The muffled sound of the door creaking open is what woke Loki and Tony up at a quarter to seven Christmas morning. Moaning and complaining put aside, the newly wedded couple told Peter they'd be down in five before they got up and ready for the day. Peter gave them a sheepish smile before awkwardly closing the door behind him. Loki sat up, stretched with her arms above her head, and then made her way to the closet where Tony's not-so-secret secret present was hidden.
When she made it back to the bed, Tony was still laying down with his eyes shut--trying and failing to get a few extra minutes of sleep.
She rolled her eyes and cleared her throat before saying, "I'm only giving you your present if you're awake." Tony's eyes shot open and attempted to land on Loki. A green bag with tissue paper sticking out of it swayed slowly above his face. Tiredly, Tony sat up and pressed his back against the headboard. Loki handed the bag over and he excitedly started opening it. "I was planning to give this to you and then tell you the news of our bundle of joy but obviously they didn't like that idea," Loki explained, her hand cupping the bottom of her stomach. Tony rolled his eyes and smiled.
"I'm sure I'll still love it," Tony promised, pulling the item out of the bag. In his hands was a black baby onsie with white lettering and a baby bottle on it. He held it out in front of him to read. "Daddy's drinking buddy," he stated before smiling and folding the onsie up. Loki sat before him worrying her bottom lip and looking anywhere but at Tony. "Lokes, I love it."
Loki glanced back to him, her bottom lip sliding against her teeth before keeping her lips parted. "Really?" she whispered. Tony grabbed her hand and rubbed soothing circles into the back of it. "Because I know you've cut back on the alcohol intake but I just couldn't resist. Peter loved it too." Tony pressed a tender kiss to the corner of her mouth.
"I love it," he repeated. She let out a breath and smiled slightly. "God, I can't wait to raise this kid with you." Her smile grew. Holding her hand tighter, Tony yanked her forward and kissed her. She started giggling, playfully fighting the kiss. "Let's have an army of children." She started giggling more.
"How about no but we train this one right so they can handle themselves. Can't always rely on Daddy Dearest to swoop in and save them."
Tony chuckled. "Alright, fine. Can we at least have one after this one?" Loki snorted.
"We'll see." They shared a smile and another kiss. "Now. We promised Peter we'd be down in five minutes which was, ah, let me see," she checked her imaginary watch, "about four minutes ago." She nudged his leg with her own. "Get up and change if you want to. You know Thor grows impatient when we keep him waiting." Tony chuckled and nodded.
After Loki threw a sweatshirt on and Tony slipped a tank-top on over his previously bare chest, they headed downstairs with their arms linked. Everyone--besides Wanda who was in the kitchen making hot cocoa--was already sitting around the Christmas tree where the nicely wrapped presents sat underneath. Peter's legs were bouncing as he waited patiently for Loki and Tony to sit down and then for Wanda to come back in with a tray of mugs. She passed one around to the designated hero before sitting next to Natasha, wrapping the other end of the blanket around her shoulders.
"Peter, will you do the honors?" she asked, gesturing to the presents under the tree.
He enthusiastically stood up and started passing out the presents. Everyone at least got one--their secret Santa gift--some got more than others. Peter ended up with the most seeing as everyone bought him at least one regardless of if they were his secret Santa or not. A blush along the bridge of his nose grew deeper in color each time he set a present down by where he was previously sitting. Tony and Loki won the title of the couple with the most presents and the two who got the least were Bruce and Sam--not that they minded much.
"Okay, who wants to go first?" Tony asked, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. Everyone glanced around, too embarrassed to answer. He rolled his eyes. "Fine. Then I'm picking." A round of muffled agreement rang out. "Peter, being as you are the youngest, you can go first."
His eyes widened slightly before he grabbed the closet present from the pile, announced it was from Loki, and tore into it. A Build-A-Bear box sat inside. Peter raised an eyebrow which earned a smirk from Loki as she took a sip of her hot chocolate. He carefully opened the box before pulling out the Iron Man bear Loki had made while Peter made the Spider-Man one. Peter smiled and let out a small laugh, holding the bear up to show everyone.
Tony raised an eyebrow and asked, "Is the real life Iron Man not good enough?" Loki laughed and patted his arm.
"You'll understand once you open yours from Peter," she remarked. "Now go, open it." He rolled his eyes as he drew the gift Loki was pointing to closer.
After tearing into the wrapping paper, another Build-A-Bear box sat on the floor. Tony's eyebrow raised higher to which he received an eye roll and Loki nudging him to continue. He rolled his eyes as he opened the box and pulled out the brightly colored bear. Down to the bright blue and red fur and the button nose, there was no denying this bear was just as adorable as the actual Spider-Man.
"Okay, I must admit, this is adorable," Tony admitted. Peter beamed. "But is there a reason behind this?"
"Well, it's really behind the meaning of Steve's present I got him. But I suppose I can explain this to you." Tony rolled his eyes and chuckled. "Full explanation after Steve's but Peter couldn't find the perfect gift for you. We went to all the stores and still couldn't find anything. Well, we did find this one thing but that's not important right now. Peter was bummed and went on about how he wanted the perfect present but you're too hard to shop for. I told him you have everything you've ever wanted in one thing: Peter. So then we left for Build-A-Bear and he made you this while I made him that. Now wherever you two go, you'll always have something to remind each other of you." Tony smiled and kissed her cheek.
"Thanks you two, I love it."
Loki and Peter glanced to one another before smiling.
"Alright. I say Sam goes next and then we just continue with whoever he has and then whoever they have and so on and so forth," Tony said.
Sam nodded as he pulled his one and only present in front of him and started untying the bag. It was a huge bag which confused not only Sam but everyone else as to what the inside could be. After it was untied, he carefully pulled back the bag to reveal a set of new Falcon wings. His eyes lit up the second they landed on the red and silver metal.
"Gee, thanks man!" he exclaimed. Tony smiled.
"I hope you don't mind that I made you something instead of buying you something but if it makes you feel any better, the cost of the materials was pretty damn close to the limit," Tony stated. Sam waved him off. "They're made out of a lightweight metal similar to vibranium but not as strong. Still pretty sturdy though." Sam nodded along. "I also made these before everyone agreed to retire so I'm sorry if you never get any use out of them."
"Are you kidding? I'll definitely get use out of these bad boys."
Everyone started laughing before Sam gestured for Natasha to go. She carefully untied the ribbon from around the box before handing it to Wanda who loved to collect ribbons of all types--mainly using them for her hair. A set of dark red ballet slippers lay at the bottom of the box. Natasha pulled them out and gently held them in her hands, a nostalgic smile on her face.
"I know you've said in the past how much you loved ballet when you were little even though it was part of the Red Room training," Sam started to explain. He continued with a small shrug, "Figured you could get back into it if you had the proper equipment."
Natasha pressed the shoes lovingly against her chest. "Thank you, Sam. This really means a lot." Wanda pressed her fingertips against Natasha's arm tenderly. She turned slightly to face her girlfriend before smiling. "Bruce. It's your turn."
With a small nod, Bruce ran his nail against the side of his box, tearing the red and green wrapping paper. He threw the paper into the garbage bag at Steve's feet before glancing down at the mostly white box. A smile crept up on his face as he read it over.
"Whatcha get? Whatcha get? Whatcha get?" Tony asked, bouncing slightly where he sat. Bruce rolled his eyes before looking up at him.
"A new set of test tubes," he responded. "Thank you Natasha." She gave him a small smile and a nod as she set the ballet slippers back in the box. Bruce glanced to Thor before giving him an encouraging nod.
Thor nearly immediately tore into the long rectangular box, eager to get his hands on whatever was inside. He pouted when under the wrapping paper was revealed to be a dark purple box. Loki rolled her eyes and took a long sip of her hot chocolate. Bruce watched frightfully, his hands wringing in front of him. Thor tossed the lid aside to reveal a long battleaxe with the name Stormbreaker carved in gold lettering on the side.
"I know you've been upset ever since your hammer got destroyed," Bruce started. "So Loki took me to Nidavellir and we managed to get this ax made for you." Thor looked up from where he was twisting the handle in his hands. "If you don't like it, well, it's not exactly like I can take it back but, uh, I'll see what I can do about it."
"No, no. It is a marvelous gift." He flipped it around and caught it once more. "I very much appreciate it, Banner. Thank you." Bruce bowed his head but smiled. Tony elbowed him with a smirk. "Barnes it is your turn."
Bucky nodded before pulling the tissue out of the bag, setting it aside. Steve rolled his eyes before picking up the tissue and setting it in the garbage bag. Bucky stuck his tongue out at his boyfriend as he pulled out the leather-bound journal out of the bag. His thumb brushed along the cover before letting out a laugh.
"Thanks, Thor," he said, shaking the journal slightly. "God, after everything HYDRA did to me, sometimes I need to just jot things down." Bucky hung his head, his lips pressed together. Steve frowned before grabbing Bucky's hand, offering him a small reassuring squeeze. He looked back up and smiled at Steve.
Wanda went after. Her present was wrapped in shiny red paper with hints of pink. Inside of a clothing store's box was a new dark pink leather-like jacket. She smiled and pulled it out to show everyone before sliding it on. After the last mission, her old one was left pretty beaten up. She thanked Bucky before telling Loki to go ahead and open hers.
Loki's present was in a small dark green bag. She smiled politely as she pulled the tissue out and set it aside to give to Steve later. Inside the bag was a charm bracelet with three charms attached. One was her helmet, one was green gem, and the last was a silver disk with 'I am burdened with glorious purpose' carved into it. She let out a soft laugh before sliding the bracelet onto her wrist.
Steve tore open the box similar to Peter and Tony's to reveal another Build-A-Bear box. He raised an eyebrow at Loki as he continued to open it. She urged him on, not telling him anything as to what sat inside. A light brown bear dressed in blue sat inside. Steve pulled it out and smiled.
"I remember these," he said. "Bucky Bears."
Bucky raised an eyebrow. "What bears?" Steve chuckled.
"You know, Captain America's sidekick." Bucky's eyes nearly about bulged out of their sockets. "Relax, Buck. They're not harmful." He held the bear up and let it face Bucky. "See? Look at how cute it is." Bucky glared at the bear.
"I don't like it. The only Bucky you should be sleeping with is me."
Loki laughed. "Which brings our explanation full circle. Peter brought up the excellent idea of you having a cuddle buddy for when your normal sleeping partner is away on missions. Similar to Peter and Tony with their Iron Man and Spider-Man bears, you will always have something reminding you of the one you love."
Steve smiled. "Thank you, Loki." She gave him a soft smile and a nod. Steve gestured for Peter to go being as he had the spider-ling which brought it full circle.
Everyone continued opening their presents until everything was open and there was wrapping and tissue paper all over the floor even though Steve had a garbage bag. A chorus of 'thank you's rang throughout the living room before everyone dispersed to either fiddle with their new items or go get ready for events they had later in the day.
Tony pulled Loki closer to him, an arm wrapped tight around her waist, and adjusted the blanket around their shoulders. She placed her head in the crook of his neck, her cheek pressed against his chest. Her fingers curled into his shirt as her now empty mug sat in front of them. He messed with her hair before pressing his nose to the top of her head.
"Merry Christmas, Loki," he whispered. She hummed sweetly.
"Merry Christmas, Anthony."