Thank you for all the reviews. Sorry that I haven't written any individual thanks in this chapter. I'll be placing those in the next chapter which I'll publish sometime this week ^^. This chapter was supposed to be longer but I decided splitting them is best ;). Let me know what you think! :D
xx
SSC
Steve woke up surprisingly late that morning. 7 am to be precise. Usually he was up by five, sometime even earlier than that, when he struggled to glide into sleep.
He had a dreamless sleep, the ones he usually preferred but was gifted rarely. He was in a better mood that most days and happily went about his usual tasks. Steve wanted to go for a run so he decided to slip into his jogging pants and grey t-shirt. He headed over to his work table, just beside his breakfast bar.
He sat heavily on the chair, opened up his laptop and turned on the machine. He waited for the system to start up so he could check his email.
His cell phone that lay beside his laptop, began to ring. He looked at the caller ID and grinned when he saw Olivia's goofy smile upon its surface. He quickly answered her call.
"Olivia?" He asked a little confused by her early call. Usually they talked in the night when he got home from work. How did she know he was planning on having a late start?
"Hey." She exclaimed happier than usual.
"I am not disturbing during an important Captain duties am I?" She asked, her voice softer and uncertain.
"No I haven't left for work yet." He answered casually leaning back into his seat.
"You haven't?" She sounded weirdly enthusiastic.
"Great, great." She murmured mainly to herself. Despite Olivia's eccentric ways, Steve knew she was acting stranger than normal.
"Is everything alright?" He asked, unable to will away the suspicion.
"Yup, I'm just in a cab on my way to a friend's, thought I'd call and check up on my favorite star spangled Avenger."
His ears reddened at the praise and the smile that brightened his face was involuntary.
"Well I am alright, thought I'd start the morning a little late, I had slept in, surprisingly." He stated while tracing the edge of his table.
"Oh yay your sleeping patterns are finally in accordance with your age." She enthused making him chuckle "Your physical age not your technical age because if that were the case you should be...you know...dead. but that's a biased thing to say, I mean my grandpa lived till he was ninety four."
"Did he get sick before he died or just like pass in his sleep?" He inquired.
"Nah he got hit by a minivan when he went to pick up his paper."
Steve gaped at the wall facing him, unsure of what to say to that.
" I know, ironic." She added understanding of his lengthy, shocked silence.
"Oh hey Steve, I'll have to get back to you. I think I've arrived at the place." Olivia said vaguely, he knew she was distracted by something else. The dejection hit him harder than he would have liked . He wanted to keep talking to her but at the same time, he didn't want her to get lost.
"Oh yeah alright." He responded unenthusiastically.
She didn't hung up right away, he heard her talking to the driver in the background.
"Is this the place?" She asked her voice hushed.
"Are you sure?" She repeated, there was a muffled reply from the cab driver.
"Alright thanks." She chimed in her cheery tone.
"Give me like five minutes? I'll talk to you the minute I get out of the car." Steve noted the way she had stressed the word a little more than necessary.
"Okay, why are you giggling?" He asked suspicious of the less than subtle sniggering from her end, like she was struggling to contain her excitement for some mysterious reason.
"Pfft no whaaaat?" She exclaimed chuckling nervously.
"Okay bye." She added abruptly and hung up.
Steve sat perplexed by the very odd phone call. Maybe she was busy or there was someone there with her? No it didn't feel like she was with anyone. Who is this mysterious friend she is going to visit? Olivia was usually very open about the people in her life.
Steve shook his head and decided to save the questions for her once she called back. He knew he could rely on her to be true to her word.
The captain's attention was drawn in by his laptop's start up screen, ready for duty. He placed a hand on his mouse and the cursor moved, searching for the shortcut to his email.
Steve was distracted from his laptop screen when the door bell rang ten minutes later. Perplexed, he stood up, the wooden legs of his chair scrapped against the tiles.
He wasn't expecting anyone and whoever it was usually called beforehand.
He approached the door uncertainly. He bravely peered into the peephole and his widened at the presence he saw behind it.
This surprise echoed through him even as he opened the door.
"Olivia?"
"Oh finally!" She exclaimed smiling brightly up at him. Steve took in her appearance, still astounded by the fact that Miss Throne stood at threshold of his apartment. She seemed perfectly at ease in her sleeveless, white chiffon dress with large prints of red daisies. The fringe of her short hair was clipped back over her forehead and gathered at the top. Steve was quick to notice the brown leather straps that ran over her shoulders and under her arms.
"You will not believe how many door bells I rang till someone opened the door and told me you lived here." She blabbered exasperatedly. Steve immediately stepped aside and allowed her room to walk in as she continued to ramble. Once she passed the safety of the door. She hesitated at the oddly small foyer, beside the wall where his coat was hung. He watched, still astonished by her arrival as she peered into the passage into his living room.
"Ah." She hummed stepping into his living space.
"What a weird little entry, are all DC apartments like this?"She asked out loud.
Steve struggled to answer, let alone find his voice.
Olivia observed his home for a second and then spun around on her cinnamon suede CAT boots to face him.
"Your neighbor is cute by the way, have you talked to her?" Steve wasn't really paying attention he was still trying to process the fact that she was there, in his living room. The intense joy he felt warming inside of him threatened to burn through him. He couldn't resist the urge to step to her, pull her into his arms and hug her tightly.
Well...as much as he could without harming her comparatively small frame.
She was startled by his embrace. Her arms automatically weaved under his wide shoulders and settled on his back.
"Are you alright?" She asked, concern clear in her voice. Steve was a little dazed by the fresh scent of lavender on her hair.
"Yeah I'm just—" He cleared his throat awkwardly and chagrined by his own actions. He pulled away till he held her at an arm's length. He beamed down at her, his blue eyes a lit.
"I'm really happy to see you."
The tenseness in her expression softened at his words, her honey eyes glittered lovingly.
"Aw. Well I was hoping to bring a smile on to that handsome face of yours." She cooed stretching her slender fingers out towards his head
He didn't resist the loving way she pinched at the apples of his cheeks.
"Hence the whole surprise thing."She added after releasing him. He watched her revolve around to observe his apartment.
"Nice place you got here, Steve." She mused thoughtfully "Could use a little colour though."
Steve shrugged humbly. He nervously glanced around the room, suddenly wishing he had a warning of her arrival. The corners of the living room was cluttered with various books he had yet to put on shelves. His furniture was mainly brown. Leather chairs he had purchased at a vintage store. He had thrown one of his used towels on the back of the main settee.
The only things that were orderly were the classic art posters of Harley Bike, black and white landscapes and newspaper clippings he had hung up. He decided he will clean up the moment Olivia was distracted by something else.
"Well we can paint it during your stay here." He suggested after a moment, turning away to retrieve the suitcase she had parked by the short entrance hall.
"How long are you going to be here by the way?" He asked while dragging her eggplant colored suitcase by the handle, into the living room.
"Well without the risk of losing all my clients, a week is the best I can do." She said with a hapless shrug. Steve grinned widely, he had assumed she would stay for the weekend but a whole week? He couldn't be more ecstatic.
"I'll take it." He declared, wheeling her luggage further into the home and placing it beside his couch.
"So where are we heading to first?" Olivia demanded eagerly, with her thumbs hooked on the straps of her bag. Steve stared wide eyed, astonished by her words.
"You want to head out already?"
"Well yeah." She said with a lazy shrug "I've never had a reason to visit Washington so I am kinda pumped to go exploring."
Steve smiled modestly, secretly loving that he was the reason.
"Alright well let me just change out of my running clothes." He announced while rubbing his hands together.
"You went running?" She asked, incredulously, eyeing him and finding no indication of his exertions.
"Well I was about to." He answered gesturing to the door behind him.
"Let's do that!" She exclaimed her eyes shining in delight.
"You want to run?" He was incredulous. Even he couldn't muster such enthusiasm for exercise.
"Well I was sitting on my ass for the past hour on a plane to get here, plus plane rides are stressful for me on account of my fear of heights. So exercise would be good, stress relief and all that."
Steve nodded in agreement, her explanation made perfect sense. Having been on several commutes through the use of air transportation. He knew how cramped and uncomfortable it is.
"Alright ill just put on my kicks and we can go." He declared.
"I'll have to change though, can't run in a dress." She said while toying with the skirts of her pretty dress. Steve smiled adoringly, wondering how her every action was so delectable.
"Sure, the bathroom is down that turn." He pointed out, gesturing to the bend on to the wall to his left.
"Yup." She announced, retrieved her suitcase and strolled in the direction he motioned to.
Steve stood stock still, waiting for her to disappear behind the bend. The moment he heard the bathroom door close, he dashed to his couch. He picked up his wet towel and scurried around the area, frantically trying to organize the place.
He gathered whatever he could into his arms. Books, crisp wrappers, newspapers, anything that didn't belong.
He ran to the kitchen to throw away the wrappers and toss the dirty dishes into the sink. Then he rushed to his bedroom, dropped the clothes and books on to the floor and then slammed the door shut.
He took a deep breath and wandered back into his living room and then towards his kitchen. He observed the space, carefully making sure he hadn't missed anything. He looked to his desk and was alarmed by how messy it was with papers and folders scrambled about. He hurried to arrange them.
"Hey is this t-shirt okay?" He was alerted to the sound of her voice. Steve piled his manila folders neatly beside his laptop and then turned to greet her.
Olivia emerged from the bend into the kitchen. Her attention was focused on the long, salmon pink, sleeves t-shirt she wore. It was paired with knee length black tights and purple trainers with dark blue laces.
"I hope it's not too sloppy." She mused while clipping back the long, front ends of her hair to the top of her head.
"Then again there is a great deal of sweating invo-" She froze on the stretch of space beside the breakfast counter to the living room. Her neck craned about admiring the space until finally her gaze finally landed on him.
"Did you just clean up in here?" She asked, rightfully accusatory.
"Yes." Steve admitted fretfully "It was messy."
"What are you talking about?" She exclaimed with her arms open to emphasis her disagreement.
"Books everywhere. This is my kinda mess." She stated confidently and firmly placed her hands on her waist as her eyes wandered about the room again. Steve grinned and suddenly he didn't feel so embarrassed. Obviously he had made the spur of the moment effort so she wouldn't think less of him, but clearly it didn't matter to her.
"Let's go already." She enthused while bouncing on her sneakered feet.
Sometime during the run, Olivia's enthusiasm had died and Steve was surprised to find her lagging behind. He stopped by a lamp post and looked back. Olivia was hunched over her thighs with her hands on her knees, struggling to catch her breath.
Immediately concerned, Steve rushed over to her side.
"You alright there Olivia?" He asked bending to observe her face.
"Yeah just like..." She paused to take a large gulp of air.
"Give me...five seconds." She insisted breathlessly while waving her hand up at him with her head lowered.
"Actually, make that a minute." She added after a moment of heavy breathing.
Steve smiled sympathetically and waited till she recovered. The captain couldn't help but feel guilty. He had forgotten for a moment that Olivia wasn't like him in the stamina department. He had gotten used to SHIELD agents that were relatively able to keep up with him. He didn't realize how much a normal person would struggle to.
After a minute, Olivia strenuously leaned back to her full height. Then narrowed her eyes suspiciously up at him.
"Dude you whack." She stated.
"What?" Steve chuckled.
"You are crazy if you think I can keep up with that, I mean what the hell?" She exclaimed gesturing to his physique.
"You are the one who wanted to come along." Steve pointed out good-naturedly.
"Yeah but I didn't image it would be a near death experience. Where do you find the motivation to work out like that?" She inquired curiously.
"I do it for fun, test my abilities sort of thing. I don't have to do it."
"Wait, what?" She was taken aback by his statement and blinked rapidly "Are you telling me you could be eating McDonald's everyday for a year and you will still look like that?"
Steve contemplated this and then reluctantly nodded. Olivia dead-panned.
"I think I am going to leave." She announced and then turned to departed before spinning back around to him.
"Ha, just kidding."
Steve beamed down at her, amused by her antics. Then he noticed how the sudden spin had caused her to stumble a little.
"Are you alright?" He asked, his voice considerably softer and worried. He reached out and steadily gripped her by the shoulder, helping her find balance.
"Fine, seeing a few spots but that's normal right?"
Steve couldn't tell if she was joking or not.
"How about we sit down?" He suggested.
"Great." She responded favorably and searched for a suitable spot. Steve found the perfect one just under a elm tree. He guided her towards the shade and waited for her to sit down before taking a seat beside her.
"It's quite nice out here, I can see the appeal." She said as he rested his back against the trunk of the tree. Olivia was stretching out her legs at a leisurely pace.
"Plus there is a hefty number of chicka's." She noted clandestinely. She glanced at the many passing women and then looked to the Captain.
"Why don't you pick up a date?"
Steve was shocked by her suggestion. A date? He didn't know how he should be feeling at the idea of a woman he liked encouraging him to date. Someone who he didn't even want.
"Here?" He asked, pushing down the confusion and averting his attention to the runners.
"Yeah why not, no wait...unless it's someone who is really into the work out, wouldn't want to disturb that." She continued on leaning back into the tree and not seeing the sudden deflation in his mood.
Steve lowered his doleful gaze to the grass, trying to find meaning to the thoughts that raced through his mind. Despite feeling disappointed and dejected by her suggestion he couldn't help but feel relieved too. The fact that she had even advised him meant that he wasn't as obvious as he thought he was.
Unless, she wants him to consider the possibility in order to ask her out herself. No Steve concluded. That would be too wishful.
"I don't know." He murmured earnestly, not knowing what else to say.
"Don't you think you should get back out there? I mean, how long has it been since you had a girlfriend." She asked in a patient solicitude.
"Well to be honest, I've never been in a relationship." Steve confessed with a hapless tilt of his head and shifty eyes.
"What?" Olivia exclaimed.
"What?" He echoed, wide eyed. Olivia absorbed his innocent look and words carefully and then shrugged in disbelief.
"I don't get it, I mean, you are so attractive." She stated factually.
The blood rushed up his body and his ears immediately reddened.
"What?" He responded, praying he hadn't misheard her.
As if oblivious to the fact that she had uttered those words out loud, Olivia blushed.
"I mean—oh forget it there is no saving myself from that." She grumbled with a dismissive flick of her wrist. Even though she acted nonchalant, the apples of her cheeks were still pinkish.
He stared in sheer surprise. His heart was thudding frantically in his chest and she seemed to have no idea of the feelings she had stirred in him.
"You are Captain America, after everything you've done, that's a line on its own." She enthused ardently, cautiously meeting his gaze once again. Steve smiled modestly under her praise, despite being a jittery mess beneath his skin.
"And it's not like you don't have any eager subjects. See that girl." Olivia abruptly pointed at a woman at a distance. Steve followed the direction her arm gestured to. His attention fell to a tall slender brunette. With tan skin and her straight haired tied up in a high pony tail. She wore extremely snug yoga pants and black sports bra that accentuated her large, round breasts and petite waist. Despite the vigorous runners around the female, she was walking at a leisurely pace, sending sly glances his way.
Under the worshipful eye of the woman, Steve was immediately uncomfortable.
"She thinks she is being subtle but she isn't." Olivia noted humored by what she witnessed.
"I don't know." Steve murmured uncertainly, yet again.
"Is it because of the pants?" Olivia wondered with a pensive twist of her lips and arch of a dark winged brow, her gaze still fixated on the brunette. At the mention of the pants, Steve looked too. When the brunette had noticed she was unable to grab the Captain's interest she had continued on, exposing her back to them.
On the rear end of her pants, written in a bold, cursive hot pink were the words
Juicy.
Steve hastily averted his state while chuckling nervously. Hearing his mirth Olivia joined in, giggling in her own sweet way. Steve had a feeling she was laughing at his awkward ways than the pants.
"What about you?" Steve inquired slyly after a moment, his blue eyes gleaming in interest.
"Me?" She uttered, he nodded. She shrugged and looked ahead.
"They look comfy but I am not confident enough to proclaim my butt to be juicy." She confessed casually.
"No, I mean." Steve paused to let out a deep, breathless laugh, amused by her unconscious answer.
"Are you in a relationship?" He asked, soundly so she heard.
Her lips shaped in a surprise 'O' and then the corners of her mouth swiftly curved up into a playful grin.
"Steve, you've known me for months now, when have you ever seen me hangout with a guy that isn't you?" She remarked.
"Skeeter." He said, coyly.
"Please, he is a kid." She insisted with a roll of her honey eyes "Plus, I don't think he would find the motivation enough to actually take me out."
"But you've been in relationships before." Steve told her, as if trying to add more reasons for being insecure about not having been in one. Olivia saw the diffidence in his doleful eyes and suddenly felt the need to assure him.
"Yeah, I don't think any of my relationships were ever serious. Work always got in the way." She added comfortable with the fact. The knowledge that she didn't take that factor too seriously, eased Steve enough to agree.
"Same here." He said "With the missions, I can't take a risk."
"Who knows, maybe you will find someone who understands and is worth the risk." She slanted him a hopeful smile.
"You have a point." Steve agreed with a grin of his own.
They fell into a serene silence, simply admiring the clear blue sky above them. Even though it was relatively sunny, the air around them remained cool and soothing.
"I could really use a smoothie right now." Olivia abruptly announced with a heavy sigh. "My legs feel like...actually, I can't feel my legs."
Steve watched fondly as she poked herself in the shin and then exhaled despairingly. The thought of a fresh smoothie had him feeling parched and hungry.
"I could carry you?" He suggested while getting to his feet.
"Piggy back?" She asked raising her gaze to stare up at him.
"Sure." He grinned down at her. Olivia smiled and was about to move to get up when a realization dawned on to her.
"Don't you want to finish your work out? I don't mind waiting." She insisted.
"What's one day right?"
Olivia's contagious smile returned and she swiftly jolted to her feet.
"I hope you don't mind sweat." She murmured while tugging at her t-shirt just to make sure there were no obvious, embarrassing sweat marks. Steve didn't mind, having to train Agents, sweatier than her on a daily basis.
"Man you haven't even broken into a sweat." She cried in disbelief, observing how composed and fresh he looked compared to her. Steve shrugged and smiled modestly.
He turned away from her and bent slightly at the knees, waiting for her to climb on. She grasped him tightly at the deltoids and then jumped on and Steve grabbed her with ease. He secured his hands just under her thighs, near her knees.
His heart raced and face heated a little at the soft, warm feeling of her chest pressed against his back.
"Are you aware that you smell like honey comb?" She muttered, her lips dangerously close to his ear, making his heart pound harder.
"No," He stammered, suddenly insecure "Why do I smell like honey comb?"
"I don't know, but I like it."
A shiver of yearning passed through him which he tried desperately not to show. Maybe it wasn't such good idea to have her so close to him. Steve decided to ignore his flustered feelings and walked ahead. She wrapped her arms a tightly around his wide shoulders, desperately trying not to fall off.
"This is cool and not as uncomfortable as I thought it would be." She said with a child like fascination. Her giddy, enthusiastic tone eased him swiftly and he craned his neck to the side to glance at her.
"You know, seventy years ago I wouldn't even have been able to carry myself up." He reminisced.
"That still applies to me." She grumbled grudgingly.
Steve laughed heartily and when his shoulders trembled, Olivia's was forced into a fit shakes.
"Steve!"
The Captain was startled out of a conversation with Olivia, when he heard a familiar voice call his name. He stopped sipping at his strawberry smoothie and looked in the direction of the voice. Olivia followed his gaze.
It was Sam Wilson. His dark skinned and herculean physique was covered in his usual sports apparel, a eggplant purple shirt and blue running pants. He jogged over to them with his large, friendly grin.
"Sam, hey!" Steve greeted enthusiastically with a hand out at the ready. Sam met him half way and their palms met in a firm handshake.
"How are ya?" Steve inquired conversationally. Sam released him from the hearty grip and shrugged casually.
"Good considering you weren't here this morning making me feel inadequate and disappointed in my abilities as an athlete." He teased with his hands posed on his trim waist.
"Well sorry to disappoint." Steve joked. He was abruptly reminded of the silent female beside her.
"By the way this is Olivia." He introduced stepping back to allow Olivia room forward. Sam's attention was already on the female and he smiled.
"Hey, nice to meet you." Olivia greeted and Sam reached in for a hand shake.
"Same here." He insisted, his dark eyes twinkling.
"This explains the late start." He mused looking to the Captain and the female with a mischievous gleam in his eyes.
"Yeah sorry about that, kinda dropped in unexpectedly on Steve." Olivia answered with a coy tilt of her head.
"Well it's a good thing you did, gives me a chance to run in peace." Sam stated in feigned relief. Steve rolled his eyes.
"That's ironic, considering Cap is all about peace." Olivia teased making the man laugh.
"So you are Sam, Steve mentioned you." She stated and took a sip of her drink.
"Did he now?"
"Also did you notice?"
"What?"
"I'm on your left."
His face was frozen in shock for a moment before is his eyes narrowed dangerously and he glared at the Captain.
"Damn it Rogers!" He exclaimed irately. The protest was hardly notice by Steve for he was too busy sniggering with Olivia, like a pair of troublesome teenagers.
"I'm sorry." She gasped out trying to stop the bubbling laughter "I saw an opportunity and I took it."
Sam rolled his eyes while trying to suppress his own smile at the hilarity of her charming jab.
"It's very nice to meet you Sam." She beamed up at him.
"I see Steve is pretty consistent with the friends he attracts." Sam muttered glancing at the Captain.
"What type of friends is that?" Steve demanded.
"The mischievous kind."
"So you saying you are mischievous too?" Olivia countered grabbing Sam's attention.
"Wouldn't you like to know."
Steve's smile fell instantly at the playful glimmer Sam directed at Olivia. It was flirtatious and to make matters worse. Olivia didn't seem to mind and continued to smile with that same carefree ease.
"So what are you doing after?" Steve quickly cut in, determined to keep the conversations strictly platonic.
"Well I have a session at the VA." Sam answered gesturing over his shoulder in a random direction.
"Oh well if you are not busy later we are having pizza at my place, why don't you drop by?" Steve invited pleasantly.
"That sounds great, never say no to pizza." Wilson responded eagerly.
"Hell yeah." Olivia enthused.
"Don't be slow about it though." Steve teased earning a giggle from Olivia and frown from Sam.
"Oh ha-ha." He grumbled with a roll of his eyes.
"Catch ya later guys." He waved good bye and hurried down the side walk. Steve and Olivia watched him depart from beside the drink stand by the tree.
"That was cruel." Steve said slanting her a doting smile, referring to her jab earlier.
"You didn't think I just teased you did I?" She remarked, elbowing him in the side.
Steve chuckled and shook his head in response, the handsome laugh lines around his eyes deepening.
"So what now Cap?" Olivia asked.
"Breakfast?" He suggested.
"Great. I'm craving a cinnamon roll, do you have a oven?" She asked curiously as they made their way towards his apartment just down the street.
"Yeah, you bake?" He inquired.
"One of my many fine qualities." She said confidently with a charming wink "Plus my oven is broken so I haven't had a chance to bake anything in a while.
Steve was eager to try her cooking.