The Prodigal
Two and a half hours later, the doorbell went. “What the hell? Who’s calling around and using the doorbell on Christmas Day? JARVIS, tell them to take a hike, wou-”
Loki walked in then, looking a little green around the edges and carrying a small bag no bigger than Thor’s hand. “No need, Anthony - that would be Steve’s Christmas present.” He looked over at the Captain who was looking bewildered. “You really should go and get that.” He smiled softly at the blonde man.
After a moment of staring, Steve snapped out of it and went to see exactly what Loki had gotten for him. Perhaps he should stop and get his shield… no, he scowled to himself at that errant thought – Loki was reformed now. Most likely it was a puppy or something because the other man kept commenting about him being lonely. He sighed and reached for and opened the door.
It was not a puppy…
Bucky stood there, on the doorstep of Tony’s tower, a faintly sheepish smile on his face. “Hello Steve… Loki seemed to think that you might have a place here for me. He’s certainly spent enough of the last month drumming it into me…”
Steve could only stare. “How… but… What?”
Loki appeared then, nudging Steve out of the way gently. “Come in, Bucky.” He reached forward and took the other man by the arm and ushered him inside, closing the door behind him just in case he decided this was a bad idea and chose to leave.
Steve turned his gaze on Loki, briefly but couldn’t really take his eyes off his oldest friend for long. “You’re… really here?”
Bucky returned his gaze uncertainly. “Unless you don’t want me to be…”
Steve snapped out of his shock then, at least enough to grab his friend’s arm – not tightly just securely. “No! I want you here.” He gently pulled his friend off to the side to a quiet room where they could talk without anyone interrupting.
In his shock, he never even thought to thank Loki.
--0--
When Loki returned to the room, the rest of the group bar Thor were looking at him strangely. “You found Bucky? I mean, that’s what JARVIS is telling us… you FOUND him?”
Loki shrugged. “It was easy enough to do so, when you know what to look for. I found him back in November, in a tavern not too far from here, actually.”
“Yeah but… he’s here willingly. Of his own free will. The pictures that JARVIS brought up onscreen… he looks like he’s right where where he wants to be. Did you use some sort of magic on him?”
Loki rolled his eyes at that. “Yes Anthony, that’s exactly what I did…” He eyed him but let the sarcasm drop. “I do not have the power to control minds – even if I did, it would not last – we… talked, I made him realise that Steve was genuine in what he said. I also told him that you had welcomed me here – into the Tower and into the Avengers and I have done far worse than he has. If you can do that for me, why could you not do it for him, too?” It wasn’t quite the truth of course but, where they were wary of him, he knew that they would all welcome the Captain’s friend. His expression turned puzzled. “Though how anyone who knows Steve could think otherwise is beyond me.”
“Uh… yeah.” Time for a subject change before Tony’s head exploded. “What’s with the bag, Reindeer Games?”
Loki blinked and looked down at the bag and set it on the counter. “Oh, Christmas gifts…” He really didn’t want all the attention back on him just yet. “Are you all opening gifts now?”
Actually Tony really didn’t want to open any other gifts – he was curious about that bag at the very least because, surely there was no way he had all their gifts in there – unless it was a bag like the one that he had given to Volstagg. If it was that sort of bag, he REALLY wanted to see it.
Natasha rolled her eyes as she guessed at Tony’s sudden preoccupation. “Come join us, Loki.” After a moment of consideration he did that, lowering himself regally onto the sofa between Natasha and Thor. Natasha smiled and handed him his gift. After a nod of encouragement, he opened the gift slowly, knowing from experience that the gifts that people gave him usually lacked any real thought. He used the time to prepare the right expression of surprise and pleasure.
His eyes widened at the gift inside as for the first time in a very long time, he did not have to fake a pleased reaction to a gift from someone other than Thor or Frigga. “Oh…” Daggers so exquisitely carved and beautiful. He lifted one up and smiled at the way it fit in his palm.
Natasha frowned faintly. “Hopefully they are to your taste. The weight is right because you and I have similar taste in weapons. I figured you would want to inscribe some runes on there so I left them blank rather than adding any ornamentation-”
Loki interrupted then, a dazzling smile on his face as he took his gaze off the daggers to look at her. She would almost swear that there were tears in his eyes but surely that was a trick of the light. “They are perfect, Lady Natasha, thank you.” Indeed, it wasn’t just the daggers – it was the fact that she had thought to leave space for his markings – actual thought had gone into the gift. Someone had actually taken time out of their life to think about what would he would like. He looked away then, embarrassed as his eyes misted up.
Pleased, Natasha bestowed a smiled upon him. “You’re welcome. I’m glad you like them.” And she was – they might not be best friends but he was a part of the team.
--0--