'Tis the season!

Hello, it's been a while (a couple of years at least) since I last posted, and I figured when better to update than during Christmas time? I haven't properly written anything in a while, so I may be a little rusty, but I hope you enjoy the story! Any feedback is appreciated.

The shopping mall was crowded with adults and children alike, trying to gather the perfect gifts for their loved ones before it was too late into the season. Holiday tunes blared from the mall speakers in an effort to spread cheer to the stressed shoppers. Many carried multiple shopping bags on each arm, which provided the perfect protective barrier against the other shoppers who were trying to run others over in search of a great deal. All in all, it was a normal day during the Christmas season. Darcy weaved through the crowd like an expert; after all, she was on a mission and nothing was going to stop her.

Well, almost nothing.

"Are you going to ignore me the whole day, dear Darcy?" Loki drawled out as he dodged yet another stranger determined to get to the toy store on the other side of the mall.

Darcy huffed, "If that's what it takes. What do you want?"

It wasn't fair. An hour into shopping for her friends and she looked like she just went for a five mile run while Loki didn't even have a drop of sweat on him, even after stalking her for the same amount of time. He was even wearing a wool jacket that she reluctantly admit made him look scrumptious, but she refused to voice that out loud to him.

She finally had a day off from helping Jane sort out paperwork and she was going to enjoy it, damn it. She had intended to get her Christmas shopping done in two hours, go home to wrap the presents up in one hour, and finally relax in front of the television with a mug of hot chocolate while watching old Christmas reruns.

But, no.

He had shown up while she was browsing the kitchen appliances section and practically scared her to death. It was probably a good thing that she had forgotten her Taser at home, or she would have had to explain to mall security that she was not one of those crazy Christmas shoppers that would do anything to get the last toaster on sale.

"I wish to know why you are subjecting yourself to this torture," Loki said in disgust as he watched two women fight over a sweater in a nearby store. He kept up with Darcy with ease as she practically ran into a baby stroller trying to get away from him.

She glared at him from over her shoulders. "It's not torture, it's Christmas."

"I was led to believe Christmas is about a large, red fellow who flies around the world on a contraption steered by flying animals and goes about breaking into homes in order to gorge on the treats set out for him. I do not see the correlation," he snorted, which made Darcy twitch in annoyance at how even his snorts were elegant, and how it made her heart beat a little faster.

"That's half of it," she replied, "but it's also about showering the people you care about in gifts, which is what I'm here to do."

"Hmm," Loki hummed, "and you have been wandering this godforsaken building empty handed for nearly an hour."

"I wonder why."

He ignored her comment and tapped his chin thoughtfully. "And just whom do you constitute as 'people you care about'?"

"Well, Jane, for one. And Thor, but those two go hand in hand so that's a given. There's also all my friends and family, which is basically all of the Avengers and my parents. Wait," she furrowed her eyebrows, "should I get Director Fury something, too? I bet he likes leather."

"And what of my present, Darcy dear?"

She looked up at him, startled. "Uh- what-"

"Surely we have reached the point in our relationship where we can call ourselves 'best friends'," he smirked at the stunned expression on her face.

"Best friends?! You nearly killed my whole race!"

"That was in the past," he waved his hand dismissively, "what with all the time we've spent together, I thought you would have gotten over that already."

"All that time we've 'spent' together has been you being forced under my care because Fury wants you supervised at all times!" She insisted.

He clutched his heart and gasped mockingly, "Why, Lady Darcy, you know just where to hurt a god the most. I thought you rather enjoyed our moments together."

She quickened her pace and practically ran into a sales representative as she entered the closest store to her. Gods, she did not want to have this conversation.

Of course, he didn't falter in his steps as he followed her through the store.

"Why, I think we may have even passed the point of 'Best friends'," he muttered so that only she could hear. She felt the world collapsing on her.

"I- you- Listen up, bub," she whipped around and stuck a finger right in his face. She was a foot shorter so there really wasn't any threat behind it. In fact, the God of Mischief found it amusing. "If you must know, I do plan on getting you a gift. But only because you are Thor's brother and absolutely not because of what you're insinuating!"

"Then let me rectify that."

"Wait, what?"

He smirked as her cheeks flushed an unearthly shade of red.

"By Christmas, I will have received a gift from you and it will be absolutely because of what I am insinuating. Mark my words, Darcy Lewis." And then he disappeared before her eyes.

Her face turned as white as a sheet as she processed his words.

"Well, shit."

Four days had gone by, and Darcy had not seen Loki once. However, in those four days Darcy had woken up to fresh flowers in a vase that she did not own in her apartment, each accompanied with a note stating, 'From your more-than-best-friend.'

Loki, God of Mischief and all things kids and puppies were afraid of, did not kid around, it seemed.

On the fifth day, Darcy stood in her living room, staring warily at the innocent package left on her coffee table. There wasn't a return address marked on it, but she knew, without a doubt, just where it had come from. Slowly, without taking her eyes off of it, she picked up her phone and speed dialled Jane.

"Hello? Darcy?" Jane's voice crackled through the phone speakers, "Where are you? You're supposed to be at work right now-"

"Help," she managed to whimper out before dropping onto her couch and curling up into a ball.

"Darcy! Open up!" The incessant knocking at the door forced Darcy to break her gaze from the package.

She forced herself to get up, but before she could get to the door, it was forced open with a resounding boom.

"LADY DARCY! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?" Thor's rumbling voice filled her tiny apartment and she stared down at the broken wood that was once her door miserably.

Jane rushed in and wildly whipped her head around the room to locate Darcy before settling on the form standing in front of her. "Darcy! What's wrong? Are you hurt?"

"N-no," she replied weakly before flopping down, once again curling up on her couch.

"Then why on earth did you sound like you were being tortured to death? I was on the cusp of a breakthrough in the lab!"

Darcy raised an arm and pointed at the neat little box sitting on the table. "That," she cried out, "is what's wrong!"

"A package?" Thor questioned. He lifted it up and began inspecting it. "Is it from an enemy?"

"Worse!" she buried her head into her arms, "It's from your brother!"

The pair stared at the Darcy incredulously, then at the package in Thor's hands, then back to Darcy. Jane was the first one to recover. She walked over to Darcy quietly and kneeled down next to her, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Darcy," she began in a motherly tone, "what are you talking about?"

Darcy lifted her head up and glared at the offending package. "I don't know! One moment I'm looking for Christmas gifts and the next Loki is telling me he wants to be more than 'best friends' or whatever he thinks we are and I didn't have my Taser with me and I don't know what to do!"

"But Darcy, I don't understand…"

"Your boyfriend's brother is trying to get into my pants!"

There was complete silence as Jane processed the information just given to her. She turned to Thor for help, and found him grinning from ear to ear. 'This can't be good,' she groaned internally.

"LADY DARCY AND MY DEAR BROTHER, LOKI?" He exclaimed, eyes lit with excitement.

"Indoor voice, Thor," Jane admonished.

"My apologies, but this is wonderful news! When were the two of you planning on announcing your relationship?"

"I wasn't planning to! I mean, there is no relationship!"

Thor's grin quickly turned into a frown. "What do you mean?"

"What do you mean what do I mean?" Darcy demanded.

"Darcy, honey, you and Loki have been spending a lot of time together since he was sent to live here. We all just thought that…" Jane quietly trailed off as she saw Darcy's face pale.

"Excuse me," Darcy whispered dangerously, "but there is something I need to take care of right now."

Darcy straightened her shoulders before heading straight towards the dark-haired figure lounging in a chair in the busy café they were currently at. The smell of hot chocolate and Christmas cookies permeated her senses, but she ignored it all as she plopped herself into the seat across from his.

Loki looked up from the novel he was currently reading and smirked when he saw who it was. She felt her eye twitch and she wanted to avert her eyes so that she was looking anywhere but at him, but she strengthened her resolve and lifted her head high.

"And to what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Stop it."

He raised an eyebrow and promptly closed the book, placing it on the mahogany table in front of them before leaning back into his chair regally. 'Just like a king,' she absently noted.

"Stop doing whatever it is you are doing. Stop messing with my head."

"I take it you do not like your gifts?"

She bit her lower lip at his tone. It sounded as if he was disappointed, and the wrinkles between his eyebrows suggested so as well. He sat up straighter and his eyes stared right into her hazel ones, waiting for her answer. It was intense and she was regretting coming here to confront him, although being in public made her feel safer. Not that he was a danger to humans anymore, though. Darcy Lewis wasn't a trained expert like Natasha, but she knew how to read people like the back of her hand. Right now, Loki Laufeyson was genuinely concerned about what she thought of his attentions, which, to be honest, was a bit unsettling.

"Look, the flowers were beautiful. Thank you. But, I just," she struggled to find the right words, "I don't know, all right? I don't know what your game is, and I don't like not knowing."

The disappointment in him did not fade, but understanding dawned on him as well. It wasn't every day that a god decided to pursue a mortal woman (Thor not withstanding), and if he were quite honest with himself, he would be wary as well.

She continued rambling on, something she only did when she was nervous. Loki took a good look at her, not having the chance to earlier when she barged into the café and demanded they talk. Her cheeks were still pink from the cold outside, and she subconsciously rubbed her hands together in an effort to generate heat. She wore a red sweater with a rumpled white dress shirt underneath, and her feet were stuffed into adorable rain boots with cartoon characters on them. But what got to him were her eyes; nervous, brown, and currently darting to look anywhere but at him.

He remembered the first time they had met after he was banished to Earth. Thor had forced him to attend dinner at her apartment, since Director Fury requested that he be assimilated into human life. He had been reluctant, wishing to be alone during this vulnerable time of his. But of course, nothing ever went his way and having Thor suggesting that he carry him to dinner changed his mind in a snap.

"You're taller than I thought," were her first words to him. She never really had a filter, regardless of who she was talking to.

He felt the corner of his mouth lift.

"And I was not aware that dwarves were allowed to roam freely on Midgard," he had replied.

She stood a little taller and gave him a pointed look, "This 'dwarf' is also efficient with a kitchen knife."

"Seeing as you wouldn't be able to reach past my knees, I can't imagine the damage you'd be able to do," he retorted.

"Can I stab him?" she groaned out loud to Jane and Thor. They only looked on at their exchange in puzzlement.

"Let's just eat," Jane suggested before things got out of hand, "and no stabbing, from either of you."

And that was that. Throughout the dinner, Loki caught himself looking at her whenever the other three were enthralled in conversation. She was different and a great cook, he had to admit. Darcy was clever, humorous, and didn't give a damn about who he was, which would have normally miffed him, but made it easy for him to talk to her. She spoke what was on her mind and he saw the ambition behind her eyes, the desire to be and do better. They had a lot in common, even if she didn't know it.

"…and you're a god! Yeah, I know I've said that like a bazillion times, but it doesn't change that fact! You can't honestly believe that-"

"Darcy."

She hadn't expected him to say anything, and his voice made her stop in mid-sentence with wide eyes.

"I want you," he continued on confidently. Her jaw dropped open, but no sound came out.

She sat like that for a few seconds, and with each second he grew more and more hesitant when she didn't respond. He never had to admit something like this before, and it made him uncomfortable.

"I," she began after a minute of gathering her thoughts, "oh."

"Oh?" he repeated.

"No! I mean, 'oh', as in, wow, I guess?" she quickly stated. "I didn't think you liked anybody, much less me of all people, and-"

"Do I make you nervous?" he questioned. She was beginning to ramble again and as much as he wanted to read her mind, he wanted her to tell him herself about how she felt.

She was quiet again, twiddling her thumbs against her jacket. She was facing the window; her cheeks were still pink, but not from the cold anymore. No, it was from something entirely different.

"…Yes," she finally whispered. She turned to face him and felt a surge of confidence at what she was about to say next. It wasn't a secret to anyone that they had spent a lot of time together the past few months, and to say she didn't feel some sort of attraction to him would be a lie.

Her entire life had always been filled with inconsistency and randomness. People drifted in and out, and even when she was but a child her parents would leave her with nannies and relatives to go on fantastical trips without her. She only ever had one serious, long term relationship with a boy, and while it lasted three years and they ended it mutually, she didn't see the point in going through with the feeling of heartbreak each time. Thus, all her subsequent relationships were mostly whimsical ties that she knew would unravel in a matter of weeks or months. It wasn't until she started interning for Jane did she find a real bond between her and the eccentric scientist, and she finally had someone to call family.

What Loki was asking for was completely different. She knew, deep down, this wouldn't be just a 'fling'. What he was asking for was on a different level, and she had to be sure that she was ready to commit.

Darcy didn't want to break his heart, and hers' in the process.

She decided then.

"Yes, you make me nervous. Your whole deal makes me nervous. I'm not gonna lie, I used to think you would snap and try to take over earth again, or whatever your whole shtick was. But I can't read you. I can't figure you out."

"That is what I am trying to do," he placed a hand on top of hers, and when she didn't move away, he continued, "I can show you what you desire. I see the fire behind your eyes, Darcy, and you cannot deny that you feel the same fire in your blood when you see me."

His thumb stroked the back of her hand.

"Alright," her eyes settled on their touching hands and she quirked her mouth up. "You win."

"Win?" his eyes lit in glee, but he managed to subdue it in his voice, "I don't believe I've won anything."

"You're right," she continued, "you haven't won. Not yet, anyhow. But, I'm giving you a chance, and I think that's all you'll need. Don't disappoint me." She added the last bit with shy, teasing tone. With that, she got up from the chair and started heading for the door.

"Allow me to treat you to dinner tomorrow, then."

She stopped a few feet from him, a contemplative look settling on her face.

"I'd rather make dinner. You're more than welcome to join me," she propositioned.

He only smirked and lifted his novel from the table.

She smiled and hurried back out of the café. There was one more thing she had to do before tomorrow.

"I have to say, that may have been the best crème brulee I have ever tasted."

"Whoa, I think you're going soft on me! A compliment from the Great Loki!"

The two lounged on Darcy's living room couch, a glass of red wine in their hands. After what she considered a successful dinner date, they had decided to relax in front of the fireplace, or rather, the fireplace that played on the television screen. Of course, it wouldn't be a complete date without some alcohol. She had bought it specifically for this date.

"Tell me about your parents," Loki said, having caught a glimpse of them in a picture on the wall.

She smiled wistfully and gazed at the picture. "They're alright. Fantastic people, but not really parent material. They love me, though, that's for sure."

"And are they receiving gifts as well?" he asked, referring to the conversation they had at the mall.

"They travel a lot, so I'm going to have to wait until they get back home to give them their presents," she chuckled.

"Perhaps having you as a daughter is the best gift of all," he twirled his glass before taking a sip.

She blushed, but that also could have been because of the wine. "Thank you. I like this; remind me to get you drunk more often."

Loki shifted closer to her, their knees touching now. She set her glass onto the coffee table and tucked her legs under her on the couch and leaned closer to him.

"Will you tell me about your mom?" she asked in a low whisper.

She knew it was a delicate topic from what she had heard from Thor, but he had mentioned that Loki was always their mother's favourite, though she would always deny having one.

"She," he paused, "she is more than I deserve."

"You speak highly of her," Darcy observed, her full attention on him.

"She is the only other woman in all the universes whom I am terrified of disappointing," he admitted.

"And the other?" she asked, though she already had a hunch.

"The other is sitting before me."

Loki turned to his glass and distracted himself with the contents in it, but Darcy could see the hesitation in his eyes. For all confidence he exuded, he was still human-ish, and in that moment Darcy was glad there was a side to him that so far only she had seen. It was intimate, and gave her the boost of confidence she needed to do what she had been planning for the whole night.

"Wait here a minute, will you?" she said to him before dashing into her bedroom, only to return minutes later with a hand behind her back. She motioned for him step closer to her, away from his comfortable position on the sofa.

He didn't say anything as he got up to stand in front of her. Outside, the singing of carollers could be heard, but neither of them paid them any mind.

"Here," Darcy placed a tiny box with a single bow on it into his hands, "you can open it now if you'd like."

Loki gave her a curious look before taking the lid off and stared at the silver key resting against the velvet.

"A key?"

She smiled at him before shrugging nonchalantly, "I figured since you like dropping into my apartment unannounced all the time, I might as well get you a key to it."

"Thank you," he breathed out. In all honestly, he hadn't expect this so fast. The past few days had been a roller coaster, and it seemed the ride had just begun. He looked at her and the largest, genuine smile she had ever seen from him broke out onto his face, and for the first time in her life, Darcy hoped she would be able to look into those bright green eyes of his for as long as the gods would allow.

She grinned back and took his hand in hers, squeezing it tenderly.

"Merry Christmas, Loki."

Merry Christmas, indeed.