30 day OTP challenge - Steve/Maria. Day 20
Dancing
Maria Hill sat at her desk, glaring at the intern stood in front of her. A couple of months in and Maria Hill was already a feared name at Stark Industries, which was why the intern her glare was aimed at was shaking slightly.
"I'm sorry. I messed up and I am terribly sorry Miss Hill, I really am. I didn't mean to mess up but I'm new here... could you let me off this one time?" The male intern asked and Maria just kept glaring at him. Slowly the man started to look more and more uncomfortable. When the intern was picking at the skin around his thumb nail and shuffling, Maria finally spoke.
"Because of you're mess up Mr Adams I now have to spend the rest of my day, which I was planning on going home, fixing your fuck up. And no, I will not let you off this one time, you are going to spend your weekends here at Stark Industries for the next month," Maria said, her voice calm but threatening.
"Of course Miss Hill, I'm sorry Miss Hill," the intern said.
"Stop babbling and get out of my office," Maria said and the intern particularly ran out of her office. Maria sighed and lent back in her chair, she rubbed her forehead and then ran her hands through her hair.
Just as she was about to get started fixing the intern's fuck up, her phone started to ring. She sighed again for what felt like the hundredth time that day and picked up her phone. When she looked at the caller ID she smiled slightly before remembering her day. She pressed answer and held it up to her ear.
"Tonight. you, me. Dinner at a very expensive restaurant. Then we go to the opening of that new art gallery I wanted to go to," Steve told her down the phone, sounding very excited about it.
Maria smiled slightly, before looking at her computer. She looked away from it, thinking about all that she needed to do. She didn't want to let Steve down but she had to.
"I'm sorry Steve. I've got a lot of work to do today and I'm just going to go back to my apartment after," Maria to;d him. "Maybe some other time." Maria told him.
"That's ok with me. Are you ok?" He asked her, his voice sounding worried.
"I'm fine Steve," Maria said as she tapped her pen on the desk. Steve nodded even though Maria couldn't see him.
"Ok good. But will go to that expensive restaurant because I nicked some money from Stark and we can't let that go to waste, can we," Steve said with a smile on his lips, trying to make Maria feel better.
"We will, I promise. Just not tonight," Maria said with a weak smile as she stopped tapping her pen. She placed it on the table before sitting up in her chair. "Maybe you could go with Natasha tonight or maybe Bruce, he'll like that," Maria suggested wanting him to go the opening because she knew how much he liked doing that sort of stuff.
"It's ok Maria. I think Bruce is doing something with Tony tonight anyway," Steve said. Maria closed her eyes for a second, a wave of guilt washing over her. "I love you," Steve said after a couple second's silence.
"Love you too," Maria said and then Steve hung up the phone.
Maria took a deep breath before putting her phone in her pocket, wishing Steve would have talked more to her. However, she knew he did it because he wanted to let her work. God, she wished she didn't have to work. She wanted to go to a fancy, expensive restaurant, spend Stark's money and go to the opening of an art gallery. She knew Steve most really want to go, he was always trying to get time to go to art gallery's and museums. Maria felt like she was letting Steve down. She knew she was letting him down.
She pushed the thoughts away as she got to work. It took her from 11am all the way to 7:37 pm to fix the intern's mess. When she finally finished she took a deep breath and then stood up, shutting of her computer.
She grabbed her jacket from the back of her chair, pulling it on, then walked over to the door. She walked out of Stark Industries, nodding towards the guard stood at the door, who nodded back. She decided to walk home instead of taking the subway two stops down to her apartment.
It was a cold night but this was the city that never sleeps, many people still out and buzzed. The sound of traffic and loud music from clubs just starting up, chatter and laughter, car horns and shouting surrounded Maria as she walked down the sidewalk. She maneuvered around people rushing past her, no-one really seeing her as they past.
She climbed up the steps to her apartment building, pressing in her code into the key pad. She climbed up the six flights of stairs to her apartment, since the elevator was still out of order. Maria was just about to put her keys into the lock when she heard a noise from inside. She slowly reached from the gun behind her back, hidden under her jacket and then put the keys into the lock as quietly as possible. She then pushed the down open and lifted her gun stepping into the apartment.
"Wait wait wait wait wait!" Someone rushed out and Maria turned to flick the lights on with one hand and the other pointing the gun at the intruder. She knew who it was from the voice, but it didn't mean she was going to lower her gun.
"What are you doing?" Maria asked him. "I'm not in the mode for this Steve if your going to shout at me for fucking up this evening." Maria said and then turned away from the light switch. Steve was stood at her dinning table next to the window to the right of her. She frowned at him, since he was wearing a black suit with a white tight fitting shirt and black skinny tie, his golden blonde hair a little messy and a little tomato coloured stain on his black trousers. Her eyes flickered down to the table and her face cracked into the biggest smile.
"You did all this for me?" Maria asked him as he walked over to her. There was slow music playing in the background. Steve came to a stop in front of her and took hold of her hands.
"You're worth it Maria," Steve whispered to her. She looked into his bright blue eyes, him looking into her sliver blues. He gently placed a kiss on her lips, taking her gun out of her hand, making her smile against his lips. He pulled away, placing her gun on the small table next to the door and then took Maria's jacket off. She was wearing her work clothes, black trousers, a deep blue blouse and black heels. He took hold of her hand and guided her to the table, turning the main lights off within the process.
"My lady," Steve said to her, pulling out her chair and waiting for Maria to sit down. Maria smiled as Steve pushed her into the table slightly, before he moved to light the candle in between them. The moon light came in through the apartment, being high up didn't get hit by most of the light from the street's below. Steve sat down opposite her, a soft smile on his lips.
"You sounded stressed on the phone and disappointed you couldn't go to dinner and the gallery... So I decided to bring it to you," Steve said and Maria smiled at him.
"I don't deserve you, Steve," Maria said, but a smile on her lips.
"It's me who doesn't deserve you Maria," Steve said. "You're smart, kind, powerful, beautiful and strong. I feel so lucky to have you as my girlfriend." Steve told her, taking one of her hands in his across the table. Maria smiled at him, shaking her head slightly.
"How are you going to bring the art gallery to me," Maria said. Steve glanced over at the sofa an Maria followed. Rascals sat on top of Steve's art book, eyes closed fast asleep. Maria smiled even wider and looked at Steve. "I love you."
"I know," Steve said and she then looked down at her food Steve had cooked.
"The first course is a little rubbish but you will defiantly like the main," Steve said as Maria looked at her tomato soup with herbs sprinkled on top of it. There was a basket of beard to the side of the table.
"Does this explain the tomato coloured stain on your trousers?" Maria asked and Steve laughed.
"Aaah yes," Steve said, looking down at his stain trousers. He thought he had done a good job at trying to clean the stain out but, sadly he hadn't. "Always spotting every little detail," Steve commented and Maria smiled at him.
"I think it's look great. It proves that you cooked it and didn't just buy it from the shop," Maria said and Steve grinned. She picked up her spoon, "and if it's bad it defiantly proves you've cooked it," Maria told him with a smirk.
"Hey, at least my cooking's better than yours," Steve said and Maria gave him a kick under the table. He smirked as Maria tried to soup. He lent to the right as Maria moaned. He lent back up, holding a bottle of Merlot, Maria's favourite red wine.
"Wine?" He asked, having taken the bottle out of the ice bucket.
"Impressive Steve," Maria said as she held up her wine glass. He poured her a good amount, considering her stressful day at work. Maria took a sip of the Merlot wine, a blackberry and plum taste to it with a small hint mint and chocolate in it. Steve poured himself some and also took a sip.
"You have really nice taste's," Steve said, placing the glass on the table as Maria took another sip of her wine. He picked up his own spoon and the two stuck in.
"How was your day then?" Maria began. Steve shrugged, swallowing the warm tomato soup.
"It was good. I met up with Clint for a catch up and then phoned you. When I heard how stressed you were I decided to do all this for you. Though as I looked through your kitchen this afternoon you had nothing I could work with," Steve said and Maria just shrugged.
"You know I'm bad at cooking," Maria told him and Steve smirked.
"Oh I know," Steve said, remembering the pancakes Maria had cooked him one morning. They were awful but Steve ate them out of love for the woman trying to cook. "Anyway, I had to go shopping for a lot of things. All the food, the ice bucket and ice," Steve said, giving Maria a look. She returned his look with a smile. "I also had to buy the beard basket, the wine and another wine glass," Steve said earning a laugh from Maria.
"I didn't see why I needed another wine glass, because I don't like sharing my wine," Maria told him and Steve smiled.
"Well then I much be special," Steve said picking up his own glass of wine and taking a sip. He looked at her empty bowl and stood.
"Next course," he told her, picking up her bowl with his own. He walked into the kitchen while Maria took off her heels. She placed them at the side of the table. She had to admit, whatever Steve had cooked for the main course smelt good, the smell lingering in the air.
Steve placed the empty bowls in the skin and took a deep breath. Tonight's the night. He had decided after the phone call that he was going to do it. He was going to ask her the most important thing he will every ask her. He picked up the two plates and walked out of the kitchen
"Pan fired chicken with a white wine and cream sauce," Steve said walking over to her.
"I swear you got all these off the internet," Maria said as Steve placed the plate in front of her. Steve smirked, taking his seat at the table and picking up his knife and fork.
"I would never do that," Steve said.
"You're a terrible liar," Maria said and Steve's smirk turned into laughter as Maria playfully glared at him. The main smelt even better in front of her and it tasted delicious in her mouth.
"A refill?" Steve asked, half way through the main course after Maria had finished telling him about the stupid intern at SI who she swore she was going to shoot.
"You trying to get me drunk Rogers?" Maria asked, but lifted up her glass anyway.
"What if I was?" Steve asked, filling up her glass. Maria smirked at him as he filled his own glass up.
"I'd have to be careful then," Maria said, her foot brushing against his.
"I prefer danger," Steve replied, placing the bottle of wine back into the ice bucket, not breaking eye contact with Maria.
"Oh, I know you do," Maria said and they both gave each other playful smirks. Ten minutes after they had finished their mains Steve asked Maria if she would like desert.
"It depends on what it is?" Maria said with a smile.
"I'm sure you'll like it," Steve said, getting up and taking their empty plates in the kitchen. Maria slowly swayed to the music as she poured herself another glass of wine. Steve walked back in with dessert,
"This is, if i remember it right from the internet," Steve joked, "Chocolate, baileys and praline roulade," Steve said placing the plate in between them next to the candle.
"Ok, you are defiantly trying to get me drunk," Maria said, commenting about the baileys in the dessert and the white win in the mains.
"This is why I thought we should share," Steve said, sitting down and picking up a clean fork, Maria doing the same. The dessert had cream on top of it.
"It's good," Maria said after taking a bite.
"See, I'm really good at cooking," Steve said and Maria smiled at him.
"I really think I should be the one better at cooking since I have been in the 21st century longer," Maria said and Steve shrugged.
"I learn fast," Steve said and Maria smirked across the table at him. It came to the last bite and they looked at each other. Maria picked the last piece up on her fork but held it towards Steve.
"You can have it," She said and Steve smiled at her. He went to eat the last bite but Maria pulled the fork away and placed the fork in her mouth.
"Hey," Steve said, playfully glaring at her and Maria shrugged. "Evil," Steve said as Maria moaned in pleasure. She then took a sip of her wine to wash the food away. Steve stood up and held out his hand.
"Would you care to dance?" Steve asked her and Maria smiled up at him.
"I would love to," Maria said and took hold of Steve's hand. He slowly pulled her up to stand as 'Iris' by the Goo Goo Dolls started to play from the speaker. It played quietly in the background, Steve and Maria not really paying much attention to it. Steve slid his hand behind Maria's back and one up to the side, holding Maria's hand. She placed her free hand on Steve's shoulder, she looked at his black skinny tie before her gaze flickered up to Steve's. He held her look as he guided them around the small living room space.
They followed the beats of the song, moving their feet and swaying. Steve pulled Maria closer to him, their chest's pressing together. They never broke eye contact as they danced slowly to the song.
That perfect moment. Just them two and the song playing around them. It was like in the movies. The whole world around them disappeared as they moved together as one. All that mattered was him and all that mattered was her. All the stress that Maria had felt all today, vanished at his touch, at his movements, at him guiding her through the song. None of the world's problems mattered to them at the moment.
Steve slowly leaned into Maria. The moment just before the kiss. The anticipation. The meeting of the eyes and then the lips touching. Reaching the place they have been longing for. It wasn't like any other kiss the two had had between each other. They had kissed many, many times, but this was different. It was perfect.
Maria moved her hand from his shoulder to the back of his neck, pulling his body closer to hers. They stilled moved to the song, dancing around the living slowly. His hands were placed firmly around her waist as Maria wrapped her arms fully around Steve's neck. He gently lifted her up so they didn't have to strain. He swayed them to the music until it went off.
Steve placed Maria back down onto the floor, pulling away every so slightly.
"I love you, Maria," Steve whispered into the dimly lite room, looking into Maria's eyes.
"I love you too, Steve." Maria replied. Steve then with all his bravery slowly got down on one knee, pulling the small ring box that had been tormenting him for the past three weeks. Maria stared at him in shock, her eyes wide and arms falling down to her sides. Steve took a deep breath before opening up the ring box to reveal the sliver ring.
She didn't... couldn't say anything to him. She was for once speechless. Steve smiled up at her, the nice genuine smile that made her heart melt every time she saw it. Maria stared at him. A lot of things ran through her head at that moment. Run for it. Punch him and then run for it. However, the one thing that stood out the most within her mind was that she loved him, and that made her stay.
"Maria Hill... For a lone time now I have been in love with you. I have been in love with your beauty. Your independence. Your badass style you have. I'm in love with every single detail about you, weather it be good or bad... And I have come to realize I want to spend the rest off my life with you. I love you so much Maria Hill. So may I ask you this one question..." Steve took a deep breath, opening up the ring box to reveal a sliver engagement ring with red and white fragments of diamonds. "Will you marry me?" He asked her, looking hopeful up at her.
The one question. He had finally said it. However, after saying it his mind started to go into over dive coming up with every possible answer Maria might say. Laugh at him. Say she didn't want to marry him because she didn't love him. Punch him, which was likely that she would. Run for it. Steve thought of everything she could do or say, but not the one thing she actually said. It seemed like years until she answered yet it was only seconds.