Eleanor Stark had it all. A kind brother, amazing friends, and a promising career.
So, what will happen when she constantly bumps into a blue-eyed soldier, who, in her words, is the personification of the word trouble?
Placed in Captain America: The...
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The party was fine for Ellie.
It could have been ten times better if there were no people around except her friends and her brother.
But not all Christmas wishes came true, she was well aware.
She barely had the time to chat with Howard, a thing she had gotten accustomed to since the company had grown.
But it didn't mean it didn't still hurt.
She missed the Christmas dinners they used to have, the two of them, in their little and badly kept apartment.
They had lived little more than two years in that place, before Stark Industries became what it was today. Before they moved to a much bigger, well kept and nicer house.
"Darling, stop daydreaming" said Lori, a smile on her face and her cheeks a bit red from the wine she was drinking, "come on, lets get some food, I am starving!"
"We had dinner an hour ago," chuckled Alex.
"That does not change the fact that I am still hungry" said Lori and, taking Ellie's hand, walked towards the desserts table, which was placed next to the bar.
That seemed to pick Lori's attention.
In a blur, she had two glasses of what seemed like champagne in her hand.
Her friends looked at her.
"Come on! It's Christmas! Cheer up everybody!" she said as she placed one of the glasses on her lips.
Fuck it, Ellie tought as she took the other glass and drowed it on a gulp.
"This is not champagne" said Ellie, feeling dizzy but cheery at the same time.
"Oh, I um, asked the bartender to add a little something" said Laura, "you were not supposed to drink that! You are barely 19!"
Ellie waved dismissively and took Lori's hands, "we will dance" she stated and didn't wait for an answer.
✧✦✧
Ellie woke up with a headache and with no memory from the night before.
Well, the memories were there, they were just really fuzzy.
She remembered sneaking in the bar and taking a bottle of whatever, dancing with her friends, taking the fake presents that were placed on the big tree and opening them.
She had felt so disappointed when she noticed they were empty boxes.
At least she hadn't done anything embarrassing like that one time Alex had danced only with his underwear above a table, or when Lori had cursed everyone in that end of the term party a couple of years ago.
Everyone had been so in shock when they heard Lori swear. Ellie was accustomed to it.
"Good morning to you" said Howard, his grin was there, but his eyes had not their joking light.
"Fuck, my head hurts" cursed Ellie.
"It happens when you drink," said Howard, "which you shouldn't have been doing, at least not that much..."
"How did you even notice?" said Ellie, bitterness overcoming her, "you were with your friends, and colleagues and girls and-"
She stopped herself. She wanted to say not with me, but she didn't.
But Howard seemed to catch what she left unsaid.
"You do know I love you, don't you?"
"Sometimes it just seems you dont" she murmured and took a breath.
"Eleanor, I love you. With all my heart. You are perhaps the only person I love and therefore tolerate"
Eleanor snorted, "tolerate?"
"It comes with the package, doesn't it?" grinned Howard.
"Yeah, I suppose it does" said Ellie, "but that doesn't change the fact that we didn't even had a proper Christmas dinner, or even opened the presents together..."
Howard stood up and smiled at her, "well, what about we make another Christmas dinner. Today."
"What?"
"We'll go buy everything, and we will cook everything. Heck, we'll even wrap all the presents again"
"Are you serious?"
"Of course I am" said Howard, "I can't have little Ellie complain about a spoiled Christmas, can I?"
"I am not little" chuckled Ellie.
"That is not the point" said Howard, "now go take a shower, take these pills" he said, putting a couple on the night table, "for that headache. And then we'll leave"
Ellie didn't move. She guessed the shock of seeing Howard do something this nice overcame her.
"Move, Eleanor. I am not getting any younger" chided Howard jokingly.
"Yes mom" joked Ellie and Howard gave her an amused grin.
That was definitely one of the best afternoons Ellie had had in her entire life, and she had spent it with her brother.
Her brother... Someone that perhaps wasn't always there, someone that perhaps prioritized his work over every other thing...
But someone who deeply cared for her, who truly cared for her.
