no present like presence (dec. 1)
winter cheer
rating: pg
characters: The whole team!
author's note: I stand by the statement that team!fic is the best fic.
summary: Skates, s'mores, and sharing an afternoon with friends.
"Okay, but seriously, who the fuck first thought, "Let’s strap knives to our feet and go running across a lake"?" Clint asked, kneeling to tighten the laces on his skates. Natasha, neatly tying hers into practiced bows, snorted.
"Let’s be honest, it was probably somebody like you."
While he tipped his head, raised eyebrows saying she was probably right - let’s face it, she usually was - Natasha glanced up at Bruce.
"You got it, Doc?" Her voice was warm as he stared at the ice, one broad hand wrapped around the nearest sapling.
"It’ll just take me a few minutes," he told her, clearly uneasy about the whole process. She rose to her feet, slipping gracefully onto the frozen lake, and held out a slender hand.
"Let me help you."
He looked from her pale fingers to the slight smile on her lips, and, after another moment’s hesitation, gingerly put his free hand in hers. Behind them Clint had found his own feet and gotten started on the thick ice, nearly colliding with Stark in the process - “Sorry-” “Don’t apologize when you did it on purpose, seriously, like I don’t know you well enough by now-” - as Natasha gently led Bruce forward, stopping every few seconds so he could regain his balance.
Steve, camped on the shore and tending the small fire, watched them go fondly. He added more tinder as the heat washed over his face, comforting and reassuring in the midst of the winter’s chill. Crunching snow heralded Thor’s return and the Asgardian set down his load of branches and what looked like some small trees - on second glance, definitely small trees - down before settling onto the log beside Steve.
"Are you well?" He asked, turning his sharp blue eyes from the skaters to the soldier. There was a knowing quality to it that said he wasn’t asking after Steve’s health alone, and Steve wondered again how much Thor knew of ice and darkness and the terrible sensation of being alone.
"I’m good," he replied honestly, and found he could meet the unconvinced god’s gaze. "Really, I am. You should go out with them."
After a heartbeat Thor smiled in return, his concern easing into merriment.
"Perhaps later, when they have fully tested the surface. I can fly, true, but taking a dip in a winter lake is not something I wish to try."
"Wouldn’t recommend it," Steve replied wryly, and exchanged grins with Thor. "Anyway, once everyone's gotten chilled, we can break out the hot cocoa and s’mores. Trust me, you’re going to love them."
"Aye, I do," Thor told him warmly, clapping his hand on Steve’s shoulder. "And so I look forward to this great event! Tell me, what else do Midgardians do in the winter?"
"Well," he began, and the afternoon passed with snow and cheer and the laughter of friends, gathered together by fate and the warmth of a fire.
.
rating: pg
characters: The whole team!
author's note: I stand by the statement that team!fic is the best fic.
summary: Skates, s'mores, and sharing an afternoon with friends.
"Okay, but seriously, who the fuck first thought, "Let’s strap knives to our feet and go running across a lake"?" Clint asked, kneeling to tighten the laces on his skates. Natasha, neatly tying hers into practiced bows, snorted.
"Let’s be honest, it was probably somebody like you."
While he tipped his head, raised eyebrows saying she was probably right - let’s face it, she usually was - Natasha glanced up at Bruce.
"You got it, Doc?" Her voice was warm as he stared at the ice, one broad hand wrapped around the nearest sapling.
"It’ll just take me a few minutes," he told her, clearly uneasy about the whole process. She rose to her feet, slipping gracefully onto the frozen lake, and held out a slender hand.
"Let me help you."
He looked from her pale fingers to the slight smile on her lips, and, after another moment’s hesitation, gingerly put his free hand in hers. Behind them Clint had found his own feet and gotten started on the thick ice, nearly colliding with Stark in the process - “Sorry-” “Don’t apologize when you did it on purpose, seriously, like I don’t know you well enough by now-” - as Natasha gently led Bruce forward, stopping every few seconds so he could regain his balance.
Steve, camped on the shore and tending the small fire, watched them go fondly. He added more tinder as the heat washed over his face, comforting and reassuring in the midst of the winter’s chill. Crunching snow heralded Thor’s return and the Asgardian set down his load of branches and what looked like some small trees - on second glance, definitely small trees - down before settling onto the log beside Steve.
"Are you well?" He asked, turning his sharp blue eyes from the skaters to the soldier. There was a knowing quality to it that said he wasn’t asking after Steve’s health alone, and Steve wondered again how much Thor knew of ice and darkness and the terrible sensation of being alone.
"I’m good," he replied honestly, and found he could meet the unconvinced god’s gaze. "Really, I am. You should go out with them."
After a heartbeat Thor smiled in return, his concern easing into merriment.
"Perhaps later, when they have fully tested the surface. I can fly, true, but taking a dip in a winter lake is not something I wish to try."
"Wouldn’t recommend it," Steve replied wryly, and exchanged grins with Thor. "Anyway, once everyone's gotten chilled, we can break out the hot cocoa and s’mores. Trust me, you’re going to love them."
"Aye, I do," Thor told him warmly, clapping his hand on Steve’s shoulder. "And so I look forward to this great event! Tell me, what else do Midgardians do in the winter?"
"Well," he began, and the afternoon passed with snow and cheer and the laughter of friends, gathered together by fate and the warmth of a fire.
.