red room

eighteen

Finally it's Christmas. You throw the covers off of you, and run down stairs. You know Santa isn't real, but also excited to see what your family has in store for you. You put on Rudolf seat pants and a Grinch sweatshirt. It's Christmas. You want to be festive. You put on cow slippers, mitch matching. One blue, one pink. Bucky got them for you as an early gift, you love them. Bucky left early this morning. Everyone, including him, are all gathered in the kitchen. Opening their Christmas presents.

"Hey sleepyhead," Bucky smiles when you emerge into the living room. The giant tree makes him look very short in comparison. It's funny. Bucky notices your mocking smile and rolls his eyes.

"I made you something," Tony walks up to with a shitty looking homemade card. "I know it's not much but hey," you smile at him and watch as he walks to the kitchen. You're smiling as you're reading the card, so you don't see Tony walk back in front of you holding a box. You look up and give a questioning look. "I made you something else," he smiles at you and hands you the box. "Magnetic rings. A little birdie told me you're interested having powers."

"These rings will give me powers?" You ask with a skeptical gleam in your eyes.

"Eh. It's like using magnetic energy to control things. Like Wanda does."

"So I'm a weaker double of Wanda?"

"Only when you wear them." Ouch.

You look at the bulky rings after taking them out of the box. "Tony they're ugly." You know you should be more grateful, but what the fuck are these. "They look like fidget rings."

"They were my help in brainstorming." You laugh at his answer. He's odd. "I'll teach you how to use them later." You nod at him and smile.

You give everyone their gifts. Everyone else gives you yours. Your favorite gift was from Bucky. He got you a silver necklace, made out of the same metal as his arm. On it, it says "love you 3000" in cursive. Two diamonds on either side one bigger than the other. Apparently, Steve helped him customize it. It makes sense though, considering the fact that they're best friends from like a billion years ago to now.

The rest of the day is really lazy. Just sitting on the couch watching Christmas movies. Some approved by Steve, some not. Tony claims that Mean Girls is a Christmas movie bc of what they're wearing while singing on stage. Steve didn't understand any of that movie, and the parts he did comprehend he hated. ("What the heck is a burn book? Oh no no no. What is this language?!") He had to exit the room on more than one occasion.

Steve was bullied for that for the rest of the day. Tony tortured him. Though, being the funniest thing you saw all day you felt bad for Steve. Solely due to him being overly annoyed. If he wasn't you'd be joining Tony mocking him right now. The rest if the day went on in a blur. Movies then food. That was a repeating pattern. You had to end the day with your own room, even though Bucky retreated to his. Due to the fact that your room is a few inches closer. And in the moment those inches had felt like life or death.