Maria and Natasha entered the bar, the red head dragging Maria to the VIP section with a smile on her face. The group all smiled and welcomed them as they sat down.

Maria somehow got pushed to sit on the edge of the circle sofa next to Steve, Sharon on his other side.

"Hi," Steve said.

"Hi," Maria replied.

"I'm surprised Nat got you out Hill," Tony said from opposite her with a smirk tugging on his lips.

"Well Natasha's a forceful woman," Maria said.

"Yeah she is," Tony commented.

"No," Natasha warned and Tony shrugged, pulling Pepper closer towards him.

"I'm going to get a drink," Maria said, quickly standing up and leaving the group to their chatter.

She made her way to the bar and ordered a scotch, neat. She rested against the bar, waiting, when she felt a hand slip around her waist. About the turn around and punch the guy behind her the familiar voice stopped her.

"Hey Mar, long time no see," the voice behind her said. She slowly turned her head to look at him.

"Charlie?" She asked before pulling him into a hug. "How have you been?" Maria asked him, a smile forming on her lips.

"I've been good, you?" Charlie asked.

"Good too," Maria lied and Charlie scoffed.

"Well that's a lie," he commented. "Let me buy you a drink," he offered and Maria shook her head.

"I've already paid but you can get the next one," she said and Charlie raised an eyebrow.

"So you're going to allow me to stick around?" He asked, a playful smirk on his lips. Maria rolled her eyes before turning to grab her scotch.

"Let's go catch up," Charlie said, grabbing a beer and leading her to a sofa in the corner of the room, opposite where the group of Avengers sat.

"So, honestly, how have you been? The last time I saw you was when..." Charlie wondered off.

"When we broke up," Maria finished.

She had done it.

It was when they were both eighteen, she was off to join the marine corps, leaving him behind. She had to admit they had been long time friends before they got together, him being her first and last real relationship. They were just too much for her to handle in her busy life.

"I'm good," Maria told him. "Honestly," she added and Charlie nodded.

"Ok, ok," Charlie said, "I just want to make sure, I hate seeing you hurt Mar," he said and Maria nodded.

"I know," she commented before taking a sip of her drink. Charlie placed an arm up on the back of the sofa so it came to touch Maria's shoulder.

"After everything we've been through you know you can trust me," Charlie said and Maria nodded.

Memories for their year together rushed back, hitting her like an ocean wave. She remembered him sneaking her out of her house after her father had had a little too much to drink and got carried away with his beating that night. How he had cared for her too much, making her feel trapped. She wasn't good at relationships. She hadn't been around any that had lasted.

Steve glanced up from looking at his beer and into the crowd. He spotted Maria in seconds. Something about her shone through, catching his eye every time. It was like the sun radiated from her, catching Steve's breath each time he looked at her.

He was happy, he forced himself to think as Sharon's laughter rang in his ears, Stark grinning from ear to ear. Steve's eyes however didn't tear away from Maria as he watched her laughed slightly, placing her hand on a man's leg she was sat with.
Something in him, something deep down, suddenly erupted from him. His heart beating faster and his mind rushing.

Who was that guy?

Jealously was just one of the emotions that swirled around within him.

He forced his eyes to look away, reminding himself that she was free to be with whoever she chooses. Just like he had done.

Looking to his right at Sharon, he regretted his actions. He had asked her out. He had been the one to make a move to then realise he didn't mean to. The pain he is going to cause her when she realises he doesn't love her, not truly love her. Loves her as a friend, the way he loves Natasha. But there was nothing more. Not like the feelings that were growing for Maria.

He took a deep breath, lowering his eyes from Sharon back to his beer. The liquid warming as he held the bottle tightly, his heat radiating to the beer.

Maria laughed at Charlie's comment, a hand landing innocently on his thigh. She wasn't looking for anything tonight, didn't want to restart a relationship that she knew was bound to end again. She slowly removed her hand to not cause any tension.

"Anyway, were you working now after S.H.I.E.L.D blew up?" Charlie asked, remembering the news last year.

"Technical it didn't blow up and I'm working at a world security company," Maria told him, lying only slightly. She was working in keeping world security... Just with the Avengers as well.

"Check you out," Charlie smirked and Maria rolled her eyes.

"What about you?" Maria asked him.

"I passed the bar two months ago."

"You're a lawyer?" Maria asked a little shocked.

"Yep, so if you ever murder someone just call me up," Charlie joked.

"Is that a way of giving me your number?" Maria asked him and he smirked.

"Only if you want it," he said. Maria glanced up at the group of avengers seeing them laugh, Sharon's arm around Steve's waist.

She turned back to look at Charlie.

Maria knew it was a mistake. Knew that in the morning she would regret it, badly. She knew hooking up with an ex was always a bad idea. She didn't know if it was the booze, the emotions that had been building up through the week or the atmosphere of the bar but what she did next she regretted the second she did it.

However she didn't stop.

Charlie leaned forward and kissed her on the lips. Maria moved closer to him, fingers locking into his curly brown hair. He's hand slid up her thigh and to her waist.

"If I knew we end up doing this I would have brought mints," Charlie's said as they pulled apart.

"Mine or yours?" Maria questioned about who's breath smelt.

"Both," Charlie said nodding to the drinks.

"Come back to mine?" He asked.

"You don't have to ask me twice," she said before they slipped out from the couch and to the door.

Natasha noticed it. Out of the group she was the only one to notice it. The way Steve's eyes were transfixed on this one spot, the way his hand tightened around his beer bottle. She knew it was going to happen before he did.

The glass smashed and the beer went all over him and the sofa. Natasha quickly jumped up,

"I'll get another round. Steve," she said and he looked up at her. She gestured for him to come with her and he did.

They made their way to the bar in silence as Sharon and Clint cleaned but his mess. Natasha ordered the next round before turning to Steve. She punched him in the arm and he flinched.

"What was that for?" Steve asked, slightly offended.

"For being an idiot," Natasha said before punching him again.

"Ouch," Steve said, grabbing his arm and pulling away from her.

"And that was for Maria but she isn't here so," Nat explained. "You're both being stupid right now. You like her she likes you, yet you're both with the wrong people," Natasha said, glancing to where Maria and Charlie were walking out of the bar.

"You told me to ask Sharon out," Steve said, not actually meaning to blame Natasha but it sounded like he was.

"That was before I knew you liked Maria," Natasha defended herself. "If I had know I would have never suggested Sharon and told you to go after Maria. Sharon would be better with Sam," Natasha told him.

"Match maker Romanoff," Steve commented, rolling his eyes and leaning onto the bar. Natasha punched him again.

"That was for being a dick just then," she explained as Steve gave her a look.

"Sorry, language," Natasha teased.

"Look Natasha, I don't want to talk about it ok," Steve said, and thanked the bartender as he placed their order on the bar.

"Oh really, you clearly can't control your emotions," Nat said, commenting about the smashed beer bottle and his bleeding hand from where the glass had cut him.

"I'm fine," Steve said and Natasha rolled her eyes once more.

"I'll believe it when I see it," Nat said and grabbed three of the six beers they had ordered. "Just don't fuck thinks up Steve," she said before making her way back to the sofa's.
Steve watched her sit down and hand the two other beers to Clint and Pepper. His eyes moved, landing onto Sharon, her hair flowing down her back. How her smile warmed his heart...

He had to get Maria off of his mind. Sharon was great, she was prefect for him.
Yet the thought of Maria, taking the stranger home. How that man would get to touch her, get to run his hands through her brown hair, get to kiss her neck. How the stranger got to make her feel things he would probable never get to make her feel. How the guy got to make her moan and be out of breath underneath him.

Steve coughed before shifting slightly, a red blush crawling it's way up his neck and face. He had imagined himself doing those things to Maria but the thought of another guy doing it...

He clenched the beer bottles before walking back over to the table, wishing again that he could get drunk, maybe Thor still had some of the Asgardian alcohol back at the tower.

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