Esme had been through many a battles and had no fear.

But hosting this little Christmas party...it had her scared straight.

While she and Thor did not have much in the way of money, or holiday decorations, or any of Earth's technology, their friends chipped in. Pepper, Wanda, and Laura had come early to help.

Laura and Esme were in charge of decorations, Pepper and Wanda took care of food, setup, and music. Thor had disappeared from the house, mentioned that he'd be back. He hadn't given much detail other than that.

"I feel like we should be doing more than this," said Esme to Laura.

"It's a small party. Or are you talking about for Christmas?"

"For the actual holiday. We should be embracing your culture."

"You two have been through a lot." Laura offered Esme an easy smile. "It's okay, our culture is pretty expansive. It's hard to get it all down. But holidays are a good start."

Pepper had music going through the house via her phone, playing Christmas tunes in moderate volume.

A cold blast shook Esme through her bones as the door opened. Rather than seeing Thor or any of the guests, the top of a tree tried to cram its way in.

"What in the bloody hell?" Esme went to tug the tree in. Some of the needles littered the floor as it squeezed through. Esme was nearly bowled over with the tree once Thor got inside, kicking the door shut with his foot. "Thor?"

"You can't do Christmas without a tree."

"Where are we going to put it? We need to keep it standing with something, and we'll need to water it."

"I know a good place to put it," said Laura. "Let me go out to my car."

"What for?"

"He wanted to surprise you with this, I got the stuff so you can maintain it."

Thor set the tree upright, supporting it with his weight. He peeked around the needles. "What do you think?"

"You just made woodland creatures homeless," said Esme, putting hands to her hips.

"I didn't chop down the forest. This is part of the holiday. We get to decorate it with trinkets, ornaments, and lights. They usually put a star or an angel atop the tree."

Laura came back with the things necessary to prop the tree, then ran back out only to bring in a box or two of lights and ornaments.

"We've got way too many at home. I'd rather have a friend take them off my hands," she said, placing the boxes on the couch. "If you'd like, you two can commandeer the tree. I'll check in with Pepper and Wanda and see how things are going."

Thor gestured to the tree. "Shall we?"

The two started with the lights, which was an experience in itself. Esme found herself tangled, to which Thor had to help her untangle. That turned into them both being corralled by the lights. Wanda used her magic from the kitchen to help the Asgardians out.

As Thor started winding the lights around the tree, Esme went through the ornaments that Laura had brought. A lot looked like children's toys, some looked like pop culture references Esme didn't quite understand. Some were generic.

Once Thor got the lights plugged in, the living room became more colorful. Esme looked in awe at the different colors.

"Ornaments next," she said.

Thor took the upper half of the tree, Esme the bottom. She became enthralled with ornament placement. It made her feel more human.

"Looks great, guys," Wanda called from the kitchen.

The ladies allowed Thor and Esme to have some downtime. Esme felt lucky to have them in her life.

"And here you were worried!" Thor said to Esme. She snuggled into his side on the couch, eyes transfixed on the tree they'd decorated.

"I don't want to feel as though I have to rely on them for everything," she admitted. "But I don't even know where to begin to obtain a wage, let alone employment."

"Well, that may require expanding your exploration."

"You mean...move?"

Thor shrugged. "You'd spoken of it briefly. There isn't much that is offered in town. It might be time."

Esme chewed on her bottom lip. Where would they even go? Could they even afford a place to crash in until they got their feet under them? "Do you really want to live in your truck? It's not very roomy."

"We can put your place up for sale."

"Don't you need money to do so?"

"Quite frankly, I'm not in Earth's real estate business, so, I don't know. But we can always ask and see what our options are."

The decision weighed heavy in Esme's mind until guests arrived.

The event was dry, due to the children in attendance. Everything seemed to go smooth and ease her nerves as the time passed. Thor did venture at times away from her, but he always seemed to migrate back, as though there was an invisible tether keeping them linked.

When Esme wasn't engaged in conversation, rather just listening, her mind travelled back to the heavy decision. Was it time to move to better opportunities? Where could she even start? What could she do?

Thor noticed Esme deep in thought. He took her hand, squeezing gently. She squeezed back but still concentrated on the idea.

In Esme's eyes, the party was a success. Everyone pitched in with cleanup, the kids included who hadn't passed out. Once everyone said their goodbyes and the Christmas music was stopped, the house became quiet.

Esme, drained, pulled herself to the bedroom. She had half a mind to not change into nightwear and go to sleep as she was. She ended up changing.

Esme was about to go to bed before she realized Thor was not ready to join her. She sauntered out back down the hall to find him watching the tree, as though it would do something.

"Do you like our work that much?" Esme teased him through a yawn. "I don't believe there is such a job as Christmas tree decorators."

"Could you have ever imagined we found ourselves here, on Earth?"

"Never in a million years. I would've never seen myself settling down here, going through what I have, and along the way..."

Thor rose a curious brow at her. "Care to finish that thought?"

Esme swallowed. "I'm not sure if I should. It's not—it's not bad, it's just..."

"It's difficult to say out loud. Believe me, I know." Thor held a hand out for her to take. She approached and took it.

Esme's eyes went to the tree. This moment, this place, it was all theirs. She never felt more comfortable. While the decision to move was still at the forefront of her mind, she knew if she acted, she wouldn't be alone. Thor would more than likely follow her, if their history was anything to go by.

"I never thought I'd end up loving the King of Asgard."

"Former king, Esme. That's an important detail."

Esme snorted. "I never wanted the throne and the spoils that came with loving a royal. I loved you because of how much you had surprised me with your personality. I'd thought you would've become an unruly brat."

Thor's cheeks tinted red. "I...I had been. You weren't there for that phase."

"I'm glad that I wasn't. You care so much about the safety of others, as a prince—king, whichever—should. Even when you're down, you find ways to rise. You're deceivingly clever."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Well, I heard others often mutter you were quite the...the idiot when it came to certain things. Idiotic, arrogant. I guess in the time I didn't see you, you got knocked down a few pegs."

"It was for the better."

"I agree. I mean, look at you now! This was the man I said yes to when he proposed back on Asgard, in the midst of battle." She gave his hand a squeeze. "This was the man I intended to marry." But we never got so far as to ever figure out the big details. Images of an out-of-shape Thor made Esme shudder. He had not been himself, he had not been happy. He had spent his time living in shame, in self-loathing.

Esme was sure he still had those days, but it no longer had as much power over him as it once did.

An idea sparked in her mind, a monumental thought. "Marry me."

Thor took a double take at her. "What?"

"Marry me," she repeated.

"So it wasn't the right time when I asked, but when you go demanding, you expect me to go along with it?" While Thor wasn't so much angry, he sounded mildly baffled and annoyed. "What if I didn't believe this was the right time to propose engagement? I was told that holidays are the most cliché of times to do such a thing."

Esme rolled her eyes. "Yes, that may be true, but...this technically is not a holiday. Christmas is not today."

"Esme." Thor turned to stare down at the female Asgardian. "This is not the proper time. Would I like for us to be wed? Absolutely, without a doubt. This...this is not the time. Perhaps we'll be ready down the road."

"So, you're saying yes, in a way." To Esme, this was not a rejection. This was the same treatment she had given Thor. She did not like the taste in her mouth.

"I'm saying that when the proper time comes, whoever asks first, the other will more than likely say yes."