This year was the team's first at the Avengers facility. Although the place was mostly a base of operations and a secluded place for training; some of the team could not afford a proper home and therefore a living quarters was also part of the building plan.
One of those teammates was you.
Even if everyone else could afford a place, they ended up staying at the facility anyway. Christmas was coming up in a week or so, and decorations were slowly starting to fill the living quarters. Wreaths, tinsel and ornaments were strewn about the walls, and even mistletoe and poinsettias were decorating the kitchen counters. You did most of the decorating; due to your early family being huge Christmas enthusiasts; the whole festive feeling rubbed off on you.
The only thing left to decorate was the Christmas tree. It wasn't a real tree because of your allergy to evergreen, so Steve helped you put it together. You have always been a very shy person; so simply asking him was hard enough a task, even though you had grown very close with Steve in the past while.
Steve even offered to help you decorate, (you were quite relieved that you didn't have to ask him), so here you are now, hauling in your giant container of decorations.
"Is that the only container?" Steve asked as you set the giant plastic blue box down by the tree.
"Yeah. I do add one new ornament every year, though. A new box is bound to follow one day," You reply, carefully lifting the lid off and revealing tinsel, traditional orbs, and custom crafts and other ornaments.
First, the lights were wrapped around the tree and plugged into the wall, then the tinsel and garlands went next. Lastly, the ornaments. You were a little embarrassed by some of your homemade ones since quite a few were either old, (and were pictures of you growing up, you mom was quite the craft nerd), or were a little cheesy. Especially one specific mini ornament you made of Steve's shield from clay when you were eight.
As soon as Steve picked the clay ornament from the box, he raised an eyebrow at you. You felt a pang of embarrassment come over you like a tidal wave. You quickly snatched the ornament from his hands.
"Sorry… I, uh… grew up with tales of you. My grandpa was a huge fan of yours." You mumble, quickly placing the little shield on the tree and avoiding looking him in the eye.
"That's nothing to be ashamed of. I didn't know I had any admirers." He said, rubbing the back of his head. You just continued decorating, shrugging.
"How could you not know that? If people knew your real identity they'd never leave you alone. Look at Tony. He's not even as good looking as you yet people swarm him every time we go into town. It's nuts." You say, assuming that your cheeks were red with blush.
Steve chuckled at that last remark, but he didn't bother to reply. You assumed he was too modest to say anything.
Once all of the decorations were secured on the tree, only the star remained in the box. Your angel had broken a long time ago, and you never bothered to buy a new one. Picking up the star, you observe it, then the tree. Frowning, you put it back.
You had never been tall enough to put the star up on the tree. When you were living on your own, you even had a stepstool to help you. Sadly, you forgot to bring it with you when you moved. So, this time, you opted for a chair.
"Where are you going, Y/N?" Steve wondered, watching you scurry into the dining room.
"I need a chair for the star!" You call back, hauling a chair back into the living room.
"You don't need that," He suddenly replied, striding over to you and taking the chair from you. He set it down on the floor gently, taking your hand and guiding you back towards the tree. "Come on, I'll help you."
Even though you were slightly confused, you still followed him the short distance back to the tree. Almost hastily, Steve handed the star to you. He then, ever so gently, lifted you up by the waist.
"Woah!"
"You okay?" He asked, wondering if he should put you back down.
"Yeah. I'm fine, I just wasn't really expecting it." You said, placing the star on top when you were high enough. "This actually feels a lot better than using a step stool…"
As soon as Steve put you down, you wouldn't let him let go of your waist.
"I never told you to stop;" you whispered, a sort of wispy tone coming over you. You turned around in his grasp and looked him in the eye. A smile came over Steve's face, and it gave you that little pang in your chest that you had come to love. It took most of your will power to keep up on your toes, but you eventually reduced your height difference enough to go in for a kiss you had been waiting so long to take.
Steve did not protest at all, in fact, you could feel his smile as he pulled you closer to him. The two of you lingered for a while even when separated from that long awaited kiss, grinning cheesily at each other. It had been a couple short minutes when suddenly you heard a cracking sound of magic above you. Sure enough, wrapped in faint red magic, there floated a sprig of mistletoe.
"Well since it's there," you remark and go back in for another.
~
Wanda smiled as she slid into the hallway again, just happy enough to see such a close bond take form again.