A Tale of Mischief and Mutants

Seceret Santa

—-Sam—-

I'm so happy, Loki has let himself relax he's loosened up a little and is acting more like he does at home. He has always been so guarded around the others but after they teased him, instead of being salty about it he started joking around. It's nice to see him so laid back around the team.

Cap gets our attention and soon we're all waiting around to start opening gifts from our secret Santas. I drew Tony's name and boy did I have a rough time figuring out what to get a billionaire. I eventually settled on baking him some brownies because homemade is one thing you can't buy, well I guess technically you can but it's often not as good.

I drew Clint's name for Loki it's a good thing they're on better terms now otherwise that'd be really awkward. For Clint I bought a quiver I saw at the same shop I had Loki's daggers made at. I don't think it fell under the twenty dollar limit but within reason I tend not to pay attention to the price when it comes to gifts.

The quiver is black decorated with beautiful designs in silver with purple accents. I have noticed Clint has an affinity for the color something Loki definitely would have noticed. I'm gonna let him get all the credit for the gift he's unaccustomed to these traditions and he didn't really get the chance to buy something for Clint himself. I didn't tell him he was participating plus he's been recovering, next year I hope he'll sign up and buy a gift for it himself.

People start opening gifts and guessing their secret Santa. Clint is at a loss to guess whose his is finally Cap decides he's not going to guess it and asks the person who got it to come clean.

"Who brought Clint's?"

I jab Loki with my elbow giving him a look to indicate it was his to everyone else it will only look like he wasn't paying attention.

"I- I did."

Clint looks surprised and smiles.

"This is really nice, thank you."

Loki smiles and nods slightly keeping quiet seeming suddenly uncomfortable in this situation. People continue with the gifts Thor gets very excited when he receives a large box of Pop Tarts from Peter. It's really comical actually. Tony opens his and immediately opens the airtight Tupperware I put the brownies in and starts munching on a brownie. I giggle a little he's always snacking often offering food to people at inappropriate times. He chews slowly seeming to think.

"Hmmm... can't be Nat... Wanda?"

Wanda shakes her head.

"Nope."

He guesses several other names. He looks like he's really thinking about his answer.

"How bout you Shego? Was it you?"

I nod.

"Took you long enough!"

He laughs and bites into his second brownie.

"They're really good."

I smile shaking my head slightly at him.

"Don't eat them all in one sitting."

"Eh Pep won't let me, I'm gonna have to share with her and Maguna."

That must be his nickname for Morgan, adorable. We move on with the game and I'm up next. I take the gift from the table it's a big group and I honestly haven't been paying enough attention to use the process of elimination. I open it to find a weighted blanket.

I've heard they're supposed to ease stress. With all my issues it's actually a really thoughtful gift. It's not exactly cheap either someone else went over the twenty dollar limit. Who here knows about my anxiety... ok literally everyone. Who here would understand what someone with anxiety would need or like?

"Bucky?"

He shakes his head.

"Nope wasn't me I had Strange remember?"

"I wasn't paying enough attention."

I eye the room thinking hard.

"...Steve?"

He had witnessed one of my full on panic attacks first hand when we were on the Amora mission maybe he did research. He shakes his head. Ok then maybe...

"Wanda?"

She shakes her head still a no.

"I don't..."

An answer suddenly comes to mind it's probably not correct the odds of that happening aren't impossible but low but still...

"Tony?"

He nods smiling.

"Yes ma'am Sam, I hope it helps."

I smile at him and his slightly goofy phrasing then look back at the gift. Of course it was him it's so obvious now he had been concerned about me and helped me when he saw how much anxiety I had been struggling with when Loki was in the hospital.

"Thank you."

"No problem Sammy."

I suppress a cringe at the nickname it's what my mother always used to call me I'll talk to him about it later. He means well it's only a natural direction to take a nickname for me. I smile at him warmly instead. I then look at Loki a bit teasingly.

"Your turn trouble."