Red Thorn

Chapter 36

December 24th 2016

Christmas Eve

"What's this?" Sam asked, flicking at the antlers upon Red's head. She shrugged, passing him a small present bag. "Seriously?"

Red nodded. "C'est Noël."

He pointed to the remaining two bags in her hands. "You really think you're going to get Scrooge to wear one of those?"

"Who are you calling Scrooge?" a voice asked from behind them.

Sam placed the antlers on his head, glancing towards Bucky who was closing the door behind Steve. "Him."

"Oh my god, reindeer antlers!" Bucky beamed. "Do you have any spares?"

Red smirked before turning towards the boys, handing them each a pair.

"Thanks!"

Steve shook his head, a playful smile on his lips. "I take it these are for our run?"

"No, they're for bathing in," Sam sassed. "Of course they are for our run, dumbass."

"Woah!" Steve raised his hands in mock surrender. "Whose the Scrooge now?"

"Don't mind him," Bucky said, "He's pissed that his sister won't let him go home for Christmas because the boys have chickenpox."

"I'm not pissed, I'm disappointed," Sam corrected, walking towards the elevator. "And how do you know that?"

"You talk loudly when on the phone," he deadpanned.

"Well, maybe you should mind your own business," Sam shot back just in time for the doors to open.

"I have super hearing." Bucky couldn't help the smile that formed on his lips when he saw his reflection - he loved how Christmassy everything was and the joy it was bringing with it. "I can't help it."

"I..." Sam opened his mouth to speak but quickly shut it again when he realised that he was stood in an elevator surrounded with people who had enhanced hearing. "It just sucks, okay?"

"I get that," Steve said. "It blows but at least you won't be alone. And I would be lying if I said I wasn't happy about it. Not that they're sick, but that you're staying home."

"Thanks."

The run was quicker than usual, much to Sam's dismay, but Bucky reminded him that the quicker they went, the quicker they got back and even though he hated to admit it, the super soldier was right.

"What are you wearing?" Tony asked, nearly spilling his coffee all over himself when he caught a glimpse of the four of them coming out of the lift on their way back in from the gym.

"Antlers," Red signed. "It's Christmas."

"Again, Hood, I do not speak hands," Tony told her, dramatically waving his own as he did.

"She said they were Antlers because it is Christmas," Natasha translated. "You should really learn ASL, Stark."

"No, she just really needs to speak," he shot back.

"Stark!" both Steve and Natasha scolded.

"I mean," Yelena chimed in, popping a blueberry in her mouth, "He has a point."

"Thank you," he said, a smug look on his face. "Don't think that means you're on my nice list though."

"Oh and then you say you aren't the elf man," she sassed.