Lark

Bah humbug

Aria's POV December 19, 2019

It was a week before Christmas and Aria was already over the annoyingly loud holiday. Peter and Loki had led the team in decorating the tree and the rest of the common floor last night instead of doing their game night much to her irritation. Don’t get her wrong, she could understand their happiness at celebrating the holiday. But they all had years of good memories and experiences that she just didn't have in regards to Christmas. When your whole life, especially hers, was about being sequestered away from the outside world watching everyone else get to be with friends and family, it just made her resentful and angry. It's why for the first time since Aria’s suspension she refused to participate in the festivities with everyone when her best friends started passing out boxes of decorations. Turning on her heel Aria had walked straight out of the room and then out of the Compound to go literally anywhere else. Although with the whole city lit up and with how cold it was it left her with very limited options on where to go.

Aria hadn’t gotten far when Tony called, frantic to know why she’d just up and disappeared. Pausing for a beat before just telling him what was wrong, she explained why she left. Without hesitation he told her to pull over to the first restaurant she saw and he’d meet her there while he explained to Steve and Bucky that she was okay so they didn’t worry. It hadn’t even occurred to her to tell anyone where she was going. Her flight mode had kicked in and she just had to get out of there.

So doing as she was told Aria pulled into Joe’s diner and ordered a hot chocolate while she waited for him. Within minutes of Joanna setting her drink down Tony slid into the booth across from her, signaling to the other woman for a coffee. Anticipating him trying to convince her to give the holiday a chance Aria was shocked when he started talking about wanting to propose to Pepper, wanting her input on how he should go about doing it. After staring at him for a solid minute in disbelief, Aria gratefully took his distraction and helped him plan something simple and intimate for the love of his life. Eventually they did get around to why she was so upset and while he’d listened to her without judgment, Tony did encourage her to try to give the holiday a chance. Not making any promises Aria told him that she would try.

::::

While she had loved the bonding time she got with Tony last night it still didn’t take away how Aria felt about things. So here she sat glowering at the large Christmas tree that was taking up most of the common living room. It was silently mocking her with its obnoxiously bright blinking lights, stupid tinsel, ludicrous ornaments and ridiculous shiny star. “If you glare any harder at the tree it's gonna burst into flames.” Natasha strolls into the room coming over to sit next to her. Turning her head Aria raises an eyebrow at the redhead who raised her hands in surrender at her glare and laughs. "I'm a friendly, remember. Wanna tell me what's got you all grinched up, Ebenezer Scrooge?"

Letting out a loud sigh Aria slumped further down on the couch and crossed her arms under her breasts. "I don't want to talk about it." She mumbles, staring at the floor not feeling like she could talk to her about how she felt when Nat so clearly didn’t feel like she did about the holiday.

Picking up the TV remote Natasha turned it on telling the younger woman, "Alright. But just so you know, we're about to watch a Christmas movie marathon. I guarantee that by the time we're done you'll be in the Christmas spirit." With a grin she starts flipping through the channels looking for the one she wanted.

"Doubtful." Aria says snarkily, sitting up ready to leave Natasha to her stupid cheerful movies. The other woman reached out a hand to stop her. Aria knew Nat was just trying to be her friend, reminding her that she was here for her to tell her what was wrong. Sighing dejectedly Aria simply says, "It's too loud."