A/N: I apologize for the late update, I have been busy with holiday gatherings and whatnot. The New Year has inspired me to write a holiday-oriented chapter. I hope you all enjoy this, and as always, thank you all for your continued support! If there is anything you would like me to write about, feel free to PM me or leave a review stating so :) Enjoy!

Loki looked up as he heard the doors open. It was rather late at night from what he had gathered by his internal clock and he hadn't been expecting any visitors. Much to his surprise, he found Tony Stark strolling in, carrying some sort of holographic square and a bottle.

"Do they have any sort of holidays on Asgard?" Tony asked as he pulled up a stool, acting all business-like.

Loki regarded Tony wearily as he said cautiously, "Some, but none I really care for. Why do you ask?"

"Well Reindeer Games, you're in luck because here, Midguardians have all kinds of holidays and today happens to be one of them." Tony gestured for Loki to move closer to the bars as he placed the bottle next to the stool on the ground. "It's alright; I want to show you something."

Loki remained where he was for a moment, weighing his options. He knew Tony wouldn't try to physically abuse him like the others had, but could he really trust the man whom he had thrown out a window?

Loki slowly moved closer to the bars and watched as Tony moved his fingers across the tablet and a picture showed itself to the god. On the screen, there was some sort of colorful and shiny ball on a pole, situated in front of a building and standing above a great wave of people.

"You see all those people there? They are the ones you tried to conquer. But not even your escapades could stop them from partying. It's what we Americans love to do...party."

Loki let the remark slide as he asked, "What is the ball for?"

"You will see in approximately...twenty minutes," Tony replied, checking his watch.

"So what holiday are you celebrating today?" Loki couldn't help but ask. The ball was somewhat...mesmerizing, he had to admit.

"Today is called New Years. And in approximately twenty minutes, we will be celebrating the coming of the new year the way all Midguardians should - with good company, a view of the ball, and a bottle of wine," Tony grinned, holding up the bottle for Loki to examine through the bars.

"I don't drink," Loki said wearily as he finally tore his gaze away from the ball to look into Tony's eyes. "At least not Midguardian liquor. It isn't half as strong as anything on Asgard, and as such, it doesn't satisfy me."

"On the contrary, this is a bottle from Asgard," Tony smirked, turning the bottle around for Loki to see the logo. "Let's just say the Avengers' puppy dog owed me a favor."

Loki gazed at Tony in wonder. "You never cease to amaze, do you Stark?"

Tony just kept the stupid grin on his face as he rested the tablet on the stool so that he and Loki could both see the ball as he shifted to sit on the floor next to the bars.

"Who is the young, chatty fellow on the screen there?" Loki asked as Tony popped the bottle open.

"Ryan Seacrest," Tony replied as he raised an eyebrow at Loki. "Don't tell me you find him attractive."

Loki scoffed. "Hardly. His hair looks like a fake version of...what do you call them? Ken dolls? But he does have a handsome face."

"Do you look for handsome facial features in the men you date?" Tony asked, stroking his goatee airily.

Loki couldn't help but chuckle darkly as he looked back at the screen.

"I go for a lot more than a pretty face."

Tony smirked as he waved his hand in the air and announced, "Maestro, how about those glasses I asked for?" There was a beat of silence before the door suddenly opened and a figure walked in, carrying three glasses.

"Agent, how kind of you to join us!" Tony chimed as he didn't even look at Loki.

Loki's face paled as he instantly jerked up to his feet. What was the man he had almost killed doing here? Would he try to kill him? Punish him? Laugh at him?

Phil Coulson smiled sheepishly at Tony as he handed the inventor a glass. Turning towards the cell, Phil punched a code into the keypad next to bars and a small hole opened up in the wall to his left. A tray moved out of the hole, and Phil rested the glass on the tray, gesturing to Tony for the bottle. Handing it over happily, Tony watched as Phil poured a glass and punched in a code. Instantly the glass was dispersed to Loki, and the hole vanished. Slowly Loki took the glass and looked into Coulson's eyes as the man finally looked at him.

"Why are you doing this?" Loki asked.

"Director Fury will most likely have me committed for doing this, but I've overridden the security system so for the next thirty minutes, it will replay the previous video on a loop. He'll never notice since all you do is sit around in the same position anyway," Phil reflected as poured Tony a glass.

"But why are you doing all of this for me?" Loki asked again as he took a whiff of the Asgardian alcohol. Good stuff.

Phil looked back at Loki and sighed. "It's the start of the new year. A time for change...and maybe forgiveness? You certainly have been...atoning for your crimes rather well and when I watched the video feed of what you said the other day about me...it made me realize that maybe you're not the monster we all took you for. I'm not about to forgive you completely for you know, trying to kill me and everything, but even you deserve to celebrate the New Year Midguardian style."

"This goes against everything you stand for as a SHIELD operative, though," Loki argued, not understanding the deeper issue at play here.

"Let's just say it takes being almost killed to realize what's important in life. And while I am far from considering you a friend, let alone an ally, I believe you should celebrate your first New Years here on Earth the right way. Maybe through making you aware of what you tried to destroy, it will help you realize just how sorry you should be," Phil smiled as he poured himself a glass. "Cheers gentlemen," Phil raised his glass.

Now it makes sense, Loki thought as he raised the glass to his lips and took a swig. Tony on the other hand, took the drink like a shot and held his glass for Phil to pour another one. Phil raised his eyebrow at Tony but said nothing as he poured the man another drink and sat down, the other two following him.

"Speaking of celebrating the holiday with loved ones, how come you're not upstairs?" Tony asked, keeping his eyes on the screen.

Phil suddenly bristled and looked at Tony in shock. Loki felt he was missing something important as he looked between the two men.

"It's alright, she deserves someone like you," Tony said softly as he glanced at Phil, meeting the man's eyes and offering a smile. "You're better for her anyway."

Phil didn't say anything but looked down at his feet as he took a sip of the alcohol, instantly making a face at the taste.

"You were right when you said how strong this is," Phil coughed as he struggled to remember how to breathe. "How could you take this like a shot?"

Tony shrugged. "Easily."

Three pairs of eyes looked at the screen as a large clock projected showed that ten minutes remained.

"It's getting close, boys," Tony remarked as he leaned back on his hand while keeping his glass close to him.

"What exactly is going to happen?" Loki whispered more so to himself than to his company.

"Something magical," Phil replied as he watched the ball in anticipation.

As the clock ticked the minutes by, Tony gulping down drink after drink, and Loki occasionally sipping on his drink, Phil suddenly got a text. Pulling out his phone, he quickly read the message.

"Happy New Year Phil 3 See you soon."

Phil grinned as he sent back a reply, glancing at Tony to see if he had noticed. The genius kept his eyes on the screen but his hand didn't clench up around the glass, so Phil took it as a sign that the inventor was willing to accept and encourage the relationship. Instead of looking at the agent, Tony looked back at the god, smiling at what he saw. Loki's eyes were transfixed by the colorful ball, and he looked like a kid on Christmas. It was then that Tony realized just how green the god's eyes were. They were captivating and alluring. Tony felt himself being pulled in.

"If you lean any closer, you will touch the bars and your life will be nothing," Phil smirked, jerking the others out of their transfixion. Loki was roughly reminded that he was on the other side of a set of bars, and he couldn't help but feel that he had no right to enjoy this celebration with the two mortals. This wasn't his world, this wasn't his new year. He was a defeated god who was caged up like an animal. He deserved to rot, not to be drinking fine wine and sharing this moment with two people had wronged.

Tony saw the troubled look on Loki's face and raised his glass in front of the god.

"To a new start," Tony promised as his eyes locked with Loki's.

Loki nodded as he and Phil lifted their glasses.

"To a new start."

Suddenly the countdown began, and Loki and Phil's gazes returned to the screen. Tony however, listened to the people of New York City counting down as he took in everything about Loki's appearance. His disheveled hair, his bright, curious emerald eyes, his well-toned muscles rippling through his shirt. His crossed legs, his tight pants...

Tony felt his breath catch in his throat. The god before him truly was beautiful, a piece of artwork, and Tony longed to reach through the bars and do the one tradition he was fully supportive of.

As the clock struck midnight and the ball dropped, Loki's eyes widened as confetti burst all over the screen. As Midguardian people kissed and hugged on the screen, Loki wished he had someone to hold and love. A part of him told him he was being ridiculous for feeling such human emotions, but Loki couldn't help but feel jealousy for the humans on the screen. They were free to do as they pleased, love who they wished, and here was Loki, caged and broken.

Just then he turned his head and locked his eyes onto Tony and was startled at the intensity in the man's eyes.

"Well gentlemen, this was great and all, but I must return to work and to do some tampering with the video footage," Phil stretched as he stood up. Shaking Tony's hand, the agent turned to regard the god. "I hope that you will know how to refrain from speaking of tonight's events to Agents Barton and Romanoff."

Loki nodded. "It will be as if it never happened."

Phil smiled thankfully as he quickly made his way out of the room, most likely making his way upstairs. Once he was gone and the door was locked, Tony swiftly moved his tablet off the stool and over the keypad next to the set of bars. Pulling out a set of gloves and punching in a pattern, Tony watched as the hole in the wall opened up. Quickly Tony dropped a box through the hole and punched in a pattern, closing the hole up. It was as if Tony had never interfered with SHIELD's security.

"What is this?" Loki contemplated as he lifted up the small box for Tony to see.

"Open it," Tony whispered as he watched the god.

Loki slowly undid the green ribbon that was tied around the box and removed the lid, gasping slightly at what he saw.

Inside the box, resting on a green cushion was a small golden pendant of the exact replica of Loki's helmet. But etched into the helmet was the arc reactor. The pendant rested on a tiny gold chain and it took Loki a moment to realize it was a bracelet but of a bigger size.

"It's for your bicep," Tony admitted. "So you can hide it under your clothes when Barton and Natasha are having their fun with you. Think of it as a sign of your defeat but also a promise for a new future for when SHIELD does tire of you."

"Many Midguardians and Asguardians alike would look at such a beautiful gift as a very serious commitment promise," Loki said softly as he removed the bicep bracelet from the box. "Is that what you see it as?"

Tony shrugged as he replied, "I see it as a gift in response that all the time you have listened to me ramble."

"Prisoners do not deserve gifts," Loki replied as he went to hand the bracelet back. "I cannot accept this."

"Unfortunately you must because I'm not risking breaking in again to take back that gift," Tony smirked as he stretched his arms behind his head.

"You will be severely punished when Director Fury finds out," Loki reminded the man.

"He's not going to find out if you don't show him the gift," Tony retorted as he leaned forward. "We'll keep it our little secret, okay?"

Loki said nothing as he wrapped the bracelet around his bicep and clasped it. The bracelet hid perfectly under his sleeve.

"One of my greatest inventions," Tony boasted proudly. "And should your shirt be removed, the bracelet will change color to match your skin tone, blending in perfectly. It's a pretty neat little gift, if I do say so myself. Since it blends in with your skin, you're probably wondering why I designed it to be a bicep bracelet instead of a normal wrist one. Well…I really don't know. I guess I just enjoy dabbling in the unique. And such a unique person as yourself only deserves a unique gift."

"How can I ever thank you?" Loki asked, truly touched by Tony's thoughtfulness. A part of the god felt he was taking advantage of Tony's generosity, but the greater part of Loki knew that it wasn't so. He truly did care and value Tony as an equal, if not something greater.

"You'll find a way," Tony winked as he stood up to leave.

"You're leaving so soon?" Loki asked regretfully.

Tony rested a hand on the wall next to the bars and leaned in intimately. Loki felt himself leaning in too, although he remained aware of just how close he got to the bars. "I'll be back as soon as I can," Tony promised as he held back the urge to lean forward and capture the god's lips. "Until then, you have that bracelet to keep you company. Happy New Year Loki."

"Happy New Year Stark."

"Call me Tony," Tony begged as he pleaded with his eyes.

"When the time comes."

Tony and Loki both felt their breath catch in their throats but without another word, Tony lifted up his tablet and almost empty wine bottle, and left the room, leaving Loki feeling lightheaded and dizzy.