Loki, Thor, and Tony went out Christmas shopping the next day. The two didn't intend on inviting Thor, but everyone else had left to do their own shopping and Loki insisted he come along. Tony honestly didn't mind, but that meant he would have to be extremely sneaky about Thor's gift.

They went to the mall, Tony wearing a long jacket to hide his missing arm, Loki had his hair pulled back in a sloppy ponytail, and Thor, wearing normal clothing, was continually amazed that Asgard had not invented pockets in pants.

"Can I go off by myself?" Thor asked, "I cannot buy you gifts when you're here,"

"My thoughts exactly," Tony stated pulling out his wallet and handing it to Loki. (It took two hands to get money out) "Give him some cash,"

"Oh my God, how much do you have in here?" Loki asked amazed that the wallet was just sitting open because there was so much cash in it.

"I don't like using cards sometimes, just give him half or something, I don't care," Loki did as told. "Okay, see that big fountain?"

"Yes," Thor said.

"We meet back at that fountain in two hours."

"How will I know the time?"

Tony rolled his eyes, "Just ask the clerks' everytime you leave a store. The time we'll meet back is 2pm, okay?"

"Oh, that's simple enough," Thor said nodding putting the cash in his pocket. "See you later," he said trying to sound proficient in using slang but his accent was too thick and made him sound weird. Tony made a disgruntled face as Thor walked off.

"Alright," Loki said as they began walking down to a big department store.

The two hours went by, Loki and Tony had made a major dent in Tony's wallet, and was waiting patiently for Thor to return.

"Should I be nervous that he isn't here yet?" Tony asked.

"Nah, he'll be fine. Remember, he's never been to a mall before,"

"That's what makes me so nervous."

But in a few more minutes, Thor came over to them arms full of bags, and both hands filled with a pretzel and a smoothie. "Hello, friend and brother," he greeted taking a sip of his drink.

"It looks like you found your way around pretty easily," Tony stated getting up.

"Oh, yes! The ladies who made me pay were very nice, they all commented on how silky my hair looked. It must be the soap I am stealing from Clint," he stated and Loki snickered.

"I hope he never finds out you're using his shampoo, he's quite defensive about his body products," Tony stated.

"That is why it is called 'stealing', is it not?"

"Touché,"

They made their way out of the mall deciding to grab lunch at a bistro Tony loved.

"I haven't wrapped gifts in…ever," Tony stated looking at their mound of presents and wrapping paper stashed in their room.

"That makes two of us," Loki said.

They sat down and began taking big sheets of wrapping paper and covering the gifts. They used the tap to strap it down and by the time they were done it looked like a five year old had wrapped them.

"I don't think I'm very satisfied with our wrapping," Loki says as they go out to put the gifts under the tree. Natasha, Clint, and Steve's gifts are wrapped perfectly and placed neatly under the tree. Tony starts kicking his gifts to accompany the others and just laughs.

"We'll try better next year," Tony stated and Loki liked that statement.

Bruce came out of his room with a box the size of about three shoe-boxes in length. Apparently, it was somewhat heavy because Bruce looked like he was struggling a little. Loki went over to help him set the gift under the tree – towards the back – and sighed. "No peeking," Bruce scolded as Tony was trying to guess who it was for.

"It's wrapped, it's not like I can see through wrapping paper," Tony stated.

Bruce smirked, "I know, but I want it to be a surprise,"

"It's wrapped, therefore it is a surprise,"

"Oh shut up and get away from it," Bruce walked back towards his room.

The next day came and Clint had complained that his Xbox had broken. "Natasha was playing some online game on it last night and it combusted into flames," he complained sitting down in the living room with Tony, Loki, and Bruce.

"Well maybe you should ask Santa for one," Bruce said not looking up from his magazine.

"Who's Santa?" Loki asked and then the three had remembered they never told him or Thor about him.

"He's a mythical guy who uses deer to fly around the world on Christmas night to deliver toys to kids," Tony explained shortly.

"'Mythical'? So he's not real?"

"Nope, but us adults like to pretend he is for kids to make Christmas feel…more…magical?" Tony asked.

Bruce nodded, "I never believed in him, but my parents always insisted that he was,"

"What does he look like?" Loki asked curiously.

"He has a white beard, he's fat, and wears red and white clothes. Here, I'll pull up a picture of him," Clint said pulling out his phone and began his image research. He showed the screen to Loki and he nodded.

"It would be nice if such a man existed," Loki said thinking out loud.

"Why do you say that? And where's Steve?" Clint asked checking the hallway, "He should be here now,"

"Because people need hope and joy in something," Loki simply stated.

"Did someone call my name?" Steve asked coming out of his room with paint on his hands.

"Come be social," Clint demanded.

"Can't, working," he said returning back to his room.

Clint pouted, "Meany,"

"When does Santa appear?" Loki was really interested in this.

"The songs say that he knows when you're asleep, and he only visits at midnight because he knows the kids will be out by then. It's a good cover-up," Tony said.

"I see," Loki then went quiet as he thought.