It was the Fourth of July, and everything was exactly as it should be: backyard party with his neighbors, his wife Peggy chatting with the other women, his boys running around with their friends shrieking with laughter, his best friend James manning the grill, and Steve himself sitting in the shade with a beer, watching the action. Everything decked out in red, white, and blue; fireworks purchased to set off after the sun went down. It was almost the same scene as every other Independence Day that had passed since Steve and Peggy had moved into the neighborhood, except for one thing.

This year the Rogers had a new neighbor, Thor Odinson, who had moved in about 5 months ago. He was single, so the children were disappointed not to have any new friends, but he was good-looking, with a long ponytail and a slight, unplaceable foreign accent which had attracted the single women, and a few of the wives and older daughters as well. He was friendly and competent and always willing to lend a hand to whoever needed it, which ingratiated him to the men in the neighborhood. He was welcomed into the tight-knit community almost immediately.

All that was fine to Steve at first, after all, they'd hoped whoever bought the house next door would be a good fit for the community, but the more he got to know his new neighbor, the more he found Thor occupying his thoughts. Steve found excuses to ask him around for a beer, or to help in the garage, and would always stop to speak when they met on the street or in town, no matter what sort of hurry he was in. But that was fine too. He was just being friendly.

Then one day Steve noticed that the window in the spare bedroom upstairs looked down into Thor's backyard. Steve watched him doing yard work for a few minutes, but when he stopped to peel off his shirt and use it to wipe the sweat from his (tanned, smooth, well-muscled) chest, Steve shook his head to clear it and stepped away from the window. What the hell was he doing, spying like this? He left the room, determinedly not noticing how his pants felt a little tighter than usual.

Good ol' All-American, Eagle Scout, baseball-playing, beer-drinking Steve, with the suburban house and the beautiful wife and the 2.5 children, should not be lusting after his handsome neighbor. He definitely shouldn't be thinking about Thor while making love to his wife or when he touched himself in the shower, but he couldn't stop himself. He returned to the window again and again, watching Thor working or relaxing, or one (wonderful, unexpected, fantasy-inducing) night, skinny dipping in his pool.

That had been only a week or so ago, and every time he had seen Thor since, Steve could feel his face flush as unbidden images of Thor's naked body flooded his mind and made it difficult to think. So sitting at the BBQ surrounded by friends and family, trying to act normal, was nothing short of torture. Steve had eventually given up and taken up his spot in the corner of the yard, hoping that the shadows he was in would help conceal the fact that his eyes never left Thor.

The longer Steve watched, the more frustrated he got, and the more frustrated he got, the more he drank, and the more he drank, the more intensely he watched Thor. Surely someone would notice soon. Steve wasn't sure what to say if someone called him out on it. What if it was one of the kids, or, god forbid, Peggy? But in the end, it wasn't his family that caught him. It was Thor himself.

Thor had joined a conversation only a couple of yards away from Steve's corner, and stood facing the yard, giving Steve a very good view of his ass. Steve liked how it looked in the tight jeans Thor was wearing, but preferred the view he'd had the other night. Unfortunately, while distracted by these thoughts, Steve didn't notice the conversation end and those Thor was talking to move away. Thor suddenly turned towards him, and all the beer Steve had drunk made his reactions a bit slow. He had just leaned forward and licked his lips slowly when he realized he was staring at the front of Thor's jeans rather than the back. Steve froze for a moment, then glanced up. Thor looked a bit surprised, but as soon as Steve met his eyes, he gave a small smile and stepped forward. Steve leapt out of his seat and found Peggy, told her he wasn't feeling well, and went home.

*****

The next day, Steve sat alone on his back porch. The house was empty; Peggy had taken the boys out for a while since Steve still seemed "under the weather". Steve was actually managing to keep his thoughts away from Thor when he heard footsteps coming around the corner of the house.

Thor stepped up onto the porch and stood facing Steve. Steve met his eyes only briefly before staring down at his hands. He wasn't sure what to say.

"I saw you watching me at the party yesterday. It seemed you did little else."

Steve felt his face flush. So he had known the whole time?

He started to babble, "Yeah, sorry about that, had too much to drink, you know how it is -"

Thor spoke over him. "I've also often seen a figure at the window on the side of your house facing mine. Too tall to be your wife or children."

Steve looked up in horror, but Thor did not look angry or upset. Instead, Thor was looking at him intensely, almost...longingly.

"Look, Thor, I..." But he trailed off as Thor stepped closer to him.

Thor cupped Steve's jaw and Steve closed his eyes and leaned into the touch. Thor swept his thumb across his cheek as he said, voice thick with want, "I desire you as well."

A small moan escaped Steve's lips at the words and he turned his head slightly and pressed his lips to Thor's palm, then suddenly realized what he was doing, guilt and shame crashing down on him. He stood quickly and paced away from Thor. "Look, I can't do this. I have a family, I -"

He broke off as he felt Thor's come near. He stopped just short of touching, but was so close Steve could feel the heat of his body.

"I know that, Steve, it's the only thing that's kept me from approaching you before. But after seeing the burning in your eyes yesterday, and daring to hope my feelings might be returned, I could not stay away from you any longer." Thor placed his hands on Steve's waist and leaned forward so Steve could feel his breath on the back of his neck when Thor continued, "When I saw that Peggy's car was gone -"

"Don't. Don't talk about her," Steve said even as he leaned back into Thor's hesitant embrace and crossed his arms across his stomach so he could take Thor's hands in his. "I shouldn't be doing this, I really shouldn't be doing this..."

"Shh..." Thor's breath ghosted over the shell of Steve's ear, making him shiver, "no one will ever know, I promise..."

Steve thought of how he had dreamed of this moment for the last few weeks, how he'd longed to feel Thor's strong frame pressed against him. But then he thought of Peggy, how he loved her, his sons, just how much he had to lose, how wrong this was, and he spun around in Thor's arms with every intention of telling him to leave. But as soon as their eyes met, the words caught in his throat and hands he'd raised to push Thor away instead just rested on his chest. Steve hesitated for another heartbeat, then kissed Thor with everything he had.

Thor made a strangled noise and wrapped his arms around Steve, pulling them tight together so the entire lengths of their bodies were touching. After a moment, Steve pulled back with a gasp. "I can't..."

But Thor began kissing and sucking his way down the side of Steve's neck and he couldn't speak again. He tangled one hand in Thor's hair and leaned back so Thor could nibble at his collar bone.

I can't do this.

Thor claimed his mouth again, swiping his tongue across Steve's lips to part them.

I should stop.

Thor slid his hands down to squeeze Steve's ass, causing him to buck forward, both of them moaning at the sudden friction.

I will stop...

Steve tugged at Thor's hair to tilt his head to the side, so their lips slotted together more perfectly.

Just not yet...

He ran both hands down Thor's chest, thumbs teasing his nipples, smiling against Thor's lips as it drew another moan from his throat.

Not yet...