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Alright, this wouldn’t be so hard. He could do this. This was simple. So easy a child could do it. He looked up at the cacophonous, bustling street, each side lined with stores and mobs of people galore. He cursed under his breath.
Norns curse him. It was just his luck after all. Norns only know if he would ever make it home in time (let alone alive).
He took a deep breath and then made a mad dash into the first store.
After browsing through more stores than he would have ever wished to look through in his entire life, he eventually found it. The perfect gift he had been searching for, one that was just the right one for her. He found it. And he sure as Hel was not leaving without it.
To be honest, he doesn’t think he has ever gotten in a line, paid (once he reached the front of the line), and got out of a store so fast (and so excited).
Once he reached their street, he quickened his steps (as if he hadn’t just ran all the way here) and finally stood in front of their apartment building.
Much to his good fortune (Ha. Haha. Ha.), the windows of their apartment were all lit up. Curse the Norns and their meddling around with his life. His luck, once again. Regardless, he decided he would turn the fates in his own favor.
He raced up the steps, both outside and inside, until he reached the fourth floor. Quickly, he made his way to the door of their apartment, opening it with his personal key. As was his fashion (at least in a jolly mood), he swung the door open, following after it ever so dramatically with a “Honey! I’m home!”
Not a few seconds later did she wander down the hallway, a bewildered expression on her face. By then he had already shut and locked the door and spun back around. Knowing what would come next, he swept forward, placing his hands on her arms.
“What?” was all she could manage to get out. He gave her a peck on the cheek and smiled even brighter than he already had been. “It’s Christmas, Darling! Don’t tell me you’ve already forgotten?” Before she could even reply, he carried on, noticing the sound of christmas music floating down the hallway from their bedroom, “Oh, of course you didn’t. How can you with all this merry pomp and cheer?”
He twirled in pure joy, just because he could, (not caring about how much younger it made him look, how it made him appear as a young boy) before taking a few step back and falling into the armchair. (He made sure his coat and scarf vanished before his bum hit the cushion and hung themselves on the coat rack next to the front door.)
He patted his leg, an unvoiced question for her to sit down on his lap. She hesitated for a moment, but then swiftly sat upon him, tucking her knees (and, ultimately, her legs) in the space between him in and the side of the armchair. He chuckled to himself, realizing the significance of their current position. With a smirk, he teasingly asked, “And what do you want for Christmas, Everly, Dear?” An unspoken spell and he easily transitioned from his clothes to a Santa suit and hat, both of which fit him perfectly. She burst into laughter, but then snuggled even closer to him. And damn him if he saw a little smirk all of her own.
“Oh, I don’t know, Santa.” Her voice was low. Norns, did he know that voice. Ever so seductive in its execution. (His execution.) He swallowed a lump in his throat. Oh Norns. Oh Norns. Don’t curse him yet.
Despite her small victory (Every time she used that voice it was a victory.), he kept his composure (or as best as he could). “Well, perhaps you should think it over.” He smirked, “I hear Christmas is soon upon us.” She grinned back.
Her hand, on the other- well, hand, slyly traveled down his chest, down, down, down until-
“Oh.” The syllable dropped from her mouth, like a pin dropping to the floor. His smirking facade completely fell at the contact, expression of horror now on his face.
He could see the confusion and surprise plainly clear on her face.
“I- I can explain,” his mouth quickly swooped in to save the day. The way her face twisted into a small bit of horror made it painfully obviously his mouth did the exact opposite. “I- I mean,” he stuttered again, attempting to explain once more. (And clearly doing a most fabulous job of it. Good job, Loki. Absolutely great job.) It’s no surprise she quickly jumped off his lap. (He’s a bit surprised with how fast she did too considering how nestled into him she was.)
“Everly!” he called after her, “Everly!” All the same, she retreated back into their bedroom as fast as she could. With a loud sigh, he got up (another unspoken spell and his black suit returned) and cursed the Norns once again under his breath. Always must they meddle. (Another sigh.)
Slowly, he made his way to their bedroom door and softly knocked. “Everly? Darling?” he asked, voice soft and gentle, “Please, Darling. I swear- Let me-” He quickly bit his upper lip to silence himself. With a sigh, he started anew, “Darling? Let me in. Please.” The last word was so softly spoken he wouldn’t even be surprised if she hadn’t heard it. “It’s important.”
He waited a few moments - slowly believing that she might not even let him in - before she finally opened the door. She stood there, lip bit and- Was she trying to stifle a laugh? A grin was spread wide across her face, and he finally realized that she was only biting her lip to prevent herself from bubbling over with laughter.
“I swear I don’t have a rectangular dick,” were the first words out of his mouth. She let go, the damn having now been broken, and roared with laughter. He sighed. Honestly, the Norns absolutely hated him. “Yes, yes, very funny,” he said, a bit miffed that he was now at the end of ridicule. Once all the laughter left her system, she asked from behind a poorly hidden smile, “So if you don’t have a...” She seemed to trip over the phrase, not wishing to say it out of moral decency. “Well...”
“A rectangular dick,” he finished for her. “Yeah,” she quickly replied, “Then what was it I, er- grabbed?” A sheepish expression suddenly spread across his face like wildfire. “Well, um-” he began stuttering again, “I er-” To prevent himself from proving himself to be anymore of a witless dolt, he quickly pulled the rectangular box out from his pant pocket to show her. (Obviously, his renowned silvertongue had done nothing but utterly fail him at the moment.)
“It’s um,” he cleared his throat, “It’s your christmas present.” He tried to put on a smile, no matter how small or weak it was. She looked at it, the rectangular box wrapped in silver and white striped wrapping paper. Tied around it was a gold ribbon which looped around in the front in the shape of none other than a classic bow. With a quick glance up at him (a small encouraging smile on his lips), she gently undid the bow, then tenderly tore the wrapping paper off to reveal the dark muted red box. She paused, quickly understanding the importance of the moment. And then she swiftly opened the box, unveiling the necklace inside. At the bottom of a silver chain was an emerald heart. She sucked in a breath and held it, too shocked at his gift to even breathe properly.
“Oh my God,” she breathed. “Loki- You didn’t have to-”
He cut her off with a “Yes, I did.”
And before he could say anymore, she grabbed his face with both her hands and kissed him, all love and gratitude pouring into that one kiss.
“I love you,” she murmured. He smiled in return. “I love you forever more, my sweet love. Always.” She smiled at him, and he could’ve sworn it was the biggest smile he had ever seen.
“Merry Christmas, Love.”