Work Text:
Ugly Sweaters
©MischiefsLady
Darcy hands Frigga a large gift bag with a sparkly reindeer on it. Frigga, Queen of Asgard and current visitor to Midgard, smiles appreciatively at the young woman. She has never taken part in a Christmas gift exchange on Midgard and is pleased that the two women her sons are friendly with are making the effort to include her in their traditions, even if it is a few days early.
“Thank you, Darcy,” she says to the young woman seated next to her on the couch and places the bag on the floor in front of her to better reach inside for the gift. Jane is seated across from them in an armchair while Thor stands behind her and Loki is off to the side, a glass of red wine in hand.
Frigga places her hand inside the bag, feeling the soft texture of wool beneath her fingertips and pulls out a folded article of clothing. She lifts the garment and as it unfolds her smile freezes.
Oh, this thing is hideous, she thinks and bites her lip to keep from laughing. The base of the tunic-like shirt is white and Frigga realizes that it must represent snow as there are deer and trees pictured on the material as well. From there the shirt turns to blue with a pattern of snow falling and at the top, near the collar are two trumpeting angels. It is truly the ugliest thing Frigga has ever seen.
There is a choked sound coming from her right and Frigga sees that Loki, usually so composed has spilled some of his drink on his shirt. Her dark natured son is glaring spitefully at the young Lady Darcy, who in turn is sticking her tongue out at him.
Jane’s gasp and Thor’s snort cause Darcy to let out a sharp laugh. Frigga turns to Darcy, eyes sparkling with good-natured humor but Loki speaks first.
“You dare insult my mother with such an appalling gift?” He pulls himself up straighter and towers over her. But Darcy is not afraid of him. She sees how he works with the others now-a-days and while his temper can certainly send everyone ducking for cover, the blue Tesseract thing-y no longer controls his actions. He isn’t the murderous villain any more, though he isn’t a hero either. She does, however, find him exceedingly attractive when he puts on those princely airs. Something about that commanding nature of his makes her want to do things to him or for him, or….no, she is not going there. That way lies more trouble than she thinks she needs.
“Chill, Loki. It’s an ugly sweater, not an insult,” Darcy effectively turns her back on the mercurial younger brother of Thor and flashes a wide grin at his mother.
“Today is about sharing some of our traditions with you, right?” Frigga nods and Darcy continues. “Well in my family we exchange ugly Christmas sweaters. Then we wear them and take a photo in them to place in my mother’s photo albums. If you’ll look inside the gift bag there is a small album inside for you. I’ve brought ugly sweaters for everyone else. Even Moody McMoody over there,” she tilts her head in Loki’s direction and this time Frigga cannot hold back the amused chuckle as Loki rolls his eyes behind Darcy’s back.
“I thought you’d appreciate a photo with your sons in ugly sweaters as well.”
Loki is moved by her words. That this foolish Midgardian would include a stranger in her own Christmas customs means there is more under the surface than meets the eye. Darcy is clearly a woman whose thoughts run deeper than he first suspected.
Frigga places the sweater on the couch next to her and reaches out for Darcy’s hand. Family is a concept she well understands, and the sharing of it is a precious gift indeed. “My dear, I am honored that you would share such a wonderful family tradition with me. I would also love it if you and Jane would join in the picture as well.”
Darcy glances over her shoulder at Loki, “Hear that, Moody, you get to wear an ugly sweater too.” She winks saucily up at him and he has to fight back the grin that threatens to take over his face.
Instead he grunts at the sweet girl who made his mother feel welcome on Midgard.