Tony watches the couples from across the hall, more than happy to stand back and watch for once. After the past few weeks, Tony is more than happy to leave all the excitement to everyone else this year.

For now, he enjoys the music and the happy townspeople around him celebrating merrily.

A hand grabs his shoulder, startling him. Tony turns to see who it was to find Steve standing behind him dressed in his best clothes.

"What are you doing out of bed, Sherriff?" he exclaims, his mind racing with worry. "You were shot! You should be resting."

Steve laughs softly, the sound almost lost in the noise of the festives around them. "Well, hello to you too, Stark."

"Dr. Banner ordered you bedrest, Sherriff." He reminds Steve, though he doubts the man had forgotten.

The Sheriff shrugs then winced as it pulled on his healing wound. "I'll be fine. I didn't want to miss out on tonight."

"This happens every year. I think it'll be fine if you sit this one out" Tony says.

"I want to dance, Tony. I think I've earned it." The man says with a smile.

"No," Tony says, folding his arms across his chest. "Well, yes. You earned it. But you really should be resting. Getting shot… it's… It's not a laughing matter by any stretch."

The Sheriff frowns, looking down at his feet, biting his lip. Tony could see the cogs turning in the man's mind to work away around this.

"One dance?" Steve asks, giving him a hopeful look.

Tony lets out a weary sigh. "A slow one."

"Fine by me." The man agrees, smiling brightly at him.

"And you'll be headin' home right after. No complaining."

"Alright."

They stare at one another for a moment, neither making a move. Tony frowns. Given the fuss Steve made about wanting a dance, why wasn't he going out there and finding himself a partner? "Well, what are you waiting for?" he asks.

"I kind was hoping for a dance with the man who saved my life," the man says, smiling softly.

Tony is pretty sure his heart skips a beat at those words. And that smile. Tony manages to return it. He reaches out and takes Steve's hand in his own and guides them towards the crowd of dancing people.

Tony leads them through a slow dance.

When they finish the dance, he reluctantly separates himself from Steve. He ignores the way his heart pangs at letting him go.

"C'mon," Tony says, looping his arm around the Sheriff's waist. "Let's get you back to bed."

"Alright." The man mumbles. Tony would have thought the man would put up more of a fight than this, given how insistent he was on having a dance. Small mercies, he tells himself.

With a couple of stumbles and some fussing, Tony manages to guide Steve home safely.

However, as they reach the door, Steve stops still, refusing to move. Every attempt Tony makes to get the man into the house is stubbornly rejected.

Tony lets out a long tired sigh, looking up to the heavens in exasperation.

And then he sees it. The small sprig of mistletoe strung up over a loose nail by some old twine.

"What?" Tony breaths out. He turns to see the Sheriff watching him intently. "What's this, Rogers?" he asks quietly.

"A few weeks ago, I nearly died. It really put things into perspective." Steve says, staring deep into Tony's eyes. "If there is but the smallest chance that you might hold any love for me in your heart, I don't want to wait around and miss my chance."

"You love me?" Tony could barely dare to hope.

"Yes," Steve says. "Though, I'd understand if you don't feel the same..."

Tony cuts him off, pressing his lips to Steve's in a fierce kiss.

He pulls back, lips curled up in a smile. "I love you too," he says.

The End

Notes: For the 2020 Captain America/Iron Man Holiday Exchange

Community Prompts: "Steve lives! And Tony discovers he's even bossier now, because he knows what he wants (TONY *duh*) and not to waste any more time getting it" and "Town Dance, Mistletoe and kisses"