Walking In The Moonlight

(Iris POV)

It's been 5 months since my attack, 5 months of knowing and being friends with Steve. Every time I see him I think he finally could be the one man in my life that's not a scumbag but then I revert back into myself and I just know that I am waiting for the other shoe to drop and when I begin to believe he's different and open up it will suddenly turn into fear, paranoia and suspicion. I think maybe this is what he wants, to pretend to be my friend and when the time is right he will show his true colors and do like some long con or something, I know I sound crazy but I have seen it all...and I just can't shake it. I've said it over and over again all men are the same, nothing will change my mind...but when I'm with him...I for a moment am happy, can't stop smiling, having the best time and he really has become one of my best friends...I don't feel alone anymore.

It doesn't help either that every time he smiles at me or looks in my eyes this intense energy pulls me to him that terrifies but thrills me all at once and makes my whole body quiver or the fact that I constantly have very exotic dreams about him that feel so real...and I yearn for them to be real! Does he feel the same energy like I do? No, of course not...why would he? I've been so damaged by my father and every other man in my life that I know I am not good enough and will never be good enough. My father told me every day that no one could ever love me, only he could...I guess he was right after all.

Steve and I have kept our movie night routine, in fact we haven't missed one week yet. It's the one day of the week that I look forward to the most, I get so excited when waiting for him to pick me up! We watch one of the movies on his list and sometimes we go to see a movie at the theater. I thought it was only fitting for him to see all the manly movies first like Die Hard, Rambo, Predator etc. Now we were in the middle of some 80's/90's classics. I also started to show him some classic t.v shows, we just finished binge watching Lost.

Tonight we went to the theater where they re-released Pretty Woman, I didn't tell him beforehand but I hate that movie, sure the acting is good but it irks me every time I watch it, I don't know why but it makes me angry every time. It's also one of those movies I can't seem to turn off when it comes on t.v, I hate it but I'm drawn to it and can't seem to turn it off, I end up watching the whole thing. We decided to walk to the theater tonight, it's a beautiful warm night and the theater wasn't very far away. We're walking back after the movie.

"That was really good." He said happily.

I did not want to spoil his fun, "uh huh." I just nod.

"What?" He asks, he turns his head to look at me.

"Nothing." I'm trying to sound nonchalant.

"That was not nothing, tell me what your thinking?" He asked again, he's starting to know me too well.

"It's just...I hate that movie." I confessed finally.

"Why would you watch it then?" He asked giving me a little chuckle.

"Because you wanted to see it." I told him, I notice a little grin on his face.

"Why do you hate it?" He asked intrigued.

"It's just so unrealistic, some rich man sweeping you off your feet, getting you away from your hooker life and she just happens to change him from being a self-centered workaholic jackass. In the real world after their first time having sex he would have dumped her back on the sidewalk and looked for the next hooker down the street and never thought about her again." I vent in one breath. "Sorry, I know you liked it."

"No its..." He's lost for words. "Iris? We've known each other for a while now and I've been too nervous to ask you...what did men do to you? What made you think this way?"

I exhale, "okay, you really want to know?" He softly nods his head. "Every man in my life has been a fucking asshole, every single boyfriend I've had has either turned into a cheating, lying, controlling prick or a stalker, every one of them promised and assured me that I could trust them and that they would never hurt me and look (showing how my right wrist couldn't reach back as far as the left) courtesy of my last boyfriend...I also see it all the time I work, men lying to their wives, hitting on me or someone else while their wives or girlfriends walk away, the amount of times they grope or grab me and they actually think I will fuck them just because they're being nice to me for a few minutes and now to top it off two bastards tried to rape me. So yeah, I stopped believing long ago about Prince Charming." I rant with my eyes heavy from trying not to cry.

There was one person I was leaving out but I couldn't bring myself to talk about him. The only person I ever told was to Greg. I hadn't even told Amber and Renee about my father, they knew about the rest...but not him. "Iris, I'm sorry that happened to you."

"Yeah...well, it happened and now it's over...after Ricky, you know (pointing to my wrist) this fucker I told myself I was never going to trust again, I was already skeptical with him but I was an idiot." I shrug my shoulders.

"You weren't an idiot Iris...but you shouldn't give up on people." He softly advised.

"Yeah, that's easy for you to say." I snap a little with an eye roll.

"No, it's not..." He blurts out and stops walking. "Before I became Captain America I was a 90 pound sick kid, they wouldn't let me join the military because all my health issues, I had so many problems they would just tell me I was ineligible on asthma alone...I was beat up and bullied my whole life, always told I wasn't good enough...I have been on my own since I was 18 with only one friend I could call family...I've seen a lot of ugliness but I choose to believe there are good people in this world, if there weren't then what would have been the point in crashing that plane or risking my life fighting aliens and robots?" He ranted in one long sentence. Damn, he's a good talker.

"You really believe that, don't you?" I simply asked.

"Yes I do." He confidently answered.

"...I wish I could...but I can't." I sadly confessed.

"And I told you the morning after we met that I was going to prove you wrong and it's not over yet...and it's working better then you think." He reveals, I just raise my eyebrows and gave him a confused look. "Yes, you know why? Because you told me about your past...and I know how hard that is for you...so that shows me you are starting to trust me." He finished with a smile.

"I..." I don't know what to say, I can't believe it...was he right? Oh shit, I did tell him about my whole...well almost my whole past. Damn, he is good.

"And the fact that we've been friends for 5 months now is also something, right?" He interrupts.

"...Yeah..." I could only reply. "...So, your one friend...is he still alive?" I ask after a few minutes, I need to change the subject.

"That's kind of a long story."

"I've got time, there's still a little ways until we get to my apartment, so please continue...unless you don't want to."

"No...it's just...it's hard to talk about him." He explained, "but if you insist." I just give him a soft and appreciative grin.

We continued to walk and he told me all about Bucky, how they grew up and fought together in the war, his guilt for not catching him on that train and also told me all he went through afterwards. He doesn't usually talk about himself very much or about his life before he crashed the plane and I normally don't even try to ask because I don't want to upset him or open old wounds but now it's nice to hear him talk about it, to let it out.

We get to my apartment, I am not really ready to say goodnight yet but I'm still a little shook from all I told him, I still can't believe I did that, what is he doing to me?

"Thanks for taking me to the movie and I'm sorry if I ruined it for you." I spoke as we're standing outside.

"You didn't..." He grins. "Thanks for listening to me."

"Your welcome." I gently smile. We just stare at each other not knowing what to say next, "...I'll see you later...good-night Steve." I began to turn around and took one step up on the stairs.

"You know Iris..." The sound of his voice stops me from going any further and I turn back around to face him and he moves closer to me, I'm almost as tall as him now. "I know one day you'll find the man that's worthy of you," he softly declared.

"Yeah until..." I start to protest looking down but he stops me by gently putting one hand on my hip and the other under my chin forcing me to look up at him.

"I'm not going to let you put yourself down...you are a beautiful, smart, strong, very sassy woman and none of those men deserved you...you deserve someone who will love and cherish you." He told me with such conviction.

"Yeah? Like who?" I simply ask never disconnecting with his eyes for a second.

I graze his hand that's on my hip and that makes us both look down, just realizing where it is, my shirt is lifted up just enough to barely feel him touch my skin with his fingertips. We look back up and his other hand under my chin moves to my cheek and we just stare into each others eyes and glance at our already close lips, I very lightly lick mine. He gently brings my face even closer to his, we both lean in and brush our lips against each other's, barely touching, I can feel his minty breath, our noses are grazing and my whole body is heating up. We're breathing heavier, my heart is pounding in my chest and suddenly the hand on my hip moves to my lower back under my shirt and he presses me against him and that makes me tingle all over and before I know it he's kissing me and caressing my face. His lips are so soft and warm, he completely has me frozen and I can't move or do anything! When I finally snap out of it I begin to kiss back and reach up to wrap my arms around his neck but he pulls away before I can and steps back to create some distance...it's very cold now. I'm about to reach for him to bring him back to me but he steps away too far.

"I'm so sorry...I better go...good-night." He quickly blurts out. "Oh...okay." Is all I'm able to say as he walks away.

I quickly go inside and lean against the front door, I'm so pissed at myself! Why did I hesitate? Why couldn't I move and react faster? I'm breathing heavy and touching my lips with my fingers, I softly bite bottom lip...I can still feel his mouth and body on me and I want more...much much more. I dash into my bedroom and take off my clothes, I put on my boy shorts that barely even cover my ass and a tank top to cool myself down, those other clothes just became too damn restricting. I lay on my bed just staring at the ceiling not being able to cool down at all, my whole body feels like it's on fire! I'm about to take a cold shower when my door buzzer suddenly rings, in fact it rings about 5 or 6 times in a row. I smile and exhale knowing exactly who it is, I don't even bother speaking in the voicebox I just buzz him in. I quickly throw on my thin silk rope just in case any neighbors are out in the hall and immediately open my door. Every moment I wait I grow more and more anxious, my body and loins dying with anticipation...damn why did I have to live on the 4th floor! The second I see him enter my floor I rush towards him without a second thought, the back of my robe floating in the air.

He doesn't stop walking or pause, he too rushes toward me. While we're walking we stare down at each other's bodies full of lust and eagerness! "Hi." I hear him whisper.

"Hi." I repeat just as quietly right before I grab the collar of his jacket and he grabs my face and our bodies and lips crash together, again without ever pausing. Immediately his kiss takes my breath away, I quickly drag him into my apartment by his jacket and he slams my door shut.


They finally kissed! Where do you think this is going to go?