On Stage, a Captain America + Avengers Crossover fanfic

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to their respectful owners.

A/N: The poem belongs to Parapluie Lire, it was nice of them to let me borrow it, so special thanks to them!

They were beautiful.

It was completely unintentional.

But welcoming.

Unflagging and secure.

The gym was a free place, even in the middle of the night to when it was her favourite time to be free of Stark's blabber, which was why she didn't give a second thought when he strode in, a small towel on his shoulder with a water bottle in hand, bright blue eyes met hers. He gave a nod of acknowledgment, before making his way to the back of the room, where the punching bags were waiting for him.

It happened again the next day, them meeting together, and the week after that. She was surprised to say the least when he asked to spar with him. She hesitated at first, her natural response was to deny, but she agreed, switching off the treadmill before they made their way towards the middle of the room. There was one thing she didn't expect when they started.

He was fast.

Like performers on stage.

His bulky size didn't matter as he ducked from her upper cut, to which he quickly swipe his leg forward that she fell on the ground. She rolled aside when he was about to claim his victory, crouching a few distance away as she hid her breathless breathing, adrenaline ran within her veins.

Maria realised that his attacks were accurate, if she hadn't been quick enough to avoid them she would be on the floor with her bones broken. She also realised that he didn't hold back his attacks, fighting her if she was in fact the real enemy. She didn't mind though, it was refreshing from training with motionless dummies that stared blankly at her as she watched them flew across the room from the force of her impact.

"Getting tired, old man?"

They swirl and slide across the light.

She wasn't one to mock, to aggravate her opponent when she had schooled herself to crush the beginnings of victory before it turn into arrogance, something that could easily be used against herself.

Somehow tonight was an exception, because the person wasn't an enemy, he wasn't one of the Hydra men that tried to attack SHIELD, he wasn't the Winter Soldier that tried to hunt them down, he was Captain America.

He was Steve Rogers.

She could see the corner of his lips twitched as he stood up, positioning himself in a stance as he raised an eyebrow in feigned surprise. "Just because I'm 95 doesn't necessarily mean I'm old."

Their act becomes their life, changing with the tide as they improvise.

She hummed, straightening herself up as she deliberately relaxed her muscles, while her senses were sharp with cautiousness. "So you say."

"How unlike you to stall, Lieutenant."

She let out a small smile. "I'm not a lieutenant anymore, Captain."

And then she ran towards him, a fist arched above her head as she aimed for his jaw.

Awry, off course, off rails.

At the last minute, she changed her tactic, and instead whirled around and used her elbow to bury it in his gut, causing him to let out a sharp breath of pain. He grabbed her arm and swing her over him, but she used her free hand to grab his shoulder and used it as a support to somersault and land properly on the padded ground floor. She twisted in his grip, and tugged her arm out of his grasp.

They attacked from every angle, and both managed to par them all as sweat started to slide down from their foreheads, their breathing hard.

It's enticing, watching, glazing, staring, and you're drawn in.

Then she aimed a kick at his abdomen, to which he caught with a hand clasped around her ankle. He pulled her towards him that she almost lost her balance with only one foot as her only anchor, cursing under her breath. She twisted her body, at the same time slamming his chest with her feet.

He adjusted his footing, and used his arms to shield himself from the fury of attacks she set upon him, causing him to back up. At the right moment, he shot his hand forward and wrapped his fingers around her fist, throwing her over his shoulder again that she fell with a grunt.

Can't breathe, you're in a trance.

She swung a leg at his way that he stumbled, and she stood up, but he grabbed her hand and pulled her down again.

They rolled on the ground to get the upper hand of the situation, until he had her hands pinned above her head as his arm was pressed against her throat, sitting on her legs to stop her from moving about.

Easily and simply.

Their breaths were ragged as they tried to suck in oxygen as much as they could, chests heaved up and down. Their bright eyes searched each other's faces, their hair drenched to their skull.

They're in one too.

Then, he let go of her hands, getting up as she propped herself on her elbows, watching him offer his hand towards her way.

"Truce?"

Or is that love?

She stared at his hand, before clasping it with his own as he hauled her up easily. His other hand hovered on her back just in case she lost her balance again. But that was impossible.

She doesn't fall unless someone does it to her.

Do they know?

He smiled, passing his bottle to her for her to drink.

"That's yours," She informed him, eyeing the water skeptically before she dragged her eyes to his face, where he was still smiling. It wasn't that she didn't want it, she did want it, but it was his water and she usually she didn't bring hers only because she could get it on her way to her room. And there weren't usually extra exercise with the Captain.

"Just take it," He insisted. "I don't mind."

She stared at him for a while, and saw the honesty and softness in his gaze before she reached out to take it from him. "Thank you," She murmured, averting her eyes elsewhere as she uncapped the bottle.

"You're welcome."

They don't.

They walked down the corridor together, comfortable silence around them. It wasn't awkward, he didn't talk unnecessary things that wasn't important, only walked quietly beside her.

And she was thankful for that.

Once the elevator opened to her floor, she just stepped out when he called out to her.

"Another round some day?"

She paused, before turning around where he had a hand clasped on the side to stop the doors from closing, and she swore she saw some sort of hope in his eyes even though he tried to hide it from her.

Feeling the tug on her lips, she looked away.

"Tomorrow."

And you won't be the one to spoil the ending.