Enchanted

Chapter Five

Back at SHIELD's headquarters Trinity went to grab her bag from her uncle's room, Steve walking with her since he needed to change too. She didn't think of it at the time but Steve had told her that Tony had been called away, something happening that his girlfriend, Pepper Potts, couldn't handle at the company. Which was odd because Trinity has heard of Pepper from her uncle and she can handle anything that is thrown at her–hell she's with Tony isn't she? So it was either something big that she needed Ironman or there was something going on that Tony needed to be and forgot.

At her uncle's door Trinity turned to look at the back of Steve, biting her lower lip. "Hey Captain," Steve stopped at his door and looked back at the woman curiously. "Want to come over for dinner? I'm making my specialty, spaghetti."

Steve smiled, chuckling slightly. "Thanks but I think I'm just going to go home."

Trinity smiled, turning her body and leaning her shoulder against the door. "You might learn more about modern day life when around my cousin and friends."

"Thank you," Steve started but Trinity interrupted him.

"I will walk into your room whether you're dressed or not and drag you," she smiled teasingly to him then, "Okay?"

Not knowing what to do Steve nods, Trinity smiling and entering her uncle's room. Steve stared where she stood before shaking his head and entering his room. He knew she would go through with the threat so he quickly started to undress. Hopefully she wouldn't mind a quick shower. Steve stopped in the middle of his room, blushing from head to toe. Images of them together entered his mind at the thought and he had to shake his head both physically and mentally to get his bearings straight. It looks like the modern world was starting to make him think differently of what he says–or in this case, thought–then from what he was used to.

Perhaps it wasn't such a good idea to go, especially when that other man, Stone, was going to be there too. Just thinking about him and the way he handled and touched her at the warehouse earlier was making him angry all over again. Taking a deep breath Steve took off the rest of his uniform, placing it carefully over his made-up bed before walking into his bathroom. It wasn't like it was going to be the three of them! Her cousin, that other man who was obvious the leader of NEST, and Phil was going to be there.

Steve sighs. Yes, it really was a bad idea for him to go. He wasn't sure how he can handle Stone touching Trinity the same way he wants to touch her. Oh, what was he going to do?

Trinity chuckled as she combined the noodles and meat together. They have arrived to her uncle's place not too long ago in which Trinity quickly started to cook dinner for eight. Her thoughts had drifted to nearly an hour ago when she entered Steve's room without knocking to see him walking out of the bathroom in nothing but a towel hanging low on his waist and another one drying his hair. He had turned complete red that Trinity gave him pity and closed the door behind her–not before getting her fill of the man. She yelled at him through the door that he had less than five minutes to change before she goes back in and drags him out as is.

To say the least Steve was out of his room as quickly as he could, still red. Phil wanted to ask what was going on when they finally arrived to the second basement but she shook her head, not wanting to embarrass Steve any more than he already was. Trinity was brought out of her thoughts when someone wrapped their arm around her waist then sliding across her lower back. She turned her head to see Stone smiling, placing a beer on the counter for her.

"What's got you smiling and laughing like a crazy woman?"

Trinity merely grinned and shook her head, turning back to the food cooking and grabbing hold of the beer. "Sorry Stone, my little secret. Why don't you tell me about what happened to being retired from NEST after what happened in Egypt?"

Stone narrowed his eyes but leaned back against the sink counter and drank his own beer. "I came back to the agency after Chicago in hopes to see you more–and I missed the whole action too, as well as the adrenaline and the Bots–but they shipped me to California while you went back to New York."

Trinity smiled and put down her beer before placing a hand to his cheek. "I needed to be close to my father,"

She brought her hand down only to have Stone sighed as he framed her face. "I'm sorry, truly I am. I know how much you cared for him."

Trinity held back her emotions, nodding, taking the jar of marinara sauce. "Thanks, I know you and everyone went to the funeral but I couldn't face everyone at the moment. I waited until you all left to say goodbye to my dad but I needed to be alone."

Stone rubbed her back as she stirred the spaghetti. "I understand, trust me I do, but we were all there for you, you didn't need to go through this alone."

Trinity was going to cry, she can feel it in herself, but luckily the oven dinged and reign in her emotions. She lowered the fire under the pot and stepped back to lower the door for the oven, taking the mitten from Stone so she can take out the four baking sheets filled with garlic French bread. She instructed Stone to help in putting the bread into a large glass bowl and covering them with the napkins so the bread won't get too cold before the pasta was done. Stone took the two large bowls and kissed Trinity on the side of her temple before taking the bread to the table. She exhaled ever so softly, closing her eyes.

Nothing.

There was attraction, flirtatious, and a playfulness, but there was nothing else. She liked Stone, he was a great friend, a great guy, and what the two of them have there was no words for it. She wondered if her feelings for Stone before had to do with a childish crush and her shyness not giving her the courage she needed to go through with something, nothing more. Trinity sighed, maybe she's just messed up with her grief and emotions all over the place that she still didn't know what was up or what was down.

"All right food's done!" she yelled, turning off the stove.

"About time!" Sam muttered, quickly being the first one to get a plate.

Trinity chuckled, shaking her head. The jerk of her cousin can eat anything and everything but never gain a pound, and was always hungry. Unlike her where she needed to exercise every freaking time she ate a lot of food. Feeling someone staring at her as she turned off the stove and looked to her left. She smiled to the shy All-American boy, his hands tucked inside his pockets, smiling back at her shyly. Now she felt something curl in her stomach–something that usually happened with Stone, but this time it felt…different. And she didn't even know the guy all that well!

"Hey Cap, mind taking this large pot over to the table, please? There's already a towel for you to place it on the middle of the table."

"Not a problem,"

Steve took the large pot and walked to the dining room. Trinity finished her beer and left the bottle on the counter before opening the fridge to bring out a bottle of red wine her uncle bought only for her a couple of years ago. Walking around the wall she smiled at the people already sitting at the table. Her family was there, together after months or even years of not seeing each other, and four new friend. The woman looked towards Steve whom was conversing with Will and her uncle. No, he wasn't just a new friend, he was something else….Trinity only needed to figure out what that something else was.

Placing the bottle of wine on the table, Trinity was about to sit down when the doorbell rang. She sighed and shook her head to Phil, walking towards the front door. She was already up, why make her uncle stand up? Opening the door–she really needed to start looking through the security peephole–and smiled at the woman on the other side, grinning from ear to ear and holding up a bottle of white wine.

"Rini! Sam told me what happened, I figured you wanted to drink a bit more tonight–especially with Sam, Will, and your uncle all in the same room as you!"

Loud courses of 'Hey!' could be heard from the dining room as Trinity laughs, motioning the woman in. Carly Spencer was a leggy blonde standing at five foot nine and every bit the Brit she was–direct and stubborn as hell. She wore a stunning red dress that reached mid-thigh and high neckline but the back was opened and bare all the way to her lower back. The black strappy three inch stiletto's complimented the outfit as her hair was curled and thrown over her right shoulder, her make-up subtle and no jewelry except the large ring on her right hand and the simple diamond engagement ring on her left.

Carly hugged the younger woman by a year, "I'm so sorry, darling. But if you would have come we could have helped you, you know?"

Trinity closed her eyes tightly as she hugged the woman back, wishing for everyone to stop trying to make her cry in public. "I'm fine, Carly, seriously I'm fine." both women sighed and pulled back, "Come on, I made spaghetti."

The two women walked into the dining room on the right, Sam having already placed another chair at the table next to him. Sam kissed his fiancé before introducing the three newcomers to her, Trinity going to the kitchen to grab another wine glass as she took the bottle Carly brought to put in the fridge. She was reaching on her tiptoes for a glass when she felt warmth spread through her back as another hand took hold of the glass for her. Trinity let out an inaudible gasp as she turned around to find herself staring into a chest. Looking up she blinked owlishly at Steve, who smiled sheepishly down at her.

"Didn't mean to startle you, Miss Trinity, I came in to help bring out another plate and silverware for Miss Carly."

Trinity swallowed, willing her heart to slow down–and it had nothing to do with having been startled. "Thanks Cap."

Steve frowned, tilting his head to the side just the slightest, "Are you all right?"

"Yes," she squeaked, Trinity clearing her throat. "Yes, and next time you can call me Trinity, none of this miss stuff."

"Sorry, force of habit I guess." Steve said with a grin, holding the glass to her.

Trinity licked her dried lips, taking hold of the long stem, her fingers intertwining with Steve's for a brief moment. Steve visibly swallowed and took a step back, having noticed just how close he was to the woman. Trinity smiled shakily, continuing to stare at the man out of time. Why did her life have to be so complicated and so confusing when around the two men?

"Thanks for getting the plate and silverware, I'll go take this to Carly."

Like a frightened mouse having seen the cat Trinity rushed out of the kitchen, blushing furiously from head to toe. She forced a smile to everyone who looked towards her, giving Carly her glass and letting her know Steve was getting her plate and silverware. She sat down at took hold of her own glass, grateful for whoever had filled it, taking a couple long slips. Carly narrowed her eyes at her with a knowing look as Clint and Natasha smirked at her, looking to one another in surprise. Usually Steve had an effect on woman that he wished he didn't have, but it seems that this time it was the other way around.

Trinity couldn't help but laugh at the sight before her. Both Will and Stone were in a deep drunken sleep on the couches, Will snoring like no tomorrow. They were trying to keep up with Steve in drinking, saying they can hold their liquor. Trinity, Phil, and Steve tried to tell them that the only reason Steve can hold his liquor was due to the experiment that his metabolism burns a hundred times faster than any normal person.

But they didn't listen.

Now they will wake up tomorrow morning and have a massive hangover neither of them probably hadn't have since their early twenties. Having already taken pictures of them from her phone Trinity turned off all the lights after Steve placed blankets over them and walked to the stairs. Phil's home was a two story house with five bedrooms (four upstairs and one downstairs) and three bathrooms, a large dining room that had a semi-large kitchen that a wall separated–minus the counter and open window, and a very spacious living room. The hallway was small with the staircase right in front of the front door.

Although he didn't need much space Steve liked how big Phil's home was. Maybe because he does have family to pick up the space, unlike him as he was all alone. Steve shook his head once the reach the top of the stairs, he needed to stop thinking about the past so much. But every time he was around Phil, and now his niece, he couldn't help but think about the past. Trinity turned to Steve with a teasing smile, the amusement of the two men in a drunken sleep downstairs going to last a very long time.

"The first door on the left will be your room for the night and the bathroom is that middle door in front of us."

"Thank you, and Phil, for letting us stay the night."

Trinity smiled, "It's three in the morning and all of you need rest–despite Clint leaving early."

Steve smiles shyly, "Yes, will, we all appreciate it. Have a good night ma'am."

"Trinity," she corrects him, "and have a good night too."

Before rushing to her room Trinity goes on her tiptoes and pushed her lips to his. She retreated to her room before Steve can act on it, or even be aware what just happened, staring after her with confusion and wanting. Blushing in the darkness Steve walks to hi room in a daze, wondering if that really just happened. Sure it's happened in his past when he first became this super hero guy, but it still didn't mean he wasn't experience whenever a woman kisses him. He can't go to Phil and ask him since it will involve Trinity, maybe Clint or Tony…no, maybe Pepper would be a better candidate to talk about then Tony.

Trinity was leaning against her door, a large smile upon her lips. Yes, the attraction between Stone and Steve were very different, but Steve brought on the butterflies while Stone only brought the goosebumps and the anticipation. She didn't know how to describe it–even to herself–but the bottom line was it felt right with Steve. Question was how does the man out of time feel about her? Trinity's heard all about Peggy from her uncle and how she and Steve fallen love during a time where there was no hope for the human race.

Then again their love even out lasted over seven decades, Peggy having lived for so long waiting for her soldier to return to her. But from what Trinity understood Steve never went to go see her, not wanting to relive the pain he continuously feels or the thought of how many years have passed to continue to plague his mind. Trinity closed her eyes. She was stupid to think that anything can happen between them. That the attraction was from both parties not just her. She sighed; she'll just have to go on and pray the attraction for Steve can be satisfied with Stone and will be come more than just a feeling.