clint - all of them."

"You want to fix everything," he says gently, guiding me towards the couch and taking my hands in his. "It's the healer in you, love. You want to solve everyone's problems. You want everyone to get along and be happy. And we were happy for years. We mustn't give up hope that we can have it again, but until then, I am perfectly content to be here spending the holidays with you, my little sol."

"Me too." I find the star Thor sent from Asgard as my early Christmas present. In the center is a fire opal, this beautiful stone that looks like a sunset is trapped inside. It takes my breath away each time I look at it. I glance at Loki. "Can you help me?"

"Of course I can." Without warning, he lifts me onto his shoulders with ease and I almost whack my head on the ceiling, but we're both laughing and it doesn't matter. I place the star on top of the tree and grin. Loki lowers me down with care, and the two of us just stare at the tree. Darkness has fallen outside, and it's the only thing that illuminates the living room. I lay my head on his shoulder.

"Merry almost Christmas, Lokes."

"Merry almost Christmas, darling."

Thought I'd give you something fluffy. There are a few more of these coming before Christmas!