Title: Gold Rush
Pairing: CaptainAmerica-WinterSoldier-FemaleOC (poly)
Reminder that Cassie is the same age as Morgan because when I started writting this I completly forgot about that little detail.
Feedback is always welcome.
Chapter 6
"How was Saturday? Had fun at your bosses estate?" Tessa asked me with a teasing tone knowing I would have a hangover from our night out and the fact that a seven year olds birthday party is not my definition of a good time. It had been four days since the party and I had gotten up early today so I could have breakfast at Tessa's apartment before heading to work. Hillary was already out, so it was just the two of us. I don't talk about my job to my friends a lot and most of them don't realize how close I work with miss Pots and mister Stark, but Tessa does. And she's observant enough to realize I might meet friends of theirs.
"It was a seven year olds birthday party, it was okay," I said and dragged out the okay. She grinned at me, knowing I probably felt like shit because of her. Why did she make me do those tequila shots before we went home? Sometimes she can be a sucky friend. I took a bite from my beagle and refilled my cup with coffee.
"Who was there?" she asked nonchalantly but I knew better. She was being nosy and wanted to know which Avengers I might have seen or spoken too. We all knew she had a long standing crush on Thor, but then again doesn't every women on this planet?
"Just some of their friends Tess," I said and she opened a bag filled with croissants and donuts. She really went all out this morning. Sometimes she reminds me of Monica from Friends: loves being the host and she can be kind of a control freak. She hates it when I call her out on it, mostly because she can't get back me by calling me a Rachel or a Phoebe, I'm not even a Penny.
"Would a certain supper soldier be there?" Tessa asked with a glint in her eye as she leaned back in her chair and held her mug against her lips. Her entire kitchen was filled with plates, cups, mugs and cutlery she bought in thrifts hops. She comes from a wealthy family, but she's kind of a hippie when it comes to her home: nothing matches and there's plants everywhere. How Hillary can put up with it is a mystery to me.
"Why do you ask?" I ask cautious as to why she was asking that. I didn't need her asking to many questions because she liked to pull strings behind your back to make things happen. She's annoying like that.
"I saw you talking to him at that club. Who knew Captain America went clubbing?" she said and added she thought he looked really fine. I'm not sure I would have described him as fine. I think handsome would be a more fitting term for the man. God why am I even thinking about this? I continued eating and casually mentioned it was his friends that had dragged him out that night.
"Still, I saw you talking to him and the other one with the smoldering eyes," Tessa continued and my hand stopped midway while holding my coffee mug. She had amusement written all over her face. I raised an eyebrow at her and asked: "Really? You are actually using the word smoldering to describe someone?"
"You know who I mean. Now are you going to keep dodging my question or do I need to annoy you some more?" she asked and placed her cup down and graphed another croissant.
"Nothing happened. I run into Captain Rogers sometimes at the office. We share polite conversation and that's it. He was just being polite last night," I tried to explain casually, but of course she wasn't buying it: "Sure, just being polite huh?"
"Oh come one! What would a guy like that even see in someone like me?" I pointed out and I felt annoyed she didn't believe me. It's not like there was anything going on. It was just that, polite conversation. He probably just did it because I do a lot for his friends, who happen to be my bosses.
"A gorgeous girl, with a smart mind and a sarcastic mouth," Tessa pointed out and I tilted my head at her: "I'm pretty sure he's looking for something else in his women."
"If he's even into women," Tessa mentioned and I giggled at the thought: "Exactly, maybe he likes other certain body parts more."
"Oh him and Thor together would be hot," Tessa said and starred out in front of her with a vague expression on her face: "I mean he and his buddy are rather close, who knows what happens in their bedroom."
"Oh my god, we are not having this conversation Tess! I won't be able to look them in the eye the next time I run into them," I laughed and Tessa was quick to notice I referred to both men: "Them? You mean you also have polite conversation with the other one?"
"He has a name you know," I said when I calmed down and graphed a donut as a dessert. I needed to head out in ten minutes if I wanted to arrive at work on time.
"And you know it apparently," Tessa pointed out with a smug smile and stood up to clear the table. Monday's are her day of so I didn't feel inclined to help her. Besides she would just shush me out of her kitchen, telling me I was doing it wrong.
"Yes, I know it and yes we have shared polite conversation and…" I tried to defend myself but I heard myself rambling as I spoke and I could feel my face heat up as Tessa looked at me: "And you're blushing sweetie."
"Am not!" I almost yelled and I knew she was right. I was probably as red as a tomato by now. Damn her and her perceiving eyes.
"Are too and becoming more crimson with the second. So what's he like, the other one?" Tessa asked as she cleared the table and I finished my muffin: "He's actually rather nice, once you see past his intimidating presence…"
"And the hair! The man needs to see a barber," Tessa interrupted me and I remembered the smile he flashed me while he walked up the stairs of the Starks house. God he was so damn handsome and he knew it. He was a little bit full of himself at that moment, especially when he noticed I appreciated his new look: "He has actually gotten a haircut this weekend."
"Really? Got any pictures?" Tessa asked and I remembered I took a few with my phone for miss Pots. I pulled out my phone and Tessa looked over my shoulder while I searched for a good one of the Sergeant. Her commentary as I scrolled threw my pictures was annoying. She nearly made me deaf by screaming out the names of the guests she recognized.
"Holy shit, he's gorgeous!" she yelled when I opened a picture and zoomed in on the man standing in the background with the Captain: "I mean they both are, but damn the man cleans up nicely. Why did he get it cut all of a sudden?"
"I might have told him too," I admitted and cursed myself for stuttering and blushing when Tessa looked at me with a raised eyebrow: "Hold the phone, you told the Winter Solider to get a haircut and he did it?"
"The Captain also told him to get one and I had a compelling argument," I tried to save face, but it was a lost cause. I felt my face heat up again and Tessa laughed as she asked me to explain my compelling argument. I coughed before saying: "That he was going to a child's birthday party and he looked like a homeless person."
"You did not!" Tessa yelled at me and nearly dropped her plate. I notted my head and laughed as I thought about it. It was kind of ridiculous now that I think about it. The man has walked around with that hairdo for…well ever since I first saw him at the office, but he cleans up for Morgan's birthday party.
"Want to hear a funny detail I found out, but you can't tell anyone else," I said when we both had calmed down and I had finished my coffee. I stood up and placed my mug in her sink.
"Oh shoot, this out to be good," Tessa asked me with greedy eyes. She loved finding out things about my job knowing most people probably didn't know about it. She's one of the very few people who know that mister Stark has a drawing of himself as Iron man dressed in a monkey suite. It hangs in his private lab at home. I don't know why he has it but he's rather fond of it because he sent me out to buy a frame for it. He was weirdly specific about what kind of frame he wanted for the drawing.
"The Winter Soldier knows who Harry potter is," I said and I could see my friends face fall: "Wait? How do you find out that the man knows that with just some polite conversation?"
"Oh shut up, it just came up and he knew who I was talking about," I tried to make it sound casual but Tessa wasn't buying it and she rolled her eyes at me. She filled her sink to do the dishes: "Do you think the Captain knows him?"
"No he does not," I answered before thinking about it and Tessa turned to me so fast she almost tripped over her own feet: "Seriously, you're just having polite conversation but you somehow managed to talk about Harry Potter? You are such a nerd!"
"I know, I'm pathetic, but that's it. Just small talk," I tried to defend myself.
"About Harry Potter."
"Oh fuck of, I'm heading out," Tessa rubbed in and I decided I've had enough. She was never going to let me forget this. Luckily she was the type of friend to keep her mouth shut about certain things and she would keep quiet to our other friends about this without a doubt.
"Enjoy your polite conversation Lexie."
"Shut up Tess!"
()
"Miss Taylor, you have a call," I looked up from my work and looked surprise at Thalia. Why was she being so polite? I looked around and saw Miss Pots was nearby so that explained why she was on her best behavior. She wouldn't dare call me any names if our boss was nearby, but it still caught me of guard that she was so respectfully to me. We usually refer to each other as bitch, twat and other colorful nicknames. It reminded me of the times I heard the Captain and Sergeant call each other names, but with them it was at least playful.
"Eum sure, patch them true," I said and took my phone from the hook wondering who would be calling and asking for me. Tessa would never call me on the company line or any of my other friends: "Taylor speaking, what can I do for you?"
"Good evening ma'am, I hope I am not disturbing your work," the voice spoke and I could recognized it was the Captain. I was surprised to hear him and a little flattered he'd call me. I turned around in my chair, away from Thalia who was probably trying to eavesdrop: "Not at all, what can I do for you good sir?"
"It's Steve," he said and I heard him chuckle. I liked the sound of it: "I wanted to thank you for taking care of the present for Morgan. She was very happy with it. How about I buy you a cup of coffee?"
Morgan's party was four days ago and I hadn't run into the Captain or the Sergeant since then. Not that I had expected to see them again. They don't visit Stark Industries a lot and seeing them so much last week was rather unusual.
"That's alright Captain, you don't need to bother," I said and couldn't help but blush when I realized he was technically asking me out. Although I doubt he meant it as a date. Just a friendly way to say thank you. I could hear Tessa's voice in my head saying 'polite conversation my ass'.
"I have to insist," the Captain tried again, but as flattered as I was I just didn't have the time right now.
"That is very kind, but I'm busy with the preparations for the Met gala in two weeks," I said and heard someone lay papers on my desk. I turned and saw Camille lay folders for the gala on my desk. She was eyeing the phone so I decided to cut it short. She already tried to hear me out about the car ride the Captain had given me last week and had only just started dropping it. The Captain wanted to say something but I was first: "I'm sorry, but I have to go. Have a nice day."
"But…" I heard him say but hung up on him none the less. As expected the evil twins asked me who had called me but I ignored them and focused back on my work. Luckily I didn't have much time to think about the phone call because I got swamped for the rest of the evening with Gala stuff. I'm pretty sure Thalia and Camille were going out of their way to drown me in work.
"Miss Pots, can I have a minute of your time?" I asked when I finally found an opening to interrupt my boss her work. She didn't look up from her laptop, but I was used to that: "As long as it's just one minute Alex."
"It's about Morgan," I said and my boss immediately looked up from her laptop and I had her full attention. Even when the woman was drowning in work, she would always pull her attention away from it when it came to her daughter. She might not be the best mother in the world, but she had her heart in the right place: "I planned a school function in your agenda next Thursday for Morgan. It's a Carnival to raise money for school trips. I tried to get Mister Stark free, but he has a meeting with the Japanese investors and I heard things aren't going so well, so I didn't want to post pound that."
"Oh no that meeting is vital. He actually asked me to sit in on it. Has Morgan said anything to you about the Carnival?" she asked and agreed with me about the meeting. One of my jobs was to also know what meetings were important and which ones could move around if it was better for the Starks their agenda.
"She mentioned it yesterday actually, but she didn't specify she was hoping you would take her. Maybe I can arrange a playdate for her and Cassie Lang," I suggested and I could tell Miss Pots hated the idea but as usual her hands were tied.
"I'll see if I can make it, but also make arrangements with Scott. Morgan's teacher called me again yesterday telling me she wasn't getting along with her classmates, so maybe we should stimulate this relationship so she has someone she can talk to that's her own age," Miss Pots said and looked at her phone: "Great I am running late! As usual and I still have to send out some invites for the Met gala."
"Go home Miss Pots, I can take care of that," I offered and she had that guilty look on her face again so I pushed it. It's not like I had any plans for tonight and my bosses were generous when it came to bonuses for the people who deserved it: "Go, I still have to get a few things done anyway, so it's not a bother at all. Besides if you leave now Morgan will be home from soccer practice."
"Are you sure it's not a bother? I already ask so much from you," she asked but I could tell she was very glad with the offer because she was already standing up and graphing her things.
"Not a problem at all, now go," I said and she left quickly, with the evil twins following her. If I was going to work overtime, I didn't need them breathing down my neck. I called Mister Lang and explained the situation about the Carnival. He sounded excited about it and so was Cassie, who was apparently standing next to him.
"Can we bring Anthony?" I heard the little girls voice.
"I don't think a Carnival is the place to be for him, peanut," Mister Lang said and we made the necessary arrangements, knowing full well that miss Pots wouldn't be able to attend if mister Stark asked her to sit in on that meeting with the investors.
It was late, very late when I heard the elevator doors open in the hall. Must be the cleaning lady coming to do her round, so I didn't bother looking up and kept my attention focused on the guest list. I nearly jumped out of my skin when a voice spoke: "You weren't kidding when you said you were swamped with work."
"Apparently so are you, being here so late Captain," I told the man and noticed he had his jacket swung over his shoulder and he was wearing a white t-shirt that was just a tad too tight, but I wasn't complaining. I bite the inside of my cheek as he walked closer and I could take in his form better. I remembered the hyena's thrusting after the man earlier and almost laughed out loud.
The Captain walked over to my desk with a smile and he placed a cup in front of me: "Since it's so hard to get some of your time, I thought I just bring the coffee to you."
"You know girls are taught these days to never accept a drink from a stranger," I said but took the cup none the less. I wasn't much of a coffee drinker, but I had a long day so I wasn't going to pass up this kind gesture.
"Well you know my name and where to find me, so I promise it's safe. But since I wasn't sure how you liked your coffee, I also brought a hot chocolate," he said and placed down a second cup and my eyes light up. Hot chocolate was one of my favorite drinks: "Did you get it at Starbucks or that barista shop down the street?"
"The barista shop, I don't like the coffee at Starbucks," the Captain admitted and I found it a funny little detail. He doesn't like Starbucks, who knew.
"Me neither and the barista makes a much better hot chocolate," I said and took the other cup. He took the coffee back and pulled up a chair to my desk and sat down. Did he just really bring me a late night beverage and he's staying for…polite conversation?
"And I prefer hot chocolate over coffee," I said and shook that question from my head. I was probably imagining things.
"Really? All I hear around this place is how much people need coffee to be able to function," the Captain said and looked around the office.
"Caffeine addicts. You should see Miss Pots other assistances," I said and took a sip from the cup. I'm guessing that Captain America wouldn't drug a girl, right?
"Tony drinks to much of that stuff too. No wonder he's always so hyper," the Captain said and I thought it was funny he would say something 'bad' about one of his friends behind their back. Maybe he isn't as overly polite as I thought he was.
"Oh I think that has more to do with him being a man-child," I said and the Captain laughed at my comment about his friend: "Yes, yes it might have something to do with that to. But don't let him hear you call him that. His ego probably can't handle it."
"Oh he's heard me call him that already. It's the reason Miss Pots hired me," I admitted and noticed he seemed a bit more relaxed then when I run into him in the lobby or the elevator or miss Pots office. In fact he was sitting a bit slumped in his chair and it looked rather good on the man. Less stoic and serious.
"She hired you because you insulted him?" the Captain asked and I continued typing on my laptop. I could multitask and I was almost finished with Miss Pots invites: "Because I was immune to his charm. I was one less harassment lawsuit she didn't have to worry about."
"I like to belief he's calmed down since he's with Pepper," the Captain said but I noticed he had an edge in his voice that wasn't there before. He drank from his coffee and the edge was gone as he continued: "He seems to be faithful to her."
"Oh he has calmed down, but the female population that roam this earth doesn't care and they are hungry for power and money," I explained and the Captain made a face at my comment: "Is it really that bad?"
"You should hear the filth I hear when walking through the halls. Not just about him though, they love talking about you too Captain," I said and he choked on his drink. I bite my lip to stop myself from chuckling at the man. He had a slight blush on his cheeks that I liked seeing there.
"Somehow I doubt that," he said and thanked me for giving him a napkin. He looked a bit embarrassed.
"My lovely colleagues are especially fans of you but I'm not going to go into detail about what they talk about. Wouldn't want to give you a nosebleed from all their dirty talk," I said and chuckled as he choked on his coffee again.
"You are just saying that to embarrass me ma'am," he said and I decided to let it drop. I had a feeling he didn't like it when you embarrassed him too much, even when it's in private. But the talk those two hyena's sprout is bad and strangely hilarious at some times.
"So what keeps you in the building at this late hour Captain?" I asked and finished sending out the last invites that Miss Pots had to take care of. Almost done for today, just finish three or four emails and make sure my reservation for the Stark couple tomorrow was okay. Mister Stark asked me to arrange something spontaneous this week for him and his girlfriend.
"I needed to see Tony in his lab about some stuff," he explained and drank from his coffee. I understood he couldn't say much more because it was probably Avengers related, so I didn't pry.
"Correct me if I'm wrong but you and mister Stark don't get along that well, do you?" I asked and looked up from my screen. I had been wondering that for some time. Captain Rogers always met him in his lab, but mister Stark would be late or go out of his way to avoid him even sometimes. And he always called him names, funny one's though.
"What makes you say that?"
"A couple of weeks ago he asked me to help him sneak out so he didn't have to see you," I admitted and the Captain raised an eyebrow at me: "Really? And you helped him?"
"What was I to do? He offered to buy me jewelry. I'm only a woman," I said dramatically and remembered he owed me for that actually.
"I thought that was a cliché?" the Captain said and finished his coffee. I took it from him and threw it in the garbage bin underneath my desk.
"Please, what girl would really say no to some free sparkly piece of jewelry?" I said and he chuckled at my comment. He looked at his coffee as he asked: "So what are you doing here so late?"
"Miss Pots had to send out some late invitations and I offered to take care of it so she could go home to see Morgan," I said and saw the reservation was okay. I graphed my phone and texted mister Stark about the reservation and that I cleared both their agenda's. I also remembered him that their anniversary was coming up so he might want to make plans with her on what they would do that day.
"To that gala thing you mentioned earlier?" the Captain asked and he didn't seemed annoyed that I continued working while we talked. Most people would get annoyed by it, ask for me to focus on them. My friends hate it when I check emails or make phone calls for my work when I'm with them.
"Yeah, it's one of the biggest events Stark Industries helps organizing so it's always a busy time for us," I explained and received a text back from mister Stark with just some thumbs up.
"What's the gala for?" the Captain asked and checked my emails. Two I had to answer, so almost done for today: "Bureaucratic stuff, it's a way to lure in investors and it's good publicity and a way that the Starks announce they are going to help some underfunded project."
"Will you be attending?"
"I have too. You think they can remember everyone's name? The assistance are on full alert that evening to make sure their bosses can pretend they know everyone and understand everything that's being said," I explained and remembered the stack of folders the evil twins dropped on my desk earlier. It was all information of the guests I had to know everything about. I can't forget to take that home with me and study it the next couple of days.
"That sounds exhausting."
"You have no idea. It's incredible boring to remember every detail about the people attending, right down to how many children they have, what their names are and anything else that Miss Pots or mister Stark could make small talk about with the guest to appear well informed about them," I continued and logged of. The hot chocolate was a very welcome beverage to warm me up and it gave me a little energy boast. I looked forward to going home and taking a long bath with a glass of red wine: "There, done for today. How depressing it is to realize that I will be back in this seat in less than nine hours."
"It must be a stressing job to be the assistance to someone like Pepper and Tony. Not much room for any personal time?" the Captain asked and stood up as I gathered my things.
"God no! My friends have to drag me out every now and then just to make sure I do something else then sleep, eat and work," I confessed and turned off the lights at my desk: "I secretly love it when Miss Pots asks me to do things for Morgan because it usually means I get off early that day."
"I still can't believe Tony Stark has a daughter," the Captain confessed as we walked to the elevator. We passed the cleaning lady, who was busy vacuuming. She smiled at us and I wished her goodnight.
"I think many people think that Captain," I said and pushed the elevator button.
"I'm pretty sure I said it's Steve," he said with a smirk. I turned my head quickly and asked him with a smirk: "I'm sorry Captain, did you say something?"
"You aren't an easy woman, are you?" the Captain asked.
"Now where would be the fun in that?" I asked with a teasing smile and the elevator doors opened. He held out his hand for me to walk in first. I was never one for old fashioned chivalry, but he pulls it off somehow. He pushed the button to the basement.
"The ground floor for me," I said so he could push the button for me, but he didn't. He turned his head to me with his million dollar smile and I felt my knees go slightly weak for the look he gave me: "A lady shouldn't take a taxi at this hour. I can give you a ride. I'm heading out that way anyway."
He seems to be heading my way a lot lately. I wonder if that's a coincidence or not. Maybe one of his friends leaves in my neighborhood. The Captain didn't let me ponder my thoughts for long because he told me smugly as he leaned against the elevator wall: "Besides you owe me for blowing me of so rudely earlier."
He looked so…casual. It made him look younger then he really is. How old is anyway? I mean if you forget about the sixty years being frozen. I liked that he was being a bit cheeky. I could tell he wasn't the type to really flirt with a women, just make small jokes and maybe a few cheeky remarks.
"You were interrupting my work," I argued and he chuckled. He tends to look at his shoes when he does that. A sign of embarrassment?
"I asked if I was interrupting you and you said no," he pointed out and I didn't have a smart comeback to that. He noticed and smiled because of his win.
"Don't be so smug grandpa," I called him out and folded my arms in front of my chest in defeat. He chuckled again and his eyes went down again. His casual demeanor was making me realize how handsome he really was. I mean I know he's drop dead gorgeous, but he always looks so well put together. Now his hands ran threw his hair, so it's not as neatly anymore and his shirt was slightly pushed over the waistband of his pants giving him a more less put together look.
"Oh shut up," the Captain said and I was genially surprised he used those words. Mister Stark has mentioned that the Captain isn't one for foul language and has told my boss on numerous occasions to watch his mouth. So I was really surprised he would use those words in front of me.
"You kiss your mother with that mouth?" I asked and he stopped laughing. He gave me a look and I raised my eyebrow at him along with a smirk. He wanted to ask something, but I beat him to it: "Mister Stark loves to talk, I thought you knew that about him?"
"Damn it," he cursed and looked at his feet, slightly ashamed. It amused me greatly that I got to call him out on it, so I chuckled and decided to mock him one more time before letting it go: "Do we need to start a swear jar for you Captain?"
The Captain sighed and let his head hang lower. I chuckled again and laid my hand carefully on his shoulder and leaned a bit closer. I had to swallow a lump in my throat when his scent hit my nose. Huh, the good Captain wears cologne. It smells nice: "Don't worry Captain, I won't tell anyone about these little slips. You're secrets safe with me."
"I'm starting to regret offering you a ride home," the Captain said and we reached the basement. The doors opened and the Captain held out his hand again to let me walk out first. I noticed thought that he didn't follow me and I turned back to him. I saw he had pulled his phone out and was looking at it. He looked up at me apologetic: "Excuse me, I have to take this."
"No problem," I said and let him take his phone call. Must be Avengers related. I pulled my phone out as I kept on walking. I had an idea in what area of the parking lot the Captain parked his car, so I knew what way to head. I checked my to do list for tomorrow and sighed. It's going to be a though day as usual tomorrow.
"I'm sorry but that was Stark. I'm needed at his place immediately," the Captain called to me and he ran to me to catch up with me. His tone was serious, all the playfulness of earlier was gone. I could tell something had happened and it wasn't good. Mister Stark would never ask the Captain to come to his penthouse. He's doesn't let many people in there actually. Without thinking I asked with concern: "What happened? Are they alright?"
"How close of an assistant are you to them?" the Captain asked and I thought it was a weird question.
"Close enough to have a key to their loft and be allowed to pick Morgan up from school. The only other person who is allowed to do that is Happy and the Parker kid sometimes," I answered. The Captain looked confused, so I pushed and asked what happened again. The Captain caved and explained: "There was a break in at their place this evening. Pepper and Morgan were home, Pepper had to deal with him."
"You're taking me with you," I said and he agreed with me: "That might be a good idea."
