★ ★ ★
4 YEARS AND 6 MONTHS AFTER DECIMATION
DECEMBER 2025
★ ★ ★
Marlena stood quietly by the window, her eyes watching the soft, white snowflakes fall to the ground below. There weren't many people out, despite the fact it was New York City, but it was also Christmas Eve, which meant everyone was spending their time indoors with their family and friends. Marlena was incredibly happy to finally be among that group. It'd only taken her four years to completely be okay with spending important holidays with those she loved. Since the snap, she'd only felt guilty at the mere thought of having any kind of fun without those they lost, but after an impromptu thirtieth birthday celebration it only became easier and easier to find the strength to be around them. Her relationship with Steve only helped that along as well.
For six months, Marlena had been so much happier than she ever thought she would be again. Thanos destroyed her life, and there was absolutely no denying that fact, but while she still felt an intensely dull ache from the absence of her loved ones, she knew she could not spend the rest of her life groveling over that pain. Her family wouldn't have wanted that for her, so she worked tirelessly to make sure she could give them what she wanted, and that was happiness, something of which she found in America's favorite soldier.
Steve and Marlena had been together since the night Marlena unexpectedly revealed her feelings for him. The two never expected to fall so easily within the other's grasp, but they found that being together worked for them. Steve was the only person aside from Bucky that had ever been able to understand Marlena on such an intense emotional level. He was the only other person who knew her better than she knew herself. Steve was there for her in ways no one else ever could be, and Marlena found that to be a very important part of their relationship. He made her laugh when no one else could, and he made her smile when all she wanted to do was cry. Steve was important to Marlena, just as Marlena was important to Steve, and everything they'd built with each other was something neither of them wanted to lose.
A set of warm hands on Marlena's arms tore her attention away from the falling snow. The brunette turned around to see Steve, his blue eyes glistening as he looked down at her. Marlena looked over his appearance, a quiet laugh escaping her lips as she took notice of the apron he wore around his waist. Since everyone agreed to having Christmas at Steve's, he'd been given the job of preparing a wondrous Christmas dinner for everyone to enjoy. Marlena could smell it, so she knew it was bound to be delicious, but she couldn't get over how silly he looked wearing an apron.
"Why are you wearing an apron?" Marlena questioned him with an amused smile on her face.
Steve hummed and pulled her in for a hug, encasing her petite body tightly and protectively within his arms. "Because this shirt is $700 according to Tony Stark," he answered her.
Marlena ran her hand over the expensive material and grinned, "He would be very correct."
"Yeah," Steve pulled away from her. "I didn't exactly wanna get Christmas chicken all over it."
"Yeah, about the Christmas chicken—"
"What's wrong with my Christmas chicken?"
Marlena chuckled at the defensive tone of his voice. "I was just gonna say that the Christmas chicken smells wonderful."
"Sure," he scoffed and hugged her again. "I have something to give you."
Marlena pulled away and looked up at him with a raised brow. "You do know we aren't exchanging gifts for another five hours, right?"
"Yes, but I wanted to give this to you before everyone got here," Steve told her.
He walked over to retrieve a small blue gift box from their dresser and held it out to her. Marlena smiled and took the gift from him, wasting no time at all in pulling the box open. Inside was an adorable three-wick candle. There was a wrapping around the glass container of the candle inscribed with Marlena's name. Marlena's smile grew wider and she looked at Steve.
"Marlena?" She sniffed the candle and was immediately in love with the smell, "It smells so good."
"I got it from a little store in lower Manhattan," Steve explained to her. "You sit and you talk with the candlemaker about the person you want the candle for and they make a candle using the perfect combination of scents to remind you of that person—"
Marlena laughed and placed a hand on his cheek as if to calm his babbling. "Hey, I get it, it's absolutely perfect. I'm just not understanding what warranted this gift to be separated from the others. It's not like they'll suspect anything over a candle, Steve," she said.
The smallest hint of a smirk pulled at the corner of Steve's lips and he placed his hands over Marlena's, whose were wrapped securely around her boxed candle. "This gift is a lot more valuable than you think, and it means a lot more to me than you know."
Marlena narrowed her eyes at him, wishing now more than ever she had her abilities to let her know what he was up to. "And what exactly is that supposed to mean?"
Steve only chuckled and shook his head at her. He placed a gentle kiss onto the top of her head and met her eyes. "It means I love you, okay?"
"Okay," Marlena smiled and leaned forward to kiss him. "I love you, too."
"Steve! Marlena!"
Steve and Marlena immediately tore their attention away from each other at the sound of a familiar voice. Marlena placed her candle carefully back onto the dresser and headed out of their room with Steve following closely behind her. Natasha stopped in the hallway once she saw the two of them and raised a brow, her eyes flickering from the bedroom door and back to her two closest friends.
"Am I interrupting something?" Natasha smirked.
"No," Marlena answered her. "Why would you think that?"
Natasha ignored the question and moved to wrap Marlena in a tight hug. She hadn't seen Marlena since they last trained together, and that was more than two months ago. She loved seeing Marlena any chance she got, especially considering with each time she seemed much better than the last. This time, she was radiating something Natasha couldn't exactly put her finger on, but she was Natasha Romanoff. She would figure it out.
"It's so good to see you guys," she greeted the pair as a knock on the door sounded.
"It's good to see you, Nat," Steve offered her a small hug while Marlena scurried off to answer the door.
Another smile broke out on Marlena's face as she opened the door to the rest of her guests. Rhodey was smiling from his spot beside Bruce. Pepper and Tony were in the front holding little Morgan Stark, someone Marlena had been waiting so long to meet.
"You guys made it," Marlena breathed out a sigh of relief. Part of her wasn't sure everyone would actually come. She spent years distancing herself from them because of the negative emotional state she was in, and while they'd gladly shown up to celebrate her thirtieth birthday, she wondered if a small part of them resented her for completely cutting off everyone but Steve. She was prepared to start fresh, though, and that was what she hoped this Christmas party could be—a fresh start.
"Of course we made it, Ladybug," Tony walked in and grabbed Marlena, placing a kiss to the top of her head before pulling her into a tight hug. "How could I say no to Cap's wonderful cooking?"
"I hope that's not sarcasm," Steve's voice sounded, immediately grabbing Tony's attention. Marlena wandered off to greet everyone else, while Tony and Steve remained conversing in the corner of the living room. "It's good to see you, Tony."
Tony grinned and pulled him in for a hug. "It's good to see you too, Steve."
"Merry Christmas."
Tony hummed and crossed his arms over his chest. "Merry Christmas to me or to you? Did you give it to her yet?"
Steve glanced around to see if anyone was watching the two of them and when he found everyone lost within their own conversations, he turned back to Tony. "Yes, but please don't tell her you know I gave it to her."
"Why not?" Tony scoffed. "I'm the one that helped you pick out the damn thing."
"I understand that, but no one really knows we're together yet."
"Still?"
Steve nodded his head.
For the past six months, Steve and Marlena had kept their relationship private for the most part. They both decided not to tell any of their close friends until they were completely ready, but Steve had obviously clued Tony in on just about everything. He hadn't said a word about anything, but like Natasha, Tony definitely wasn't stupid. He figured it out, only he'd figured it out a lot sooner than Natasha managed to.
"Not to mention, she doesn't know what it actually is," Steve added.
"She'll figure it out soon enough," Tony chuckled. "You remember the amount of candles she burned while she was in the tower."
"Yeah, I remember the smells too," Steve replied.
"Exactly, so I'd give it three or four months depending on what mood she's in," Tony suggested.
Steve let out a breath and nodded.
Tony watched the soldier carefully. There was no denying Steve was nervous, but Tony was shocked over the fact he had never been so nervous in the years he'd known him. It was all because of Marlena, though, and Steve knew that as well. He'd spent almost a decade with the information regarding Steve's complicated feelings for Marlena, who'd been unavailable—emotionally or otherwise—until six months ago. Tony understood why Steve was nervous; he was finally settling with the woman he'd spent years falling more and more in love with, but Tony just wished his old friend could be more relaxed with the situation. Marlena wasn't going anywhere, and Tony could see that despite how hard she tried to keep her feelings concealed around her loved ones. What Marlena felt for Steve was clear.
"She loves you, y'know?" Tony said quietly.
"I know," Steve sighed and glanced over at Marlena, who was laughing with Natasha and Bruce. The sight of it was enough to elicit a smile from Steve. He still cherished every ounce of happiness that came from Marlena. She spent so long feeling so horrible. She deserved to finally be happy, and she deserved to share that happiness with those she loved. "I love her so much."
"I know," Tony sighed, "It's actually annoying how much you love her."
Steve couldn't help but roll his eyes at Tony's remark, "Thank you, Tony."
"Anytime, pal." Tony clapped Steve's shoulder, "How are you doing with the whole guilt situation?"
"It's still there, but it gets better every day," Steve answered, his eyes still fixed on Marlena.
He promised himself long ago he was done feeling guilty for loving Marlena, and for a time he made good on his promise. All it took to send him back was a single nightmare Marlena had about Bucky just two months after the two got together. He just couldn't help but feel guilty thinking the world was once again torturing her for falling in love with him. Through a mass of reassurance Steve was able to force the guilt from his mind, and while he was already feeling significantly better, it was still a work in progress.
"Good, good," Tony chimed. "And I definitely didn't know Barnes as well as you did, but I know he would've wanted you to be happy, regardless of whether or not you were with Marlena."
Steve looked at Tony and smiled softly. "Thank you, Tony."
"Like I said...anytime."
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a chicken to check on."
Steve roamed away to the kitchen, but stopped halfway. He looked back at Marlena. She was still with Natasha and Bruce, but had been joined by little Morgan, which only seemed to make her happier than he anticipated. He couldn't help but smile at her. The love he held for her was something he'd never known before, and while that terrified him to his core, at the same time it thrilled him to no end. In that moment, as his eyes locked on the smiling face he'd come to love so much, he couldn't help but think of how eager he was to show her just how important her Christmas present was.