Author's Note: As promised, Halloween and Thanksgiving in one chapter. I had planned to post this yesterday... er, midnight, but I kinda fell asleep. So here it is now! The Halloween part is first, then Thanksgiving. The Thanksgiving one is a bit more serious, but I personally liked it better than the Halloween one.
"Geez, this is why I hate Halloween sometimes."
"Why?" Loki asked, despite not really knowing what she was talking about. All he knew was that Darcy had been scrolling through page after page of strange clothing on her laptop for the past hour and a half, muttering angrily to herself.
"I can never find a good costume!" She complained. "There are literally two types of costumes: normal, and sexy. Like, there's a normal witch, then a scantily clad "I'll ride your broom" witch. There's a normal nurse, then a take-me-now-against-this-wall nurse. There's a normal apple, then a sexy apple!"
"How can an apple be sexy?"
"I don't know, ask these costume makers!" Darcy said in frustration, pointing accusingly at the screen.
"Well, what kind of costume are you looking for?" He asked, doubting he would be of much help.
"Just... I don't know... Something really cool and kind of sexy, but I don't like to show too much skin. It has to be recognizable, though. Something really awesome. It can't be too uncomfortable because, after Tony's party, I plan on going Trick-or-Treating. Oh, and it needs to go with another costume because I'm bringing you with me, of course."
"Hm... I am not sure about that last request, but I think I have the perfect costume for you," Loki said with a smirk, snapping his fingers. In a second she was donned in a more feminine version of his own suit, fitted perfectly to her. "There. "Cool," "sexy," "recognizable," and "awesome." And it is an illusion so as long as what you are actually wearing is comfortable, you should be fine. However, you should probably make sure you're not naked in case the illusion wears off or whatever reason. It is also one of my more complex illusions though, so while it feels like nothing to you, anyone else can feel it and it will not wear off if anyone touches it."
"This is perfect! I'll dress as a female you, oh- you can be me! A dude-me! How awesome would that be?"
Had she been anyone else, he would have automatically shot her idea down. But she just looked so happy, he could do nothing but nod helplessly, dreading when the day of this 'Halloween' finally came.
"Happy Thanksgiving!"
Loki sat awkwardly at the large table as Darcy greeted the second to last guests to arrive-the spider and her bird, the Director being the last. He glanced beside him at the soldier, who was talking animatedly to Banner about something or other, then back at Darcy, willing her to sit back down on his other side faster. He felt uncomfortable with all of these people who, while didn't hate him, most didn't really know him.
"What's up with you, Reindeer Games?" Tony asked, plopping down onto Darcy's empty seat, looking at Loki with a raised eyebrow.
"What is the point of all this?" He gestured to the food on the table, the decorations, and finally to the people-the Avengers plus Jane.
"Pretty loaded question," Tony remarked. "It's just supposed to be a day where we all get together and think about all the things we have to be thankful for," he said with a shrug.
"I have been lied to all my life, I have been used, hated, and banished from the one place I ever called home. What do I have to be thankful for?" Loki said bitterly, not even sure why he chose to talk to Tony, of all people, about his feelings.
In a moment of rare thoughtfulness, Tony replied, "I used to think like that. You're not the only one who has had a hard life, Loki. But, there's always at least one good thing to come out of any shit-storm of bad that makes it all bearable, in my experience at least." Tony's eyes roamed over each individual in the room, Loki included, lingering on Pepper who was laughing with Darcy and Jane as they put the finishing touches on the turkey. "It's all just a matter of perspective."
He watched as Tony got up, hugging Pepper from behind, and chuckling when she jumped in surprise. Loki contemplated Tony's words, looking at the happy laughing faces around him in a new light. These people that didn't lie to him, use him, or even really hate him. These people that didn't constantly compare him to Thor, disparage his abilities, and actually tended to make him feel better about himself most of the time. And while he didn't know a lot of them very well and vice versa, that was something he could change with time. With a jolt he realized that he felt more at home here than he ever did in Asgard.
Perhaps Tony was right-he had so much more to be thankful for than he originally thought.
AN: Hope you enjoyed both parts.