“We should play a game,” Sam suggested as stretched out on the couch, feet on the coffee table.
“This never ends well,” Bucky stated.
Several of us lounged around the sitting room, their recon mission the night before did not go as planned, which lead to a long debriefing and heated exchange with Secretary Ross. Bucky had text me and asked I would make the team dinner; it was no secret that home-cooked food was better after a long day than take-out. Besides, who am I to deny earth’s mightiest heroes and Maria.
After we had all eaten, we found our separate seats around the sitting room where Sam had brought every bottle of hard alcohol in the house, including the Asgardian Ale. I made Maria and myself Mimosas, I had baking to do the next day that I did not want to be hungover for. War stories were swapped between them all while I silently observed. My back pressed to the arm of the love seat and my legs slung over Bucky’s lap, his hands rested on my knees, it was a common position for us. What was uncommon was us facing Sam and Maria on the couch opposite us cozied-up. It would be impossible to fit a coin between them as close as they were sitting, Sam had one arm slung across the back of the couch behind her. Rhodey sat in the overstuffed rocking chair angled towards us.
“Whatcha got in mind, Wilson?” Rhodey asked rocking in the chair.
“I didn’t really,” he laughed. “Cards?”
“No, that didn’t end well last time,” Bucky stated.
I thought back to that game night, it didn’t end well. I beat both of them and woke up with a terrible hangover.
“There’s a story behind that.” Maria pointed out.
I shook my head, “Not really.”
“You’re a terrible liar.” Rhodey laughed.
“Bad decisions, that’s all,” I replied.
“Is that when this happened?” Rhodey asked pointing between me and Bucky.
I laughed and shook my head. “The opposite.”
“That was their first fight.” Sam laughed.
Bucky glowered at him and I threw a pillow.
“We didn’t fight,” I clarified. “We just weren’t speaking.”
“But who won the card game?” Maria asked.
“It doesn’t matter,” Sam stated. “It won’t happen again.”
Bucky laughed, “When are you just going to admit you got beat by a girl.”
Sam grumbled.
“Technically he didn’t get beat,” I justified. “He folded before anyone could look at his cards.”
The room erupted in laughter as Sam’s expense.
“I lasted longer than him,” Sam groaned.
“He probably let her win.” Maria joked.
Bucky shrugged.
I looked at him suddenly questioning my win, “Did you?” I asked.
“Don’t lie, Barnes.” Maria laughed.
Bucky shrugged again with a soft smile.
“You’re a jerk,” I mumbled.
“Guess who’s sleeping in his own room tonight.” Sam cheered.
“Where do you think we normally sleep?” I countered.
The room finally settled a little, the laughter and the joking dying down. Maria mentioned the dread she faced knowing that Secretary Ross would be in New York after the new year for some time. I made a mental note to send a care package of goodies to her office during that time frame. Rhodey talked about the way it felt to get feeling back in his legs and even joked about leaving the world to retire to Wakanda.
“Can you lean forward please?” I whispered to Bucky pulling the blanket off the back of the couch.
“Are we boring you?” Rhodey joked.
“Oh yes, war stories, someone learning to walk again, just regular everyday conversations in these parts.” I laughed. “No, Rhodes, I’m just cold.”
Bucky tucked the blanket around my legs on his lap. “She’d walk around in a blanket all the time if she thought she could get away with it,” Bucky confessed.
Sam got up to turn on the fireplace, “She’s cold all the time.”
“Both of you are rude,” I chided. “It’s because I’m anemic and have low blood pressure.”
“I knew there was a reason you never became a field agent,” Rhodey exclaimed.
“You mean besides the fact that she was never part of Shield?” Maria asked. “Stark brought her on as a consultant just like he was.”
“No Avenger title included,” I mumbled.
Bucky patted my leg, “You avenged my heart.”
I laughed so hard I choked. “You’re dumb.” I smiled.
“And cheesy,” Maria added. “How do you live with this?” She asked Sam.
He shrugged standing in the archway.
“This is my queue to find the ladies’ room and refill this glass,” Maria said standing up.
“I’ll fill it,” Sam said holding his hand out.
“Thanks,” She stopped to hand it to him.
“Oooh,” Rhodey called out. “Look up, look up.”
They were standing under the mistletoe I had hung earlier in the day.
“Uh, when did that go up?” Sam asked.
“This afternoon,” I stated.
“Doesn’t matter, you’re under it now.” Rhodey urged.
“They’re not gonna do it,” Bucky stated.
“It shouldn’t be that big of a deal,” I added. “Based on the sight of you two on the couch it won’t be the first time.”
Sam and Maria glowered at me.
“I’m very observant.”
Bucky looked at me confused, “You said Sam didn’t seem like Maria’s type.”
“I did, yes. But I also said I don’t know.”
He patted my leg and pointed up. Sam and Maria stood in a lip lock under the mistletoe, her hand rested on his chest and hip while both of his were around her lower back. Bucky and Rhodey hooped and hollered at them like they just got married. I smiled knowing that two dear friends were finding happiness, short-lived or not, whatever would happen, they were happy in this moment. Love at Christmas time, it’s the best kind of love.
“Guess it’s out in the open now.” Maria sighed.