December arrives and Bucky is in no way prepared for Tony's unhealthy love of the festive season.
When Bucky woke up on the first of December he was not expecting the first thing he saw when he opened the curtain to be the large Avenger's symbol, that lived on the side of the tower, flashing red green and white. He couldn't help but just stand and stare at it, it was somewhat hypnotic in its own gaudy, excessive way.
He came down to the communal floor to find the rest of the tower wasn't much better. The bot's appeared to be hanging up decorations in bright clashing colours and a huge tree had been moved into the living room. He couldn't help but just stare in total disbelief. What in the hell is happening here?
He silently made his way to the kitchen where those who were actually awake had gathered around mugs of coffee and the smell of pancakes. He was relieved to see it was Sam at the over in his apron. No one seemed the least bit surprised by what was going on in the other room.
"Morning." Steve greeted, wide-eyed and bright despite the early hour. Well, early for a normal person anyway. "Someone wanna explain why the place looks like Santa puked over it?" Clint snorted slightly into his mug as Natasha rolled her eyes.
She still hadn't really forgiven Bucky for that time forever ago when the Winter Soldier shot her. It wasn't like he was aiming for her, she was just in the way of the target.
She now just regarded him with cold indifference and watchful guarded eyes. Bucky's pretty sure that was Steve's doing.
"Stark tends to go a little overboard with the decorating." She shrugged. "It's a daddy issues thing," Sam added though Bucky didn't really count that as an explanation. He looked to Steve who gave a sad smile.
"He never really had a proper Christmas as a kid so he likes to make up for it." Bucky had heard how much of a jerk Howard had turned out to be so he wasn't entirely surprised by this. Stark was full of crazy quirks that could be traced back to 'daddy issues'.
"He's not expecting us to help is he?" He could just imagine how well that would go. Five minutes in and there'd be a fight about colour schemes or something equally insane. "No. We usually just leave him to it."
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ･───
The first morning Bucky was woken up by a sudden blast of music he jolted straight up and out of bed, grabbing hold of the knife he had hidden under his pillow and forming a defensive crouch, eyes darting all over for danger.
Once he'd established he was in fact the only one in there he slowly got to his feet, his heart rate slowing as the adrenaline subsided. "Jarvis?"
"Sir has decided to temporarily reprogram me to play Christmas songs instead of my customary wake up." Right.
As Bucky stood there listening he realised that he vaguely recognised the song. It was something he'd heard playing in stores on the few occasions Steve had dragged him out shopping.
