Natasha stared at Clint, silently, when he stepped out of the bedroom.

"What do you think?" He fixed the bright yellow hat that was perched on his head. When she still hadn't responded, he spread his hands. "The point of this party was to dress up like the Disney character you're most like, right?"

"I think we were all assuming you'd be Robin Hood," she informed him, her voice giving away nothing. Clint grinned at her.

"Where's the fun in that? Besides, I wasn't going to get you into a princess hat-thing for Maid Marian, and after last July I'm pretty sure no one wants to see me without pants on again."

"Thank you for sparing us," she replied dryly, seeming to shake herself out of her own thoughts. "If you're actually going to go in that..."

"Yup."

"...then let's go. I need more vodka to deal with this."

As it turned out, Natasha forewent the vodka in favor of a crystal-clear memory of Steve in Princess Aurora's dress (with Maria as an accompanying Prince Charming) and a lion-maned Tony arguing the fine points of Disney vs. other animation studios with a brown overall-bedecked Bruce.

The fact that no one questioned why Clint was dressed as an elephant, paper-mache ears and all, said something. But he cheerfully pointed out that Dumbo was a born circus performer who also liked to see things from a height.

Later that night he tucked the black feather behind Natasha's ear, fingertips brushing over her cheek, and gave her a smile that made her wonder when the party would be over.

"The suit looks good on you," he said, nodding towards the (i) she had carefully laid over a dyed older model of her catsuit. "Bet it looks better off."

For that Natasha gave him a 'hm' in response, watching the Grecian "half" God of Thunder leading a toga-clad Jane in a dance.

"Next year," she told him, "we should go as Eva and Wall-E."

"Want to pack a gun as part of your costume?" Clint asked, amused.

"Well, when I have a mission you always seem to be bumbling along in my trail," Natasha replied and he laughed, the sound carrying bright and merry over the music and conversations. She smiled, closing her eyes to soak in the warmth of the moment and the comfort that came from being among friends.

In another year, she couldn't say whether there would be an 'Avengers', a Tower to call home, a private and ridiculous party for fun. But Natasha hoped, and not for the first time, that there would.

(The party ended when Pepper had to step in to keep Bruce and Tony from attempting their own Pumpkin' Chunkin' from the top of the Tower, and it turned out Clint was right: Elastigirl's suit did look just as good off as her as it did on.)

Oh, my goodness, I adore this! :-)

Thank you! I don't do enough funny/cute fic for these two, so this was fun. :)

I love everything about this. But mostly, mostly I love Steve as Aurora and Maria as Prince Charming. :D

I absolutely couldn't help myself with that one. And you know Steve would, you know he would jump into that dress in a heartbeat.

I'm glad you enjoyed! :)