A Tale of Mischief and Mutants

Even More Gifts.

—-Loki—-

I'm feeling less anxious now something about Thor's idiotic yet endearing gift has eased my mind. Sam's gift was also reassuring to see it seems some mortals are actually seeing me as they do the other Avengers now. Logan gets up and gets Sam a gift from under the tree.

"That one's from me kid."

Sam smiles and begins to open the gift. Suddenly Sam stops her gift Logan has given her not even opened yet. It seems as if she's been struck with emotion. She starts crying. I put my arm around her. I know my face is covered in concern as I look her over. I don't understand why her tears have come but I will do whatever I can to make them stop.

"Sam are you alright?

She nods.

"I... I just remember thinking... thinking I'd never get to do this again. Back when... when I was..."

She stops overwhelmed with emotion. She slightly regains her composure after a moment.

"I'm just so happy I'm away from them."

She looks at her family.

"...that I get to see all of you again that I get to have Christmas again."

She lets a few more tears fall seeming to think about how hopeless she had been but a year ago. I take her hand my full attention is on her now. I know I'll never entirely understand just what atrocities she had committed against her as that's something one can only understand when they've been subjected to that kind of abuse themself.

As bad as my own experiences were I'm quite sure they don't come close to being as dehumanizing as her's. almost a year of physical and mental torture isn't quite as soul shattering as five years of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse. I'm about to speak myself when Logan speaks to her softly a tone he rarely uses.

"It's alright darlin'."

Sam nods.

"It's more than just alright."

It isn't long before Sam regains her composure. She opens up her gift with joy. She received a new Xavier's School hoodie from Logan. She looks at it and smiles.

"They updated the design finally."

"I thought you'd want one with the new design on it, you always said you thought the old design was shitty."

Sam laughs.

"I'm fairly certain I didn't use those words."

She also receives a makeup kit from Jubilee (a waste of money if you ask me she doesn't need it but I guess she never asked for my opinion), A new top from Laura (I have to say it's a bit more revealing than anything Sam usually chooses but I'm not complaining Sam seems happy with it too), a new pair of pajama pants featuring Disney characters from Kurt, and a set of charm necklaces from Storm. Mary gives Sam her gift then smiles at me.

"I got one for the goth boyfriend as well."

I smile and shake my head at her teasing. She grabs her gift for me from under the tree. Kurt chimes in.

"I got Loki something too."

He gets his gift for me out from beneath the tree as Sam opens her gift from her sister. It's a shirt with one of Sam's favorite band names on it. I open the one she gave me and find a similar shirt featuring a different band name, one of the ones I've grown fond of since she introduced them to me.

We thank her then I turn my attention to Kurt's. I hadn't really expected anything from him. I unwrap his gift to find a book 'The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring'. Interesting another of Midgards tales. I thank him. With no more gifts to share we simply talk. The next day Sam's family leaves and I'm relieved to finally have gotten through it. My mind is quickly consumed by anxiety at my next task...