No Christmas story is complete with out…
A few cracks and a party.
Most likely ending in Heim/Loki but this is basically nothing but a really long pointless one shot I wanted to put up for the holiday.
Yes I have an obsession with snow. I've never experienced it, and so I love it. Aren't I special everybody ya! –clap clap-
Anyway, read and enjoy.

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Emerald eyes opened up slowly, unnaturally early, that morning.
The boy rubbed the traces of sleep from his face and let a yawn escape his lips as he dragged his feet out from onto the covers. He hissed at the unusual cold and quickly slipped his feet into his slippers yanking his blanket up and over his shoulders.

Why was it so cold? He thought. And then he saw it. He looked out the window and couldn't restrain the smile at how pretty it was.
Snow…
But then he grimaced and jumped back into bed.
Water…Cold water… all over the place….
A fire god's worst fear…

Loki tried to sleep for another hour but soon was forced to admit defeat as his son walked into the room to announce the change in weather and that breakfast was ready.
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Loki bundled himself up in blankets and coats and for once wore long pants. He had even used E-chan as a scarf and was currently sitting at the table pulling on 3 sets of mittens.
He didn't understand! Yesterday had been perfectly fine, ff not summer worthy, weather!
Damn winter!
Damn it to its frozen wasteland!

By now the trickster god was sweating but he didn't care. No cold water like that would find its way behind his barrier.

The door bell rang signaling the arrival of guests which Loki was almost sure meant Mayura, but to his shock, Yamino brought Kotaru into the room.

"Tantei… you know you're indoors right?" The blond started with a raised brow.
Loki nodded.
"I came from a very warm place… sorry if this alarms you." Well that wasn't exactly a lie. Millions of years ago he had lived in Muspelheim, the realm of fire, and passed that he couldn't remember.

"Oh… so you're not used to the cold then? Oh well… It's still odd though don't you think…" The heir muttered. Loki nodded in agreement.
"So why are you here Ko-chan?"

Yamino ran off to go get the tea that he had recently placed on the stove and Kotaru pulled up a seat.
"Daidouji asked me to meet her here but apparently she's running a bit late. She said something about decorating by the way so I suggest you not let her in." Loki laughed and almost caused his chair to fall back because of how huge he currently was. At that Kotaru twitched.
"Oh come on it can't be that bad Tantei."
The detective in question shook his little hat covered head.
"No chances." He hissed. Yamino walked back inside and pored some tea for his father.
"Would you like some too, Kotaru-sama?" the snake asked. Kotaru shook his head no and Yamino shrugged.
"Suit yourself then." He placed the tea pot on a plate and went off to tend to the cookies he was making.

"But you know, this place could use a little sprucing up. I mean, where is you're 'holiday spirit' detective?" Loki blinked.
"Holiday spirit? What do I need that for?"
"Oh I see… It's non-existent." Kotaru went on.
Loki sweat dropped.
"What do you mean Ko?"
Kotaru stood up and started to pace.
"What's tomorrow?"
Loki seemed confused but answered anyway.
"Monday…?"
"No, what day?" The young heir persisted.
"the 24th…?"
"Of?"
"December?" Loki was starting to get annoyed. Where was this going?
"And that's not ringing any bells?"
"No? Should it?"
"What other world did you fall out of?"
"Asgard."
Kotaru blinked. "Huh?"
"I mean!!!" Loki sweat dropped, laughed and pretended he hadn't said anything. Kotaru decided to take the hint and continued with his questions.
"Okay. Does the word Christmas mean anything to you?"
"Christmas?"
Kotaru hung his head and decided he'd let Mayura explain when she got there.
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Roughly an hour later the peach haired teen sprang through the front door with brightly colored bags and two people behind her carrying boxes marked 'Decorations',
Said two people didn't look very happy but when ever Mayura turned around to look at them they plastered great big smiles on their faces.
Detective Niiyama however decided as soon as he placed the boxes down he'd make a run for it.
Loki watched as the elderly man was then yelled at and virtually kicked out the door as Kotaru inched over to Narugami to ask how it went.

"Mayura can get a bit… demanding when she's shopping… Next time, you go. I'll sit and wait with Loki eating nice glasses-made food. How does that sound?"
Kotaru laughed and pat the part-timer on the back.
"Fat chance…"

After Mayura's shocking display of contempt she spun around and quickly embraced the child detective.
"Loki! You're job is invitations." She smiled and pat him on the head, with out waiting for a response she pointed at Kotaru and told him to start emptying the boxes and picking out all the spots where he and Narugami would put them up.

"Invitations? Mayura…what's all of this about?"
"Kotaru do you have any taste at all?! That can't go there!" The teenager ignored him and whacked Kotaru on the head a reef.
"Mayura!" Loki shouted, annoyed.
"Oh loki, what is it?"
"What on earth are you doing?"
"Decorating for the big Christmas party remember?" Mayura blinked tilting her head to the side.
"What Christmas party?"
"The Christmas party I told you about three weeks ago?!"
Loki blinked.
"Did you use that word when you asked me…?" He wondered aloud. It was so cold since they had opened the door… and he was getting so tired… He was so very confused now.

"Word…? What word…?" Mayura blinked and leaned over him. He was such an odd little boy. Really, and who ever knew of a 10 year old with such a horrible memory? She felt so bad for him. Maybe he just wasn't feeling well being away from his family for the holidays.
"That 'C' word…Chris-mess?"
-Thunk-
Mayura's head crashed into a wall and Narugami and Kotaru decided to take that moment to walk into the kitchen to see how Yamino was doing with those cookies.
After several hours spent explaining to the child detective Mayura was getting fed up.
"Jesus? Who's that?! I've never heard of him. And how come he gets a holiday!" Loki pouted.
Mayura then went about acting severely depressed for the rest of the hour before Yamino announced he was done perfecting his Christmas cookie display and she launched back into action demanding someone else explain the joys of this holiday to the little god.
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The next day, ignoring Loki's protest of 'celebrating a god he'd never even heard of' Mayura went on with getting ready for the party that was going to be held that night and made sure everyone was getting there alright.

No one else asked why the trickster was wearing so much clothing. But some people chose to take advantage.
Like our favorite little one eyed avenger.
Who liked making snowballs…
…And had managed to get close enough shove a nice mess of snow down Loki's shirt when the two of them had been sent to pick up Reiya.
Now due to Loki's excess cloths it took him an extremely long time to get all of the water out.
After that he shoved Heimdall into a nice big pile of the evil white ice and continued to fidget under his now wet layers of clothing.
"I despise you…"
"Hey that's my line." Heimdall shook his head from the snow but didn't get up.
Personally he didn't really mind the cold, in fact he loved it. Just because Loki hated it.

"Why was I sent with you anyway. Mayura can be so unreasonable."
"Let's see… I wanted to get away from Freyr… and you wanted to get away from…everyone." Heimdall smiled; an odd sight that the trickster tried his best to ignore.
It wasn't fair that the one time Heimdall was so happy he was so miserable.
Could he never be friends with the watchman?
A kick to the butt shoved him face first into the snow and he got his answer.
Never. --

He shook his head thoroughly and, ignoring the fact he was stooping down to his fellow child's level he picked up a patch of snow and formed it into a slightly messy snowball.
Heimdall blinked, sweat dropped, and dove behind that pile he had earlier been shoved into.
"Take that Heimdall!" Loki shouted and he through the snowball with just a tad more force then was needed.
It bore a hole through Heimdall's barrier and hit him square on the nose.

The watchman took on an amused expression and patched up the hole.

Loki blinked. "Heim? Come on… we got to pick up Reiya remember?" The fire god took a few steps forward and was just about to peer over Heimdall's little ice dome with he got hit in a face with a snowball as big as his head.

"I see…" Loki back tracked wiping the snow out of his face.
"Of course you know…" He ducked behind another mound of snow.
"This means war!"
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Several hours later a tiny heiress found herself restless enough that she decided she wouldn't wait for her escorts like Minu and Mayura had requested.
Starting down the sidewalk she sighed and held onto the gift she had bought for Loki.
The night before, after Loki was told of all the special festivities taking place the following evening he had gone Christmas shopping and she came along, anything to spend time with him.

The night went by wonderfully, well at least she thought so.
In fact, the only set back was when they went looking for gifts for Heimdall.
She, even though he scared her, always thought of him as a friend and almost had to beg Loki to help her.
But then… noting how much thought he put into his 'helping her' she got a little jealous and then blacked out for the rest of the night.
All she knew was that she had a bird plush doll for him and her other self was all pout-y.

A few minutes went by and she wrapped her red checkerboard scarf tighter around her neck as the wind picked up.
And then she saw something that annoyed her inner self to no end.
Loki and Heimdall just laying in the snow staring up at the sky and apparently having a conversation.

"So here they are… this is what they've been doing all day… instead of coming to see me… Oh… She wants to come out now… she wants to come out and beat their little heads in… no… that's not a good thing… no, no, no… Na-uh…No good…Nope…Oh this isn't fair… those two don't have to deal with split personalities… they suck. Loki sucks… Heimdall sucks… Loki. Loki. Loki I hate you…. " Reiya squeaked, and hyperventilated, and shook her head, and fell over, and buried her head in the snow, and screamed.

After screaming into the snow about Loki and Heimdall's secret gay love affair for roughly twenty minutes she popped back up and approached the boys.
"Good afternoon, Loki." She smiled.

Loki in turn glanced at her skeptically. Heimdall voiced the question though.
"Why is you face blue?"
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Once at the party Reiya dove for the fireplace and was forced to sit there for the rest of the hour by Mayura who thought she was sick. In fact, Mayura almost sent her home.
At that point a blond goddess appeared and tried to strangle her for even THINKING about leaving Loki along with Heimdall.
Ever. Mayura of course thought Freya was just being sweet and a bit odd.
Kotaru sat on the stair banister with a book while Narugami helped Yamino set up the kitchen. Although, his helping involved eating everything before it got to the table.

Freyr arrived several minutes later with the Norn in toe and Fenrir followed Narugami around hoping for food.

All three Norn had disappeared halfway through the gathering, thoroughly stressing out the 10 year old who was pulling out his hair and was surprisingly wearing less clothing.
Apparently all that time spent in the snow with Heimdall had made him a little more accustomed to the cold.
But that wasn't the point. The point was that the Norn were wandering around his house doing Odin knows what!

Loki slammed his head onto the table he was sitting at and glanced around the room.
He could see Yamino whack Narugami on the head with a frying pan; Fenrir wagged his tail from a stool. Kotaru was having his book torn away from him by Mayura, Reiya was being pestered by Freyr, and Heimdall was getting a drink.

Yup…no Norn…fuck…

A moment later a glass was placed in front of the trickster and he glanced up to see a smiling watchman.
Really, why was he in such a good mood today anyway?

Heimdall was always happy when something went wrong with Loki's perfect little life. His good mood had nothing to do with the midnight phone call he got from Freya complaining about a certain shopping trip.
Nor for the earlier fact that involved shoving snow down Loki's cloths because he had caught him off guard with the topic of "What if I were to forgive you" And he had blushed.
Nope.
That had nothing to do with the smile on his face at all!

Loki took the drink anyway and shrugged.
"You wouldn't happen to know where the Norn are…would you?"
Heimdall shook his head.
"Haven't a clue."
Loki sighed and stood up. "Alright then… time to go hunting…" He started for the stairs that had recently been abandoned by Kotaru, who was now following Mayura complaining that she had lost his page, when he stopped and turned to face Heimdall.
"Want to help?"
"Me? Help? You? Hah. Don't make me laugh Loki." Heimdall scoffed and Loki rolled his eyes, regretting the question.
"But-! I will come with. It will be fun to watch you squirm when you realize you aren't going to find them."
"Of course…"
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They had covered every none-festive hall of the house. The Norn had not returned to the party and they were absolutely no where to be found.
By this point Loki was annoyed, tired, and confused, again.
And it didn't help that every time he turned around Heimdall was grinning at him.
No good little… pfft. Why did he bother getting that little creep a gift?

He had gone shopping with Reiya and got everyone presents.
Yamino was getting a free subscription to 'world's home improvement.'
Fenrir was getting a nice box of picked onions, his favorites,
Mayura was getting an old Indian artifact he had found at the weirdest store he had ever seen in his life. He was actually dragged in there by Reiya who claimed she had seen a sepia colored unicorn float passed the window.
Reiya, though Loki had to ditch her for an hour to find this and thought that the cause did not justify the means, was a certain scarf he couldn't keep hidden from her well enough.
Freyr he refused to buy anything for because Freyr still refused to speak to him civilly.
Verdandi was getting a new set of test tubes, Urd was getting a nicely decorated glass case for her crystal ball and Skuld was getting shoes.
Narugami was getting a gift card to a steak house and Kotaru was getting a book, Wordsworth, Hel's idea.
Hel herself had asked for clothing via mirror message.

All of these had been rather simple. And he really didn't want to get Heimdall anything, but when Reiya asked, and he found himself going on and on and on about what he'd like and what he wouldn't he found himself unable to keep from buying it…
It was a pendant with a red gem in the center that had wings on either side. The necklace itself had patterns that were fashioned in a style similar to Heimdall's choice in apparel. So it matched, and if Heimdall didn't decide he utterly loathed Loki again, he could wear it when ever.
He chose this because the red reminded him of his eyes, the patterns were similar to the patterns on Heimdall's old horn, and the wings obviously because of the watchmans obsession with birds.

He sighed when he reached his room again. The third time now that he'd walked down that hall.
Heimdall just smiled.
Said watchman had gone Christmas shopping himself.
He got enrolled his brother into a 'fruit of the month club' and got Freyr a coupon that read 'I, Heimdall, will willingly go grocery shopping with you anytime for the next month."
Reiya, although he was forced to wonder why he bothered, he got a little cat doll that reminded him of the cat's that Freya used to own that would launch themselves at Freyr's cape. Oh ya… that was why.
The norn he didn't care about, nor did he really know the human's or Loki's sons.
He did however hunt down a poem collection book for Hel which he intended to send with what ever present Loki got her.
Loki however he had found a broach in the shape of a crescent moon with wings. The moon had a pendulum shaped emerald hanging from the bottom.
Heimdall knew Loki probably wouldn't wear it… Loki was stupid and wouldn't know a romantic gesture if it jumped on him with a rose in its mouth.

Of course, that wasn't what Heimdall was going for! Nooooo!!! He just wanted to give his newly re-acquainted friend a nice thoughtful gift. That was all…
He didn't secretly hope Loki would take his thoughtfulness as something beside a token of friendship…
Nope, not even on his mind.

After giving up on the search they walked back downstairs and sat at the table by the window.
It was snowing again.
Loki hissed at first but then remembered how much fun he had had during the snowball fight with Heimdall.
In the end they had called it a truce and plopped down to debate about who would have one like they were really kids.

How he had managed to have that much fun with the boy that despised him he didn't know.
But the fact that he did… and the fact Heimdall was still unnaturally smiling, like he wasn't always trying to kill him, made him happy.
The watchman really sucked like that, just plainly because Loki couldn't really analyze anything about him. Be it his actions or the tricksters own feelings for him.

Heimdall ignored the fact Reiya was up and glaring at him to stare at the snow.
Nice soft white snow that he had laid on with Loki.
…Friend having a nice competitive discussion.
…Just friends.
…yup.

A little while before midnight Loki looked around the room again.
Mayura had a bookmark taped to her head and Kotaru was sitting on the floor with his book.
Narugami was a bruise on his head but Yamino was currently handing him a hammer shaped cookie. At that Narugami jumped up and tackled the snake to the ground.
("If he turns my son gay that will be seriously uncomfortable.")
Freyr was poking Reiya with a spoon again asking her where his sister was while Reiya sat there smiling softly with Fenrir on her lap ready to bite off her older brothers hand.
And to Loki's shock, the norn were gathered around the stairs playing with plants.

"Don't look now but the elusive fates have returned and they look like they're plotting something."
Heimdall laughed and Loki hung his head.

The clock struck twelve and the trickster and Heimdall were forced around the tree like everyone else while Mayura tossed the presents into the crowd.

All Narugami's gifts involved food, all of Yamino's gifts involved house keeping, and Fenrir got a variety of chew toys.

Mayura got several strange artifacts and Narugami even went through the trouble of collecting newspaper articles surrounding odd occurrences and making a collage for her.
Kotaru only got three gifts, the book from Loki, a coat from Mayura, and a card that said "I don't think you're a snob" from Narugami who regrettably announced everyone but Mayura got something similar.

Freyr got a manga called 'D.N.Angel' from Mayura, and Freya, although not 'currently present' got him bunny ears. He laughed at that one. No one else got the joke. When he got Heimdall's gift the watchman dove behind the Christmas tree as the fertility god wept tears of joy and tried to hug him.

Freya got a duplicate of the Brising necklace from Freyr while Reiya got an actually tasteful purse from Mayura and a small (fake?) crystal ball from the Norn.

The Norn surprisingly enough only got gifts from Loki and Mayura who gave them all a trip to the hot springs, which, in reality, was for all of them.

Heimdall got a surprisingly ironic card from Freyr that said "I won't bother you for the next month." A card from Narugami that said: "You aren't an evil little midget." And a map from the Norn…A map for Loki's house. O.o

Loki was given a children's book from Mayura as a joke, another neck ribbon from Reiya, enchanted binoculars from Skuld, and a free runic reading from Urd redeemable whenever. Narugami got him a card that said: "You're stuck with me forever so you better get used to these cards." Kotaru got him a 'guide to a good life in the city' book, and Hel sent him a magic journal that when he wrote in it the words would be sent to a similar journal that she had so they could stay in contact with out all the trouble of mirror possessing. While his sons said that they're gift involved a show that couldn't be viewed in the presence of certain mortals, at that Loki said that they're hard work was gift enough and that he didn't want his house blowing up.

Mayura Freyr and Reiya went home first. Mayura was told by her father that she couldn't stay any longer then 2 and it had already hit 2:30. Reiya was falling asleep and Freyr had left Gullinbrusti at home and decided he'd go back and clean up what ever mess was made so Heimdall wouldn't kill him.
Narugami Yamino and Kotaru disappeared into the kitchen with Fenrir while the Norn sat by the front window giggling among themselves.
Loki and Heimdall then decided to sit on the stairs.
"So this was fun." Loki started.
"Speak for yourself. I was chased by a fertility god. Do you have any idea how horrifying that is?" Heimdall murmured.
He was slightly annoyed by the fact he hadn't gotten anything from Loki after such a promising conversation with Freya… He decided that because Loki didn't suffer the embarrassment of giving him something thoughtful he wouldn't. He would hate to be placed on the spot anyway.

Loki laughed at him. "Neh… what's with that map the norn gave you anyway?"
Heimdall unfolded it and shrugged.
"X marks the spot. Let's go looking for it then shall we?" Loki nodded. Although… The X was where his bedroom doorway was marked. It was better to go to see what ever trap they'd set alone so as to not get anyone else involved but if they had given it to Heimdall then that meant it was set for him and Loki didn't like the idea of Heimdall getting attacked alone, especially not when he'd behaved so well.

While walking down the hall Heimdall started fidgeting toward his pocket and Loki felt uneasy.
In his own pocket he had the pendant he had gotten for Heimdall.
He had chickened out at the last moment and kept it to himself.
But since no one was around now… perhaps…
Why did he even care anyway!? Heimdall was hardly a friend to him anyway!
He sighed as his hand closed in around the chain.
"Heim-"
"Here." Heimdall was holding his hand out to Loki's chest with his eyes shut. In his palm was the broach he had bought.
Loki blushed slightly and stayed silent.
"Well? If you don't want it I'll return it." The watchman was about to pull his hand back when Loki grabbed it and clipped it on.
"No… It's a gift. You can't take it back." Loki pouted and tapped it once before staring down at it.
It was now or never. He smiled shyly and reached into his pocket again.
Heimdall was still standing there somewhat shocked at Loki's reaction but took a step back when Loki pulled out what he had gotten.
"I got you something too actually. I doubt you'll like it though." Loki smiled with his eyes closed as he let the pendant hang out of his hand.
He sat waiting for the mocking laughed but instead he felt the chain slip out of his hand and he heard Heimdall start walking again. He probably stuffed it into his pocket to dispose of later, trying to keep the good mood.
"Thanks…"
Loki nodded.
"You too…"
The rest of the trek to Loki's room went silently and then they got to the doorway.

"Now what…?" Heimdall mumbled; cheeks still slightly pink.
Loki shrugged.
"Well the X marks the doorway. Not the room. Should we wait or something…?"
Heimdall shrugged too. "I guess."
The two of them leaned against either side of the doorframe and looked around.
Nothing to the right… nothing to the left… no odd little runic symbols below…
What were the sisters up to?
"Uh-oh." Heimdall squeaked.
Loki looked at him and then followed his gaze up.
"What's that?"
Heimdall bit his lip and shook his head.
"It's a…uhm…Well… It's… mistletoe…" Heimdall stressed the last word as if it were poison on his lips and Loki choked.
He hadn't seen mistletoe before but Mayura spoke about it…
"We don't have to. I mean… there is no one around to say we were even in this predicament." Loki murmured.
Heimdall nodded.
"Ya… Well… accept the norn."
Loki blinked. "Huh?"
"Well… What else do you see around that could be our reason for being sent here? They did this on purpose."
At that point Loki remembered how he saw the three of them playing with a certain plant on the stairs.
"Oh… well then… uhm…"
"Well, no one but them would know… and…" Heimdall's face couldn't get any redder if he tried.
Loki's face was flushed red too.
He had just gotten around to thinking of Heimdall as a friend and now he was being told to think of him as more… which, come to think of it, wasn't really that hard, but he didn't want to admit it.
Loki looked around and then noticed a flash of red from Heimdall's end.
The pendant was already hanging there and Loki new he had no intention of getting rid of it.
"It can't be that bad…can it?"
Heimdall's head shot up and he stared at Loki incredulously.
"what…?"
"Really fast? It will be like ripping off a band aid, and they can't get mad."

Like ripping off a band aid… Heimdall wanted to ram his head into a wall.
"Alright… I guess… on three…"
"One…" Loki blushed darker and leaned in.
"Two…" The watchman shook his head slightly before doing the same.
"Three."
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"The snow was a nice touch Verdandi."
"Wasn't it just? What about Skulds creativity with the map? The subliminal message in the walls, very nice."
" ya, ya, 'bring Loki with you' really original. I still hate you both. I can't believe you made me give away my Loki just because of you're stupid fetish." The blond hissed.
"Well Yamino and Narugami were working things out on their own, what else could you have gotten for us on this year anyway little sister?" Verdandi asked as they walked out the front door.
"Love shounen-ai." Urd smiled and shut the door behind them.
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Merry Christmas everyone!!!
I'm a few hours late but w/e I don't care:D

I actually wanted to make a fic where, after the whole –snow down shirt thing- Loki got sick and Heimdall was punished with the task of having to take care of him while everyone set up the party.
Perhaps I'll just set that up in an 'aftermath' chapter or something…
Well anyway happy holidays everyone! I've got to get to sleep now. Ja!