a/n: umm, let's see how this goes. happy holidays, people.

i'll swap you time, for a chance

one.

She hates parties.

Well, more accurately, Christmas parties hosted by multimillion dollar companies with politicians and journalists and socialites from every circle on the East Coast.

Exhibit A-

"… So, Miss Hill, what are you hoping to achieve in the next year at Stark Industries? I mean, given how S.H.I.E.L.D. is gone, will we be expecting you to join forces with Tony Stark and the rest of the Avengers?"

She impassively stares back at the reporter in front of her. "No comment. And it's 'Lieutenant', Miss Everhart."

With that, she strides away, itching to wipe the sickly smile off the woman's face, only to silently groan into her champagne flute at the two figures heading in her direction.

"Hill! Having fun?"

(She would also like to wipe the smirk off Tony Stark's face.)

"Journalists are bloody vultures," she says. "These are the days where I miss working for a non-descript government agency."

"Seriously? You're telling me that an agency that had questionable ethics and dealt with aliens had no run-ins at all with the press? Who handled them? Because somehow, Fury seems like the guy with the sensitivity of a blunt axe."

She ignores him and turns to the man standing next to him. "Captain."

"Maria," he greets with a smile. "You look nice."

Beside him, Tony snorts. "And you really need to work on your lines, Cap. But then, I guess you're Captain fucking America, so anything works, right?"

"Stark," she explains patiently to him. "If you had half the tact and social etiquette of Captain fucking America, he wouldn't need to be here, and Pepper would trust you with these hounds."

She takes a larger sip of her drink, and Tony only grins harder. "You really hate it here, don't you?"

She throws him a dirty look and sighs. "What do you think? Christmas fundraising parties are the worst. It's only because it's not a complete waste of time that I'm standing here watching a hundred and fifty or so socialites get wasted."

"I'm sure they're not all bad. Christmas parties can be fun."

"Steve, you have no idea. Maria, lovely to see you, and thanks for coming," Pepper says almost apologetically, walking up from behind them.

"Tell you what, Hill. We'll have a party, just, you know, the Avengers and co., and I'll prove once and for all that Christmas parties are fun. Pepper, Rogers?"

Pepper rolls her eyes. "Sounds fine, just make sure no one gets drunk and calls the paparazzi. We can only handle so much negative attention in a year."

"I think it's a great idea," Steve says.

"Of course you do, team morale and all that jazz. So, Hill?"

She stares at him over the rim of the glass. "Okay."

"Really?"

"Yes. But I'm not staying the next day to fix any windows that you've sent robots flying through or whatever."

"There will be no property damage incurred. We're not a frat house; we're a grown team of assassins, a demigod, and a few scientifically modified people who happen to live in the same building."

"Stark, by every definition, you live in a frat house. But fine, a hundred dollars says there'll be some sort of architectural damage."

Tony's eyes gleam. "Are we making bets, Lieutenant?"

"Yes." She looks over at Pepper and Steve to see both of them looking intrigued and slightly wary. "If I'm going to join in, I'm at least going to make money out of it."

"Smart woman. Anything else you wanna bet on?"

She answers without hesitation. "Barton will be the first to pass out completely drunk."

Tony looks at her with newfound respect. "Betting on your own agents, I'm impressed. But really? I mean, he drinks with Romanoff. My money's on Jane Foster. Scientist working all day in a lab with no windows – she'll be the first to let loose."

"Fine," she shrugs, before turning to Pepper and the captain. "You two are making sure that he doesn't cheat, yeah?"

Pepper smiles. "I'll let JARVIS know as well."

"Okay, my turn," Stark interrupts. "Nick Fury will turn up."

(And Steve most definitely doesn't look at Maria.)

"He's dead, Tony," she says.

"Come on, Hill. He's the spy, and we're his pet project. I watch movies, you know," he says with a smug grin. "Do you want to raise it to five hundred?"

She raises her eyebrows. "Are you kidding? I don't get paid enough to make extravagant bets with the resident genius billionaire playboy philanthropist. Keep it at a hundred."

Pepper clears her throat. "Hate to break this up, but Tony, Senator Gardner's coming this way, and you're going to talk to him now. God knows he's bugged me long enough about some government advisory board. We'll see you two later," she adds to Maria and Steve.

"It's on, Hill!" Tony tosses over his shoulder, swaggering to meet the sour-looking senator.

She sighs again (god, it's been a long night) and Steve holds out his hand. An old jazz number croons over the speakers and she reluctantly allows him to lead her onto the dance floor – for the sake of appearances, of course – but not before she manages to shoot him a half-hearted glare. He smiles in triumph, and she has to admit that she's glad there's another person in this room who has their sanity still intact.

They're halfway through the third song and she's swaying slowly to the music when he remarks, "I didn't think you'd be in on this whole betting thing."

"Who do you think ran the pools at S.H.I.E.L.D.?" She smirks as she looks up at him.

He shrugs. "Didn't think you guys had time for that stuff. I don't know, Lee? Tucker? Fury?"

"It's like any other office. Of course there were betting pools. And no, it was me and Nat, actually," she says with a feral smile growing. "So, I know what I'm doing."

"And what's that?"

"Extorting money from Tony Stark," she quips. "Look, whatever Tony thinks, I'm not opposed to fun and parties and such. Just large functions with drunk journalists and politicians. And I have absolutely nothing against team morale. I still don't wholly agree with the concept of the Avengers, but I know it's probably our best strategy in the current situation."

He scrutinises her for a moment. "You know you have nothing to prove, right? Not to me, not to Tony, not to the rest of us."

She freezes, glances up sharply, steel eyes hardening. "I'm not after anyone's approval, and I don't care if I'm not your fun babysitter. You and Stark and the rest of your ragtag team of assassins, a demigod, and a few scientifically modified people can go fly off and save the world et cetera, and – let's make this clear – I don't need your approval to do my goddamn job, so you can keep doing yours."

"That's-that's not what I meant, Maria."

"Isn't it?" She asks softly. "I do my job, and that's all you or Stark or anyone else can ask of me, really. Anything else, anything outside of that, that's just additional."

She disentangles her hand from his, lets the music glide over them, and gives him a small nod. "I think I'm done for the night. I'll see you around, Captain."

He watches as she leaves, navy dress sweeping an elegant trail behind her. He starts when he notices Pepper standing next to him, and he ruefully shoves his hands into his pockets.

"I don't understand," he says to her. "You're okay with this between Tony and Maria? It's not going to, I dunno, blow up out of proportion?"

"There are not a lot of people who Tony actually respects. Maria's one of them, and he does have a… different way of showing it. But I'm hoping that at the end of this, they'll at least be able to be in the same room for more than twenty minutes without wanting to murder the other. Probably better for the team, anyway."

Steve starts to laugh. "I'm beginning to see why you're the CEO now."

"Only beginning? Guess I'll have to try harder, then."

"No, god, that's not-"

She laughs lightly at the mortified expression on his face. "I'm only joking. And trust me, it'll work out. Now, you've been here long enough, so feel free to leave if you don't want to shake another senator's hand," she says wryly.

"How did you guess?" He gives her a sheepish grin.

"Just thought you would have had enough of that back with the USO," she says. "Have a good night, Steve. See if you can talk to Maria."

"I don't-how did you know…?"

"I saw you two earlier. Talk to her – it doesn't have to be tonight – but she doesn't hate you guys, you know."

"I know."

"Good. Now, I have to get back before Tony puts his foot in anything. See you soon," she says as she gently nudges him towards the door.

"Bye, Pepper."

He walks out and is greeted by the cool rush of December, lights twinkling and a faint dusting of snow lining the path. He makes his way down the street, slowly meanders; a rare moment when nothing is urgent.

He stops next to a bench, looking at her seated peacefully. "What are you doing here? It's cold outside," he says without thinking.

"Says the man who woke up from being stuck in an ice cube for seventy years," she shoots back. "I shouldn't say it, but Tony's right. Your pick-up lines need work."

He gives her a self-deprecating shrug and a wistful look. "That was Bucky's thing."

She looks at him carefully for a few beats. "Okay."

"What? That's it? That's all you're gonna say?"

"I told you earlier," she says irritably. "There's nothing else for me to-"

"-No, that's not what I meant-I just-"

"Just spit it out, Rogers," she says, tired. "I've got a shitload of reports I'm actively avoiding right now."

"Look, I'm sorry about before. What I meant was-I don't need you to do, or be, anything more. You already do a lot for us. But, you know…" He shifts uncomfortably on his feet, before saying rather awkwardly, "You're a friend."

"A friend."

"Yeah. Can never have too many friends." At her raised eyebrows, he winces. "Sorry, not that I'm trying to use you or anything, I meant-"

"I know," she says with a hint of amusement. "I appreciate the gesture, but-"

"Maria, it's not a gesture. You're a part of the team now, okay? S.H.I.E.L.D. is gone, and you've been helping us find Bucky…" He trails off to stare at her.

And of course, she gives as good as she gets and stares back.

"Christmas," he says suddenly.

"Yes, I know. It's why we're here," she says, confused.

"I mean, you spend most of your time in the Tower now," he continues, oblivious to her confusion. "And you already know Nat and Clint. Join us for breakfast and dinner and stuff."

"Seriously? I see enough of you guys already."

"We're not that bad. Look, you said so yourself – you have to work with us. If you can't beat us, join us, right?" At her sceptical glance, he adds, "Okay, how about from now up to Christmas and the party?"

She stares at him for a while (minutes and minutes, he feels), before exhaling. "Yeah, okay."

(She tries really really hard not to smile at his grin. She has a feeling she doesn't quite succeed.)

"I'm going back, now. God knows I'm going to need sleep for the next week," she says, standing.

"Of course," he nods. "It's going to be fine, Maria."

"We'll see. Good night, Captain," she gives the barest of smiles as she walks away.

He grins and whispers to her retreating back, "Yeah, it really is."