Steve was washing dishes when he heard it. It was just a small sound, but enough to let him know someone else was in the room. He turned his head to see Clint standing just a few feet away.
"Come on," the archer said. "I thought I had you that time."
"You were close," Steve said with a laugh. "The water helped drown out your footsteps."
This was a long-running game played by Clint and Steve (and occasionally Natasha). Tony had dubbed it "Super Spy vs. Super Hearing," and it consisted of Clint trying to sneak up behind Steve. Clint's goal, which he had only achieved once, was to stand directly behind Steve unnoticed and then announce his presence. Startling Steve wasn't officially part of the game, but Clint enjoyed trying to do that too.
Having failed this attempt, Clint dropped into one of Steve's kitchen chairs.
"I came to talk about the holidays," Clint said. "Staying in this madhouse has been fun, but I won't be around for the grand day itself."
Steve nodded; Clint had mentioned this at the beginning of the month.
"I'll stay through Tony's Christmas party and leave early the next morning," Clint said. "I should be back in time to celebrate New Year's with you all."
Tony had decided to host a Christmas party a few days before the 25th for the Avengers and their friends. Besides Pepper and the six Avengers, who all lived at the Tower, the guests would include Rhodey, Sam, Jane Foster and Darcy Lewis, and Maria Hill. An invitation had been extended to Fury, but no one knew if he would pause his Hydra-hunting for Christmas. Equally uncertain was whether Happy Hogan would turn security over to someone else for the night and join the party.
"We'll miss you," Steve said, "although your absence may bring the craziness level down." He thought a second, "Or up."
Clint laughed.
"Mind telling me where you're going for Christmas?" Steve asked curiously.
"That's confidential," Clint said lightly.
His smile was a little goofy, and Steve wondered if there was a girl involved.
In a rather transparent subject change, Clint asked, "What's the new candle called?" He pointed to the third candle burning in the advent wreath.
"It's the candle of Joy," Steve said.
Clint looked around Steve's apartment at all the Christmas decorations as if he were thinking about something. Most people would have called Steve's decorations vintage; Steve just called them familiar.
"Y'know," Clint said, "That reminds me, I'm kind of surprised how into Christmas you are."
Steve was curious. "Why? It's not exactly a new invention."
"No, I didn't mean that," Clint said. "I meant: you've lost a lot, and often that makes it hard for people to have joy during the holidays."
Steve nodded, understanding. "It was harder the first year," he acknowledged. "The losses were fresher, and I spent it alone. But," he looked at the candles, "I've always had reason to have joy at Christmas. The main factor isn't really my circumstances but the holiday itself."
"How so?" Clint asked. "I know I spent a few miserable Christmases before I joined SHIELD."
"Christmas was the beginning of redemption," Steve said, "and God doesn't just redeem people, he redeems circumstances. I'm joyful at Christmas because I've seen that redemption in my life; what should be a broken mess can be turned and used for good. I love to see it happen in my own life and others'."
Clint looked interested. "Care to give an example?"
"Sure," Steve said. "When I first woke up here, I was devastated. I'd left so much behind. On the other hand, I'd survived, which I though was impossible. Even then, it felt like a waste for me to be here, but then came New York. I made an impact. That battle took all of us. If I'd stayed in the 40's… who knows?"
Clint nodded.
"Tony's life might be an even clearer example," Steve continued. "He doesn't talk about it much, but I know his kidnapping was a horrible experience. If he'd decided to withdraw behind ten layers of security and forget about the rest of the world after that, no one would have blamed him. Instead, he became Ironman; put himself at risk to fight others' battles for them."
Clint looked as if he agreed and then suddenly made a face.
"What is it?" Steve asked.
"Loki taking over my mind is the worst thing I've ever experienced," Clint said, "and part of me hates to admit that it led to any joy. But" –he huffed a sigh– "if it hadn't happened, there wouldn't have been a reason for you to recruit me to the team. Tasha might never have been called in either."
Steve nodded.
"You really are an old man," Clint said, "dispensing wisdom right and left."
Steve laughed. "I don't know that a seventy year nap made me particularly wise."
"Sure it did," Clint said. "'Have joy at Christmas because even horrible circumstances can be redeemed'—I'll have to remember that for when people expect me to have wisdom."
It was funny, Steve thought with a shake of his head, sometimes Clint reminded him of a dad.
"Well," Clint said, rising from his seat, "that was all I came up here to say."
"See you tomorrow then," Steve said.
"Merry Christmas!" Clint called on his way out the door, then paused. "Huh, "merry," there's joy again."
He left, and Steve nodded. Merry Christmas indeed.
I love the Barton family, so even though Steve doesn't know about them, I couldn't resist hinting at them.
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