Agent of Chaos: A Captain America Fanfiction

Chapter 10: The Mark of a Hero

          "Candidate Moore, may I have a moment?"

          I was on my way back to my sleeping quarters when Captain America's, scratch that, Captain Rogers's deep voice softly called out to me. Steeling my ridiculously flustered nerves, I turned to face him. His arms were clasped behind his back, making his broad chest even more prominent.

          "Captain, I'm a true lady, a gentleman can have my time if he asks nicely," I said with an old timey voice. "What's up, um, sir?"

          Captain Rogers shook his head with a slight smile on his face. "I was raised as a gentleman, so that means saying thank you when a thank you is owed." Oh, please let this be going where I think it's going! "You saved my life. Thank you for that." His steady blue gaze watched as my cheeks heated up.

          "That- that was nothing. And if I remember correctly, you saved my life as well. Consider us even, pal." Pal? Pal?! Did I really just call Captain America pal?! When I got back to the bunks, I needed to have a serious talk with my anxiety for letting something that stupid slip out.

          "Then we're even, buddy," Rogers said with a laugh. "I feel it's worth mentioning that calling your commanding officer pal might be looked down upon by others."

          "Yeah, definitely. I assure you that mistake won't happen again, sir." I was looking down at my shoes and fidgeting nervously. Meeting your favorite hero in the whole universe really fries the nerves. It was hard to believe my idol was in front of me thanking me.

          "Miss Moore, there's no need for you to be so nervous around me. I'm just like any other man here."

          "Except you're not!" I said before I could stop myself. "Captain, you're my hero. And I don't say that lightly. You are the embodiment of everything I strive to be: kind, just, intelligent, patriotic, brave. You're so much more than any other man. You are the epitome of a superhero." Captain Rogers looked stunned by my outburst. "I'm sorry. It's just hard to act normal around a person I've been dressing up as for Halloween since I was three."

          Captain Rogers began to chuckle. "No one has ever said something like that to me before." He paused and rolled his head to the side looking thoughtful. "I had never considered that I'm a costume."

          "You're not just a costume- you're the best costume." Was it my imagination, or did his cheeks redden slightly?

          "Well, Miss Moore, you've worn my costume well." My turn to cue flaming cheeks. He must have realized how suggestive his comment was as his eyebrows jumped up his forehead, and his cheeks took on an even darker hue. "I mean, you wear the costume of a hero well." He cleared his throat nervously. "A true hero is someone who lights a torch in the darkness for others even at the cost of their own safety. A hero gives when others are only out for themselves. You did that in New York. I'm just sorry you had to give so much." It took me a moment to realize what he was referring to, and when I did, the jagged knife of sadness twisted in my heart.

          "You-" my voice was shaking, "you saw all that, huh?"

          "I did," he said with one quick nod. "I know how hard that can be." I could feel his gaze on my face. Looking up, I met his eyes and recognized the sorrow in them as my own. Of course he would know what I was going through; he lost his best friend, Bucky Barnes, on a mission of his own. With our gazes locked, we stood in silence that was almost comforting. It was as if we were both lost to a sea of melancholy, but we weren't alone. There was another who knew. There was another broken soul in the endlessly lonely ocean.