30 Day OTP challenge - Steve/Maria. Day 05

Kissing

Their first kiss was on the top of the Stark Tower, at midi-night at the New Years Eve party Tony had desperately wanted to throw. Steve had never felt that way since kissing Peggy back in the 40's before he 'died'. This kiss between him and Maria meant something more than just having someone to kiss at New Year's.

So now, he pushed Maria's door open, turning to her to have Maria press her lips onto his,his heart raced. They had just come back from their bowling alley date and Steve's emotions were running wild. These kisses were more intense and passionate than their first kiss, or their second kiss for that.

Their second kiss was under a blossom tree in Central Park. It had been a warm day, too warm to stay inside. Steve had gone to Maria's apartment to find she wasn't there when he pressed the button to get into the building. He waited a couple of seconds before pushing the code into the pad to get into the building. Lucky Maria had trusted him with knowing the code for her building. When he got to Maria's apartment he found a note stuck to the door.

I'm on the roof

Steve frown a little at the note but pulled it off the door and walked down the corridor to find five steps leading up to the fire exit. It's like she knew Steve would come to see her. He wanted to be a surprise, asking her to come on a walk around Central Park. Seems like she was one step ahead of him. There was a brick laying in between the door and it's frame. He slowly pushed it open and then walked onto the gravelly roof. The door swung, bouncing a little as it hit the brick. He looked around to see Maria laying on a black leather couch on the roof, staring up at the clear blue sky.

"I came to ask you if you wanted to go on a walk around Central Park," Steve asked her. Maria looked over at him as he walked towards her.

"I have a lot of work to do," Maria told him and Steve raised an eyebrow. Her tablet was laying on her stomach but was locked, black screen.

"It seems like it," Steve said and Maria sighed, sitting up and placing the tablet next to her on the sofa.

"Look Steve... That kiss on the roof," Maria began. It had been a week now and the two of them hadn't talked about it yet. "It was a moment of weakness. Just someone to kiss at New Years." Steve looked at her, smirking slightly.

"It's just a walk Maria, not like I'm asking for a kidney," Steve said. Maria titled her head and gave him a look that said she wasn't impressed by his sarcasm. However she did think about the offer before nodding.

"Ok, just a walk," Maria said and Steve smiled. They headed down the steps in the building to the bottom floor.

It was just as perfect as the kiss on the roof, however it was Maria that enforced it. Steve had lent but against the blossom tree, Maria telling him that this was her favourite place within the park and that she spent a lot of time here. Mostly on her own.

How the sun had hit Steve, the sun making his hair more of a gold colour. His blue eyes sparkling as the sun hit him just right. What was Maria supposed to do? Just stand there. No. She took the first move, taking two steps forward and crushing her lips against his. Steve was a little shocked from this but his brain kicked in a second later, bringing his arms around her waist as she brought hers around his neck. He lifted her up a little so she was level with him as she pushed her body into his, his back pressing against the blossom tree.

They both pulled away, breathless.

"That was... unexpected," Steve breathed and Maria just smiled.

As Maria pushed the door shut with her foot, she pulled Steve's body closer to hers. Steve took this willingly and then pushed Maria up against the door. He lifted her legs up around him, holding her up against the door, hands at the back of her thighs, never breaking their kiss.

For everything that had happened in Steve's life it was all just some kind of warm up to this moment right now. This perfect moment. Maria in his arms. Her lips soft and warm, yet so fierce and strong. Her hands warm around his neck. She was strong and weak at the same time.

Steve had seen her at her highest and at her lowest. She knew then that he would protect her through thick and thin, no matter what.

She sat on the hard wooden floor in the middle of the large bedroom. The room's furniture had all been removed, except the bed, which was covered in white sheets, and the four boxes that surrounded her. She could hear Steve in the kitchen, placing things in the boxes he had. She had asked Steve to help her move out of her old apartment and move into the apartment Stark had gotten her to be closer to the Tower.

She had been living in her new apartment for around six months now, she moved in just before New Year's. She had been putting off moving the rest of her belongings, feeling like that part of her life would be over. No more SHIELD, no more late nights up with her neighbor Mrs Jones, a lovely old lady Maria liked a lot.

The new apartment was big but comfy enough for her liking. It was just across from Central Park, giving an amazing view of the greenery from the large french doors that went onto a balcony from her bedroom. She would defiantly not have been able to pay for it on her SHIELD paycheck, but now she worked for one of the richest men in the world.

Maria flickered through the old photo book she found under her bed in her old bedroom. Maria below away the dust, opening her mind back to the memories of her past that she kept locked away at the back of her mind. never opening them until now. The cover was ripped and scratched, the pages inside rough around the edges, corners bent over.

She looked down at the picture, her and her brother sat outside her very first home. She was around the age of five and her brother, Eddie, age eight. He had his arm around her shoulder, protectively, with a massive cheesy grin on his, light brown hair messy and covering his eyes. Maria sat in pink shorts and a white top, with a look of annoyance on her face.

It was her Aunt that had taken the picture, her mother's sister. Her Aunt would come up from Texas to Chicago every so often to check up on "her sweethearts". Maria smiled down at the picture and then turned the page.

She found herself again at the age of five, crossed arms and sulking as her other brother, Adrian, at the age of ten tried to pull her off her chair. She remembered this very well, it was her father's best friends wedding and her dad and step mom had gotten a little bit too drunk. He didn't have control of himself, like normal, and dragged Maria out of her bed and beaten her until she was red and raw. Her step mom had slept through it all, all the scream and crying, passed out from drinking too much.

The picture didn't show this memory, it showed a mischievous boy and a grumpy little girl. No beating or pain. The only picture that showed the real pain was her on her birthday, everyone singing happy birthday to her. She had a bruise on her face and a purple red mark that looked like a hand print on her neck. The night before her father and his friends had gotten drunk and stoned, the picture not showing fully what they did.

Maria slipped the last picture out of the book and looked at it in her hands. Her brother, Adrian, was stood in front of their house in his army uniform, Eddie behind him pulling a funny face. Maria had taken the picture at the age of fifteen. It was the last time she had seen him. Eight months later her was KIA.

She remembered when she heard that knock, the knock that sounded like they had pounded against her heart. Eddie's head had popped out of the kitchen, sandwich hanging out of his mouth. She had opened the door to find two men, both in army uniform, a grim look on their faces.

"Is your father home?" One of the men asked and Maria shook her head. They soldiers look at each other both the same man spoke up again. "Your step mom at home?" He asked her and she again shook her head. They hadn't been back since yesterday morning, off to Vegas to get drunk. Eddie came up behind her and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Is this about Adrian?" He asked and the solider's nodded. Since Eddie was legal an adult he forced them to tell them both what had happened.

"Your brother Adrian was a great solider, one of the bests... However, we regret to inform you both that your brother was killed in action a week ago. His body is being sent back to the States where you can say goodbye properly and give the man a proper funeral," the solider said, still stood at the door.

"We are terribly sorry," the other soldier said and Maria nodded. Eddie told them he would tell his dad when he got back and then closed the door. Maria collapsed into Eddie's arms, tears running down her face.

"Maria," a voice came from behind her, pulling her away from the memory of that day. Maria's head shot up and she quickly looked behind her. Steve was stood at the door, his right hand placed on the door frame, left hand holding the doorknob. She hadn't heard Steve knock on the door or even call her name the first time.

She quickly turned her head away and wiped the two tears that had ran down her face, which she hadn't noticed.

"Everything sorted in the kitchen?" Maria asked him, after taking a deep breath. She started to pack the photo book away, stuffing the picture of her two brothers in her jeans pocket. Steve watched her as she purposely tried to keep her back facing him

Steve knew she was upset, he had seen the tears running down her face. Maria Hill was a strong woman, Steve knew that he was probably risking his neck as he walked towards her, but he saw that she needed comfort. He knew even though there was romantic tension between the two of them that Maria need a friend.

He sat down next to her and lifted his left arm, wrapping it around her shoulders and pulling her close to his body. He felt her tense as Steve pulled her into a hug but after a couple of second's Maria relaxed into Steve's firm yet gentle grip. Maria placed her head on his chest, listening to his strong, steady heartbeat. She didn't let anymore tears fall, not wanting Steve to see her like this.

"Are you ok?" Steve asked after a couple of minutes into the comfortable silence. Maria nodded, slowly standing up.

"I'm good," Maria said and then started to grab the boxes, Steve stood up too.

"Maria wait," Steve said, taking hold of her hands before she could pick up the boxes. He looked into her eyes, tears sparkling with tears that she wouldn't let fall. Steve only looked at her for a couple of seconds before he leaned in and kissed her. Steve brought his hands around her waist as Maria relaxed into the familiar hold and lips of Steve.

She placed her hands on Steve's chest as he pulled her closer to him. The kiss was soft and gently. She wanted more from him but held back. After what felt like forever Maria and Steve pulled away from each other. They rested their foreheads together and Steve closely opened his eyes, meeting Maria's. One tear had fallen and Steve slowly wiped it away with his thumb. He smiled gently at her.

"I'm always here if you want to talk," he told her and Maria knew he was telling the truth.

Steve carried Maria into her bedroom and laid her on the bed, leaning down on top of her. They never broke their kissing, as Maria brought her hands to his hips and ran them up and under his top. He shivered at every touch. He pulled away from her lips and started to place kisses on her jaw and neck, Maria letting out a small moan. She began to pull his top off but he pulled away from her.

"No," Steve told her. Maria looked up at him, a small frown on her face and then nodded, her brows smoothing out. "I want to take it slow." She smiled up at him.

"That's fine," Maria whispered and Steve smiled down at her. He wanted things to be perfect, not that they weren't with Maria with him, but he didn't feel ready for that next step. Not yet anyway. Maria gently sat up, Steve rolling over to sit next to her.
Maria placed her hand on his check and turned his face to look at her. She leaned in and gently kissed him on the lips before standing up.

"You can still stay the night though," Maria whispered in his ear. Steve smirked and then got up, pulling her into another kiss and wrapping his arms around her waist.