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The bite in the air is hard to miss, especially with enhanced senses. His senses made flying that plane into the arctic excruciating. Winter is here, he thinks to himself, half proud of the reference and half considering never leaving the bed. Instead he wraps his arms around you tighter and takes in the smell of your shampoo. You release a sigh in your sleep and relax into him. With a smile on his face, he pulls the blankets in tighter around both of you and Steve Rogers drifts back to sleep.
You and Steve have very different life experiences. He spent almost 70 years frozen. You spent almost 30 years drowning in sweat. He isn’t really a fan of New York’s cold winters. He pretty much only stays here for the Avengers and because it connects him to home. And for you. However, you have only ever known the heat of Arizona, with dry winters and no snow. But now, your entire life has changed. You were recruited for the Avengers and now reside in upstate New York, very far from the dry state you’ve called home most of your life.
You wake first this time, noticing the chill in the air. Groggily, you call out quietly, “FRIDAY? Raise the temperature in here to 78.” The AI responds quickly with a, “Yes Ms. Y/L/N,” and you feel the air beginning to heat up. You finally look toward the other body occupying the bed and smile. Steve is sleeping soundly for the first time in what feels like forever. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that he’s wrapped around you like a koala and doesn’t look like he’ll be letting go anytime soon. You bring a hand up to his face, caressing his cheek gently and placing a soft kiss on his forehead.
“Wake up, Stevie,” you mumble, not eager to leave the bed. When he doesn’t move, you call out to FRIDAY again. “Hey FRI, what does he have scheduled today?” She replies, “A routine morning run with Sam and training session with Bucky, and Fury has requested his help training new recruits.” A glance at his sleeping form, so peaceful. “And what do I have?” Moments later, she replies again, “You have training with Natasha for this morning and Fury has requested your help with the recruits as well.” You sigh, running your hands through his hair. You both have to get up soon. Laying your head back against a pillow, you decide to give him a few more minutes of peace before the day starts.
Suddenly, Steve’s voice is piercing the silence. “Clear it, FRIDAY. Sam and Natasha can train this morning, and Bucky can help with the new recruits. We’re taking a day off.” You’re shocked to say the least. When you look down at him and you’re met with his sleepy blue eyes, you can’t help but smile. He pulls you in and kisses you gently. After a moment, you pull back for air and press your forehead to his. “Why’d you do that?” you ask, pressing another kiss to his lips. “I want to spend the first real day of winter with my best gal.” You scoff at that. “You mean you want to cuddle in bed all day because you’re cold?”
He just laughs and calls out to FRIDAY, “Open the windows, FRIDAY.” She does so, responding with the windows start-up sound which causes Steve to look at you in confusion. “Don’t ask. I think it was Peter, Tony’s intern,” you explain. As the blinds uncover the floor to ceiling window, you glance out, flinching at the bright light, before you realize what you’re seeing. You immediately jump out of bed and press your hands to the cold glass. “It’s snowing! Oh my god, snow!” You squeal and turn back to Steve, who is still wrapped up in blankets. You launch yourself back into his arms. “Thank you, thank you, thank you,” you mumble into his chest. “I didn’t make it snow, doll,” he responded with a laugh.
“Can we go to Central Park?” you ask, bouncing like a caffeinated child. He nods, smiling at your excitement. You both change and moments later you’re both standing in the elevator, wrapped tightly in thick coats and watching as the numbers quickly descend to 1. Taking his hand in yours, you pull Steve out of the elevator, through lobby, and into the street. There are less cars driving the streets, and the sidewalks are almost completely empty save for a few dedicated souls and a handful of couples or families enjoying the snow. The walk to Central Park is short and slippery. Steve has to save you from falling on your butt twice before you reach the park. Once there, you find a clearing and collapse into the snow.
Steve watches as you make snow angels and snowmen. You’re completely in awe of the beauty surrounding you, but all Steve sees is you. The smile lighting up your face, the wonder and innocence in your eyes, the rosy color in your cheeks and nose. Everything about you is beautiful to him. For a moment, Steve looks around at the snow. The one thing that seems to haunt his nightmares has brought you so much joy. Maybe it isn’t the worst, he thinks to himself just as he’s hit. Ice slides down his neck into his jacket, as he turns back to you.
The innocent look on your face now directed at him is all the confirmation Steve needs. He slowly bends over without breaking eye contact or saying a word, and he scoops up a handful of snow. The cold seeps into his gloves as he packs it together and gives you a wicked grin. A moment later, he sends the snowball flying through the air. You yelp and dodge out of the way, throwing yourself into the snow and giving yourself an opportunity to arm yourself. Quickly, you reload and unleash another snowball at Steve, but when he sees it coming, he quickly dodges and retaliates, hitting you in the chest. “Oh, it’s on, Rogers,” you challenge, as you scoop up more snow. He just smirks in reply as he does the same.
Your snow war ends when you surrender and he pulls you into his arms. “You are freezing, doll. Let’s get some hot chocolate and head back home,” he suggests, “Cuddling in bed for the rest of the day sounds so good right now.” You nod and press you cold lips to his, not letting him leave quite yet. “Thank you for today. I know you hate the cold, but it means a lot.” He returns your kiss gently before replying, “I would do anything for you, Y/N.”