Cassidy Scott-Stark

Mistletoe

The next day, the entire team is finishing up a late lunch in the main room. You are chatting with Steve and Clint, but your mind is still on Loki and the movie last night. 

"Cassidy?" Steve asks you with his eyebrows raised.

"Sorry, what?" You're brought back into the reality of the compound from your mind.

"Geez, what's on your mind today?" Clint asks with a smirk.

"Just....a uh, new machinery idea. I've been brainstorming all morning and last night." You say as smooth as you possibly can.

Steve and Clint exchange a look, but choose to believe you. "Don't turn into your dad too much," Clint warns sarcastically. 

Tony hears him as he walks by, "Watch it, Robin Hood." 

Just as Tony finishes his sentence, Pepper's voice rings through the compound speaker, "Hello, Avengers!" Everyone, including Tony, looks puzzled. "All work and training is cancelled for today. With the holidays coming up, we need to get this place decorated! Yes, Tony, you heard me correctly. That's the "mission" for today, so get ready! That means EVERYONE!"

"The boss has spoken," Barton says, giving Tony a pat on the back. 

"You're pushing it today, bud," Tony pats him on the back, but harder.

Everyone laughs, but shares a sense of relaxation upon the announcement of no work or training for the day. Within a half hour, Pepper has assigned everyone a duty for decorating. 

Thor is hanging a mistletoe in one of the doorways, when Tony sees. "No, absolutely not. Take that down." He's walking up to where Thor is, pointing at the now dangling mistletoe.

Pepper steps in front of him, "It stays," she says kissing him, causing Tony to grin.

"Fine. Maybe I should find another one and just carry it around with me all day?" He says following closely behind Pepper.

Barton and Nat have been decorating the fireplace and various other furniture pieces in the main room, while you work on the tree. Steve and Loki were recruited to get boxes from a storage room.

You're walking back to the tree when Steve and Loki reenter. Loki is carrying one-too-many boxes, and almost drops the stack of 4 that he has in his arms. You notice and quickly grab the one that is toppling down. 

"Guess we're not the God of carrying things, now are we?" You try not to laugh at your own joke.

"Ha. Ha. Ha. You think you're clever, don't you?" Loki says, with a slight smile on his lips.

"No, I don't think, I KNOW I'm quite clever," you say matching his grin.

You're both interrupted by Nat chiming in rather excitedly, "Looks like we have our first winners!" She looks at both of you with a huge smile plastered on her face.

"What are you talking about?" You ask looking at Nat very confused, until she points above your heads. Without having to look-up, you already know what she's referring to.

 You bite your lip, as Loki looks above you, back to you, and then back to everyone. All eyes are now on you two.

"Well, kiss!" Nat nods to you.

"Beg your pardon?" Loki's jaw is now hanging open, his eyes becoming wide.

"It's a Midgard tradition, brother, called Mistletoe," Thor explains, putting a hand on his shoulder as he walks by, letting a smile slip at Nat once he's out of their view. 

You and Loki make eye contact, but look away from one another quickly. 

"It's on the cheek, or both of your heads will become new tree ornaments," Tony says from the kitchen. 

His sentence actually causes you to laugh a little. You can feel Loki looking at you, so you finally meet his gaze again. Your thumb and pinky fingers are pinching into one another, as you continue to bite the inside of your lip. 

"Cassidy?" Loki tilts his head down slightly to look at you.

You're looking directly at him, but still have not said a word. Your mind goes back to the movie you were watching with Loki last night, and how close your face was to his. Without realizing, you've already taken a step closer to Loki, causing him to squint his eyes a little in confusion.

There's a nervous, but anxious feeling building in your ribs. Your eyes look to Loki's lips, then back to his eyes. 

"Cassidy, what are you doing?" Tony asks, having moved a bit closer to everyone in the main room.

"I..." you turn your head, now that something has clicked in your mind, "Sorry, dad." You turn back to Loki and take one more step to him, the boxes being the only things separating your bodies.

You slowly bring your face towards Loki's, looking for any sign that he will pull back, but he doesn't. The feeling from your ribs is now in your neck, causing you to swallow it down.

Your lips are an inch apart, when you hear Loki whisper, "Cass...."

 With that, your lips brush against his into a kiss. You're about to pull away, when you feel his lips continue the kiss for another brief second. 

The room is silent when your heads lean away, the only sound being each of your exhales of breath. 

Everyone's eyes are wide, switching from the two of you, to Tony.

"Tony, relax," Pepper says, taking in his tense look.

"Uhm, better my head than yours," You say just louder than a whisper to Loki. "I'm going....to put this box away." 

"Right, as am I," Loki replies, still standing in his place as you walk away.

The feeling of Loki's lips is still lingering on yours, when Nat meets your stride, taking the box from you.

"Ok, now talk!" Nat looks at you with anticipation.

"About?" You look at her, still lost in what just happened.

Nat pulls your elbow so you're both out of ear-shot of everyone else, "Oh, stop. The KISS!"

"It was just Mistletoe, Nat," You say with a little laugh.

"Your lips and current facial expression say something else," Nat states, as she continues to unpack the box. 

You freeze and look at Nat, causing her to do the same. 

"Holy sh....you have feelings for the God of Mischief?!" She exclaims, asking but already knowing the answer at the same time. 

"Shhhh. I....that stays between us, ok?" You take a look around the room to make sure no one can hear you.

Nat pinky swears you. "Can't wait for the wedding!" She says sarcastically with a wink.

Before you can say something, she walks away to get more things, leaving you shaking your head with a quiet laugh.

As you pick out more ornaments for the tree, you can imagine your head being one of them after the conversation you'll probably have with your dad later.