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“Are you sure that’s what you want for Christmas?” said Phil.
“Yes,” replied Steve firmly. “I want to do a family 5k on Christmas Eve day. It’s called the Polar Plunge Run. We run a 5k and then jump into the pond.”
“Um, that sounds terrible,” said Bucky from the table where he was working on a puzzle with Tony. “Running and then jumping into a cold body of water? No thank you.”
“Come on!” said Steve. “I’ve always wanted to do a family fun run but I wasn’t cleared to run for Thanksgiving but I am now. Come on! We each get to pick an experience for our Christmas present and I want to do a family 5k.”
“It’s just, I don’t think that Tony can do it,” said Bucky bluntly.
“Oh,” said Steve, his face falling. “Yeah.”
Tony sighed. He hated the idea of a 5k, of jumping into a cold pond, of pretty much all of it, but Steve just looked so hopeful. Tony knew how much Steve wanted to do everything not that he was better and Tony didn’t want to hold him back.
“I could do a 5k,” said Tony. “I’ll probably be last but I could do it.”
“No, it’s okay,” said Steve. “I’ll think of something else.”
“Too bad, now I want to do the 5k,” said Tony stubbornly. “I was promised I’d get to watch Bucky jump into a cold pond and I am not missing out on that.”
“Tony, it’s okay,” said Steve. “I don’t mind.”
“Good because we are doing it,” said Tony. “Just like, tell me if I need to train or whatever. I hear training is a thing people do for 5k’s. Actually let’s be real, I’m not going to train.”
“Dibs on pushing Tony!” called Clint from the kitchen.
“What, afraid I’ll beat you?” yelled Steve, getting up and running into the kitchen excitedly.
“That was very kind of you,” said Phil softly, moving to sit on the couch with the two other boys. “Are you sure this is something you want to do?”
“Yeah, it’s fine,” said Tony with a shrug, going back to his puzzle as if it wasn’t a big deal. “I mean, I never really planned of getting in with a family that does 5k’s for fun but if this is the price I pay so be it.”
- Moving Forward –
The day of the 5k Tony was nervous. He hated when people stared at him in his wheelchair. He hated using the wheelchair when he could make the crutches work for him but a 5k was a long distance. Still, this was what Steve wanted and for Christmas Phil and Clint always gave their kids an experience as their big gift.
So here they were, all bundled up and approaching a start line with a whole bunch of overly hyped athletes and their less than enthusiastic family members who had been bamboozled like Tony into running a race on Christmas Eve day. It was crowded and loud and all Tony really wanted to do was go back to the car and wait but he settled for fidgeting in his chair.
“Hey, you sure you’re okay?” asked Clint, crouching down next to Tony while Steve chattered on and on to Phil and Bucky about how cool this all was. “It’s not too late to back out.”
Tony glanced around at the crowd of people in tight clothes, all laughing and talking and jumping up and down as though that would do something to keep them warm when they purposefully wore super thin clothes.
“It’s not the Olympics trial,” muttered Tony. “Why are people so serious about this?”
“If you need to get out and take a break we can do that,” offered Clint again. “I know all these people can be a lot.”
“No, Steve really wants to do this,” sighed Tony. “It’s fine.”
“If you change your mind, let me know and we can leave.”
“Will do.”
Soon everyone was squeezing together, crowding close as they got ready to run. Tony curled into himself a bit, thankful for the chair because people just naturally avoided it and it gave him more room.
“On your mark,” called a voice over the loud speaker. “Get set, go!”
A gun sounded and people were cheering and yelling.
“Come on Tony,” said Steve, getting behind Tony and grabbing the handles. “Let’s go!”
“Wait, I thought you were running,” said Tony, surprised.
“Yeah, I can push you and run at the same time now,” said Steve with a bright smile. “So let’s do this!”
“Um, okay,” said Tony with a small smile. “Let’s do it.”
Tony had fully expected Steve to just leave him to run – and Tony would not have blamed him at all. Steve had been looking forward to this run since before he could run (according to his nonstop ramblings over the last few days). Tony would only slow him down.
“Are you sure whatever that guy gave you wasn’t magic?” said Tony in awe as Steve ran at full speed while pushing him, acting as if it were no big deal. “Because you’re like sprinting.”
“I know right?” laughed Steve. “Wait, let’s let Bucky catch up. This is so much fun!”
“You are such a nerd,” said Tony with a laugh, warming up to the idea as people ran past them and Steve spun him in a circle like an excited puppy.
Bucky ran up to them, panting and sweaty.
“Steve, you are the actual devil,” gasped Bucky, leaning over his knees. “This is terrible and I hate you. Like so much.”
“You’re just being a baby,” said Steve brightly. Even Bucky’s complaining couldn’t lessen his enthusiasm.
“Am not,” said Bucky. “This was a terrible idea. Move over Tony, it’s my turn to ride.”
“No way, you’re just mad you didn’t think about using a wheelchair first,” laughed Steve. “Too bad.”
“Nope, I am not running the rest of the way.”
“It’s only like 3k’s more!”
“Yeah, not going to happen, budge up Tony,” said Bucky.
Bucky picked Tony up, sat down, and pulled his younger brother onto his lap, Tony laughing the entire time.
“Now go, you super human mutant!” ordered Bucky. “This was your idea so get to pushing.”
“Fine,” said Steve with a grin.
He leaned down and started running again.
“You two are so heavy,” grunted Steve.
“Speak for yourself, I’m like twelve pounds,” scoffed Tony.
“Bucky, get out,” said Steve.
“No, he’s warm,” said Tony, cuddling closer. “Bucky stays.”
Bucky rode for a little while longer before taking pity on Steve and getting out, only after Steve promised to run at a normal human speed. When theyfinished Phil and Clint were there with the mugs of coco that they handed out to everyone along with a medal in the shape of a snowflake.
“How did you two finish before us?” demanded Steve.
“We passed you when you were struggling to push Bucky and Tony at the same time,” said Clint. “You looked like you were having fun so we didn’t interrupt.”
Everyone laughed at Steve’s spluttering and made their way to the car.
That evening, shortly before they all headed to the living room to open some presents, Steve stopped in Tony’s bedroom.
“Hey, thanks for doing the 5k this morning,” said Steve. “I know you didn’t want to and all that but, yeah, thanks.”
“Thanks for not leaving me behind,” said Tony with a shrug. “That’s most of why I didn’t want to do it. I didn’t want to come in last and have everyone staring at me. Instead, they were staring at you because Bucky kept yelling at you to go faster and if that’s what 5k’s are, sign me up for all of them.”