After multiple run-ins with death and many shocking self-discoveries in the course of a few months, all America Evans wants to do is hide away in Washington with Steve until she finds out who she really is. But life as an Avenger doesn't allow for a...
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AMERICA'S POV
They're here. I don't wait for anyone else. I take off at top speed and find the small team lingering in the front room of the compound. I launch myself into Steve's arms, and while he's caught off-guard, he still holds me tightly. His embrace is steady and reliable, just like him.
"Hi," he says as he sets me down.
"I missed you," I reply. He's still in his suit and looks incredibly tired, but he's here. He's home.
"I missed you, too." I hug Pietro and give Nat a smile, but it's Steve that I want to spend time with. The two of them seem to sense this, and graciously leave us alone, spouting excuses the whole way. They're too good. We start to walk down the halls, my hand entwined in his. "What happened? Did you get them?"
He shakes his head. "It was a dead end. The base was abandoned. It was a waste of our time, essentially. A month spent on nothing."
"So what took so long, then?"
"Fury wanted us to be absolutely sure." There's sarcasm in his voice, unexpected sarcasm, and I giggle.
"I'm glad to have you back, though."
He shrugs. "What have you been up to? Has Fury cleared you for training yet?"
"Yep. I've been going on runs again. It's so amazing. I didn't know how much I missed it."
"That's good. I needed my training partner back," Steve says, winking.
"And as for what's been going on, not much. My nightmares were getting really bad for a while, but Sam helped me out. I've been working on wedding planning. I chose Wanda as my maid of honor. And I don't know if you checked the news today, but-"
"Oh, I know all about that," he says, waving me off. I gawk. How does he already know? What does he think?"
"You do?" I ask. "And you're not mad?"
"Why would I be? I trust you. I know that you love me. Plus, to be honest, if you went for someone else on the team, I don't think it would be Tony."
"Nah. He talks too much. Probably Thor. I have a thing for blonds." I shove him playfully. "We're less than a month away from being married, you know."
"I do. It's getting close, doll. Then I'll have you all to myself."
"You already do." In an empty part of the hallway, he kisses me soft and slow. I could kiss this man forever. I'm going to be with this man forever.
It seems too good to be true.
But every once in awhile, it isn't.
"You're home," I whisper. I still can't believe it. The last few weeks haven't been easy. He smiles and brushes my hair away from my eyes, an adoring look on his face.
"I'm home."
------
"Tony, don't you have people who can do this for you?" I complain as we tromp through the deep snow. We have at least eight inches. And after a two hour drive with the entire team shoved in a single van with Tony singing Christmas carols the entire way, everyone's patience is running dangerously thin.
"That takes all the fun out of it, Liberty Bell. Hey Cap, it's pretty cold, so don't freeze again, okay?"
"I wouldn't worry, Tony."
"I'm not."
"Can you remind us exactly what we are doing?" Sam chimes in, trying to irritate Tony. He sighs.
"Sure, Wilson. We are here to find the Avengers Christmas tree. And I'm already regretting taking a whole party."
"Ah, Stark, don't be so dramatic," Nat says, rolling her eyes. She adjusts her earmuffs and dusts the snow off of her red waves. "This is supposed to be fun!"
"Yes. Supposed to be."
"I think my legs are frozen!" Pietro complains. "This is colder than winter in Sokovia!"
"Who said we could take the toddler?" Tony asks.
"You did," Steve points out. This sounded a lot more fun before I found out it was twenty degrees Fahrenheit outside.
"So that was obviously a lapse in judgement."
"I don't think it's that bad out," Steve says. "This is how everyone used to do it. It's traditional. Old fashioned fun."
"Yeah, back in the 1700s, right?" I tease. "What a spry young lad you must have been, picking out your little tree and chopping it down with an old-fashioned axe." He grins and takes my mittened hand in his.
"That was before tree lots and plastic trees were invented, Rogers," Nat says, shaking in the cold. "Brrrrr."
Tony stops in his tracks, and as we're all basically in a long line, everyone stumbles up against each other like dominos. Apparently we're sneaky and clever at everything except walking. "There it is."
The only word to describe this tree is massive. At least ten feet tall, it stands in the middle of the woods, snow-covered and full. Very full. I'm not sure if that's even going to fit in our living room at the compound. Tony shoots a blast at the trunk and the tree comes down to the earth with a crash, almost smushing Nat in the process.
"Are you sure?" I ask, eying the pine apprehensively. "It's pretty big."
"Exactly! It's perfect!"
"How are we going to even get it home?"
"That's what she's for," Tony says. He points to Wanda, who under her many layers and scarves, rolls her eyes but obliges. Red swirls of energy float over to the tree and lift it off of the ground. She carefully shifts the tree so that all of the snow dumps right on Tony. I can barely hear Tony's muffled words over the laughter: "was that really necessary?"
Merry Christmas! I hope everyone has an amazing day! I originally wanted to have the wedding out on Christmas Eve to match dates, but apparently I need sleep, so I'm working on it 😂 have a happy holiday!
