Coulson was dead, to begin with. If this is not known for sure, nothing wonderful may come of the story you are about to be told. He was dead as a doornail, as a doornail is the most dead any inanimate object could be. Dead seven years today, as a matter of fact. And what day is today you might ask? Why, it's Christmas Eve of course.
Loki pulled his black coat around him tighter and straightened himself up as he walked down the cobble street in town. He was on his way to work, dressed in his usual attire, long black coat with a green tie and grey checkered scarf. He held a gold walking stick, with a blue orb at the top. Everyone around him was celebrating in the festive spirit of Christmas. Bah, thought Loki, Humbug!
He reached his workplace, and took out his many keys. When he was in, he sat down in his chair. The room was cold as cold could be, just how he liked it. He was a frost giant, after all. He was used to worse temperatures.
Bruce Banner sat at his desk, scribbling away in his accounting book. He looked up as Loki sat down. "Hello, Mr. Laufeyson. How is your day?" Loki just looked at him and sneered. "Better than yours, Banner." Bruce just nodded, and went back to work. As Loki took out his workbook, the door opened and a pair of cheery looking people came in, a man with short light brown hair, and a woman with chin length red curls.
Loki looked up. "What do you want?" The two smiled. "I'm Clint Barton, and this is Natasha Romanoff. Are we speaking with Mr. Laufeyson or Mr. Coulson?" Loki chuckled coldly. "Mr. Coulson has been dead seven years this very day." They looked down. "I'm very sorry to hear that. Uh, we're here to ask for a donation." Loki frowned. "For what?" "Well, I'm glad you asked! At this festive season of the year, Mr. Laufeyson, the poor are most needy. We are raising some money to buy them some food and drink in the cold!" Loki just stared at them blankly. "I have nothing to give. I cannot afford to make idle humans merry." At this, Bruce raised his eyebrow from his seat, but said nothing.
Natasha spoke up. "Anything at all would be happily accepted, Mr La-" "I told you my intentions regarding the matter, do not test my resolve," said Loki with a glare. "Now, good afternoon." Clint and Natasha looked at each other, and tipped their hats at him, going out the front door. "Uh, Merry Christmas!" called Bruce after them, and they called the same back.
Loki shook his head, and went back to work. Just then, the door opened again. Loki sighed. "Can't a man get any work done in this place?!" The person who walked in the door was Loki's brother, Thor.
"Ah! Merry Christmas, brother!" Thor said, slapping Loki on the back. Loki hunched over, recoiling from Thor's touch. "Merry Christmas you say? You're so poor, you shouldn't be having a Merry Christmas, or even a Christmas at all!"
Thor just laughed at this. "Come brother, enough sulking! It is the season of festivities, you must partake!" Loki just rolled his eyes, and said to his older brother, "What do you come for, Thor?" Thor smiled. "I've come to invite you to dine with me and Jane tomorrow evening for Christmas dinner!"
Loki growled. "I do not make merry myself of Christmas, brother, you know that." Thor still smiled. "Then think of it as a family reunion." Loki sneered again. "Why ever did you get married to that pathetic earth creature?" Thor shrugged. "Because I fell in love?"
Loki laughed cruelly. "Because you fell in love! That is the only thing more stupid than a Merry Christmas!" Thor just shook his head. "Well, brother, I tried. May you have a Merry Christmas, nonetheless!" Loki pointed to the door. "The door is that way, you may use it now!" Thor hung a wreath he had brought on the door. "And a Happy New Year!" Loki pounded his fist on the desk. "OUT!" Thor whistled a Christmas song as he left.
Loki grumbled to himself as he kept writing in his book, hoping there weren't any more annoying visitors to come. Thankfully, no one else came, and when closing time came round, everything was quiet.
"Sir?" said Bruce meekly. "Yes, Banner, what is it?" "Um… tomorrow, sir, is Christmas Day…" "And?" "And.. well, I was wondering if I could quite possibly have the day off?" Loki looked at him. "Christmas is ridiculous. I don't see any reason I should give you the day off." Bruce looked down sadly, but nodded, getting his things. "But, I seem to be the only one who knows that! Just take the day off…" Bruce's face lit up in happiness. "Oh, thank you, Mr Laufeyson sir, thank you!"
Loki just scowled, and waved him off. "Alright, don't poison me with your joy. Just go home already!" Bruce nodded, and skipped off happily.
Loki got his scarf and left, locking up the business. He walked home in solitary quiet, cold wind biting his nose and cheeks. His black hair fell just below his shoulders, and icicles were beginning to form on the ends of the strands. As Loki approached his home, he looked for his keys. He dug around his pockets for them, and as he was looking, the doorknob morphed into something other worldly.
Loki finally found the key, and went to unlock the door, but when he took a look at the doorknob he shrieked. It was the face of his old business partner, Phil Coulson! But… No, that couldn't be, thought Loki, he's dead, seven years dead! He checked back at the doorknob, but it had returned to its natural state.
Loki shook his head. "Must be all the idiotic cheer clouding my mind," he muttered to himself as he let himself in. The house was as cold as it was outside on the inside, colder even. But Loki didn't mind. As previously mentioned, he was a frost giant, and frost giants were susceptible to cold.
He got his things off, and put on his green housecoat and black slippers. He sat down by the small fire, the smallest fire you would ever see. He had warmed a small amount of pudding in a bowl, and was eating it now. As he ate, he thought he heard something outside his door. He stopped, and listened.
Nothing.
He went back to eating, only to hear the noises again. He got up this time, and put his ear to the door. His face twisted in confusion. It was the sound of chains! Chains rattling, growing nearer and nearer…. Loki ran to the other side of the room, and gripped onto a chair. He ran his fingers through his hair nervously, and waited.
After what seemed like an hour, but was really only 3 minutes, the door crashed open. Loki screamed, and hid behind the chair. Something walked in the door. Loki peeked his head above the chair to see who, or what, it was.
It was Coulson! But… it wasn't Coulson. It was the ghost of Coulson. Loki's eyes widened, and his mouth dropped. "Wh- who are y-you?" Loki stammered as he took a step closer. "Why not ask me who I was?" said the apparition.
"Alright, fine then blasted, who were you?" The ghost sat down. "Don't you recognize me? It's me! Phil!" Loki just shrieked at this, and hid behind the chair again. Coulson just laughed. "Don't worry, Loki, I'm not gonna try to haunt you or anything. I just came to warn you." Loki looked at him. "Warn me? Warn me of what?" Coulson patted the chair next to him. "Come on. Sit down and I'll tell you." Loki nervously made his way over to the chair beside the ghost, and sat down. "Whew! It's cold in here, don't you know what heat is? Geez!" Loki raised an eyebrow.
"Do you believe in me?" asked Coulson. "Of course I do, I've seen things more extreme than apparitions before, I'll tell you!" said Loki. "Good. Then I'll start." He gestured to his chains. "These are all the wrongdoings that I have committed in my lifetime. I was cruel to people who needed kindness, and I was bitter toward the poor. This is my eternal punishment."
Loki stared down in horror at Coulson's chains. "But… but you were a good man of business, Phil-" Coulson chuckled. "Business? Humankind was my business! I should have paid more attention to the needy!" Loki shrugged. "Why? We have more than them, so should we not be rejoicing?" "No, Loki! Don't you see? If you continue on as you are now, as I was, then you will have longer, heavier chains!"
Loki shuddered to think. "What is your purpose here, apparition of the past?" Phil turned serious. "You will be visited by three ghosts." Loki looked terrified. "More of you? Oh by Odin, please no!" But Phil nodded. "If you don't go with them, you will be doomed to an afterlife as mine! But I must leave now, Loki. My time is nearly done. It was good to see you again, ol' buddy." Loki nodded slowly. "Farewell, Loki!" he called as he left, out the door again, dragging his chains behind him.
Loki just sat there for a second, then shook his head. I won't go with the other ghosts, I just won't! he decided. He got into bed, and blew out the candle on his nightstand. But he couldn't shake the uneasy feeling he had.