A/N: Requested by omnicat.
It was a well-known fact to those close to Jane Foster that she loved Christmas.
Of course, very few people were close to Jane Foster, so it really wasn't that well-known at all.
For the handful of people who could boast a close, personal bond to her, the first of December brought about a stark change in the scientist.
She smiled easier.
She laughed harder.
She found any excuse she could to go to the store and buy another set of ornaments for the tree or a bigger wreath for the front door.
As Darcy Lewis put it, Jane Foster was one small step above being a Who down in Whoville during the holidays.
That was something Bucky Barnes would have liked to know before he put the ring on her finger and moved into her house. He liked Christmas well enough, but one could only hear the same piano version of 'Oh Christmas Tree' so many times before it started to get annoying. After a few days of that, and the Santa Claus hat Jane insisted looked adorable on him, Bucky was getting pretty Christmas-ed out.
And they hadn't even decorated the tree yet!
"Okay, could you bring that box in here, too? Just leave it over there with the others for now."
Steve carried the large brown box of ornaments into the living room as per Jane's direction, dropping it on top of two others, while the largest box of all sat open at Jane's feet. From it, she withdrew all manner of baubles and candy canes; singing snowmen and Santa Clauses. Every so often, she'd push a bunch of them into Bucky's hands and begin issuing commands like a very small and skinny drill sergeant.
"Put that one right there next to the reindeer ornament, and that one… right there. Right above that Santa's toyshop model. Make sure not to bunch them too close together, or else the whole tree looks uneven."
"You really put a lot of thought into this," Bucky said, placing the ornaments on the tree at an acceptable distance from the others. "Don't you, babe?"
Jane smiled, in that cute way of hers that always made him want to kiss the life out of her.
"Christmas means a lot to me," she said. "It always has, so I guess I get a little enthusiastic."
"Enthusiastic?" Darcy shouted as she re-entered the house through the kitchen door, carrying with her a mess of tangled Christmas lights that almost hid her from view. "Try obsessive. No offense, Jane, but I'm starting to wonder if you're capable of enjoying anything without getting completely crazy over it."
"Knock it off, Darcy," Jane said.
"Come on, you know it's true. You spend eleven months out of the year crazy about science, then December comes around, and suddenly, you're a Christmas elf. I'm pretty sure your copy of the dictionary did not come with the word 'moderation' in it."
"Darcy, don't you have the lights to work on?"
"What do you think I've been doing for the past half hour?" Darcy shook the hunk of wires, the tiny lightbulbs clattering together. She pointed at Steve. "Hey, Captain Handsome, mind helping a girl out?"
"Sure," Steve said, having long since gotten used to Darcy and all her flirtatiousness. He wiped his hands off on his jeans and crossed into the kitchen to meet her.
"Good luck with her," Bucky sang, wigging his eyebrows.
"Shut up, jerk."
They shut the door behind them, and from the side of the window, Bucky watched as Darcy pulled her hat down over reddening ears. She shot a glare Steve's way, no doubt annoyed by how comfortable he was in thirty degree weather with just a t-shirt on.
"Okay, I think we've done all we can with this side of the tree," Jane said. She'd taken a quick step back to admire her work.
"I think we've done all we can period," Bucky said. "The tree looks great, Jane, but I'm pretty sure it's going to topple over if you put anything else on it."
"I hope not," Jane said, "because there's still one more thing we have to do."
She went for the box Steve had just brought in, and pulled from it a brilliant silver star wrapped in bubble wrap. A wire hung from the back end, wrapped around the base but coming loose as Jane removed the wrapping and held the star up. It shined bright, reflecting the uncovered glass window.
Humming a cheery rendition of Jingle Bells, Jane stood with the star in front of the tree, craning her neck up to the bare top. Her song slowed as she seemed to realize that her five foot frame really wasn't built for high places.
"I could do that," Bucky said.
Jane waved him off. "I always put the star on the tree."
Bucky raised an eyebrow. "You do?"
"I usually have a footstool. Where the hell did I put that thing anyway…"
She started looking around the living room, zeroed in on the hallway closet, and was soon digging through the mass of clean linens and cleaning products. Ten minutes later, she still hadn't found it.
"It would be easier to just let me do it," Bucky called to her.
"Maybe," Jane said, kicking the door closed, "but it wouldn't be traditional."
"Does it really matter?"
"It matters to me."
"I think you're just being stubborn."
"I think you're just rubbing it in how much taller than me you are. Again."
"Well, if the boot fits."
Bucky grinned and put a hand on Jane's head. She always hated when he did that, and somehow, it only made him enjoy it more. As she opened her mouth to protest, Bucky seized the opportunity, lifting her up to claim her lips with his own. She squeaked in surprise, but quickly melted into him. Lips and tongues moved in tandem as Bucky plucked the star from Jane's slacken grip and reached up. By the time she noticed the shift in position, the star was perfectly placed in its spot atop the tree.
"You jerk! You did that on purpose."
"Yup," Bucky said with a smirk. "I did this on purpose, too."
He kissed her again, his hands creeping under her shirt and bra strap, and suddenly, Jane had nothing to complain about.