Into the Unknown || A Captain America Love Story

40

Steve

     I stand in the Avengers Tower alongside Tori and Sam. It's finally Saturday and it's time to celebrate. Multiple people are cluttered in certain places, laughing and having fun. Music hums through speakers.
     I hold a pool stick in my hand at a pool table. I smile at Sam, who just misses one of the pockets. Tori stands on my right, twirling her pool stick. She wears a simple red dress with black heels. Her hair is pulled up into a bun with some strands framing her face. She tugs on my leather jacket, asking for my attention.
     "Yes, honey?" I ask her sweetly.
     She just grins, pointing to Clint and the doctor. Clint seems unamused, but the doctor seems flirtatious. I snort, watching Sam talk to the pool balls.
     "When I checked on Tony the other day, he said that she was asking if Thor was going to be here," Tori informs me.
     "Apparently Clint too," I laugh.
     A few minutes later, we are all walking up a flight of stairs in the massive building.
     "Sounds like a hell of a fight," Sam says. "Sorry I missed it."
     "Language," Tori fakes a cough.
     I roll my eyes at my playful girlfriend. "If we had known it was going to be a firefight, I absolutely would've called."
     "No, no, I'm not actually sorry," Sam retorts. "I'm just trying to sound tough. Very happy that chasing cold leads on our missing persons case. Avenging is your world, both of you. Your world is crazy."
     "Be it ever so humble," I state, stepping to a railing to look over at the party.
     "You two still doing well in your apartment?" Sam asks us, bringing his glass to his lips.
     "Yeah," Tori sighs, watching me nod. "So sad that we can't even be there half the time."
     "Well, home's home, you know?" Sam says.
     My smiles fades, and Tori can clearly tell. Before she can do anything, I set my hand on her hip, nodding.

•••

     "I gotta have some of that," an older gentleman tells Thor.
     I stand with Thor, glancing at him in an amused manner. Tori left to check up on Tony, who I assume is doing perfectly fine. I cross my arms, tugging at the ends of my blue button up shirt that I know Tori loves oh so much.
     "Oh, no, no, no," Thor protests, holding a small container of alcohol. "See this, this was aged for a thousand years in the barrels built from the wreck of Grunhel's fleet. It is not meant for mortal men."
     Thor hands my glass back to me, which now has a small amount of the brown liquid inside. I take a whiff of it, furrowing my eyebrows.
     "Neither was Omaha Beach, blondie," another older gentleman says from a table, wearing a World War II Veteran hat. "Stop trying to scare us, c'mon."
     "Alright," Thor says, giving up on his warning and pouring it into the glasses.
     Later, I heard that the men were so drunk that they had to be escorted out.

•••

     "It's nice," I say to Bruce as Natasha walks away from the bar.
     "W-What, what is?" Bruce stammers.
     "You and Romanoff,"
     "No, we haven't, that wasn't—"
     "It's okay," I laugh, waving my hand. "Nobody's breaking any bylaws. Trust me, I would know. It's just she's not the most open person in the world, but with you, she seems very relaxed."
     "You're the one to talk," Bruce laughs. "But no, Natasha, s-she likes to flirt."
     "I've seen her flirt, up close, when she thought Victoria was dead," I say, reaching for a beer bottle. "It ain't bad. But, I know even better. However, she doesn't do it in front of others, nor is it expected. But, it's good."
     Bruce scoffs.
     "Look," I begin. "As maybe the world's leading authority on waiting too long, don't. You both deserve a win. And it comes out good in the end."
     I nod at him and start to walk away.
     "W-W-What do you mean 'up close'?" Bruce asks.