a ghost's endeavour

by himynameisvaleria

*apologies for the long wait but I'm back in my country so here's an update. I'm working very slowly on the chapters, so I don't know how fast they will be in the future.

3.

"This is nerve-wracking," she admitted while she fidgeted with the hair band that she usually wore on the crook of her wrist.

"It's just Tony," Steve rolled his eyes, but there was an edge to his tone that made it seem like he was slightly nervous for the situation. "There's nothing to worry about and you look fine, because you've asked me ten million times."

She brushed her hair back again, and looked Steve in the eye. "But he's Tony Stark."

"And I'm Captain America."

She grinned. "Are you jealous?"

He rolled his eyes again, but said, "If I must admit it, yes," he joked.

"Oh, Stevie," she exclaimed dramatically and sarcastically, slapping him on the arm and fluttering her eyelashes at him as if to make a point, which only earned her the third eye-roll in the span of ten minutes.

"Am I interrupting something?"

The both of them looked up to see Tony Stark standing there smirking at them, and she blushed a bright shade of red. "Not at all—just playing around. Anyway, it's a pleasure to meet you, Mr Stark, I'm Hayley Song."

Stark grinned and took her hand in a firm handshake. "Tony Stark, but you already know that."

Then he sat down, shifting his chair closer so he was almost touching her, not that she seemed to mind—in fact, Hayley had taken to pretending not to notice, but still subtly responding to the billionaire's flirtations. If Steve had disagreed with the situation, he did not display this on his face.

"Do you want to give me an internship at your company, Mr Stark?"

Stark rolled his eyes. "It's Tony, and you can do whatever you want, no questions asked," he winked at her.

Hayley chuckled. "I don't think that's a good idea— I took commerce for one year and honestly, I hated it. But really, I do need an internship so yes, this meeting might be a ploy to make your acquaintance and then use you to get a job."

Steve seemed to crack a smile, meanwhile Tony Stark simply shrugged his shoulders and said, "Well, I'm not complaining."

As they stood up to leave, Steve couldn't help but notice that her outfit was obviously one designed to impress. Although for the month he had known her, it had been obvious that she was not shy when it came to showing off her lean and vaguely athletic body, today was one of the days that she really played up the sex appeal. Currently, she was wearing a top that showed off her (admittedly not impressive) cleavage, and a short black skirt that had two tiny slits up the side.

Uncomfortably, he realised that as much as he was admiring her body, he was also slightly irritated by the way that Stark was looking at her—and ultimately, how she was falling for it. Therefore, when he had the opportunity, he chose to take a mission while the other two talked about making plans to the Avengers' Tower.

"I'll see you soon, then?" she asked, smiling over at him still with Stark's arm over her shoulder.

Steve nodded curtly. "I'll call you when I'm done."

"If you can figure out how to get past the dial tone," Stark snorted, and when Hayley laughed, Steve felt just a little bit betrayed.

. . .

They had just finished a tour at the Avenger's Tower, and Tony was pouring them both drinks.

"How'd you meet Capsicle?" he asked causally, leaning across the counter, watching her take a swig from her glass of tequila.

She shrugged. "He's my former roommate's neighbour— I was looking after her flat and cat for her," she answered, before she took another gulp. "I don't remember how long it's been since I've had this much alcohol coursing through my veins."

"Your vocabulary is exquisite."

Hayley grinned, and leaned towards him. "Just my vocabulary?"

"Among other things."

"Well," she leaned back into her own seat, her confidence building up as she became progressively less sober and self-aware, "Really can't say the same for you, Mr Stark."

Tony raised his eyebrows, amused. "Really, Song? Is that what you think, hm?"

Hayley stood up, and grabbed his shirt to pull him closer. "Convince me otherwise," she whispered, and he wasted no time in closing in the remaining distance and pushing his lips against hers, mixing their choice of alcohol together in an embrace.

As she kissed him, tears stung at the edge of her eyes. There was familiarity in the way he moved, and she had noticed it—she had sought after it and she had revelled in it. Stark pushed her towards the elevator. "Is this okay with Cap?" he had pulled away to say, even though his hands were slipping underneath her shirt.

"I don't think that's really stopping you and we're just friends anyway," she replied, before she grabbed his crotch, causing him to groan.

"I'm sold," he groaned, and then punched at the elevator button, trying to get it to go faster. She grinned, and started to kiss his neck, to which he responded with, "God, Hayley Song, what are you?"

The door closed behind them, and after he stripped his shirt off, she giggled, kneeled down and started to undo his belt. Smirking up at him, she said, "Someone who's about to make you very, very happy."

*um, I rarely write end notes but, what the fuck are you doing, Hayley?