Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.
Challenges listed at the bottom.
Word Count: 392
Pairing: TonySteve
Challenge Accepted
Tony dropped the wrapped present into Steve's lap on his way through the communal living room, leaning down to press a kiss against his cheek and grinning at him when he made a questioning noise.
"Open it and find out," he said, stepping through to the kitchen, where the coffee maker was calling his name.
A few minutes later, Steve arrived in the doorway with the obscenely awful Christmas sweater draped over his arm, a look of confusion on his face.
"Um. Thank you?"
Tony tried to hold it together, but he couldn't. He snorted, and it quickly turned into a full on belly laugh, Tony clutching at the counter to hold himself up. Every time he looked up and caught Steve's eye he started afresh, and when Natasha and Clint edged into the kitchen—probably to see what was so funny—he had tears streaming down his cheeks.
It took Natasha barely a minute to observe exactly what was going on and she smirked, while Clint chuckled.
Taking pity on Steve, she said, "It's a tradition, of sorts. Ugly Christmas sweaters, the uglier the better."
The confusion on Steve's face left and he grinned at Tony, who was just barely getting himself under control.
"Thank you, Tony. Does this mean I get to buy you one?"
"Have at it, Steve," Tony said, grinning. "You'll never find one as ugly as that."
With a quirk of his eyebrow, Steve nodded. "Challenge accepted."
…
"Oh my god," Tony said, holding the monstrosity of a jumper up in front of him. "Oh, my god, Steve, how did you find this?"
Steve chuckled. "Do you like it?"
"It's awful," Tony replied, gleefully. "I love it! It has tassels, oh my god!"
Natasha snorted. "It really is kinda terrible."
"It's epic," Clint agreed. "Steve wins the terrible jumper competition."
Tony frowned, but then nodded, conceding defeat. "Yeah, fair. It looks like some kind of alien beast threw up on it."
Steve blinked. "I'm not sure that's what they were going for, Tones."
"It's what they made," Tony replied with a shrug. "But I will wear it with pride and glee."
Steve smiled and accepted the kiss Tony pressed on his lips, automatically dropping his hands to rest on Tony's waist. Then his brow furrowed. "Wait, does that mean I have to wear the one you bought me?"
Tony cackled.
Written for:
Amber's Attic: 13. Knit/crochet/buy a new sweater/jumper
Elizabeth's Empire: 18. Jumper
Film Festival: 20. Beast
Snow Globe Maker: 33. Omnioculars: (word) Observe
Naughty Or Nice: Nice: 4. (plot point) receiving an ugly sweater/jumper
12 Days of Shipmas: Day 10. Your ship partakes in the ugly sweater tradition.
Pop Figures: Pop!Rocks - 02. 1950's Elvis Presley: (clothing) tassels
Insane: 55. Epic