Tony had wandered off from their shopping trip as Pepper looked for 'something she absolutely had to buy him' and then had gotten lost in a phone call from a distant friend. He found himself in the park. There were children everywhere, giddily playing in the new fallen snow. They looked like a bunch of elves on break from toy making. It made him chuckle as he also saw a pair of antler bobbing around in a gaggle of kids near the base of a tall tree. As he approached the tree he noticed that the owner of the antlers was actually an adult as they were much taller than the children. The tree decorating mentioned on the television earlier was currently being done. Tony felt bad for the poor guy who had been stuck with the kids.
As he passed by he noticed a familiar smile and sparkle of green eyes. Tony did a double take and found that the person with the antlers was actually Loki. Tony felt like some entity must have been smiling on him to have allowed this encounter. Tony pulled out his phone and snapped a picture before approaching the man.
"I'd like to help decorate," Tony said.
Loki pulled out some decorations from a box absent mindedly and was about to hand them to Tony before he registered who it was. His eyes went wide and if he cheeks weren't already red with the chill of the winter air then they would have flushed. Tony chuckled and smiled at him.
"Hey reindeer games," Tony joked.
Loki gave him a slightly annoyed look before handing Tony an ornament. Tony walked up to the tree and tried to put it on one of the higher branches of the trees. He couldn't exactly reach the spot that he wanted.
"Need some help, Shorty?" Loki asked.
Tony rolled his eyes and continued to try and reach the spot. Loki watched him struggle for a few minutes. A few of the kids had gathered around as well and were giggling at the man. Loki crossed his arms in amusement. He soon grabbed the ornament from Tony and hooked it onto the branch Tony wanted.
"I almost had it," Tony groaned.
"Sure you did," Loki rolled his eyes and took his antlers off as another man approached him and took them. The man took over Loki's job of handing out ornaments. "My shift is over; you want to get some hot chocolate?" Loki asked, gesturing to a hot chocolate stand.
Tony nodded and the two walked over to the stand. The snow crunched softly underfoot. Loki's strides left less foot prints than Tony's and it irked him slightly. Loki was annoyingly tall in the billionaire's eyes. They reached the stand and both ordered their hot chocolate. Not too far away was a bench. Loki led them to it and sat, watching the kids happily decorate the tree.
"So how did you get roped into tree decorating?" Tony asked after a moment of silence.
"Natasha signed us up for it. Although she got the early shift and got to carry the boxes of decorations out here and set everything up. I got an hour of decorating, and an hour of boxing toys that are donated. Luckily decorating was the last thing I had to do. What about you? What are you doing in the park? You don't seem the type," Loki said half mockingly.
Tony smirked at him, "Pepper and I are out Christmas shopping. Although she got lost in finding a present for me then got a phone call from a friend, so I just sort of wandered off. Hard to believe Christmas is a little over a week away."
"Sounds fun, and I agree. The year is almost gone," Loki chuckled. "I feel like this one isn't ending fast enough." Loki turned to face Tony. "I enjoy the coming of a new year. So many opportunities wait."
Tony smiled at the thin, porcelain skinned, writer. He could see excitement shine in his deep green eyes. Warmth, that Tony was sure came from the hot chocolate, spread through his chest. The smile Loki wore emanated a feeling of hope between the two. As Tony's eyes scanned across the man's face he could see the many opportunities Loki spoke of. He could see great success through the wrinkles by Loki's eyes that made him seem eternally youthful but full of knowledge. At the corners of his smile there was chance. Chance that Tony couldn't quite capture as his attention was taken away from his companion.
"Tony!" Pepper shouted, waving her hand to get his attention from across the street. She hurried across the pavement as the light signaled it was safe. She approached the two men carrying some bags from her trip. A smirk played on her lips as she approached the scene.
"Hey Pep. Did you find what you needed?" There was an inflection of annoyance in Tony's voice upon her arrival. Pepper noted it with a raise of her eyebrow.
"Got what I needed. We still need to get a tree, some lights, and you need to buy gifts for the party." Pepper grabbed Tony's hot chocolate from him and took a sip.
Tony sighed and leaned back on the bench, "still more shopping?"
"You seemed pretty gung-ho about it this morning. You weren't, perhaps, hoping to run into someone by chance on this shopping trip were you?" Pepper asked.
Tony rolled his eyes, "Pepper you know I don't believe in chance. I'm just sick of all this shopping."
"Sure," Pepper said, looking between the two.
"Oh yes, Ms. Potts. I wanted to thank you for washing my clothes." Loki smiled up at Pepper. She smiled back.
"You're very welcome Loki. At least someone appreciates my hard work," Pepper shot a glare at Tony. "Come on Tony, we need to finish shopping." Tony stood reluctantly.
"Loki, how about you come with us? You don't have any plans right?" Tony looked hopefully down at the dark haired man.
"No, not for the rest of the afternoon," Loki stood with a smile. "I'd love to accompany you two. I actually have to do some shopping myself."
"Great! Well then we better get going," Tony exclaimed.
The two began walking across the park with Pepper in tow. She rolled her eyes at her ridiculous best friend and his new found interest. The city noise around them filled the silence between them as they approached the shops. They scanned over the windows, in search of the right ones to go into. Each window was lined with tinsel and the displays were Christmas themed. They sparkled with a spirit that only this time of year could hold. It was an inviting and fun atmosphere. Tony subconsciously grabbed Loki's hand and pulled him to a store that tickled his fancy. It was a toy shop and in the display were remote control cars and helicopters. The two prattled on about owning one as a child, or in Tony's case modifying one to run at super high speeds until it melted from the friction in the air. The two laughed at their stories and continued on. Pepper watched the scene with baffled amusement. She didn't mind being forgotten behind the two.
They stopped again at Loki's call. It was a more antique toy store. Nutcrackers sat in the display around music boxes with dancing ballerina's and a cuckoo clock resembling Santa's workshop. Loki told a story of a cuckoo clock in his apartment that the previous owner left. No matter how many times Loki and Natasha tried, they couldn't get it to work and he found it a shame because he wanted to see what unique chime it had every hour. Tony listened intently and retaliated with a story of his grandfather's, grandfather clock which he tore apart for parts to one of his experiments as a kid. Loki's face looked horrified for a moment before he broke into a fit of laughter. The two ended up going into the store and purchasing some nutcracker, and clock shaped ornaments for the tree that they had still yet to buy.
The shopping trip followed suit at other stores. They ended up with a bag of ornaments and a box of multi-coloured lights after about 2 hours of shopping. Finally they made their way back to Tony's car and put their bags and box into the trunk.
"Well I better part here. I have to get back to my apartment. You two enjoy the rest of you afternoon," Loki nodded to the two.
"We can give you a lift back if you'd like," Tony offered. He nodded to the passenger side as he opened the driver's door. Loki contemplated it for a moment. Pepper gave him a look before pulling open the back door and climbing in. Loki walked over and opened the passenger side reluctantly.
"Are you sure?" he asked.
"Of course. Hop in Loksters," Tony winked and started the car.
Loki rolled his eyes and go into the car, "Anthony I believed I asked you to not call me that." He said as he buckled himself in.
"And I believe I remember telling you to call me Tony," Tony remarked.
Loki rolled his eyes and gave the short, billionaire his address. Tony put ACDC on at a soft volume and the two chatted animatedly as they drove down the busy roads. Everyone one else was out in late Christmas shopping. Loki didn't live to far so it didn't take too long to reach his apartment. As they pulled up Tony turned to the man.
"What did you say your roommate's name was Loksters?" Tony asked.
"Natasha. Natasha Romanov, why?" Loki asked as he unbuckled himself.
"I think I've heard it somewhere before. I can't remember where. Ah well it doesn't matter. See ya later reindeer games," Tony winked, reminding the other man of his ridiculous outfit this morning. Loki turned a few shades of pink.
"Thank you for the ride, Anthony," Loki put extra emphasis on Tony's full name. "Oh and I'd like to see how the tree turns out, once you get one of course. I hope I can come over sometime to see it." Loki opened his door and began to exit the car.
"Why don't you come to my Christmas party? It's on the 25th if you aren't doing anything. It'll be just a small gathering of my few closest friends. You can see it then," Tony smiled.
"I think I'll take you up on that offer. See you later Anthony," Loki closed his door and walked to his building with an optimistic canter.
Tony pulled away and headed back to his tower after Loki disappeared behind the doors. A small giggle from the back seat interrupted his thoughts. He glanced into the rearview mirror and saw Pepper with a big grin and bright eyes.
"You're awfully chipper," Tony commented.
"Just enjoying a new book. It's a love story of two oblivious men who just met, but are absolutely enticed by each other. I think you'd enjoy it," she smiled at Tony through the mirror.
Tony knit his brows together in disgust and bewilderment. He was sure his best friend was going bonkers. There was no way he was going to read a romance book. He put his eyes back on the road, dismissing his hair-brained friend in the back. When they arrived back at the tower they both carried the bags and box up the stairs and set them down in the living room. Pepper grabbed the bags of presents she bought and took them to her room. Tony pulled out his phone and decided to call and have a tree delivered to the tower. He got a medium sized tree, bigger than normal, but not completely extravagant. Once the order was made he dialed his friend Clint Barton. The phone rang twice before the man picked up.
"Hey Tony, what's up?"
"My tower obviously," Tony joked.
Clint gave an un-amused chuckle, "So how are the party preparations going?"
"Really great, I just ordered my tree and I have all the decorations I need. I have, as you know, and unlimited supply of alcohol and I was thinking of preparing the meal myself this year. Well, with Pepper's help.
Clint snorted on the other end, "I'm glad Pepper's helping. I can't imagine you cooking Tony."
"Hey, I am actually a great cook. Just for that I'm only letting you eat the deviled eggs."
"Whatever. It's your funeral man. You know how I get after I eat too many of those. Poor Tasha gets to go home with me that night too." Clint chuckled.
"Oh that's right. What is your girlfriend's name again Clint?"
"Natasha Romanov. Why?"
"Well I think I just became friends with her roommate." Tony chuckled.
"No way! You've met the mysterious best friend of Natasha's? Even I haven't met him!"
"Yeah, it was quite a crazy coincidence actually. I invited him to the party, you can meet him there."
"Awesome dude! You're the greatest Tony. Now I can finally ruff up the guy who gets to spend more time with my Tasha than me."
"I think I'm starting to understand why she hasn't introduced you to him yet," Tony leaned back on the couch he was sitting on, amused by his friend.
"Aw come off it, I just want to make sure he knows Natasha is mine."
"I don't think you'll have to worry about that."
"Really what makes you say that?"
Tony paused for a moment. He wasn't sure why he had said it. Loki seemed like a perfectly normal guy, and Tony had seen a few pictures of Natasha, she was gorgeous. It would be understandable for any guy to want her. Perhaps it was because the two seemed like close friends, similar to him and Pepper.
"Not sure. Their friendship just seems a lot like mine and Pepper's ya know?"
"Oh I get what you mean. I guess I have nothing to worry about then. Anyway, I'll see ya later Tony, my break is almost over."
"See ya," Tony hung up the phone and put it in his pocket. He looked around the room and tried to find a well enough spot for the tree. He ran over a few ways to decorate the room for his upcoming party.
AN: If any of you haven't noticed, this story shares a similar name to another frostiron story by a user called DeanlovesCas. She is wicked cool and you should check out her story. I will be updating mine around the same time she updates hers. Her story is just as awesome as mine! Her story actually inspired mine! any way see ya'll in the next chapter and thanks for the support!
Peace!
