Chapter Summary:
Steve seems to know Maria very well. It would make her nervous if she wasn't trying so hard to convince herself it meant nothing.
Notes:
This is just a bit of a transitional chapter, describing the West-Coast Avengers' mansion and giving Maria a little to think about in regards to Steve and his feelings for her, which, of course, she denies. We'll get more into the other relationships between the other team members after this.
Probably a safe bet this is AU after Friday. :)
Chapter title from Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young song.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Everything is good
Such a cosy room
The windows are illuminated
By the sunshine through them
Fiery gems for you
Only for you
Maria rolled her suitcase through the airport doors to the loading area and cocked an eyebrow at the tall blond man leaning against the idling minivan.
"A minivan, Rogers?" she asked, hoping to sound disapproving. She never would have suspected him the type.
"It's practical," he shrugged and walked over to take her suitcase from her.
Maria had learned early after the battle in New York that allowing Steve to carry things or get the door for her were things that were important to him. She'd been fairly put out the first several times until he explained that it was how people showed respect in his day. That had put it more into perspective for her, and as she grew to admire him more, these were small things she thought she could do to help him not feel so much as if he didn't belong.
As expected, he opened the passenger door for her and waited for her to get in so he could close it. Then he loaded her suitcase into the back before walking around and getting into the driver's seat.
"How was the flight?" he asked as he pulled away from the curb. There wasn't much traffic in Santa Barbara's airport so it was a far less harrowing experience than La Guardia had been when she'd arrived there early that morning.
"The usual," she said. "Noise, bland food, talkative neighbor."
Steve laughed.
"Maybe I should have had Sam fly you here instead," he said with a smirk.
"Well, at least he wouldn't been as talkative," she said with a chuckle.
"So it's two hours from here," she said.
"Yeah, I'm sorry, I should have just had a helicopter fly you in but I don't think our security is quite ready for that," he explained.
"Thanks, I definitely didn't want to be shot out of the sky my first day here," she joked.
"You can take a look at it tomorrow," he told her. "It's just about done but I'd appreciate a once over from you before I call it official."
Maria's face broke into a slight smile.
"Well, thanks for the vote of confidence," she said, not uncomfortable with the way she felt at his desire for her approval. It had been a long time since Steve Rogers' opinion hadn't mattered to her.
They spoke only little and mostly of things to do with what the team was calling the West-Coast Avengers for about the first hour of the drive. Maria took in the scenery along California's central coast. Steve had opted for a secluded location and had spent most of the previous year prepping the place he'd bought. How that had stayed off her radar bothered her, but he'd tried to be as quiet about it as possible. He had explained that the location offered a 360 view and was far enough away from any form of civilization that if it ever came under attack, no innocent lives would be threatened. Maria had smiled when he'd told her that. It was definitely like Steve to take that sort of thing into consideration.
"So, any news on Bucky?" she finally asked.
Steve only shook his head.
"I feel like I'm chasing a shadow every time I check into a supposed sighting," he said.
His voice was tight, almost bitter, and it hurt Maria to think that, yet again, something Steve wanted was always just outside his grasp.
"I'm sorry, Steve," she said.
"Sam said I should have slapped a tracking device on him when I was fighting him on the hellicarrier," Steve joked and Maria appreciated his attempt to lighten the mood, though she really didn't need it.
She was concentrating on keeping her hands folded tightly together in her lap when she'd wanted to reach one over to him. Why she wanted to right now she didn't know. That was the sort of impulsive thing history had shown she did when she'd had too much alcohol or was pumped up on pain medication.
When they finally pulled up in front of the house, though that seemed too simple a word, it was more like a mansion in Maria's opinion, she was duly impressed at the view. The house sat back from a cliff's edge by about 200 yards and was at an askew angle to the cliff. Clint and Sam were waiting on the steps and came down to greet them.
"I'll show you around if that's OK," Steve said. "Or do you want to get settled in your room or eat first?"
"That's fine," she replied and Clint and Sam took her bag up to her room, then, for reasons that were never clear to her, didn't return to them.
Steve showed her the grounds first. There were stairs that led down to the beach at the foot of the cliffs. They had already set up a fire pit and Steve said they spent a lot of evenings down there. There was a pool and spa right off the back of the house as well as a large patio. He pointed to an outside firing range fifty yards from the house and nearby there was an obstacle course the team were putting together for training.
As they walked into the house, Steve, who already seemed somewhat embarrassed to be in possession of such a huge property, became more so.
Inside there was a huge two-story foyer with a spiral staircase to the second floor. Steve pointed toward the dining room to their left but seemed more interested in showing her the room under the staircase. When they entered Maria understood why. It was a library with wall to wall and ceiling to floor book shelves all filled. Maria found herself fighting the urge to blush that Steve knew her well enough to know this room would interest her more than the others. She complimented him on the room and walked over to one of the shelves to read the titles.
"There are more, um," he paused and cleared his throat. "Uh, I have this extra room in my room. It's supposed to be an exercise room but, well, we have a full gym down in the basement so I, uh…"
He trailed off and Maria looked at him questioningly. If she didn't know better she'd say he'd actually been trying to impress her and now that he had, he wasn't sure what to do next.
"You can add your own books," he said, but then quickly added. "I mean, if you want. You don't have to do that. There are shelves in your room. I just thought…"
He trailed off again and Maria really didn't know what to do with the situation. She wasn't sure why books would make Steve so tongue-tied and flustered. She decided it would simply be best to deflect attention from the situation.
"What's through this door?" she asked, pointing to a door to the left of the library entrance.
"Oh, that goes out into the gallery," he said. "Well, it's called a gallery but that's just because it's a long hallway, there really aren't any famous artworks there."
Steve opened the door for Maria and she walked into the hall.
"This is my room," he said as she looked at the door across from the library, then opened the door.
Maria could see a king size bed through the doorway.
"I have a spa tub too," he said. "It's pretty nice, jets and all that. It's really big. If you ever want to use it."
He stopped then opened his mouth almost in surprise at what he'd just said.
"I mean, alone, of course," he told her. "I don't mean, I wouldn't ask, I mean, you have your own tub, it's just that this one's so big and…"
Maria finally had to at least chuckle. Why he was so flustered she didn't know but it was starting to get funny. He blushed and took a deep breath and led her away from his room.
"So this is the great room," he said of the large room on their right as they walked through the gallery.
The furniture looked very comfortable and there was already a fire in the fireplace.
They walked into another hallway.
"This," he said and opened a door on their left. "Is the elevator."
"I don't think I've ever lived in a house with an elevator," Maria commented.
"It was already in the house and I actually found it useful when I was moving things into the basement, especially heavy things," he explained. "But Clint and Sam seem to find it amusing to make regular use out of it."
"I can imagine," she acknowledged.
"And this is the butler's pantry," he said of the next doorway on the left. "But we don't actually have a butler. We take turns cooking and cleaning. I thought about getting someone but it would have to be someone I could trust implicitly, all things considered."
Maria nodded.
"That's OK," she said. "I've always done my own chores."
The way Steve looked at her, as if this approval of his decision was important to him caused her to furrow her brow in confusion once he'd turned away from her again. She shook her thoughts out though. He was probably still embarrassed by the size of the place.
They passed through the mudroom and Steve showed her the garage which was also to the left.
"It's only three car right now," he said and he sounded apologetic.
Maria saw the minivan in one stall, Steve's and Clint's motorbikes in another, and a small Hybrid she thought she recognized as Sam's.
"I know you don't have a car right now," he said. "But if you get one, Clint and I can move our bike's out and just cover them. Or I could expand the garage if you want."
Maria tried very hard not to give Steve an odd look. She couldn't imagine why he was asking her what she wanted him to do with his garage.
Steve led her further down the hall. To the right was a laundry room with two washers and two dryers. Steve apologized for the size of the room and suggested they might add another washer and dryer, if she thought it more efficient. Maria only shrugged and made a decision just to try to play along with whatever Steve's concerns were that were making him act so strangely.
"And this is the guest room and bath," he said. "In case we have visitors."
Maria nodded.
"I know you're cautious, so you're welcome to invite anyone you'd like," he said.
She looked back at him and he was turning crimson again so she cocked a questioning eyebrow at him.
"I mean, they don't have to stay here in this room," he said. "If you'd rather they were with you in your room…"
Steve's voice trailed off at the end and Maria could only stare at him. He was behaving so strangely she had half a mind to check to see if he was really Steve.
"I doubt I'll have any company, Rogers," she told him, and he seemed relieved by that information for some reason.
He turned away suddenly and walked back the way they came. Turning into the doorway on the opposite side of the butler's pantry, Steve led her into the kitchen. Here they found Clint and Sam sitting at the kitchen bar and giving them curious looks. This act only seemed to fluster Steve more so Maria leveled a cold glare at the two men and they both slunk out of the room.
"This is the kitchen," he said needlessly but seemed stumped as to what else to say.
Maria walked toward the back of the kitchen to where it opened into a larger room. This room was also very comfortable looking with leather sofas and another fire in yet another fireplace.
"Two fireplaces?" she commented more than asked.
"Well, there's one in my room too," he said, but he choked off anything else he was going to say.
Maria tried to give him a reassuring look; at the same time, she was becoming somewhat put out by his behavior. She decided she should finally say something.
"Steve, you don't have to worry," she told him. "I don't think you're pretentious just because you have this huge house. You're using it for a good reason and sharing it with quite a number of people. It's better that it's so large or we might all end up killing each other in the first month."
He smiled and laughed what Maria knew was one of his fake laughs and shoved his hands into his pockets. He cleared his throat, still obviously nervous, then pointed out the staircase to his left.
"This is the back staircase," he said and waited for her to ascend.
He didn't speak as he followed behind her and when they reached the top and were in what was obviously a game room, he quickly walked over to the bar and pulled two beers out of a refrigerator. He opened one and handed it to her. She thanked him and smiled when she saw it was her favorite brand. When she did, Steve looked like a kid who'd just asked his favorite girl to the dance and she'd said yes.
"Anyway," he continued. "This is obviously the game room, or recreation room, I guess it's technically called. Clint calls it a pool hall."
Maria nodded and looked around the room. There was a pool table and a dart board and, Maria rolled her eyes, a Ms. PacMan game.
"Clint's?" she asked as she pointed to the game that made the room appear instead like an old arcade.
Steve nodded.
"He wants to get Centipede as well," he said.
Maria laughed.
"I bet he does," she replied.
Clint was always one for the arcade games from his youth.
Steve walked back toward the stairs then past them into another room.
"This is the media room," he said.
As all the other rooms, this one looked as if it was a comfortable place to sit and relax.
"What, no fireplace video on the big screen?" she joked.
Fortunately, Steve laughed at that, a normal laugh, and Maria relaxed slightly.
They walked back out and Steve pointed to a door on the wall opposite the staircase.
"That's Sam's room," he explained, then pointed to another door on his right. "That's Pietro's room.
"The elevator, again," he pointed to the door next to Pietro's room.
They walked down the hall toward the staircase that led back down to the foyer and Steve explained that all the rooms had keyed entries and palm scans so to get in you needed a code and your palm.
"And the rooms are as soundproof as I could make them," he told her. "The doors are steel. I wanted them to be sort of like apartments so everyone can truly have a place of their own even though the kitchen and other areas are common areas."
Maria smiled behind Steve and thought how typical it was of him to want to make sure everyone was comfortable.
"This is Wanda's room," he said pointing to a door to his left.
"And this is the staircase to the third floor which is Clint's room," he explained. "It's just a bedroom and a bath, though. And you can also access it via the elevator."
Maria nodded as Steve pulled a paper from his pocket.
"This is how to change your pass-code and palm scan," he said. "It's only keyed to me right now, but after you change it, it will only be keyed to you."
"What if there's an emergency?" she asked.
"The door is only steel," he said. "Between the rest of us, I'm confident we can get it open."
Maria looked up at him, expecting a glint of humor to finally grace his face, but he was serious still and Maria found herself again cursing Stark and fate in general for forcing that upon Steve.
Steve keyed his code and scanned his palm and the door to Maria's room opened. He stood back to allow her to pass and as she did so, he softly said, "I really hope you like it."
She glanced up at him and caught the emotion before he tried to cover it with a fake smile. She smiled back at him reassuringly and walked into the room.
Maria stopped just inside the door. She could feel Steve directly behind her, he was tense, waiting for her reaction.
"Steve, it's…" Now Maria found herself at a loss.
The room was perfect. While it was probably full of furniture she'd never have been able to afford, and some of it was a little fancier than she might have picked out, the room looked as if she could have decorated it herself.
She caught herself staring and had to remind herself that Steve was still waiting to hear what she thought.
"It's perfect," she said, her voice barely a whisper.
If she had felt strange at his knowledge of how much she'd enjoy the library, she was completely blown away by how well he must know her to be able to decorate the room so perfectly. Even the colors were ones she would have preferred if she was one to give any thought to what her rooms were like.
"Oh, I'm glad you think so," Steve sounded so relieved that Maria had to fight an urge to turn around and look at his face.
She stepped further into the room and Steve followed her. Now no longer concerned, he seemed more like a kid on Christmas morning waiting for his parents to open the present he so carefully picked out or made for them.
He stepped around her and walked toward the french doors on the opposite side of the room. As he opened them with one hand, he waved her over with the other.
There was a balcony, with a view of the pool and the grounds behind the house. Maria looked approvingly, but noticed that Steve seemed to be waiting to show her something else. She gave him a questioning look.
"Look over here," he said more excited and happy about something than she'd seen him in far too long.
He took her hand to pull her behind him and Maria tried to ignore the warmth in his touch. His behavior was odd, but his smile was a real one now and for some reason that made Maria unusually happy.
He led her through another door off the bedroom and quickly pointed to her small walk-in closet and the bath at the end of the little hallway before directing her to another small room across from the closet.
He smiled at her as she walked into the room. There was an old-fashioned secretary to the left of the door. It was elaborate and yet had straight lines that appealed to her. The chair appeared to be a very nice ergonomic chair. To the right of the door was a floor to ceiling window that looked out across the grounds toward the ocean. Maria stood and looked out the window. The sun shown in but it wasn't hot at all.
"I, uh, had them put that in when I realized how great a view there would be from this room if there was a window there," he explained. "I hoped you would like it. See, if you sit here in the chair…"
He took her hand again and pulled her toward the chair in front of the desk. She sat in it and he slowly turned her toward the window, then he knelt next to her and Maria could have sworn he was holding his breath in anticipation.
She dutifully looked out at the sea while she concentrated on the man next to her. She had never seen him behave the way he had today and she wondered why her reaction to all of this was so important to him. She turned to him and smiled softly, hoping it would help him relax if he knew how much she liked it.
"It's beautiful, Steve," she said. "Very calming."
He turned away from staring out the window to look back at her. His face was only inches away from hers and Maria again had to fight the urge to reach out for him. For a moment she could have sworn she saw something like desire in his eyes, but he turned away quickly and stood, taking a deep breath as he did so.
"I'm so glad you like it," he said quickly and again shoved his hands into his pockets in a nervous gesture.
They were both silent for a minute as Steve stared out the window and Maria studied him.
"I should let you unpack," he said. "When you're ready I'll take you down to see the training facilities and the command center."
He stared at her briefly, as if he wanted to say something else, but then he shook his head.
"Don't forget to change the pass-code and the palm scanner," he reminded her.
Then he left the room and Maria heard the door click shut seconds afterward. She leaned heavily back into the chair and tried fruitlessly to assess Steve's unusual behavior. In the end she decided it was what she had first thought, he was simply nervous at what he probably feared was excess as far as the size of the house and the expense of the furnishings.
She returned to the bedroom and unpacked her clothes and the few books she'd brought along. The rest of her things, and there weren't many besides the books, she had shipped and they'd arrive later in the week.
When she finished she went downstairs to the kitchen to see what she could find to eat. After the beer, Maria wasn't surprised to find a lot of her favorite foods in the refrigerator and pantry. She pulled out some bread and the peanut butter and a banana and started to make herself a sandwich.
A moment later Clint walked into the kitchen and sat at the bar again. She glanced up at him and saw he had a bemused look on his face. Though she was curious as to what he was up to, she ignored him. She'd found it a good idea to ignore Clint when he had that look. It was never good.
"So, Belle," he started. "Did he woo you with the library?"
Maria looked up at him in confusion.
"Bell?" she asked.
"Yeah, Belle," he answered. "Like in Beauty and the Beast."
She only shook her head, still not understanding.
"Belle," he said already somewhat exasperated. "She liked books so the beast gives her an entire freaking library so she'll like him."
"What are you talking about?" Maria asked. Then she rolled her eyes and shook her head and finished putting her sandwich together.
"Steve was so excited about showing you that library," he explained. "I just was trying to assess if his plan worked."
"His plan?" Maria asked, putting as much disbelief behind her voice as she could.
"Yeah, his plan to woo you," Clint explained and smiled a huge smile at her.
Maria gave him a very confused look and shook her head and he started to laugh.
"Shut up, Barton," she said.
It really seemed like the only appropriate response.
Notes:
So, other CaptainHill shippers, are we looking forward to Friday, or dreading it? Are we putting stories on hold, or are we just planning to thumb our nose at Marvel?