They call her Human Torch! Chapter 36
Quick note- Someone left a comment about the timeline being off so I realized I cleared that off the first time I posted this story but not this time. Yes it's off because there's a lot I did with inserting Bella into the Marvel universe and that took time. The day by day time stamps are more for me to keep track of where we're at but this is fanfiction and I'm crossing marvel with twilight so timelines making sense is not really important to me or something that is ever going to make sense but this could be thought of as a different multiverse where things happened a few years later if that helps to read along lol I think it's clear that I am twisting all these fandoms to fit whatever I envision in my head as is the point of all fanfic I feel so I hope that clears it up or helps in anyway. Of course if my writing is confusing anyone on some details you guys can always PM me and I'll clear that out or change/update my wording. Also while I'm here, just wanted to say thank you for the reviews and for reading, I am so thankful especially to those who have come back to keep reading after months of not updating and years for those who are following from the first time I posted! You guys are awesome!
Tuesday October 13, 2015- Evening.
A few minutes later- Steve
I'm sure if I looked in the mirror I would see the stupid smile on my face. We were both still in bed and Bella's naked body was pressed against mine. The feeling was amazing but it went much deeper than physical lust, the intimacy of laying with my lover, with my soulmate, filled me with joy, almost so much that the emotional rush rose up in my chest and shot up to my throat, forming a knot there.
"Your heart is racing."
Bella nuzzled her face into my chest before getting up and smiling at me.
"I'm going to take a shower, wanna join me?"
I jumped up off the bed quickly and followed after her laughing frame. She still only had her underwear on but as soon as she turned on the water she leaned down and pulled them off. All I could do was stare, I had no clothes on myself so there was nothing I could do to hide my erection.
"Steve? Something wrong?"
I shook my head to clear it but I could feel a flush coloring my cheeks.
"I think I just found a problem with not getting tired.."
"What do you mean?"
"With the serum.. one of the side effects is that I don't get tired during battle, I never thought that might be a bad thing but now.."
I looked down at myself and she followed my eyes, looking down I saw her eyes widen in lust before looking up at me and pressing her body to mine and speaking with a heavy, sexy voice.
"Well, humans usually take longer to.. reload but, that is definitely going to come in handy when we do start having sex."
She smirked and got under the water but I was left speechless and even more painfully erect now, my brain filling with fantasy's of the future.
Bella-
I smirked to myself as I watched Steve, his back was to me and I took his shocked frame to my advantage to check out his tight ass.. I never saw the appeal of a nice ass on a guy but now, looking at his, I really wanted to bite it. He would probably freak out if I tried that though.. When he finally turned around and joined me I could see he almost looked uncomfortable as he moved around the shower. I had heard that erections could be almost painful to a guy if they tried ignoring it, is that why he is trying not to press against me? Maybe I could try giving him a hand job? What if I squeeze too hard though? A blow job is good no matter how untactful I am but what if a hand job is too simple after getting a blow job? Well I had to try anyway.. and I had to admit, seeing him so hard just because I was standing naked in front of him was turning me on big time. I lathered up my body and covered it in suds, knowing he was watching. When I turned I put some more soap on a cloth and rubbed it all over his chest, delighted when he closed his eyes in bliss, he had a small smile playing on his lips. I figured now is a good time as any, I reached down and held him in my hand, not as firmly as last time though, I figured I could work my way up in firmness, depending if I saw him getting into it. I didn't have to worry about him not enjoying it though because after the initial twitch of his hips at the surprise, I started stroking softly, adding more soap and lathering it up I continued until he roughly grabbed my hips and pressed his lips to mine. We started making out in the sexiest way possible, it was frantic, with teeth crashing and lip biting while he panted, getting closer and closer to the edge. I started using both my hands, still stroking and now cupping him with my other hand, Darcy was right, after 2 soft tugs he was starting to lose it! I felt his body heat on my skin and another part of me relished in the heat of it, it was inviting and I wanted to take it and cover myself with it, that was dangerous thinking though, taking a persons body heat would be killing them.. He kissed down my neck and bit down on my shoulder almost painfully as he grunted and exploded all over my hand and stomach. Suddenly I was glad we were in the shower and that I wouldn't have to swallow it again.. Maybe we should try that pineapple juice thing? Does that really work?
"Bella, I love- I love what you do to me."
I rushed all my jumbled thought out of my head and tried to focus on him.
"I love what I do to you too Honey."
He looked down when I let go of him and saw my covered hand and stomach, his face got bright red and he looked back into my eyes embarrassed.
"I'm sorry, I didn't think about.."
"It's okay Steve, really."
I smiled up at him as he relaxed and I finished washing the soap off my hair and body while he did the same. Having finished our shower, he led me out and shut off the water. I wrapped a towel around me and handed him one, all the while feeling his searching eyes on me. He led me to the tub and we both sat on the edge of it.
"What are you thinking about?"
I felt my cheeks start to smoke and for the first time, I really felt embarrassment in front of him about my mutation.
"It's okay Bella, you know you can tell me anything and I won't judge you for it."
I took a moment to appreciate how perfect the mating bond was that he knew exactly what to say for what I was feeling.
"I think, just the heat of the water, creating steam, and the heat coming off your body.. for a moment it felt so inviting, so comforting, for a second I wanted to wrap myself in it and absorb it into myself."
I looked down and felt my eyes get a little misty. Crap! This is the last thing I want to do in front of him after giving him a hand job!
"I don't understand. Why would that be bad? You said you feel the most relaxed when you let go and give into the heat right?"
"Steve, I can't take people's body heat, the human body has to have a core temperature of 95 degrees, anything lower than that and hypothermia starts to set in.. I can kill someone just from taking their heat. Before I was scared of burning you during sex, but n-now I have to be careful not to kill you? I just, I don't know."
My breathing picked up a little and it was getting harder to control the trembling of my lower lip.
"Bella, Bella, it's okay. You would never hurt me! I know you wouldn't. You didn't act on it, it was just a passing thought Bella, something completely natural for you. You have never to done it to anyone else before, not on purpose and not on accident. What makes you think it would happen now that you have better control? Besides, you know I was frozen for decades, I think it's safe to say I can survive the cold."
"You don't know that I won't hurt you, it could so easily happen! And no I have never gotten the urge to do it before but I am close to you so I still could on accident, if I get lost in the moment and forget what is wrong and right."
He grimaced for a moment before asking in a tight voice.
"When you.. had sex, with, you know.. when you had sex, you said you couldn't finish.. explain that. Did you feel the urge to take his body heat too?"
I felt bad that he had to ask these questions, I could see in his face and the balling of his fists how much he hated to do it or think about it.
"No, I have never wanted to take someone's body heat.. um, well we couldn't finish because when he.. broke through my.. you know.. I was a virgin so I had a barrier?"
He gave a tight nod in understanding with his eyebrows scrunched up together and his eyes narrowed.
"It really hurt of course, that part is natural but then my healing ability kicked in and it was one of the most painful experiences of my life.. my body was trying to heal itself and so I couldn't relax enough but I was scared that I would heal and have to go through that pain every time I had sex so I freaked out and I just told him to keep going. That was even worse, I was too tight and I was not.. lubricated, so him going in and out was.. it was horrible. I was fighting to not hurt him but my whole body wanted to burst into flames and protect itself.. my body temperature went up and he was dripping in sweat from how hot we both were, both of us because wolves have a higher temperature than mutants and humans. We just, we had to stop, it was really bad and we simply didn't have any romantic feeling for each other."
I felt a shiver run through my whole body and instinctively clenched my thighs together, remembering the pain. Looking up I saw fury in his eyes. I felt trepidation that it might be at me but his hand reached for mine and he gave me a gentle squeeze.
"I'm so sorry."
"What? Why?"
"That your first experience was so bad."
His eyes softened as he looked into my eyes but the anger returned as he looked away and spoke almost in a growl.
"I hate that bastard for hurting you that much. I would have never kept going if I had seen how much you were hurting."
"We both consented to it Steve, he did nothing wrong."
He sighed but took my hands in his and made me look deep into his eyes.
"Look Bella, getting back to what I said earlier, I know that you won't hurt me, not when we have sex, not ever. I know that you won't because I wouldn't hurt you. We have to remember that we need each other equally, I need you as much as you need me and I know you won't hurt me, just how I know I wouldn't hurt you because it's our first instinct above all else to make sure we are safe and okay. I don't think your mind and body are capable of losing yourself and hurting me just because of how aware we are of each other. Bella, you asked me to not be like Edward, you asked me not to treat you like a breakable porcelain doll. Now I am asking the same from you. Don't push me away, not physically, not emotionally, especially not out of fear."
I felt shame rip up from my stomach to my throat as I burst into tears. I felt hurt, shock, and anger all aimed inwardly at myself. His words were not meant to be mean in anyway but I felt them like a kick in the gut. Tears overflowed and I heard my own quiet sobs but I could only see his panicked face.
"Bella? Bella What's wrong? Are you okay?"
I sniffed loudly and took a deep breath. My voice was thick with tears but still understandable to me at least. I saw his confusion though and knew he didn't know why I had such a strong reaction.
"I'm so sorry Steve. God I am such a hypocrite! I am the Edward in our relationship."
I stopped talking and started crying again. Fuck! How could I be so fucking bad at a relationship so early on?! I was still in shock that I had just been compared to Edward but there was a sadness that had settled in when I realized it was true, everything I have been saying about hurting him was like I was copying his very same words. Steve held on to me but I couldn't find it in me to hug him back. I just wanted to apologize over and over.
"Bella, sweetheart I'm sorry, I didn't mean that you were acting like him, I just meant that you wouldn't hurt me, I meant you shouldn't be scared. You are not a hypocrite, you are not acting like him.. I know your concerns come from how much you care and I am not upset or mad about that. How could I be? I'm bad at this, talking and wording things right, but I didn't mean to upset you."
"No Steve, I realize now how much I have been acting like him and I promise I won't do it anymore, I'm really sorry."
"If you want my forgiveness, you have it, but in my eyes there is nothing to forgive."
He leaned down hesitantly to kiss me, thinking I would push him away but I vowed to myself I never would do that, I would kiss him back whenever he wanted and if he wanted to have sex anytime soon, I was going to stop putting fear at the forefront and talk through these things.
Steve-
Bella kissed me back but I still could feel how tense she was. The minute she started crying I knew I had said something wrong. I could still see how upset she was but I could also see her resolve. She got up and led me back to the room, going into her closet to put clothes on while I went to my room and into my closet as well. I was worried she was taking this too strongly but only time could tell if she was going to continue to be tensed around me. The thought alone made pain spasm in my chest but I could only try to bring her out of it if I needed to. One thing I knew is that I regretted telling her so casually that she was acting like her ex boyfriend, one I knew she hated. It was stupid of me to not think about how it would make her feel, I only thought about getting the message across.
I finished getting dressed quickly and took a deep breath at Bella's door. Once in, I tensed when I saw her sitting on the bed waiting for me with sad eyes.
"Bella?"
"I'm sorry. I know I already said it but I really am sorry. I hated the way our relationship worked and the way he made me feel so dirty and so wrong just for trying to take our relationship further. He just.. I understand what you are saying Steve. It hurt and it shocked me for a moment but I really do understand the message you were trying to get across and I'm sorry you had say something to fix a problem so early on in our relationship."
I hated to see her insecurities shinning through from what that bastard did to her. I went to sit next to her and reached my arms to her the same moment that she climbed onto my lap.
"There was no problem to fix Bella, it was just a concern I had for you, for our relationship. You know I have never been with anyone and I know that you have not been in a relationship in a while so we just have to remember to talk everything through. I have to apologize myself, I know how much he hurt you, I should have thought of a better way to get you to understand.. hurting you, just to get the message across should never be an option so I'm sorry too."
We shared a quick but meaningful kiss before she leaned her head on my chest and I squeezed my arms around her.
"Lets just move forward okay? I'm sorry I ruined the shower moment for you though.. maybe a repeat performance later might make up for it?"
I closed my eyes and held in a groan while pushing the sinful images out of my head. The thought of her hands on me again had me ready to go again but thankfully she was not sitting there and couldn't feel it.
"You really are going to kill me aren't you?"
She giggled and got up, heading for the stairs quickly a moment before I ran after her. We were about to cross the kitchen to get to the living room but we were stopped by Peter and Char in the hallway. Peter, who had been nothing but cheerful since I have first met him, had a worried look on his face. Bella saw Peter's look and tensed up before sighing and leading them back upstairs to her office. I thought about giving them privacy since it clearly had nothing to do with me but my worry for her and our new bond was too heavy to ignore so I followed quickly.
"Did you get lost?"
Bella quirked her eyebrow and gave me a funny look when I walked into her office and they were already sitting down.
"What?"
"I mean why did you take so long to come in?"
"Oh, I wasn't sure if I was welcome in the private conversation or not.. I can give you privacy if you want?"
Bella gave me the same incredulous look that was on Peter and Char's face, before she could say anything Char chimed in.
"Sug, you're mated, when we say we need to talk, that means you too.. we see ya both as one now. The rest of the family is getting there because mates are not a human thing but they are slowly getting there too."
Bella nodded simply and gave me a reassuring smile before patting the spot on the couch beside her. Feeling better I got up quickly and sat closer to her and put an arm around her shoulder.
"So, what's wrong Peter?"
"Nothin' in particular, I just gotta feeling while we were out hunting. Yah know my knower doesn't work in here because yah have us all under yer shield automatically but when Char and I got far enough away while hunting, I was able to get a thought of us in Florida 8 days from now."
"Florida?! What the hell could you guys do in the sunniest state of the United States? You wouldn't even be able to move around during the day."
"Well we don't know really, that's what I wanted to talk to yah about.."
They looked at her expectantly but she tensed up under my arm. She started shaking her head before talking.
"No. Peter, I hate doing that."
"Bella we only need 5 minutes."
She got up and began to pace with a guarded look on her face, she looked at Peter and studied him carefully with sudden distrust. He looked back at her and bowed his head slightly. What does that mean?
"What is going on?"
Bella kept observing Peter and he kept is head down so it fell to Char to explain.
"He is asking to put down her shield.. The first time she did that over the phone, we learned that when she turns on her flames, if her shield is off then it burns her. The second time she was careful 'bout it but if she got stressed or was under pressure then her body heat would sky rocket and feel uncomfortable, borderin' on painful, that and it can also dehydrate her because she can actually sweat when it's down."
I felt my eyes narrow at Peter as I remembered how she had to take down her shield after the battle with the Chitauri.
"So what you are saying is that you want her to be in danger by lowering her shield and making it possible to burn herself?
"Not to mention that it's hard to do, it takes a lot of concentration because it's not natural to take away my own protection."
I looked to her but she was still staring intently at Peter, her words being said in a sarcastic tone for him.
"It also lets Alice get reads on me."
"Only if yah decide to do somethin'.."
She glared at him before finally looking away. He relaxed instantly and I was even more confused. What did that exchange mean?
"5 minutes?"
"5 minutes. Any longer than that means I won't get anything, yah know they come randomly, it's not like with Alice."
She sighed suddenly and slumped her shoulders, she looked very wary and tired at just the thought of doing this but then a look of resignation came over her.
"Let's just get it over with then.."
Peter nodded gratefully and stood up with Char.
"We'll just go make sure the family knows not to interrupt okay? We'll be back in a minute or whenever ya'll are ready."
Once they were gone I pulled her to me and she relaxed against my shoulder.
"What was your little exchange with Peter? Did it mean something?"
She kept quiet for a moment before shaking her head.
"No, not really. I just wanted to know if he would still submit to me even though he was asking for something he knows I wouldn't do lightly."
"Submit? What does that mean."
She shook her head and sat up.
"Something I picked up from Jasper, from their day's in the newborn army's. It's nothing Steve, forget about it. Will you just stay with me? Please?"
"Of course, you know I will. Is it painful to lower your shield?"
"It hurts my head for a moment but it goes away once it's down. it's only painful if I am not calm, that's when my body heat gets too high for my unprotected body… it just feels wrong, it leaves me defenseless and useless.."
She looked away from me as she lowered her voice on the last words but I could see the fear and insecurities that she tried to hide in her eyes.
"Bella, you are never useless. Your ability is not what makes you special. You know that right?"
She gave me a small smile to appease me but I knew she didn't agree with me.
"You also know that you are never defenseless if I am with you. I would do anything to protect you Bella. Don't worry about that, just relax."
She nodded and took a deep, calming breath before smiling softly.
"That I do know, you make me feel safe Steve.."
She said it shyly and suddenly that it gave me the impression that admitting this made her feel embarrassed so I did not comment on it further but it did make me feel better. There was nothing a man could want more than to make his woman feel safe, even if she could certainly take me on in a fight, it still felt good. After a minute Peter and Char softly knocked on the door before coming in and sitting back down.
"Okay Bella, just 5 minutes, I promise."
She nodded and closed her eyes while gripping my hand in hers. I focused and once again saw the slight shimmer of air around her. Peter and Char looked at it with focus and relaxed once it was beside her instead on on her. Peter leaned back and shut his eyes while Char checked her phone.. at least I think it's her phone, it looks different from the one Bella and Stark have. I could see Bella getting more and more uncomfortable but I was not sure if it was because of her shield or because of the tense silence. I started running my fingers through her hair and saw a small peaceful smile grace her lips. She is so stunning, I had never met anyone as perfect as her. Most of the women that were attractive in my day seemed to lack kindness, they were rude to anyone that was not at their social standards. Very few women proved men wrong in their assumption that women couldn't be both attractive and intelligent, whenever I did see them, I found most of them intimidating, they of course had to be tough to not put up with any bastards that tried to put them down but with Bella, she could be intimidating if she wants to be but it was clear to anyone that knew her that it was an act, she was genuinely a caring person.
I looked up when Char's phone made a noise and glared at her when I felt Bella get warmer and shift. Char grimaced and whispered lowly.
"Sorry Sug."
"It's okay Char, it's not bad this time."
To prove a point she opened her eyes and smiled at her before leaning on my shoulder. Peter groaned and sat up as well.
"It's been 4 minutes, I'm pretty sure I would've gotten something by now."
"I can go longer Peter."
"No.. my subconscious is that much of an asshole that I won't get anything, just because I'm expecting something."
Bella sighed but nodded and relaxed fully, letting her shield snap back into place. Peter squeezed her shoulder as he and Char got up to leave.
"Guess we will just spend time in Homestead, Florida if my knower won't tell me which part of Florida we have to be in."
"Homestead? What's there?"
"Highest crime rate in Florida, easier to hunt.
She nodded in understanding but reached for her pocket to pull out her phone. She had a thoughtful look on her face as she opened up what looked like a calendar.
"Okay, today is Tuesday the 13th, if Thor is here then I would like to spend part of tomorrow morning talking to him about the world council and how he suggests me going about it, what I can and can't say. Then at night I want to fly to D.C. and stay there overnight so I can make sure I get to the Triskelion on time. After that I wanted to stay in D.C. for a few days while I waited for the councils decision but I can meet you both in Florida if we have to be there in 8 days."
What she said shocked me and confused me but before I could figure out what to say, Peter cut her off.
"Now hold on a minute darlin' I never said yah were comin' along."
"What? But what if it's something about Victoria? How are you 2 going to go in there without any backup?"
"I would've gotten a bad feelin' if I needed backup but I didn't get that. I need to be away from your shield just in case things go south and anyway, I only thought about Char and I there, that means you ain't meant to be there with us."
"Peter I don't like this. What could you possibly need to get done in Florida?"
"I don't know Bells, but we have to be there to find out."
I shook my head enough to clear it before opening my mouth, even then I know I sounded accusing.
"Why didn't you tell us we were going to Washington D.C.?"
Peter and Char took hold of each others hands and quickly walked out of her office.
"I honestly didn't give the plan much thought until now but I feel that is the right thing to do. I want to be there even a little early just in case and I want to be near them if something goes wrong or they need to hear from me a second time before deciding what to do."
She paused to take my hand in hers before she kept talking.
"Steve, I know our bond is so new and I'm dreading being apart so soon but I'm sure the family will keep you entertained. You could watch more of the Disney movies with them… just not Beauty and the beast, Tarzan… or The nightmare before Christmas, oh and no Ratatouille without me! Come to think of it I don't want you watching Toy Story without me either.."
"Bella! No, no I am going with you. I don't know why you think leaving me behind is an option."
She stopped talking at my interruption and softened her eyes on me.
"Steve.. I don't want to be away from you either but no one can know we are together yet. Not until the council gets the family's names off that threat list. I don't want them to see how much I care for you so soon and think you are a risk, or worst, try to use you against me."
Her eyes were pleading me to see her point and I could to a certain extent, if I thought about it, we are each others weaknesses now and we could be used against each other but that didn't mean we were going to hide out forever..
"I see your point Bella but I still want to go with you. Just because I walk in there with you doesn't mean that they will think we are together. We will just make sure not to hold hands or look at each other too long. It makes sense for me to be there. You took me in and are helping me get on track with things and you also asked Fury for my things. I want to be there for you, especially if you think things can 'go wrong'. Where you go I go remember?"
She relaxed her frame and smiled brilliantly at me.
"Of course.. Okay. Just.. If something were to go wrong.. try not to make yourself their enemy by getting possessive or overprotective okay? They won't understand why you care so much about what is going on with me."
"I promise I won't act like a possessive idiot like I did earlier with Thor but if they try anything to harm you then I will protect you Bella. You can't ask me not to, you know you would do the same."
She nodded and led me over to the computer on her desk.
"Alright, lets book a room now before the rest of the family tries convincing me that they need to be there too. We can stay a few days even. There are a lot of history lessons to be learned in Washington."
"Sounds like a plan."
"Oh, and Steve? I wasn't lying earlier when I said you were hot when you acted like a possessive idiot."
She smirked and turned back to the screen while I stared at her with my mouth hanging open.
A couple hours later Bella was serving up dinner when Jane and Thor stumbled out of her room. They paid no attention to our stares and simply sat down at the table. Bella got a wicked smirk on her face that made her look even more beautiful.
"My my Thor, you work faster than even Fandral! Your cousin would be proud."
Jane blushed while the table chuckled, Thor smiled back at Bella and nodded his head.
"I believe Fandral is incapable of teasing me at the moment sister, he is filled with dismay upon hearing of your union. He truly believed you would return to him and agree to share his bed."
Bella POV-
I felt the smirk slip off my face as everyone around the table tensed and stared at Steve and I. Steve said nothing, only tightening the grip he had on my hand under the table and narrowing his eyes to glare at his plate. It seems Darcy of course was the only one that didn't get it as she turned to me with an excited look on her face.
"Bella! So you did have hot warrior sex! Which one was Fandral again?"
Logan, Kitty, and Piotr, scrunched up their faced in disgust while Tony and Steve narrowed their eyes in anger.
"Fandral was the dipshit that was holding your hand when you were sucked up into the Bifrost wasn't he?! It wasn't enough that he had you there, he wanted to keep you there too. I don't think so Bella, you are not allowed to date any aliens!"
I rolled my eyes at him but hurried to clear things when I saw Steve almost vibrating in anger at the thought.
"I am not dating anyone! In case you all forgot, Steve is my mate, therefore, I couldn't go out or have sex with anyone else even if I tried, which I of course would not! Can we move on please?"
Jane bumped Thor with her elbow and he saw how tense Steve was.
"Worry not Captain! Sif and Hogun have put Fandral in his place and will make sure he does not intrude in your union!"
He grinned big and happily as if that solved everything. I grinned back at him but turned to Steve and squeezed his hand.
"Nothing ever happened Steve, he would just try to jokingly flirt with me but nothing ever came of it. He only kissed me once but I threatened to burn his lips off if he ever tried again."
That at least got me a grin from him.
"Did you really threaten to burn his lips off?"
"I did, you can ask Thor, he was there."
Thor nodded and tried making Steve feel better but again, I think he misunderstood..
"He will not be a worry to you Captain, Fandral understood Bella did not return his affections, he was just one of many men who recognized her as a worthy wife, he simply wished to lay claim on her before she shared attentions on any other, however it never came to be."
Steve grimaced but turned to me, no longer angry.
"So, you had many men fighting for your attention huh?"
"No, they only told me I did but no one ever approached me."
"Of course not, they be not worthy of Lady Bella's words."
I snapped my head up at Thor and looked at him incredulously.
"Is that why no one ever spoke to me first?!"
"Of course. You were a guest of the King and were staying in the castle, no one was to interrupt you with inquires unless you showed interest in their words first. Of course guards, Heimdall, Sif, and the Warriors three are an exception along with the court."
"Oh my god.. it all makes sense now! I thought every one was rude at first but then I figured out that if I started the conversation then everyone was super nice!"
I rolled my eyes and got up to serve seconds but messed up his hair as I passed him. Okay.. I guess now was the perfect time to tell them about going to D.C. tomorrow.
"Um, Thor, while you are here, I would greatly appreciate if we spoke one on one about what you and the King would like me not to repeat.. I have a meeting with the world council in 2 days, they want to know where I was and what happened, they still think I may be a threat to Midgard after being in Asgard for so long, they feared I was no longer in control of myself so they have placed my name as well as my family's names on a threat list."
He narrowed his eyes and nodded grimly.
"Heimdall has informed me of this. I will go with you sister! We will show them!"
"No! No, no Thor I don't think they would appreciate that honestly, but thank you. I just didn't want to accidentally say something that was not supposed to be shared.. not that I will repeat every single thing that happened but, you know what I mean."
Thor smiled softly and shook his head.
"Worry not sister, you will know what should and should not be said. In any case, Midgard is no match for our army, no information you give them will level as you said once 'The playing field'."
I laughed along with him at the image but stopped when I noticed everyone around the table looking a little offended.
"Right well, Steve and I are leaving tomorrow evening and we will stay there a few days to explore the history a bit and wait and see if we hear an answer from the council as to what they are going to decide. Peter and Char, when will you guys be leaving?"
They looked to Thor nervously and I realized they didn't know.
"It's okay guys, Heimdall can see all realms and so Asgard knows of the existence of vampires. I really didn't out you guys this time."
They sighed in relief and kept talking while Peter explained about his 'knower' and how he and Char had to be in Florida in 8 days. The family was left to wonder along with us what could possibly be going on in Florida and what could happen in the meeting. It sucked I couldn't strut in there and take charge like I did with the Volturi. I know they will probably have guards with heavy weapons to try taking me down if I try something.
We spent the rest of the night hanging out as a family and I was too happy to see Thor entertaining Kitty. She smiled back at him genuinely and not just to be polite. It surprised us while I served dessert and Thor once again kept complimenting me for the 'amazing nourishment' Kitty was the one who informed him that I wanted to invite him and his friends to Thanksgiving dinner. He sounded pleased when she told him what we did (eat a lot) and when exactly it was.
"I will speak to my father about gaining permission for my fellow warriors but I can assure you that I will be here unless we are under attack!"
I laughed when everyone looked concerned instantly. That was just the blunt way they spoke, always ready for battle and expecting one.
The time passed quickly and soon Steve was packing some of his clothes into my backpack since we were flying out tomorrow. We had been brainstorming all dinner long with the family, thinking of ways that he would be more comfortable in while I carried him. Tony finally suggested that I wrap my arms under his and cling on to him like a monkey, then I could light up my feet as usual and it could function like a jet pack. Steve loved that idea since it would allow him the illusion of having more control in that position.
"Alright, come to bed, I already told everyone we were gonna be locked up in here the rest of the night."
He smirked and crawled onto the bed until he was right in front of me.
"Oh yeah? And what are we going to do here for the next few hours?"
I laughed and leaned up to kiss him but broke it off and smirked right back at him while filling my voice with fake enthusiasm.
"We are planning our trip of course!"
He froze and looked shocked for a moment but recovered quickly and narrowed his eyes playfully.
"Is that how you want to play this?!"
We wasted a little too much time making out after that but I really enjoyed the confidence I felt coming from him now. It seemed that getting to know our bodies more intimately had calmed some of his stiffness. After a while he pulled back first.
"What were we supposed to be planning again?"
"Oh yeah, I just wanted to get your opinion on what kind of things you wanted to do? Washington D.C has some of the best museums in the country and the monuments are pretty incredible too, I know we won't get through all of them even if we stayed there 2 whole weeks."
"That's true. Well some monuments have been there since before the war but I guess I would want to see what kind of things we can do and how we can narrow it down."
"Okay good, that's what I wanted to do. let's look it up and we can read through all the things they have. One thing we do have to go to for sure is the Captain America exhibit in the Smithsonian."
Predictably he groaned and looked at me incredulously.
"I'm an exhibit? How?"
"Yeah Kitty told me about it opening up when they found you in the ice."
"Is it a good idea for me to be seen there?"
"No, it's not. That's why you can wear a hat or something. We can put glasses on with no prescription and it makes us fit in a little more."
He nodded and quickly we sat up while I turned on my tablet and hooked it up to the TV.
"Okay then are you interested in the world war ll stuff or would you want to avoid it at least for now?"
He stayed quiet for a moment but nodded after a minute.
"I don't want to avoid it, no. Besides, I think I will see some stuff if we are going to.. my exhibit."
"Aww we don't have to go if it makes you that uncomfortable hon."
I tried not to laugh but the grimace he did when he said 'my exhibit' was hilarious. I took out my phone and decided to make a list of all the places we would go to.
"First on the list, National Museum of American History. Great, what else?"
We started reading through the 'must do' names and the small descriptions.
"Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is nice. Realistically we can't do everything that is in the National Mall, it's too big. They have The United States Capitol, National Gallery of Art, National Archives, The Washington Monument, World War ll Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, and The Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. There is a lot more but that is what is most hit up in the National mall. When we are there we can actually see more around you know? A lot of stuff doesn't pop up on here."
"Who is Martin Luther King?"
I felt my eyes pop open wide as I stared at him in shock. Logically I knew it was after his time, the civil rights movement started in the 50's. Suddenly I thought about all the history that he needed to be caught up on and it seemed like it was never ending. Martin Luther King was also involved in a campaign against the Vietnam War too in his later years, how was I going to start about that? I felt like all history was connected in one way or another and now I didn't know how to explain it without confusing him.
"Bella?"
"Um, well, he was one of the leaders in the civil rights movement.. that was in the 1954-1968, it lasted 15 years and it was mostly in the south, it was social movements and groups of people who gathered and worked together with the goal of ending racial segregation and discrimination against black people. He is mostly known for his famous speech, 'I have a dream' it was very powerful and he delivered it in Washington. He played a big role in why there are equal rights now, although you still hear about discrimination and hate crimes but in the last years they have shifted less from African Americans and more towards Mutants."
He stared at me blankly for a moment but I could see him working things out in his head.
"So that man made it possible for there to be a black president now? I did wonder how that happened."
"He impacted a lot of people but there was more to it than that, there were groups of people dedicated to the movement, fighting everyday but he was known to organize marches and protests that were nonviolent."
I was trying to remember what else I had learned about him in middle school but I heard soft footsteps a few feet away from my door followed by a soft knock.
"Come in!"
Thank god Steve and I weren't under the covers, we looked innocent enough sitting casually on top of the bedspread. Kitty peaked her head in for a second before fully coming in. I could see her slight discomfort at seeing Steve on my bed but she still smiled at him politely and he smiled back before she saw the TV screen.
"What are you guys looking up?"
"What to do while in D.C. there are a lot of history exhibits that Steve could learn from."
She smirked his way mischievously.
"Like his own?"
Steve groaned and smirked playfully.
"Yeah she already told me. Can't say I'm too thrilled."
"Oh you guys should go to the Museum of American Art and the National Gallery of Art! Those are like on my bucket list of things to do before I die. I heard they are amazing."
I frowned at her use of words but my curiosity was peaked.
"I didn't know you were into art Kitty? And I honestly thought those 2 were the same."
"They sound similar but no they are separate buildings. I do love art but I suck at it. I've tried seeing lessons on my laptop but when it comes to technique, I can't get the hang of it. Not that it's something I would want a career out of."
She blushed under our stares and looked away.
"You know Kitty, I studied fine arts and worked as an artist for some advertising company's before the war. I'm sure styles and materials have changed but I would be happy to show you what I know about basic techniques. How to keep a steady hand, mixing colors.."
I was surprised to hear that actually, I knew he had to work in something but usually articles only covered his life after the serum. Kitty's eyes lit up but she still looked at him shyly.
"That would help a lot, thank you Steve."
My heart warmed when he smiled at her softly and she returned it. If they could bond even slightly over art then I would feel much less conscious about my relationship with Steve in front of the family. Suddenly a plan started forming in my head.
"Well Kitty, If it's on your bucket list then it hardly seems fair to go without you no? Would you want to come with us?"
"Really? I mean, I don't know.. Isn't this a bonding trip thing for you guys?"
I looked to Steve, trying to gauge how he felt about my sudden invitation but he didn't look my way, he smiled encouragingly at Kitty and nodded his head.
"She was going to go alone but I refused to stay back. It would be lovely if you would join us Kitty. I just don't know how I could keep a grip on both of you while your mom had her fire on.."
"Oh that wouldn't be a problem. I could ask Tony if we can use his private jet or I can ask Phil to send over a Quinjet to pick us up tomorrow. They owe me that much after making me go to headquarters instead of the New York office, you know the one walking distance from here?"
I rolled my eyes and saw them grin in amusement but I was still annoyed about that. I swear they are doing it to test me.
"Well, if you guys really don't mind then I would like to take up that invitation."
"Great, I'm glad to hear it Kitty. I'll arrange it with Tony and update the hotel reservation. Go pack light okay? Remember something that can fit in a backpack."
She rolled her eyes and laughed it off.
"Mom, this isn't one of your missions. We don't have to be ready to escape at a moments notice."
I tried to smile in a way that seemed reassuring but must have failed when she frowned and looked between Steve and I.
"Right? Is it dangerous for you to walk in there on Thursday?"
"It shouldn't be but I can't know what they are thinking. Nick said they feared I was under some type of spell like Clint and Phil were when Loki got to them. Apparently they called off an attack on me when they saw me kill off some of the Chitauri and Nick told them I wasn't a threat. I just want to be ready. Which is why I would rather have Tony's jet on standby."
She and Steve looked worried but I tried to reassure them as much as I could.
"It'll be fine, you'll see I'm just being paranoid. Go pack and tell Piotr you are going with us while I go talk with Tony."
She smiled at both before turning to go. Steve turned to me and flipped me suddenly until I was flat on my back and he was leaning over me.
"I like seeing how you are with her."
"What do you mean?"
"She looks to you a lot, I can tell by the way she looks at you that she is constantly looking for your approval and your voice gets softer, more loving when you talk to her."
I smiled up at him and we ended up wasting a little more time making out again. I let myself become distracted until Jarvis boomed over the speaker, startling both of us.
"Madam, Sir, Mr. Stark has requested I pass on a message."
"What is it Jarvis? And can you bring down the speaker volume please. This isn't how I had it set for my bedroom."
"My apologies Madam, Sir requested I deliver the message with the highest volume possible."
Steve and I rolled our eyes, of course Tony, of course.
"He wished to inform you that Miss Kitty has let him know about your request and he has arranged for his jet to be on standby from tomorrow, until your return."
"Thank you Jarvis. Can you set an alarm for Peppers room at 6 am? Make sure it's the loudest volume possible."
"Yes Madam."
Steve looked to me and smiled but it dimmed after a second.
"Won't he know?"
"That's why I said Pepper's room, not Tony's. They sleep in the same room but if I would have said Tony, Jarvis would have asked him to confirm before he fell asleep."
"You are a dangerous woman."
"And don't you forget it!"
Wednesday October 14, 2015 – Afternoon.
"Are you sure you have to leave already?"
"Yes sister. I will be with Heimdall and he shall inform me if you were to fall victim of an attack. I will also ask father about this 'Thanksgiving' that we have been invited for. Volstagg will be much pleased."
"Oh yeah! Let me give you the food I made!"
I had cooked all morning and loaded it up in Tupperware for him to take to Heimdall, Sif, and the Warriors three. I made big pans of ribs, meatloaf, mashed potatoes with gravy, mac and cheese, and huge baskets filled with chocolate chip cookies. I put it all in a multi-tiered tray and handed it over but Steve sneaked a hand into a cookie basket last second and had it in his mouth before I could stop him.
"Steve! I already made you guys a batch! Multiple batches actually!"
"Logan ate all of them!"
I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing when I saw Logan look up from where he was sitting on the kitchen table and glare at Steve.
"Tony ate 'em too and don't act innocent Mr. America! You've had about 30!"
"I have a fast metabolism.."
He gave Logan an innocent shrug but I could see the beginning of a smirk he was trying to suppress. Pepper and Kitty had been helping me to fill up the cookie sheets with dough while Darcy, Jane, and Piotr had gone to the store to buy more ingredients to make more but eventually Char and Peter went out to buy ingredients as well when it had taken forever to get some packaged up because all the men had gathered around like piranhas, just waiting for more to be ready. I did get a feeling that Steve got more comfortable around Tony today though, I saw him shove Tony out of the way to get the last cookie on a sheet and smirk at him while chewing. I could only hope..
After a heavy make out session with Jane and a promise to come back soon for Thanksgiving (which I did not realize was next month already!) Thor was sucked up into the thundering Bifrost. I sent up a prayer that the food wasn't warped or tumbled by the scramble of it, also that the food was up to their standards. I knew Thor loved it but I was nervous that Thor might give some to his mother and father and they might disapprove, or worse, god what if they get sick? Their systems aren't use to the strong seasonings and flavors!
"Shit!"
"I don't know if I will ever get use to the modern acceptance of cussing.."
I jumped when I realized Steve was standing right besides me.
"Sorry.. I know it's not ladylike, I've been trying not to do it in front of you but I didn't see you just now.."
He frowned but took my hand while we walked back inside from the roof.
"Bella I'm not judging you. I don't want you to hold back expressing yourself like you normally would just because you don't think I will approve. I understand things have changed and some words are spoken more casually then they were before. It's okay."
"I know but.. I mean I can imagine the displeasure that goes through you even just for a second.. it must be a turn off."
"Well, not necessarily. Nothing you do could be a..'turn off' but I do admit, I like seeing you take charge over a situation.. you talk like a sailor when you are angry but it sure is a sight to see."
He winked at me and I think I swooned. He is hot alone but winking and telling me I'm hot when I'm pissed off? No way anyone could tell me he wasn't the perfect mate.
"I'll see what I can do about getting angry more often."
Just then Bruce came around the corner to go into the lab, he raised an eyebrow and kept walking passed us as he muttered.
"Whatever you do to get angry just make sure you leave me out of it this time.."
"We'll see."
1 hour later- Washington D.C.
It took us less than 40 minutes to land in D.C. with the speed of Tony's jet and I was thankful but I knew it would have taken me less than 10 if I would have flown on my own. Once we got our bags the flight attendant let us know Tony had arranged for a private car and driver to be on call 24/7 while we were here. She gave me his card and introduced us to the older man. He took one look at Steve and seemed to fall over himself to shake his hand.
"It's a pleasure sir, you played a big part in my decision to join the army."
Steve had seemed uncomfortable at first but once he heard his words he smiled and agreed to take a picture with the man. Kitty bumped my shoulder and smirked.
"I never thought you would be the one taking a picture for someone else. I'm used to doing it for you and uncle Tony but I've never seen you do it."
"Yeah.. I know we all have heard the history of 'Captain America' but it didn't really impact our lives like he did for other people. Strange to see honestly. We have only gotten to know Steve the passed few days but there is another side of him that we are disconnected from."
She nodded while we got in the car but dropped the conversation once Steve joined us still blushing from the attention. I smiled and pinched his cheek teasingly.
"Where to ma'am?"
"Oh please call me Bella! We made reservations at The Hay-Adams."
He whistled and nodded before starting the car. After a while we passed the National mall and I pointed it out to Steve and Kitty.
"The hotel is less than 1 mile away from here. We can all come for an early morning run before all the tourists wake up if you guys want. Obviously just not tomorrow though."
Steve smiled quickly and nodded his acceptance but Kitty caught our attention with a groan of protest.
"No way, thanks for the invite but I think I will stay in and sleep. I've tried running with you mom and I saw Steve run on TV, there's just no way I could ever keep up."
We chuckled but I already knew her answer would most likely be that. We pulled up to the front of the hotel soon after and I noticed both Kitty and Steve stop walking when they caught sight of the building.
"Nice place isn't it? It's very historic, thought you might enjoy it and like I said, it is very close to everything good to do around here."
"Have you stayed here before mom?"
"Once. I shared a mission with Phil here to play bodyguards. We didn't actually sleep though. Come on, let's check in. I was able to update to a 2 bedroom suite instead of 2 separate rooms."
We walked straight up to the desk and were glad that there was no line.
"Hello, welcome to The Hay-Adams, how may I help you?"
"Hi, we have a reservation for the Federal suite with the additional second bedroom included."
"Of course ma'am, can I see your ID and credit card for confirmation?"
I handed everything over and started filling out the paperwork while Steve and Kitty wandered off to see some of the historic photographs on the lobby walls. Steve met my eyes across the expansive lobby and talked lowly knowing I could hear him clearly.
"This place was built in the 1800's, did you know that?"
I simply smiled back and nodded. I knew he had advanced hearing but it was not as good as Logan's. Still I think he could have heard me but I didn't want to draw more attention to us from the receptionist, she was already eyeing Steve's ass and she hadn't even seen his face due to the hat Jane got him. She recognized me for sure but she didn't look to care enough to call any media outlet, I knew that would change if she saw him.
"Alright, everything you need to connect to our complimentary WIFI is in the suite, press 1 on any phone in the room to call our 24 hour butler service or if you need to reach the front desk at any moment."
"Thank you."
"How many room keys?"
"3."
She scanned the cards quickly and efficiently and directed me to the elevators. I waved Steve and Kitty over and we got in the up to the top floor fast enough. We got to the end of the hall and the door had big gold letters that said 'Federal Suite'. We all stopped short once inside though, it was definitely a luxurious place and the 5 star rating it had were seen in all the amenities that were offered.
"Whoa, how much was this place a night? How long are we staying anyway?"
"Tuesday the latest. Next Wednesday will mark the 8 days that Peter and Char need to be in Florida so I want to be at home in case we need to go to them quickly as backup. Tomorrow I might have half day to go out with you guys somewhere but the meeting might go on all day, I don't know. Definitely From Friday to Monday we can plan whatever though. Here are the key cards for the room. Keep them on you just in case we split up."
"Am I staying here alone tomorrow or can I go exploring?"
I hesitated but sighed.
"I would prefer you stay here but you can go out if you want to. I'm guessing I can't convince you to stay too Steve?"
"No, I'd rather be with you. I don't think they will let me in on the meeting though."
"No, I don't think so either."
We spent the rest of the evening relaxing in the room and catching up Steve with some history that would be helpful to know before we go out and look around. Kitty got bored with that quickly so she started teaching him how to use our smart phones and her laptop. Steve let us know that when he became a super soldier, everything about him was enhanced, including his intelligence. We quickly saw why he told us that because it became clear that his memory was perfect for tactics, speaking languages, and everything else he had to learn once he became Captain America, he never had to be told anything twice, he remembered everything that was being said and what every icon was for, how the app store worked, how to open up the internet, how to connect it and look stuff up through different pages. It was like nothing I had ever seen before, he was a sponge and knew more than just basic technology by the end of the night. We ordered a late dinner to be delivered to the room and by the time we were in bed he fell asleep with my phone in his hand, looking up every timeline available for the 40's and looking up event explanation for things he didn't understand.
"Bella this is amazing! This just makes everything so much easier."
I laughed but before I could respond he had already fallen asleep. The first night I met him he had said he slept enough to never want to do it again but every night he still fell asleep pretty early. He woke up early too since we didn't need as much sleep as the rest of the family but I was just glad that the nightmares he went through before were not as intense or often anymore.
Steve POV-
I blinked as I came out of some flashbacks and took a second to remember why the wall in front of me was not made of glass like Bella's room. Closing my eyes I sighed and rolled over, pulling Bella closer to me to breath in her soothing scent but opened my eyes again and sat up when I felt her legs where her upper body should be. Looking up I saw her sitting with her back resting on the headboard smiling down at me.
"You okay? I heard your heart race for a moment there."
"I had the beginning of a nightmare but was able to come out of it before it got bad. Did I wake you up?"
I sat up and glanced at the clock, it was already passed 5 am.
"No don't worry, go back to sleep if you want."
She pushed her fingers into my hair and started gently massaging my scalp. For a moment I let the sensation relax my body but refused to fall back to sleep when I could feel something was wrong.
"Why can't you sleep? Are you nervous about the meeting today?"
She laughed lightly but moved to lay down on top of me with her legs tangling with mine. I wrapped my arms around her back while she propped herself up on her elbows resting on my chest.
"I'm not nervous, don't worry about me. I was just stupid.. to forget that I have super hearing and that hotels have single walls separating rooms from each other. There's just too much noise, too many doors slamming and too much snoring heard off in the distance for me to get my brain to shut off."
"You haven't slept at all?!"
"I have been dosing on and off but don't worry, you know we don't need much sleep anyway."
"Of course I worry, We are going to be here a few days, you can go without sleeping one or two nights but not more than that."
"I promise I'll get some headphones from somewhere and I'll fall asleep listening to music tonight. For now do you want to get an early start? There's an exclusive gym on this floor.. I figured we can use it just today and tomorrow we can go run outside."
"Sure."
Bella POV-
We were in the gym until 7 am and showered (Separately) by 8. I knew Kitty would still be asleep so when it came time to go I had to wake her up.
"Kitty? Kitty wake up."
She groaned but eventually I heard her get up and come open the door to her room.
"What time is it?"
"9 am. We have to go, the meeting starts at 10:30."
"Isn't the Triskelion like walking distance from here?"
"Kinda farther than walking distance but yeah, we just want to be there early.. even if they take their time."
"K, be safe mom."
"I know. I already spoke with Tony. If I am not back or have not called to check in with you by 5 pm then he is going to come pick you up okay?"
"What?! No way!"
"Yes, it's just me being paranoid remember?"
She frowned when I took out a stun gun and gave it to her.
"I know you have more than enough training with the school and I don't think S.H.I.E.L.D would ever hurt you but we are dealing with the world council so they can easily call in another agency.. I just have to be safe when it comes to you. Be safe if you go out, have your phone on at all times, watch yourself okay?"
"Thanks mom, don't worry, nothing will happen to me."
I hugged her tight and kissed her cheek before taking Steve's hand and walking downstairs to the car waiting in front of the lobby. We didn't talk much until we got to the impressive building, I knew Steve was nervous for me and slightly upset that he had to act more standoffish with me in order to make sure no one knew we were together.
"I will call you if we need to be picked up later but we can probably find another ride back or walk to the hotel from here Mr. Brown."
"Of course ma'am. I will be here in less than 10 minutes as soon as you call."
"Thank you."
He nodded and turned to look at the building while I moved to get out of the car but Steve pulled me back last second and pressed his lips against mine passionately. I returned it with as much emotion as I could but we broke apart quickly knowing that anyone could pass by and see us.
"I'm going to hate not holding your hand in there."
"Me too, lets just get this over with and hope the world council is not a bunch of assholes."
He looked startled for a moment but let out a chuckle as he opened the door for me.