The Lock Screen Hacker
"Has anyone seen my phone?" Steve asks as he rampages his bag, taking out books and notebooks one by one and placing them on the table.
One of his friends hanging out with him in the outdoor study area of SHIELD University chuckles, but no one responds to his question.
Looking up, Steve glanced at the nearest person, "Buck, seriously, did you take my phone?"
"Why would I take your phone?" Bucky asks, sniggering at the frustrated look of the blonde, "I'm pretty sure it's somewhere on the table. You made quite a mess,"
Steve then looks at their long table and sees that most of his papers and books are scattered, covering his side of the table.
"I'm pretty sure somewhere around your pile, your phone is in there," Natasha comments as she points at one distinct pile of books and term papers that need to be accomplished.
"I checked it a while ago, but it wasn't there," Steve grumbled as he one by one lifted his things until his phone suddenly appeared before him, "Ha! Where were you?"
Natasha chuckles at the blonde, "I won't be surprised if one day your things will talk back to you Rogers, you keep on missing stuff,"
"He likes his mess, yet, can't find things within them," Bucky added before he chortled at the dagger look that Steve was giving him.
"I'm sure my phone wasn't there minutes ago," Steve retorts before he presses a button on his phone, "Gah!"
Steve's eyes grew big as he stared at his lit phone, "Who did this?"
"Did what?" Bucky then stands to lean close to his best friend to peek over his phone. Soon enough he laughs hard until he falls back to his seat, clutching his belly.
"What is it?" Natasha curiously asks as she slowly smiles widely at her laughing boyfriend, "What's so funny?" She then looked at the scrunched look of the blonde, making her grab the phone instead.
As Natasha stared at the lock screen, she couldn't help but laugh as well, which was not usual for the red-haired woman. This made Steve even more embarrassed knowing that someone had secretly taken a photo of him sleeping with his head tilted back and with his mouth wide open. To make it an embarrassing reminder that he had fallen asleep in one of his subjects, that hacker had to make it his lock screen.
"Whoever did that is one hell of a hacker," Bucky mutters in between his laughter.
Steve grumbles in agreement.
Next day
"Hey, Rogers!"
Steve stops in the hallway and turns around to see who has called him. He quickly smiles at the sprinting man, "Hey, Sam, what's up?"
"Can I borrow your phone?" Sam asks with a teasing smile on his face.
Raising a brow, Steve slowly pulls out his phone from his pants back pocket, "Sure, but why?"
"Just want to check something," Sam grins mischievously.
As quick as that, Steve's smile disappeared, and frowned back at him, "Ha-ha-ha, funny. I changed it," he then put back his phone in his pocket.
"Aw, man! Bucky said it was hilarious!" Sam loudly laughs as he clasps a hand over Steve's broad shoulders, "You should have kept it!"
"I don't understand why my friends aren't worried enough that someone actually hacked my phone and changed my lock screen," Steve mumbled as he rolled his eyes at his friend's comment.
"Aw, come on Steve, you're quite predictable in your passcode," Sam teased as he walked along with the blonde out of their school building.
"Oh, yeah? Then what is it?" Steve challenged with a knowing smirk.
"So, it is easy to know?" Sam retorts back with a grin.
Steve groans, giving up, "You just don't know. So, it means it's not easy to hack,"
"It's her last name, you dork," Sam slowly smiled widely when Steve comically looked back at him, "Am I right?"
Steve was suddenly speechless at the thought that he was a little predictable. With his silence and reddening face, Sam laughed out loud at the confirmation of his guess. "You are predictable, Steve!"
Sitting once again at their usual spot in the outdoor study area, Bucky, Natasha, Steve, and Sam were all there working silently. Each of them was busy, managing their free time while they waited for their next class.
As Bucky was writing down notes for a subject that he had fallen asleep into, the brunette suddenly noticed that he had skipped a page that he had screened shot.
"Hey, punk, what's after 'the idea of infinity'?" Bucky glances at the artist.
"I don't know," Steve replies impassively as he seriously typed on his computer. "I'm busy,"
Groaning in annoyance, Bucky leaned over the table and grabbed Steve's phone, "Borrow," he said.
"You know my passcode?" Steve stopped typing and looked at the brunette.
"Yeah," Bucky replies with a grin, "It's her last name,"
"Ha!" Steve then points a finger, "I changed it!"
Natasha couldn't help but roll her eyes as she just listened to the two best friends, "Wow, surprising," she mumbled softly, which earned her a glance from the blonde. But Steve shrugs it off and looks back at Bucky.
"If it ain't her last name…" Bucky thought for a second before he smirked, "Then it's her name,"
Steve raised a brow at the ridiculous assumption when suddenly the brunette laughed out loud.
"What?" Steve bashfully asked as he slowly watched his friends lean close to Bucky and look at his phone.
Sam laughed next and Natasha smiled amusingly. Seeing Steve's lock screen change again made the trio amused to the point it made Steve bashful even without understanding why.
Bucky turns the phone to Steve, "Your hacker did it again," he says with enthusiasm in his voice.
Steve's face turned red as he stared at himself yawning, almost like his mouth was about to rip. His nose was wrinkled, and his eyes were tightly shut. All in all, his face was nearly contorted in an unappealing way.
"How the hell does this happen?" He muttered in disbelief before he grabbed his phone and unlocked it.
Looking into his photo gallery, Steve searched for the original photo to figure out what time it had been taken. In that way, he could decipher what class he had taken before the photo was changed. But to his dismay, the photo was deleted even in the bin.
"Guess whoever hacks your phone knows you better than you think," Bucky snickers as he watches his best friend pout.
"It's gotta be one of my classmates," Steve muttered, slightly getting annoyed that this hacker was getting passed him. He wasn't that predictable to his classmates, no one could guess that good about him.
At the 15th row of the large classroom hall, Steve and Natasha sat down next to each other. It was their only class subject that they were classmates. Multicultural Art of USA was the only subject that was offered both to art and international studies majors.
Sitting comfortably, Natasha looked around the hall, silently observing everyone as they waited for their professor to arrive. Soon enough, she sees a close friend and classmate in most of her subjects.
"Carter!" Natasha raises her hand and quickly the brunette looks her way.
Waving and smiling back, Peggy Carter approached the redhead and readied herself to take a seat next to her. "I just saw Ms. Walter one floor below and had to rush to get here before her," she said as she tried to catch her breath.
Natasha quickly stood up and moved to the other side of Steve, "Here, take my seat, she's here,"
As the redhead took the right-side seat of Steve, she smirked at the blonde and gave a teasing look. Steve could only groan at the teasing look his friend was giving him.
"Hello, Steve,"
Steve whipped his head and looked at the English brunette, "H-hi, Peggy," he smiled, bashfully.
"It's quite a miracle you're awake," Peggy comments as she settles herself next to the artist and brings out her laptop, "You usually come to class yawning or scratching your eyes awake,"
"Oh," Steve scratches his head shyly, "I've been sleeping late recently,"
"And why is that?" Peggy inquires with concern in her voice.
Staring at her brown eyes, Steve couldn't help but be mesmerized for a second before he realized she was waiting for a reply.
"Oh, uh, a project—final project for Drawing II class,"
Peggy nods her head in understanding, "Since I'm no artist I have no idea why drawing will take you so long to finish one. But I do hope you get some proper sleep," She smiled at him beautifully, making the blonde smile back with a tint of pink on his cheeks.
Soon enough the class starts, and the trio begins to pay attention. However, Natasha was a little more interested in her two classmates, sitting to one another. Steve and Peggy talked to one another endlessly, seeming like they had forgotten she was still there.
It was adorable to see Steve sometimes jump when she joined in the conversation. Peggy was more casual in replying, but with Steve, Natasha couldn't help but snigger every time he looked back at her with a guilty look.
After an hour and a half, the class ended, and students quickly filed out of the hall.
"Hey, Peggy, do you want to join us for late lunch?" Natasha asked as she put her things inside her bag.
"Sure, but I have to drop by the library first," Peggy slings her bag to her shoulder, "Where do I find you?"
"Hey, Steve," Natasha clasps her hands to the tall blonde's shoulders, "Why don't you accompany Peggy to the library and meet us back at the gardens?"
"Nat—" Steve whines.
"It's fine—" Peggy counters.
"No," Natasha interrupts them both. She then widens her eyes to Steve, "Rogers, accompany Carter."
Peggy stared at her red-haired friend and immediately noticed the deadly gaze of the woman. Chuckling softly, she grabbed Steve's arm and pulled him as she said, "Come on, Rogers. You don't want to die today,"
Natasha laughed along with the brunette as she watched the two leave the hall. Steve looked back at her for a second before she waved him to keep moving.
Peggy and Steve were friends, that is one fact about them. But they didn't get close before he discovered that Natasha was a classmate of hers for most of her major subjects. Although Steve first saw Peggy on campus during the first day of school last year.
It was during the student orientation for all freshmen, and sophomore students were tasked to assist the student council in touring them around SHIELD University. Apparently, being a diligent student earned Steve the job of touring the Freshman Art majors in the Art department. Everyone was settling in the school grounds, welcoming new students when he saw Peggy walk in front of the line.
Margaret Elizabeth 'Peggy' Carter was a freshman student in the International Studies Department, majoring in World Culture. She looked sharp in her dark blue high-waisted slack pants, pristine white silk blouse, and bold red velvet lipstick. She exuded confidence and elegance that captured much attention.
Steve was one of them and he could feel his jaw drop slowly in awe as he stood a few meters away from her. Without understanding how it happened, Peggy glanced at him for a second before raising a brow. At that moment, Steve quickly looked away, bashful, after staring too long at the beautiful dame. No, woman.
Every once in a while, Steve would look at the line of the International Studies Department. Peggy was intently listening to the student in front when suddenly one student from the Business Administration department, Gilmore Hodge, spoke and acted fresh towards them.
Steve couldn't hear what Peggy was saying when she started talking to that student but within a few minutes, she gave him a sucker punch. Everyone gasped in surprise and amusement and at that point, Steve couldn't help but be awestruck with her. She was more than a pretty face, she was badass. So, from that day on, he knew, he had a crush on Peggy Carter.
"So, what book are you going to borrow?" Steve asks as he tries to make a casual conversation.
"Oh, just a book Professor May suggested we read to have a better understanding of Asian culture and issues," Peggy looked up at him, "Why?
"Uh, nothing," Steve sheepishly rubs his neck, "Do you share this class with Nat?"
"Yeah, we do…Why?" Peggy subtly smirks when Steve turns red by the second.
"Uh, nothing," Steve answers again, and inwardly curses himself for not being able to talk to women casually, especially Peggy. He knew there were a lot of things he wanted to talk about with her, he just didn't know how to begin.
Suddenly, Steve hears Peggy laugh, making him glance her way. She was genuinely laughing and seeing her like that made Steve smile. When the brunette glanced at him, the blonde couldn't help but be stricken by her gaze as she had a gleam in her eyes.
"Steve, I'm just teasing," she then playfully bumps him on the shoulder, "You're always nervous around me. Do I make you nervous or am I just not friendly enough?"
"What—No," Steve shook his head, "I just…"
"You just what?" Peggy inquired before she stopped in front of a double door.
Steve then realizes they have reached the library and quickly opens it for the brunette. Seeing his gesture, Peggy sighs and enters the room instead. The blonde artist could only scratch his head in embarrassment as he followed Peggy.
Once Peggy had gotten her book, the duo immediately left and headed toward the school's open area. Steve was sure that Bucky, Sam, and some of their other friends were already there. He should start getting comfortable being around Peggy, otherwise, he knows, he will full body blush when his friends start to tease him with her again.
"Hey, Peggy,"
"Yes, Steve?"
Steve looked at Peggy and felt his cheeks warm the longer Peggy returned the gaze. As her brow lifts, Steve quickly clears his throat and tries to refocus, "I…I just wanted to ask what food you wanted to eat?"
"Oh, right…" Peggy looked away as she felt a little embarrassed to think that Steve had something else to say. Biting her lower lip, she contemplated, "A deli sandwich would do for me,"
"You want to grab them now?" Steve questioned as he stopped in the middle of the corridor.
"How about the others?" Peggy asks as she follows the blonde toward the direction of the cafeteria.
"They can find their own food," Steve chuckles to lighten the mood, to which Peggy nods her head with a smile on her face.
The two then walked silently next to each other. Peggy kept her hands clutched to her book, hugging it close to her chest, while Steve kept his hands on the strap of his backpack.
"So, I noticed, you hadn't fallen asleep in class," Peggy comments, before a smile slowly appears on her lips, "That's a first,"
Steve huffs laughter, "Well, when weird things happen sometimes you have to keep watch,"
"Weird things?" Peggy questioned with amusement in her voice.
"Yeah, like my lock screen keeps on changing without me knowing," Steve said before he looked back at the server of the deli shop to tell his order. "Can I have, steak and cheese on toasted wheat bread, with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, pickles, caramelized onions, and green peppers? Then dress it in ranch and honey mustard,"
Peggy stared at each item Steve ordered, leaving her amused at how full his sandwich sounded. Smiling to herself, she just watched the server prep the meal.
"What about you?" Steve asked, snapping her out of her trance.
"Uh…" She looked around, not used to having a variety of choices for sandwiches, "I'm not really used to a lot of options, what would you recommend?"
"Oh, me?" Steve points to himself. When Peggy nodded her head, Steve couldn't help but be a little pressured by the trust Peggy gave him in his taste. Nonetheless, he was honored, "Not the best sandwich maker, but, for you, I think you'd like oven-roasted chicken on toasted honey oats, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, pickles, and green peppers,"
"You heard him," Peggy addressed the server with a satisfied smile on her face, "That please, and then dress it with southwest chipotle,"
Peggy looked back at Steve and grinned at the blonde, "Thank you,"
"My pleasure," Steve says with an adoring smile on his face too.
"Where did you kiddos go?" Tony Stark asked with his hands on his hips as he stared at the two incoming students.
"We bought our food," Steve raised his sandwich.
"Didn't you receive my text? I said I was bringing some shawarma," Tony shook his head as Steve then fumbled to retrieve his phone, "Oh, hi there Peggy. It's nice of you to join us,"
"Hello, Stark," Peggy smiled back at the brunette, who gave a knowing smile at her as she took an empty seat, "You seem more perkier than usual,"
"Who me?" Tony exaggeratingly gasps and points to himself, making the others chuckle at his antics, "I have always been quite an exuberant lad, so I don't know what you're talking about,"
Pepper chuckles next to Tony, "Leave him be, he's just thrilled that his project has been accepted and is in the process of being patented,"
"That's great, Tony!" Steve comments as he searches around the table for an empty seat. There was one, next to Peggy, but he didn't want to overcrowd her. He had been sticking next to her since class and he didn't want her to think he was being—
"Steve, what are you looking for? Over here," Peggy calls as she taps the empty seat next to her, snapping the blonde out of his thoughts.
Everyone's eyes were on him as they watched him take his seat next to the English brunette while they tried to keep their grin to a normal size. But Steve could just hear the sniggering teasing he'd get once Peggy left for class.
"Guys, just eat your food," Steve muttered when his friends still watched him with amusement.
"We are eating our food," Bucky replies, and his grin is wide enough to annoy the blonde, "Why are you so stiff, Stevie?"
"I've been telling him that," Peggy suddenly comments before she softly nudges the blonde on the shoulder, "He seems always nervous. Is he always nervous around you guys?"
Everyone at the table shook their heads, making Peggy glance at the more rigid artist, "Care to explain, Rogers?"
"I-I'm not nervous…" Steve defends, but then Natasha and Sam sniggers at his reply, "Seriously, I'm not. I just…"
"You just what?" Peggy repeats her previous question with a raised brow, "You know you haven't answered that question before we went to the library. Don't think you can find your way out without being honest with me,"
"Ooh…" Bucky and Sam chimed, making Steve glare at them.
Tony then cackles at the blushing blonde, "Oh, Peggy, forgive this fella. He's not nervous, he's just a little bit shy being around you,"
"Shy?" Peggy questioned with astonishment in her face, "Why would you be shy? We've known each other for a year and we've been classmates for a semester,"
Natasha sniggers, "And seatmate…"
Steve suddenly sighed in defeat, "I am not…nervous or shy, okay?" he then glanced at Peggy who looked at him with complete doubt, "I just think you're an awesome person who might get bored hanging around with me. I'm not much of a talker like this one," he then kicks Bucky in the shin, making the brunette lad wince in pain but chortles after.
"Oh, trust me, Steven, I think you're more interesting than you think," Peggy smirks at the blonde, making the lad blush, and everyone on the table teases him.
As everyone on the table was busy laughing and teasing Steve with Peggy's comment, Bucky subtly steals Steve's phone and swipes open the camera. He slyly took a picture of them, Peggy laughing and nearly leaning on Steve, while Steve blushingly smiled back at her. Slipping the phone back to Steve's bag, Bucky can't help but be proud of himself and his best friend's progress.
As the night got deeper, Steve yawned out loud while he stretched out his stiff limbs. He had been sitting in front of his drawing board for more than two hours now, trying to accomplish his semestral project.
"Hey, Stevie, Nat has been telling me that she is waiting for a response from you," Bucky mutters as he comes out of his bedroom and stands by the living room.
Steve looks up from his work and tiredly turns to his friend, "Natasha? Why would she text me?"
"I don't know buddy," Bucky shrugs, "Maybe because people want to communicate with ya," he then rolls his eyes and enters his room again, "Check your phone from time to time, bud, it might change your life!"
Rolling his eyes as well, Steve just brushed it off and stood to grab his phone. But to his surprise, he couldn't figure out where he had last put it. "Hey, Buck, have you seen my phone?"
"Nope!"
Steve grumbles in reply. He then went inside his room and searched around his things, but then his phone was nowhere found. He then knocks on Bucky's room and requests that he ring up his number. Soon enough, the phone started chiming and Steve rampaging searched his phone around his art materials.
"Found it!" He exclaimed. Steve then opened his phone and nearly dropped it when he was surprised by his wallpaper. "What the…" he trails off as he stares at his picture wiping his nose upward, making his nose look extremely and awkwardly upturned.
Steve grumbled in the nuisance of how this hacker always catches him in a weird and awkward situation. His nose was itchy that time and his fingers were dirty due to all the charcoal shading he had been doing during his Drawing II class. He was left with no option but to use other parts of his body to scratch that part. He knew he was distorting his nose, but he didn't have to be reminded.
"Hold on," Steve suddenly mutters as he notices the surroundings in the image, "This was after lunch…" the blonde then stands up from the floor and heads to his best friend's room.
After knocking twice, Steve quickly opens the door without waiting for the brunette's response, "Hey, Buck, do you remember if Nat left our table earlier than everyone else?"
Bucky had his mouth ajar as he stared surprised at the blonde, "Uh, babe, Steve is asking if you left lunch earlier than us a while ago?"
Steve pursed his lips in embarrassment as he realized he had intruded on a private conversation between his best friend and girlfriend, "Sorry," he muttered softly.
Bucky waves a hand in dismissal, "She said yes, with Peggy…she asks why?"
Steve paused for a second, "Hm, with Peggy…Well, that's two suspects," he then turned away and closed the door, leaving Bucky confused at his muttering.
"Wha—Babe, I'mma call you back. Stevie here is on to something" Bucky then stands up from his bed, "I'll tell you as soon as I squeeze it out of him. Bye, love you,"
Bucky quickly stepped out of his bedroom and approached the blonde, "Do you mind explaining what was that all about?"
"How good is Natasha hacking phones?" Steve ignores the question as he turns to look at the brunette.
"Uh, really good," Bucky furrows his brow, "But again, why?"
Instead of answering his question, Steve shows his phone with his ridiculous wallpaper. Soon enough, Bucky laughed at the image and nearly stumbled back.
"Alright, quit laughing. Did Natasha do this?"
"Wha—ha-ha-ha—why would Nat do that?" Bucky laughingly questioned as he clutched his sides.
"I don't know, you tell me!" Steve then stands up and paces the living room, "It's been three days since this is happening, and in all circumstances that it happened Nat was there,"
Bucky dubiously stared at him, "Uh, I think that's just a coincidence because we always spend time together during breaks. I doubt it's her,"
"You're just saying that 'cause you're covering for her sake," Steve whined before he shook his head and stopped his pacing, with his hands resting on his narrow hips. "I doubt it would be Peggy,"
Bucky turned to look at the blonde with a glint in his eyes, "And why would you think that? You don't think Peggy can be mischievous?"
Steve didn't move except his eyes to look back at the brunette, "I honestly don't know." He then drops his head hanging, "I can only hope it's not Peggy because that would really be embarrassing,"
Bucky then falls into another fits of laughter.
Early in the morning, Steve walks with purpose heading toward their usual spot. As he arrived there, he was a little surprised that Tony was already there with Pepper, probably waiting for their first period of class. Suddenly, Steve had an idea to ask for help from a tech expert.
"Hey, Tony, hi, Pepper," Steve waves at the duo, and Pepper waves back at him.
"Oh, hey there Captain Artsy," Tony greets back without looking up from his work, "You're quite early for your class,"
"I am," Steve sighs as he slowly sits down in front of the brunette, "Can I ask you a question,"
"Sure," Tony mutters before he zones into his work.
"Tony, it would be polite to look back at the person you are talking to," Pepper reminds Tony while she nudges his leg. Following her instructions, Tony puts down his tool and glances at his girlfriend for a moment, perplexed, before looking back at the blonde.
"Alright, you have my full attention. What can I do for you?" Tony gave a wide grin, almost like he was being sarcastic.
Steve nods his head to the redhead before looking back at Tony, "I just wanted to ask if you know how to hack phones,"
Tony raised a curious brow, stunned but a little thrilled at the prospect of where the topic would go, "…I do—"
"Tony—" Pepper scolds and the brunette quickly raises a hand in defeat,
"—only when necessary, I promise, Pep," Tony quickly throws a grin at her, and Pepper rolls her eyes in return. "Why'd you ask, anyway?" Tony abruptly turns his attention to the blonde, looking a little annoyed for getting him in trouble but at the same time excitedly bemused.
Steve scratches his head in embarrassment, "Can you trace who's hacking my phone?"
"Uh, yes, duh," Tony whines rolling his eyes, "Genius here, remember?"
"Can you check my phone?" Steve then hands over his cell phone. Soon enough, Tony pulls out his laptop quickly connecting the gadget, and begins to fumble with the keyboard.
"So, tell me, Rogers, why would somebody hack your phone?" Tony looked up at the blonde and threw him a mischievous grin, "Any R-rated files in here?"
"What? No," Steve bellowed, quickly turning red, "Someone has been changing my wallpapers without me noticing,"
Tony suddenly stopped typing and dumbfoundedly looked at the artist, "You do know that you don't need to hack a phone to do that, right?"
"Yeah, I think so—"
"—No, it's not a 'think so', it's a 'for sure so', artsy" Tony stares wide-eyed at the blonde.
"Then explain to me how my wallpaper changes to a photo that isn't in my photo gallery without anybody getting a hold of my phone?" Steve sarcastically looked back at the genius brunette.
"Are sure about that, Steve?" Pepper suddenly chimes in, looking doubtful, "I mean, you tend to misplace your phone a lot of times,"
Tony's smile suddenly grew wide at that realization, "Ha, that's your explanation, Rogers,"
"Okay, fine," Steve grumbles, not giving up yet, "But how will they be able to open my phone up if I change my passcode every time someone changes my screen photo?"
Pepper and Tony were stumped for a second until Tony shrugged his shoulder, "Okay, maybe someone knows how to hack your phone," he then resumed fumbling with his laptop.
"Or" Pepper offers another theory, "Maybe someone knows your pattern of codes,"
Steve looked at Pepper dubiously, "Let's say someone knows my pattern. But who would know me that much? I doubt it would be Nat…or Peggy" He whispered softly in the end.
"Excuse me, what?" Tony grasps the last word, looking back at the blonde with amusement in his eyes, "You think Peggy Carter can do this?"
"No," Steve pursed his lips, but when the brunette didn't relent, he sighed in defeat, "I don't know,"
Tony suddenly laughs boisterously, which makes Pepper laugh for a second but quickly nudges him to stop. When Tony slowed down, he resumed his typing, "Okay, let's just double check your phone's activity for the last, what—?"
"Three days—"
"Three days," Tony presses the enter button enthusiastically, "Okay…blah-blah-blah, oh, nude art, hm, Steve—"
"Tony—"
"Okay!" Tony claps his hand once, startling the two before he makes them wait for a few more seconds, "No, foul play. Sorry, Rogers, someone knows you better than you thought,"
Steve heaves in defeat, "Then who is it? Bucky—?"
"—I don't think so—"
"—Nat?"
"Eh—"
"Sam—?"
"—I doubt that—"
"You—?"
"—What?!"
"Peggy," Pepper interjects, making the two lads look at her, "What? Consider all your options,"
"You weren't included," Tony smirked playfully teasing.
"Really, Tony? The fact that I'm here, helping Steve, you think he'd still think it's me?"
"What? He included me!" Tony bafflingly looked at Pepper, rolling her eyes at him, and then ended it back at him with a deadpan look. "Oh, don't give me that look, honey. I know what you're capable of,"
Pepper suddenly smirks before she shrugs her shoulders nonchalantly, "Right, okay,"
"Guys, we're getting off-topic," Steve said brushing his hand in front of the couple, finally snapping the two out of their bubble, "Who would do this?"
Pepper sits up straighter, "I say, it's Peggy. She's one clever woman,"
"I think…" Tony hums with his tongue out, while the two patiently waited for him to continue, "It's Shuri,"
"She doesn't even go here!" Pepper and Steve simultaneously replied.
Tony cackled for a second as he stared at the furious look of the blonde, while Pepper threw him an exasperated look, "Okay, fine, I go for Peggy too,"
Steve was then silent, feeling apprehensive to consider that thought. It somehow made sense. Peggy was one of the first people who left their table yesterday, and then Peggy was also in his class in those other times he was caught sleeping.
"Is there no other suspect?" Steve sheepishly questioned, "How about Nat? She's good at reading people,"
"She is," Pepper offers, "But, I don't think that's her kind of entertainment,"
Walking into one of the hallways of SHIELD, Natasha, and Peggy headed to their class early that morning.
"You'll never believe how frustrated he is," Natasha says as she tries to minimize the laughter in her voice.
"Oh, I can just imagine how he looks," Peggy sniggers while she keeps her books close to her chest, "Did he suspect me too?"
"James said he tried considering you but," Natasha grins at the English brunette, "He's too naïve to consider you,"
"And why not?" Peggy muttered, sounding a little offended for not being considered mischievous, "I am pretty much capable of doing things…we shouldn't do,"
Natasha chortles at the soft, embarrassed voice of the brunette, "Remind me again why you started it?"
Peggy slowly turned red as she noticed the tone of the redhead. She quickly looked away and tried to ignore the amused face of her friend.
"It was to teach Steven some certain lessons, which has nothing to do with Lorraine," She mumbles sarcastically, and Natasha finally lets out her laughter.
Standing a few meters away from their usual table, Steve stares at the group that settled there. He had his sketchbook in hand, his bag of various coloring materials in his other hand, and his backpack, slinging on his shoulder.
"What are you staring at?" Sam surprisingly asks the blonde, making Steve jump and look at him with wide eyes.
Laughing at his startled look, Sam drapes his arm over Steve's shoulder and focuses on the view in front of them, "You must be thinking hard about something to make you jump like that…What's wrong with this view?"
"Nothing," He replies, earning a curious look for his friend.
"Come on, Rogers, spill it. You are staring at our table, with our friends in it…although, maybe it's about a certain lady?" Sam then nudges him on the ribs.
Flinching away from the man and stepping away from his grasp, Steve gave an unamused look to him, "You guys have to stop teasing her with me. Especially in front of her, it's embarrassing."
"What?" Sam bellowed in hilarity, "I think she finds it enjoyable that we tease you both together,"
Steve gives him a deadpan look, "Samuel, seriously."
"No, seriously, Steven, what's wrong with that?" Sam crosses his arms over his chest.
Steve heaves defeatedly, "You guys can't assume that she's okay with all the teasing just because she's laughing with us. Maybe she's just being polite, maybe—"
"Maybe you're just overthinking things," Sam gave a knowing smile.
"Maybe, maybe not…" the blonde sighs as he drops his head low, "I just don't understand why she would do that…"
"Do what?" Sam takes a worried step towards the blonde.
"Take those ridiculous photos of me and make it as my wallpaper or lock screen,"
Sam raised a brow before he remembered the dilemma Steve had been having about his phone. Suddenly, the man chuckles and wraps an arm around Steve's shoulder again, "god, Rogers! You got me worried for a second. How sure are you that Carter is the one?"
"The one?" Steve sheepishly repeated as he thought about the English brunette and her endless charm.
"Yeah, that she's the hacker?"
"Oh…" Steve shakes his head, reprimanding himself for a moment for being a little lovestruck, "Tony and Pepper think so,"
"Hmm…good source, tech expert," Sam then clasps a hand on his shoulder, "Alright, then maybe it is Peggy,"
"god, I hope not…" Steve muttered.
"Why not?"
"If it's her…I don't know what I did wrong,"
Sam chuckles at the sad puppy look on Steve, "Well, aren't that all the problem of the boys with their lady? They sometimes just can't figure out what they did wrong,"
Quietly sitting in the library, Peggy keeps herself busy reading her textbook. Her next class wasn't until after nearly two hours. Natasha was out of sight, probably doing other schoolwork or spending time with Barnes. So, she was left alone to study on her own, when suddenly Steve came and joined her.
For the past three days, she had been tormenting the artist by secretly changing his phone's wallpaper and lock screen with his ridiculous photos of sleeping, scrunching his face, yawning, and even picking his nose. When she did it the first time, it was in response to her annoyance with him and Lorraine. She wanted to invite him for lunch one afternoon, so she thought of going to the art building. But to her surprise, she saw them in one of the hallways, with Lorraine crowding Steve and leaning to kiss him.
Of course, the rational part of her brain tells her, that Steve wasn't even leaning to kiss Lorraine as well. There was no point in holding a grudge. But her emotional and a little fragile heart can't take that reasoning because if Steve really wasn't interested in Lorraine, he would have stopped her. But he didn't. And so, her little revenge of hacking his phone was her little remedy to her sour memories of Steve.
Glancing at her side, Peggy suddenly dropped her guard when she saw Steve was fast asleep. His head was hanging down as if he had suddenly fallen asleep while he was working on a sketch. Looking down at his sketchbook, Peggy leans over to peek. It wasn't finished, but she knew that side face.
Helplessly blushing, Peggy was staring at a sketch of her side face, looking down, just like how she was doing moments ago. Quickly looking away, Peggy glanced at the blonde again to check if he had woken up, but to her relief, the lad was still sound asleep.
Suddenly it dawned on her. Steve didn't come to the library because he had things to finish or had some readings to do. He just chose to spend his free time with her, even if they didn't talk. He was okay just being with her. And that makes her heart flutter even more.
To her surprise, Steve suddenly jolts in his slumber, making her abruptly glance at the man and stare atrociously at him. Steve sat up straight, kept his eyes closed, and sighed in relaxation. Soon enough, the blonde had fallen to another deep slumber and a pool of drool was gathering on the corner of his lips.
Seeing Steve's silly image, Peggy couldn't help but have that need to snap a picture and change his cellphone's lock screen again. So slowly and quietly, Peggy stands from her chair and reaches over the table to grab Steve's phone. She quickly swipes to the left to open the camera app and quickly snaps a photo of him.
Sniggering in her chair, Peggy then exits the app and attempts to open the phone. When the passcode appeared, she quickly inputs the new code Steve used for the day. He had mentioned once that he used last names for his passcode but knowing that he had changed it more often now, she knew that he would attempt to be creative yet use a similar pattern.
R.O.G.E.R.S
It's the fourth day, so it's the letter 'E'.
5-6-8-4-2-3
Click!
Smiling to herself, Peggy was glad to prove to herself that she was cleverer than he thought. But that thought quickly disappears when she stares at his wallpaper.
It was him and her yesterday in the garden. She was laughing next to Steve, while he had a wide smile looking back at her. She remembers what she had said that made Steve blush and everyone quickly pitches in a teasing joke about them. As a result, the two were a blushing duo.
"Oh, Steve…" Peggy softly mumbles as she stares at the image before looking back at the sleeping giant next to her. She looked at him with gentle eyes, feeling her heart beat out of her chest because of so much fondness she felt for the lad.
Without knowing, Natasha had finally arrived at the library and a grin quickly appeared on her lips when she noticed Peggy was holding Steve's phone. The brunette gently put down the phone and sat properly again, as if returning to her previous tasks.
"Carter!" Natasha called a little louder than a whisper.
Peggy looked up surprised and quickly gestured for the redhead to be quiet. Natasha gestured to zip her lips, but her smirk was still evident.
"Have you taken a photo of our sleeping buddy?" Natasha inclines her head forward.
Peggy looked at Steve for a second before looking away and returning her attention to her book, "…I did,"
"Let me see," Natasha swiftly grabs Steve's phone. But before the redhead could turn the phone awake, Peggy snatched it quickly and hid it behind her back.
"Maybe we should stop messing with his phone," Peggy offers, slowly smiling innocently at the red-haired student. Natasha quickly looked at the English brunette curiously.
"What did you find?" She questioned.
"Nothing," Peggy shrugs her shoulders before she slowly leans over Steve and tucks his phone into his back pocket. "I think it's no longer fun, overrated…"
Natasha narrows her gaze to the brunette but nods her head anyway. She thought to herself, she can figure it out on her own.
"James," Natasha whispered as she and Barnes walked ahead of Steve. "Can you borrow Steve's phone for me,"
"Why?" Barnes looked at the redhead with a glint in his eyes, knowing his girlfriend was up to something. "What are you planning again with Carter?"
Natasha raised a brow at the man, "I don't know what you're talking about. Just borrow it for me, go," she nudged him after, making the brunette chuckle.
"Hey, Stevie," Barnes called and Steve looked up from his phone, "Can I borrow your phone for a second? I just need to check our grocery list,"
"I can check it for you," Steve replies, holding his phone a little tighter. "What do you want me to add?"
"No, no, I can do it. If I look into the list, I'll remember what I wanted to put in," Bucky grins playfully.
"Uh…now? I'm…using my phone right now,"
"While walking?" Natasha suddenly intercepts, getting impatient to get her hands on Steve's phone, "That's not safe, Rogers,"
"Sure, coming from someone who is walking backwards to tell me that," Steve returns a sarcastic smile earning him a rolling of eyes from the redhead before turning around.
"What do you need to put on the list, Buck?" Steve questions again, sounding a little annoyed.
"No, I can—"
"I'm not lending you my phone," Steve quickly cuts off and stops in his tracks when Bucky and Natasha stop walking to look at him with an interested look.
Grinning widely, Bucky takes a step closer to his best friend, "Okay, what are you hiding, buddy?"
"I'm not hiding anything," Steve muttered as he slowly hid his phone in his back pocket.
Before Steve could react, Natasha subtly went behind his back and swiftly took the gadget from his hands. At that point when Steve noticed that his phone was taken, Natasha had already seen his lock saver.
"Ah, I see…" Natasha grinned at the phone and then handed it over to the blonde. She looked at him proudly, "Nice touch there, Rogers. I think that saved you from future embarrassment. If I were you, tell her what happened with Lorraine,"
"Lorraine?" Barnes intriguingly asks the two, "As in Lorraine Smith, who kissed you in the Da Vinci building?"
"Tried to, Buck," Steve suddenly gave an annoyed look at his best friend, "She wasn't able to kiss me…"
"She doesn't know that," Natasha suddenly adds, getting Steve's attention back.
"She?" Steve questioned, confused.
"Yeah, she…" Natasha reiterated, and Steve slowly figured out who they were talking about.
"What?!" feeling the sudden dread, Steve looked at the redhead with a pleading look, "How did she know about that?! Did you tell her Buck?!"
"What?!" Bucky retorts, getting confused by the accusation, "I don't even know who you were talking about?"
"Then how—?"
"She saw you," Natasha clarifies as she grumbles at the two men rambling in panic, "goodness, you two. Can you hold your horses? You both are panicking out of proportion."
Bucky looked at his girlfriend with a sheepish grin, "Sorry, Stevie here got me all riled up. Steve, breath," he then looked at the blonde who was looking like having an asthma attack. But given his improved health since he was a teenager, they knew Steve just needed to slow down.
When Steve had finally slowed down his breathing, he looked at Natasha again. He still had that alarmed look on his face, "How? I—why?"
Natasha tilts her head in bafflement at Steve's incomplete thoughts but figures to explain the situation to the blonde, "Okay, last week, Peggy had dropped by the Arts department and wanted to invite you for lunch. When she got there, she saw you and Lorraine. She said, you were both kissing so she turned away and left. Now, she had the notion that you and Lorraine may be flirting with one another—"
"—What?!"
"—or something like that," Natasha continues, ignoring the blonde's astonished remark. "So, if I were you, head to her place and tell her what really happened."
Steve was streaked with nervousness and agitation. Peggy got the wrong idea of what happened because there was no kiss, he swears to his peacefully resting father in heaven.
Was that why Peggy was messing with his phone? Pranking him with photos of him looking absurd? She was silently pissed off with what she saw?"
"I don't think she'd believe me," Steve looked down to his shoes, dejected.
"Maybe if you'd be honest with how you feel, she'll consider," Bucky adds to which Natasha nods in agreement.
"I'm pretty sure you've figured out who's hacking your phone," Natasha states, and Steve looks up at her in confirmation, "She saw what's in there. She'll listen, just be honest,"
Without any further delay, Steve turns around and runs back, heading to the SHIELD Women's Dormitory.
"Peggy!" Steve shouts as he stands by the back building of the dorm. Looking up at the third window of the fourth floor, Steve waited for the brunette to peek. "Peggy!"
Slowly getting other people's attention, one by one, a girl opened their window to check who was making the commotion. As one window opens that isn't Peggy's gradually makes Steve nervous, but he quickly shakes it off and focuses on his agenda. I need to tell Peggy.
When Peggy finally cracked open her window, the brunette couldn't help but gawk at the blonde. Steve was standing there on the grounds, with his things dropped haphazardly around him like he was in a rush.
"Steve?" She mumbled to herself and when Steve saw her, he had a wide smile on his face.
"Peggy!" Steve shouts for the third time, making all the onlookers turn their attention to the English brunette on the fourth floor, "I didn't kiss Lorraine!"
Peggy's eyes grew big. This was not what she expected. Everyone prying looked at her with amusement before glancing at the confessing blonde.
"She-she tried to! But I didn't! I stopped her and said I shouldn't!" Steve continued despite the eyes watching him. He then noticed how their attention shifted to Peggy.
Peggy sat by her window, a little stiff but kept her eyes on the artist, "And why shouldn't you?" she shouted back.
"I told her I shouldn't kiss a girl that I didn't like!" Steve replies.
Peggy was stunned. When she saw Lorraine and Steve like they were kissing, she assumed that something was already going on with them. So, she didn't pry but was annoyed that Steve let his friends tease him with her like he was interested in her and not Lorraine. Hearing this from Steve made it clear. But she didn't want to presume again. She needed to know.
"And I guess you like no girl, then?" Peggy questioned with a raised brow.
"I actually do," Steve answers, his cheeks turning red as he keeps his gaze on the brunette.
"Then you should tell her, Steven. She might misinterpret your incident with Lorraine for something else," Peggy suddenly stood up straight and prepared to close her window.
Steve was then alarmed that his time was running out. So, he shouted a little louder, "I like you, Peggy!"
All the onlookers gasped and awed at the confession as they simultaneously looked at Steve and Peggy. The brunette was frozen in her spot, blushing hard as she kept her gaze on the blonde.
"I like you, Peggy! And one day, when you feel the same for me, I'd like to kiss you!" Steve rambles, forgetting about the audience they have, "You're the only girl I wish to kiss,"
Peggy could feel and hear her heart thump loudly at Steve's confession. Of course, the blonde had to make his confession so public that she didn't know what to do. So she slowly closes her window, hearing nosy people whine in disappointment. She stepped back from her window and stared at the orange sky instead.
I like you, Peggy! And one day, when you feel the same for me, I'd like to kiss you.
As Peggy disappeared from her window, Steve's heart somehow stopped beating. She left, he thought. He had screwed it up. He confessed to the girl he liked and assumed that one day he'd get to kiss her. Great going, Steven.
Looking down at his feet, dejected and hopeless, Steve was about to turn away and leave the premises, when suddenly he heard some gasps.
"She's there!" Someone shouts, making Steve turn around.
As Steve did, he was stunned to be slumped by Peggy and she quickly grasped his cheek. Without knowing, Peggy pulled him down and kissed him.
Steve was so surprised at first that he didn't move. But as seconds ticked by, it finally hit him that Peggy's lips were on his lips. Her soft lips. Her eyes were closed tight, like something she'd do when doing something based on instincts. The longer he felt her lips on his, the more Steve felt his eyes droop. Soon enough, he moves his lips and returns the kiss with more gusto before he begins to wrap his arms around her waist and pull her to his chest.
Five months later
"Has anyone seen my phone?" Steve asked as he popped out from under the table, "I swear, my phone was just right here,"
"Steve, the school year just ended and yet, you still lose your phone," Bucky teases as he watches his best friend crawling around the grass.
"Now, do you wonder how easy it was for me to steal his phone?" Peggy mockingly questioned back, earning a fit of laughter from the others. "Do you want some help?"
"I actually do," Steve sighed in defeat before he stood up and brushed off some grass on his pants. "But to answer your previous question, it's not a matter of how easy you can get my phone. It's how awesome you are in decoding my passcode pattern,"
Peggy grins at his subtle compliment. She then stood up from her place and walked over to him. "Are you complimenting me, Rogers?" She whispered.
Steve smiles back at her with admiration in his eyes, completely forgetting what he was looking for. "Well, I'm just stating a fact…so, yeah, I guess I am,"
Peggy's smile grew broader as she and Steve locked eyes. Slowly, she tiptoes to meet Steve halfway and kiss him when suddenly someone clears their throat. This snaps the two out of their reverie.
"Have you found your phone yet?" Tony teased as he gave a proud smile at the two.
As their friends chuckle at their red faces, Peggy quickly turns away from the group and embraces Steve by the waist instead, burying her face to his chest. Acting on his instinct, Steve then wraps his arms around Peggy and sways her as they try to laugh off their giddiness.
"You guys are adorable," Pepper comments.
"They have been together for five months already, how are they still adorable?" Tony questioned surprisingly as he watched his two friends act all in love.
"I think Carter is head over heels for my boy," Bucky teased, earning a glare from the brunette.
"No, it's Steve. Just look at him," Natasha banters, making Steve raise a brow at the other couple.
"Ha! I say the two are lovestruck to one another—" Sam then laughs when Steve and Peggy pull apart and cross their arms at the same time, "See! They even move at the same time!"
Everyone at the table chuckles again as Steve and Peggy harmoniously look at one another to check if Sam is right. Sighing in defeat, Peggy looks back at their friends, "Seriously, stop talking about us like we're not here."
The group barely paid attention to them and just laughed it off. When no one was looking back at them, Steve leaned close to Peggy and whispered in her ear, "I still can't find my phone,"
"Darling," Peggy smirks at Steve, "I have your phone,"
"What?" Steve bafflingly looked at her, "Why didn't you tell me?"
"You were crawling already when you started looking for your phone," Peggy shrugged her shoulders before she stifled a laugh when Steve just scratched his head. She then quickly tiptoed and pecked his lips with a kiss. "Here," she then hands over the phone.
When Steve takes the phone, the lock screen suddenly appears making the blonde startle at the picture.
"Peggy!" He exclaimed.
"What?" Peggy looked down at the phone and then smirked at the lock screen Steve was showing her, "Oh, that's my phone. My bad," She then reaches out to take it but Steve quickly lifts his hand and stops her.
"Why do you have that picture? When?"
"Hey! I know that picture!" Natasha suddenly points at Peggy's phone, "Wasn't that in the library?"
"Yep! The drooling Steve," Peggy sniggers looking back at the blonde who then gave her a sad puppy look, "Oh, sorry, I mean, my drooling darling,"
"Peggy!"
The End.