BoB-F: Well, I guess I just need my fingers in as many pies as I can get my grubby little paws on.
Rath: But I rather like this one.
BoB-F: That's just because you think Jarvis is a celestial being.
Rath: He is magic, I do not care what you say!
BoB-F: He's tech, not magic. But I do agree, Jarvis is awesome.
Rath: I still don't know why you couldn't have made the entire story about Jarvis; he is deserving.
BoB-F: -_- We've been over this...Jarvis is a supporting character, and he will have ample air time.
Rath: Well...I don't like it. And I don't like you!
BoB-F: Jeez, calm down, you're starting to sound like Loki.
Rath: Do not compare me to that cur! I do not mate with horses!
BoB-F: Alrighty then... um. I don't own the Avengers, I only own my OC's and such.
Rath: You're ignoring me, I don't like being ignored!
BoB-F: Shut up! I'm trying to do a disclaimer here! Now, please enjoy the story.
Rath: You're such an ass...
The Aggressor
Chapter One: Take Me Out to the Ballgame
Steve couldn't believe the day he was having. It was honestly turning out to be one of the most normal days he'd had since he had woken up. No missions, no world to save, it was just him and 40,000 other fans watching the New York Yankees play against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
He didn't know how to feel about the Dodgers not being owned by Brooklyn anymore, but at least he was getting to see them play again. Steve had been given two tickets by Director Fury, but seeing as he didn't really have any friends in this time, he opted to go alone.
The other fans were making up for his melancholy, cheering and heckling the players. Fury really had gotten him a great seat, right behind home plate. He could see the sweat drip down the back of the batters neck as he was struck out.
"HEY! Ump! Your optometrist called, you missed your last appointment!"
Speaking of fans, the woman sitting next to him had been shouting at the umpire before the game had even started. She was a young woman with chocolate brown hair that was laced through the back of her ball cap in a ponytail, and he had no idea what color her eyes were from the thick aviator sunglasses she was wearing.
"Hey, O'Connor, why don't you shut the hell up for one inning!?" The Umpire snapped at the woman, glaring in frustration after ripping his mask off to confront her. The woman - O'Conner grinned at the very angry fellow. She had to be a regular if she was being cussed out by the Ump, Steve mused.
"Don't be such a puss! You knew what you were getting into when you took the job. Now, put your little hat back on and pop a squat behind the plate like the good little girl you are." O'Conner gestured with the beer in her hand, while the other fans nearby 'oooh'ed at the scathing remarks she was dishing out.
Steve had heard about enough though, this rowdy woman was single handedly cowing the poor man, and Steve had never liked bullies. Steve stood up next to O'Conner, grasping her elbow to get her attention.
"Ma'am, I think it's time to leave the man alone." Steve frowned down at her, showing her how disappointed he was in her behavior. She turned to face him, still grinning like she had since she'd sat down. The woman paused to survey Steve, giving him a notable once over.
"Only 'cause you're so pretty, sweet cheeks." Were the words that left her mouth and if Steve didn't know any better he'd swear that she winked behind those thick sunglasses of hers. Steve couldn't believe the mouth on this woman, it was practically unreal.
"Ma'am." Steve warned, sighing as he retook his seat. O'Conner remained standing as a new batter took the plate. Steve wondered if she was going to go after this man too until she shoved her beer into his hand. Just as he opened his mouth to protest, the crack of the bat sounded in the hot June air. Seconds late,r O'Conner leapt onto her seat and caught the foul ball.
Steve was sure she was going to open her mouth to bitch at the batter when she stepped down from her chair. O'Conner looked down at the ball for a moment, then glanced down to the row in front of them. A little boy sat there, his knees in the seat with a look of awe on his face.
"Here ya go kid." O'Conner passed the ball to the little boy, who grinned a gapped tooth smile.
"Thanks lady!" He yelled, twisting around in his seat to show his dad. Steve was actually surprised to see the interaction, having deemed the woman to be a menace.
"Thanks for holding my beer." O'Conner took her beer and her seat to finish watching the rest of the inning. Steve took a long look at the woman; he'd merely been taking glances at her and rolling his eyes up until this point. O'Conner was wearing short blue jean shorts that showed off her lean tan legs and a tank top that dipped to show the tops of her breasts. All in all, Steve thought she was attractive, but her personality was lacking so all her attributes were for nothing in his book.
"You know, I've never had anyone stare at me in complete and utter contempt," O'Conner's voice startled Steve and at the realization of being caught he gazed down into the depths of his soda. "It's kind of refreshing. The name's Holiday O'Conner." She laughed and held her hand out, one that was just as tan as her legs. When Steve hesitated, she withdrew her hand, shrugging her shoulders and taking a long drink from her beer.
Steve didn't know if he wanted to get to know the woman, but he supposed it was only polite. The fact that she was the only one that had bothered to strike up a conversation with him may have been at play as well.
"I'm Steve, and for the record, I wasn't staring in complete contempt." It was his way of trying to defuse the awkwardness, and by the widening grin on her face he had succeeded.
"Let me buy you a beer for putting up with me for as long as you did." Holiday didn't wait for his agreement and waved the concession boy down. A beer was tossed to her and she easily caught it with one hand and fished some cash out of her pocket to pay for the overpriced booze with the other.
"Here ya go." She shoved the bottle into Steve's hand and took her seat again. Steve looked at it before popping the cap off and taking a mouthful.
"Thanks," He breathed, looking out at the baseball field again.
"So, when did you get back from deployment?" Holiday asked conversationally, but groaned when a hit to deep left field was caught. Steve watched her suspiciously, wondering if she was an agent from S.H.I.E.L.D. ordered to watch him at the game.
"Must've been recent then. What branch? I was Army." Holiday brought a handful of popcorn up to her mouth and tossed the lot in. Steve was surprised by her admission, wondering what exactly her military specialty was.
"Uh, same. I'm…on leave right now." Steve answered, recalling some terminology that could be applied to the conversation. O'Conner was momentarily distracted by the batter performing a risky bunt and cheered as the runner on second sped to third.
"Go, go, go, go, go! Yes!" She cheered while losing some popcorn from her bucket.
"So how long until you're deployed again?" Steve asked, he really didn't know what to ask people of this era. He watched her out of the corner of his eye; she finished her beer and set it next to her tennis shoe clad feet. He was beginning to think he had either asked the wrong question or she had simply not heard him.
"Don't know, you know how the Army is, last minute deployments and even then you don't really know where you're going until you get on the plane." Holiday shrugged and adjusted her ball cap to block the rays of the slowly setting sun. "But until then, I'm going to be seeing as many ball games as I can. I'm up to five now." She grinned out at the field and groaned when a base runner got tagged out.
"You're not going to visit family?" The question was out of Steve's mouth so fast that his conscious had to double time it to catch up. He knew he had said the wrong thing when O'Conner frowned at him; the added eyebrow lift was like a metaphorical middle finger.
"Damn, you move fast. You'll scare off all the girls if you keep that shit up, Steve." Holiday laughed as the concerned look on Steve's face morphed into one of embarrassment. "Why don't we enjoy the rest of the game, I'll keep my crass language to myself and you keep your prying inquiries over there? We can meet in the middle somewhere between favorite ball teams and worst movie." Holiday held her hand out again, offering it along with her proposed deal of civil light conversation.
"Yeah…that sounds good." Steve took her much smaller hand in his, both their calluses brushing together in their firm handshake. They settled back into their almost uncomfortable seats and continued watching the game, exchanging a few words here and there.
It was several hours later when the game some coming to an end and well after the sun had sank to reveal the night sky that Steve had finally grown to like Holiday's company. She had taken some getting used to, what with the way things easily spilt out of her mouth. Steve could honestly say that he had enjoyed his time at the ballpark today, and he wondered if he owed that to O'Conner.
"I'd have to say 'The Fighting 69th' is my favorite movie," Steve said as the last batter came up to the plate, the pitcher was worn down, so it was obvious that this batter was going to send his three running mates home. Steve wondered if Holiday would know the movie he was talking about, as it was one that he had briefly seen before…well, before everything.
"Oh, that's a good movie!" Holiday nudged his shoulder perhaps surprised by his choice. She had long since taken her sunglasses off and Steve watched as her milk chocolate eyes surveyed the pitcher.
"'Kiss Them for Me', that's my favorite." Holiday cringed as the batter sent the ball flying, almost taking the pitcher's head with it.
"I don't think I know that one…" Steve urged the runners to pick up the pace as the center fielder scooped up the ball and threw it to second.
"It's about these soldiers that are on leave, they get up to things, booze and girls mostly. There's a love story tangled in the mess too. It came out in '57, you should give it a watch, I'm sure it's on Netflix." Holiday leaned on her knees when the game was finally declared over. The Dodger's had won 6 to 4.
"Why is it called 'Kiss Them for Me', if it's about soldiers?" Steve asked as the players lined up to shake hands. He ignored the part about net flicks, but made a mental note to ask someone about it later. Holiday smiled at Steve and he wondered what she was thinking.
"A couple of months ago, I got a letter from a friend; not what you'd call a close friend….anymore, but he writes to me and I answer 'em. In this letter he says they've been getting' pushed around, bombed. When all of a sudden airplanes were there. So he said 'Alice, every feller you see, army or navy, you kiss 'em for me'." Holiday met Steve's gaze as she delivered the lines that had been long since memorized. Steve didn't say anything, he was rather distracted by the way her lips were full and parted and in the shape of a lovely cupid's bow.
A faint explosion drew both of them out of the romantic air, frantically looking around for the source of the noise. Moments later a louder boom exploded overhead and the night sky lit up in a dazzling display of fireworks. The pair breathed a shaky sigh of relief and shared an awkward laugh.
They didn't say anything as they watched the different colors and patterns dance across the sky, and neither commented on the flinching at each resounding boom. Only once the show was over and all the fans were beginning to flood out of the stadium, did Steve and Holiday start moving.
"I guess I'll see ya later Steve," Holiday said and slowly got caught up in the flow of people and disappeared. Steve wondered if he would ever see the loud mouth woman again.
BoB-F: Well... that was chapter one... Let me know what you think and all that jazz.
Rath: I'll tell you what I think.. I think-!
BoB-F: Yeah, you ARE what I think, ya'know because you're a creation of my thoughts. So go ahead, finish that sentence.
Rath: I...Well... I think you should give credit to your friends!
BoB-F: One step ahead of ya babe. I'd like to personally mention a few people, one being WizzKiz- who has patiently (and hilariously) betaed this story, and BadWolfOncer- who physically nudged me into writing this story. I thank you both very, very much, and I appreciate all your help.
Rath: That was rather touching... but it would have sounded better coming from Jarvis's metallically British voice.
BoB-F: Really? You're ruining the moment.
Rath: Then you should have made a story about Jarvis.
BoB-F: Please Read and Review, while I try to come to a compromise with thorn in my side.