RD.
Tensions with the senate were growing thick recently, the strain on the team becoming blatantly obvious.
It was heaviest on Captain America Steve rogers and iron man tony stark.
The once best friends couldn't be in the same room without arguing anymore and they had taken to staying apart as much as possible, their relationship rather unsteady to start with after the ultron incident seemed to be all but obliterated, a wedge being driven between the both of them.
It was like they were on separate sides of a battle.
But these issues didn't stop Steve rogers old fashion values from coming to the front on the 26th of November.
Thanksgiving day.
Taking it upon himself he decided a holiday would do everyone good, after all they didn't have anyone to spend it with, and thanksgiving was about family, and despite the tension that had started to disrupt the sanctity of the team they were still a family.
Bruce loved the idea and Clint and Natasha liked the idea of a huge feast they didn't have to pay for.
Thor boomed about how large the bird would be that he would bring from asgard.
And tony... he didn't say anything but Steve saw the way his hand tighten on his glass before leaving the room.
At first he didn't think there was anything strange about it but the longer he thought about it the more it bugged him and he couldn't stop thinking about it.
Come morning Steve woke up even earlier than usual despite the lack of decent sleep he had gained the night before and put the large bird thor had obtained in to cook, it had some strange name but thor assured him it was the asgardian equivalent of a turkey.
He remembered his mother's recipes and once he had the bird in the oven he left FRIDAY to keep watch and went for his normal run the air was chilly and damp enough he felt his skin prickling.
Never had he been so happy to reach his shower.
Even still it was only 5 in the morning when he reached the kitchen again, the only other person awake was Natasha who smiled a little at him.
He smiled back and greeted her before starting on the rest of the food.
It wasn't until sometime around 8 when the others rose from their sleep, but even then no one offered to help they all had their own business to take care of, accept for Bruce who stayed around to peel the potatoes before descending to his lab.
Natasha herself stayed just long enough for breakfast and to slice apples for the pies he was planning on making before slinking away.
Really he didn't mind to much, he actually slipped back into the mindset of when he was younger and just healthy enough they could afford a thanksgiving dinner.
It wasn't nearly as extravagant or large as the one he was currently making but it still drew up warm memories of making pies with his mother, of laughing at Bucky when he tried to steal a spoon of the mixture from the bowl only for his ma to smack his hand and scold him.
Made him smile and remember the good times.
He didn't even notice tony was sitting at the kitchen island watching him with his chin resting on his crossed arms.
Spotting him from the corner of his eye nearly made Steve jump.
"how long have you been there?" tony rose a brow and Steve noticed the dark shading under his eyes like he hadn't slept the night before, he wasn't to surprised the man had probably been working on another one of his inventions.
"dun no how long you been humming like a choirs girl?" Steve took a breath as he felt his face grow warm then turned back toured the counter before turning to face him "make yourself useful ok stark? Take the ends off these"
He sat a bowl and bag of green beans still needing stemmed in front of the man who held up his hands "uh no sorry I don't really do, this" tony made a motion to encompass the entire kitchen and Steve rolled his eyes "I noticed that, just do it, I could use the help"
Stark made a face at his back he knew the man did but he stayed silent and did as Steve asked.
It was strangely comfortable in a way, it was probably also one of the few times Steve and tony where in the same room together and had yet to stark arguing.
"what's the big deal with this turkey thing" Steve looked over his shoulder confused but tony didn't look up from the neat little pile he was making "what do you mean?"
Tony made a motion with one long bean "all this, celebrating the first feast between some power hungry foreigners and natives that were soon driven out of their own homes, what's the point of this whole holiday? Just to stuff your face on to much food and brag about what you've got"
Steve turned back to the pie shell he was pressing out "that's not what it's about tony, it's about being thankful for what you have"
"yeah try telling that to people nowadays, they don't care what they have anymore, now it's all about what they can get"
The silence that had been comfortable suddenly became tense Steve could feel the muscles in his back coiling but he refused to let tony inadvertently start an argument, not today.
He pressed maybe a little too hard on the pie shell before taking a breath, he had to extend some kind of olive branch here, if only for the time being "can we not do this today?"
"do what?"
Steve turned and looked at tony "this, this bickering that we've been doing lately, I know we don't get along and you don't really care but" his voice grew quiet and he looked down rubbing his hands on a dish cloth before he spoke again.
Tony was surprisingly quiet as he picked out what he wanted to say "when I was younger we couldn't always afford a thanksgiving dinner, but my ma would always do something, she told me it wasn't about the food it was about the people you spent the day with, even after she died and I was in the war everything just seemed to stop for the day and we'd just enjoy each other's company"
Finally he rose his eyes to see tony not looking at him and he sighed "thanksgivings about being surrounded by family and the people you care about and enjoying their company while being thankful for the things you have in your life"
Steve highly doubted he'd gotten through to the man but at least he'd made his opinion known "my old man couldn't care less about thanksgiving, said it was just another day" Steve paused in reaching for the apple pie filling and looked up just in time to see tony disappearing around the corner of the kitchen.
He stood there blinking for a good five minutes before shaking himself, that...
He didn't know what that was.
But he did notice how the beans sat nice and neat in their bowl and the stems were in the bag.
After that small confession tony stayed out of the kitchen for most of the day, only appearing to refill his cup of coffee or bicker with Steve, but it wasn't the normal bickering.
Instead of starting arguments like he usually did he would crack a joke that would make Steve return with something sarcastic but it didn't have the heat.
It was almost sedate.
When the food was finally done it was just after 5:30 in the afternoon and Steve felt almost exhausted but from the expressions on everyone's face when they finally reappeared it was worth it.
There were also extra faces at the table, Clint's wife and children selvage, Darcy, Jane, pepper even agent hill and the once thought dead Coulson, the only person that was really missing was tony, not that Steve was really surprised.
The aura at the table was one of companionship and family, it was a feeling that had been missing from avengers tower for a long time.
Surprisingly he wasn't the one to question where tony had disappeared to, although he was mildly curios, it was Clint's wife "where's Mr. stark?" she questioned looking at the obviously empty seat on the other end of the table from Steve.
He shrugged but noticed pepper looked distinctly uncomfortable "tony doesn't really do thanksgiving, it's not really my place but he just has issues with it" a snort made everyone look in the direction of the elevator "I have issues with most things pep, doesn't mean I'm going to turn down free food"
Pepper was obviously surprised by his appearance "I thought you wouldn't" she trailed off as tony all but threw himself in his seat "yeah well surprise, pass the bird"
For some reason Steve couldn't keep the smile from tugging at his face.
A couple hours later after everyone had eaten their fill, those that weren't to sleepy from bellies filled with good food sat in the living room, thor and Clint were debating about watching the football game, Natasha was reading a book while using Clint for a foot rest, and Steve and tony sat on opposite sides of a couch watching every one.
One of Clint's kids, his daughter was sitting on the floor in front of Clint drawing while he played with her hair.
Steve thought it was weird seeing the man act like a father just like it was weird the first time he'd met them, but it also had a strange feeling of rightness to you.
When the girl looked up almost falling backwards to look at her father the question she asked nearly caught him off guard "daddy what are you thankful for this year?"
Clint blinked down at his daughter before smiling "Well I'm thankful for you and your mom and your brothers" the girl made a face "you say that every year" Clint bent forward to kiss her head "is it supposed to change? I mean isn't that what you're supposed to be thankful for? Your family? Back me up here guys"
Natasha put down her book "I don't know Clint everyone has different things their thankful for, don't you think boys?" she glanced over at the others "aye, I am thankful to have such mighty companions and friends, as well as my brother being back home where he belongs"
"I'm thankful for having people I care about to share the holidays with" Steve shrugged and from the corner of his eye spotted Tony's knuckles go white n his glass "and I'm thankful for the fact none of you idiots have gotten yourselves killed" Natasha was smirking at Clint who made a face before looking at tony.
"and let me guess" Steve was sure whatever Hawkeye was about to say wasn't going to be good "your thankful for being rich and having a unending supply of liquor and as many toys as you can get your hands on"
The expression tony gave him was friendly enough on the outside but Steve knew it meant something far more dangerous, just from the tightening of his hand and the skin around his eyes "you know me so well legolas"
Clint seemed to realize his screw up about the same time Natasha's foot jammed itself further into his stomach "what about you Lila?" Steve quickly changed the subject.
The girl hummed for a moment before smiling "I'm thankful that superheroes help protect my daddy"
A sudden movement from tony had Steve looking just in time to see him stand up and march away "what's up with him?" Clint asked Steve shook his head watching the man disappear.
It took almost an hour before Steve convinced himself he needed to go see what was bugging the mechanic, just as an excuse he also took a piece of apple pie.
The lights in Tony's work shop were dull compared to usual but maybe it had just been a while since Steve had entered the area, it had been weeks since he ventured beyond the glass door but he couldn't help remembering being called down randomly for upgrades to his uniform and shield.
Waking up on sleepless nights and descending the stairs just to sit in the corner on the couch and watch the man who rarely slept himself, work on one project or another
He almost didn't spot tony leaning over one of his desks the way he'd been leaning on the kitchen island upstairs, a blue hologram of something hanging in front of him being manipulated with one of his fingers.
"stark?" the man glanced back but other than that didn't move just hummed "what was that about up there?" he walked toured the man who now sat up "nothing I want to talk about"
"I'm not asking" he set down the pie and looked around "what's your issue with thanksgiving?" he saw tony poke at the pie "doesn't matter"
Steve perked a brow and looked at the man, he sounded almost, depressed.
"what's wrong with you" tony shoved away from his desk the sudden movement making Steve stumble away "nothing is wrong with me just leave it alone"
So much for the no arguing thing "tony I'm not going to leave it alone something's been bothering you all day, you use to talk to me when I asked so what's changed? I thought we were friends" aggression from days and weeks of arguing was building up in his chest, looking for an escape.
But he didn't expect the swift pain from Tony's next words "I guess you were wrong"
The way Tony's eyes widened when he looked at Steve either meant his face gave him away to the sudden pain or he couldn't believe what he'd just said Steve swallowed thickly before licking his lips "yeah, guess so"
"Steve I-"
A sudden alarm made Steve looked up "put on your suit" he said before quickly leaving the lab, he could still hear tony curse behind him.
"don't villains know you're supposed to take the holidays off? I'm missing the game!"
Steve shook his head at Clint before shoving his shield into another yellow suit wearing bad guy, aim was damned and determined to ruin everyone's day if the way they had been trying to blow up Harlem was anything to go by.
"don't think they care" he said ducking under his shield and hearing the bullets pinging on its surface, sometimes he loved his shield "but do you know ow hard it is to fight on a full stomach"
He heard a groan "are you going to keep complaining or are you going to do your job?" ironman snapped "someone woke up on the wrong side of the turkey" Barton muttered before firing one of his arrows making something explode.
Steve's eyes rolled slightly as he turned to face the aim people trying to sneak up behind him and felt something smack his legs out from under him, he grunted as he went down but rolled out of the way and threw his shield clearing the area around him for te moment so he could catch his breath, they had been fighting for nearly a half hour and there were a lot of aim soldiers.
Raising to his feet he heard a soft clicking noise "Steve watch out" tony suddenly called just a moment before something graved him and the ground below him was suddenly exploding, that explained the clicking.
He felt the heat from the blast and the force wave it put off, felt warmth on his face and realized he had lost his helmet again which was starting to become a bad habit.
Then he was suddenly being dropped it was just a few inches above the ground but still he stumbled because he wasn't expecting it "what is wrong with you, aren't you the one that said never let your guard down!" tony stood in front of him and was yanking off his helmet.
Steve didn't like to look in his eyes.
"it was a surprise and we don't have time for this there's still aim-" he turned to go back to the fight but tony graved him "fuck aim you arrogant son of a bitch we need to talk"
He turned back to tony "Can this wait were in the middle of a battle" tony motioned toured the street "they are retreating and this is more important"
"fine tony what is it"
"don't give me that, you were the one that wanted to talk in the first place, now that I actually have something to say you don't want to hear it"
Steve crossed his arms "That's when I thought we were friends"
Tony shoved his hands into his hair "damn it I didn't mean to say that, we are friends"
"well you've got a funny way of showing it"
"is it my fault my father never showed me an ounce of care a day in his life? You should know I'm not good with feelings"
Steve snorted "isn't that an understatement"
"damn it Steve I- move!" the sudden movement of tony going behind him and the impact of Tony's repulsers in his back knocked the breath from his lungs as well as showing him away several feet.
He felt betrayed by the attack for just a moment before he turned and saw in slow motion the shock wave of the explosive and then the orange glow of its fire spreading out to envelope tony.
Tony who wasn't wearing his helmet.
Some aim soldier had been carrying a bomb and he hadn't even noticed, the man must have thought he could take them both out while they were distracted.
It was over in the blink of an eye and when Steve rose to his feet from where he had landed he saw with growing horror that tony was laying unmoving with a bloody face only feet away from him.
"stark" he said and bolted taking the man's face between his hands "stark? Stark? Tony!"
There was no response, blood wetting his fingers.
Tony stark was a proud man, but he wasn't a very good patient, he was lucky, despite the looks of it he escaped close proximity to an explosion without his helmet, with only some minor burns and cuts and a small concussion.
His first words upon waking up was that he could 'feel his genius leaking out'
Steve didn't know if he wanted to punch the man or kiss him, that thought had made him stop and think for what felt like a very long time.
The way he knew tony wasn't a very good patient other than the fact that he'd known the man for nearly four years was the fact that he was thinking about this in his room when the man came walking in.
Only thing amiss was the white bandage wrapping around his head and the red lines of cuts on his skin.
"hell of a thanksgiving huh?" Steve blinked at the man just before standing up and moving toured him "defiantly the most explosive I've ever had" he was saying until Steve's hands graved his shoulders maybe a little too tight
"you idiot!" he yelled starks eyes widened and he blinked at Steve surprised mouth hanging open on a partly formed word that now came out as an uhh sound.
"I'm sorry?" he asked confused "what the hell were you thinking! You could have been killed you stupid, stupid man"
His lips made a small 'o' because he knew Steve didn't curse unless he meant it or was very upset "yeah, about that" tony reached up and graved Steve's wrists but strangely enough didn't pull them away "I'm pretty sure I was trying to say something before everything started to explode"
Steve sighed heavily "what was it?" he asked knowing he'd have to wait to chew him out for putting his life in danger "you wanted to know what's been bothering me the last few days well it's kind of been you that's been bothering me"
"really back to this again?" Steve attempted to step away but tony held firm on his wrists "no, let me finish, you know I was emotionally stunted as a kid and if I don't say this now with an excuse of a concussion I probably never will"
Steve let out a huff holding back a comment about always needing an excuse but tony seemed grateful of his silence "your only part of what's been bothering me, you asked what my issue with thanksgiving was but you already knew, kind of, you knew my father before but you didn't know him after"
The expression on Tony's face made Steve realize this went deeper than he expected "he always thought it was just another day, he thought everything was just another day when he wasn't too drunk to know it was day but my mom use to love it, went out of her way to help cook, she use to dance around in the kitchen with Jarvis while making pies the last thanksgiving I ever had was the first time my father hit me"
Steve sucked in a surprised gasp but he went on before Steve could interrupt "the next day I was shipped off to a boarding school and that was the last time I saw him, so I'm sure you can guess what kind of impression that would leave on a kid"
"why did you walk away earlier?" he was probably asking to many questions he knew he was but he couldn't stop himself "because Clint described me exactly like my father, all he cared about was his drink and his toys and I hate how much I've turned out just like him"
Steve's hands tightened on his shoulders again "tony" the man looked at him "your nothing like your father he might have changed from when I knew him but you're not even anything like the old Howard, at first that disappointed me because well, I liked your dad"
Tony's face shuttered closed and he looked away but Steve's hands tightened "let me finish before you start please, I liked your dad but if half of what I've heard from you and pepper and shield, if even half of that is true he wasn't the man I thought he was"
He snorted but didn't raise his eyes "listen I don't know what happened or what I did but I like you tony and I still want to be your friend but you have to talk to me when something's bothering you"
Shaking his head tony lifted his hands from his shoulders and Steve felt something in his chest start hurting again but then he noticed tony wasn't letting go "you have no idea how much you distract me do you, it's just, you come to the lab and I can't get anything done, I can't focus, I can't"
He took a breath looking off to the side "I didn't know whether or not that was a good thing until now, at first I thought it wasn't"
"and that's why you've been avoiding me"
He shrugged "what can I say I'm good with computers not people"
Steve shook his head and let out a sound that was almost a laugh "you don't have to tell me that, and I hope you know this really doesn't make any since"
He saw Tony's eyes darting around like he was thinking about something saw him biting his lip like he couldn't figure something out now that he thought about it Steve had seen the man do that a lot recently.
"blame it on the concussion" he said finally looking up and Steve's brows furrowed "Wha" was all he managed to get out before one of Tony's hands rose to tangle in his hair and he rose up silencing him with a kiss.
Steve never really noticed their height difference before that.
He barely had a chance to notice that his lips felt dry and his facile hair kind of tickled against his chin before the man was pulling way and taking a step back.
Steve couldn't help staring at the man slightly confused by that quick retreat, his brain taking a second to reboot to try and understand "I shouldn't have done that I'm sorry, I should just" he moved to take another step away face turning steadily redder but he couldn't move any further because Steve had unknowingly graved his wrist.
Tony looked down at where Steve's large hand encircled his wrist then looked back at Steve with confusion in his eyes and saw something in his own not even Steve was aware of, some decision had been made and a question he didn't even know he had been asking answered.
"Steve?" he didn't know what filled the man's eyes now that his unknown question had been answered and he didn't know if he should be scared or not because it didn't look like he was going to let go anytime soon.
When the corner of his mouth twitched up into a smirk tony ever only saw when they were winning a hard fight he got a little worried.
Steve used his grip on the man's wrist to pull him forward off balance and tony stumbled into his chest, he looked up when his free hand landed on his neck and saw the smirk had become softer now turning into a expression tony had never seen before.
"What" tony trailed off at the feel of Steve's hand sliding up to his face his thumb ghosting over his bottom lip "you stupid, stupid man" he repeated his earlier insult but now with a much different and softer tone.
His lips twisted slightly before opening but he didn't get a chance to fire off a retort as Steve bent down and kissed him one hand cupping the back of his head gently.
Now tony stark was a smart man, if he wasn't he wouldn't have graduated from MIT when he was barely in his teens but he could honestly say that this? The idea that captain fucking America was willingly kissing him? of all people?
That was a bit of a brain killer even to him.
Finally his head kicked back into gear and he realized he's the one that started this, the first time, now would probably be a bad time to get lip shy, he he leaned into the press raising up on his toes a little so Steve didn't have to bend so far and shut the hell up he knew the super soldier was taller than him.
He slid the hand Steve didn't have a hold on over his shoulder and leaned into him angling his head to deepen the kiss as he did and Steve shifted forward, gladly taking his weight.
Tony could feel as he parted his lips, gladly letting Steve dominate the kiss, the way Steve moved his hand to lace their fingers together and couldn't help the soft sound he let out, a sound he couldn't even identify.
But he knew even if he couldn't put a name to it that it was a happy sound.
When Steve pulled away tony tried to follow only to receive a nip on his bottom lip as a reward so he changed target and laid his head against Steve's shoulder, it made a nice pillow, the move made Steve chuckle his hand dropping to wrap around Tony's waist and press into his back he could feel Steve looking at him felt the larger man nose at his hair and couldn't hold in his smile.
"I never answered that question"
He felt Steve's chest vibrate as he hummed "oh?" he questioned and tony nodded before raising his head until they were cheek to cheek "you are what I'm thankful for this year, and every year since I met you" he said ending the sentence with a soft bite to his ear.
Hearing his sharp intake of breath and feeling his body go stiff tony wondered if he might have crossed a line and resisted the nearly overpowering urge to bury his face in his collar bones.
Instead he pulled away enough to see his face, to see the man's blue eyes staring at him lips parted slightly in his shock.
Tony was about to start apologizing, he didn't think he'd ever said sorry so many times in the same day before.
But he couldn't as suddenly his feet no longer touched the ground, he grunted when his back collided with the nearby wall but it turned into a groan when Steve slid up against him, holding him in place with body mass alone.
Whatever other sound he might have made was swallowed up when Steve was suddenly attacking his mouth again, plundering it with a skill no 90+ year old virgin should have but he shoved those thoughts away in exchange for wrapping his legs around the man's waist and tangling his fingers into his hair.
He never knew the strands were so soft.
Tony felt the man moan when he pulled slightly and took the chance to fight for his own dominance in the kiss and then almost ruined it by laughing because he tasted like apple pie.
The sudden sound of a door opening and a shout of joy made them break apart quicker than expected and turn to stare at one Clint Barton who was doing a happy dance "hank you finally! Natasha owes me $50!"
Steve let tony down as the smaller man started to become red in the face "Clint!" he roared and lunged.
The archers face went pale and then he started running, tony stopped in the door way of Steve's room and looked back at him.
And smiled "rain check?"
Steve returned the smile and nodded despite the heat in his own face and tony grinned before bolting out the door "I'm going to kill you Barton!"
Laughing and shaking his head Steve closed his door and went to sit on his couch.
He was pretty sure everything would be alright now.
And that is the story of how Clint Barton ended up stuck in a very awkward position in the gym on thanksgiving day.
He still thought it was worth it.
And when tony finally made it back to Steve he couldn't help but agree.
The end.
Notes: and they lived happily ever after with NO CIVIL WAR! haha like it? hate it? let me know what you think in the comments below and if you like it leave a kudos! kudos are like cookies and I love cookies! anyway I hope you enjoyed and thanks for reading! until next time, happy holidays!
RD.