Stuffed
Hanging decorations at the Avengers tower was a challenge to say the least, and no one was really excited to help you, even the one person who should be required to do so, your boyfriend, Steve. This was your first Christmas as a part of the team so you didn't have a frame of reference for past celebrations, but the group didn't really seem big on holiday spirit this year. If you were going to be a part of this bah-humbug group from now on, they would need a push to get their attitudes changed, and since this was your favorite holiday, you felt that you were just the person to do it.
"Steve, get off your butt and help me. I'm too short for this."
He looked up from his tablet and jumped up quickly when he saw you struggling and your foot about to slip from the chair you were perilously balancing on. He grabbed your waist and lifted you into the air enough so that you could reach your goal and hang the last string of lights around the top of the Christmas tree. He was about to lower you to the ground when you stopped him and pointed to the box of remaining decorations.
"Nope. Star. Shoulders."
Steve huffed and lifted you onto his shoulders, tossing the tree star up for you to catch. You placed it quickly and gave him a small pat on the top of his head, "see, you big Grinch? You can help and it didn't even hurt."
"Oh, is that how it is?" he chuckled, digging his finger tips into your sides and tickling you until you squealed and nearly fell from your perch. "You might want to be a little nicer if you expect me to help you finish, (Y/N)." He walked over to the couch and bent back slightly, grabbing your legs to release you and drop you onto the soft cushions with a thump.
"Rude, Rogers, very rude."
"Hey, (Y/N)," Tony called out from the kitchen, "what's this list hanging here? I'm getting a bad feeling that you've got something up your sleeve."
"That's what each person is making for dinner tomorrow night. Since you guys wouldn't let me do Thanksgiving, we're making up for it now." Standing to grab more decorations, you looked up at Steve, who's face had changed from jovial only moments ago to slightly annoyed and a little scared. "Don't give me that face, Steve. You're helping too. No one is safe."
"That's just it, (Y/N). No one is safe because none of us can cook."
~~~
The next afternoon you had gathered everyone in the kitchen and assigned their dishes to prepare, going so far as to lay out everything they would need in an attempt to have an edible end result. Next to each group of items you had left an apron and a personalized Santa hat that you insisted they wear, hoping that their sense of Christmas cheer would strike at any moment. The room filled with groans and grumbles, mumbling sounds of curses and empty threats as they each put on their gifts and got to work.
"No, Stark, I called the oven next, back off."
"(Y/N), we need more flour. Oh, wait...that says only one cup. Well, we're still out and I need to start over."
"Hypothetically, how long can something sit on the floor before it's no longer safe to eat?"
"(Y/N), please explain why I should be inclined to place assorted vegetables into the posterior of this deceased bird."
It only took about an hour for your headache to really kick in, forcing you to step away from the chaos for a few minutes to desperately search for anything to take the pain away. You jogged to your room to grab some ibuprofen from your purse, throwing them into your mouth quickly so you could get back to monitoring the team's progress, but your pace became urgent when the fire alarms sounded overhead.
"You did that on purpose!"
"I did not! You're the one who's too dumb to watch your hat when you lean into the oven!"
"What the hell happened?" you shouted over the commotion, grabbing Natasha and Clint before their argument turned to a real fight. "Oh, Clint, I think you singed some of your hair," you said quietly and almost apologetically, smoothing out his hair with your hand.
"I told you, this wasn't going to work, (Y/N)," Steve groaned, rubbing his eyes in frustration. "Tony, can you please shut that damn noise off?" When the alarms finally silenced, he opened his eyes again so he could try to talk some sense into you, but you had already left the room, leaving them to their own mess and continuing arguments.
"Guys," he called out, but too quietly to be heard. "Guys!"
When he had the team's attention he looked around the room at the ridiculous aprons and hats covered in dirty handprints and one still maybe a little bit on fire. He took a slow, deep breath and put his hands on his hips, doing his best to take control of an out-of-control situation.
"We really screwed this up. You know she was just trying to make a family Christmas for us, right?" His answer came in silence, looking at the group who was avoiding his eyes as they thought about how difficult they had made everything. "So, now we fix it. I'm open to suggestions."
~~~
You had retreated to your room, not because you were trying to run away from the situation in the kitchen, but because you were exhausted and the headache wasn't helping. Sure, it didn't hurt to get away from the chaos and arguments, but you just thought that was a part of the family Christmas experience. Holiday drama was inevitable.
When you opened your eyes your room was dark and you had no idea how long you had been asleep. You frantically rolled over to look at your clock and gasped to see that it was almost time for dinner, but relaxed when you realized that there probably wasn't any food done anyway. When you left the kitchen, the outlook was pretty hopeless.
"(Y/N)?"
"It's your room too, Steve. You can come in," you yawned, sitting up on the edge of the bed to wake your body and force it to move. "Sorry, I fell asleep. I had a headache and just couldn't stay in that noise anymore."
Steve sat next to you and tucked a stray strand of hair behind your ear, then gently rubbed your back as you yawned again and finally stood. "Are you feeling better now? Because dinner is ready and waiting for you downstairs."
"What?"
"What part of that didn't you get?" he chuckled. "Yes, we have dinner ready, and I think we should all be pretty safe." He stood next to you and took your hand, turning you to pull you in for a hug, with your head resting on his warm chest. "We're all sorry, doll. You were just trying to do something good for us, and we just...well, we just behaved like we always do. But, we have a surprise for you if you care to join us?"
You pushed back from him with a skeptical look, but took his hand so he could lead you downstairs to see what they had been up to. When you neared the dining room it was so quiet that you wondered if the two of you were going to be the only ones there, but as you entered you couldn't help but smile at a team on their best behavior, cleaned up and sitting around a table full of everything you had planned for them to make.
"Okay," you began, feeling a little suspicious, "there's no way that you could have done all this in the amount of time that I was gone. How did you do it?"
Tony cleared his throat and grabbed his wine glass, holding it as his lips so he could mumble a reply before taking a drink. "We may have ordered out."
"You know what," you smiled as Steve held out your chair and pushed it in for you as you sat down, "it doesn't matter. It's just nice to have dinner as a group. No missions, no fighting, everyone's healthy...um, except for some minor loss of hair..."
"I still stand by it being his fault," Nat whispered from her seat next to you.
"Stop," you whispered back, nudging her with your elbow. You paused to see Thor sitting at the end of the table with a tablet in hand, looking slightly confused and deep in thought. "Thor? What's wrong?"
He shook his head to attention and gave you a small smile that quickly faded as he continued to look as if he were trying to solve a very difficult problem. "I've been researching why you instructed me to place vegetables in the backside of a turkey, but the only results I get are some very interesting images that do not answer my query in any way."
"Oh my god, Thor," you groaned, "don't look at that. The vegetables are for the stuffing."
"Hmm," he nodded, looking back to the tablet, "so 'stuffing vegetables into the backside of a turkey'..." His eyes widened and his expression still looked disappointed at his continued confusion. "well that's not any better."
No Rest for the Wicked
Clint had invited Natasha to spend Christmas with his family this year, and since your own family was too busy to get together on the right day, she invited you to join her. On the way there the snow began to fall, but it didn't look too bad at first. By the time you had reached the farm, you began to worry that you might have to bunk there for the night.
"We're here!" Nat yelled, dropping her bag full of presents at the door without a care as to where they landed. Her expression brightened with a large smile when the kids ran into the room and threw themselves at her, almost knocking her off from her footing. You couldn't help but smile at the change in her as she shifted from Avenger to favorite aunt.
"Auntie Nat! Did you bring presents?"
She glanced up at you as she hugged them, shaking her head slightly though still laughing with them, "at least they know what's really important, right?" She pulled back from the pair and held the little girl at arm's length, "you know I did. But first, can you run and grab your dad for me?" The girl ran away quickly with a small squeal of excitement at having Natasha here, and the boy following close behind.
When the heavy sounds of footsteps grew near, you expected Clint to round the corner on his own, but you were completely confused when you saw that he had another houseguest with him. More like when you saw who it was with him.
"Steve? What are you doing here?"
The Captain looked at you quizzically, then to Clint and Natasha and back to you, "am I not supposed to be here? Did I forget something?"
"No," you chuckled, "I just wasn't expecting to see you, that's all." Reaching down to grab your bags and head to the living room to lay out your gifts under the tree, you paused when Steve stepped in front of you suddenly and yanked them from your hands. "Hey, I can do it, Steve. You know chivalry doesn't impress me."
He opened his mouth to reply but paused, straightening his posture to look through the window behind you; he squinted slightly to see as the sky grew darker and the contrast of the headlights nearly blinded him. "Were we expecting more people to show up, Laura?" he called towards the living room.
"I got a call about an hour ago that Tony and Bruce were stopping by because you all were here," she said with a slight groan. The last time the team was all here, there was barely enough room for everyone, and if the snow kept flying it would be an awkward night for everyone, guaranteed. "I sure hope they don't plan on staying."
You peeked out the window and shook your head at the building snow piles, turning back to her with a look of sorrow, "sorry to say, I don't think we can avoid doubling-up this time." You were jolted by a loud bang from the roof, but the following footsteps down the slope of the house gave it away; Thor had decided to join in the festivities too. "I've got a bad feeling about this," you mumbled to Steve, pushing him gently towards the large Christmas tree at the center of the living room.
~~~
After all of the presents had been opened, you took one last look outside, hoping with all your might that it wasn't too bad to drive home and that the team wouldn't be forced into uncomfortable situations for the night. You should have known better than to expect anything less than the ridiculous idea of sharing beds.
"Alright, Banner, this won't be so bad," Tony sighed, looking at each of the small rooms, some with beds barely big enough for one grown person, let alone two. "We just have to decide who takes the floor, that's all."
"(Y/N), are you sure you don't want to trade?" Steve begged, "Thor and I will never fit in this bed, and I don't really want to."
"I'm with Nat," you scoffed, "you're on your own. Just take the floor, like Tony said."
You stood in the doorway and watched Steve throw two pillows to the ground and lay out a sleeping bag that was nowhere near big enough to cover him. Thor quickly dropped his heavy body onto the bed, and you cringed at the sound of cracking wood from the frame under his weight.
"Alright, boys, good luck," you said with a small wave, closing the door behind you. You wanted to check on Tony and Bruce but their room had been quiet since they closed their door, so you hoped they had worked out an arrangement and were already asleep. Quietly stepping into the room you were sharing with Natasha, you pushed the door slowly until it latched shut, letting out a breath that you didn't realize you were holding. You leaned back against it and closed your eyes, exhausted but full of anxiety; your body didn't know if it should be awake or asleep.
"I give it an hour," you mumbled to her, "and I'm being generous."
~~~
"He growled at me. He actually growled, I heard it."
"I did not. You're always so dramatic."
"Maybe that was the Asgardian over here," Steve yawned, "he snores like a beast."
You stood next to Natasha, leaning against the living room wall as you listened to the men bickering about their failed sleeping arrangements. You turned your wrist over to check your watch and huffed, holding it up for her to see. "Thirty-five minutes," you whispered.
"Hey, at least I didn't bite you."
"I do not snore."
"He was going to bite me!"
You pushed away from the wall and moved to stand in the middle of the group, your hair messed from the short taste of sleep, and your pajamas buttoned crookedly. "Alright, that's it." You pointed to each man and gave them their orders, not waiting for them to object.
"Thor, couch number one. Tony, couch number two. Bruce, you're with her, and Steve, you're with me." You grabbed Steve's arm when he tried to protest and gave him a look that scared him enough to be silent and follow. "Nope, none of that. You get your butt in there, mister. I am exhausted and you kids are driving me crazy. You wanted to trade, so here you go, buddy, you traded."
"Can I trade for Nat?" he asked sheepishly, walking a few steps behind you, "you're kinda scary when you're angry."
"Hey, (Y/N)," Bruce whispered, his head peeking out from the door, "can I trade with Steve? I think she was dreaming...or at least I hope she was...but Nat just described in very great detail how she would kill me if I growled in my sleep again."
"I thought you said you didn't growl?"
"Apparently, he bites too," Tony snickered as he joined the group forming in the hallway.
"(Y/N), the couch is of poor construction." Thor walked up to you and stood to look down at you from his towering height, "it may be beyond repair."
Having had enough and feeling more exhausted by the minute, both physically and emotionally, you stormed towards Clint and Laura's room, banging on the door loud enough for them to hear but not so much that you risked waking the kids. "Clint Barton, get out here," you whispered harshly through the door.
He swung the door open quickly, with wide eyes and messy hair from being lucky enough to sleep. "What the hell, (Y/N)? What's going on?"
"Bruce growls and maybe bites, Thor snores and broke your couch, Steve's scared of a girl, Natasha has threatened murder, Tony's a drama queen, and I'm done." You threw your hands in the air and turned towards your room, determined to be alone for the rest of the night. "You said they were your mess, so good luck cleaning it up."
You shut the door again, stopping to calm yourself before trying to get what was salvageable of a night's sleep. Rolling over your wrist again, you looked at your watch and couldn't help but chuckle, wondering how Clint was doing and if he was managing any better than you had.
"Forty-seven minutes," you mumbled to yourself, "I knew it wouldn't sell."
The Girl Who Has Everything
Steve stood next to the large window that encompassed the top floor of the Avengers tower, looking out over the city being dusted in a light layer of snow that was only getting heavier as the minutes passed. His hands were clasped at his back, but his nervousness was obvious through his hands as they shook slightly and his fingers tapped against his palm. He reached up to straighten his tie for at least the hundredth time as he waited for the call to leave, ready to get this day underway.
"I don't know what you're so nervous about, Cap. Haven't you been waiting for this day for like, forever now?"
"It's not the day, Barton. I'm as sure of that as anything in my entire life." Steve turned away from the view, walking across the lounge and past Clint towards the bar, grabbing a glass to pour a shot of whiskey. He knew that it wouldn't affect him, but the idea of it might do some good. "It's the weather. The church is all the way across town and the snow isn't letting up. In fact, it's getting worse." He slammed the shot back and set the glass down to pour another, grimacing at the burn of alcohol in his throat. "She's gonna be beyond pissed if this doesn't go perfectly. You know that."
Steve slid a glass to Clint and held up the bottle in offering, nodding when it was refused and choosing to pour one final shot for himself before preparing to leave. "Yeah, I know," the archer agreed, "but another thing I know is that the only thing she's really worried about is the end goal of today. Marrying you."
The captain looked up at his teammate with a brief smile, thankful for his attempt to make him feel better but not actually having it work. "Nothing is going to get in the way of that, believe me. Even if we have to do it right here."
Clint stepped to the nearby window, pushing his hands into his suit pockets, sighing at the sight of cars coming to a halt on the streets below and pedestrians struggling to walk without slipping on the icy surface. He shook his head for a moment, almost convinced that everything was falling apart, when his eyes widened and he turned to smile at Steve.
"So do it right here."
"What?"
"Do it here. It makes sense," he urged, quickly walking to Steve's side with an air of excitement in his voice. "everyone had to come back here for the reception anyway, right? If we hurry, we can catch them all before they get over there. I think I have a plan that just might work, and at the end of the day, everyone is happy." He grabbed the bottle from Steve's hand and took a long drink from it, "and if not, then at least the bar is stocked, right?"
~~~
"What if we bring the jet over? We can meet you on the roof. What do you mean you're scared to fly? You'll be with the Avengers. You're really going to say 'no' to Captain America?"
Clint let out a quiet groan and tossed his phone on the table, frustrated and rubbing his chin with his hand as he thought of another plan to make up for the flight-phobic minister who just backed out. When nothing came to him as a sufficient plan, he leaned forward and thumped his forehead firmly on the table in defeat.
"Dammit, dammit, dammit."
"What did you do this time?"
He sat back in the chair to see Natasha enter the room, her hair pulled up in large rollers and her makeup looking freshly finished. "I don't suppose you have any ministers who owe you a favor do you?" he chuckled, "no, I can't imagine that you would."
"Wait," she paused, raising her hand at him and squeezing her eyes shut, scared of the answer she was about to receive, "why do you need a minister, Barton?"
"Well, we sort of...don't have one anymore..."
If he wasn't Nat's best friend, he would have feared for his life; her face was immediately a deep red and her eyes darkened when she opened them again. She took a few steps towards him and forcefully stuck her hand out to him, waiting for his phone. Once he handed it over she began to frantically type and search for a solution to the problem that she had less than an hour to solve.
"There," she huffed, tossing the phone into his lap, "now find someone willing to do it." She grabbed a cup of coffee and began to make her way back to her room, but stopped abruptly to turn and point sharply at him in warning, "but NOT Stark."
~~~
Bruce began to have small beads of sweat develop on his brow, straining to push Tony's hand down to the table. They had gone back and forth several times, each of them nearly finding victory over the other, but it had continued long enough that it was nearly a draw.
"I should do it," Tony struggled, "she's my sister."
"That's why you shouldn't do it. You need to..." Bruce paused, holding his breath as he pushed against his friend, "walk her down the aisle."
"But this is so much better..." Tony leaned forward slightly and took his victory, finally slamming Bruce's hand to the hard surface and standing to raise his hands in the air. "Yes! Two down, one more to go!"
Sam walked up to Tony with a large grin, laughing to himself as he rolled up his sleeve. "Don't get too cocky yet, old man. We've saved the best for last." The two men sat across from each other and rested their elbows down to join their hands together, quickly changing their expressions to a serious determination to win.
"Give me a break, Barnes would be better but that shiny arm disqualifies him and you know it."
"Man, shut the hell up and let's do this," Sam sneered, pushing against Tony's arm before he was ready, but surprised at how quickly Stark compensated. "Well, well, look at that. You really want this, don't you?"
Tony opened his mouth to give an expected snide reply but was interrupted when Nat entered the room, now with her hair finished and fully dressed in her formal attire. She looked at the pair and rolled her eyes, clearly upset that her warning to Clint hadn't been taken seriously. With her high heels not even a risk of slowing her down, she stomped heavily to the table and grabbed the joined hands, slamming them down so that Sam looked to defeat Tony.
"You know that if you don't walk that girl to him, she'll never forgive you." Without another word, she looked at the group of men with annoyance and left to check on you. Sam stood up from his assisted victory and followed closely behind, urgently entering his information into his phone.
"Alright kids, I've got exactly twenty minutes to get ordained and learn my lines." He slapped Clint on the shoulder as he passed, whispering quietly, "you did tell Cap about this, right?"
The sudden paleness that robbed Barton of his complexion made the answer very clear.
~~~
You stood and gave a final look at your makeup and hair, spinning slowly to be sure that your dress was fitting right and that your veil was clipped in just the perfect spot to gently graze the floor as you walked. Everything looked the way you had envisioned it, the only hiccup in the plan being your loss of the church. You expected it to bother you more when you had heard about the plan to have the wedding at the tower, being so last minute and all, but it honestly didn't matter. As long as Steve was waiting for you at the end of the aisle, the rest was just a bonus.
"You can't make perfection more perfect, you know? Just give up, sweetheart."
"Well, your opinion might be biased, Tony. But I'll still take it."
Your brother held out his arm for you to link yours through, resting his hand over yours as he led you from your room and towards the elevator. Stopping to grab your bouquet, you glanced up at him at the sound of a quiet sniffle and shook your head. "Pull it together, Tony. If you start, then I'll start, and by the time I get to Steve my eyes will be frozen shut from all of the tears." You turned and looked back into the room, searching for a coat to cover your bare shoulders but didn't see one, now worried about how this plan was going to work. "Or you know, I could just be frozen to death too. Where's my coat?"
"Please, (Y/N). I'm not going to let my best girl freeze, you know that."
With a skeptical look, you allowed him to continue to lead you away, chuckling quietly to yourself as his choice of phrase. "I think you've been hanging around Steve too much."
When the elevator doors opened on the roof, you expected a freezing wind to hit you, but you were surprised by the warm air that met you as you exited. You gasped at the sight of the work Tony and Clint had done, marveling at the effort they had taken to make this perfect in so little time. They had somehow found a way to set up an enclosed space on the roof with clear windows and a clear roof to see the snow falling around you. The tent was covered in warm white lights and flowers to match yours, and all of your guests were there, standing to face you when your chosen music filled the air.
"Merry Christmas, (Y/N)" Tony whispered.
Your mind went blank and you couldn't think of what to say, still in shock at what you were seeing. You leaned in to give him a kiss on his cheek, quickly wiping the lipstick from his skin before he readied himself to give you away. You looked ahead at Natasha, Bucky and Steve, all waiting for you to begin; it may have been the lights, but you swore you saw a hint of glistening tears in her eyes. Between them stood Sam, smiling broadly at you with a small wave, obviously excited about his new role in your wedding.
"Sam?" you whispered to Tony as you neared the altar, "something tells me you lost a bet."
Tony simply shook his head and did his best to look confused, but you knew you were right. He released your hand and brought it to his lips before handing it to Steve and taking a seat behind you. You turned to your soon-to-be-husband and pulled him towards you before Sam began, "you said I was hard to shop for before, but now I've got everything."
Mistletoe
Tony
"Why are you hanging mistletoe everywhere, Stark? You're not kissing me," Steve scoffed as Tony stepped up on the couch, narrowly missing the Captain's leg.
"I'm just trying to get into the Christmas spirit around here," he replied, stretching as far as he could to reach his mark, "and maybe do a little team-building while I'm at it."
"Again, not kissing you."
Tony wavered slightly, just out of reach to hang the last piece of mistletoe, tipping up on the balls of his feet, losing his balance and landing in Steve's lap. "If you wanted to get my attention, this isn't the best way to do it," Steve groaned, pushing Tony to the floor with a loud thud.
"It's not your attention that I'm trying to get, Cap, sorry to say," he mumbled, silencing himself and standing quickly as you entered the room. He straightened his shirt and ran his hand through his hair, doing his best to compose himself before you saw him.
"You boys should really get a room," you laughed, "public displays of affection make people very uncomfortable."
"That's hilarious." Steve stood quickly and leaned towards Tony, whispering as quietly as he could, "it's her, right?"
"Sure, Cap, we can talk later," Tony replied, a bit too loudly, hoping that Steve would get the message and back off. Once the Captain was clear, he met you at the bar and began to pour a drink for the two of you; his eyes drifted up to the mistletoe that was positioned directly above. "So, (Y/N), any big Christmas plans this year?"
"Nope, my family is all out of town, so I figured I would just stay here. I feel like I need the peace and quiet anyway."
He pushed the glass towards you and leaned his elbows on the table, moving closer to you as he took down his own drink quickly, setting the empty glass aside. "I'll be here too, you know. I really don't have any family left, so I usually spend the holidays on my own." Tony softened his face and gave you his best sad eyes, hoping to get in touch with your empathetic side and get that kiss from you, now that you were in just the right place.
"Hmm," you agreed, finishing your drink in one swallow, "then I'll be sure to keep out of your way. Thanks for the drink, Stark." You set the glass down firmly and patted him on the shoulder, leaving before he could say any more.
"Smooth, Stark," Steve laughed from the next room, "you truly have a gift."
~~~
Attempt after attempt was failing, and Tony was ready to give up. You had stood beneath every single cluster of mistletoe that he had hung, and he was beginning to think that you knew it and were just messing with him now. One of the sprigs had fallen down and was lying in a sad clump on the floor, but he didn't even have the desire to replace it anymore.
"What am I doing wrong?" he asked Bruce, who had heard about every single failed attempt that he had made so far and was clearly done with listening to his friend whine. "I swear, I've never had this much trouble with a woman before. I think I'm cursed."
"Maybe she knows and doesn't want to kiss you. Have you ever considered that?"
"No," he scoffed, looking as if he were just insulted. "Why would I ever consider that?"
"No reason, Tony," Bruce sighed, exasperated, "no reason."
Tony sat himself down in a defeated heap on the couch, resting his head on the back of the cushions, closing his eyes and squeezing the bridge of his nose in frustration. "It's hopeless," he mumbled, taking a few long breaths while trying to clear you from his mind once and for all.
You quietly entered the room and nodded at Bruce, doing your best to sneak up behind Tony without him noticing, which was never an easy task when up against Iron Man himself. The doctor smiled as he watched, holding his breath in anticipation of your plan working when Tony's had flopped so miserably by your own hand. You knew exactly what he was trying to do, but never once had he stopped to think you were behind his failure.
You saw his arm start to move and his legs adjust as if he were about to stand, so you moved faster, coming up behind him to press your lips firmly to his until he responded and pulled you over the back of the couch and onto his lap.
"I don't believe it! You sneaky little-"
"Careful, Tony," you warned, "or this will be the last time you see me here."
"I was going to say, you sneaky little...gorgeous...trickster, or something better like that." He leaned in to kiss you again but paused, looking above him to see the mistletoe hanging in the spot that he had failed to reach only a few days before. "Did you put that there?"
"I did," Steve announced as he entered the room, "after you were seen on my lap, I had to make it certain that this was a sure thing."
Natasha
When Natasha wanted to kiss you, it felt silly to her to rely on some Christmas tradition to do it. She was a woman of action and had little desire to play games when it came to her affections towards you, but there was only one problem; she hadn't made a move and was a little afraid of any rejection. Her original plan was to just come out and say it, to tell you how she felt and ask you out, but each time she opened her mouth, nothing happened. This was a new sensation for her, not being able to act, so she gave in and allowed the holiday tradition to do the talking for her.
"Hey, Nat, I was wondering, do you have any plans tomorrow-"
Her hands were holding your face and her lips were pressed against yours before you could finish. For a woman as strong as your mentor was, her lips were soft and her kiss was sweet and deliberate. When she was confident that he message was received and accepted, feeling your reciprocation, she pulled back and smiled, turning to walk away.
"Yes," she replied, "I'm picking you up at 7 for our first date."
Steve
Steve hadn't once tried to catch you under the mistletoe; in fact he had been doing just the opposite. He was taking down every cluster that he could find, shaking his head at the silly Christmas tradition and the energy that the rest of the team was putting into catching each other beneath it. He wasn't the type to buy into things like this, being more of a private guy with his affections, but you had hoped that this year would be your chance. Now it was looking like you would have to wait until next year to get the Captain cornered.
"Hey, Cap, I hate to bring this up, but you missed one," you sighed, pointing across the room towards the bar, "and we can't have that, can we?"
"You sound disappointed," he laughed, reaching up to pluck the sprig from its hook. "Did you miss out on an opportunity, (Y/N)? Someone you had hoped to catch?" Steve took the handful of mistletoe and dropped it into a nearby garbage, clapping his hands together to shake the remains from them, "there's always next year, right?"
"Yeah, I guess..." you said quietly, dropping yourself onto the couch to rest your head on one of the pillows and pulling a blanket over yourself. "Did you catch anyone, Steve?" You asked the question, hearing your own words in your own voice, but you still couldn't believe that you would ask something that you didn't really want the answer to.
He gave you a small smile and sat on the couch by your feet, lifting them to set into his lap. He slowly pulled off your thick, fuzzy socks and began to rub each foot until you were so relaxed that you thought you might fall asleep. "No, I didn't. But I don't need a thing like mistletoe to kiss a beautiful lady when I want to."
"Hmm," you agreed with a small nod, barely hearing him anymore in your relaxation. You felt him release your feet but you were jolted fully awake at the sensation of his lips on yours, gasping when you opened your eyes and realize what was happening. Steve sat back slightly and laughed at your reaction, though watching carefully for any sign that he might have crossed a line. When he saw none, he moved in for another.
"You see? No mistletoe," he said quietly and pointed above your head, "there's no way I'm waiting another year for that."
Bruce
"(Y/N), I happened to notice that you were standing under the mistletoe," Bruce said quietly, pointing at the decoration hanging just above your head. "And I was wondering, if maybe it would be okay, if I kissed you?"
Bruce came off as awkward and shy, but you knew there was more to him than that and you were determined to see it for yourself. He was always angry, he had said, and that's how he controlled his Hulk persona; if that were true, he was a master at not showing it. "If I didn't want you to kiss me, Bruce, why would I be standing in this exact spot, waiting for you?"
"Oh," he sighed, "I didn't want to assume..." his voice trailing as he stepped closer, putting his hand on the back of your neck to pull you closer. He paused to look at you one more time before closing his eyes and closing the gap between you to press his lips to yours. The kiss was shorter than you had hoped, but you knew to expect it; everyone was in the room and Bruce was a private guy. When he pulled back and released you, you held his gaze and smiled, dropping your hands down to join with his. With a small squeeze you led him from the room, determined to continue what you had started, shaking your head at the thumbs-up you saw Tony giving you from the corner of your eye.
Clint
Clint had been trying for days to get you under the mistletoe, but you knew it, and you took routes around the tower that avoided each and every cluster hanging overhead. It wasn't that you didn't want to kiss him, but it was much more work for him if you didn't just give it away. He was always boasting about winning challenges and how he loved a good fight, so you wouldn't think of denying him his enjoyment.
"I will catch you," he whispered as he passed you in the hall one day, "it's only a matter of time."
"Tick-tock, Barton. Christmas is tomorrow."
He spun around after he passed, smiling and pointing at you with determination, "matter of time, sweetheart."
You knew the Christmas party would be his moment, but you had successfully avoided every location, even when your teammates had tried to help him and lead you towards them. The party was nearing an end, and the last of the guests had said their goodbyes. You stood by the bar to wait for Clint and to give your condolences for his loss when the sound of a flying arrow passed overhead, securing a sprig of mistletoe to the ceiling directly above you. "You've got to be kidding me," you laughed, only to look back and find Clint now in front of you, grabbing you tightly and pulling you closer to claim his victory.
"I win."
Thor
When Thor caught you under the mistletoe, it almost felt like a victory when he kissed you, as if he were announcing that he actually did know about the Midgardian tradition, and the fact that he had been waiting for this moment to finally happen. Public affection wasn't something that he easily bought into, but when the moment came he knew that if he didn't take his shot then it might not happen again. He had been so determined, in fact, that the tower was nearly covered in mistletoe. It didn't matter that you were talking to Nat at the time, or that the entire team was only a few feet away; he pushed between the two of you and lifted you into the air and against his chest, kissing you forcefully at first, then melting into your embrace as he slowly lowered your feet back to the floor. When you pulled back, you were breathless from both surprise and excitement.
"You know, all you had to do was ask, Thor."
"Things of such great importance are never left to chance, (Y/N)."
Bad Grandpa
"Steve, you really don't have to come with me, it's okay. I know the team has big plans and I totally understand if you would rather be here. Really, I'm good."
Steve looked at you skeptically, watching you pack your suitcase for your trip to visit your grandparents for the holidays, rubbing his chin in contemplation of why you were trying to brush him off. "Do I embarrass you, (Y/N)? Are you scared that they won't like me?" He took a few steps forward and a pout crossed his lips, making it difficult to contain your laughter. "It's the uniform, isn't it?"
"Yep, you got me," you chuckled, "it's the uniform. They've already got a flag on their porch, so they don't need another one wandering around the house." Your best friend's eyes widened at the realization that he didn't know if you were joking or not and his expression changed to legitimate concern that he would offend them. "Steve, calm down, I was kidding. I'm sure they would love you, maybe even more than they love me, because let's face it, you're perfect."
He perked up at this, stepping next to you and nudging you with his shoulder, "you think I'm perfect? You do, don't you?" You could feel the heat rising in your cheeks, and you were certain that you were as red as the Christmas sweater you were wearing.
"No, I didn't mean it that way. I just meant that they would think that. I don't...I don't think that...at all," you stammered. "Okay! I think I'm ready!" you exclaimed, trying to quickly change the subject, handing him your suitcase to take to the car with his own. "Last chance, Rogers. Stay or go?"
"Go," he said with a wide smile, "I have to go, (Y/N). I need to be there when your gift is delivered." He turned abruptly and left the room, knowing he had grabbed your curiosity and that you would be following close behind. He quickened his pace when he caught a glimpse of you giving chase.
"Steven Rogers you get back here right now! What did you do?"
~~~
When you approached the house, Steve slowed the car a bit as it began to slide on the narrow country road, furrowing his brow each time he had to correct and compensate for the snow and ice that covered it. "Is it always this bad here? Or am I just that out of practice?"
"Do you want me to drive, Steve? This is actually pretty mild for a winter, to be honest. I think this maybe isn't your strength."
"If I stop, we'll get stuck."
"So? I have you. I'm sure you could get us un-stuck."
"I've got this," he whispered to himself, glancing over at you with a hint of uncertainty as the car slid again.
"Okay, that's it," you huffed, unbuckling your seatbelt to climb over to the driver's seat. "I'm taking over. If you refuse to stop, then this is what you get."
"(Y/N), you can't be serious-"
"You had better push the seat back, Cap, or we both won't fit."
He reached down to the side of the chair and pulled the lever back frantically, the seat lurching back just in time for you to land on his lap. "Okay, now you get over there. I'll take it from here."
Steve paused for a moment, still holding onto your waist as you drove, not ready to let go just yet. Your hair brushed against him and he breathed in its scent, closing his eyes to commit it to his memory, focusing on the warmth of you next to him. When he heard you clear your throat to get his attention, he was forced back into the moment, struggling to push himself from the seat and to the other side of the vehicle.
"Maybe a little warning next, time?" he laughed with an uncomfortable tone, but his focus changed to the road as he marveled at your control on the slippery surface. "Well, I'm completely impressed. You haven't slid once."
"I grew up here, remember? Grandma and Grandpa pretty much raised me, so he taught me how to drive. He wanted to be sure I could handle myself." You turned the car into the driveway and shook your head at the amount of snow blocking your path to the house. "He must have forgotten to clear the drive. Hold on, this could get bumpy."
"What do you mean-"
You gripped the steering wheel tightly and hit the gas, barreling through the drifts of snow that had built up, thankful that it was a light and fluffy snow that you could easily cut through. Hitting the brakes in front of the house, the car lurched and stopped harshly, with Steve reaching forward to catch himself on the dash. He closed his eyes and turned, opening them slowly as he let out the breath that he didn't realize he had been holding.
"Now I understand why Tony won't let you fly the jet."
~~~
"Well, he's just the cutest thing ever, isn't he?"
You jumped slightly at your grandmother's voice behind you as you watched Steve shoveling the driveway clear with your grandfather. It was a strange feeling to see them both working together; you never thought the day would come that you would bring anyone here, even if Steve was only your friend. Of anyone that you could choose, your grandparents were immensely thrilled with your choice of Captain America.
"Yeah, grandpa really is a good lookin' fella. Nice work, grandma."
She gently slapped your arm and laughed, moving to stand next to you and wrap her arm around your waist to join you as you watched the two men. "(Y/N), be serious. That boy out there is one of a kind. Literally, from what I've heard. I think he might see you the same way."
"Steve is my friend, gran. He's my best friend. Besides," you sighed, "I know he doesn't look at me that way."
"Do you want him to?"
"I don't...well...I guess I hadn't thought about it." You looked at her then back out the window, trying to watch Steve as he worked, but with a different point of view, wondering if maybe you should be thinking about it. "I mean, it would be weird, right? Going from friends to...that?"
She leaned over to plant a quick kiss on your cheek and patted your hand before she turned to walk away, leaving you to think about what she had said. "Sweetheart, from what I can see, even in only the short time that you've been here, it would be weird if you didn't. That boy belongs to you."
After a few more minutes of watching, Steve and your grandfather finished their work, shaking hands before walking back towards the house. He spied you in the window and waved with a grin, pointing back at his work to get your approval; you waved back and gave a thumbs-up, earning an even wider smile from your friend.
"I must say, flannel works on you, Steve. Very lumberjack," you smirked when he walked into the house, "and I think if you let this beard grow in a little, it could be a really good look for you." You walked towards him and gently ran your finger over his jawline, feeling the hair that was just beginning to appear. "With that increased metabolism of yours, it shouldn't take long."
"No," he whispered, unsure of how to act in the moment, surprised by how close you were and how you were looking at him with a warmth in your eyes that he didn't recognize, "just a day or two..." he said, his voice trailing off.
"I can't wait," you said quietly with a small smile, turning away to join your grandmother in the kitchen. You held onto the smile as you walked away, wishing that you could see his expression right now, despite the fact that you still didn't know what you even wanted to happen, if anything.
~~~
That evening at dinner, Steve was quieter than usual, sitting next to you but appearing almost nervous around you. You were worried that you had been the cause of this, with your comment earlier and how you practically flirted with him in front of your family. Your body language began to mimic his, and you both began to look completely uncomfortable next to each other.
"So, Captain, 97 years old, hmm? I'm not sure how I feel about (Y/N) bringing home so much of an older man."
"Grandpa!"
Steve choked slightly on his drink, coughing a few times before he was able to respond, a small chuckle escaping his lips as he tried to hide his embarrassment. "Yes, sir, that's right. There were a few...circumstances that threw me a bit off course. But I like to think that I'm holding up okay for my age."
"Well, that's an understatement if I've ever heard one," your grandpa replied, raising his eyebrows at you with a smirk. "Son, I'll buy whatever you're selling to hold up even half as well."
You lowered your head into your hands, groaning at the attention they were giving Steve, knowing it was making the situation even worse, seeing Steve shift uncomfortably in his chair. "You guys..."
"I'm sorry, honey," he continued, "I'm just trying to make nice with your boyfriend, that's all."
"Grandpa! He's not my boyfriend!"
"I'm not her boyfriend," Steve said in unison. He looked over at you for just a second before turning back to your grandfather, "at least, not right now, I'm not."
Your mouth opened to reply, but nothing came out. You swore you heard a small squeal from your grandma but you couldn't turn yourself away from looking at Steve. When he finally looked back and your eyes met, you saw him completely differently and you two were the only ones in the room. "Steve, I-"
A knock at the door interrupted you, shaking you from the moment and from your train of thought. "I'll get it," your grandpa sighed, upset that he was leaving something that he really wanted to see. After a few minutes, he called to Steve who quickly joined him at the door.
"(Y/N), don't move," Steve called to you, "you aren't supposed to see this until tomorrow." There was a slight frustration in his voice and you could hear him struggling with something. "No! Shoot, come back here!"
You looked at your grandma in confusion and back towards the door, worried now about what was happening. You stood but were halted when a tiny black and white puppy ran to you and jumped up on your leg, panting and whining for you to pick it up. "Hey little one! Oh my god, Steve! Who is this? Did you get a puppy for me? Are you serious?" You scooped up the little furry pup, laughing as it pawed and licked at your face. "You are so cute!"
Steve ran into the dining room, pausing at the sight of you with his gift, winking at your grandma in a silent thanks for the idea she had given him a few weeks ago when he had accepted your invitation. "He got away from me, sorry, (Y/N). I was going to surprise you tomorrow, but they delivered him early."
You sat on the floor and laid the puppy on your lap, still laughing at his energy and determination to climb all over you. "This is the best gift I've ever gotten, Steve. I can't believe it."
"I gave you your first car," your grandpa interjected.
"Still," you scoffed back.
"Sure, I see how it is, your boyfriend gives you a puppy and I'm just second best all of the sudden." He shook his head and took your grandma's hand, leading her out of the room. "Times sure are changing, aren't they doll?"
Steve sat on the floor next to you and reached over to pet the puppy, smiling when he jumped into his lap. He leaned in to whisper in your ear, so closely that his warm breath sent a shiver through you. "So, can I be your boyfriend now?"
You replied by taking his face in your hands and pulling him in for a kiss, only to be separated when the new puppy whined and jumped at you both, fighting for your attention. "Yep, he's your boy, that's for sure," you laughed, turning back for another kiss. "This is the best Christmas ever."
You heard footsteps scurrying and growing near until they stopped at the doorway, looking briefly to see a head peeking around the corner at you. "But it was a car, (Y/N)!"
"Grandpa, stop!"