Author's note: Hey guys, hope you're all good! I'm sorry to be posting a Christmas chapter in literal mid-June but I couldn't help but write some Christmas fluff, hopefully one day some people will read this at Christmas time XD Hope you enjoy this chapter <3

...

When you woke up, you were in your own bed. Remembering what had happened the night before felt like getting slapped across the face... but in a good way. Fleetingly, you wondered if it had all been a cruel dream and the kiss hadn't really happened at all, but you felt different. Lighter. Your mind was completely open, you weren't hiding anything anymore. It had happened; Loki must have carried you to bed. The thought made you feel slightly faint, but again, in a good way.

And it was Christmas! Never before had the prospect of Christmas Day been more exciting to you. A quick glance at your clock told you that it was just after eight am; you got out of bed (gladly noting that you were still wearing yesterday's clothes, that would have been awkward) and had a quick shower before getting dressed and making your way to the living room.

Outside, the snow was still falling thick and fast; New York was quieter than you'd ever heard it without the usual sound of traffic and commuters going about their daily business drifting up from the streets below. Bruce, Thor and Loki were already up, an unlikely trio occupying three different sofas, and Tony and Pepper were sat at the kitchen island reading something on a tablet. As you entered the room there was a chorus of "Merry Christmas!" from everyone apart from Loki.

"Merry Christmas guys." you replied happily, receiving a hug from Pepper, and then sat yourself down on the same sofa as Loki, far enough away for it not to be suspicious but close enough that Thor gave you one of his pointed looks. Loki smiled at you briefly as you sat down, but then looked away when Thor turned to you. You were almost sat where you had been last night.

Good morning.

So normal. Like nothing had happened.

Hey. I don't seem to remember going to bed last night.

That would be because you didn't. I didn't think Stark and the others would appreciate finding us here this morning.

How thoughtful of you.

I try.

You fought back a smile. Thor was very audibly thinking that something was different between you and Loki, and you turned to look at him questioningly. He just shrugged innocently and pulled a face, clearly conveying that he knew something was going on.

We're not gonna be able to keep this from Thor for long, you know that. Or any of the others for that matter.

Loki sighed almost imperceptibly, but didn't reply. He knew alright.

Over the next half an hour the rest of the team filtered into the living room and exchanged a lot of "Merry Christmas!"s, and then some other people arrived (they looked like waiters) to turn the kitchen island into a long table for ten and set it for what you assumed would be Christmas dinner later on. You were proved wrong when Tony came and sat next to you (squashing himself in between yourself and Loki rather than on your other side where there was plenty of room, which Loki wasn't exactly pleased about), and told you that he'd hired a team of kitchen staff to cook for the ten of you today. You dreaded to think how much they were charging, but you couldn't say that you minded exactly, especially when breakfast was brought in and it was your absolute favourite breakfast dish.

You ate all together and then had your plates cleared by the waiters, and then to your horror when you all gathered back in the living room there were presents.

"You guys said you didn't get me anything!" you protested, as you were handed a small pile of presents.

"Well, I was telling the truth." Clint told you plainly, and Thor, Steve and Bruce nodded in agreement, making you laugh.

"Don't feel bad, it's only small." Nat told you, as you unwrapped a pair of gorgeous earrings set with amethysts.

"Denied. I feel awful. Thank you so much, I love them!" you exclaimed, getting up to hug her.

Tony had made you a simple looking silver bracelet which, when activated, connected to everyone's earpieces and projected a screen on to your arm, allowing you to see everyone's locations alongside a whole bunch of other cool stuff which he said he'd explain to you another time.

Bucky had got you something silly; an inside joke from weeks ago, and after that you were content to sit back and watch everyone else open their presents. Loki had nothing, which you supposed you shouldn't have been surprised about, but it still made you sad.

No sympathy, please.

I'm sorry.

Were you really expecting them to forgive me so quickly and eagerly that they bought presents?

I guess not. I'm sorry I didn't get you anything.

Yes, well. I'm crushed.

You couldn't help the smile which forced its way onto your lips, and determinedly avoided looking at Thor, who was looking between you and Loki almost gleefully.

Once all the presents had been opened the TV was switched on and the first of what you were sure would be many Christmas films started to play. Tony pulled more champagne out of the kitchen cupboard ("Tony it's half past ten, put the alcohol down." "Oh don't be such a killjoy, it's Christmas!") and forced a glass on each of you, even Loki, who eyed it suspiciously before taking a sip. He looked pleasantly surprised at the taste.

"Merry Christmas!" Tony toasted, and you all raised your glasses.

The next few hours passed in a haze of laziness and happiness. Bruce became outraged when he learnt that you didn't know how to play chess and insisted on teaching you; which was more funny than anything with Tony trying to coach you at regular intervals over your shoulder and Bruce telling him that he had no idea what he was talking about and that "under no circumstances should you ever listen to Tony when chess is involved". After you'd played Bruce four times with no success you decided that chess wasn't one of your strengths and instead joined Thor on the sofa with Nat, who was trying in vain to explain the plot of 'Elf' to him.

Then someone produced Trivial Pursuit and you had to quickly explain to Loki that this wasn't a game you could easily cheat at before he got himself into a difficult situation. You sat on the floor around the board with Nat, Bruce, Tony and Clint and played for about ten minutes before Loki got the gist of it and started thinking of ways to cheat.

Just read their minds when they have the answer in front of them.

No!

Why not?

Did it occur to you that I might be able to win without cheating?

No, you're doing terribly.

You supressed an eye roll and rolled the dice. It landed on one. You could practically feel the smugness radiating from Loki who was sat in the sofa behind you.

Shut up.

I didn't say anything!

Shush.

You lost. Terribly. Luckily though there was no time to dwell, because there were some delicious looking and trays full of food being delivered to the table in the kitchen, filling the room with gorgeous aromas. Everyone gathered swiftly around the table; breakfast had only been a few hours ago but it had been perfectly portioned so that you were all hungry enough to want to eat again now. You were sat with Loki to your right and Bucky to your left, opposite Nat who threw you a particularly un-subtle look which was obviously a gesture to the fact that you and Loki had chosen to sit next to each other. Loki noticed this and brushed his hand against your leg under the table; Nat thought that you flamed red because of her look. She was wrong. Loki was smiling.

Tony cut the turkey: an extraordinary feat because it was about the size of a small car. Eventually everyone had food on their plates, but Pepper stopped everyone before they started eating, waving her cracker in the air.

"Crackers first!"

You grabbed your cracker which was on the table in front of your plate in your right hand and passed it under your left arm to Bucky, holding your left hand out around your chest to Loki, who looked bewildered, but soon cottoned on when he saw everyone doing the same and forming a chain around the table.

This is absurd.

This is Christmas!

You counted down from three and everyone pulled, causing an inconsistent series of bangs around the table. You were left holding two ends; Loki had bested you and Thor, who was sat to his right, winning two crackers. He looked at least vaguely pleased as he noticed that you were empty handed and handed one of his crackers to you.

"Ah, he does have a heart." you muttered, accepting the gift with a smile.

"It would seem so." he replied, unheard by anyone else around the table.

You had one of those ridiculous oversized paper clips which would never realistically be used for anything, and jammed your paper hat on to your head in annoyance.

"I always get the rubbish stuff." you complained when Bucky laughed.

"As opposed to what? The amazing stuff you get from crackers?" he teased.

"I would be happy with a fortune fish. Or a mini stapler, they're really useful!" you decided, scowling when Clint waved a fortune fish at you from across the table.

"Oh no, I got one of them when I was a kid and stapled my thumb accidentally. That was not a fun Christmas dinner." Pepper told you; you and Bucky creased with laughter.

Loki was regarding the paper hat and mini spinning top he had pulled from his cracker with suspicion; whereas Thor was delightedly examining the tiny card set he had won.

Absurd.

Just wear the hat you Scrooge.

What's a Scrooge?

It's from a film, I'll tell you later.

Then you ate. And ate. And ate some more, until you were convinced that you would never be able to move from the chair you were currently sat in ever again. You couldn't remember ever being this happy; finally you knew how it felt to have a proper Christmas Day. With a family. You thought back to last Christmas which you had spent in your room, present-less, listening to your foster parents get drunk with some of their friends from across the hall.

Loki, who was fixated on an intense debate with Thor about some Asgardian politics, shifted slightly in his chair to press his leg against yours under the table. He'd heard your thoughts. You were suddenly overcome by an intense urge to be back in his arms again.

Later.

I'll hold you to that.

I'd like nothing more.

The waiters came back and cleared your plates, and at the mention of dessert there was a collective groan from around the table.

"Would it be possible for us to have dessert a bit later on?" Tony asked one of the waiters, who nodded.

"Preferably in about two weeks." Clint added.

It was another twenty minutes before you recovered enough from the enormous amount of food you had just eaten to move yourself from the table to a sofa, where you collapsed. The others followed suit, splaying across the sofas or, in Clint's case, the floor.

"I'm going into a food coma." he groaned.

You knew how he felt.

Home Alone was playing; after a while the urge to lie back against Loki (who was leaning back against the arm of the sofa behind you) and just go to sleep became almost overwhelming.

Just come here Y/N.

You know I can't.

Why?

Tony will have a heart attack. Nat and Clint will try and fight you. Thor will explode.

Fair enough.

We have to tell them though. Just not today.

Maybe.

You rolled your eyes. Thor beamed at you, and then Loki.

"Tony, what's happening with the New Year's party?" Nat suddenly asked.

"It's happening. That's all that's planned at the moment." Tony replied.

"That'll be good then. Just us getting drunk and some music?"

"No! I won't forget this year. It's going to be amazing." he asserted.

You were filled with excitement at the thought of another party. Loki not so much.

By the time the film ended Steve, Thor, Bruce and Tony had all fallen asleep, Nat and Clint were lying on the floor engaged in an intense game of Battleships, Bucky was reading a book and Pepper had disappeared downstairs to ask the kitchen staff if they could bring dessert up.

You were comfy enough to go to sleep, and might actually have drifted off if Loki hadn't suggested going up to the roof through your mind. He left first, largely unnoticed, and you followed about three minutes later, groaning exaggeratedly as you removed yourself from the sofa, earning a laugh from Clint and a knowing grin from Nat as you left the room.

Loki was waiting for you in the hallway and held out a hand for you as you approached him. You took it, and suddenly you were on the roof. You staggered, blinking a few times to make sure you weren't hallucinating.

"Maybe tell me when you're about to do that next time?" you suggested to a grinning Loki.

"Sorry. It's quicker than taking the elevator." he replied, pulling you towards him and putting his arms around you.

It was still snowing, but not as heavily now, flurries of snowflakes falling gently and chasing each other through the air rather than hurtling straight towards the ground. New York was painted white: the snow a colourless blanket which covered everything and muffled any sound which tried to emerge from amongst it. And it was cold.

"It's so beautiful." you said, turning your head sideways to rest against Loki's chest as you looked out across the white, glittering city.

Loki made a noncommittal sound in response, and you turned instead to look up at him. He really was beautiful, especially with little bits of snow getting stuck in his hair. You smiled at the sight, and then he was kissing you again and everything else was forgotten; for the minute the only things you were aware of was the feel of his lips against yours and his arms wrapped tight around you. Eventually though the chill which was slowly making its way to your bones became too much, and a violent shiver ran through you which made Loki pull away.

"Let's go back inside."

"No, not yet." you insisted, turtling inside your hoodie for warmth and wrapping your arms around him tighter, before realising that he wasn't exactly a source of heat. You fit exactly underneath Loki's chin; he rested his head on top of yours as you stood in the snow.

"I don't want to have to hide from the others. They deserve to know anyway." you said, and felt Loki nod.

"Yes, but you'll just have to find the right time to tell them."

"I think you mean we."

"Fine, but I'm not telling Stark. I'll tell Thor." he said, and you laughed.

"You'll have to watch it, he might try and hug you."

"You're right. Maybe I will tell Stark." he grimaced, making you smile.

"Tony will be fine about it. Eventually. They all will." you told him.

He didn't reply. You stood like that for a while longer before you started shivering almost uncontrollably and Loki forced you back inside out of the snow. The rest of the day passed in a happy blur of dessert, lots more alcohol, an intense couple of hours of Wii Sports and drunk dancing until late at night.

The Avengers, as it turned out, knew how to do Christmas properly.