Retribution ★ Avengers

Candles and Christmas

★ ★ ★

4 YEARS AND 6 MONTHS AFTER DECIMATION

DECEMBER 2025

★ ★ ★

Marlena stood quietly by the window, her eyes watching the soft, white snowflakes fall to the ground below. There weren't many people out, despite the fact it was New York City, but it was also Christmas Eve, which meant everyone was spending their time indoors with their family and friends. Marlena was incredibly happy to finally be among that group. It'd only taken her four years to completely be okay with spending important holidays with those she loved. Since the snap, she'd only felt guilty at the mere thought of having any kind of fun without those they lost, but after an impromptu thirtieth birthday celebration it only became easier and easier to find the strength to be around them. Her relationship with Steve only helped that along as well.

For six months, Marlena had been so much happier than she ever thought she would be again. Thanos destroyed her life, and there was absolutely no denying that fact, but while she still felt an intensely dull ache from the absence of her loved ones, she knew she could not spend the rest of her life groveling over that pain. Her family wouldn't have wanted that for her, so she worked tirelessly to make sure she could give them what she wanted, and that was happiness, something of which she found in America's favorite soldier.

Steve and Marlena had been together since the night Marlena unexpectedly revealed her feelings for him. The two never expected to fall so easily within the other's grasp, but they found that being together worked for them. Steve was the only person aside from Bucky that had ever been able to understand Marlena on such an intense emotional level. He was the only other person who knew her better than she knew herself. Steve was there for her in ways no one else ever could be, and Marlena found that to be a very important part of their relationship. He made her laugh when no one else could, and he made her smile when all she wanted to do was cry. Steve was important to Marlena, just as Marlena was important to Steve, and everything they'd built with each other was something neither of them wanted to lose.

A set of warm hands on Marlena's arms tore her attention away from the falling snow. The brunette turned around to see Steve, his blue eyes glistening as he looked down at her. Marlena looked over his appearance, a quiet laugh escaping her lips as she took notice of the apron he wore around his waist. Since everyone agreed to having Christmas at Steve's, he'd been given the job of preparing a wondrous Christmas dinner for everyone to enjoy. Marlena could smell it, so she knew it was bound to be delicious, but she couldn't get over how silly he looked wearing an apron.

"Why are you wearing an apron?" Marlena questioned him with an amused smile on her face.

Steve hummed and pulled her in for a hug, encasing her petite body tightly and protectively within his arms. "Because this shirt is $700 according to Tony Stark," he answered her.

Marlena ran her hand over the expensive material and grinned, "He would be very correct."

"Yeah," Steve pulled away from her. "I didn't exactly wanna get Christmas chicken all over it."

"Yeah, about the Christmas chicken—"

"What's wrong with my Christmas chicken?"

Marlena chuckled at the defensive tone of his voice. "I was just gonna say that the Christmas chicken smells wonderful."

"Sure," he scoffed and hugged her again. "I have something to give you."