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Tony has come to learn that Steve isn’t impressed by fancy gifts, in fact, it seems as if they make him uncomfortable. That leads to quite the predicament with Christmas coming up in two weeks. A mission requires them to be in NYC and the cold has made Steve quieter than usual.
He excels at gift giving. Not much renders a person thankful and pleased like the costly gift they’ve been eyeing and dreaming of for months or years. A watch, a television, a car or even all of some show called Supernatural that Clint likes so well. Probably because he belongs in it from what Tony has seen.
With five days left, Tony thinks of something that he hopes Steve will at least tolerate, maybe even like. He asks Jarvis to formulate the best possible plan of attack and gets implied laughter in response. “The simplest answer is often the best one, sir.” He tries to do as much as he can on his own as he is sure that the mocking will be endless if word gets around.
It’s late Christmas Eve, the spiked eggnog has been drank and all the gifts have been exchanged except one—his. Steve notices the surprised looks he receives from the team as Tony sits with an oblivious smile on his face with the gift Steve had given him in his lap. H.G. Well’s The Time Machine. Despite being sober, Steve has the growing desire to hit Tony over the head with it. It’s long past hopeful and excited glances in Tony’s direction. At eleven o’clock it changes to intense side-eye.
Tony is anxiously awaiting the party to end so he can show Steve his present. He worries about Steve’s reaction. He can’t drink because it’ll affect it and he refuses to have things ruined by him being… him. He attempts to appear a lot more jovial than he feels. When he opens up his present from Steve, the smile is genuine even though he doesn’t have the heart to tell him that he bought and loved the same title years ago.
It’s one thirty in the morning when those who are still there and not passed out decide to call it quits and go to bed. Tony becomes a man of action. “Get your coat, let’s go for a drive.”
"Are you serious?"
"Very. C’mon, get wrapped up. It’s a little chilly outside." A slightly manic grin. Steve knows Tony has slept little lately but he thinks he’s gone whacky. His hurt and anger slowly ebb away as his current concern is Tony’s sanity.
They get in the car and Tony tells him to put the provided blindfold on and he complies. “So where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise.”
“Am I going to like it?”
“Maybe?” answers Tony, truthfully.
“Now I’m really excited,” says Steve in a tone that’s intended to sound enthusiastic but he thinks it comes out as deadpan as Buster Keaton’s face.
15 minutes in and Tony turns on the radio and all he can find is Christmas music. He isn’t surprised but he was hoping for something more distracting. However, that distraction and entertainment does come, in the form of Steve relaxing and exclaiming how he loves these “new” songs. “That Bobby Helms has a good tune. A jazzy number, isn’t it?” Steve says as his leg and head bounce along.
“Wait until you hear Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree. It’ll be a hootenanny in here.” He turns his head to smirk at Steve when he remembers the blindfold. Steve didn’t hear him anyway as he is deeply focused on the music.
In the quick glance before his attention returns to the road, he thinks of how Steve looks even younger and somehow smaller in his coat and hat that is pulled down to just above his eyes as he mouths the words to I’ll Be Home For Christmas. He thinks back to the picture of Steve in S.H.I.E.L.D.’s file and wonders what he was like before… everything. A runt in 1930s Brooklyn. He can’t picture it.
He’s pulled out of his thoughts by Steve talking. “That’s Sinatra. I recognize him.” A tone Tony can’t discern. “We were really poor growing up. Ma always tried her best. I was never embarrassed or ashamed because she never was.” A pause. “A neighbor was going to throw out a radio because it had quit. I’d always wanted one so I asked her if I could have it. She laughed at me and said sure.” He smiles. “She didn’t laugh when she came over to ask something and saw her radio playing beautifully.” A chuckle. “I worked hard trying to figure it out but I finally did. Me and Ma would sit and listen whenever we could. She loved Sinatra even though she didn’t get to hear many of his songs before—” Steve goes quiet again. He clears his throat before saying “Are we there yet?”
He feels the car stop, hears Tony get out and then the snick of the passenger door being opened. Tony helps him out and they take a few steps forward when Steve hears the crunch of snow under his feet and stiffens. Tony takes a deep breath and says “I’m going to remove your blindfold. Are you ready?” Steve slowly nods. He feels it come off and opens his eyes. They are standing in a snow covered field surrounded by a forest. The moon is full and it’s reflection off the snow illuminates them and the trees. Somewhat fearfully he asks “Is this it? Are you going to leave me on the side of the road?”
"What? No. What’s wrong with you? Turn around." Steve turns to see a dim light coming from between the trees. Tony takes hold of his hand and they walk towards it. With the way things have been going, Steve half expects it to be movie type aliens and Tony to be one them. It would explain a lot.
They walk through the trees with the light growing brighter and a rumbling sound becoming noticeable until they come upon a small clearing that is covered by a canopy of lights. Lights are strung through the branches and it makes the space seem warmer than it is. Steve can’t believe his eyes. He realizes the rumbling is from an out of sight generator.
Tony takes Steve’s gawking expression as a positive sign and says “That’s not all.” with eyebrow waggle. He lets go of his hand and goes over to a little table that is covered with a tarp. Steve watches as the tarp is removed and unveils a what looks like the Crosley cathedral radio he repaired only it has a cd player in it. He thinks it may be his musical counterpart; out of time and upgraded to remain relevant. He’s in disbelief but loves that Tony chose it.
Tony starts fiddling with the cd player until music starts playing. Moonlight Serenade pipes through the speaker. With hand extended he asks, “Would you care for a dance, Captain Rogers?” Steve grasps Tony’s hand and they begin to slow dance. “I haven’t heard this song in so long. Glenn Miller and his band played it at one of the USO shows.” He fails to mention that he remembers it so distinctly because he wanted to dance with Peggy at the time. He’d hung on to that even as the airship entered the water. He’s happy that he can attach this moment to it. His eyes grow misty despite himself. “Merry Christmas, Steve.”
“Merry Christmas. Thank you, Tony.”
“So, you brought me out to the woods in the middle of the night in December to dance without witnesses, to hide to fact you’ve listened to my “old-timey” music and to hide that somewhere there is a pea-sized amount of romantic in you?” He doesn’t wait for Tony’s response. “You are whacky. You are insane. I’m not sure if you should drink more or less.”
“It’s obvious that you don’t care for “over the top” presents so I had to work around that.” A cheeky grin. “Good thing you liked it. I was afraid the location might be too much. My backup gift was art supplies. You are lucky you didn’t end up getting crayons.” Steve shook his head. “Crayons would have been better than you leaving me to sit without anything. I thought I’d been forgotten.”
“Then you are the whackey one. I almost asked you put on your service uniform because this was supposed to be like a proper dance hall.. shindig. Mainly because I wanted to see you in uniform and the layers needed to keep us warm would render that pointless.” He pulls Steve a little closer as they continue to move to the music as the snow crunches under their feet.
“Says the man who decided to have all of this in out in the snow.” Steve lets out a hearty laugh. His visible breath feels hot on Tony’s face. “I can think of ways to keep us warm. Maybe you’ll find me in my uniform after we get back home.” Tony swallows audibly. “I’d kiss you but I think our lips will freeze together.” “I can think of worse things,” Steve mumbles as he closes in and their mouths meet. His body shakes from Tony’s laughter.
As they are on their way back to the car, Steve can’t resist making a snowball, only to aim it at the back of Tony’s head. “Son of a bitch! What the hell—” flies out of Tony’s mouth as he turns towards the culprit who’s nearly doubled over in silent laughter. “What was that for?” Tony rubs the back of his head with his hand. It smarted more than he expected. “You deserved it for all the stress you’ve put me through tonight.”
“I can officially say that when Captain America throws a snowball at you, it feels like large piece of hail knocking your brain towards your skull. And he will get what he deserves.”
Steve breaks into a run towards the car, keeping the pace just enough to where Tony thinks he can catch him. Every now and then a snowball hits his back. He decides to let Tony have a small victory and lets himself be caught. Tony pounces and they both fall into the untouched snow. “Sorry if I got a little excited and didn’t realize my strength,” says Steve with a sheepish look on his face. Tony teasingly mocks “I’m sorry I made you feel like your brain tried to separate from your spinal cord. Whooops. My baad.”
He tries to sit astride Steve to give him one last face full of snow but his body protests. “I know I’m the May in our May-December relationship, Mrs. Robinson, but it’s too cold and I feel too old for this teen shit. Let’s go home.” Steve has no arguments there.
Tony stands under the shower head, body slumping ever so slightly as it feels like it’s melting. Happily melting beneath the hot water, it feels like a present in its own right. He regretfully gets out, wraps a towel around his waist and walks into the bedroom where he is dumbstruck by the sight of Steve in his GI uniform, hat and all. His mouth suddenly feels too dry. “How long was I in there? Wow. You are—” Steve salutes and winks at him. Tony smirks. “I’m not sad to say that I am no longer the hottest person in the room.” Steve rolls his eyes.
“I heard there was a dance for the soldiers going on. Thought I’d show up.” A quirk of the mouth. ”There aren’t many here, do ya think I’ll find anyone who will want to dance with me?” Steve’s eyes glint mischievously. “Oh I don’t know, I think someone could be persuaded to have a twirl across this rickety old floor with you, Captain.” Tony can’t resist raking his eyes over the man before him. Steve takes a step forward. “Anyone you’d recommend?”
“Jarvis, initiate Plan B.” Ella Fitzgerald’s What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve fills the room. “Plan B?” “Plan B is to be used if Plan A was successful which it was and so it is. Anything else, Cap?” The epitome of smug.
Another step closer. “Yes. Considering my rank-” Steve pauses as his eyes narrow. “How do you feel about having someone over you?” Tony’s face darkens. “If you think you’re the right man for the job, yes Sir.”