* 𝙼𝙸𝚂𝚃𝙻𝙴𝚃𝙾𝙴 𝙺𝙸𝚂𝚂𝙴𝚂. | @wntrfreed said : i might be late to the thing but.... mistletoe + on purpose :)
IT’S CLEAR THAT HE’S UP TO SOMETHING, and the simple fact that she can’t yet put her finger on what exactly it is has been nagging at her for the better part of the afternoon. even with the distractions of decorating the apartment and his helping her set up her first tree in YEARS ( she can’t even remember the last time she was actually HOME for the holidays, let alone had the time to go get a tree and toss the few decorations she had up. she'd gotten used to spending her holiday seasons half a world away and thoroughly distracted ), she keeps coming back to the mischievous little smirk that pops back up on his face when he apparently doesn't think she can SEE.
and for all she knows it's on FULL DISPLAY now that he's been in the other room with the tree while she curses at untangles a long - neglected string of lights; bucky finally having PITY ON HER by peeking through the doorway and offering to switch jobs --------- on the condition that she helps him first. the lights are unceremoniously ABANDONED ( chucked with one last parting string of obscenities ) onto the floor as she joins him in the doorway, now DOUBLY curious as to what he could possibly need her help for. ------- the fact that the tree looks exactly the same since she'd disappeared with the lights almost twenty minutes ago isn't HELPING the little conspiracy theories bubbling up in her brain. even after he begins attempting to explain just what it is he needs her to do.
that's when she spots it; taped up to the top of the trim above the door, just high enough that it won't give itself away unless you're directly beneath it. which ----------------- he's made a point to make sure she is, right next to him. "are you serious," she can't see his expression while her eyes stay FIXED on the little bundle of leaves stuck there above her head, but she can make an educated guess. "who even ARE you?" she teases with a grin ----- it's ... sweet. and playful. and not what she would have expected of him at all ( but maybe she needs to start ).
"in my own home," it's so much more difficult to fake any kind of offense when he's standing there with her; twofold now that she's reaching up to steady his CHIN so she can guide him a little closer for that first KISS --------- which ends up being more of a meeting of a smirk and a smile than anything else.
which ALSO means, she'll have to attempt a second one. at the very least. maybe another for being able to pull it off without her knowing. "i can't believe you set me up in my own home."
