Let it Snow (B. Banner)

Chapter Seven

Neva is standing outside of her store, waiting, she takes a deep breath and runs her hand over the front of her red and white Christmas sweater dress. She takes another breath and throws on a smile seeing the horse-drawn carriages approaching her store. Tony is, of course, in the lead carriage, he jumps down and moves towards her.

"Question" he starts. "This must have cost you a fortune...Are you sure you don't want me to pay you?" Tony asks her as he moves to her side, she shakes her had.

"No" she assures him. "Look at their faces" she whispers warmly. "That's all I need" Tony glances at her.

"You really are a Christmas spirit freak, huh?" he asks her, she shoots him a look. He smirks at her and nods. "It works for you"

"Should hope so" she comments and then turns to the children as they gather in front of them, the rest of the Avengers waiting behind them.

"Welcome to the North Pole" Neva offers as she motions to the store behind her. Her eyes shift over the children's faces before she finds Bruce at the back. All the Avengers are wearing their sweaters but Bruce's looks better on him. The pale green color. The decorative detail. It makes him look softer. Warmer. Cuter. He waves at her, Neva smiles and lifts her hand to wave back at him. She takes a breath and looks up as snow clouds gather. "It's getting cold so let's just go inside" Neva offers before turning and leading them into her store.

.............

The store is completely changed from the last time Tony was here. It's more winter wonderland than Christmas diarrhea now. Whites and blues and sparkles and in the center of the room is a long dining table all set up and dressed for dinner. Yetis, actual yetis are stood holding trays of hot chocolate and cookies.

"Now, unfortunately, the yetis do not speak a word of English" Neva explains as she turns to the children. "But they can understand it...so if you need anything at all....just ask them, they have hot chocolate and cookies and dinner will be served in a few hours. And I do have a very special guest for you all"

"Santa?" One of the younger girls asks.

"This close to Christmas?" Neva asks her softly. "He's so very busy getting everything ready that he couldn't make it, but he did send a friend of his to join us" Neva smiles warmly at her. Nancy touches her arm and Neva looks at her, the two women breaking into smiles. They're friends. At least Neva hopes so. Nancy hugs Neva, the two women parting to talk quietly to one another. Neva smiles warmly at her, her eyes drifting to Bruce as he struggles to detach a child from his legs. He doesn't know what the kid has latched themselves to him, and he's not 100% comfortable with it. Bruce looks up and catches Neva's glance, the two of them share a look, he shrugs a little. She just smiles warmer at him. It's adorable. He is adorable.

.............

Neva sets a tray filled with empty mugs on the counter in front of her as Clint approaches her, with every intention to talk to her about his children and how she knew about them. She gives him a smile as she grabs a jug of hot chocolate and begins to pour it out among the mugs.

"Can I ask you something?" Clint starts as he sits at the counter, Neva nods in reassurance. "How did you know I had kids? And how did you know their names?" Neva leans closer and smirks.

"Magic" she comments and then pokes his nose. He slaps at her hands a little and chuckles.

"Stop that" he scolds and then shoots her a look. "Seriously, how did you know?" she raises an eyebrow and takes a deep breath.

"Okay, you really want to know and spoil it?" she asks him, he nods. "Fine" she leans on the bar to whisper to him. "My father is Santa Claus and he told me" she admits, he stares at her before laughing and pulling back.

"Okay, suit yourself, keep your secret, but I will figure it out" he assures her as he grabs his drink and walks away. Neva smiles to herself and shakes her head a little. Even when she tells the truth....She grabs the whipped cream can from the side and shakes it.

..........................

Bruce watches as Neva leads Rudolph into the diner, his nose shining away.

"No way" Steve whispers from Bruce's side. "She has an actual Rudolph"

"How is she doing that?" Bruce asks, Tony shrugs from his other side, hot chocolate halfway to his lips as he stares at the member of the Cervidae family.

"I'm starting to think that Bauble might not be human...."

"What makes you say that?" Bruce asks, Tony shoots him a look.

"Really? You haven't thought that there could be something more to her. Look at what she can do. Look at what she has done."

"So good organizational and craft skills warrants suspicion now?" Bruce asks. "She can't just be good at her job?"

"Her reindeer's nose is actually red and glowing" Tony points out. "There are...what I suspect are actually real yetis...walking around. And this" Tony holds up an elf by the hat and shakes it so the bell rings. "What is this?"

"That's an elf" Bruce answers, Tony shoots him a look.

"It is an elf, a real living breathing elf that's no bigger than my di..."

"Whoa" Steve and Bruce both cut him off. Both shoot him a look, Tony shrugs unapologetically. 

"There are children here" Steve scolds Tony who just smirks back at him before continuing his thought.

"And Jarvis is picking up life signs of unknown origin all over this store" Tony adds.

"Stop working" Steve scolds. "Whatever it is, we'll deal with it after the holidays, let the children have this" Steve motions to the children gathered around the reindeer, all of them are happy and excited. This is their day. This is for them. Tony takes a deep breath and nods.

"Yeah" He can give the kids this day. Then he will get to the bottom of this. Because it is bugging him. She's too good at this. Too good at Christmas.