The sun had yet to fully breach the horizon when Gianna woke in the soft cocoon of Bucky's arms. The room, kissed by early morning light, painted an incriminating image of the night before. Gianna's gown was crumpled in the doorway, discarded. Her heels were a few feet behind that, barely visible in the hallway. A black dress shirt marked a trail to the bed, a dark leather belt sitting atop forgotten dress pants. In the midst of plush bedding, tangled limbs and a mess of blonde and dark haired bedhead.
Bucky pressed a gentle kiss to Gianna's forehead, his gaze soft as he watched her stir.
"Morning, doll," he whispered, a smile playing on his lips.
Gianna stretched, her eyes finding his. "Mornin', handsome."
"Big day today."
"Mmhmm. I should have gotten more rest." She yawned.
"Sorry." His grin was anything but apologetic.
"No you're not."
"No…I'm not." His hand traced lazy circles on her stomach beneath the comforter.
"What's on the agenda today, Sergeant?"
Bucky, unraveling himself from the bedsheets, grinned. "Well, first, coffee. Then, once you're fully functioning, we'll have a little time to get ready before the team gets here. Maybe we can grab a few candles from the corner store, make it a little homier in here."
"Bucky Barnes, homemaker extraordinaire." She teased, slipping out from under the comforter. "I didn't know you had a Martha Stewart side."
"Who's Martha Stewart?" He frowned.
"Nevermind."
The brisk New York air greeted Gianna and Bucky as they stepped out of the Avengers' Tower. The city pulsed with energy, waking up to a day of celebration. Even at the early hour, the streets were bustling with pedestrians running their last minute errands. Hand in hand, they strolled toward a quaint corner café, the aroma of freshly ground coffee guiding their way.
Bucky's eyes darted around the sidewalk, always on guard for anything to threaten their peaceful little bubble. His gaze softened as he looked at Gianna. "You know, this place reminds me of the little coffee shop we found in Kansas City during the tour."
Gianna grinned, the memory flooding back. "Oh yeah! The one with the too-small tables but amazing little pastries."
"Those tables were made for children."
"Well," She laughed. "Maybe just not for Super Soldiers."
"Discrimination."
As they entered the café, the familiar chime of the bell overhead signaled their arrival. The barista, recognizing them, greeted them with a warm smile. They had a few favorites in the city, but this hidden gem was beloved by the team for the low key atmosphere and the discretion of the staff.
Bucky stepped forward to order their usual drinks, his demeanor softened in civilian clothes. They settled into a cozy corner, the buzz of the city muffled by the quiet ambiance of the café. Their drinks came quickly, thanks to the lack of other patrons so early.
Sipping his black coffee, Bucky began to reminisce again. "Remember that night when we couldn't even get into the hotel because the fans had swarmed the whole block around the entrance?"
Gianna chuckled, sipping her latte. "Um, you mean the night you lifted me onto that platform by the service entrance like I was literally seven pounds? How could I forget such a pivotal moment!"
He cocked his head to the side, brows furrowed. "Pivotal how?"
"Pivotal because that was the moment I cared more about getting you back in my bed than getting back to my room safely." Gianna's eyes narrowed, her face half sheepish, half flirtatious. The way his eyes darkened ever so slightly made her stomach flip.
"Is that so?"
"Mhmm." She sipped her coffee slowly without breaking eye contact.
"So why didn't you ask me to stay again?"
"I couldn't just ask you to sleep over with me."
"Yes. Yes, you absolutely could have."
"Okay, noted for the next time I want to seduce my mysterious and emotionally aloof bodyguard."
He scowled, shooting her a sidelong look to say he wasn't a fan of the joke. Gianna breezed past it. "And then there was that show in Dallas when it didn't stop raining for hours. I felt like I was performing in a hurricane."
"I should probably apologize to Tom for the things I threatened trying to get him to cancel it. I thought for sure you'd get sick, or hurt, or whatever the hell else happens when you stand in the rain for three hours." Bucky rubbed his jaw. "That was before I knew you were the stubborn one keeping us from canceling."
"A little rain never hurt anyone." Gianna's fingers traced patterns on the steaming cup. "Those were good days. Long days, long nights, for sure. But it was good. I love those memories." Her eyes flicked up. "With you."
Bucky's voice softened as he reached across the table to squeeze her hand. "Yeah. They were good days."
A few hours later, the air buzzed with the arrival of the rest of the team. The Quinjet touched down on the landing pad mid-morning. One by one, Earth's mightiest heroes descended down the ramp, each carrying some kind of bag or dish. Except for Tony, who strode down empty-handed.
"Damn, you clean up alright." Sam elbowed Bucky as he strode past, pretending to gawk at his uncharacteristically cozy sweater and jeans combo.
"Surprised you clean up at all."
"Don't be grumpy on Thanksgiving," Wanda scolded, thrusting a dish into Bucky's arms. "Hi, G." She kissed Gianna on both cheeks before following the men to the elevator.
"Something smells amazing!" Gianna called after her. "Here, let me take something." She held her hands out for Natasha to pass her a bag.
The Tower, now adorned with autumnal decorations, felt like a homecoming. The team reconvened in the main common area, having dispersed briefly to drop off their belongings in their respective rooms. Music played over the speakers, candles were lit across every flat surface in the room, the sounds of the kitchen filled the air.
Natasha, expertly chopping vegetables, shot a smirk at Tony. "Remember the first Thanksgiving we spent together? Turkey disaster, anyone?"
Tony, feigning innocence from his seat at the bar, replied, "I have no idea what you're talking about. The fire was small, barely noticeable."
Pots simmered, ovens hummed, and the rich aroma of Thanksgiving filled the air. As usual, Wanda and Gianna took the lead on cooking, enlisting the help of other hands as necessary. Tony didn't move from his seat, sipping a drink and "supervising."
Wanda turned from where she stirred the pot of gravy. "Back in Sokovia, we didn't celebrate Thanksgiving. This tradition feels like something we missed out on."
Steve, kneading dough for his alleged famous apple pie, nodded in agreement. "One thing about America, we take our holiday celebrations seriously. Especially when they're centered around eating." He paused before adding, "and being grateful."
"Cap, put a dollar in the morality police jar." Tony gestured with his drink.
As the feast took shape, the team gathered around Tony's grand dining table, fully set for dinner. Finally making his contribution, he walked around the table filling everyone's wine glass. Wanda floated the final dish to the table, now lined with steaming, hot food. They sat, joined hands, and obliged when Steve wanted to say grace.
"Amen!" Tony stood. "As owner of this lovely home, benefactor of the team, and generally the boss of everyone, I will do the honor of carving the turkey."
Bucky squeezed Gianna's knee under the table. "Happy Thanksgiving, G."
"Happy Thanksgiving, James Buchanan Barnes."
Laughter and conversation flowed freely as they savored the feast. Stories of past missions, arguments over who was at fault for what going wrong, and favorite victories echoed through the room. Steve clinked his knife against his glass, cutting through the conversation.
"I know you're all going to give me a hard time for being old and sappy, but I don't care. I'm grateful for all of you, even when you're ruthlessly teasing me. I love you guys. To family," he declared. Even Tony's eyes crinkling in a smile. The others echoed his sentiment with raised glasses and a chorus of "To family!"
"Alright, everyone. Let's go around the table. What are we thankful for this year?" Wanda was ever the sentimental one, but no one dared tease her. Whether it was for fear of her own retaliation, or the protective older-brother nature of Steve and Sam, everyone saved their jokes for the former.
Nat spoke first. "I'm thankful for the resilience of this team. In a world that's ever-changing, you all remain a constant. I'm thankful for the no bullshit, no judgment, badass group of weirdos that you are."
Steve nodded in agreement. "I'm thankful for the chance to make a difference, every day. Thankful for reconnecting with old friends," He grinned at Bucky. "As well as all of my new ones. I'm thankful for the chance to fight alongside the best people I know. I'm thankful for this city, this country, and this hell of a meal that Wanda put together." Across the table, Wanda blushed at his praise.
Bucky's eyes lingered on Gianna beside him as he spoke, "I'm thankful for new beginnings. New additions to the family. Old friends," He winked at Steve.
"Emphasis on old." Tony chimed in, unable to handle sentiment without a joke.
"I'm thankful for beautiful women who need a little help keeping themselves out of trouble." Bucky continued. He squeezed Gianna's hand. "I'm thankful for Gianna, her kindness and her…gentleness, and…" Seeming to realize he was in public, he straightened. "And the fact that she clearly doesn't realize how far out of my league I am."
"Hear, hear," Sam raised his glass in agreement, earning a glare.
Gianna smiled at Bucky, squeezing his hand in return. "I'm thankful for finding a home among heroes. I'm thankful for sweet friends with open arms. I'm thankful for a new record label," She winked at Tony. "Good coffee, great food, and a super smoking hot bodyguard."
Wanda's eyes gleamed with all the emotion as the gazes shifted to her, "I'm thankful for my family. Really, truly, incredibly thankful. I love you guys." Her voice cracked at the end. Gianna's free hand found hers under the table and gave it a squeeze. Sam wrapped an arm around her shoulders, showing her affection while deflecting with his own gratitude.
"I'm thankful that I'm now the hottest, most eligible bachelor on the team. Thanks, Buck, 'preciate that. I'm thankful for this sweet, sweet meal. I'm thankful that my bedroom is further away from y'all here than at the compound." He gestured to Gianna and Bucky. "I'm thankful for all of you yahoos. I love y'all."
Peter chimed in, "I'm thankful for having more cool uncles and aunts than anyone else I know. I'm thankful to almost be done with that Political Science class. Thankful to Mr. Stark for bringing me in. Thankful to Gianna for making my street cred go through the roof, thanks to that dinner. Love you guys."
Tony raised his glass, rounding out the table. "To my chosen family, oddballs and misfits as you may be—thankful for you all, today and always. Cheers."
"Cheers!" they exclaimed, clinking glasses. The Tower, filled with the aroma of Thanksgiving and the echoes of laughter, felt more like a home than ever before.
Peter, grinning mischievously, proposed, "How about a game to cap off the night?"
With wine glasses in hand and the remaining slices of pie scattered across the coffee table, the team had settled into mild food comas. Tony, always willing to keep the party going, produced a charades set with theatrical flourish.
"Alright, my friends, time for - drumroll please - Hasbro's newest addition to the game aisle, Avengers' Charades! This should be a piece of cake for those in attendance." Tony waved the box haphazardly. Appointing himself the designated 'game master,' he took charge of the box. "Who wants to go first?"
Wanda volunteered. She downed her wine and took a slip of paper from the box, her eyes scanning the words. A mischievous grin played on her lips.
"Alright, let's see who can guess this." She struck a pose, fingers wiggling in the air, and began floating her empty wine glass in the air.
Natasha rolled her eyes. "Telekinesis!"
Wanda nodded in approval, grinning, as Tony marked a point down for Nat. "Technically, that could be considered cheating, but when has that ever been against my moral code."
Natasha went next, picking a slip and accepting the challenge with a smirk. She stood, then spun her left arm in a windmill motion. Bucky groaned beside Gianna.
"Winter Soldier! Bucky Barnes" Steve called out with confidence.
"Got it in one," Natasha acknowledged, winking at Steve.
As the game progressed, the wine flowed freely, and the pie disappeared piece by piece. Gianna leaned back against Bucky on the couch, fighting the sleep that kept creeping up on her. As much as she wanted to keep this perfect day going, they hadn't been getting much sleep lately and it was catching up to her. She yawned, stifling it with her hand so no one would notice and suggest wrapping it up.
When it was Bucky's turn, the group hushed in anticipation. He picked a word, studied it for a moment, and then began. With a sweep of his metal arm, he mimicked a shield, then pointed dramatically at Steve. The room burst into exclamation
"Captain America! Uh, Steve Rogers! The man with the plan!" Peter exclaimed, pointing at Steve.
Steve chuckled, shaking his head. "That's a little too easy, Buck."
Bucky shrugged. "Sometimes you've got to go with the classics."
Eventually, Tony suggested calling it a night, seeing as half the team was fighting to keep their eyes open and the game wasn't exactly a challenge to begin with. Bucky gently roused Gianna from where she'd began to doze off on his shoulder. With sleepy embraces and a few final "Happy Thanksgiving"'s, everyone strode off to their separate rooms.
"What do you say we actually get some sleep tonight?" Bucky kissed Gianna's head as he held the door to his bedroom open to her. She whined, despite knowing she'd be asleep within seconds of laying down.
"Don't be greedy." He grinned. "I didn't say anything about tomorrow morning."