Chapter Text
Tony did not want a tree; I repeat no tree. If Steve had just listened to him, they would not be in this mess. But no, Steve had to be all old-fashion and traditional. “Christmas isn’t Christmas without a tree, blah, blah, blah.” the usual Steve lecture about the old times, slip in a few references to his childhood with Bucky and you have a typical Steve Rogers lecture.
So there they were, in the cold, picking out an appropriate tree for their, now shared floor. Steve barely used his individual floor in Avengers Tower anymore, so Tony invited him to live in his. In under a week, all of Steve’s things were moved once again to their new location on Tony’s floor. Steve’s floor became Tony’s new workshop.
“Do we really need a tree? Aren’t we hurting the environment enough?” Tony asked as they strolled through the rows of cut down trees. The environmental side was his last chance to change Steve’s mind about the whole Christmas tree thing. What was the real point of a Christmas tree? The only useful purpose it served was making a definite place to put all the presents. However, they were grown adults; they were not going to rush downstairs on Christmas morning to see ‘Santa’ had left them gifts because they had been good little boys and girls this year. Well, Clint might still do that, but that is beside the point.
“This is what these trees are grown for; they have no other purpose in their lifetimes.” Steve explained as he examined a particularly nice tree, “Do you like this one?”
“Yeah, yeah, it’s great.” Tony responded, not entirely paying attention, “What if the media finds out we bought a real tree? Steve, I am an environmental advocate. I cannot have a stupid Christmas tree tarnish my image.”
“I think you can do that on your own.” Steve deadpanned, “If you are so worried about buying a Christmas tree, go cut one down yourself.”
“That’s, not a bad idea… but illegal. I think that’s worse.”
“That’s illegal now? Huh, weird.” He walked over to a new tree, “Can we just get a tree and be done with this?”
“Fine,” Tony pouted, “You have to choose though.” He handed Steve his credit card, turned and went to sit on a bench. He watched as Steve continued to go row by row, examining every tree, to find the perfect one.
“Hey, Tony!” He heard Steve call from somewhere inside the maze of trees a few minutes later, Tony popped his head up from his phone to listen where the sound was coming from in the maze.
“Yeah?” He called back.
“Come here, I want your approval!”
Tony followed where the voice came from and found a perplexed Steve, standing in front of the biggest tree he had ever seen. “Yeah, great. Buy it.” Tony declared, not giving it a second thought.
“Are you sure it’s not too big?” Steve asked, desperate for a sure confirmation from Tony.
“Yes, Steve. It’s great. Stop worrying about a tree.” Tony put his hand on Steve’s shoulder, trying to calm him down, “Which ever tree you choose will be awesome.”
Steve turned his attention from the tree to Tony’s dark brown eyes and flashed a sincere grin, “Thanks, Tony. You’ve been pretty okay with all this Christmas stuff recently.”
“You like it, I just play along. Anyways, this damn Christmas stuff is the reason we are together. If it wasn’t for that stupid mistletoe…”
Steve leaned in and gave him a short kiss; just to shut him up, “Stupid mistletoe.” He repeated, “So this one?” he asked again.
“This one.” Tony repeated, and then leaned forward to kiss Steve again through the smile set on his face.
They paid for the tree, and then called one of the S.H.I.E.L.D. trucks so they could take the tree back to the Tower easily. Together, they hauled the tree through the lobby to the elevator and up to Tony’s floor. They stopped at each of the other Avengers floors, telling them to come help decorate their tree.
Once they arrived on Tony’s floor, the energetic puppy happily greeted them. Lincoln nipped at their heels and jumped on their legs as Tony struggled to carry the tree to the opposite wall. Tony placed the tree in its stand, off in the corner, “No, it does not look right!” Steve proclaimed as Tony shifted the tree half an inch to the right.
“It will not look any different half an inch to the left or half an inch to the right.” Tony added as he dragged the tree to the left a little.
“There, there, there, STOP!” Steve commanded, “It’s perfect. I will be right back.” He smiled and turned to leave.
“Where are you going?”
“To get the ornaments.” Steve was gone, with Lincoln on his heel he walked into the room that Tony set aside for all the boxes the Super Soldier had in his old house.
Tony walked over to the tree; he leaned forward and took a deep breath. He let the smell of pine fill his nose, trying to remember the last time he had smelled a fresh tree in his own home. He must have been about 12 or 13, home from school for the holidays. Walking into that big house, decorated (but not nearly this much) for the holidays. A single tree in the corner of the living room, opposite the fireplace; if his mom had cared about one thing, it was the safety of her home. After that year or so, his parents just stopped getting them. It was only a few years later that they died. Tony laid his hand on the tree, feeling the pricks of the needles.
Suddenly, there was a faint sound coming from somewhere near where Tony was standing. Perplexed, Tony walked around the tree, trying to find the source of the indistinct sound.
“Meow!” Tony whipped his head toward the tree, he was sure the sound was coming from inside the tree. He reached inside, feeling around in the branches and needles. His hand brushed against a warm fur and he quickly pulled his hand back from the tree.
“What?” Now he was beyond confused. Carefully, he separated the branches in front of him apart and slowly put his head inside the tree. There holding on for dear life, a small cat was perched on the limb of the Christmas tree.
“MEOW!” The cat sounded the loudest yet.
“Hey, Tony I’m bac-” Steve stared as he walked back into the room with two large boxes under his arms and the yapping dog at his side, tongue flopping out of his mouth.
“Steve! Come here! Listen!” Tony called as he motioned him towards the tree.
He set the boxes on the floor and walked over to Tony, “What? Is there something wrong with the tree?”
“No, uhg, just, just listen.” There came a faint meow from within the tree.
“What was that?” Steve asked, pointing to the tree.
“You will not believe this, but a cat. A damn cat is in our tree!” Tony exclaimed.
“How did it get in there?” He asked, remaining calm, he needed to if Tony was going to be loud and excited.
“I don’t know! I was just,” Tony paused; he did not want to tell him what he was doing exactly, “just sitting on the couch, playing with my phone when I heard a little meow. I got up to investigate and there it was!”
“I’ll call the local shelter, maybe I can bring it in tonight.” Steve said as he walked to where the portable phone rested in its cradle.
“Uhh, no. I’m keeping it.” Tony quickly retorted, he walked to where Steve was now holding the phone, attempting to figure out the interface, grabbed it from his hands and promptly stuck it back in its place.
“No, Tony, we already have one pet, we do not need another.”
“I let you keep, Lincoln! Let me keep the kitten,” Tony made a puppy dog pout, which was not very fitting considering he was begging for a cat, “Pweeeaase.”
“Fine,” Steve breathed, “you can keep the cat.”
Tony lit up the like a Christmas tree, he ran to where the cat was still stuck in the tree, reached in and carefully took him out. He made sure that the cat was calm as he placed it in his arms, “I’m going to name you pussy,” he cooed at the small animal in his arms.
“No.” Steve said in a bossy tone.
“Aw, come on, you named the dog Lincoln.”
“Because that is a respectable name.”
“So is pussy!”
“Tony, you are gay,” Steve deadpanned, “why would you even want to name it pussy?”
“I’m not entirely gay… and it is a pussy!” he held up the cat in his arms.
“Pick something else.”
“How about fish!” Tony suggested.
“No.”
“You’re no fun. Uhhh, let me think of a good name…. How about Steve Jr.!”
“Why would you even suggest that?”
“OH! I GOT IT!” Tony yelled out in realization, and making the unnamed cat startled in the process, “I’m going to name you Jack Daniels!”
“That passes, but just barely. But, Tony, I swear, if that cat is given any alcohol related to its name, I’m bringing it straight to the shelter.”
“I’m not that mean, come on, Steve.”
“I think we should take the pets to the vet soon, just to get them checked out and stuff.”
“Sure thing, we can go tomorrow.”
“Good. Okay, Tony, I am heading off to bed.” Steve said as he stretched his arms.
“Can I come?” Tony asked, placing the kitten on the ground and picking Lincoln up to put in another room.
“I thought, ‘I am heading to bed’ was an invitation for you to join me.” Steve teased as he walked out of the room, “We can put up the decorations tomorrow.”
“Wait for me! I’m right behind you!” Tony said as he picked up his pace.