Holiday Crafts and Cuddles (for Harley)

[coldsong]

This is the first year Loki has had a Christmas tree. It's basically for the children, and they clearly picked out both tree and decorations, because the aesthetic is best described as eclectic. The tree itself is artificial, glittery white tinsel, and three-fourths of the ornaments are homemade. There are paper-chains, strands of popcorn and cranberries, little cut-out salt-dough ornaments, and a lot of little childish drawings on ribbons. There are also a lot of feathers, pinecones and little bits of holly and greenery and mistletoe all over it, and on the very top, rather than a star or an angel, is a model ship with the royal seal of Asgard painted on the sails.

When Harley arrives, the children have spread out the pieces for the construction of the Mari Lwyd on the floor around the tree. The horse's skull stands out--it's papier mache rather than real bone, but it's very realistic--and the pole and wires it's normally strung to are propped behind the couch. There are lengths of ribbon, glue and glitter and paints and beads and all manner of supplies laid out on the table.

The house smells of apple cider and gingerbread. These are not all Asgardian traditions; most of them are not, in fact, but anything to make the children happy.

Comments

[sweetcandygirl]

Since the evening is all about playing with ribbons, and paper mache, and other crafts.... Harley has come dressed in a outfit that is completely recycled from paper. And she raided her craft supplies, and some of Alex's craft supplies, to be bringing a few boxes with her.

She takes a deep breath of the apple cider and gingerbread.

"Honey! I'm home!" She yells out as she taps on the door with her boot, since her arms are full.

[coldsong]

Agnarr, ever dutiful, was watching for her through the window, and opens the door for her almost immediately. He is silent, as usual, but he has a big grin on his face. Harley is always fun, and always understanding of their individual quirks and needs. He holds out his arms, offering to help her with the boxes, and he'll also give her a brotherly kiss on the cheek.

The children are mostly in pajamas, though Eindrid has a little teddy-bear sweater on over his onesie. The girls get up with happy squeals to come hug her, and Loki is not far behind. He's barefoot, but in his usual dark trousers, but also wearing a green smoking jacket that looks like it might be a vintage imitation.

"Oh, Norns, you look adorable," the compliment just slips out. There is something about the silhouette of the skirt that apparently hits him just the right way. "I mean, you always look lovely, dearest."

[sweetcandygirl]

She gladly lets him take some of the boxes from her, in good timing since the girls are approaching for hugs.

Harley blows Loki a kiss when he tells her that she looks adorable.

"I love that jacket. You look so handsome."

[coldsong]

Loki beams, and smooths the lapels of his jacket as if he were a bird preening. "It's soft; it'll be perfect for cuddling while the movies play."

Once the children have had their hugs, he offers her his hand and kisses the back of hers gallantly. "And here we've laid everything out on the floor. Would you rather I moved the craft supplies to the table so you don't crush your dress?"

"We made gingerbread!" Una tells Harley happily. "It took so much honey Loki had to go out and get more and he bought a lot of snacks while he was out but he said we can't have any until you get here and now you're here!"

"Would you like some cider?" Sigrid smiles up at her.

[sweetcandygirl]

Harley runs her hands down the jacket, testing out the softness of it. And nods with a smile. "Oh yes. Give me another reason to cuddle you for endless hours."

"The dress is made for crushing. And some ripping." She winks playfully at them. She has no problems getting on the floor, down to the kids level of craft play time.

"Now did he have to retrieve the honey like Pooh Bear, and float up a honey tree with a big red balloon tied to his waist. And if so, did someone take pictures?"

"And I am glad you waited for me for snack enjoyment."

"I would love some cider, thank you Sigrid."

[coldsong]

"I like to hedge my bets," he says, and leans in to hug her gently, breathing in the scent of her hair. Were the children not present, he might be doing more than hugging, but restraint is best at the moment.

"I think I was hungry," he admits when Una crows about snacktime. "I bought a fruit tray, but there were so many little candies and cookies there, too. Sigrid, if you would get Harley some cider, I'll put out the rest of the food."

That leaves the other children to happily lead the way to the pile of crafting materials on the floor. The television is on, playing the classic 'Yule Log' fire channel, with Christmas carols in the background.

"I bet if Loki wanted to get honey he could turn into a bee," Una says thoughtfully. "It's too bad Pooh couldn't do that."

Agnarr signs: "I think Loki is more like Tigger than Pooh."

[sweetcandygirl]

"I do love fruit. And candies. And cookies." Harley grins. All good things to snack on in her books.

"I wonder if his bee instincts would kick in, and he would want to protect the honey, over actually getting it."

"Pooh did pretend to be a rain cloud. He never thought of pretending to be a honey bee."

Harley grins. "I am more like Tigger than Loki is. Hmmmm… I think if anyone, Loki is a bit more like Rabbit. He is not visually excitable like Tigger is. Likes to keep his home protected and in order. Gets frustrated with those who try to muddle in his affairs. But also there to help a friend in need."

[coldsong]

The real question is whether Loki would be a female bee or a drone. Probably the former, though most likely a worker rather than a queen. He is, by the way, overhearing this conversation, but chooses to let it run its course out of sheer amusement. It takes him a couple trips to bring the fruit and sweets from the kitchen and set it all on the tea table at the end of the room. There's easily enough for ten or twelve humans, though of course the children have bigger appetites.

"I don't think Papa can be a rain cloud," Sigrid brings a steaming mug over, with a napkin wrapped around it to keep it from burning anyone's hands. "Maybe Uncle Thor could be though?"

"Ooh," Una looks struck by Harley's pronouncement. "There's a part in one of the movies where Rabbit adopts a baby bluebird! Have you seen that one, Harley?"

"Boobird?" Eindrid plops down next to Harley and picks up a ribbon to play with.

[sweetcandygirl]

"We could write a play. And give everyone roles. Thor definitely should be a rain cloud." Mostly because she knows that Thor would only dress up as a rain cloud for the children.

"No I haven't. But see... Rabbit adopts children. Loki adopted you all. So it is a perfect fit."

"Boobird Boobird where did you go.... up in the air...." She uses her hands to fly them up in the air. "Boobird Boobird where do you play … oh my, look out... it is going for your nose!"

Her hands fly over to Eindrid and she 'catches' his nose with her fingers.

[coldsong]

Sigrid's eyes light up. You said the magic words, Harley. She is very interested in a play. "I've never written one before...have you written a play before, Harley?"

"Loki! You're Rabbit!" Una yells across the room, and her papa winces slightly at the volume.

"Indoor voice, älskling. You don't want to scare Santa Claus away in case he's flying around outside, hm?" Nevertheless, he puts some cookies and fruit on a little plate and brings it over, sitting on the floor next to Harley, grinning at her interaction with the baby.

Eindrid chants "Boobird!" along with her, and when she nabs his nose his eyes cross slightly as he follows her fingers, and then he laughs and rolls onto his back, clapping.

"Oh dear, is there a bluebird loose in the house? Can it be lured to me with oranges or cherries? Chocolate teddy grahams are also an option." Loki holds out the plate to Harley with a smile.

[sweetcandygirl]

"A few times. Scripts and plays are good mental health exercises, when you are a therapist. You can get your patient to act out their worries and concerns, using characters."

"And I did a few puppet shows too." Some were traps for Batman.

"Santa definitely enjoyed meeting all of you at the Dawning event. He told me that he was going to pay extra attention to designing your gifts." And yes, Harley is one of those adults that believes in Santa Claus. She ain't telling the kids any lies right now.

"Ohhh oranges and cherries are much better decisions than this nose I caught..." Harley looks at the 'pretend nose' in her fingers. And then gently places it back on Eindrid's face. "Consider your nose saved for another day. Smell you later, nose."

"Are they Christmas oranges? Those are the best."

[coldsong]

Sigrid looks fascinated by this concept. "...my therapist doesn't do that. I get to play with clay and color, though, and he'll play music if I ask."

She giggles a little at the puppet shows. "SkekGra likes to show us puppet shows whenever we see him. He gave us some puppets, too. Maybe we should play with them sometime."

Because there are not human children, Loki has had to explain Santa Claus to them in terms of historical and mythological origins. They are content to understand him as a spirit of the season that loving adults in their lives embody, at this point, so no one's going to question Harley believing in Santa Claus. She's Santa Claus, too!

Loki sits next to her with a sputter of laughter at 'smell you later'. The children are giggling, as well, and once Loki is settled, Eindrid scrambles closer to lean against his crossed legs.

"They are the best Christmas oranges I could find," Loki says, and offers to feed her a slice affectionately. "I do like holiday traditions involving food. There might just be chocolate oranges in some stockings, as well."

Harley may or may not have noticed the stocking with her name on it amongst the children's stockings on the mantle.

[sweetcandygirl]

"If you are interested in puppet therapy, you should speak to your therapist about it. Most therapists are willing to try new things to help open the path of communication." Harley suggests softly.

"And if you would like to... you are welcome to join me at one of the Survivors Sisterhood sessions." Sigrid is a survivor of her own right after all. And that is what the group is about.

Once Loki is settled, and mentions the stocking... Harley's eyes go right to the where her stocking is hung with care. "Oh dear. Did someone forget to mention that patience is not my forte?"

[coldsong]

Sigrid has to think about this for a moment, because the things she is working through are related to terrible violence at the hands of forces that seem far too big to be represented by puppets. But for other things, like getting along with human friends, playing with puppets might be nice. "Okay." She says softly, then smiles and leans in to hug Harley. "If I have questions about therapy I can ask you, right?"

"I'd like to come some time," she adds, nodding, and looks to Loki. "Can I?"

"If Harley thinks it's all right, you may." He nods and kisses his daughter's forehead. Some of the topics may be a little old for a small girl, but he trusts Harley to know what Sigrid can handle, and answer any awkward questions that arise. She's the single most important female influence in these childrens' lives, not counting Loki's own feminine side.

The stockings are a lighter topic, and Loki is not displeased to move on to them when Harley's attention goes there. He breaks into a grin. "Fortunately, as Santa's elf, I anticipated your lack of patience. There are a few things for you there, as well as some small gifts the children can open now in theirs."

[sweetcandygirl]

"I welcome any questions you might have. I hope that you can consider me a safe person to talk to." Harley as a previous therapist herself, knows the importance of having people who support the therapy and understand it are very essential.

And Harley knows that if there are any topics that might be a little old for Sigrid, that it is best if they are there together to listen. So that Sigrid can ask questions.

"You would look sexy in an elf costume..." Harley mutters to Loki, as she stands at his invitation to retrieve her stocking. She brushes a kiss to his forehead, appreciating the fact that he anticipated her lack of patience.

He gets her chaotic 'I want it now' side.

She picks up her stocking, and also gets the small gifts for the children that he indicated. Handing them out to each one.

[coldsong]

Sigrid nods eagerly at Harley. Of course she's a safe person to talk to! Loki has reassured the kids of that time and again--they can talk to Harley or Uncle Thor for big problems, and Mrs. Hedgeworthy (who is pretty trustworthy herself) will always help them get to them if they ask.

Loki leans into the kiss but gives a sputter of laughter at the suggestion of an elf costume. "Well, I quite liked yours, but I'm not sure it's my size," he says. And she can take that at face value; he would wear the exact same cut and style of costume willingly, in male or female form, but he's a fair bit taller.

The children fish little wrapped gifts from their stockings, and oranges, and bags of glazed nuts and raisins. Their miniature gifts seem to consist of crayons and pencils, little scented lotions and lip gloss, and a couple palm-sized windup toys made of beautifully painted tin.

Harley's is heavier. She'll find crayons in hers, as well, and a holiday coloring book, but there's also chocolates filled with raspberry liqueur, a chocolate orange, and a box of dense, silver-dollar-sized little cakes wrapped in sweet-scented leaves, with words in an unfamiliar language carved into the lid of the box. "Marzipan from Alfheim," Loki says. "I'd go a bit slow with those, and don't share with anyone human; they've been known to induce euphoria in adult Asgardians so they're rather strong."

There's also a henna self-tattoo kit, nuts and oranges like the children have, and a heavy serpent arm-cuff. "No magic in that one, but it's an antique. I thought it was charming," Loki tells her.

And last, at the toe of the stocking, wrapped carefully in a silk handkerchief, is a peculiar little toy, of the 'so ugly it's cute' variety. "I don't even know," Loki explains. "She looked lonely."

He's not without a sense of whimsy, after all. "There's something else for you as well," he murmurs close to her ear, "but it will have to wait until the children have gone to bed."

[sweetcandygirl]

"And I... definitely like that you are a size bigger than me." She winks, adding just enough flirting on those words for him to get her double meaning, without flirting too much around the children.

When she discovers the little cakes, with a sweet scent to them, she smiles at Loki's description. "They smell wonderful. I will take my time in endulging in them."

She is happy with the cuff, even more so because it is something that he thought of her when he saw it. And she slides it onto her wrist, with a smile. And grins at the henna kit. "Some of you..." She points around to each of the children, and to Loki. "May wake up with henna on you tomorrow morning."

"Ohhhhh I know who this is.... thank you so much." The gift of the toy brings another smile to her lips.

She grins at the murmur at her ears. "I can't wait to unwrap it too."

[coldsong]

Loki makes a little purring noise at the flirt and winks at her. They hold onto that thought for later!

"I don't know if they'll have much effect on you one way or another," he says of the cakes. "Alfheim sweets tend to have a spiritual component, not just chemical intoxication. I rather hope they do something for you, though. They'll taste nice regardless."

He laughs at the henna threat. "I volunteer as tribute," he tells her, with another wink, but it's a safe bet the children won't mind, either.

"The seller said the toy's name is Grimly," he reaches over and boops the little ceramic nose. "If there's some relevance to that, I've no idea what, but the green eyes and the little pink bow spoke to me."

Una and Eindrid have crawled a short way off to play with their new tin toys, giggling, and there's something so very warm and cozy about the ambient energy that Loki can't help himself from leaning closer and just resting his head on Harley's shoulder for a moment. This cottage was set up as an emergency shelter for the Aesir refugees, and in a shockingly short time it's become a home. How strange and wonderful!

The next hour or so is taken up with children playing, snacks and cider, and colorful ribbons and paint. At some point, Loki puts A Muppet Christmas Carol on for them all to watch and picks up the debris of the crafting spree. The second half of the film finds him seated at Harley's feet, eating orange slices and alternating cuddling a sleepy Eindrid with holding her hand or resting his head in her lap peacefully.

And then, at last, it's time to put the children to bed. Once they're all resting, Loki fetches a bottle of champagne and offers Harley a glass. "This is Midgardian," he tells her. "But top quality."

[sweetcandygirl]

"Spiritual and magical effects are... a surprise if they affect me or not. The Angel Wine doesn't. I can't wait to see how this one works..." Harley grins.

Harley debates offering to watch Neverending Story with Loki, but worries that the scene with Artax would sadden him too much.

"Grimly is a good friend. One who stays with you for a lifetime."

The rest of the night is that pleasant warm and cozy that Harley is still not quite used to... but would like to have more of. It is nights like this she can imagine being that someone special for Loki to always come home too. That someone wonderful who could always be there for the kids.

And when they watch Muppet Christmas Carol, she strokes her hands through his hair, when he rests his head in her lap.

When he presents her the champagne, she grins. "I still love the taste of it... there is nothing better than getting your nose tickled by the bubbles."

[coldsong]

"Really? Angel Wine doesn't? That's interesting." He would wonder if that's Beelzebub's doing, except it seems more like that particular angel to ensure wine does achieve the desired buzz, rather than the reverse, and he knows Harley is a favorite of his. "Fae and light elves tend toward trickiness, more so than the angels, so who knows? I can drink Midgardian liquor until it runs dry and be perfectly sober, but a glass of a halfway decent Alfheim wine and I'm tipsy."

It's interesting how different people metabolize intoxicants.

He sits on the floor by her feet again, once presenting her with the champagne, and smiles up at her tenderly. "I'm always going to think of you and bubbles," he admits. "Bubblegum, champagne, soap bubbles in a bubble bath. Damn--if I'd thought of it, I could have put bubble bath in your stocking too. Next year, maybe."

"Are you ready for your grown-ups-only present? It's not as salacious as I'm making it sound, but it's meant to be romantic."

[sweetcandygirl]

"I never got the breakdown of how Red's fix-me-up drinks really works. It kept me alive. And that was enough." Harley notes softly.

"See.... we could have bubblegum-scented bubble bath together, sipping champagne." It is a nice thought. Sharing a bath with him.

"I can't wait..." She leans in to steal a kiss. "To see what it is."

[coldsong]

"I'd like that," he says of the bubble bath, and leans in to return the kiss. Maybe he lingers for just a moment, not because he's stalling with the gift, but because the peaceful evening and the soft kiss feels so right.

When they pause, he holds both hands up and opens up a pocket dimension, withdrawing the wrapped gift. It's a very large box, with a smaller, flatter box on top. The smaller box is tied with a green ribbon and appears to be black velvet--jewelry, presumably, but too big to be a ring or bracelet. The larger box is wrapped in pearlescent paper with a greenish sheen, like the aurora.

He places both in her lap and sits on the sofa next to her. "I hope you like them..."

The smaller box holds a black crystal tiara with a moon charm in the center, the corners of the crescent turned up in a way that's reminiscent of Loki's horns. The crystals themselves have an iridescent sheen and when she touches them, they glow subtly beneath her fingertips.

The larger box has a set of silk and velvet lingerie, blue-black and decorated with stars. Beneath them is a larger piece of silk, a very fine-spun celestial robe. It feels softer to touch than any man-made fabric.

"The cloak came from Alfheim, as well," he says softly. "I know you don't wear dark colors as much as you do bright shades, but I wanted to give you the moon and stars. Which is sentimental, but...well, there you are."

"I enchanted the tiara myself, of course," he adds. "I'm no longer an active Prince of Asgard, and Asgard is no longer a place, but you're effectively my princess consort. I thought you ought to have something."

[sweetcandygirl]

Harley is already smiling with the sight of the pocket dimension, and the gifts. She admires the wrapping paper of the larger box, and does her best to make sure it does not rip when she opens it.

She takes her time admiring the lingerie, tracing her fingers over the stars on the silk fabric. "I wear brighter colors to get other people to pay attention to me. I don't need to worry about that with you."

She takes her time looking at the tiara. She might not have a sense for magic, but she can still appreciate the fact that a part of Loki went into it. "A princess consort?" She looks up at him. "Isn't that like... the main wife?"

[coldsong]

"You got my attention that way the first time around," he laughs a little. "But no, you have it now."

He looks sheepish at the question she asks. "Well, that's the trick, isn't it? A royal consort is the spouse of a member of the royal family, and is normally from a noble house themselves. If I were still actually an active prince of Asgard, there would be no 'main' anything--I wouldn't have much of a choice. There would have been a political marriage."

"I'm not going to divide my lovers into spouses and concubines like Midgardian royalty used to. That's not fair, and no one agreed to that when we started out dating, and there's no reason to nitpick, because my father isn't breathing down my neck making me be proper."

He takes her hands and kisses them. "But you have been by my side for years, Harley, and while I cannot confer royalty upon you that I have no right to myself, I can give you this, and I can promise you that I will always want you, and be here for you."

"I think my four children do think of you as their princess. But I am not the Loki from their world...and I haven't said anything to Thor. I just wanted to give you something beautiful. Because you deserve that."

[sweetcandygirl]

"I definitely ain't classified as someone from a noble house. And I am glad that you have choice. That you get to make what works for you..." Harley runs her hands through his hair.

"You are the sweetest. You do spoil me..." She slides into his lap. And kisses his forehead lightly. "Thank you. For wanting to give me something beautiful."

[coldsong]

"Honestly, there was only one person from a noble house I'd ever have even considered courting, and she didn't like me one bit." He chuckles softly and closes his eyes when she strokes him.

His arms go around her when she slides into his lap, and he hugs her close. "You're welcome, kjaereste. And of course, you're welcome to wear any of it any time, and I hope I'll get to see you model it."

"Happy Yule, Harley, love. Now we're both princesses, as least when we're together."