Steve's POV
"Is this everything? I swear you had more stuff in Washington..." I said standing next to Sam, looking into the back of his car.
"Yeah man, I don't really need much." He moves to grab one of his boxes to hand to me. "My time in the Air Force taught me that."
"Yeah, I guess you're right," Sam loads me up with another two boxes, "the war feels like so long ago, but almost like it was yesterday at the same time."
"I mean, you only woke up just over three years ago. And you haven't really had any real R&R. Aliens, HYDRA, murder bots." We start making our way into the facility, heading to the living quarters.
"I never really thought about it like that..."
Sam barks out a laugh. "Maybe you should! Go away for a few days, just find something you enjoy doing that isn't Avenging. Go to a beach. I don't know, but actually have a holiday."
I imagined going somewhere with Celeste. Seeing a new town, or country, visiting the sights and museums. "Hmm..."
"Maybe you should take your new lady." I look at him. "Oh come on, Steve!" He laughs. "There's no way something didn't happen after I last saw you, I can see it written all over your face!" He walks into his room, so I'm able to hide my blush. "Something did happen right?" He places his boxes at the end of the bed, turning to me with a raised brow.
"I don't kiss and tell, Sam." I say putting my boxes down, but not being able to hide my smirk.
"I knew it!" He points at me with a triumphant smile. "So what's the deal? You're going steady? Just a fling? Bit awkward if it's just a fling though, considering we're all starting the new recruitment of Avengers. But let me know what's going on!"
We start walking out the door to grab the rest of his belongings. "Uh..." I rub the back of neck, "we haven't really spoken about it..."
Sam looks at me surprised. "Really?"
"Well I guess I've never really had this... Peggy and I had a 'fling' I guess... but it didn't get the chance to go anywhere. And Sharon was only a few dates, we never actually went anywhere with it, because she moved, and we separated amicably. Any other women I've been with has been short lived as well. I would have liked to have a solid relationship... it just hasn't happened that way."
We'd reached his car again. "So would you like to 'go steady' with Celeste?" He asks, handing me another load of boxes.
"Yeah..." I say, "I think I'd really like to give it a go." I smile.
"Well, I suggest you talk to her about it. I'd like to think I know you well enough to say, you don't really seem the casual relationship type. I only met Celeste briefly, but she seems nice enough, especially from what I've heard from Nat."
"She's great."
"So I suggest bringing it up to her, because if you just keep doing... whatever you're doing," he awkward my laughs, me along with him, "and don't talk about it, one or both of you could get hurt. It's good to be on the same page, you know?"
"You're right... I'll bring it up sooner rather than later... I like the idea of just knowing where we're sitting."
"Ooh, where are you guys sitting?" Nat walks up to us.
"Steve was just telling me about his relationship with Celeste, and what their deal is." Sam says back to Nat, a cheeky smile on his face. "Our little boy is growing up!" They both laugh with each other.
"You guys... stop it... I'm older than both of you."
"Only on the inside." Nat piped in. "But seriously, what is the deal? Because those two have been all over each other since their date the other night. I even walked out into the hallway to see them practically going at it." She says to Sam, to which his eyes widened and looked to me in shock.
"Cap, you dirty old man..!"
"Honestly, I'd throw up if it wasn't so adorable. Seriously Steve, it's nice to see you so happy." She smiles at me.
"Thank you, Nat." I look at her, feeling bad since we haven't really spoken about Bruce since Sokovia. "I said to Sam, that I'd like to see this go somewhere with Celeste."
She smiled sweetly at me, which is rare. "That's really nice, Steve. Celeste is a really nice girl."
Hearing that from Nat, made my heart swell with pride.
Celeste's POV
"Oh, shit!"
I just turned around to see the chicken I'd been frying in the pan on fire. I instantly lifted my hands to put the fire out, but there was a flash of red smothering the flames before I could do anything. I looked up to see Wanda.
"I didn't mean to jump in, Celeste, but I wasn't sure if you'd use water. And water and hot oil don't mix so well." I didn't know that...
"Uh... yeah... thanks. It appears I'm not a cook..." I say embarrassed.
"Hey, anyone can be a cook, it just takes practice."
"I guess you're right. I've never cooked before, food was always provided, so I never had any need to learn."
"I can help you. If you'd like to learn? I wouldn't say I'm amazing, but I did most of the cooking when it was just..." Wanda trails off, I can see her swallowing, obviously thinking of Pietro.
"I'd really appreciate that Wanda. Thank you." She gives me a tight smile.
"My pleasure, Celeste."
"Okay, what is that god awful smell?" Tony walks into the kitchen, nose scrunched up.
"The odour appears to me as if a Bilgesnipe has just dropped dead." Thor says following behind Tony.
"A what..?" Wanda, Tony and I all look at each other confused.
"Oh yes, you don't have those creatures here on Earth."
"But seriously, what happened in here?"
"I had a fight with the stove, and the stove won..." I grumbled. Tony walked over to the now cremated chicken remains.
"Why is this amusing to me?" He points for the pan. "You can control fire!" He laughs.
"Listen here, weakling, I can also control the water within your body, so chill out!" I warn him.
"Okay, okay!" He raises his hands in surrender. "Sorry, Succubus!"
"Tony, what the hell?" Steve says angrily as he walks into the kitchen, Nat and Sam following.
"Sorry! I can't help it if you're knocking more than boots."
"I do not understand..." Vision now passes through the kitchen wall.
"Jesus!" Everyone jumps.
"Okay, let's move on. I can't cook okay? Let's get onto the the next subject, when does training start?"
"Not until later in the week, Tony mentioned running some tests on Vision, Wanda and your abilities. Just to make sure it's marked down." Steve answers.
"Okay, let me just eat my salad. The one thing I was able to make."
"Clearly, because you didn't have to cook anything." Sam laughs.
I give him a look. "You clearly didn't hear what one of my abilities are, Sam. Don't learn the hard way."
He gulps. "It looks like a good salad, Celeste." He says.
"That's better."
We all manage to eat something for lunch, before I get called to Tony's lab.
"This is a fire proof chamber, so I thought we could test how hot you can go, test your lightning as well as your ice and all that. Just run a few tests to see what you can do." Tony says, grabbing a clipboard.
"Alright." I'd already changed into my suit. "Any luck on the suit?"
"Yeah! That's some high grade material. But I'm already working on a new prototype. Another reason to run these tests. Just so I know how intense you can get."
"Sounds good to me." I walk into the chamber, Tony closing the door behind me. "Let me know when you're ready, and what you want."
We tested my ice, water force and my lightning. Turns out Thor and I had equal intensity in that regard.
"Okay, let's move onto fire. Let's just see how hot you can go. Ready?"
"Sure thing, chicken wing!"
"Alright, go!"
I light myself on fire instantly. I already know I have to go higher in temperature in order to fly, so I push myself hotter. I begin to levitate slightly, it's always been hard to stay grounded at this temperature.
"I can go hotter!"
"Please do!"
I push myself further, feeling the heat begin to stir in my core. I almost feel a bit lightheaded, but that's normal. So I continue to push myself.
"Okay, you can probably reign it in now!" Tony said through the speaker, sounding a bit worried.
"I can still go more!" I push myself further.
"No! Back it down!" He yells. I back it off completely.
"What's wrong?" I step push the door open, which is a bit hard to do. "Hey, why is this not opening?" I ask slightly worried. I'm not one for pranks. It's soon ripped open, Thor and Steve both holding onto it, both of their eyes wide. I look past them to see Tony's the same. I saw the outside of the chamber after I walk out, and it's all melting, a few holes in it. "Maybe not so fire proof after all..."
"You reached 4000 Kelvin..." Tony said.
"Oh shit..."
"What does that mean?" Thor questioned.
"If Celeste burned any hotter, she would have reached supernova."
"That doesn't sound too good..." Steve says.
"Well it wouldn't have been." I say. "If I burnt hot enough to reach supernova..." I trail off.
"Supernova is the temperature of the sun." Tony cuts in. "If she doesn't kill herself, she could set fire to Earth's atmosphere."
"Not to mention destroying most, if not all life as we know it." I add.
"So don't piss her off, Cap." Tony claps Steve on the shoulder as he walks past.
"For you, my lady!" Tony hands me a box. I open it to see black material. I pull the top one out, seeing that it's a suit with some surprisingly soft material after touching it. I see the Avengers logo on the shoulders. "Your new suits. Thank god we ran some tests, because I don't think I would have made them sturdy enough to withhold your scarily amazing abilities. You've got three in there. If you need anymore, let me know and I can make more."
I stand up, coming face to face with him. "Thank you, Tony. I really appreciate it." He must have seen I was uncomfortable whether to hug him or not, so he held out his fist for a fist bump. Which I returned gladly. I'm not really sure about hugging.
"No problems, Ace! It was a challenge, but I love a good challenge. Hey, what are you doing tonight?"
"I haven't made any plans..." I say a bit uncertain.
"Well, Pepper asked if you and Steve would like to go for dinner? A double date, if you will." I raise my eyebrows. "Unless... you don't want to... if you and Steve... aren't... dating?"
"Um... I don't know..."
"Oh, so you're casual? I have to say, I'm surprised Cap would be okay with that, but it's always the ones you least expect."
"We actually haven't spoken about it..." I feel a bit awkward... does Steve want to be in a relationship?
"Oh... well this isn't awkward... how about, you guys chat, and let me know?"
"Yeah, sure thing. I'll let you know either way. It would be nice to finally meet Pepper."
"She's been dying to meet you, so come either way."
We part ways, then I make my way to Steve's quarters. I knock on the door, and Steve answers shortly after.
"Hey." He smiles at me, before gesturing inside. "Come in."
"Thanks." I walk in, eyeing his room. It's tastefully decorated, while remaining masculine. I see a photo of Steve on his dresser, with a handsome man.
"That's Bucky."
"May I?" I ask, pointing to the frame to pick it up.
"Sure."
I pick it up, looking at Steve in his Army uniform from the forties. He has a bright smile, looking directly into the camera. The man to his right, Bucky, is just as handsome. I recognise his face, but his bright eyes and smile are new to me.
"You both look so happy."
"This was a few days after I found him. He was being held prisoner at a HYDRA weapons facility in Austria."
"Where you saved 163 men." I smiled softly.
"Yeah. He had been experimented on, which turns out, must have saved him when he fell from the train." I hear his voice break slightly. He coughs before continuing. "But we had been joking about our childhood, when he talked me into doing something stupid. Someone obviously caught it on camera, and I got this from the archives before they opened the exhibit in DC."
"Is the exhibit still there?" I turn to look at him.
"I believe it is."
"Good," I look back at the photograph, "because I'd very much like to go." I look at Bucky's eyes, crinkled from laughter. I feel my heart ache. I never got to see him this happy...
"I can take you, if you'd like?"
"Would you?"
"Of course. I'll just wear a bit of a disguise, it's hard to do anything when people want to talk to you all the time."
"I can imagine." I chuckle.
"So, not that I mind, but can I help you with anything?"
"Oh yeah! So, uh...," I place the frame back, "apparently Pepper and Tony wanted to see if you and I were free for dinner tonight." I say to him.
"Oh. Well I haven't made any plans." He sits on the end of his bed.
"So you're okay that's it's a..." I trail off.
"A...?"
"Well, Tony said a 'double date'."
"Why would I not be okay?" He looked confused.
"Well... we just haven't really..." my hand moves between the two of us.
"Ah... we haven't spoken about what 'this' is."
"No. We haven't. And I didn't give him an answer."
"Here." He reaches his hand out to me, gently tugging me to sit next to him. "I like you, and I try not to make a habit of... sleeping around. It's not really my style."
"Not really mine either... and I like you too"
"Okay. Good." He smiles as he sighs, as if a weight was lifted off his broad shoulders. "So, I would really like to give this a shot. If you'd like to." He looks to me.
"I think I'd like that too, Steve." I smile at him.
"Okay. Lovely." I lean in to give him a gentle kiss. "That's even more lovely" he smiles back at me.
"I'll tell Tony we're in for dinner." I stand up, heading to the door. "I'll see you later." I smile over my shoulder before heading back to my room.
"Honestly, he drives me insane!" Pepper laughed, before taking a sip of her wine. She'd just told us a story about finding Tony playing with his first Iron Man suit, and it exploding in his face. "It's like being with a 5 year old."
"Oh, I don't know if I'd say that..." Tony argued.
"I think you have a very skewed idea of what you're like to deal with, Tony." Steve chuckles.
Tony places a hand over his heart, mouth and eyes opened in mock hurt. "Celeste, back me up here!"
"Oh, I haven't been around long enough to make an educated statement." I giggle into my glass.
"And I thought we had something special..."
"You're just very optimistic." Pepper said.
"Which isn't always a bad thing." Steve says.
"There's the Cap we all know and love." Tony jokes, the two men touching wine classes in a cheers.
I just smile at the group, feeling a sense of peace.
"You okay?" Steve whispers to me, as Pepper and Tony are talking to each other.
"Yeah, I'm great." I smile over at him, which he returns.
"Are you two lovebirds ready to head off?" Tony asks, as he slips his card to the waiter.
"Yeah."
We make our way out of the restaurant to the valet, before sharing the car back to the facility.
"Thank you both for inviting us to dinner." I speak up from the backseat.
"Yes, thank you. It was a lovely evening." Steve adds.
"It was our pleasure! It was really nice to meet you, Celeste, and also spend some more time with you Steve. We haven't ever really done that before." Pepper says, turning back to look at us.
"Yeah, lucky you guys sorted your situation out." Tony says.
"Tony." Pepper warns.
"What? I'm just saying, that it would have been kind of awkward if they didn't figure it out."
"Yes, I'm glad we figured it out as well." I added in.
"See?"
"I think Celeste is too polite to tell you to shut up, Tony."
"Okay, my apologies."
I felt my hand be touched, looking down to see Steve's hand grabbing mine. I grasp his in return, looking up to him, seeing his adorable lopsided smile. Little did I know, Tony is seeing our silent exchange in the review mirror, a small smile of his own on his face.
Anyone pick up on my other Marvel (not MCU) movie reference?