Note: in this, fem!Steve and Brock have never met. Not until the elevator scene, which changes things. Sorry about another long chapter. The plot wouldn't stop!
"The Deceit Was Mine"
Stella was grinding her teeth as she travelled down in the elevator alone and tried not to crush the railing in her hands. She was tempted to put a fist through the glass, but that wasn't a good idea this high up. Not a good idea at all, really; the techs had enough problems without her adding to them. She hunched her shoulders, the shield hopefully disguising her bad posture. Her ma would've threatened her with a wooden ruler down the back of her shirt.
Before the doors could slide closed, they pinged open again. She noticed a man lowering his hand from between them, staring at him in the glass of the elevator, and watched another man follow him, then two more. She'd seen them around, of course, and the first man was terribly handsome. She usually didn't let such thoughts get to her, but the first time she'd noticed him around SHIELD she'd given him a definite second look. Then Natasha teased her about it with an arched eyebrow, and Stella had cleared her throat and tried not to blush. Sometimes she didn't have control over her own body.
She stood with her back to the glass now, watching the four men conferring. The first one looked at her over his shoulder. The fact that she was the only woman there reminded her that, no matter how much she'd done as Captain America during the war, it was still a patriarchal society. If it wasn't the soldiers – with the exception of Bucky and the Howling Commandoes – it was now SHIELD. Led by Nick Fury… well, it used to be. Now Secretary Pierce was pissing her off. She met the first man's eyes, and smiled bitterly.
"Don't you just hate men sometimes?" she said. The other men glanced at him, but he just cocked his head with a small smile.
"Can't afford to, since I work with them," he said.
Stella's jaw dropped, she was ashamed to admit. He stepped closer to her and held out a hand. She went to shake it, which he allowed, before kissing the back of her hand. She tried to take it as the actions of a gentleman, not a condescending reminder that she wasn't 'one of the guys'.
"H-hello," she said. He squeezed her hand as he lowered it, and didn't let go.
"I'm Brock Rumlow," he said.
"I'm Stella Rogers."
"Yeah, I got that," he said, his eyes travelling down her outfit. Her breath caught, and she ducked her head.
"Sorry," she said. "I forgot I was still wearing this."
"And the shield, but I'm not sorry at all," he said. "I'm damn lucky. The most beautiful woman I've ever seen is my soulmate?"
"Not the most…" She cleared her throat. "I'm not like one of those pin-up girls. Not… curvy or anything."
"You're gorgeous," he said, moving another step closer.
"I've heard of you. You're on the STRIKE team."
"He's the leader," one of the other men said.
"Just like you're the head of your own team," Brock said.
The elevator stopped and the doors slid open. A few more guys entered the lift, two of them holding briefcases. She felt her soulmate tense, and then he led her out. They gave him strange looks, but he shook his head. He looked back at the original group, and Stella watched the interaction with interest.
"Rollins, you'll tell…?" he said. One of the men nodded.
"You'll catch up with us later?" he asked. Brock met Stella's eyes.
"I'll let you know," he said.
"Roger that, sir."
"Come on," Brock said, and he tugged her along the corridor. He checked a few rooms before they found one which was unoccupied, then pulled her inside. He closed the door, and Stella backed into the meeting table. She leaned back, holding the edge of it as she watched him.
"I'm guessing you wanted to talk to me?" she said.
"We've never met before," he said with a shrug. "I'd like to know how much the biographies about Captain America got wrong."
She laughed. "I've bought them all. They're kind of entertaining. I even created a list of most accurate to least accurate. The unofficial biographies are actually the closest to the truth."
"That's usually the case," Brock said. "It reminds me of the first Men in Black film. Have you seen it?" She shook her head. "You should. It's about aliens. You have experience with those, I hear."
"What reminds you of it?" she asked.
"There's a scene where Agent K buys the tabloid papers, and Agent J questions it. K says that the tabloids are the most accurate because the conspiracy theories are true, at least that's the implication."
"I think I'm going to have to see this movie."
"I have it on DVD." Stella was slowly moving down the length of the table, feeling a bit overwhelmed being alone in a room with her very handsome soulmate. "You should come over to my place sometime."
She almost said 'Or you could come to my place', but held it back.
"So you like films about aliens?" she said. She knew that he was following her. She paused at the end of the table, now far from the door.
"It's weird, but I like films about secret agents, no matter what they're investigating," he said, a smile in his voice. "You think I'd be sick of it after work."
"And you'd think that I'd hate World War Two films, but I love movies like Stage Door Canteen. Have you seen it?"
"No, I haven't."
"I have it on DVD." She turned to face him, and nearly gasped when she realised how close he was. He was a couple of inches taller than her, which was… nice. Not many man were taller than her; even Bucky and Peter were shorter than her after the serum. She knew she was likely to be stronger than Brock, but that didn't matter. And it was time to be brave. "Maybe you could come over to my place sometime?"
He eyes flicked down to her lips. "That'd be great, Stella. Only when you're ready."
"I'll try to be ready for that… as soon as possible." She wanted to lean in and steal a kiss for herself, but she didn't want to seem too forward or send mixed messages. No matter how much she was tempted.
"I don't want to rush you."
"Brock…"
"Please don't hit me for asking this," he said, and he licked his lips.
"Ask away," Stella said, leaning back against the table again and planting her hands on the surface. His eyes ran over her body, and she flushed at the indecorous position. Before she could straighten, he was right in front of her, sliding his hands from her shoulders, down her arms, to rest over her hands. He entwined their fingers together, and Stella hoped he couldn't hear her pounding heart. He was so close.
"How much experience do you have?"
"Oh," she said. "I…"
"Don't answer if you don't want to."
"No, no. You have a right to know." She breathed out slowly. "I wasn't born with a soulmark. I found one after I woke up from the ice. SHIELD cut me out of my suit, but it was cold enough for me to be wearing other clothes under it, which they didn't remove, so… so the doctors have never seen it. No one has. I don't need to go to medical because I heal so quickly."
"It won't stop me worrying about you when you're on missions," Brock said, rubbing the skin between her fingers. It tickled.
"That's sweet," she said. "The thing… the thing is that… I thought I'd die during the war because I didn't have a mark. Bucky didn't have a mark, either, so we… One night, only a couple before he died," she hung her head at the harrowing memory, "we… were together. Didn't want to die a virgin." She laughed softly. "Half of me wishes I'd waited for my soulmate, but I can't regret it. I don't know how experienced Bucky was, but I don't mind being his last. So, to answer your question." She met his sympathetic eyes, and her heart clenched. "Once with Bucky. And a couple of kisses. That's… the sum total of my experience."
"Thank you for sharing that with me, Stella," he said. "It means a lot."
"You're my soulmate, Brock," she said. "I don't wanna keep anything from you."
He lifted his hands, and removed the band from his right arm. Along the underside were her first words to him. She smiled as she traced them, and glanced up to see him smiling at her. There was something a little wicked about it, and she dropped her hand, suddenly nervous. He was going to ask her…
"Where are your words?"
She paused, then pushed him back a step. Then she placed her shield on the table and unzipped the upper half of her costume. She wasn't wearing a shirt underneath; only a bra. Then she turned her back so he could see his words running diagonally across her back to her right shoulder. His ran a finger up as far as he could, before it hit the strap.
"If you want to…" She swallowed, her body tingling and cheeks hot. "You can… undo it. If." She grinned over her shoulder, noting his stunned expression. "You can do it up again afterwards."
"How hard can it be?" he said, undoing the clasp. She clenched her fists on the tabletop, finding it difficult to breathe as his warm hand stroked along the words. He rested his hand on her right shoulder, then leaned down and kissed the skin of her left. She exhaled in a rush, and he backed off. "Sorry. That was…"
"It was fine, Brock," she said. At least her voice stayed at an even pitch. "Aren't you going to do the clasp back up?"
He managed it well, and it touched her that he averted his eyes as she righted her clothes.
"You can… you can kiss me," she said. "Properly. If you want to."
"I'm sure as hell not gonna say no," he said, pulling her close by the hips. He wrapped his right arm around her back, pressing where their soulmarks would meet, and leaned his head down. Stella tilted hers, and their lips almost met. Then a phone rang. Brock sighed.
"Of course," he muttered. He pulled out his cell phone and checked the display. "I've gotta take this."
"Raincheck?"
"I'll be back in a minute." He stroked her cheek. "Stay here, beautiful."
Brock answered the call just as he was opening the door.
"Wait a minute," he said. He shut the door, then walked down the corridor so that he was out of earshot. "What is it, Rollins?"
"I told Pierce that Rogers is your soulmate."
"What'd he say?"
"That you're a lucky son of a bitch," Brock chuckled, "and that he wants to see you as soon as possible. New plan. He's willing to delay Project Insight for however long you need to break her heart. He said to have your fun with her, first. If you think she can be brought to our side—"
"I doubt it. She fought the Red Skull herself."
"Fate's on our side, that's for fucking sure. Giving you, of all people, Captain America."
"I'm doubly lucky," Brock said.
"Aw, don't go all sappy on us, boss," Rollins said.
"Just enough for her to believe it."
"Don't overdo it, or she'll get suspicious."
"Please. The paragon of virtue and all that's good about America?" He snorted. "She'll never suspect an agent of HYDRA to be her soulmate."
"Visit Pierce. He'll want reports, but he'll probably let you do whatever you want to her."
"I've got some ideas." Those strong legs pulling him deeper, Rogers giving him the impression of being able to hold her down. Maybe even using those magnetic cuffs to keep her pinned and let him take whatever he wanted. That blonde hair spread over his pillow as he dragged more delicious sounds out of her. He wondered how she tasted. He wondered how quickly she could learn to suppress her gag reflex, if she even had one.
"Focus," Rollins said sharply. "Seduce her, and when she's in love with you, break her heart. Do it quick."
"Shouldn't be too hard. Of course, it would've helped if you didn't call when I was about to kiss her."
"Pierce is giving you the rest of the day off. As long as you need to complete your new mission. Hail HYDRA."
"Hail HYDRA," Brock murmured, glancing around to make sure he wasn't heard. He hung up, then hurried back to the room. No sense in keeping Stella waiting. He sneaked back in, and saw her still leaning where he'd left her, the shield resting on the table behind her. She looked up at him and smiled sweetly.
"I missed you," she said. "A problem, or do your men miss you, too?"
"Rollins got me the day off so I can be with you," he said. "I think it's procedure."
"Well, neither of us have ever had the opportunity to find out," she said.
"Now, where were we?" he asked, stepping close to her. She let him press her against the table, and he tilted her chin up when she looked down. "Don't do that, Stella."
"Have you kissed many girls?"
"Yeah," he said. "But then your era was a lot different."
"Not that much," she said, meeting his eyes from beneath her lashes. "Then again, I was in a war. Not many people waiting around. I just worry that I won't be any good."
"You couldn't possibly be bad," he said. Her shyness would be easy to exploit. "Just let me show you."
He cupped her face and brushed their noses together, before meeting her lips. He'd seen some old movies; he knew that kissing on screen was a lot tamer than it was now. As his mom once said, these days it was 'open slather'. He nearly crashed the car laughing.
"More," Stella whispered. Her eyes had slid shut. "Please, Brock."
He obliged, fighting arousal as he coaxed her mouth open and dived in. She clutched his shoulders – she had to be holding back – and mimicked the movements of his tongue. He didn't know whether she was naturally a quick learner, or whether the serum had brought that on. But she wasn't the only one moaning softly by the time they broke apart for breath. He rested their foreheads together.
"Told you so," he said. She laughed quietly.
"Thank you," she said. "Can I… ask you out for coffee?"
"Of course," he said, grinning at her. "Ask away."
She rolled her eyes. "Want to get coffee with me?"
"I haven't got any plans," he teased.
"Is that a yes?"
"Yes, Stella. I'll get coffee with you."
He discovered her wicked sense of humour as they drank at a café down the road. He chortled as she described a pillow fight in her unit while they were stationed in England, her hands waving around between using packets of sugar and the salt and pepper shakers to show everyone's positions during the fight. Did the charisma come with the serum? From the USO performances? Or was she always this talented at story-telling? It was almost spell-binding, and he couldn't stop grinning. Not until she sobered, and then stared out the window.
"I miss them," she said. He rested his hands over hers.
"You'll never forget," he said. "That's what's important."
Her eyes were sad as she looked at him. "I didn't trust him, but I had some respect for Nick Fury. He had his secrets, didn't tell me any of them, not even at the end. But then I guess he had other things on his mind." She snorted delicately. "Like trying not to die. For all the good it did him."
"You don't have to tell me," Brock said. "I want you to smile."
"No, no, it's okay," she said. "He… he told me not to trust anyone. I thought maybe he left something behind, but I've searched my apartment. Unless SHIELD got there first and found something. Nothing where he died, nothing where he was sitting when I got there. He had the music playing, so I checked there, but again, nothing. I've searched everywhere, but he was injured; he couldn't have gotten far." She fell silent, and he squeezed her hands gently.
"I'm sorry," he said.
"I keep losing everyone important to me," she said, her voice sounding choked. He studied her face.
"You won't lose me, if I can help it," he said.
"Do you promise?" She looked him dead in the eye. They both knew it was an unrealistic request, especially if she was effectively immortal; but she was looking for reassurance, so he nodded.
"I promise," he said.
"Will you take me home?" she asked.
"Do you really wanna go there so soon after…?"
"I didn't mean my apartment," she said, her cheeks turning pink. "Home… with you. I guess since you're my soulmate… home is wherever you are."
That was useful.
"Is there anything you want to bring with you?" Did she want an overnight bag? Stella's lips parted, catching the hidden question, and she nodded.
"By way of the hospital," she said. "I just wanna see whether they maybe found anything in Fury's effects. Even an object which looks innocent could have meaning. Maybe he took something from my place that I wouldn't ordinarily notice? I don't know."
"Whatever you want," he said. "Hospital first, or your place?"
"Hospital. Better not waste any time."
Brock was hanging around down one end of the corridor while Stella went to the vending machine to get snacks for them – for energy, she said, which made him smirk internally – when he noticed a redhead in a hoodie talk to Stella. It was Natasha Romanov. Whatever she said made Stella scowl, and drag her into another room. She glanced at Brock and held up a finger, saying 'One minute'. He nodded. As soon as the women closed the door behind them, he crept to the door and listened to their conversation.
"Stop lying!"
"I only act like I know everything, Rogers."
"I bet you knew Fury hired the pirates, didn't you?"
"Well, it makes sense. The ship was dirty, Fury needed a way in, so do you."
"I'm not gonna ask again."
Romanov revealed that it was the 'ghost', the Winter Soldier, who killed Fury. Brock wished he could see what was going on, but he was glad that Romanov was dismissing it as a ghost story. When it sounded like the conversation was winding down, he retreated to the end of the corridor where Stella had left him. He continued to loiter there until the door opened again, and then he straightened. Romanov frowned at him, and Stella whispered something to her. She nodded, then Romanov walked off. Stella shrugged at Brock, and returned to his side. She held out the candy bars she'd bought.
"I hope you like `em," she said.
"Got no allergies, and I never say no to candy. But it's ladies' choice."
She looked down at them. "They're exactly the same, Brock."
"I know. Still your choice."
Stella smiled and handed him one. They both nibbled on their chocolate bars as they wandered back downstairs.
"Nothing in Fury's effects?" Brock asked. She shook her head.
"`Fraid not," she said. "If there was, I didn't see it. Sure wasn't anything of mine."
"That what got you down?"
"No. More like a… a reopening of old wounds." She leaned against him, and he snaked an arm around her waist.
"I'm here for you, Stella."
"Did you know that's why there's a star on my shield?" she said out of nowhere.
"I thought that was because of the stars and stripes."
"It did make it easier for the artists to only have one star to deal with," she admitted. "But it's because my name means 'star'. That's what Peter told me."
"Peter?"
"Peter Carter. Sort of my temporary sweetheart. He had a soulmate, but we were drawn to each other from the start. My last kiss before I crashed the Valkyrie."
"Wow, I'm feelin' jealous," Brock said, raising his eyebrows. She poked him.
"Hey, you're my soulmate," she said. "My loyalty's to you."
"Is it?"
"Yeah."
"Not to SHIELD?"
"I don't trust SHIELD."
"You shouldn't," he said earnestly. He climbed onto Stella's motorbike behind her, and held on. She rested back against him for a moment, and he kissed the nape of her neck. This was going to be easy. "Don't even trust me until you know me better."
"How much better?" she asked, glancing back at him.
"You'll know when you can trust me," he said, stroking just beneath her breasts.
She kick-started the bike, and they drove off.
When they reached Brock's apartment, after Stella had hastily packed things for her overnight venture – and anything else she might need – and a stop at a pharmacy for 'supplies', Brock took the bag from her and placed it gently on the floor beside the sofa. Then he turned and wrapped his arms around her waist. She was starting to get used to the sweet little kisses he peppered over her face, and the less innocent ones he pressed on her neck. She shivered, clenched the material of his sleeves in her fists.
"If you start that now, I won't even get to see the rest of your apartment," she said, but she didn't push him away. Their faces were so close when he raised his head. She couldn't say that she felt vulnerable because he was just a little taller than her, but it gave the illusion that he could protect her if she needed it. That wouldn't happen, of course.
"What do you really need to see?" he said.
"The bathroom and kitchen, for a start," she said dryly. His lips curled in a smile, drawing her unwitting attention.
"Where'll the tour end?" he asked. She swallowed.
"It's up to you," she said, trembling in his arms. He frowned slightly, and held her close.
"You know I won't hurt you, Stella. You're my soulmate. I know you can take care of yourself, but it's our duty to look after each other."
"I want you to take me to bed," she blurted out, and then reddened. "But we'll get a bit distracted, I'm betting. So I want to see everything else first."
"Well, it's not a big place, so it won't take long," he said, and he led her through his apartment. She saw the kitchen, and he promised to make her dinner later, followed by his study, bathroom, and finally bedroom. They returned to the living room after that.
"It's pretty much the same as my apartment," Stella said, perched on the sofa beside him.
"This folds out," Brock said, patting the cushions. "If you'd prefer to…"
"I don't know," she said. "Um… maybe we could start with a movie?"
"Good thinking," he said, and he kissed her on the cheek. She was expecting something more intense from him, to be honest. It was surprising, how tender he was being. Anyone reasonable-minded woman could easily have her head turned by such behaviour.
"Should've thought of popcorn," she said.
"Pick a movie," he said, gesturing to his DVD shelf. "I've got some microwavable stuff somewhere, when I get enough time off for a marathon."
She pulled Men in Black out, and placed it on the DVD player tray. She switched on the TV – the remotes were easy enough to work out – and sat back as the microwave dinged. Brock carried out a large bowl of popcorn as the menu loaded. He set the bowl between them, and Stella stole a piece with a cheeky grin. He returned it, and started the film.
"I hope you're not squeamish," he said. She opened her mouth to contradict him, and almost immediately realised that he was teasing her again. She threw a piece of popcorn at him, and he caught it in his mouth. She blinked in surprise.
"I'm sure you'll be happy enough to hold my hand during the scary parts," she said.
Eventually their sides were pressed together, bowl resting on their thighs, and Brock had an arm draped over her shoulders. She was resting her head against him, feeling extra warm where they were touching. She'd changed into plain clothes at her apartment, but her uniform was in the bottom of her overnight bag. Always good to be prepared.
"You're lovely," Brock murmured as the credits ran. Stella turned her head and met his lips. He set aside the bowl, empty but for some un-popped kernels, then wrapped a hand around the other side of her waist. She gasped as he sneaked it beneath her blouse and stroked her hot flesh.
"Please, Brock," she said.
"What do you want, Stella? Anything, just tell me."
"Something… which'd make us forget dinner. I have a high metabolism, so…"
"I just wanna eat you up," he said, ogling her again. "Or out, as the case may be."
"Out?"
His eyes darkened as he slid to the floor between her legs. He pushed her knees apart and stroked his hands up her inner thighs.
"Can I?" he asked. She nodded, and lifted her hips when he prompted. She'd already kicked off her shoes and socks, and was soon bare below the waist. Brock tugged her forward and lowered his head.
Stella cried out, slumping back as he brought her to the edge repeatedly until she was sobbing and begging for release.
"Come," he said, in a voice which could command entire squads. She hit her climax, and he drew it out until she was exhausted. It took a hell of a lot to tire her out.
"Wow," she said weakly. "That's dangerous. That tongue of yours. It's a real weapon."
"If that's how you react to oral, I'm gonna be wringin' screams outta you tonight."
"I don't know whether I can handle that, Brock."
"You will," he said, kneeling up and caressing her cheeks. "Because you're strong and brave, here to save the American Way." She couldn't help laughing as he continued to sing to her. "Who vows to fight like a dog for what's right night and day." He rubbed their noses together. "The Star Spangled Girl with a plan."
Stella kissed him to shut him up. Brock pulled her to her feet, never breaking the kiss, and touched the skin of her back. She became extremely aware of the fact that she was only half dressed, and twisted her head away from him. He nibbled her neck, and her eyes fluttered closed.
"B-Brock," she said. "Dinner?"
"What do you want?"
"Can I help you make it?"
"How domestic." He nuzzled behind her ear. "I keep my fridge and cupboards pretty well-stocked. Let's have a look."
She called him dangerous? Stella Rogers was the real danger. She didn't seem to realise that she was already showing trust towards him, cuddling up to him during the movie, leaving him alone with her bag, and not tensing at all when he wielded a knife while they made a basic roast meal.
"I'm a simple girl with simple tastes," she explained while the meat defrosted in the microwave and Brock chopped potatoes.
"In no way a simple girl," he said. "And you're a woman."
She was terrible at hiding her blushes. It became a game for him to see how often he could make her cheeks turn pink. It was a good look on her. Combined with her frequent doe eyes, he couldn't help liking her. She let him touch her more and more, relaxing when they finally sat down to their meal. He wasn't expecting her to want to pray first, but she did. During the meal, she hooked a foot around his right ankle. When he glanced at her, she gave him a look of innocence. It was obviously fake, at least obvious to him, and he winked. She fumbled with her fork, and he suppressed a chuckle.
The tables were turned on him when she strode around to his side and knelt down. He turned, confused, even more so when she touched his knees.
"Let me?" she said.
"Stella—"
"Don't you want me to?" Okay, he felt like a bit of a jerk, but it was true. He nodded, and she reached for his belt. "How hard can it be?"
He snickered. "It has to be hard, sweetheart. That's the point."
She smacked the inside of his knee, but it didn't sting. "Ass. But… I like that."
"You like that I'm an ass?"
"I like you calling me your sweetheart."
"Well, you are, aren't you?" he said, stroking her hair. "I sure hope so."
She smiled mysteriously, undoing his pants. He helped her shift them to his ankles, and saw her pause when she saw what she'd be working with.
"I won't think any less of you if you'd rather wait," he said. Her eyes narrowed at the challenge he hoped she didn't think he was implying.
"I'm hungry for dessert," she said. He'd almost forgotten how strong she was, until she pulled him forward by the hips like he was a teddy bear, not a grown man.
"Take it slow, Stella."
"I wanna be the best you've ever had."
"You will because you're my soulmate, and it's in your nature."
"And `cause I'm a fast learner. Or I try to be."
She hesitated, and then took him in her mouth. Brock settled his hand on her head, not directing, just keeping them both grounded. Stella began to suck right away, and Brock's eyes rolled back in his head. He groaned lowly, trying to keep his hips still, but it was damn hard. He had to call on his training to keep his head.
"So good, sweetheart," he said hoarsely. "That's right. Just… your tongue…"
She wrapped it around his length as she worked more of him into her mouth. He was amazed that she could hold most of him, but he stopped her when he touched the back of her throat and it constricted.
"No further," he said. "You're so good, Stella. So good." She suckled as she raised her head, and he nearly choked. "That's it. Just like that."
It took a shamefully short time, but it was a hell of a turn-on to see Captain America on her knees between his legs and sucking him off. He took a perverse satisfaction even as he combed his fingers through her hair and praised her.
"`Bout to come, sweetheart. If you wanna…"
But she stayed and swallowed him down. After that, he just had to kiss her. It tasted strange, but the surprise on her face made the whole thing worth it. He pulled her into his lap and cupped her ass. She pulled away, panting.
"I wanna shower before bed," she said. "And we have to do the dishes."
"That's what the dishwasher's for."
"You have one?"
"Just a drawer, since it's only me. If I have people over, it's usually for takeout."
"Sounds sensible," she said. "But when we have company, we'll use dishes and cutlery."
"You wanna move in with me?" he asked, surprised. Shit. This was moving fast. She ducked her head.
"Things happened pretty quickly during the war," she said. "In my day, marriage would've come first. I know that isn't how it goes nowadays… How far ahead are you looking?"
"I'm no clairvoyant," he said, smiling ironically. "Wish we could look forward all the way to retirement, but that doesn't happen in our line of work, does it?"
Stella let him up so he could tuck himself in. Then she wrapped her arms around his torso and rested her chin on his shoulder. He pulled her close, again arranging his arm so that their soulmarks were separated only by clothing. Stella sighed contentedly.
"I know you're my soulmate, but I think I'd lo… I'd want you anyway."
Getting there. Brock smiled.
"I feel the same way, Stella," he said. "My sweetheart."
She held him tighter, and remained silent.
Stella insisted on separate showers. She waited in bed for Brock, shivering beneath the sheets. He was clearly expecting her to be in pyjamas or something when he entered the bedroom, because he dropped the towel he was using to dry his hair the minute she pushed the covers down to reveal bare skin. He visibly swallowed.
"Baby," he said, "you're sure about…"
"Bit late to turn back now," she said wryly. "Are you sure? I've got more muscles than the average woman, and I know a lot of men don't find that attractive."
He unwrapped the towel from around his hips. "I'm gonna show you just how attractive you are to me, Stella Rogers." He climbed onto the bed and tilted her head so their lips could meet. The tenderness continued to baffle her, but she welcomed it. She was nervous enough without him scaring her with too much, too quickly.
"Will you make love to me?" she asked in a small voice.
"All night, if I thought I could keep up with a super soldier. At least you sucked me off earlier. And extremely well." She blushed on cue. "I'll go for longer this time."
"I just want you to take me. Please, Brock?"
He'd brought the supplies in earlier, and she watched him as he fumbled about in his nightstand drawer. He was extremely fit, well-formed, and she was content to watch his body moving beside her. He returned with a condom and rolled it on.
Almost as soon as he crawled between her legs, she began to shake with nerves. What would it be like? What might she accidentally say in the heat of the moment? What if she couldn't do this? Natasha could handle this easily.
"Hey," he said, rubbing her arms and looking genuinely concerned. "Stella—"
"Don't you dare ask me if I'm sure again," she said, glaring at him. He burst out laughing.
"As you wish, sweetheart," he said.
"But… just in case I have nightmares about… about Fury…" She swallowed and met his eyes. "Can I sleep in the living room?"
"You can have this bed—"
"No, no. I don't wanna put you out. But I don't wanna wake from a nightmare hurting you. Please, Brock."
"Whatever you like." She leaned into his hand as it cupped her cheek, lowering her eyelids to half-mast.
"I'd like you to fall in love with me, too," she said. His sharp intake of air would've been inaudible to anyone else.
"Already doin' that, sweetheart," he said.
Then he kissed her, and everything became a blur of sensation after that.
The most intense moment was when she arched against his body with a soft, broken, "Brock!"
In the morning, Brock woke with a lethargic smile. He rolled over in bed, before remembering that he was the only one there. He'd actually made Stella pass out – she really was sensitive – so he'd watched her doze for an hour or so.
It was probably the most beautiful sight he'd ever seen, those long lashes of hers resting against her cheeks, her face soft and relaxed, her body warm in his arms and her hair mussed from his hands.
In case she was only half-asleep and super soldier-alert, he'd whispered, "I love you, Stella Rogers," and it wasn't totally a lie. But then the best lies had some basis in truth. She hadn't stirred, but that didn't matter. He'd woken her by sliding into her body, and she'd clung to him until the end. Then, after kissing lazily for about ten minutes, she'd climbed out of bed on unsteady legs, he was smug to notice, and left him to sleep. It was hard, at first, because he missed her body already. But it was better to show her some respect, and he was a light sleeper.
Obviously not light enough. When he searched for her, he found a handwritten note – the same writing as his mark – on the coffee table.
Brock,
I had a lot of fun last night. It was better than I'd imagined, and I already thought it was magical with Bucky. Thank you for dinner and the movie, and… everything. And you know what? I didn't have a single nightmare. Maybe it's something to do with soulmates.
But I had to leave early. You see, I got a message from Natasha. We're going off on our own mission. The last one Fury gave me. It turns out that HYDRA infiltrated SHIELD right from the beginning. Did you know that?
Oh, of course you did. I heard your conversation with Rollins. Thank you for forgetting that I had super hearing. That's turned out pretty useful.
I just can't see this working out. Not since I heard you say 'Hail HYDRA'.
Goodbye.
Captain America.
P.S.: Bet you didn't think I knew how to hack your phone and computer, did you? Nazis always did keep comprehensive records.
Brock swore, crumpling the note in his hand.
One day earlier
Trust no one, Nick Fury had said. Stella knew that that should include her soulmate. If he was answering a phone call he didn't want her to hear, she was damn well going to listen. She sprinted quietly to the door and plastered her ear to the keyhole.
She never expected the conversation she overheard.
"…told Pierce that Rogers is your soulmate."
"What'd he say?"
"That you're a lucky son of a bitch, and that he wants to see you as soon as possible. New plan. He's willing to delay Project Insight for however long you need to break her heart. He said to have fun with her first."
Stella could hardly breathe.
"…of all people, Captain America."
"I'm doubly lucky."
"Aw, don't go all sappy on us…"
She couldn't possibly be hearing this. Who were they working for? Who was Pierce working for? Why the mention of the Red Skull? Surely not…
"…never suspect an agent of HYDRA to be her soulmate."
Stella wanted to be sick. As soon as Brock echoed Rollins' 'Hail HYDRA', she tore herself away from the door and ran back to her place. She gripped the table where she had been, automatically hiding her hurt. What the hell was she supposed to do? Her soulmate was HYDRA? Was Pierce also HYDRA? How did this happen? When did this happen? Did Fury know? Was that on the flash drive?
He was coming back. Brock was returning, and if he knew that she knew, she'd never be able to get the information she needed. She'd have to do what he was planning; seduce him, get him to let his guard down, then strike. Strike the leader of STRIKE? The thought made her smile sardonically.
She'd been on stage. She'd been on screen. She'd been undercover. Stella could do this. She could pretend to fall in love with Brock Rumlow.
At the hospital, she quickly bought two candy bars from the dispensing machine, aware that Brock was watching her. Maybe not her every move; he'd have to know that she'd feel his gaze. But when the USB was gone she began to panic. Okay, so that'd been a stupid idea. She had no idea that gum was so popular.
…And Natasha Romanov was behind her. With the last of the chewing gum, and probably the flash drive. She turned, grabbed the woman by the arm, and tugged her into a nearby room. She saw that it caught Brock's attention, and gave him a sign to wait. Of course he was going to listen in. As soon as the door was closed, she signed 'Rumlow will be listening. Can you sign and talk at the same time?' Natasha nodded. 'Good.'
They paused between sentences while Stella silently passed on what information she could, impressed that Natasha could do the same. She even signed a request for tips on seducing the information out of Brock, while discussing the ridiculous idea of the ghostly Winter Soldier. Even though he fit the description, it still didn't seem likely. The man she'd confronted was way too young.
Outside the room, having given Brock enough time to retreat, she saw Natasha staring him down.
"He's my soulmate," Stella murmured. Natasha glanced at her.
"Will you be alright?" she asked softly.
"I have to be. I have a plan."
"Text me anytime."
Stella nodded as Natasha wandered off, still with the flash drive, and a scribbled request for her to seek out Sam Wilson if she needed help. But she intended to join Natasha in the morning, after she'd worn out her soulmate. Whatever she needed to do.
Thank God Bucky had been her first, or Stella would hate this even more.
Time for the performance of her life.
"Now that's how you take down a corrupt organisation," Tony said a week later as Stella and Natasha sparred. He was watching from a bench. "I admire you, I really do."
"Do you have anything constructive to add?" Natasha asked, blocking and countering Stella's attacks.
"How the hell did you get information from Rumlow?"
Stella grimaced. "You don't think I can hack a phone and a computer? I just asked to sleep separately in case I had nightmares about Fury, then took advantage of the fact that I'm light and fast on my feet, and don't need a lot of sleep." She rolled her eyes. "Okay, I called Natasha for tips—"
"You should've called me."
"Didn't know whether or not you'd be awake."
"He probably wasn't," Natasha said.
"The point is, between that and the USB, we got all the information we needed. With Maria at the helm, we took down HYDRA within SHIELD. We were able to salvage most of our people, the ones who were on HYDRA's hit list. You're welcome for stopping Project Insight from taking you and Bruce out, by the way."
Tony lifted his eyebrows. "Huh. Thanks for that."
"No problem."
"Uh, actually? Sounds like it was a huge problem, one I could've helped you with. You know, without having to call in your metal-armed friend."
"Any sign of him so far?" Stella asked. She and Natasha rested, both having a vested interest in the Winter Soldier's whereabouts.
"J?"
"I was saving it as a surprise," JARVIS said.
"Saving what?"
"I indeed spotted Sergeant Barnes ten minutes ago. He had been disguised until then."
"What?" Stella said, dropping her hand wraps. "Why didn't you say anything, JARVIS?"
"Because he is on his way. I informed Dr. Banner. He is attending to your friend, and to the man who brought him in."
"Who's that?"
JARVIS paused. "You had better see for yourself. I can take you straight to medical?"
"Yes, please," Stella said. Natasha followed her to the elevator, and Tony jogged to catch up with them.
The man who'd brought Bucky in looked an awful lot like Phil Coulson. Bruce was wearing a wrist monitor, shooting him suspicious looks, while Natasha automatically moved into battle stance.
"I can explain," the Coulson look-alike said.
"He's my soulmate," Bucky said, meeting Stella's eyes. "Hey, punk."
"Bucky?"
"Soulmate. Mine." He reached out and grabbed the man's sleeve. "His name's Phil."
"Please hold still, Sergeant Barnes," Bruce said wearily.
"Fury had me brought back to life," 'Phil' said. "I was dead for five days, and he used the TAHITI program—"
"Five days," Natasha said. She glanced at Stella. "I thought I'd misread that. There was no name – just a number – but someone was brought back. An offhand comment by a HYDRA agent in front of Fury, and bam. The Winter Soldier's soulmate was saved."
"You mean they brought me back for Sergeant Barnes?"
"Apparently."
"So you actually are Phil Coulson?" Tony said.
"Ask Maria Hill. She'll tell you. I didn't know the full details until…" He turned ashen, and entwined his fingers with Bucky's. "Never thought I was going to meet my soulmate. I'd had the words all my life, and I kept waiting for someone to say 'You, are you one of them?' Forgot they were my words until Sergeant Barnes reacted to mine."
"I told you to call me James," Bucky said. Bruce smacked his other hand when it began to fidget. "Ow! Look, doc. Can I go now?"
"I'll want to perform tests later, but I'll study the blood sample you gave me," Bruce said, straightening up. "I'm sure you all want to talk. It's not a conversation that should happen in front of me unless I'm in a Hulk-proof room."
The next time Stella encountered Brock, it was during a smack-down (a twenty-first century term she loved) between the Avengers and a monstrous HYDRA creation. An actual Hydra, in fact, two of them. The team had been trying to explain Greek mythology to Thor, who took it in stride as usual, then proceeded to – as Clint put it – 'blast the shit out of' the Hydra. It didn't work; it was probably supposed to be some kind of metaphor for the whole organisation, but damned if they were gonna win. Especially with Coulson's team leading the remains of SHIELD with Bucky by his side.
"Here comes Brock's girlfriend," someone jeered. It was one of the men from the elevator. Stella narrowed her eyes, then shot him.
Yeah. No one expected her to have a gun. It was an ICER, technically, but one which would keep him down until FitzSimmons' tech revived everyone who was tagged. If only they worked on the Hydra.
"When you see Brock, tell him I said hi," she said.
"Hi."
She moved faster than lightning, flinging her shield at Brock. Like Bucky he caught it, though he skidded back a yard or so. Stella's heart damn near stopped. He was supposedly crushed by a falling wall. Had they revived him somehow? Given him something like the serum? Because there wasn't anything left of the TAHITI project, and he was showing strength Coulson didn't have.
"What happened?" she asked, moving towards him. She had to get her shield back after all. Brock flipped it expertly, almost testing the weight. Then he tossed it back to her. She grabbed hold and didn't let go. Who else around here was enhanced?
"I'm stronger," he said. "Hello, sweetheart."
"Don't call me that," she said, still walking forwards. He moved to meet her.
"But you said you liked it, baby," he said, tilting his head. She narrowed her eyes.
"I said a lot of things to get you to believe me," she said.
"So did I. I'm impressed that I got taken in. Pissed, but impressed."
Stella attached her shield to her back. Brock took it as the invitation that it was. They immediately engaged in battle. Stella intended to use it as a means to study his technique, but soon found herself fighting for survival. He wasn't necessarily stronger than her, but stronger than expected, and bigger. Not by much, but it was significant enough that she couldn't just immobilise him and move on. They struck, blocked, feinted, and countered continuously. Never moving far, neither gaining the upper hand. Not until Stella allowed Brock to overpower her. They ended up on the ground, weapons and shield clattering to the side. She grabbed him by the hair and dragged his face close.
"Why did you have to be HYDRA?" she hissed.
"Why did you have to be SHIELD?"
Then they kissed. It was consuming and spine-tingling and she craved more.
There was a roar nearby, and she brought her fist down on the back of his neck before pushing him off. It didn't do more than phase him, but it gave her time to grab her shield and ICER, and sprint back to the Hydra. The problem was that mythology differed in its story about how the Hydra was defeated, and this obviously wasn't a real one. Stella would have rather fought a bilgesnipe; at least Thor knew how to defeat one of those.
"I think there's something mechanical in there," Iron Man said. "Hard to tell with all that fake flesh; something's block the scanner from getting a clear picture."
"If that's how to disable it, then how do we get in and do that?" Stella barked into her comm. unit. "Got any suggestions?"
"Assuming Thor didn't fry the electronics?"
"There'd be a mark," Black Widow said. "I can't see anything like that."
"It's not exactly holding still," Hawkeye said, though his arrows still struck true. He'd even managed to create a few gashes.
"Hawkeye," Stella said, knocking out more HYDRA agents with her shield and the ICER, and physically fending some of them off. "The arrows which have caused damage. What're they made of?"
"Vibranium. They slice right through an' go out the other side. Not enough to do damage, but when I follow `em up with another, it's a good way to get inside the neck and destroy it."
"This one?" Stella got close enough to pick up a goo-stained arrow.
"One of `em landed there."
She considered the arrow and her shield.
"Iron Man, I need a lift," she said.
"Grab hold!" he said, landing beside her. "Where to?"
"The back of the Hydra."
"Got a plan?"
"Yep."
He deposited her on the back. She hooked her legs around the thickest neck, and Iron Man shot at the other ones to keep them from getting at Stella. She used Clint's arrow to dig a long line down the back, then used her shield to tear it apart, exposing the machine.
"I got it!" she said. "Iron Man, you're gonna have to help me with this."
"What d'you need?"
"Can you hack it? Looks like it needs a password."
Iron Man got close, the suit still firing off at the other necks and Thor frying them when he could. He scanned the unit.
"Yeah, it needs a password," he said. "Oh, and that timer? Looks like it's set to blow in sixty seconds if you don't enter something. And they're wheels, not buttons."
"Eight of `em," Stella said.
"If it blows, at least this thing'll be de-powered. C'mon."
"What about the other one?"
"Cap, let's go! More heads are growing!"
"Either go or keep blasting them! You can't get me out of here and do both."
Eight wheels. 'Mythology' was too long, 'Greek' was too short. She flicked through the first wheel, and none of the letters was 'h', so 'Heracles' was out. She tried to remember anything else about the myth of Hydra.
Wait. There was something before the name. A place?
"Where was the Hydra from?" she asked.
"Uh… JARVIS said it's from Lerna," Iron Man said. "L-E-R-N-A. It's… Lernaean!"
Stella quickly spun the letters. The ticking which had been disguised by the Hydra's noise stopped, and the timer de-powered. The manufactured monster went still and slumped over, nearly dislodging Stella. She flung her shield onto the back holster.
Then an electronic voice said 'Failsafe'. The neck she'd been clinging to swiped her off.
When Brock saw Iron Man taking Stella to the Hydra, he barely had time to wonder what was going on before he was clipped by an ICER. The wound turned blue for a second, and then the serum healed it instantly. It barely phased him, giving him the chance to see just how close his soulmate was getting to the snake-headed monster HYDRA had whipped up. The Hulk was still smashing another one, with SHIELD's help. Brock was more concerned about what was happening here, and began to run towards the Hydra. He didn't know how it all worked, but he knew that getting inside wasn't going to disable the whole thing, nor were the two machines connected to each other.
He had to deal with Romanov, who was acting particularly vicious towards him. It's not like he was the one who'd done the hoodwinking; that was her girl who'd tricked Brock into thinking she cared. He should've seen it from the beginning, and was in big trouble with Pierce when the deception was discovered. Good thing the guy was dead; bad thing that Brock nearly died as well. On the plus side, he was now enhanced. He'd taken on Captain America and briefly overpowered her.
"She's better off without you," Romanov said.
"Behind you," he replied.
"I know," she said, flipping the assailant over her head and nearly hitting Brock.
Then the Hydra lost all life, and nearly everyone stopped moving.
Until one head rose up and knocked Stella flying. She hit a wall and fell to the ground. Brock was halfway to her before he was even aware of moving, let alone sprinting over fallen debris and around the bodies of HYDRA agents. He was nearly there when Iron Man landed in front of him. Brock tried to move around, but two arms caught and held him at arms' length.
"Let me see her," Brock said, struggling. "She's my soulmate."
"You're HYDRA—"
"And that thing's gonna blow unless someone throws the right switch!"
"She entered the password—"
"Anyone can work out the password. But there's less than three minutes to shut down that neck before the whole thing explodes, taking down everything and everyone in a five mile radius, Stark."
"And I suppose you're the only one who knows which one is the kill switch," Iron Man said sarcastically.
"No, but you all knocked out most of them." He stared straight into the armour's eyes. "I need to disable it, or Stella will get hurt."
"You don't get to call her that."
"You don't get to dictate whether she lives or dies, either! Now move aside."
"Let him, Stark!" Romanov called. "The timer's going again, and the main neck is stirring."
Iron Man flew him over there. Brock craned his neck, but there was a crowd of people around Stella, hiding her from view. Romanov held a gun to his head as soon as he was dumped on the Hydra's back.
"Fix it," she said. Brock spun the letter wheels to spell NAEANREL, leaving the sixth wheel `til last. Then he pressed it in, and a panel opened. Instead of pressing the button, he pulled it out. The timer stopped with a click, and each neck fell off. Romanov relayed each step over the comms.
"Time to cauterize the stumps," he said, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand. He looked at Romanov. "I want to see my soulmate."
She remained silent as Iron Man burned the spaces where necks used to be. Barton ran off to check on the second Hydra and help with cleanup it, and Brock climbed down the monster until he was on solid ground. Stella wasn't where she had fallen, but he could see blood from where she'd hit her head. He looked around, but was again blocked from trying to find her.
"You must come into custody," Thor said. Brock opened his mouth to argue, then wisely shut it. He nodded, and the alien-god led him away.
"I heard you didn't eat until you knew how I was doing."
Brock sat up from his jail cell bed. He approached the door, where a small window with bars allowed him to see his soulmate's face. She looked as good as new, but he knew she'd been out of it for a whole day. When no one told him about her, he stopped eating.
"If I meant anything to SHIELD, they'd have to tell me how you were," he said. "If I didn't mean anything, it didn't matter because they'd never let me see you. So I stopped caring whether or not I stayed alive."
Her eyebrows scrunched together. "That's suicidal talk."
"You're my soulmate. If I can't have you by my side…"
"That's wrong, and if you think SHIELD can be manipulated—"
"SHIELD," he scoffed. "Like I've ever cared about SHIELD."
"Right," she said, nodding, with a poisonous look in her eyes. "You only ever cared about HYDRA."
"You know what was supposed to happen? We were supposed to arrest you that day in the elevator. Take you into custody for keeping secrets from SHIELD, and being implicated in Fury's death." Her jaw tightened. "The truth didn't matter, Stella. All that mattered was taking out threats."
"Threats to HYDRA, not to the safety of the world! Or don't you know the difference anymore?"
"Damn it, Stella!" He thumped the bars, denting them. She backed off a step, eyeing them.
"I… didn't come here to argue," she said.
"Could've fooled me."
"I came to see how you were."
"Why would you care?"
"Because you're my soulmate. Fate gave you to me for a reason. I was born before you, remember?"
"It's easy to forget when you look so young," he said, looking over her. "How are you? That was a pretty nasty hit."
"I've taken worse. Head wounds bleed a lot. My brain heals itself just as well as it heals the rest of me. A lot less time than it would anyone else, except Thor and Bucky. And now you, it looks like." She straightened the bars. He wanted to touch her hands, but resisted, even when she left them there like the greatest temptation.
"They did something to me," he said. "I don't know what, but I'm stronger now."
"I know."
"Well…" He turned away and returned to his bed.
"Brock?"
"I'm fine. Just waitin' for the verdict. Jury still out?" He sat on the edge of the mattress.
"Uh…"
"You've done your duty, whatever you think that is," he said. "You've heard how I am, and you've seen how I am. You can go now."
"That's not the only reason I came here, Brock."
"Well, it's not like I've got anywhere else to go," he said, shrugging as he lay back down. "Talk away. It's not like I've got a choice."
"Coulson's a big one for second chances. I know Bucky didn't have autonomy, so his situation's different to yours. But you're my soulmate. Everyone knows I'm not gonna go evil. So…" She held onto the bars, but he didn't meet her eyes. He wasn't going to look at those baby blues from any distance if he could help it. He'd just get sucked in again. "You're getting a second chance. Start on our team, because we can put you down if you go rogue. If you really do turn over a new leaf, then you can return to SHIELD… or stay with us."
He snorted. "Yeah, I can't see anyone accepting me."
"If we bonded, I'd be able to watch you from anywhere. I'd know if you planned to betray us. I could vouch for you if you stayed on our side."
"Stella—"
"Brock, please consider it." Her voice had a tremor. "I never lied about being attracted to you. I think you could become the kind of man I could fall in love with. Don't you want your soulmate to be in love with you?"
He swallowed, screwing his eyes shut. "Yes."
"And I want to love you, but you're making it so damn hard by being… being…"
"Me?"
"Stubborn! What's so wrong with being one of the good guys?" He sat up, rubbing his face as his eyes prickled. "They make figurines of us."
Brock stared at her, and then burst out laughing. She joined in, and he shook his head.
"That's how you got me to fall in love with you," he said, scratching his hair. Her laughter petered off, and he realised what he said. "Yeah. That was… that was becoming real, sweetheart."
"Brock…"
"Figurines? Really?"
She shrugged. "People prefer the heroes and heroines to the villain, at least in real life. If someone threatens a child, people hate the guy doing it. It's the person who stops the bully that people love the most. Don't you wanna be that person?" He didn't speak. "Brock, you wanted to erase threats to peace. What Project Insight was going to do would've destroyed many of the world's defenders. If you really want to save people… then please. Take this chance. It's the only one you'll get. If you don't, you'll be locked away forever, and we'll never see each other again."
He couldn't take that. He just… he couldn't.
"Okay," he said. "I'll try to be what you want me to be."
"It's not about me. Be who you want to be, Brock."
"Stella—"
"Brock, I heard you that night. When you said you loved me? I… I know it was just a lie, I knew it then. But I wanted it to be true."
"It would've been, if we'd kept going the way we were."
"Tables turned on you, didn't they?" He nodded. "The difference is that I knew you were trying to make me love you, so everything was fake to me. You thought I was being genuine."
"I know you weren't faking all your reactions," he said.
"No, I never said I did. You're a dangerous man. If you weren't HYDRA, I might've done anything you asked me just to make you happy."
"I felt the same."
"We can… we can have that again, if you promise to join our side. Give us both a second chance, Brock."
Slowly, he stood and walked over to the door. She let him touch her fingers, and he kissed the tips.
"Anything you wish, sweetheart," he said.
Wow. Another monster of a chapter. Again, no idea how it got to this length.
I TOLD YOU THE LONG ONES WERE ANGSTY!
…Ehem.
I wanted to do another genderswap, and I wanted to do this pair because of reasons. Bucky/Phil was an illusion to the other genderswap gender, which featured those two, with fem!Phil. I figured that fem!Steve would seem more vulnerable and susceptible, making Brock's actions more reprehensible; the double standard means that Steve could be considered more manipulative of fem!Brock. Besides, good guy getting the upper hand? Make it a good gal!
I read somewhere that Stephanie wasn't a name in World War II? So I went with Stella. Because star.
Please review!