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Under the Mistletoe
The crackling fire was bright and inviting against the chill of the winter outside. Wanda could feel arms around her waist. She turned to see him. Vision. The rest of the world could wait for this moment to end. Right now, all that mattered was the warmth that they shared. He tilted his head to whisper something to Wanda.
“Beep beep beep,” he said.
Somehow, the little cottage Wanda was in didn’t make as much sense anymore.
Beep beep beep.
The scene melted away as the shrill call of Wanda’s alarm clock wrenched her back to reality. Seven AM. It was best that whoever invented the alarm clock was already dead, for in this moment, she would have happily killed them herself.
Wanda groaned, slapping at her night table in search of the snooze button. It was the holidays, wasn’t that a time for sleeping in?
One last fumbling grasp for the object of her torment sent it spinning off the table.
“Beep beep beep,” it insisted from the carpet below.
Wanda kicked at her covers. Why oh why was she awake?
Finally managing to silence the incessant beeping, Wanda realized she was not going to be able to fall back asleep again.
It had been such a pleasant dream she was having, whatever it was. A shame, the way dreams vanished in the daylight.
Today was Wednesday… No, it was a Thursday. Thursday as in Christmas Eve Thursday. Oh boy. Wanda hadn’t realized the holiday was sneaking up on her like this. She had some shopping to do.
Breakfast would have to be quick. Wanda dressed herself efficiently, only taking pause to readjust when she put her sweater on backwards.
The kitchenette was partly occupied by only a few Avengers. Clint lurked by the coffee pot. He looked a little too entranced by it for Wanda’s peace of mind. Steve Rogers was already occupying the space in front of the pantry. Wanda made her way over.
“Do you know where the Cheerios are?” Steve asked, pulling back from the pantry.
“I think Tony finished them,” Wanda said.
“I’ll put it on the grocery list. Do we have any Shreddies?”
“I’ve got them,” Sam Wilson called from the table behind them.
Wanda stepped into the walk in food storage. Oatmeal, oatmeal… There.
“Good morning Wanda,” a voice said from behind her.
“Good morning Vis,” she replied. She turned to face him and-
Right. That’s what her dream had been about. Wanda only just managed to stop herself from wincing visibly. Why did dreams always scramble your life and make that seem normal?
She met Vision’s eyes. She didn’t remember too much of what had happened that day she was on painkillers, only a sense of warmth from him. Whatever happened, something seemed just a little different. Not bad different, mind you. Nothing about Vision was ever bad.
Wanda smiled.
“Could you please grab the oatmeal for me? I can’t quite reach,” she asked. She could have reached it with some earnest stretching, but this seemed better.
“Of course,” he replied, reaching over top of Wanda. His chest was close enough that she could have touched it. He handed her the little package. Their fingers brushed. Wanda shivered.
“Cold?” he asked.
“A little.”
“Here, let me,” Vision said. He clasped Wanda’s hands between his own. “Your hands are cold,” he remarked. With surprise, Wanda realized that his hands were becoming as warm as a cup of tea.
“That’s new,” she said, looking down at their joined hands.
“Perks of being an android.”
The temperature of his hands matched that of his smile.
“I guess I need my hands back,” Wanda said, almost wishing she didn’t. Vision released her, but she noted that her hands were no longer cold.
Breakfast was a somewhat hurried affair, and within a few minutes Wanda was back in her room, packing a bag for the day. She had just found her wallet when Vision drifted through her wall.
“Vis! You scared me!”
“My apologies,” Vision replied with a sheepish smile. He rubbed at the back of his neck as he alighted on the ground.
“No, it’s no problem, but you could use the door,” Wanda said, repressing a grin.
“But it was faster to pass through the wall?” Vision stated. It sounded more like a question. “May I?” He asked, gesturing to the bed where Wanda sat.
“Sure,” she said, moving over a little. He sat.
“But Vision, some of the other Avengers might be upset if you phase into their rooms. It’s a privacy thing,” Wanda explained.
“I see. I’ll be more cautious in the future,” Vision said, looking rather thoughtful.
Wanda reached over Vision to grab the little backpack that she had left on the other side of the bed.
“Are you heading out?” He asked as she rifled through the bag.
“Yes, I was going to do some Christmas shopping for the team, maybe have some lunch.”
“Ah, what a coincidence. I was going to ask you if you would accompany me in my gift hunting. I’m afraid I don’t quite understand some of the finer details,” Vision said, brightening visibly.
“That sounds wonderful,” Wanda replied. She decided not to mention that she had planned to seek out Vision and ask him the very same thing.
With last minute preparations made, the two headed out into the frigid December air.
“It’s a bit of a walk to the mall Vision, I hope you’re bundled up nicely,” Wanda said. She sidestepped, avoiding a pile of slush on the sidewalk.
“I think I’ll be alright,” he said. Vision was wearing a sensible ski jacket and a cozy looking hat.
The pair walked for a few minutes. Wanda pointed out interesting architecture and signs. Vision spouted trivia when applicable.
“Look at the flower painted on that fire hydrant Vis!”
“Wanda, did you know that the common pigeon mates for life?”
“Hey, did you see that man’s coat? It was so bright I think it blinded me.”
“The first traffic light was actually built in August of 1914.”
Wanda hadn’t had this much fun doing something as simple as walking since, well, her last walk with Vision on the day they went skating. Despite this, she wished that they would arrive at the mall sooner. It was bitterly cold outside.
“My hands are freezing,” Wanda said with a shiver. She had worn gloves, but perhaps warmer ones would have been more helpful.
“Hmm,” Vision said, interlacing their fingers. They continued to walk, hand in hand. Wanda knew she was blushing, and bit back a smile. “Better?”
“Yeah,” Wanda said. It came out a little breathier than she had intended. She didn’t know why she was acting so foolish, why she was so affected by something as simple as two friends holding hands. Blame it on that pesky dream.
Unbeknownst to Wanda, Vision’s thoughts were as tangled as her own. He was currently agonizing over his actions.
Was it too presumptuous to hold Wanda’s hand? Were they not at that stage of friendship yet? Was there even a stage of friendship where hand holding was common? He wished he knew.
For all his encyclopedic expertise, he didn’t understand enough about people to figure out Wanda.
He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. Logic didn’t seem to dictate why. Wanda returned the squeeze.
“Thanks,” she said. As easily as his hand had slipped into hers, they fell back into the rhythm of banter. The last minutes of the walk were as pleasant as they were chilly. To the pair, the air seemed a little less icy.
As they finally entered the shopping mall, Vision was nothing short of amazed. Nearly every store was bedecked with festive decorations. Shoppers traversed the walkways like schools of fish, and the pleasant piping of holiday music permeated the air.
“I think I understand why people love the holiday season,” Vision said. He could practically taste the excitement in the air.
Wanda considered his statement with a little smile. “This is beautiful in its own way.”
“I have some gift ideas already. I’ve been doing some research as to what makes an appropriate Christmas present. Do you know where I could find a scarf?” Vision asked.
“I’d say any clothing store should work.”
And so the two made their way through their shopping lists, crisscrossing the mall. By Wanda’s count, her and Vision had each gotten presents for almost all the other Avengers. With stuffed bags and lighter wallets, their quest was almost complete. There was just one little matter. Wanda hadn’t gotten a present for Vision yet.
“Hey Vis, where do you still need to go?” she asked.
“A candle store.”
“Oh, that’s opposite from where I need to go. Meet back here in half an hour?” Wanda suggested.
“Perhaps twenty minutes would suffice?” Vision said.
“Alright. Any longer and I’d miss you,” Wanda teased. As she walked away, she realized that she would in fact miss him if he were gone.
Glancing furtively over her shoulder, Vision was nowhere to be seen. She took a sharp reverse. She did not in fact need to shop on the other side of the mall, just to get rid of Vision. How else was she supposed to shop for his gift?
Left and a few floors up, Vision was counting himself lucky. He wasn’t sure how he would have gotten rid of Wanda. He had no wish to be parted from her, but his research had highlighted the importance of surprise in gift giving. Vision only hoped his present for her would be appreciated.
At the end of the prescribed twenty minutes Vision searched for Wanda’s face in the crowd.
“Hey,” he heard her say. A tap on his shoulder- she had managed to sneak up behind him. Her little mischievous smirk made Vision feel… unbalanced.
“Did you miss me?” He asked, matching her playful ardor.
“Terribly,” Wanda deadpanned. “Was that a joke Vis?”
“Maybe.”
“I knew you had it in you,” she said, bumping Vision with her shoulder. Some of her bags crinkled, pressed between the two of them.
“You seem rather overloaded. Would you like me to take some of your bags Wanda?”
“No I… Actually that would be great, thank you,” Wanda said, shuffling her packages around. Vision had significantly fewer bags, having completed much of his shopping earlier.
By some sorcery, Vision managed to arrange the purchases so that he and Wanda each had bags on only one arm. Wanda smiled and grabbed his hand.
The trek back to the tower wasn’t as cold, but with the added weight of the presents it was somewhat laborious.
“So what do you enjoy about the holidays Wanda?” Vision asked. He contemplated the way bits of her hair were sticking out from under her hat and blowing in the wind.
“Hmm, I would have to say I most liked spending time with my family. It’s been a while since I’ve done that,” Wanda said. There was a pause. She didn’t meet Vision’s gaze. She let out a shuddering breath and swore softly. “I guess I don’t have a family anymore, huh.”
Without thinking, Vision enveloped her in a hug. He pressed every ounce of comfort that he could into her. Passersby on the sidewalk flowed around them.
Vision wished he could bring Pietro back. He had seen Wanda in Sokovia. He didn’t understand human loss, or how to help. Vision could offer this, but he knew it could never be enough. Wanda’s face was buried in his chest. She was holding onto him as tightly as he was to her.
“Sorry, I-” she said, pulling back with a little sniff. “I didn’t mean to bring you down.”
Vision’s hands still rested on her upper arms. He looked her in the eyes. “I don’t know what it means to lose a brother, but you’re hurting. I will be here for you.”
“Thank you. I don’t know. Sometimes it just hits me,” Wanda said, rubbing the corner of her eye with a gloved hand. She made a weak attempt at a smile.
Vision matched it, as steady as he could be. The pair resumed their walk back to the tower. It was only a few minutes before Wanda grasped Vision’s arm, getting his attention.
“Do you want to stop for some tea?” She asked. A little coffee shop sat to their left.
“Okay,” Vision replied. He was intrigued by the world of hot beverages, and content to spend more time with Wanda.
Before he knew it he was clutching his very own cup of tea. Fragrant steam wafted from the mug, mingling with the other earthy smells of the café. Wanda’s cheeks were pink, and there was a strand of hair that had been blown across her face. She cupped her own tea, and looked at Vision.
He felt the urge to reach out and brush the stray hair from her face, but decided against it.
“How’s your tea?” Wanda asked, blowing on hers.
“Hot,” Vision admitted. It was flavourful, and the warmth seeped into his bones. Did he have bones? He wasn’t present for the building of his body, and the topic had never come up in conversation, so he couldn’t actually be sure. He pondered this for a few moments.
“What’s on your mind?” Wanda inquired. Vision was shaken out of his reverie.
“I don’t know whether or not I have bones,” he answered honestly. Wanda burst into laughter. He wasn’t sure what he had said that was so funny.
“You’re a treasure Vision,” she said. It was Vision’s turn to smile into his tea.
“Thank you.”
“Can I try some of your tea?” Wanda asked, pushing her cup towards him and already reaching for his drink.
“Sure,” Vision said. Wanda was already drinking from his mug. It struck Vision that he loved sharing with Wanda. She had grabbed the beverage before he had said anything, but he wouldn’t have said no. Wanda had known that. It seemed a lot like trust.
Vision sipped from Wanda’s mug. Her tea was less sweet than his, but not unpleasant.
The warmth of the cafe followed Vision and Wanda all the way back to the Tower.
“So, do you think the fundraiser tomorrow will be any good? Wanda asked as the two entered the elevator.
“I expect formalities and media attention, but it’s all for a good cause,” Vision replied.
“I’m looking forward to tonight. Kind of like a family dinner,” Wanda said, smiling wistfully. “You get to hear all the best stories, and once the drinks start flowing… Everyone’s happy.”
Vision hummed appreciatively. “Wanda, could you please help me with my present wrapping?”
“Sure, but I’m afraid I’m not very good at it. I was never able to do corners right,”
Once the elevator stopped, the two gathered some paper and tape. Wanda and Vision sat surrounded by shopping bags on the living room floor.
“Oh look, the tree came in while we were out,” Wanda said, admiring a resplendent Douglas fir occupying one of the wider corners of the room.
“It smells fantastic,” Vision admitted.
Soon, the two were were wrapping away. Vision had ended up as the tape master. His wrapping skills had turned out to be abysmal, even compared to Wanda’s. After a pattern of instances involving torn paper and excessive tape, the pair agreed that his talents would be better suited elsewhere.
As Wanda was bemoaning a too short piece of gift wrap, Natasha Romanoff strode into the room and collapsed artfully onto one of the couches.
“I would not go out there if I were you,” Natasha groaned, arm flopped over her face.
“Oh?” Vision asked, holding out his tape covered arm.
“The holiday shopping has been insane,” she replied. Wanda nodded, grabbing a piece of tape off of Vision.
“What have you guys got?” Natasha asked, leaning towards the pile of gifts.
“No!” Wanda exclaimed, covering the pile with her body. “It’s a surprise!”
“You shouldn’t be wrapping them in the living room then, dork,” the assassin pointed out. Wanda chuckled.
“That’s fair.”
“What’s fair?” Tony asked, strolling in from the kitchenette.
“Kid’s wrapping her presents in the living room, we’re bound to see them,” Nat explained.
“Come on Wanda, it’s like dangling a treat in front of a dog,” Tony complained. “You know I love presents.”
Wanda rolled her eyes, putting a final piece of tape on a rough looking package. Bruce Banner then stuck his head around the corner.
“Hey Tony, do you keep any Christmas lights around here?”
“I think they’re in Pep’s office. She has one of those little trees in there and took the whole bin.”
“Oh, great, I was thinking we could decorate the tree,” Banner called behind him as he retreated back down the hallway.
“Hmm, I’d like to wait until more of us are here,” Tony said.
“More of a group activity,” Natasha agreed.
By a twist of good fortune, nearly all the Avengers had returned by the time Wanda and Vision had finished wrapping their presents. The rest of that venture had gone smoothly, even when Wanda needed to wrap Vision’s present and had shooed him out of the room. She stowed the gifts in her room and returned to the couches.
“Alright, seems like we’re just missing the capsicle. I’ll give him a call, assuming he’s figured out how to work his phone,” Tony said, surveying the group of heroes sprawled across his couches.
“Gross,” Natasha complained. Clint had removed his jacket. He was proudly displaying a festive sweater sewn with an upsetting quantity of glittery yarn and small bells.
“He’s on his way over,” Tony confirmed, sliding his phone back into his pocket.
“Alright. Is there anything to drink in here?” Sam Wilson asked.
“Top cabinet. Isn’t it a little early?” Banner replied.
“Not if you’ve been out shopping it isn’t,” Wilson said, heading into the kitchenette.
“Really? Vis and I didn’t have too much trouble,” Wanda said, turning around to face him.
“That’s because the company was good. Have any of you met my aunt Tracy? She’s a nightmare.”
“Wait, Tracy as in PTA Tracy?” Rhodes asked.
“That’s right! You met her didn’t you?”
“That woman is a menace, pour up.”
“There’s eggnog in the refrigerator actually,” Pepper pointed out. “A little more festive.”
“Oh, now we’re talking,” Clint said, clambering over the back of the couch.
“Can you pass me a glass?” Wanda asked. There was a general chorus of agreement. Clint distributed the beverage with efficiency. The bells on his sweater jingled with his every step.
“You’re so loud!” Natasha complained.
“Its all part of the holiday spirit,” he said, returning the bottle to the fridge.
“Clint, that sweater makes me wish I was still in the ice,” a voice said from behind the group.
“Steve, glad to see you made it!” Tony called, raising his glass.
“Hey, I would never miss decorating the tree,” he said with an easy smile.
“Well, what are we waiting for?” Bruce asked. He leaned over the couch and grabbed the box of decorations Pepper had so generously provided.
The first thing to emerge was a long garland, tangled with some lights.
“Is anyone good at undoing knots?” Rhodes asked, taking in the decorative clump.
“I’ll give it a try,” Vision announced from the back. Wanda turned her attention to him with a smile.
“I bet he untangles it in under a minute,” she said, smile looking much more like a smirk at this point.
“Is this a challenge?” Vision asked.
“Maybe.”
Wanda’s daring elicited a laugh from the group. Her smile grew.
“Challenge accepted.” Vision stepped up to the tangle. Wanda looked at her watch.
“Ready?”
Vision nodded. He picked up the lights, turning them this way and that, looking for some place to start.
“Time is ticking,” Tony said, leaning on the couch.
“I am aware,” Vision replied, brow furrowed in concentration. He straightened, finally reaching into the mass. He began threading wires through each other at a brisk pace.
“Thirty seconds,” Rhodey cautioned. It was unnecessary, as Vision had pulled through the last loop.
“Nicely done!” Wanda said, throwing an arm around Vision. He looked at her with a smile.
“Alright! Let’s get decorating!” Clint exclaimed, clapping his hands together.
“Keep your feet on the ground,” Natasha grumbled, lacking any real venom. Wanda suspected that the assassin liked the holiday season more than she let on.
Decorating the tree went about as well as expected. An old idiom about too many cooks in the kitchen came to Wanda’s mind.
“You have to wrap the lights around the tree, or else it looks flat, you can’t put them running from top to bottom,” Bruce sighed, attempting to undo Tony’s first crack at the tree.
Ornaments were less divisive. The worst that happened during this phase was a smashed bauble or two, three if you count the one Sam accidentally threw off the balcony.
“Pepper, this is lovely eggnog, where did you get it?” Rhodey asked, finishing off his second glass.
“There’s a little holiday shop upstate I used to go to all the time when I was younger. The eggnog is locally famous,” Pepper replied. She looked far away, a wistful smile gracing her face.
“I remember a place back home that had the best Christmas carp,” Wanda added with a similar grin.
“Wait, carp? Like the fish?” Steve interjected.
“Yes, turkey isn’t actually universal. Fish at Christmas is pretty popular in Sokovia, Slovakia, the Czech republic…” Wanda trailed off, facing the confused expressions of her friends.
“You’re being serious?” Rhodes asked, leaning forwards from his seat on the couch, third glass of eggnog in hand.
“Yes, you go out and buy a live carp day before Christmas Eve, then you fill up the bathtub-”
“Bathtub? Okay, now I swear you’re messing with us,” Tony complained, wrestling with the garland on the tree.
“No, I’m serious!” Wanda laughed. “My father would bring home a fish from the market. My mother filled the bathtub, and it went in there. Pietro and I would always sneak in to look at the carp. I was a little scared of it when I was young. Those beady eyes… Mother tried to keep us out of there. She said we were bothering it, and if we annoyed it too much, it would taste bad.” Wanda could practically taste the humid bathroom air, and the fishy smell that pervaded it.
“Okay, that’s kind of sweet,” Sam admitted.
“Until my dad hit the fish with a mallet!” Wanda exclaimed. She counted the laughter of her fellow Avengers as a personal victory.
“Okay, I think the tree’s done,” Tony said, stepping back from what was mostly his handiwork. There was an assortment of cheers, and some light applause.
“Who wants to do the honours?” he asked, holding the end of the string of lights.
“I’ll do it,” Pepper volunteered.
“Wait, somebody turn off the house lights,” Rhodey said, as he got up to do it himself.
“Moment of truth,” Tony affirmed, watching as his girlfriend bent down to the wall socket. She connected the plug and-
The room went dark. There was a pause.
“What did you do?” Clint asked.
“Um-” Pepper replied, as the lights came back on. The Christmas tree glowed merrily.
“Intruder alert,” a robotic voice intoned. “We’ve got an uninvited guest on the rooftop.”
“Thank you Friday,” Tony said, rubbing his forehead. “Pull up security footage.”
“Sure thing, boss.”
Tony pulled his phone out of his pocket. His face lit up, and with a flick of his wrist, he projected the footage onto the wall. Thor’s smiling face filled up most of the rooftop camera’s view.
“Oh thank goodness,” Pepper said, relaxing visibly.
A few moments later the elevator doors slid open, and the last of the Avengers barreled into the living room, a pack slung over his shoulder.
“Thor, we didn’t know you were coming!” Steve said, getting up from the couch. Thor trapped him in a hug, which Rogers returned.
“You missed decorating the tree,” Natasha pointed out, folding her arms. Her smile belied her true feelings.
Each person had some form of greeting for the Norse god. He produced packages from the bag on his back, to the delight of the Avengers.
“Hey, let’s call it a Christmas miracle!” Clint said, stepping closer to investigate the otherworldly wrapping paper on the gifts.
Before things had a chance to settle down too much, Steve stood up.
“Does anybody else smell something burning?”
“I don’t think… wait a second, maybe.” Natasha said.
“I smell it too.” Wanda added.
“I think it’s coming from the kitchen downstairs. Friday, bring up footage from the kitchen.” Tony said, nose wrinkling.
The footage the AI displayed was not pretty. DUM-E sat in front of the stove, grasping a fire extinguisher. The oven was leaking small amounts of smoke, barely visible through the fire retardant foam that coated it.
“Oh DUM-E, what have you done?” Tony sighed. “Come on, let’s see if the turkey is still edible.”
After a short elevator ride, the Avengers were faced with the abysmal kitchen situation. The chemicals from the extinguisher had covered most surfaces in the kitchen, including the yams, bowl full of stuffing, and bread rolls.
“I hate to say it, but I think the dinner is ruined,” Pepper said, poking at a foam encrusted piece of potato.
“I’ll run an investigation on what caused this tomorrow,” Tony said, taking in the chaos.
“I think the turkey is alright!” Thor said, peering into the oven. “Nice and crispy.”
“Really?” Rhodey asked, joining Thor by the still-smoking appliance. DUM-E raised the fire extinguisher.
“Don’t even think about it,” Tony scolded the bot. DUM-E beeped, and rolled back a few feet, lowering his arm.
“Thor, would I be correct in assuming that you’ve never had turkey?” Rhodes inquired, rubbing his forehead.
“I cannot say that I have,” Thor replied.
“It’s completely charred. We can’t eat this.”
“The bird is not supposed to be black?”
“Nope.”
“So, what do we do now?” Steve asked.
“It’s too late to book out a restaurant,” Pepper pointed out.
“What about a catering service?” Bruce wondered.
“Not on short notice like this.”
There was a silence as the group pondered the problem.
“Maybe we could- nevermind,” Sam said.
“I don’t think decent turkey is an option anymore,” Clint said, looking balefully at the charred remains of what was supposed to be Christmas dinner.
“Well, let’s not give up yet. Maybe we’ll think of something,” Steve said, straightening up a little.
“Can we think upstairs? It smells terrible down here,” Clint said, shutting the oven door.
“Agreed,” Sam said, making his way to the door.
The Avengers had flopped back down onto the couches. Bathed in the cheery light of the tree, hope seemed possible.
“Why don’t we do presents?” Wanda suggested.
“I think that would be nice,” Vision replied. He had no ideas pertaining to the turkey disaster, but was confident in the present department. He could imagine Wanda’s face when she saw what he got her, the way her eyes would light up. Perhaps she would even hug him.
“I’m game,” Natasha said, standing up. “Is there any more of that eggnog?”
“In the pantry,” Pepper replied, walking out of the room.
“So, presents, yeah?” Rhodes confirmed.
Vision got up and headed for his room. Wanda followed him.
“So Vis, what did you get me?” Wanda asked, bumping Vision with her shoulder.
“I cannot tell you that.”
Vision smiled. The element of surprise must be maintained. He and Wanda split up. Vision fetched his bag of gifts. It was fairly hefty, but that was mostly due to the fluffy blanket he had purchased for Ms. Romanoff. He had noticed that the assassin was always complaining that it was too cold in the Tower.
Returning to the living room, Vision noticed that spirits were markedly higher. Eggnog was once again making the rounds through the group. He figured that now was as good a time as any to test this holiday beverage. Fetching his own glass from the cabinet he poured some of the liquid. It was more viscous than he expected, and had a faint aroma, like spices and sugar.
“So, who wants to start?” Banner asked, leaning forward on the sofa.
“I’ll start,” Natasha volunteered. She grabbed a small gift bag from the pile in front of her.
“Steve, this is for you,” she said, tossing the present to Rogers. He caught it deftly. Pulling the tissue paper out of the bag he revealed a set of drawing pencils and a small sketchbook.
“Nat, I… Thank you,” he said, a grin taking over. “How did you know?”
“Well, you’re always doodling during missions. You’re not as stealthy as you think you are.”
“I never really thought about getting back into drawing before. It’s a wonderful gift,” Steve replied, getting up and hugging his teammate.
“Alright, now you have to give someone else a gift,” Natasha instructed. Vision would have described her smile as beaming, something he hadn't expected to attribute to the reserved woman. Wanda had said something about the holidays bringing out the best in people.
Steve reached into the bag by his feet and pulled out a wrapped rectangular package.
“Bruce, this is for you,” he said, crossing the room to where the scientist sat. Bruce tore open the paper carefully.
“You always talk about this Stephen Hawking guy, so I figured you might like one of his books. I took the liberty of checking your bookshelf to make sure you didn’t already have it. I hear it’s a good read,” Steve said, thumbs in his pockets, and a smile on his face.
“I’ve been meaning to read this, thank you,” Bruce replied, crumpling the paper he held, and tucking the book to the side. He gave Steve a hug, and selected a gift of his own.
Bruce had gotten a travel darts set for Clint, who in turn gave a scented candle to Pepper. Pepper turned to Vision.
“Vision, I wasn’t entirely sure what to get you. I hope you like this.”
She handed vision a wrapped package. Vision turned it over in his hands. His first gift. The package was somewhat rounded, and malleable. He ripped open the paper as he had seen Banner do and pulled out a soft green sweater. It looked like an item he would have chosen for himself.
“Thank you Pepper,” Vision said, pulling the sweater over the button down he wore. He had determined that Christmas was the time for first names if there ever was one.
“Oh thank goodness it fits. I had to take a guess on your size.”
“Your guess was accurate.”
Vision sipped at his eggnog, pondering the present. The liquid was pleasantly creamy and sweet.
“Oh yes, I have to give a gift now,” Vision said, searching through his bag of packages.
“Hug first. It’s tradition,” Pepper said, beckoning Vision over. He got up, and hugged the woman.
“Merry Christmas,” she said, patting him on the back. Vision returned to his bag, and pulled out the gift intended for Sam Wilson. He passed the present to the man beside him, who struggled to open the paper. Vision wondered if he had in fact used too much tape. Finally, Sam managed to remove the wrapping.
“Oh, thank you Vision, I’ve been needing one of these,” he said, pulling out a cellphone charger.
“I often heard you asking others for use of theirs,” Vision admitted.
“That’s nice of you,” Sam said, pulling Vision into a quick hug. The circle of gifts progressed. Vision found it amusing when Tony received a small drawing of DUM-E playing ping pong. Sam had commissioned it from an artist friend of his.
A few more gifts were given before Thor interrupted to distribute his presents. The group was delighted by the Asgardian knick knacks. They all had a subtle air of magic to them, and as such were likely against SHIELD regulations. This made no difference to the Avengers, who tested out the mysterious gadgets with gusto.
“Look, mine floats!” Natasha exclaimed. A luminous orb hovered above her cupped palms.
“That’s a table lamp,” Thor explained with a grin. The rest of his gifts were equally mystifying. Before too long, the gift cycle had been restored. After receiving a scarf from Rhodey, it was Wanda’s turn to give a gift. She grabbed one from her pile, praying it would be well received.
“Vis? This one’s for you,” Wanda said, holding out the decorative bag. Her friend received it gracefully, sitting beside her. He pulled a book and a small card out of the bag. Wanda had to consciously stop her leg from bouncing.
“Chicken Soup for the Soul,” Vision read, inspecting the book.
“It’s a bunch of true stories about how people make the world a better place, and what it means to be human,” Wanda explained. Vision seemed so interested in the human condition, and he saw the best in everyone. This had caught her eye in the mall.
“About people?” Vision asked hopefully.
“Yeah, um, The gift card is for a plant store. I figured maybe you and I could go out together and get you a plant for your room. You always tell me interesting things about plants,” Wanda said, smiling.
She hoped nobody could tell how fast her heart was beating. Why was she so worried? It was just Vision. Just Vision? Wanda reconsidered. There was nothing ‘just’ about Vision.
Wanda was engulfed in a hug. Vision smelled like new clothes. His green sweater was incredibly soft.
“Thank you Wanda, that’s perfect,” he said into her shoulder.
“I’m glad,” Wanda replied. Vision released her from the hug.
“Since it is my turn to give a gift, here is your present,” he said, fetching a square package. Wanda had to admit that Vision was truly terrible at gift wrapping. The paper was patched over in at least two places, torn in another, and held together with unreasonable amounts of tape.
Wanda picked at the paper. Vision looked almost as nervous as she had felt. She managed to work a corner open, and peeled the paper off of whatever he had seen fit to give her. She was greeted with the sight of a glossy coffee table photo book.
“Sokovia through pictures,” Vision said. “This book was published a few years ago. It showcases the beauty of your country.”
Wanda flipped reverently through the pages. Here and there, she spotted a landmark she had visited, or a city she had passed through. Sokovia was so often portrayed as a poor country with nothing to offer, a target of charity, or more recently, a sensationalised symbol of war and destruction. The way the photographer had captured the orchestra that was Sokovia, full of life, sound and joy- she almost felt as if she were back home.
Wanda realized she had been silent for almost a minute.
“Vision I-” Wanda found that she had a lump in her throat. Sokovia had been hidden behind a fog of misery in her mind, but seeing her homeland like this was anything but sad. “This is incredible.”
“I’m so glad you like it,” he replied, cracking a relieved smile. It was Wanda’s turn to smother Vision in a hug. She wiped her eyes surreptitiously as she relinquished him.
The rest of the gift giving process wasn’t streamlined. Some of the funnier gifts derailed the process entirely, as the Avengers, Earth’s saviours, were laid low with fits of laughter over the framed picture of Tony sneezing. It was truly a masterpiece. Much of the chaos could be attributed to the increasing concentrations of blood alcohol in the group. The eggnog was in great supply, and too delicious to be passed up.
“Okay, are those all the gifts?” Steve asked, catching his breath as he wiped a tear from his eye.
“I think so,” Rhodey replied, looking around at the piles of crumpled wrapping paper and cast-aside bags.
“We never figured out dinner,” Natasha sighed.
“Dinner?” Thor inquired hopefully.
“Okay. We’re not getting Christmas dinner, but we still have to eat. I sent the cooking staff and almost everyone else home for the holidays already,” Tony said, stretched out on one of the couches.
“Why don’t we just order a pizza?” Clint asked. He was sitting upside down, feet over the back of another sofa.
“You know what, that actually sounds delicious,” Sam replied.
“I could go for a pizza,” Bruce agreed.
“I’m game.”
“Me too.”
“The usual?” Tony asked, pulling out his phone. There was general agreement from the group.
“Hey Bob, it’s Tony. You too. How’s the family? Good, good. We’d just like our usual. No, this is actually Christmas dinner. Oh, I know, it’s terrible. Thank you. Happy Hanukkah.” Tony hung up the phone. “Dinner is going to be here in twenty minutes,’ he said with a dry smile.
“Thank goodness, I’m starving,’ Pepper said. Some hair had escaped her neat bun, and she had swapped her work clothes for jeans and a T-shirt half an hour ago.
“Mmm,” Wanda agreed. Her and Vision were still seated together. She felt warm, bathed in the twinkling of the tree, and the laughter of her friends. Wanda readjusted her sitting position, and leaned against Vision’s chest.
She realized that someone was humming. It was Natasha on the adjacent couch. It was some Christmas song. The notes were familiar, but for some reason Wanda couldn’t place the words. Instead, she hummed along. Natasha looked at her with surprise, but continued her tune. Beside Natasha, Clint picked up on the tune.
“...Just like the ones I used to know. Where the treetops glisten, and children listen,” he started. It was a little shaky, but Wanda picked up where he left off.
“To hear sleigh bells in the snow,” she continued.
“I’m dreaming of a white Christmas,” Her, Natasha and Clint sang together. It wasn’t by any means beautiful, but it was loud enough that some of the other Avengers were taking notice.
Wanda didn’t know how it happened, but from all around her, the group was singing. People were off key. Some were quiet, and some were loud, but everyone was singing. Thor’s resonant baritone came in a little behind the others each line. Wanda realized he must have been hearing this song for the first time.
They came to the end of the verse, and laughter broke out as people fished for the next lyrics.
“No no, let’s do another one!” Bruce said, swallowing some eggnog.
“Oh, the weather outside is frightful…” Pepper began. Wanda joined in with the rest of the Avengers. This felt like Christmas.
They made it through a few more carols, unpolished and out of tune. As the group caterwauled, the setting sun painted the sky with a fiery gradient. Tony even projected some lyrics onto the wall, which was counterproductive. Clint changed the words to be even more nonsensical. Sam had to stop singing because he was laughing so hard.
The merriment was interrupted when Friday’s voice rang out.
“Pizza’s here, boss.”
“Thank you Friday,” Tony said.
“I’ll go get it,” Wanda volunteered, peeling herself off of the couch. Vision unwound his arms from her. When had that happened?
Wanda headed for the elevator, and Vision came with her. She tucked the money Tony had given her into her pocket.
“How has your first Christmas been so far, Vis?” she asked stepping into the lift.
“Excellent,” he replied. “Everyone is having fun, and my gifts were well received.”
The elevator dinged as the pair arrived at the lobby. A woman stood outside the glass doors to the tower, holding a pizza bag. Wanda paid her, and offered a generous tip. Christmas Eve was a rotten time to be working. She split the boxes between Vision and herself, and they returned to the living floor.
“I smell pizza!” someone exclaimed from down the hallway. Wanda chuckled as she rounded the corner to the living room. Her and Vision had barely placed the pizzas on the kitchenette island before they were beset by hungry Avengers. They had come armed with plates, and slices were disappearing at an alarming rate.
Wanda weaved her way through the melee and managed to snag a slice for herself. Vision stood outside the frenzy, unable to force his way through to the boxes. Wanda smiled to herself and grabbed an extra slice. She made her way back to where Vision stood.
“Pizza?” She asked, proffering the slice.
“Thank you,” Vision said. He held the pizza, and cast around to figure out the proper procedure for this meal. He saw Tony eating his slice from the pointed end. Clint was eating his from the crust. Vision saw Natasha smack him on the arm, and confiscate his slice of pizza.
Vision chose to eat his pizza from the pointed end. All around him, his teammates were laughing and talking. Clint was jingling obnoxiously in the background, and festive music was piping through the speakers.
Vision had never had Christmas dinner. Although turkey was touted as an important part of it, even that was not universal. Turkey or no turkey this dinner was everything he didn’t even know he was dreaming of.
“What’s on your mind?” Wanda inquired softly from his side.
“I am thinking that this is what people mean when they speak about the holiday spirit.”
“I think you’re right,” she replied, sliding her arm around Vision’s waist. Vision wondered what the significance of this was. He and Wanda spent more time in physical contact with each other than any of their teammates. This was something to catalogue for later research, as a property of what he could only assume was friendship.
Wanda savoured her pizza. It wasn’t the Christmas dinner she had imagined, but there was something special about the casual way everyone was cracking jokes and sharing stories. It felt the same as the misty memories of childhood holidays with her family.
As dinner wound down, spirits rose. The wrapping paper and gifts had been shoved aside, and the Avengers were seated in a circle on the floor. Steve was recounting the story of the Christmas he endured with no heating. Him and a man named Bucky had spent the entire night bouncing from bar to bar, the only places open late on Christmas, just so they wouldn’t freeze at home.
“I could tell you about a Christmas I had to spend in Russia,” Natasha countered. “It was negative fifteen, five degrees fahrenheit for you Americans, and I was up a tree with a crappy sleeping bag and a tiny cookstove. I was staking out a target who decided she had to live in the middle of the forest. You won’t believe me, but I swear this on my life. That night a bear climbed up into the tree with me. I don’t know what it was doing awake that late in the year, but it was there. It didn’t even bother me, just climbed up, higher than I could even go, and looked at the stars for a bit. It saw me, then climbed down and disappeared. My target came home a little while after that, and the rest is history.”
There was a short silence, then the spell was broken.
“No, that’s crazy. I think your brain froze,” Clint said with a smirk and a shake of his head. He was leaning back on his elbows, munching on one of the Christmas cookies Pepper had produced from the pantry.
Wanda grabbed a cookie of her own. She broke it in half, and handed a piece to Vision, seated beside her.
“Wait a moment, would this be considered a party?” Thor inquired.
“I suppose so, why?” Bruce asked, swirling the eggnog around in his glass.
“I’ve heard that there are some fantastic Midgardian party games,” he said. “Perhaps we could play ‘truth or dare’?”
“Truth or dare? Isn’t that a game for seven year olds at a sleepover?” Bruce protested.
“Not if you’re drunk it isn’t,” Rhodey said. “Tony, do you remember the dares at frosh week?”
“Oh god, don’t bring that back, we agreed never to talk about those again,” Tony complained.
“Okay, okay, but I’m down for a game,” Rhodes replied.
“Excellent. I’ll start. Steve, truth or dare?” Thor said, looking far too excited for Wanda’s peace of mind.
“Truth,” Steve said. ‘Wait, no, dare. I’ll do a dare.” The super soldier looked apprehensive.
“Very well son of Rogers, I dare you to insult Natasha,” Thor challenged. Steve opened his mouth, and closed it again.
“Thor, I will get you back for this,” he said, not looking as though he meant it too much. “Nat, I can hear you when you sing in the shower, and you sound like you’re dying when you try and hit high notes.”
“No! I thought the walls were soundproofed!” Natasha exclaimed. She grabbed a throw pillow and smacked Steve over the head with it.
“Hey!” he complained, making an attempt to defend himself. Romanoff held the pillow at the ready as Steve lowered his arms.
“Okay, maybe I deserved that. It’s my turn now, right? Bruce, truth or dare?”
“Truth,” Banner replied, cracking a nervous smile. Wanda couldn’t remember the last time she had played this game.
“Alright. How did your first kiss go down?”
“Aw man, really?” Bruce asked. Steve nodded encouragingly, only a little smug. “Okay. It was my last year of high school. My chem lab partner for the year invited me over to her house to study for the test, and when I was about to leave, she kissed me. I think she thought that it was a date. I just stood there like an idiot for a good five seconds. I said I had to water my dog and ran home. Can you believe it? I ended up asking her to prom, but she said no,” he recounted, shaking his head.
“That’s a good one,” Tony remarked. “But your last year, really?”
“Hey, not all of us were popular in high school,” Bruce said, raising his hands. “Truth or dare, Tony?”
“I walked right into that one. Dare.”
“I dare you to stuff as many of those cookies into your mouth as you can.”
“Very well, prepare to be amazed,” Tony said, getting up off the floor. He stretched his arms and made his way over to the platter of baked goods. He looked Bruce in the eyes as he stuffed one cookie in his mouth, then another, and another. Vision noticed that Bruce looked uneasy. Vision was concerned as well. Tony picked up another cookie, and walked back to the circle, cheeks puffed.
He sat directly in front of the scientist and shoved the last cookie into his mouth.
“God, that’s disgusting,” Banner said, brushing Tony’s cookie crumbs off his pants.
“Brhhfhj,” Tony said, getting back up and returning to the kitchenette. He spat the cookie remnants into the garbage can, and returned triumphant to the circle, wiping his face.
“Bruce, you’re right, that was disgusting, and a waste of good cookies,” Pepper confirmed. Tony winked at her, and she rolled her eyes.
Wanda saw all this and smiled as she leaned into Vision, who automatically put his arm around her. How quickly this had become normal for them.
Wanda pointedly avoided thinking about the connotations.
“Vision, truth or dare?” Tony asked.
“Dare,” Vision replied. He had done a quick search on the net when the game was brought up, and he was fairly confident he understood the rules.
“Alright. Vision, I dare you to… Um…” Tony was drawing a blank. Natasha’s eyes lit up, and she whispered something into Tony’s ear.
“No, I couldn’t!”
She whispered some more. What did she have in store for him?
“I never noticed. I can see what you mean though,” Tony replied to the unheard statement. Vision’s brows furrowed. What were they going on about? He squeezed Wanda’s shoulder. She smiled up at him, and his worries eased.
“Vision,” Tony said, pausing with dramatic effect. “I dare you to kiss Wanda under the mistletoe.”
A million thoughts raced through Vision’s head, most of which were how wonderful that would be. Beside him, Wanda coughed violently. It appeared that she had choked on the eggnog she was drinking. Of course she wouldn’t want to kiss him. He was an android. Right.
As Vision was processing these startling realizations about how he viewed Wanda, she straightened up, and put down her glass.
“A dare is a dare,” she said, glancing at the ceiling. Vision followed her gaze. There was indeed a piece of mistletoe hanging there. Wanda was going to kiss him. He had heard the phrase ‘butterflies in you stomach’ before. If that was the case, the ones in him must have been of the Queen Alexandra’s birdwing variety, the largest recorded species.
Wanda turned to face him. Her eyes were like miniature galaxies, reflecting the light of the Christmas tree. Her pupils were dilated. Wait, dilated pupils were a sign of- and then she was kissing him.
It was a mere brush of lips, but if Vision had been built with standard circuitry, he would have blown a fuse. Instinct took over from he knew not where, and he wrapped his arms around Wanda. There were still lips on his, so he responded in kind. Wanda returned his actions, and it was as simple as that.
The world faded back in with the hoots of the other Avengers, and some smattered applause. The pair broke apart. Vision noticed that Wanda’s cheeks were flushed.
“If you’ll excuse us for a second,” Wanda said, grasping Vision’s hand and not waiting for an answer. She pulled him to his feet, across the room, and onto the balcony. He stood in front of her, eyes shining like the city lights, or the stars, a dazed smile on his face. Wanda offered a hopeful one of her own.
“Listen, Vis, I don’t know if you realized this... In fact I only realized this a little while ago, but I like you, as more than a friend,” she said, grabbing his other hand. Her heart was pounding. This was very new to her, but she was as sure as anything that what she said was true.
“You don’t know how glad I am to hear that,” Vision replied, shoulders relaxing visibly. Wanda laughed, and it came out strangely breathy.
“So, what happened back there…”
“I’d very much like to repeat it, if that’s alright with you.”
Wanda nodded, and Vision closed the distance between them.
After a few moments, the pair separated, but they didn’t move far. Wanda looked over the railing of the balcony, and Vision stood beside her.
“Merry Christmas, Vis,” she said. The wind blew a strand of hair across her face. Vision tucked it behind her ear, and put his arm around her shoulders. This felt right.
“Merry Christmas, Wanda,” he answered, gazing out over the city.
“We should probably head back in.”
“Okay,” Vision said simply, taking her hand in his. As the pair made their way back to the circle, Tony opened his mouth. Natasha dug her elbow into his side, and he shut it.
“Thor, truth or dare?” Vision asked, still holding Wanda’s hand as they sat.
As such, the evening progressed in more or less the same way it had before. Dares were executed, stories were shared, and eggnog was consumed. The city may have been cold, but the Tower was warm.
At the end of the night, Natasha came up to Wanda. She was back on the balcony. The night sky was a painting, calling out to Wanda.
“Hey kid. How are you doing?”
“Pretty good, thanks to you.”
“You can always count on me, Wanda. I can’t believe I was the only one who saw what was going on between you and Vision.”
“You really were the only one! I had no idea what was going on either,” Wanda admitted.
“Hey, what are friends for?” Natasha asked, bumping Wanda with her shoulder. She laughed.
“Well, how was your first Avengers Christmas?” Nat continued.
“Better than I could have imagined. Just like a family Christmas.”
“Just like it.”
With that, Natasha padded back inside, leaving Wanda alone with her thoughts. She had lost so much, but gained… Wanda didn’t know how to quantify what had changed, or what to do with everything. That was okay. She saw Vision walk past the balcony doors, and she slipped inside after him.
“Hey,” she called softly. Vision turned, and she enveloped him in a hug. “Goodnight, Vis.”
“Goodnight Wanda,” Vision said as he walked towards his room. She could see his smile as he turned, even in the dark.
As Wanda prepared to turn in for the night, her phone vibrated. She picked it up from the nightstand. Bruce had sent a photo to the group chat. It was a little blurry, and was evidently a candid shot. The clearest thing was the smile on everyone’s face. Perhaps this had been a family Christmas after all.