Chapter Twenty

Kay returned to Steve's apartment through the fire escape window as he got up for his early morning routine. She saw him get out of the shower and she yawned, "can you call in sick?"

"No can do, one day is all I get after a long trip. Sometimes, not even that," he explained.

She walked up to him, he wasn't wearing a shirt and she felt her cheeks turn hot. She then turned to jump up to sit on the kitchen counter, "well, I guess, I'll just sleep the day away then."

He smiled as he walked over to her and leaned over to kiss her. She ran her hands over his chiseled body slowly before their lips touched. Steve kissed her hard and then broke it just as quickly as he went over to grab his shirt. She quietly watched each muscle move as he slipped it on, and said, "are you sure you weren't a piece of artwork made by the gods to distract a good warlord from her duties?"

He snorted, "how did your night go?"

"I ran into Dais."

"Oh," he said as he remembered her conversation about Dubai with him the night before. He appreciated her honestly as to why she left, she had kept it brief the first time she summarized her adventures with them. "And how did that go?"

"How do you feel about me having an identity?"

He pulled on his leather coat and then realized she probably didn't have an identity, or a birth certificate, or a even a social security. He slipped his wallet into his pocket, "I'm not sure, what I am supposed to think?"

"Dais says that you're a popular tabloid topic."

"I guess I am, I don't pay attention."

"Apparently, I am now too."

"Oh, I didn't think of that."

She paused, "so, Dais thinks it might be a good idea for me to have a public identity so people so conspiring as to who I am."

"Sounds decent," he said. "What does he have in mind?"

She blushed, "modeling."

He choked, "what?"

"He thinks that I need a really super public profile."

"For what reason," he asked. "Isn't the whole point to keep your identities secret? Hoshi has a enough fame on her own but lucky for her, there's a lot to be said about art."

She crossed her feet, "because, it would look odd. I was at Tony Stark's party the day Rowen was killed. If anyone should recognize me outside of our little group, and I'm some sort of clerk or tax assistant...its going to look funny."

"Good point."

"If I have a public identity to that extent, the cameras will be following me and no one is going to think a model dating Captain America is less than wholesome."

"And the cameras? I run into more of them than I care to as of now anyways."

Kayura smirked, "it will make going out on that date a lot easier than if I was mystery girl."

He put on a hat and glasses, and kissed her cheek before heading for the door, "I trust you, and I'm sure you trust Dais, but I don't know why you would."

"Dais may be an a deranged madman at times," she paused as he opened the door. "But if I'm certain of one thing, he would never let anything bad happen to me."

He nodded before he closed the door behind him, and smiled before he did, "dinner is at eight."

Dais appeared from the shadows, "he's so wholesome, I could barf."

"He's done his share of fighting," she growled and jumping down.

"And loving, apparently," he mocked.

She managed to keep her cheeks from turning scarlet, "I thought you approved of him."

"Among brave hearted, well meaning warriors, he's the best of the best," he paused. "I hope you remember is that even with a heart of gold, he still has blood on his hands."

Kayura yawned and poured some of the coffee Steve had left, "and that's why I love him. He keeps that good heart."

Dais laughed, "of course. Of course."

She rolled her eyes, "I'm allowing you to help me, not mess with our relationship."

"I'm not," he said genuinely. "Now, Lady Hoshi has an important appointment set up for you."

"Really, we're doing this," she asked. "There's no other identity you could think of?"

"No," he smiled wickedly, "besides that. You wanted to see Wilson, right?"

She nodded.

"Who would suspect, the sweet little Japanese model who's dating the wholesome 'Captain America' as a thousand year old Shinto priestess with a demonic armor who's out to make sure Wilson Fisk doesn't flush her other little demons out as well," he said.

She mumbled, "you're an ass. Kumo-san"

"Good to be working with you as well. Oni-Taichou-san."