Chapter 11! Yay!

You have no idea how long I spent trying to figure out what Loki should do to 'repent'. I wanted to avoid the whole 'volunteer work' thing, but as you might see, I failed. All my ideas escalated into something that would probably make a whole story on their own, so eventually I just thought 'F it, volunteer work it is'. Maybe things will be different for my next fic :p

On a different note - I have absolutely nothing against Christianity, or religion in general. People should believe in what they feel is right for them! I'm not religious, but I'm not an atheist either. I just find the whole mix of Jesus and Santa and religion and shopping somewhat odd. I'm Norwegian, so maybe that has something to do with it. Our celebration is a bit different.

Anyway, thank you for your lovely feedback! It makes me so happy, and I could use a little happy these days. Real life gets too real sometimes, if I am to be honest. Point is; thank you. Your feedback means the world to me!

Also, the story will get fluffier from now on xD I'll quote MaudlinFlowers' review - fluff is life! Like I said in my author's note for chapter 1 - Loki really needs a break from all the pain. There are insane amounts of angst and pain and darkness in the Loki fics here on fanfiction. This one, though? Not so much. I wrote this because I needed Loki-fluff in my life. I never intended to post it here, so bear with me xD

Sorry about the long author's note! But it was needed this time :) But since I've posted 3 chapters within just a few days, maybe you'll forgive me? :) I'll even try to have the next chapter done shortly :)

Disclaimer: totally not mine!

-o-

Chapter 11 - I Could Honestly Use Some Advice

Loki had thought he would loath it – the shiny baubles and horrid decorations. But, he did not. It was hard to loath it, because every single day, he returned home and was greeted with happy smiles, hugs, laughter, and shiny baubles.

Eventually, the shiny baubles became a reminder that someone cared about him. Truly cared about him.

Amber cared about him.

He found he rather liked the shiny baubles.

He had realised at some point that Christmas involved Christmas presents. He was supposed to buy something for Amber. Money was not a problem – he had been graciously gifted a credit card after his departure from Asgard. His mother had somehow made that happen, and he had not refused to take the offered money. He couldn't, because that would result in Amber paying for everything – for him, and that would not do. So, the problem was not the money. The problem was what he was going to buy.

He had absolutely no idea whatsoever.

-o-

Amber returned home around noon, bummed by the fact that Loki would not return home for several hours.

It was odd, really, the way they did not seem to grow tired of each other. Well, she did not grow tired of him, at least. But it did not seem like he was growing tired of her – or so she hoped.

She was trying really hard to not fall in love with him, but he was making it extremely difficult for her, because he was suddenly all soft and warm – affectionate, quite frankly, and it was having an effect on her, no doubt.

The problem was - she didn't know what consequences if would have - if she fell utterly in love with him. What if everything fell apart? That would not end well, not at all.

And she could not even talk to someone about it.

She looked at the ceiling. "I could honestly use some advice."

-o-

She was in the kitchen - trying to bake again - when there was a sudden flash of light, resulting in a cloud of flour because - well - that happens when you are holding a cup of flour and something startles you.

"Frigga," she breathed when she saw the woman standing in her kitchen. "Hello."

Frigga looked at her, and promptly embraced her, flour and all. "Hello, dear girl," she said, smiling warmly. "I am again sorry for scaring you."

Amber shook her head. "No need to apologise. I generally startle easily."

Frigga gazed at her for a moment. "And yet, you look death in the eye without flinching. And you stand in front of Odin himself - speaking your mind. Most would be fearful, but not you. You were merely apologetic about the words you spoke, but not afraid."

Amber blinked at the woman, taken aback by the sudden turn of events. "That is...different."

Frigga smiled. "A rare soul, you are."

Amber didn't know how to react, so she just smiled. "Loki will not be home for some hours. Would you like a cup of tea?"

"That would be lovely, thank you."

-o-

"You say 'Loki will not be home'. Do you see it as his home as well?"

"Of course," Amber said, puzzled. "It is his home…is it not? He does live here, after all."

"He does," Frigga replied, giving Amber a small smile. "But not everyone would be as gracious as you." She paused for a moment. "And Loki? Does he see this as his home?"

Amber thought about this for a moment. "I assume too much, I think. Because I was about to answer 'of course' again, but I have not really thought about it. I have assumed." She paused, picking up her phone. "I believe he does," she said after a moment. "Because he sent me a message yesterday. I will be home an hour later than expected. Do try to avoid any hazardous activities in the meantime."

"That makes me happier than you can imagine," Frigga said before giving Amber an amused look. "Do you often partake in hazardous activities?"

Amber blushed. "Loki may or may not have come home just in time to catch me when I fell from the windowsill the other day. I am…decorating for Christmas."

Frigga smiled, gazing at Amber. "Is he…happy?"

Amber had to think about this for a moment. "As happy as he can be in the current situation, I think. He is out there, every day, helping restore and rebuild. And he comes home…slightly broken every day."

This resulted in a sad expression on the woman's face. "And how broken will he be in the end?"

"What? No," Amber said, puzzled. "I piece him together – as well as I am able – every day, so he can face another day out there."

"Do you, truly?" Frigga breathed. "And…he allows you?"

Amber shrugged. "Yes. That is – I don't coddle him, because I am not that kind of person, and I don't exactly deliberately piece him together, I just…do the things I do, and I think he gets sort of caught up in the ripple effects of it."

"I wish I could see him. See him happy. But I do not believe he would show me that part of him."

Amber thought about this for a moment. "Wait a moment," she said, and walked out of the kitchen. She returned with something she had forgotten about. "Here," she said softly, and placed the pictures on the kitchen table in front of Frigga.

Frigga just stared at them – the picture on top, more specifically – not even picking them up.

The top picture was of Loki sitting at the kitchen table, sporting a rather jaded look. On the plate in front of him – eggs and bacon, shaped as a smile.

The thing was, his look was jaded, not annoyed. There was a rather huge difference there.

Frigga finally picked up the pictures, putting the top picture on the table.

The second picture was of Loki as well, in the sofa this time, with a book in his lap. His eyes were on the camera, and he looked…peaceful.

The third picture was of Loki and Amber – a selfie, in fact – and they both looked rather amused. They had been outside one day, and suddenly it had begun snowing, and the wind had picked up, leaving them with red cheeks, hair in all directions, and bright eyes.

Amber had realised they looked rather ridiculous, and had flipped out her phone, pulling Loki close, and declared that they needed to 'document this moment', something he had just rolled his eyes at, but looked amused nevertheless.

The fourth picture was of them as well - she had braided glittery garlands into their hair, something Loki had 'tolerated', and then proceeded to 'tolerate' her taking a picture.

"He was in a particularly good mood that day," Amber said, smiling at the picture.

Frigga didn't utter a word. She just stared at the pictures as if they were miraculous.

The fifth picture was of her. Loki had taken it, and she had not exactly given her consent. She had been baking - with food colouring - and her face was basically a rainbow. She was pointing at the camera - obviously in the process of telling him 'don't you dare'. He dared, of course. The picture had been too hilarious to delete, however, and she had decided to print it.

Frigga put down the picture of her, and instantly dropped the sixth picture. She proceeded to gasp, and Amber froze, wondering why she reacted that way:

The picture was of Loki and Amber, but it was rather unique. Amber had found some forgotten treasures while looking for Christmas decorations - face paint, and some ridiculous hats and wigs, and had of course proceeded to paint her face. She had managed a decent skull-look, and Loki had actually laughed when he saw her. She had insisted on painting his face as well, unsuccessfully, of course.

I don't need face paint, you insufferable thing, he had declared, and then shifted to his lovely frost giant shape. She had laughed, and the frost giant had been rather amused.

But I was going to take a festive picture, she had quipped, and to her surprise, he had asked her if he was not 'festive enough'.

And so, she had taken a picture with a blue-skinned, red-eyed Loki, and he had seemed surprisingly relaxed about the whole thing.

That was of course the picture Frigga was currently looking at, and Amber wondered what she was thinking. Was she repulsed by 'the monster'? Or was this merely shock over seeing her son with blue skin, but not a look of self-hatred?

Frigga's hand was shaking when she picked up the picture again. "I never imagined… How did this happen?"

"Well, we went from him trying to intimidate me when I accidentally mentioned that he was a frost giant, to this."

"How?"

Amber shrugged. "He is still Loki, even with blue skin and red eyes. Skin colour is just skin colour – it does not change his personality. And he is rather fetching in blue, in my opinion." She paused for a moment. "He is rarely on that level of acceptance, though. I found face paint, and immediately went ahead and painted my face, because – well – I do these things. I then proceeded to fail at convincing him that he too needed face paint – because 'I don't need face paint, you insufferable thing'. He shifted, I laughed, and then melodramatically told him how he had just thwarted my plans of taking a 'festive picture'. He asked if he was not festive enough – I was surprised, believe me – and then we took that picture."

"He does not hate himself," Frigga whispered. "Oh, Loki."

"He frequently hates himself," Amber replied. "But he is getting…mellower about it. It isn't lodged into the core of him any longer. Not as much, at least."

"I never imagined I would see the day."

Amber smiled, then remembered she had one more picture, so she went to collect it.

"Here," she said, softly. "I rather like this one."

The picture was of Loki, and he was laughing. Really laughing.

"This was just a few days ago," Amber continued, and then looked at the picture for a bit. "He is extraordinary patient when it comes to me. But then again, I am rather patient with him as well. Even when he snaps at me for two days straight. It's rather miraculous, the way we get along." She paused for another moment. "He is working in a soup kitchen today. He feeds the homeless, literally. He hasn't done that so far, so I'm curious how he is doing."

Frigga was silent, and Amber realised she was fighting tears.

"He's fine," she said, quietly. "And he is genuinely looking for ways of making up for his mistakes – as far as that is possible."

"I thought he was lost for us. I had…given up."

"Someone just needed to find him again," Amber said, and Frigga looked at her with tears in her eyes.

"Are you lovers?"

Amber's eyes widened in surprise. "What? No!"

"I apologise," Frigga said, shaking her head. "Looking at these pictures – you seem so…close."

"That has more to do with who I am, I think. I do not shy away from closeness. I think I almost gave him a heart-attack when I pounced on him and hugged him – twice – because I was so happy with the result on my essay. That's who I am."

"What about in the future?"

Amber just looked at Frigga, not certain whether it was a good idea to voice her fears to the woman.

"Whatever you tell me – it will stay with me."

Amber gazed at her for another moment, but then she ran a hand through her hair, and sighed. "We live together. We go well together. Very well together, strange as that is. And it…might get complicated. For me, at least. I'm trying really hard to keep within platonic areas, but it's getting harder as time passes."

"What hinders you?"

Amber shook her head. "First of all, I have no idea how he feels about the whole thing. But by the off chance that we end up together – what if it ends badly? What will happen to him then?"

"Then I will come for my son," Frigga said without hesitation. "And I will not allow another descent into darkness for him."

Amber gave the woman a surprised look. "Wait. You approve of this?"

Frigga nodded. "My son deserves happiness. He has many faults, made many mistakes, but that is not…" she paused. "The puzzle you pieced together in front of Odin – every word was true. Loki deserves…something. He deserves a chance at something different – something…"

"He deserves a place in the world where he is good enough, just the way he is."

"Yes," Frigga said, sadly. "Yes, he does. He has never been given a chance – never. And then you came. You rare, beautiful soul. If you can make him happy… I would like for my son to be happy. And if it all goes awry, I will not waver. Not this time. Not anymore."

Amber truly believed her, and it made something inside her thaw.

She almost jumped when her phone rang.

"It's Loki," she said, and picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Hello," he replied, and she instantly heard the jaded tone in his voice.

"I can practically hear how you are radiating sarcasm. What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong, exactly. But I had the choice of telling my fellow volunteer exactly how I feel about him, or I could tell you. I chose you."

"Wise choice, probably. What is he doing?"

"He is attempting to convince me that I need Jesus in my life."

Amber couldn't help herself. She burst out laughing. "That is the most ironic thing I have heard in a very long time."

"Indeed. I am at this point tempted to flash red eyes and whisper something ominous about Lucifer."

"Sweet Merlin, he would never recover."

"He is very taken with the fact that it is Christmas - the time to celebrate Jesus."

"Did you tell him Jesus is born in March?"

"I did not," Loki replied, and his tone was amused now. "But you can be certain I will."

"Sounds good. How is your day - other than the man trying to convert you to Christianity, I mean?"

There was a pause. "I gave away my coat."

Her voice softened. "Did you, really? I understand. I think I would have done the same. Although - Loki! It's almost zero degrees! You are outside! Frost giant or no - you need to wear a coat. Next you know, the eager man trying to convert you will declare you a miracle."

"You are insufferable."

"And you are impossible. I honestly understand why you gave away your coat. But how many odd looks have you attracted so far?"

"A few."

"And by a few, you mean a whole lot? And you are still going to be there for what – five hours?"

"More or less, yes."

"I will come by in a little while with a coat."

There was a pause. "I think that would be a good idea. It just started snowing."

She rolled her eyes. "I am rolling my eyes. But all right. I will come by soon."

"Thank you," he said before pausing. "I did not exactly see any other option than giving him the coat."

"Yeah," she said, softly. "I do not doubt that. But I will stop by soon. Pretend to be cold in the meantime."

"I will," he said, but then paused. "I have to go. He is trying to tell the whole crowd that Jesus is the cure to everything."

"Tell him Jesus is born in March."

"Believe me, I will. Until later."

"Bye," she said, and hung up.

"Was that truly my son you spoke to?"

Amber looked at Frigga, finding the woman looking at her with wide eyes.

"Well, yes."

"It is one thing to hear you tell me about him – it is different to listen to a conversation like that. What did he say to you, when you mentioned frost giants?"

"He told me I am insufferable."

Frigga just shook her head.

-o-

Frigga left a little while later, and she asked Amber to not tell Loki she had been there. She had intended on answering Amber's request of advice, not to get details of her son – not in that way. Frigga would return soon – to visit Loki, and eventually Amber had agreed. Frigga was so afraid that her son would not react well to the news of her visiting without him being there, even though her intentions had been good.

Sighing, Amber put on her jacket, grabbed one of Loki's coats from the wardrobe, checked that she had her car keys, and ventured out to deliver a coat to the frost giant.