"Loki? What the hell are you doing!?" Tony called.
The horned figure snorted then leapt into the air and crashed to the ground and started walking away like he hadn't noticed the Avengers at all. "Alright, let's bring him down," Steve said.
Tony nodded, ready to take down his lover and figure out what the hell was going on. Thor had a frown on his face as he swung the hammer, ready to launch himself into the sky.
"Something on your mind?" Steve asked Thor.
The god shook his head, "No tis nothing," he said before flinging himself into the air and towards the horned figure.
Tony took off after him while the others sprinted that way on foot. He could see the figure sprinting from them at a distinctly not-human pace. He glanced at Thor before muttering, "To hell with it. Full thrust Jarvis. I'm done playing case," he said.
"Of course," Jarvis said and the suit blasted forward.
Tony slammed into the horned man and they both hit the ground hard, skidding and rolling through sand before finally coming to a halt. The figure got up and tried to take off but Tony grabbed an ankle, surprised to find his hand wrapped around what appeared to be the very large leg of a goat complete with a hoof stomping against the ground and trying to get away from Tony's grasp.
Tony rolled over enough to look up and found himself staring into the face of a very hairy man with a very long tongue curled out of a mouth filled with very sharp teeth.
"What the-" Tony's thought was cut off by a swift kick and he let go and the goat man took off again. Thor flew by over head and slammed into the man, pinning the goat man to the ground with mjolnir.
Tony got off, brushing himself off before walked over to the man and looked down at him. Definitely not Loki.
"Who are you?" Tony asked.
The man growled and hissed in a language Tony didn't know. He looked to Thor. Thor frowned, "I do not know that tongue."
"Speak English?" tony asked, lifting his face shield and kneeling down by him.
"Why?" The man spat.
"What's your name?" Tony asked.
"Krampus," he said.
Tony blinked a few times, "Like bad Santa Clause?" He asked.
He'd heard the name before, usually during some holiday bar crawl done for laughs around the holiday. "Uh-huh, and what are you doing there Krampus?"
"Remove this weight!" Krampus demanded.
Tony looked at Thor.
"You will answer our questions?" Thor asked.
"Remove the weight!" Krampus repeated.
Thor sighed, and leaned down and removed Mjolnir. Even though Tony expected, the goat hoof to the chest knocked him back and Krampus was on the run again. This time Steve and the others had caught up. The shield flew and caught the fleeing man between the shoulder blades but he kept running. Clint shot an arrow that burst with electricity and while sparks ran across the darkly furred skin, Krampus didn't stop. Thor started winding up the hammer for a toss and Tony got his chest beam charging. As Tony fired, the hammer flew alongside the blast heading for a dead center bull's eyes when they suddenly hit a force field. Tony's shot exploded in a rush of smoke and light and Thor's hammer dropped straight to the ground.
"That is enough!" came Loki's voice.
Tony put his face plate back down to block the smoke and Jarvis immediately highlighted Loki standing between them and Krampus. What the hell now?
"Loki, what madness is this?" Thor called, "You disturb Midgard on its most holy of days?"
"I am disturbing nothing!" Loki snapped.
"Funny how that looks from over here," Tony said.
The smoke slowly drifted away on the ocean breeze and Tony got a clear view of Loki. He was in his casual clothes, a green sweater that looked a bit worse for the wear, and jeans. He had one hand held out to his side and one up in front of himself. To Loki's side, Krampus floated in the air, struggling with invisible bonds, Loki's doing no doubt.
"OPA!" Krampus sounded almost whining.
"That is enough!" Loki snapped.
Krampus huffed and crossed his arms.
"Your involvement is not required in this matter," Loki said, turning to the Avengers.
"Ah no, this falls right under things we're involved with," Clint said.
Loki narrowed his eyes, "I have no wish to fight you."
"What?" Tony and Thor said.
"Who is that?" Tony asked.
"OPA!" Krampus groaned again.
Thor frowned, "Brother...we need not be enemies. This creature is harming-"
"He was confused and mistaken. I am going to take him home," Loki said.
Krampus muttered something else under his breath.
Tony shook his head and tried to think when suddenly something hit him. "Opa? You're calling Loki Opa?" He asked Krampus.
The goat man just snorted and looked away from Tony.
"Grandpa," Natasha said as she landed easily in the middle of the standoff.
"Grandpa?" Thor repeated then frowned at Loki. "What is the meaning of this?"
Loki let out a long breath, "Hel has had a child, yes," he said.
Thor was suddenly across the field and pulling Loki into a hug, "Brother! Congratulations!"
"Put me down! He is thousands of years old already!" Loki struggled to escape.
Thor finally released Loki, "Yes, yes, take him home. I will accompany you," Thor said.
"We're just letting this go?" Clint asked.
Steve sighed, "What is going on exactly?"
"This is my grandson. He came to earth expecting to be as it was thousands of years ago. He got confused looking for those who followed him ages ago. I am taking him home," Loki said.
Steve sighed, "Just get out of here. We need to do some clean up."
"Already called it in. Coulson's on it," Natasha said.
Steve nodded, "Then let's get home. I think we have some pot roast still left," he said and headed for the jet.
Tony stayed where he was just staring at Loki.
Loki sighed softly and caught Tony's eyes, "Go with your allies man of iron. We will speak once I have finished," he said.
Tony nodded and finally headed back with the others. He stayed lost in his thoughts the whole ride back and sat in front of the TV with hot chocolate watching Christmas movies well past the time the other Avengers had all left.
It was after midnight when soft footsteps sounded across the floor. "I thought you would be sleeping," Loki said as he sat beside Tony.
Tony shook his head, "What the hell Loki."
Loki sighed and took the hot chocolate from Tony's hand. Tony felt the spark of magic and then steam rising from the mug. Loki sipped before saying, "I am sorry."
"You have...you have a grandson. You have kids? Jesus Loki, when were you going to tell me?" Tony asked, standing up to pace.
Loki watched him, "I was trying to find a good time. You forget I am countless years older than you," Loki said.
"Yeah and reminding me is not helping right now," he said, running a hand through his hair.
"Krampus is home. He apologizes for the harm."
"Yeah, yeah I bet he does. Jesus. So what? This was stay with grandpa for the holidays?" Tony asked.
"No. I went to visit my children for the holiday. I brought them small gifts. Krampus is a clever child and followed me back to earth. He meant no harm."
"Tell that to the families he terrorized today."
"I have already dealt with them. They will believe all this a strange bad dream, nothing that lingers and hurts," Loki said.
Loki sat down the mug and stood up to catch Tony's hand, "Please believe me. I was going to tell you," he said.
"Yeah? Then why the hell haven't you?" Tony asked, not pulling away.
"I wanted to talk to my children about it first. I have never been involved with a mortal before, so I wished to speak to them before telling you," he said.
Tony frowned, "And what'd they have to say?"
"They all were curious how some mortal could have captured my heart," Loki said, pulling Tony close.
"Hm. So, how many kids?"
"Three. Hel, Fenrir and Jörmungandr," he said, "They are all older than you as well."
Tony just snorted.
"They would like to meet you," Loki said, "If you would like to."
"If I'm meeting kids, does that mean we're official?" Tony asked.
"Official?" Loki asked.
"Dating or whatever."
Loki smiled and leaned down to kiss Tony deeply. "We are more than official."
Tony grinned, "Oh hey, before you distract me with that silver tongue of yours," he said and pulled from Loki to riffle under the tree.
Loki arched a brow, "What are you doing?"
"Gift. I've got a gift for you," he pulled out a small box then dropped to one knee just like he practiced as he opened the red and green box. Inside shimmered the best ring money could buy: rubies, emeralds and diamonds glittering around the purest of gold.
"What is it?" Loki asked.
"A ring. It's... a person thing. How we ask about being more than official. Marriage type of thing."
Loki took the ring from the box, pleased when it fit his thin finger, "And is that what you are proposing?"
"Hell yeah baby. You and me against the universe."
Loki grinned and pulled Tony up into another kiss, "Yes you insufferable fool. Yes."
Tony grinned and kissed Loki towards the bedroom door, "Well how about we kick off Christmas with some bed-breaking celebration then huh?"
Loki grinned and scooped Tony into his arms, carrying Iron Man into the bedroom and into a very Merry Christmas and a new year of mischief.