This was the first proper Christmas you have had in a long time because there was never really a time where you could have one. Both of your parents were gone, your brother was gone and you were in the military so there was never time for one until recently. Once joining the Avenger's team Steve and Tony made it their personal duty to make sure you had a proper Christmas every year, to which you were very grateful. You had missed the decorating, the lights, the simple cheery nature this holiday brought out in people. You had missed getting gifts, even though it ended up mostly being ugly sweaters or socks, you were happily grateful for it.
Since getting together with Clint it had been much better, not that Christmas day with Tony and the others weren't great, time with Clint was just better. You had Steve help get your small tree up and he even helped decorate it with you while Clint was away on some sort of recon mission for Fury. You both hated and respected Fury sometimes, he took Clint away but also made it possible for the team to have what they did(we all know Tony wouldn't share if he could help it.)
You were sorting through your clothes, tossing out anything that was too small or too big or you just didn't care for anymore while keeping what you wore often. While cleaning you found the stash of old sweaters you had received over the years and they made you laugh. One had a reindeer on it with a Santa hat whose ball and the nose poked out of the sweater and another had a cat in a sweater on it.
"Wha'cha laughing at?" Clint's voice came from your bedroom doorway and it scared you making you squeak out some curses.
"For goodness sake, Clint!" You got up tossing the sweaters onto the bed so you could hug Clint properly.
"Jumpy much?" He laughed pulling you into a tight hug before glancing over at the sweaters sitting on the bed.
"I wasn't expecting you back for another day, of course I'd be jumpy!" You defended but you were all smiles now that he was back.
"What are with those god awful sweaters? You can't seriously say you wear these things, right?" You rolled your eyes and picked up the one with the reindeer on it.
"Awe, look at it though! It's kinda cute, you gotta admit that." You laughed when his face scrunched up in disgust.
"I was kidding, Clint, but you know I've never seen you in a Christmas sweater before. . ." Your voice trailed off and you had the same evil glimmer in your eyes that Tony got when he had an idea.
"Oh, no no no no no. No, I am not wearing anything like that and you cannot make me!" He said matter-of-fact and you pouted.
"Not going to work, no matter how much you pout!" He declared crossing his arms and staring at you with a defiant look in his blue eyes.
"Oh come on Clint, please? It can't be that bad and besides if you wear one I will AND," You gave him a small smile "You owe me this for scaring me like you did! I've put up the decorations, set up the tree, and cleaned up for you the least you could do for me is put this on and let me see you in it. Please?" You pouted and looked just about as sad as you could act to make him feel as guilty as possible to get your way and with a lot of huffing and muttering he placed the sweater on over his Hawkeye uniform top.
"Your turn, Dear." He said through gritted teeth and you put on one of the green sweaters that had a misshapen gingerbread man on the front of it in his own red sweater.
"See? Was that so hard?" You giggled and hugged him whispering a thank you into his ear before he was allowed to take off the hideously ugly sweater.
"I swear if anyone finds out about that I will string you up and play target practice." He threatened you but you knew all too well that it was an empty threat.
"Love you too!" You shouted from the other room where you were currently cooking dinner for the two of you. It had suddenly become quiet, very quiet in your home before the sounds of angry shouting were heard from the living room couch.
"Oh, come ON!!" You laughed because you knew he had both jinxed himself and you but you could handle being seen in an ugly Christmas sweater but from the sounds of it, Clint could not.
"What happened?" You stepped into the doorway that led back into your living room to find Clint angrily staring at his phone.
"This happened!!"
"Oh, calm down it can't be that bad." You rolled your eyes before taking a look at the picture he was showing you.
It was indeed a picture of him in the sweater but how Natasha got a hold of it you were unsure. You laughed, both because it was funny and the look on Clint's face. You wanted to be more sympathetic and comfort him but it was just too funny and you were in need of a good laugh.
"It ISN"T funny!" Clint scolded you but you couldn't help it.
"How on Earth did Nat get a picture of you?" He threw his hands up in defeat and you cleaned your eyes of the tears that had formed from laughing so hard.
"She's an assassin, I don't know, sneaking around?"
"Well, then I have sorely underestimated the lengths she will go to get some dirt on you, but, if you need something on her I have just the thing." You went through your own phone and found a similar photograph of her now in his position. She was wearing on of your older, now trashed, ugly sweater for last Christmas when you had been cleaning then as well.
"You're the devil, you know that?" You laughed and shrugged.
"I just happen to be good at persuading people to do things they usually wouldn't, like getting Steve to ask out the girl in his apartment complex-"
"Or getting Tony to apologize, getting Bruce to calm down and-"
"I get it, you know." You interrupted him and he laughed, clearly getting over the embarrassment quickly.
"Send this to her and tell her that you'll send it to the others if she tells them about your picture, she's going to yell at me but it's all good fun."
The two of you had finished up dinner and were sitting on the couch once more, in the quiet of your apartment you were just happy to have him home with you. You had missed cuddling up against his side while watching mindless television or falling asleep on his lap while he ran his fingers through your hair. You had realized how often you took those for granted and turned your head to look up at Clint, you were laying with your head in his lap. You turned your body so you were now looking up at him with your arms resting on your blanket covered stomach.
"Clint, I'm glad I have you in my life. I'm sorry if I take having you around for granted but I wanted you to know that I love you and it means a lot to have you home with me tonight." He offered you a sleepy smile placing his hand on your cheek.
"Same goes for you, Sweetcheeks."
"You sound like Tony saying stuff like that."
"Well, how about, Merry Christmas, Little Bird." You rolled your eyes but had a smile on your face anyways.
"Merry Christmas to you too, Hotshot."