The Christmas Con (Chris Evans x Reader)

Chapter 1

"Hey, want to help me get my parents off my ass about not having a date for the holidays?"

That was what started this whole weekend of tinsel town torment. Chris had graciously agreed to help you out and travel with you to your family's annual three-day Christmas getaway to a cabin in the mountains. All it took was agreeing to provide the food for the next Patriots game watch party at his house. You readily agreed as you wouldn't be able to stand your elder Aunts' incessant questioning about your love life one more year.

The drive to the cabin went fine since you and Chris rode with your parents who had welcomed Chris with open arms from the moment you landed at the airport. He'd chatted away with them during the drive while you watched the gradual snow banks get taller and taller on the sides of the road the higher up the car went.

Your heart sped up in excitement as you rounded the final turn. The three-story cabin was set against a dense tree lined forest that, through the years, had seen you and your cousins build an army of snowmen, battle it out in snowball fights and share a contrabanded drink or two when the adults got to overbearing in the house. The log roof and wrap around porch railings were covered with snow, making it look like a picture perfect gingerbread house. The setting felt like a location straight out of a Hallmark Christmas movie. Regardless of the family craziness you knew was waiting behind those tall oak doors, you always looked forward to returning here every year.

You were also glad Chris was here with you this time. You'd become close friends over the years after working with him on the first Captain America movie. You'd instantly bonded over your shared love of Disney and dogs. Chris liked to joke that Dodger loved you more than him since his pup would never leave your side when you went to his house.

It was about 6 months ago, though, that you felt a shift in your relationship. Chris had helped you home after one to many drinks at the work wrap party. He'd taken off your coat and shoes, tucked you into bed and kissed your forehead goodnight. The next morning you woke up to a glass of water and headache medicine on your bedside table, and found him asleep on your sofa. When you'd thanked him over a cup of coffee, he shook his head and shrugged off your gratitude.

"I didn't want to leave you alone with that fucker, Colin," he muttered, clearly still agitated about whatever had happened last night. "He wouldn't stop hitting on you all night even when you told him no. You looked uncomfortable and he didn't back off until I told him we were dating."

"You what?" You wiped the bit of coffee that had spit out of your mouth at his revelation. you vaguely remember some guy following you around the party until he'd suddenly disappeared. Now that you thought about it, Chris had magically appeared around the same time. You held your pounding head in your hands just wanting to block the entire night out of your memory.

"Told him we were dating," he repeated calmly. "In a not so subtly threatening tone, I might add. Almost tripped over himself apologizing when I put my arm around your waist later that night. I mean, most people think we are anyway, so it wasn't hard to convince him."

"Oh, I didn't know..." You trailed off.

"What? That people think we're a couple?" Chris laughed.

You'd be lying if you denied you found Chris attractive, but your timing just never seemed to work out. Either he was with someone or away filming when you were single, or you were dating someone when he was back in town. And, it wasn't like either of you had the best track run when it came to relationships. Just another thing you had in common. A few of your exes' seemed to be uncomfortable with your friendship with Chris, but the truth was, none of them were as easy or fun to be around as Chris. You didn't have to worry about saying or doing the wrong thing with him. He'd said as much to you when you'd brought it up after one of your more hurtful breakups. He said it was the same with his own exes', but eventually they realized that you were always going to be a part of his life and came to terms with it in one way or another.