The Mistletoe Meme

[mapsincolor]

Oh no, mistletoe!

 

SHOOT. Who put that there?! Well, you’re caught - pucker up!

How to Play

1. Post your character and canon in the subject line
2. Next person who responds is the one you’re caught under the mistletoe with!
3. Go as awkward, sweet, or embarrassing as you like! (Quick cheek peck? Full French? Sure! But you have to kiss or the Nargles will get you!)
4. Comment, Tag, and catch others under the mistletoe. Have fun!

Comments

[emptytheclip]

The base was generally calm, everybody passing everybody else with smiles, and Raleigh wasn't an exception. With the full-on Becket swagger, he'd been greeting people and, out of the goodness of his heart, distributing strawberry-flavoured candy canes. His back was turned, tossing one to Tendo Choi, when he bumped into someone and turned. "Hey," he greeted, "Merry Christmas."

And then, realising exactly which doorway they were under, he pointed above them. "Tradition, y'know?"

That was all he said before going just slightly up on his toes to drop a kiss on the other man's lips.

I haven't seen the movie yet so please forgive any mistakes

[like_a_gerbil]

It always amazed Steve that the holidays could bring good cheer even on base. It was something that had been a comfort during the war and now made him nostalgic without the ache of loss that had accompanied his first few Christmases after he'd been found.

He was still trying to find his bearings, the mental map of the layout of the hallways not quite matching reality, when he bumped into someone. Instinctively, Steve reached out to steady the man, beginning to apologize only to pause when he realized what the other had said.

His eyes widened slightly and a flush began to creep across his face at the kiss. It wasn't the first time he'd been kissed, but even it was rare enough to cause Steve's shyness to take over. "Merry Christmas..."

His gaze moved from the man in front of him to the threshold, chuckling softly when he realized what tradition he'd been referring to. "Yeah, I guess it is. My name's Steve."

Oh, no worries. I was mostly going for generic military base. (:

[emptytheclip]

"Raleigh Becket," he answered, offering a hand for a handshake. It was a bit anticlimactic after a kiss, but it wasn't really a kiss that could've been counted as a climax. Those usually involved some kind of foot-lifting.

But he cast a glance over Steve, considering-- "You're new around here, aren't you? You look a little lost."

At least Raleigh seemed friendly. As if the kiss hadn't given that away.

[like_a_gerbil]

The flush was mostly under control as they shook hands. "It's a pleasure to meet you." Mentally, Steve winces at how that might sound, knowing that sometimes he still doessn't quite fit in the world around him. The words are followed with a wry smile. "Old fashioned manners." Looking up at the mistletoe again, Steve's embarrassment turns to amusement. "Guess that fits with tradition."

As Becket looked him over, Steve wondered if anyone would recognize him or if he could be Captain Rogers and enjoy the holiday. At least he hadn't mentioned his last name. "Yeah, I was shown a map but I don't think it was right."

[emptytheclip]

Raleigh gave him a smile and patted his shoulder. "Well, luckily enough, I'm not due anywhere. I'm just wandering around, distributing good cheer and apparently mistletoe kisses. I can show you to wherever it is you're looking for."

Yeah, the man looked new, and he looked vaguely familiar, but Raleigh wasn't going to assume. People came and went around here all the time.

[like_a_gerbil]

Chuckling softly, he glanced up at the mistletoe again. "Should've known to watch out for it. A friend of mine always used to put up mistletoe to help improve the holiday." Or improve Steve's chances with the dames, but that never worked out. They were more interested in Bucky than Steve.

"I wasn't trying to find anyplace. I figured I'd try to figure out the layout of the base." Slowly, he began to relax when he realized that here no one seemed to know who he was, or Becket didn't at least. "If you wouldn't mind me tagging along while you help with the holiday cheer..."

[emptytheclip]

"Oh, no problem," Raleigh nodded, motioning Steve to come along with him and even reaching into his bag of candy canes to offer a few. "Just, fair warning, if we find another mistletoe bough, I will kiss you again. 'Tis the season, and 'tis the tradition, and I have absolutely no problem kissing whoever comes along."

Obviously. And, really, Steve was not a bad looking guy. Even if Raleigh didn't really know him from Adam. He looked a little familiar, but he also looked kind of like a catalog model.

[like_a_gerbil]

Shifting the bag on his shoulder a little higher, Steve gives the heavy material an absentminded pat to make sure it's secure. He probably should've stowed the case somewhere, but he hated leaving it out of sight since inside was one of the few things he had left from home.

Following Raleigh, he glances around, looking like a tourist as he committed details to memory. The layout of rooms, faces that would eventually have names or might end up in his sketchbooks later. "Does that mean I should keep an eye out for wayward mistletoe?" Glancing over at the other man a wry smile, he gives Raleigh a wry grin. "Isn't there someone else you'd want to kiss instead of a lost soldier?"

[emptytheclip]

"Aww, didn't I kiss you good enough that you want a repeat performance?" Raleigh teased, but then he laughed. "Honestly, not in particular. I've kissed a few of the people around here, though, so it's kind of nice to snog a new face."

He gave Steve a wink as punctuation.

When they came to a junction, Raleigh pointed. "That way," he said, "is quarters, downstairs for crew, upstairs for pilots. This way is workshops and labs."

[like_a_gerbil]

The last of Steve's nervousness faded when Raleigh made that comment. It reminded him too much of the Commandos, and Bucky, for it not to put him at ease. As he rolled his eyes, his smile became less self conscious. "Wouldn't want to be greedy..." Pausing, he remembered how Peggy had reacted when she'd seen Loraine kissing him. "Or have someone try to take shots at me because of a misunderstanding."

If his guide wasn't involved with someone there was probably someone interested that might not appreciate Steve receiving an unexpected kiss. "Which are you? Crew, pilot, or lab personnel?"

[emptytheclip]

"Pilot," Raleigh answered, "and nobody here has a sidearm except security, so I'm pretty sure there won't be anybody taking shots at you for snogging me. If anything, they might give you a whack on the shoulder for pinning me down."

He tossed a passer-by a candy cane and got a high five for his trouble. 'Twas the season, and most everybody seemed to be having a good time of it.

"And, hey, I heard we got a shipment of turkey. That's pretty awesome."