Santa Baby
Title: Santa Baby
Universe: The Marvel Universe, specifically the Avengers movie-verse MSV
Pairing: Steve/Elsa
Written For: mistress_o_muse
Prompt: Guy Lombardo, Christmas lights, red and green satin ribbon, chocolate covered cherries
Rating: adultish. some sexual overtones. sappy fluffy cuteness
Word Count: 3710
Disclaimer: i don't own Steve Rogers. he's owned by Marvel and whoever the hell else owns him. i'm simply playing with him for my own perverse purposes and will return him. eventually. please don't sue me because i got no money, dude. Elsa belongs to mistress_o_muse. she's letting me borrow her on the condition she comes back in one piece.
Author's Note: i meant to have this finished yesterday, posted yesterday. unfortunately, my brain wasn't cooperating with me. sorry its late, bb. hope you enjoy.
In a move rather uncharacteristic for her, Elsa checked her profile in the mirror one last time before she left the bedroom and headed for the kitchen. The house smelled of baked ham, au gratin potatoes, and fresh, yeasty rolls. She'd had someone in to cook for the evening, and that amazing soul had gone home only about half an hour ago. The cleaning staff had been given the holidays off, so she was the only one in the house. At least for the time being. She was expecting Steve at any minute. As soon as he finished with his debriefing. She rolled her eyes at that.
Seriously. What villain attacked on Christmas Eve?
Strolling slowly through the house that she and Steve owned, she took time to consider everything that had happened to her in recent months. She'd never seen her life going in this direction. She'd always been dedicated to her chosen career path. Science had been pretty much everything she'd known all of her life. It was what she'd lived and breathed through her formative years. It was what had called to her like nothing else. Even when her parents had tried to get her interested in other things, more feminine things, science had always made her feel welcome within its practical embrace.
So she'd always just assumed that she'd spend her life alone. With her experiments and everything unemotional to keep her company. She'd never expected someone to take interest in her. Certainly never someone like Steve Rogers. He was smart and sexy, built and bashful, able and artistic. More than she'd ever hoped for. More than she'd ever even dreamed about. There were still occasions that she had a hard time believing he really was hers.
The living room was festively adorned. Just last week, they'd gone to a tree farm together and chosen the perfect Scots pine to chop down. It was a ten foot tree that was so big around, it had taken both of them to string the lights and garland. The LED lights that nestled inside of the evergreen's branches were multi-colored and twinkled brightly. The ornaments were delicate glass balls in greens and blues and whites and purples and reds and golds and pinks. Garlands of red and silver had been wound around and up to the angel on top. She wore a gown of silver and white, had real feathered wings, and lights that glowed a soft blue-white.
A pine bough garland lined the edge of the fireplace mantel, complete with percolating bubble lights. Two plush velvet stockings hung from hooks protruding from the bases of color changing Christmas tree sculptures. His was a lovely maroon while hers was pine green. She'd had someone come in and place a special log on the hearth, a large piece of Aspen that she'd been assured would burn for more than a single night. Given that the log was nearly half as long as she was and three times as big around, she was sure that she hadn't been lied to. It had taken two men to bring it in and position it in the hearth. She planned on asking Steve to light it when he got home.
Other decorations included things like a Christmas village with lots of fake snow and tiny lights and a miniature train that ran circles around the village on gleaming tracks, a lovely floral arrangement in a large white and gold sleigh, a couple of thirty six inch tall nutcrackers, and a four foot tall Santa in a luxurious red velvet coat. She'd loved decorating the house, loved watching Steve help her. He'd shown such eager enthusiasm for the task. It had been like having a little kid helping her string lights and hang ornaments.
There were already nearly a dozen gifts under the tree, all of them for Steve from her. He'd told her that he'd put his gifts to her under the tree when he got home. She wasn't sure where he had them hidden, but she suspected it wasn't anywhere in the house.
She continued in to the dining room. The table was small and intimate, set for two with festive holiday stoneware. The plates were red and white with lovely green trees in the middle of them. The silverware gleamed in the light of six taper candles, three to each holder. One holder held two silver tapers and one white while the other held two gold and one green. The linen table cloth was red with white edging and the napkins were as pristine as freshly fallen snow. A tumbler of green and a stemmed goblet of red completed the holiday theme. As did an arrangement in a large basket, filled to bursting with bits of evergreen, red roses, white roses, white lilies, pine cones, and various other seasonal filler, that took up the very center of the table.
Assured that everything was in readiness, she passed through the dining room to finally enter the kitchen. The ham was on a large platter, still steaming hot despite having been out of the oven for a while now. She carefully picked the platter up and carried it into the dining room. The platter went next to Steve's place at the table. Elsa returned to the kitchen and collected the mashed potatoes, took them into the dining room and put them on the table. She made several more trips, carrying bowls in to the table until she had their entire meal laid out. A pitcher of water and one of eggnog came next. The last things she brought in were the utensils with which to carve the ham and serve the potatoes and vegetables.
Dessert awaited them on the kitchen counter, a decadent chocolate cake that she'd picked up at an upscale, expensive bakery. For a moment, Elsa wished that she'd been able to prepare their meal herself. But she was still working with her cooking skills and this wasn't a meal she'd have wanted ruined because she didn't know how to prepare a ham. So she'd hired people to do it for her. She promised herself that next year, she'd be able to make a delicious and lovely meal for her family.
With everything in readiness, she only had one thing left to do. That was to wait.
The house was silent, the only sounds reaching her ears those of the wind blowing nastily outside her home's walls. The local meteorologist had said a front laden with heavy snow was moving in that would likely bring intense blizzard conditions to the tri-state area before the morning. Uncomfortable with the howling of the wind, she headed for the stereo and slipped a CD into the player. A press of the button and soon the soothing sounds of Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians filled the silence and covered the wind. Sing the Songs of Christmas with Guy Lombardo had always been a favorite of hers, appreciation for the man and his music learned at the knees of her grandmother.
Elsa hummed softly with the rich sounds of the orchestra and left the dining room behind. She made her way back to the living room and, in a move reminiscent of a small child eagerly awaiting the arrival of Santa Claus, she pressed her palms up against the chill glass in the broad picture window and searched the darkness for signs of Steve's car. She only had to wait five minutes.
God bless Agent Coulson and his methodical precision. That man could always be counted on to keep things running smoothly and quickly. No doubt he was as eager to get home to Miriam as Elsa was to see Steve come home to her. The lights of the car, a sedan that was quite understated, swung past the window as the vehicle turned into the driveway. A thrill of excitement washed through her, making her want to run to the door and fling it open so she could throw herself into his arms. She forced herself to walk and meet him at the door when he came inside.
The wind gusted in behind him, cold and icy and bringing with it swirling flakes of white. He frowned at her unhappily when he noticed she was wearing a short sleeved shirt and there were no socks on her feet. "You shouldn't stand in the doorway like that, Elsa. You were just sick not that long ago. I wouldn't want you to catch cold again," he told her.
"I'll be fine, Steve," she replied with a smile. "It was only a few seconds. And now that you're home, I'm sure you can think of ways to warm me up."
That comment brought a grin to his face. No doubt he was thinking of lots of ways right at the moment. He made quick work of stripping away his winter coat, making sure the knit cap and his gloves were shoved into a pocket, before he kicked off his snow covered shoes and stepped toward her. His arms pulled her in close and his mouth settled over hers. She melted into the kiss, her hands creeping up to find their way around his neck. When he drew back, there was a hint of pink on his cheeks. It never failed to amuse her the way he could be so sexy and so innocent all at the same time. "We can go warm you up right now, if you like." His voice was low and husky, bringing a shiver to life along the length of her spine.
"You know I'd love to. But dinner is on the table." She looked up at him through her lashes, a faintly disappointed look on her face. "I thought we could eat, then open a couple of gifts."
"Gifts can wait until tomorrow, Elsa. It is only Christmas Eve," he reminded her.
"I know," she replied, letting her fingers walk up and down his chest almost absently. "Just a couple of gifts? I have two I want to give you tonight." She made sure to give him her best 'pretty please' look. Alex had told her that if she perfected that look, it would get her anything she wanted. When Elsa had asked if it worked with Clint, Alex had only lifted a brow at her in silent question, as if she hadn't been able to believe Elsa didn't already know the answer to that. According to Miriam, Alex and Clint were still as explosive now as they had been before they'd gotten together.
Thoughts of Alex, Miriam, and Clint were pushed aside when Steve sighed and shook his head. She knew it for the expression of defeat that it was. There were times when it was so easy to convince him to give in to her demands. "Alright, Elsa," he agreed, then shot her a look to let her know that he wasn't that much of a push over. "Just a couple, though. The rest can wait until tomorrow."
"Deal," she nodded. Two were all she wanted to give him tonight. "Shall we go eat?" she asked him softly.
"Food sounds good. I'm starving. You wouldn't believe the mess going on in Brooklyn. I swear, people have no respect for the holidays anymore." He slipped an arm around her waist and led her from the entryway to the dining room. She heard him take a deep breath as they went, pulling the fabulous smells wafting from the other room into his lungs. "Damn, that smells wonderful. What are we having?"
"I had someone come in and make a ham for us," she told him briskly. She could just imagine the look he was giving her for that. They'd talked about her culinary skills and he sometimes saw hiring someone to cook for them as a luxury that they didn't need to splurge on. Never mind she'd told him up front just how horrible she was at cooking. "Before you say anything about it, it is Christmas and I wanted to ensure that you didn't end up in the hospital with food poisoning. Its my intention to take cooking classes so that I can prepare our meals myself. I just haven't had time lately."
"You work too hard. I wouldn't be surprised if that was the reason why you were sick," he said, not bothering to comment on the cooking thing. She glanced over her shoulder and flashed him a smile as she stepped into the dining room. Steve stopped and took a second breath, inhaling the succulent smells even deeper into his lungs. His eyes took in the table with its decoration and spread of food. "Why don't we forget about being sick in favor of eating?"
"Close your mouth or you'll drool on the carpet, soldier," Elsa told him with a laugh, then let him escort her to her chair. Gentleman that he was, he held the chair for her, then pushed it in under her when she sat. She watched him move around to his seat with appreciative eyes. It never failed to amaze her how graceful and fluid his motions were.
Without asking her if she was ready, Steve began carving the ham. She held her plate up to him so that he could lay a slice on it for her, then she went for the potatoes. The mound was topped with gravy and a couple of scoops of corn. She reached for the rolls and picked two, then handed them to Steve while she went for the butter to spread on them.
As they ate, she asked him about the fight and what villain had dared attack the Big Apple on Christmas Eve. He told her everything that he knew, seeing as it was unlikely that the story wouldn't run in the papers. There were some things he omitted, mostly those things that S.H.I.E.L.D. had deemed too secret to share with anyone. And she found it odd that the villain was someone Steve couldn't put a name to. All he could tell her there that it was some two-bit villain looking to make a name for himself by taking on the Avengers. Too bad they'd squashed him like a cockroach within five minutes of arriving on scene.
Elsa listened avidly, only occasionally realizing that she'd dropped her bite of potatoes or her slice of ham on her plate before it had reached her mouth. When that happened, Steve would chuckle softly and Elsa would blush like crazy. Some things never really did change.
Once they'd finished their meal, Steve helped Elsa carry the dirty dishes back into the kitchen. They were loaded into the dishwasher immediately. Next came the left overs, which were covered and stored in dishes and stashed in the fridge for later. Cold ham sandwiches at three in the morning sounded really tasty. For now, though, she wanted something with chocolate.
She lifted the lid on the pink cake box and showed Steve the treat inside. "Would you like a slice of cake?" she asked him.
He gave her a slightly uncomfortable look before going to the cabinet over the fridge, the one that was too high for her to reach without a stool, and pulled the door open. His hand went inside, came out with a familiar pink box. This one was smaller than the cake box but no doubt held something tasty and decadent. That bakery always made the most delicious desserts. Elsa's stomach rumbled in anticipation. "I got you some chocolate covered cherries. I thought maybe we could share these while we sit on the couch and watch Its a Wonderful Life or whatever Christmas movie you have picked out."
"Actually, I thought we'd watch Holiday Inn," she told him. She closed the lid on the cake. "And chocolate covered cherries are my favorites. The cake can wait until tomorrow." Said cake was quickly stashed in the fridge with the other leftovers. "But before we watch the movie, you're going to open those gifts I mentioned."
"Alright," he agreed, luscious lips pulled up in a smile. He held his hand out to Elsa and she took it, allowing him to tug her in under his arm. Together, they made their way from the kitchen to the living room. Steve stopped in his tracks when she saw the log on the hearth. "Wow. That's a big piece of wood."
"I've seen bigger, soldier," she teased, just because she liked to watch his face pinken up with a blush. Elsa laughed when he did, for just a moment, then got herself under control and motioned to the fireplace. "Would you be so kind as to light that thing? While you do, I'll pick out the gifts I want to give you."
He nodded and crossed to the fireplace. Elsa made her way to the tree and crouched, her hand seeking out that one special gift she'd tucked under the lowest branches for him. The white tissue paper was speckled with silver metallic snowflakes. The bow was the of metallic silver ribbon and sat happily in the center of the paper. She hadn't put a tag or anything else on it, just that bow. Picking it up, she took it with her over to the couch.
Steve was still coaxing the fire to life, so she took a seat on the plush cushion and waited, passing the time by staring at the curves of his ass. His jeans clung to them lovingly and prompted all manner of erotic images. When he finally rose from the fireplace, brushing his hands off on his thighs, she was pondering skipping this gift and just taking him straight to bed. It could wait until tomorrow, couldn't it?
"Do you want me to start the movie?" he asked, hovering close to the large flat screen that took up much of the wall next to the fireplace. Elsa had to force her mind away from his rock hard tush and bring her gaze up to his face. He was giving her a knowing look, a grin tipping the corners of his mouth up. "Sweetie? Do you want me to start the movie?"
"Oh... erm... No. Not just yet." She held up the box to hide her sudden lapse. "Come open this first. We can put the movie on after."
"Okay." He had absolutely no idea how sexy he was as he crossed the floor toward her. He was all controlled muscle and lithe grace. She found herself held in thrall every time she saw him walking. This time was no different.
Steve settled beside her, completely unaware of his appeal and her attention. She smiled, a little nervously, and held the gift out to him. His fingers brushed hers when he took it, sending tiny sparks sizzling up her arm from the contact. She watched him closely as he carefully worked the paper from the box, her anxiety growing along with the urge to tell him to just rip it off already.
Eventually, the tissue fluttered to the floor, forgotten, as he laid the box in his lap and lifted the lid. The contents were obscured by another layer of the same tissue, which he dutifully peeled back one at a time, until the contents lay exposed to him. He stared at the items inside for a full ten minutes before he lifted clear blue eyes to her. "Elsa?" His words held the unspoken question, the important one. She lifted her shirt to show him the twin ribbons she'd wrapped around her belly, a wide red one with a narrower green one over the top. The silky satin ribbons were tied into a bow.
She reached into the box and lifted out the grainy black and white image, then laid it against her belly. After that, she picked up the pale green onesie and laid it along side the photo. "What do you think? Does it fit or should I take it back?" she asked him.
"A baby? Are you sure?" he asked softly. She could hear wonder and awe in his voice. She nodded her head before returning the sonogram photo and the onesie to the box.
"I'm sure, baby. We're having a baby."
He reached out, almost hesitantly, and settled his hand against her belly. The warmth of his palm did odd things to her equilibrium, but she kept that to herself. His fingers tangled in the bow for a second, then pulled the ends until the bow fell apart. The box slid from his lap as he reached for her, dragged her into a hug that saw her straddling his waist on her knees. The position gave him the opportunity to lean forward and press a tender kiss to her belly. "A baby. I... Wow. Is it a boy or a girl?"
"I don't know. Its too soon to tell."
"This is... amazing, Elsa. I never thought..." he trailed off, at a loss for words.
"Are you happy with this?" she asked softly, suddenly unsure. The smile that spread across his face told her she should have known better. He pulled her down to him so that he could kiss her until she gasped for breath and her heart beat hard in her chest.
"I am very happy with this," he replied. "This is the best Christmas gift you could ever give me."
"That's good news," she said softly. "I was kind of worried."
"You think I don't want children? Baby, you don't know me half as well as you think you do if you don't know that I want a big family." He tugged her close and kissed her again. "This is the best gift you could have given me. I love it. And I love you."
"I love you, too, Steve. Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas, Elsa." He urged her gently out of his lap so that she had to sit beside him, then reached for the remote. A couple buttons later, the movie of the night was playing and she was snuggled against him as the log in the hearth crackled and popped cheerily.
She smiled and let him feed her one of those outrageously expensive chocolate covered cherries. This was definitely the best Christmas ever.
Universe: The Marvel Universe, specifically the Avengers movie-verse MSV
Pairing: Steve/Elsa
Written For: mistress_o_muse
Prompt: Guy Lombardo, Christmas lights, red and green satin ribbon, chocolate covered cherries
Rating: adultish. some sexual overtones. sappy fluffy cuteness
Word Count: 3710
Disclaimer: i don't own Steve Rogers. he's owned by Marvel and whoever the hell else owns him. i'm simply playing with him for my own perverse purposes and will return him. eventually. please don't sue me because i got no money, dude. Elsa belongs to mistress_o_muse. she's letting me borrow her on the condition she comes back in one piece.
Author's Note: i meant to have this finished yesterday, posted yesterday. unfortunately, my brain wasn't cooperating with me. sorry its late, bb. hope you enjoy.
In a move rather uncharacteristic for her, Elsa checked her profile in the mirror one last time before she left the bedroom and headed for the kitchen. The house smelled of baked ham, au gratin potatoes, and fresh, yeasty rolls. She'd had someone in to cook for the evening, and that amazing soul had gone home only about half an hour ago. The cleaning staff had been given the holidays off, so she was the only one in the house. At least for the time being. She was expecting Steve at any minute. As soon as he finished with his debriefing. She rolled her eyes at that.
Seriously. What villain attacked on Christmas Eve?
Strolling slowly through the house that she and Steve owned, she took time to consider everything that had happened to her in recent months. She'd never seen her life going in this direction. She'd always been dedicated to her chosen career path. Science had been pretty much everything she'd known all of her life. It was what she'd lived and breathed through her formative years. It was what had called to her like nothing else. Even when her parents had tried to get her interested in other things, more feminine things, science had always made her feel welcome within its practical embrace.
So she'd always just assumed that she'd spend her life alone. With her experiments and everything unemotional to keep her company. She'd never expected someone to take interest in her. Certainly never someone like Steve Rogers. He was smart and sexy, built and bashful, able and artistic. More than she'd ever hoped for. More than she'd ever even dreamed about. There were still occasions that she had a hard time believing he really was hers.
The living room was festively adorned. Just last week, they'd gone to a tree farm together and chosen the perfect Scots pine to chop down. It was a ten foot tree that was so big around, it had taken both of them to string the lights and garland. The LED lights that nestled inside of the evergreen's branches were multi-colored and twinkled brightly. The ornaments were delicate glass balls in greens and blues and whites and purples and reds and golds and pinks. Garlands of red and silver had been wound around and up to the angel on top. She wore a gown of silver and white, had real feathered wings, and lights that glowed a soft blue-white.
A pine bough garland lined the edge of the fireplace mantel, complete with percolating bubble lights. Two plush velvet stockings hung from hooks protruding from the bases of color changing Christmas tree sculptures. His was a lovely maroon while hers was pine green. She'd had someone come in and place a special log on the hearth, a large piece of Aspen that she'd been assured would burn for more than a single night. Given that the log was nearly half as long as she was and three times as big around, she was sure that she hadn't been lied to. It had taken two men to bring it in and position it in the hearth. She planned on asking Steve to light it when he got home.
Other decorations included things like a Christmas village with lots of fake snow and tiny lights and a miniature train that ran circles around the village on gleaming tracks, a lovely floral arrangement in a large white and gold sleigh, a couple of thirty six inch tall nutcrackers, and a four foot tall Santa in a luxurious red velvet coat. She'd loved decorating the house, loved watching Steve help her. He'd shown such eager enthusiasm for the task. It had been like having a little kid helping her string lights and hang ornaments.
There were already nearly a dozen gifts under the tree, all of them for Steve from her. He'd told her that he'd put his gifts to her under the tree when he got home. She wasn't sure where he had them hidden, but she suspected it wasn't anywhere in the house.
She continued in to the dining room. The table was small and intimate, set for two with festive holiday stoneware. The plates were red and white with lovely green trees in the middle of them. The silverware gleamed in the light of six taper candles, three to each holder. One holder held two silver tapers and one white while the other held two gold and one green. The linen table cloth was red with white edging and the napkins were as pristine as freshly fallen snow. A tumbler of green and a stemmed goblet of red completed the holiday theme. As did an arrangement in a large basket, filled to bursting with bits of evergreen, red roses, white roses, white lilies, pine cones, and various other seasonal filler, that took up the very center of the table.
Assured that everything was in readiness, she passed through the dining room to finally enter the kitchen. The ham was on a large platter, still steaming hot despite having been out of the oven for a while now. She carefully picked the platter up and carried it into the dining room. The platter went next to Steve's place at the table. Elsa returned to the kitchen and collected the mashed potatoes, took them into the dining room and put them on the table. She made several more trips, carrying bowls in to the table until she had their entire meal laid out. A pitcher of water and one of eggnog came next. The last things she brought in were the utensils with which to carve the ham and serve the potatoes and vegetables.
Dessert awaited them on the kitchen counter, a decadent chocolate cake that she'd picked up at an upscale, expensive bakery. For a moment, Elsa wished that she'd been able to prepare their meal herself. But she was still working with her cooking skills and this wasn't a meal she'd have wanted ruined because she didn't know how to prepare a ham. So she'd hired people to do it for her. She promised herself that next year, she'd be able to make a delicious and lovely meal for her family.
With everything in readiness, she only had one thing left to do. That was to wait.
The house was silent, the only sounds reaching her ears those of the wind blowing nastily outside her home's walls. The local meteorologist had said a front laden with heavy snow was moving in that would likely bring intense blizzard conditions to the tri-state area before the morning. Uncomfortable with the howling of the wind, she headed for the stereo and slipped a CD into the player. A press of the button and soon the soothing sounds of Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians filled the silence and covered the wind. Sing the Songs of Christmas with Guy Lombardo had always been a favorite of hers, appreciation for the man and his music learned at the knees of her grandmother.
Elsa hummed softly with the rich sounds of the orchestra and left the dining room behind. She made her way back to the living room and, in a move reminiscent of a small child eagerly awaiting the arrival of Santa Claus, she pressed her palms up against the chill glass in the broad picture window and searched the darkness for signs of Steve's car. She only had to wait five minutes.
God bless Agent Coulson and his methodical precision. That man could always be counted on to keep things running smoothly and quickly. No doubt he was as eager to get home to Miriam as Elsa was to see Steve come home to her. The lights of the car, a sedan that was quite understated, swung past the window as the vehicle turned into the driveway. A thrill of excitement washed through her, making her want to run to the door and fling it open so she could throw herself into his arms. She forced herself to walk and meet him at the door when he came inside.
The wind gusted in behind him, cold and icy and bringing with it swirling flakes of white. He frowned at her unhappily when he noticed she was wearing a short sleeved shirt and there were no socks on her feet. "You shouldn't stand in the doorway like that, Elsa. You were just sick not that long ago. I wouldn't want you to catch cold again," he told her.
"I'll be fine, Steve," she replied with a smile. "It was only a few seconds. And now that you're home, I'm sure you can think of ways to warm me up."
That comment brought a grin to his face. No doubt he was thinking of lots of ways right at the moment. He made quick work of stripping away his winter coat, making sure the knit cap and his gloves were shoved into a pocket, before he kicked off his snow covered shoes and stepped toward her. His arms pulled her in close and his mouth settled over hers. She melted into the kiss, her hands creeping up to find their way around his neck. When he drew back, there was a hint of pink on his cheeks. It never failed to amuse her the way he could be so sexy and so innocent all at the same time. "We can go warm you up right now, if you like." His voice was low and husky, bringing a shiver to life along the length of her spine.
"You know I'd love to. But dinner is on the table." She looked up at him through her lashes, a faintly disappointed look on her face. "I thought we could eat, then open a couple of gifts."
"Gifts can wait until tomorrow, Elsa. It is only Christmas Eve," he reminded her.
"I know," she replied, letting her fingers walk up and down his chest almost absently. "Just a couple of gifts? I have two I want to give you tonight." She made sure to give him her best 'pretty please' look. Alex had told her that if she perfected that look, it would get her anything she wanted. When Elsa had asked if it worked with Clint, Alex had only lifted a brow at her in silent question, as if she hadn't been able to believe Elsa didn't already know the answer to that. According to Miriam, Alex and Clint were still as explosive now as they had been before they'd gotten together.
Thoughts of Alex, Miriam, and Clint were pushed aside when Steve sighed and shook his head. She knew it for the expression of defeat that it was. There were times when it was so easy to convince him to give in to her demands. "Alright, Elsa," he agreed, then shot her a look to let her know that he wasn't that much of a push over. "Just a couple, though. The rest can wait until tomorrow."
"Deal," she nodded. Two were all she wanted to give him tonight. "Shall we go eat?" she asked him softly.
"Food sounds good. I'm starving. You wouldn't believe the mess going on in Brooklyn. I swear, people have no respect for the holidays anymore." He slipped an arm around her waist and led her from the entryway to the dining room. She heard him take a deep breath as they went, pulling the fabulous smells wafting from the other room into his lungs. "Damn, that smells wonderful. What are we having?"
"I had someone come in and make a ham for us," she told him briskly. She could just imagine the look he was giving her for that. They'd talked about her culinary skills and he sometimes saw hiring someone to cook for them as a luxury that they didn't need to splurge on. Never mind she'd told him up front just how horrible she was at cooking. "Before you say anything about it, it is Christmas and I wanted to ensure that you didn't end up in the hospital with food poisoning. Its my intention to take cooking classes so that I can prepare our meals myself. I just haven't had time lately."
"You work too hard. I wouldn't be surprised if that was the reason why you were sick," he said, not bothering to comment on the cooking thing. She glanced over her shoulder and flashed him a smile as she stepped into the dining room. Steve stopped and took a second breath, inhaling the succulent smells even deeper into his lungs. His eyes took in the table with its decoration and spread of food. "Why don't we forget about being sick in favor of eating?"
"Close your mouth or you'll drool on the carpet, soldier," Elsa told him with a laugh, then let him escort her to her chair. Gentleman that he was, he held the chair for her, then pushed it in under her when she sat. She watched him move around to his seat with appreciative eyes. It never failed to amaze her how graceful and fluid his motions were.
Without asking her if she was ready, Steve began carving the ham. She held her plate up to him so that he could lay a slice on it for her, then she went for the potatoes. The mound was topped with gravy and a couple of scoops of corn. She reached for the rolls and picked two, then handed them to Steve while she went for the butter to spread on them.
As they ate, she asked him about the fight and what villain had dared attack the Big Apple on Christmas Eve. He told her everything that he knew, seeing as it was unlikely that the story wouldn't run in the papers. There were some things he omitted, mostly those things that S.H.I.E.L.D. had deemed too secret to share with anyone. And she found it odd that the villain was someone Steve couldn't put a name to. All he could tell her there that it was some two-bit villain looking to make a name for himself by taking on the Avengers. Too bad they'd squashed him like a cockroach within five minutes of arriving on scene.
Elsa listened avidly, only occasionally realizing that she'd dropped her bite of potatoes or her slice of ham on her plate before it had reached her mouth. When that happened, Steve would chuckle softly and Elsa would blush like crazy. Some things never really did change.
Once they'd finished their meal, Steve helped Elsa carry the dirty dishes back into the kitchen. They were loaded into the dishwasher immediately. Next came the left overs, which were covered and stored in dishes and stashed in the fridge for later. Cold ham sandwiches at three in the morning sounded really tasty. For now, though, she wanted something with chocolate.
She lifted the lid on the pink cake box and showed Steve the treat inside. "Would you like a slice of cake?" she asked him.
He gave her a slightly uncomfortable look before going to the cabinet over the fridge, the one that was too high for her to reach without a stool, and pulled the door open. His hand went inside, came out with a familiar pink box. This one was smaller than the cake box but no doubt held something tasty and decadent. That bakery always made the most delicious desserts. Elsa's stomach rumbled in anticipation. "I got you some chocolate covered cherries. I thought maybe we could share these while we sit on the couch and watch Its a Wonderful Life or whatever Christmas movie you have picked out."
"Actually, I thought we'd watch Holiday Inn," she told him. She closed the lid on the cake. "And chocolate covered cherries are my favorites. The cake can wait until tomorrow." Said cake was quickly stashed in the fridge with the other leftovers. "But before we watch the movie, you're going to open those gifts I mentioned."
"Alright," he agreed, luscious lips pulled up in a smile. He held his hand out to Elsa and she took it, allowing him to tug her in under his arm. Together, they made their way from the kitchen to the living room. Steve stopped in his tracks when she saw the log on the hearth. "Wow. That's a big piece of wood."
"I've seen bigger, soldier," she teased, just because she liked to watch his face pinken up with a blush. Elsa laughed when he did, for just a moment, then got herself under control and motioned to the fireplace. "Would you be so kind as to light that thing? While you do, I'll pick out the gifts I want to give you."
He nodded and crossed to the fireplace. Elsa made her way to the tree and crouched, her hand seeking out that one special gift she'd tucked under the lowest branches for him. The white tissue paper was speckled with silver metallic snowflakes. The bow was the of metallic silver ribbon and sat happily in the center of the paper. She hadn't put a tag or anything else on it, just that bow. Picking it up, she took it with her over to the couch.
Steve was still coaxing the fire to life, so she took a seat on the plush cushion and waited, passing the time by staring at the curves of his ass. His jeans clung to them lovingly and prompted all manner of erotic images. When he finally rose from the fireplace, brushing his hands off on his thighs, she was pondering skipping this gift and just taking him straight to bed. It could wait until tomorrow, couldn't it?
"Do you want me to start the movie?" he asked, hovering close to the large flat screen that took up much of the wall next to the fireplace. Elsa had to force her mind away from his rock hard tush and bring her gaze up to his face. He was giving her a knowing look, a grin tipping the corners of his mouth up. "Sweetie? Do you want me to start the movie?"
"Oh... erm... No. Not just yet." She held up the box to hide her sudden lapse. "Come open this first. We can put the movie on after."
"Okay." He had absolutely no idea how sexy he was as he crossed the floor toward her. He was all controlled muscle and lithe grace. She found herself held in thrall every time she saw him walking. This time was no different.
Steve settled beside her, completely unaware of his appeal and her attention. She smiled, a little nervously, and held the gift out to him. His fingers brushed hers when he took it, sending tiny sparks sizzling up her arm from the contact. She watched him closely as he carefully worked the paper from the box, her anxiety growing along with the urge to tell him to just rip it off already.
Eventually, the tissue fluttered to the floor, forgotten, as he laid the box in his lap and lifted the lid. The contents were obscured by another layer of the same tissue, which he dutifully peeled back one at a time, until the contents lay exposed to him. He stared at the items inside for a full ten minutes before he lifted clear blue eyes to her. "Elsa?" His words held the unspoken question, the important one. She lifted her shirt to show him the twin ribbons she'd wrapped around her belly, a wide red one with a narrower green one over the top. The silky satin ribbons were tied into a bow.
She reached into the box and lifted out the grainy black and white image, then laid it against her belly. After that, she picked up the pale green onesie and laid it along side the photo. "What do you think? Does it fit or should I take it back?" she asked him.
"A baby? Are you sure?" he asked softly. She could hear wonder and awe in his voice. She nodded her head before returning the sonogram photo and the onesie to the box.
"I'm sure, baby. We're having a baby."
He reached out, almost hesitantly, and settled his hand against her belly. The warmth of his palm did odd things to her equilibrium, but she kept that to herself. His fingers tangled in the bow for a second, then pulled the ends until the bow fell apart. The box slid from his lap as he reached for her, dragged her into a hug that saw her straddling his waist on her knees. The position gave him the opportunity to lean forward and press a tender kiss to her belly. "A baby. I... Wow. Is it a boy or a girl?"
"I don't know. Its too soon to tell."
"This is... amazing, Elsa. I never thought..." he trailed off, at a loss for words.
"Are you happy with this?" she asked softly, suddenly unsure. The smile that spread across his face told her she should have known better. He pulled her down to him so that he could kiss her until she gasped for breath and her heart beat hard in her chest.
"I am very happy with this," he replied. "This is the best Christmas gift you could ever give me."
"That's good news," she said softly. "I was kind of worried."
"You think I don't want children? Baby, you don't know me half as well as you think you do if you don't know that I want a big family." He tugged her close and kissed her again. "This is the best gift you could have given me. I love it. And I love you."
"I love you, too, Steve. Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas, Elsa." He urged her gently out of his lap so that she had to sit beside him, then reached for the remote. A couple buttons later, the movie of the night was playing and she was snuggled against him as the log in the hearth crackled and popped cheerily.
She smiled and let him feed her one of those outrageously expensive chocolate covered cherries. This was definitely the best Christmas ever.