"You gonna be okay, Captain Rogers?" The man asked him, narrowing his one eye at him. Steve turned to see the landscape, if you could call it that way.
There was so little land as his knowledge of where and when he is. The tall building stood and it was almost impossible to see the sky. There were animated advertisements on the screens of those buildings. He saw the cars and the people, changed in time he almost couldn't believe. Actually he still couldn't believe. Seventy years had passed. And just like that, a flash of thoughts came to his head. Peggy. He had promised her a dance.
"I had a date" Steve said without looking at the man. The captain's eyes were moving from one interesting and extraordinary (at least for him) thing to another fast enough.
"My name is Nick Fury. Director of an organization called S.H.I.E.L.D" The man approached. "We're here to help you, Captain."
As they walked in the car, which Steve had to admit it looked like from a future. We'll he wasn't wrong about that Fury explained him that due to the serum he was injected 67 years ago he had survived and remained the same age. The director said he had talked to a person who had agreed to help the soldier with the time he missed.
"In fact you knew his father." Steve looked at the man next to him. "His name is Tony Stark and he agreed to help you, let's say, adapt. He, however lives in California. If you are willing to go there, of course."
Felicity was in a pretty good mood today. She had managed to wake up early, (if of course 8 is early for you) without her alarm and chose her outfit pretty well (because she sucked at those things, really). She decided that she liked her hair today so she decided not to make a ponytail. She was going to be in the house all day so she put her uggs on and waked downstairs in the kitchen.
She saw her father and Pepper in the kitchen, drinking coffee, talking about something. Felicity was eager to hear but as soon as the gorgeous woman saw her they both stopped talking. Felicity frowned and went for a mug.
"What's going on?" Felicity asked and they both answered at the same time 'nothing'. "Mhm, I can see that" she said and poured herself a coffee and joined them at the kitchen island where the couple were sitting.
So a brief information about the blond girl here. She was 22, living with her father. Not that she didn't have money for her own place, she just didn't see the point of having one. She was constantly working with her father in the workshop, which was in the house and to be honest she didn't want to occupy her time with making an AI for herself. It wasn't like she was spoiled and can't live without an AI, she just didn't see why not.
Another thing was that it wasn't the right time to move, not right after the whole dying father fiasco the billionaire had pulled last year.
So yeah, you could call her nerd or something like that, you know, living with her parents, not a lot of friends, not a boyfriend. The only friends she had were either from SI or friends of Pepper or Tony. She didn't have friends from school because she was the outsider of her class, and she didn't have any from MIT, and she didn't even want to think about that. The Cooper thing and-. She took a breath. She had a great morning so far, so she wasn't going to think about that man… Ever again.
"So, the thing you don't want to tell me, is it concerning me in any kind of way?" Felicity asked as she opened the fridge and took the milk. The couple just shared a look but didn't say anything.
"So, I am going to leave this conversation quietly and let my girls talk" her father said and put a kiss on Pepper's forehead. "I'll be downstairs. Have an idea about StarkPhone 7" he said to Felicity and kissed her too.
"But next month we will start selling SP 5. You don't have to rush" Pepper said but Tony didn't say anything. He just waved at them and went downstairs. Pepper waited a minute or two and started talking again. "So, we have a job to do, honey" she said.
Pepper often called her that. Since she moved with her father (almost 15 years ago) Pepper was more than a friend. She was like a mother figure. When n Felicity was little, like 10, Pepper was sometimes watching over her for a day or two when her father had to be somewhere else. Felicity never had a nanny, just Pepper. In time Pepper became a friend, and when Tony disappeared she became more than friend. She was like a second mother to her.
"Yeah, I kinda figured that. So, what's up?" Felicity asked and took a spoon for her cereal.
"You remember Fury, right?" Pepper asked ad Felicity just nodded. "And do you remember how your dad was telling you these stories of a superhero from the WWII, Captain America. The one that Howard never stopped talking about?"
"Yes, yes" Felicity said laughing. She remembered sometimes her father telling her how his father never stopped talking one man particularly. When Felicity asked her dad who the man was he started explaining the stories of Captain Steve Rogers who had done a lot in the war.
"They had found him. In the ice, alive" Felicity stopped chewing. "He had been asleep, in an ice cube in the ocean for 68 years. Because of the serum he was injected he is still alive." Pepper made a pause, a dramatic one. The Starks have been known for their dramatic pauses and Pepper was becoming one pretty good Stark. "Fury asked your father for a favor and your father accepted, but then I got a call. We have to go to Tokyo for a few days and since your father has to be there, with me, too he can't keep his promise to Fury. So that's where you come in the whole plan."
"What did Fury asked for?" Felicity said, still not getting the problem.
"He asked if Tony could help Steve catch up with everything that had happened since he went under the ocean. And now it's have to be you" Pepper finally said.
"Oh no!" Felicity got up from her spot and placed her bowl in the sink. "Not gonna happen!" She said and turned her back on Pepper, she headed for the stairs "I'm not gonna be stuck with a grandpa for the next week" And as this last sentence came out of Felicity's mouth J.A.R.V.I.S spoke.
"Mister Steve Rogers is currently outside and waiting for a permission to get in" before Felicity could say anything to Jarvis, Pepper approved the captain's request.
And then a man walked in the house. Felicity's eyes widened. The man was blonde, super-duper handsome, hot, Felicity thought, the right word was hot, and at least 6 feet tall. She, um, let's say she was impressed. What was this guy doing here? Maybe he was carrying the captain's luggage. But this man wasn't holding anything.
"Um, hello" Pepper said "My name is Pepper Potts, and this is Felicity." The woman then smiled and approached the man "Are you the Captain's bodyguard or something like that?"
"No ma'am!" The man said smiling "I'm Steve Rogers. A pleasure to meet you."
What? This? This was Steve Rogers? Excuse Felicity, but what the actual fuck? This guy? He had to be at least 90 years old. How did he managed to look like, don't know, in his mid 30s? Felicity's eyes widened even more. She had a confession. If this was Steve Rogers, well, she had no problem to stay with him a week. Maybe a month, a year too. Really, no problem at all. She approached them and extended her hand.
"Hi, my name is Felicity Stark" she smiled. Felicity couldn't ignore the look that Pepper threw at her. "Very nice to meet you!"
"Miss Stark, the pleasure is all mine" he shook her hand. Felicity could feel her face burning. There was an awkward silence but a voice behind them broke it.
"Ah, Rogers!" she heard her father's voice "It's so nice to have you here!" he then approached them "You look nice, what's your secret? Pilates?" Tony joked and Steve blushed.
"I'm sorry, what?" Steve asked with a confused look.
"It's like calisthenics. You might have missed a couple of things doing time as a Capsicle." Tony said and smiled at his joke
"Tony!" Pepper quietly shouted. "Sorry 'bout him, he does that annoying thing he calls talking." The woman said and Felicity and Steve smiled, Tony did a hurt face. "Let us show you your room" Pepper said with another smile.
Steve was trying very hard to remember what Ms. Potts was telling him. She had explained how many floors this unbelievably big house had, where exactly was his room and hot to go from there to the kitchen. She then explained Jarvis to him. As soon as Ms. Potts spoke about that a voice came from the ceiling. Steve jumped at that. The young Miss Stark and the other lady smiled at his reaction. Then Stark's daughter explained to him that he was a program, designed to be something like a butler for the house.
"Unfortunately me and Tony would be leaving soon for a meeting in Tokyo." Steve must've made an odd face because Ms. Potts spoke again "Felicity would be here, however. So she will help you with everything until we come back"
He looked at the young lady and she smiled at him. He smiled back. She was, well, she was a beautiful, smart, he supposed, girl. As silence spread in his room Pepper excused her and Felicity, telling him to get comfortable and that dinner would be at 6 pm because they were going to have to catch a flight in 9.
The ladies walked out of his room and left him alone. He didn't bring much. S.H.I.E.L.D have offered him a job. Because he had slept for 68 years and he didn't know what to do he took the offer. The gave him a suite in Brooklyn and told him he would be contacted if needed. Until then he had time to catch up. He didn't know when he was going to be needed but he hoped it would be soon, because right now, the only thing he knew how to do was fight.
He opened his suitcase and put his clothes on his bed. He had hard time until he managed to find the wardrobe because it was hidden in the wall. As soon as he did, although, he diligently placed his clothes and go for a shower. The flight was exhausting and he needed a little time to relax.
While he was showering Peggy flew in his mind. Back in the days, although for him was like last week, he was dreaming of sharing a shower with Peggy. He had a slight chance then, after they shared a kiss his hopes got up by, let's say 68%. When she agreed to go to the dance with him his hopes lowered down to 0. Not because of her, but because of him, crashing the plane in the ocean.
Jarvis' voice echoed in the bathroom and Steve jumped again. The Robot? No, not a robot. Miss Stark called him an AI, yes, it was indeed an AI. So the AI asked him if he was okay, since he's been in the shower for almost an hour. Steve said he was alright not knowing if it was loud enough for JARVIS to hear him. The mechanic voice apologized for the interruption and the bathroom was quiet again.
He stopped the shower and grabbed his towel. Steve stood in front of the mirror and looked at his reflection. It has been more than a year (actually more than 69 years) and he still hadn't used to his reflection. It was strange. Growing up skinny, weak and vulnerable he had been bullied, made fun of and didn't have quite luck with the girls. And now he was Captain Fucking America.
Could you believe that? He couldn't. Like he couldn't believe that it was 2011. Ad that he had been asleep for 68 years. He decided not to think about this anymore, at least for today. Or at least for the next hour. Yeah, maybe he could manage the next hour.
"If you would like there are new toothbrushes in the first drawer, Mr. Rogers." Came Jarvis' force again from the ceiling.
"Are you stalking me Jarvis?" asked Steve a little irritated
"Not quite, Captain. I have just detected your hard pounding unusually fast, so I decided to interfere." Said the voice again
"So, you just detect anything?" Steve asked and the answer was a simple yes. "So how many of this things you actually tell to Stark?"
"I tell him only if it's needed. For example, if you ask me I could tell him what you want, if you are in distress or any condition that may threaten your life I would tell boss and of if he asks me about you, captain Rogers, with your permission of course."
"Well, thank you, Jarvis!" Steve said and didn't know if he should say buy or anything like this. He decided it wasn't needed, because Jarvis was there anytime. A question appeared in his mind "Jarvis, if I talk to you and in the same time Tony talks to you would you have difficulties to answer us both in the same time?"
"Not at all, Captain. I have been programmed in a way that I could answer, for example, to a hundred people at the same time and still it would be an easy task for me."
"So Stark did the best he could?"
"Yes, boss did create me, while Miss Felicity had been updating me for the past couple of years."
Steve thought about that. Miss Smoak was really young, let's say something between 20 and 25. Was she really that smart? Steve guessed it should run in the family. Howard had a great mind, Tony should have that too but he was really impressed by his daughter.
As Steve was getting dressed he saw his sketchbook that he bought the other day. Why not? He thought. He took it along with one pencil and sit on his bed, faced to the window which revealed the beautiful coast line and the beach.
"Jarvis, I'm new to this kind of stuff but could you tell me where I could find a radio or something like this?" Steve asked.
"There is no need for a radio, Captain. I could play you whatever you want." Jarvis answered immediately.
"I don't really have an idea" Steve confessed.
"Maybe something on Boss' Playlist?" Jarvis asked. Steve agreed on that but the sound that came from the ceiling was mildly awful. The artist didn't scream, he simply shouted. As if Jarvis could read his mind he asked "Maybe something from Miss Felicity's Playlist?" Steve put a thought in that. It couldn't be worse, right? So yeah, he agreed on Jarvis' second idea.
The sound that came this time was soft. The music was slow and melodic.
In the dark, and I'm right on the middle mark
I'm just in the tear of everything that rides below the surface
And I watch from a distance seventeen
And I'm short of the others dreams of being golden and on top
Oh wow, Miss Stark obviously had a very different taste for music from her father. He liked that song. He watched the ocean as every word form the song flew to his mind. Yes, apparently this was true. They all were leaving in a dream. His being quite long – 68 years long.
It's not that she knew the guy but he seemed okay. Well, for a 93-year-old guy. And he was looking very attractive for his age. He was actually looking more attractive than it should have ever been allowed. She had heard the same things being said for her father but c'mon. Her father was okay; Steve was more than okay. Or she only thought that because Tony was her father. Yeah, maybe that was the case.
But, guys, seriously. Just stop for a minute and think about that blonde hair, and his cheekbones, and oh my god these eyes! Oh yeah, the blue perfect eyes. And this ass-
"Darling, are you okay?" her father interrupted her from her daydream. "You seem a little off" he concluded.
"Really dad! You were, actually still are, going to leave me with a total stranger and didn't tell until the guy was already here. Don't get me wrong, I don't have any problem with this person," Felicity paused only to stop herself from saying anything inappropriate "but it's still a strange person"
"Well, darling, he's not strange. I mean I used to tell you stories about him" Felicity rolled her eyes on that comment.
"I need to finish this thing before the dinner" she said and got back to her work.
It wasn't the problem with the person they were leaving her with, it was that they have waited for the final moment to tell her, just because they knew she was gonna reject their offer. Noting personal about Steve, he could be really good person, with really good ass, but still, he was a stranger.
They were basically leaving her babysitting him. That was. Yes, she was done so she decided she go to her room and take a little break. She told her dad she was going for a nap or something like this and exited the workshop. As she was walking to her room she asked Jarvis where was Steve. She decided of she was going to spend the next week with him she should start getting to know him better. Right?
So Jarvis said he was in his room, drawing. Drawing? Wow, she was impressed. So she headed to his room and when she got there she softly knocked on the door. She received a permission to get in so she did. The captain was sitting on his bed wearing a t-shirt that in Felicity's opinion should be banned. His muscles were way bigger than she imagined.
"Uh, hi! Just checking if everything is ok!" she said and approached him. The captain shifted and made space (which was totally unnecessary since the bed was enormous). She took that as an invite to sit and she did it.
Oh wow, the captain was really good with the pencil.
"Thank you!" Steve smiled and Felicity blushed immediately.
"I said that out loud, didn't I?" The captain nodded. She laughed "I tend to do this sometimes, please, don't pay any attention to what I say." and with that there was a silence. Not deadly, awkward silence, but comfortable. Maybe because there was a quiet music in the room. Oh, Felicity knew that song. She did not only know it but loved it too.
As if the Captain could read her thoughts (or because she was humming) he apologized "I'm sorry but I asked Jarvis to put some music. Since I don't know any artist or any song that came out after 1943 Jarvis suggested he could play one of your or your father's playlists. Sorry, but your father was a hard pass." He said obviously uncomfortable and Felicity laughed.
"Yeah, I could only imagine how awful that experience was for you. I was just checking you, you know, I'm going to my room now" she got up from the bed and headed for the door. "If you're bored or something you could always tell Jarvis to contact me" she said with a smile.
"You don't have to do this, you know." Steve said and Felicity frowned. "I um, kinda have super human extend hearing and I heard what you said before I come in the house" he said shyly.
Felicity closed her eyes and started thinking what she had told before the captain entered. "I'm not gonna be stuck with a grandpa for the next week" Oh God, was there more indelicate and rude person than her?
"Well, I can say I do know one or two men that were way worse." He then laughed at the face Felicity made.
"Look Steve, I really don't have any problem with you, you must be really nice person and all, I was just angry at dad and Pep for not telling me until the last moment." Felicity said and waited for the captain to say something. She thought it had been ages since he had opened his mouth.
"So, what were you saying I had to do if I'm bored?" Steve asked her and she smiled at him. She took his hand and dragged him in the living room.
"So," Felicity said when they got to the sofa. "This week you'll be a student. I don't expect from you anything but good attitude and fast learning." Steve became super serious for a moment and nodded at her.
"Yes ma'am!" She then couldn't keep it and started laughing. He joined her.
"Please, do not distract your teacher, Rogers!" she said and could see his face burning. She smiled and before he could apologize she started talking again. "We would start with let's say technology." She said and sat next to him. She then touched the table and the glass turned into one big tablet. Steve's eyes widened. "Yeah, you'll get used to it"
As Felicity started explaining how the first computer was created, then the first commercial cell phone when she finally started talking about this century. He showed him the phones and computers evolving throughout the years, leaving the techy things for now to herself, trying to not scare the captain.
"Do you have a phone?" she asked him. He shared his head for a no. "Good, let's make a list for everything we need to buy you. We could go to the town tomorrow. We would start with something primitive like iPhone or some Android, don't frighten" she said smiling at Steve's face.
"Miss Felicity, Boss asked me to tell you that he needs your help down in the workshop." Jarvis cut her.
"Alright then, tell dad I'll come and bring Steve as well." She said and stood up from where she was sitting.
"Felicity, there's no problem, if you have work I don't want to intru-"
"Nonsense" she said cutting his sentence "Come on, I'll show you the workshop." She said smiling and lead the way to it. Steve followed her silently.
"To come in here you'll need a permission, for example a hand print, but we'll get to that later." Felicity said and put her hand on the small screen neat the door. She entered and Steve followed, again silently.
"Hey, Rogers!" Tony said. "So glad to join us!"
Steve couldn't describe this with words. Actually the only way to describe the workshop was by telling he couldn't describe it. When they entered Steve's eyes widened, trying to understand everything that was happening downstairs. On his right there was a corner with a bar and a sofa with a small coffee table and a few chairs. Okay, he could understand that actually. Oh wow, there was even an Iron Man artwork on the wall.
Next to the kitchen were the Iron Man suits, placed in showcases on the wall. The first was oddly big and in Steve's opinion, a little ugly, the second was silver, and then the other two looked like the suits Tony wore today. In front of the suits was a circle of desks and, Steve guessed computers, although they were a little strange. Felicity had shown him how were looking the ordinary monitors, but these were different. You could practically see through them if they were off.
On the other side of this enormous room was the 'garage'. There were at least 20 cars, mostly new, although some of them were kind of a retro, every one of them with a number Stark and then a number. The highest number was 26 and then he remembered there were some parked outside. There were three motorcycles too. This made him thought how long it was since he last rode a motorcycle. Maybe he should buy one. Actually he should ask Felicity to help him choose.
Moving his eyes to where Tony was. He was sitting and in front of him there was a hologram of something that Steve didn't understand. Around Tony were scattered instruments and a few things that were moving independently. Aha, these were robots, Steve thought. Felicity approached her father and looked at the hologram. While she was walking past the robots they made a metallic sound as if they greeted her.
As Steve waited Felicity and Tony to finish their talk he looked around more. He decided to take a few steps and got near the motorcycles. He only observed, his hands in front of his chest. He remembered when he rode his motorcycle for the last time. They were on a mission. Actually it was his last mission before crashing the plane. And then he remembered what he had promised to himself. He couldn't be thinking about this, at least, not now.
"Steve, come here. I want you to meet someone!" Felicity told him. Steve approached "This is Dum-E, dad's first robot" She said and the robot did a sound. Steve thought it was its was to say hello. "And this is Daisy" She said, pointing at a quite similar robot, only this one had painted little daisies on it. Steve smiled "It was my first one" she said and immediately blushed. "okay, that came out totally wrong!"
Steve could swear he heard Tony made some noice. Only Steve couldn't decide the billionaire did it because he thought it was funny or because he was irritated. Felicity then showed him the computers and how they worked.
"So, I can see that Felicity had already started to show you how the world is working" Tony said. Still, Steve couldn't decide if his voice was or it wasn't irritated. "How is our student coping, darling?" Tony asked and before Felicity could answer Jarvis' had spoken
"Miss Pots wants me to remind you that dinner is ready"
"Yes, yes, we're coming!" Tony said
"NOW!" Pepper voice came this time from the ceiling.