MCU Holiday Challenge

Sylvie had never celebrated a holiday before.

After all, running from one world's end to the next didn't exactly leave time for frivolities. She liked to think she might have participated in something as a child before the TVA came, but it was something she simply couldn't remember.

Loki had gone along begrudgingly to several Ásgarðian holiday feasts with Thor over the centuries, but was never thrilled to be there. His fondest memories were when his mother took him to Alfheim for the festival of lights that the elves threw each Yuletide. Thinking of those moments had kept him going during the darkest of times.

He wondered what kept Sylvie going.

He'd noticed ever since they'd defeated Kang and stabilized the multiverse that she'd been in a rather depressed state of being. She still felt guilty about what had went down between them at the end of the Void. Loki told her he wasn't angry and that there was nothing to forgive, but Sylvie didn't see it that way. Even after they settled onto a timeline together, she still had doubts. Killing Kang had fulfilled her life's purpose, and now she didn't know what to do with herself, with Loki....with anything.

Loki hated seeing his Góððess suffer so, but he didn't have any clue as to what he could do to help.

It was during a bout of frustrated dagger throwing that he recalled the festival, and that the date for it was fast approaching if Miðgarðian calendars were anything to go by.

That gave him an interesting idea. It would take some prep and planning on his part, but he figured this might just be the thing that puts life back into his lover's eyes.

****

A couple weeks later, Loki waited until Sylvie was fast asleep before crawling out of bed and heading downstairs, to retrieve the tempad they kept locked up in a wall safe in the living room. Once obtained, he went back upstairs and used his magic to ensure that she wouldn't wake up before everything was ready.

Once he had the portal opened, Loki changed out of his nightclothes and into traditional Ásgarðian robes. He then waved a hand over Sylvie, and in a flash of green her pajamas were transformed into an elegant emerald dress with golden embroidery. Then, he bent down and picked her up off the bed, cradling her against his chest as he stepped through the time door.

*

Sylvie groaned at the bright light invading her eyelids and throwed her arm over her face.

"Argh, who let the sun in? Close the bloody curtain already!"

"No curtains here, I'm afraid."

Confused, she lowered her arm and opened her eyes slightly, only to have them widen at the view.

They were in the middle of a large rose garden, covered in beautiful, twinkling lights. There were beautiful glowing orbs floating in the sky above them as well. She went to stand up and noticed the dress she was wearing, and looked over at her partner in shock.

"Loki....what is all of this?"

"This Sylvie, is the royal gardens of Álfheim, and we've arrived just in time to partake in the festival of lights."

"Festival of lights? What is that?"

"It's a large celebration the elves throw in honor of Yule," Loki said as he reached for her hand,"Now come, there's so much I want to show you."