Sugar And Spice - Steve Rogers X Baker!reader

Sugar and Spice - Steve Rogers x baker!reader

a/n - hello lovely people!! i had a whole idea for this fic with avenger!reader but then i decided i wanted to do something more unique so i hope you like it hehe, enjoy<3

word count: 3.1k

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Your little bakery was on the outskirts of town, almost hidden from the world. You wanted it to be a getaway from the bustling city, you wanted anyone who came to be enveloped in quiet and the delicious smell of your pastries.

Or at least, you did now since every other place in the city was way too expensive.

At first, when you opened it, it didn’t attract a lot of people. You weren’t making the money you thought you would be by now, and it cost you many sleepless nights. But then, the Avengers came to your rescue.

Keep reading

let it happen

summary: when you run into your adorable lab partner at a frat party, the night doesn't end like you could ever expect

pairing: frat!steve x f!reader

word count: 3k

warnings: explicit language, mild smut (MINORS DNI), drinking, drunk sex, charming af steve, a smidge of angst, cheesy confessions, wanda ia a good bro, and so is sam

a/n: this took me a lot longer than i thought but i think it ended up okay! thank you @sweetascanbee for requesting this, i hope it was everything you wanted <3

main masterlist ─ i no longer have a taglist, but you can follow @theafterglowlibrary and turn on post notifications to get fic updates!

C’mon, it won’t be that bad, she had said. Of course it wasn’t that bad for her, she had Vision’s tongue down her throat practically the second she walked through the door. Wanda better be glad you loved her so much.

You had gotten lucky with your randomized roommate freshman year. Moving to a city where you knew no one was not the best move as far as your social life was concerned, but you and Wanda had clicked instantly and you had been pretty much attached at the hip ever since. Except, now she had started dating someone and more and more of her time was spent at his frat house.

The very frat house where you now stood with your back to the wall, watching Wanda and Vis dance while you sipped on your third drink of the night. You were starting to feel the effects of the alcohol, but without anything else to do, idly drinking was your best option.

You wanted to be annoyed - Wanda has spent all week convincing you to come to this frat party because you had been cramped up in your room stressing over finals - but she looked so happy you couldn’t fault her for wanting to get out of your apartment for a night. Plus, you really did need a break, the stress was starting to get to you.

Stepping into the kitchen, you nearly spilled the rest of your cup when you saw who was standing in front of the fridge.

Steve Rogers - your chemistry lab partner who you had been pining over all semester. He was a gentleman through and through, which endeared you to him immediately and caused your small crush to snowball into a full blown panic to Wanda for a week straight when he saved you from scorching yourself on a Bunsen burner. The feeling of his massive hand wrapped around your wrist was ingrained in your brain forever.

He was sweet and charming and definitely not the type of guy you pictured ever being in a frat. You were about to high tail it out of the kitchen when he closed the refrigerator door and his eyes immediately landed on you.

“Y/N! Hey!” His smile was so wide, you could tell he was genuinely happy to see you. It made your heart constrict and you didn’t know if you hated it or not. “I didn’t know you would be here.”

“I didn’t either,” you laughed nervously. For some reason you could not gain your composure around this man. It was easier in the lab where you had one thing to talk about. Even when your conversations diverged to more personal topics, it could always be brought back to chemistry when you felt like you were about to make a fool of yourself. But there was no chemistry now, at least not in the practical sense. The explosion in your stomach when his large frame wrapped you in a hug had to be some kind of chemical reaction, you were sure.

“My roommate convinced me,” you continued. “I didn’t even know you were in a frat.”

“Oh yeah, my best friends kind of roped me into it our first year, and I guess I liked it enough to stick around.” That same moment, a tall man with bright eyes and a gapped smile came up on his right side, throwing an arm over his shoulder. “Speaking of, Y/N, this is Sam. The running partner I told you about.”

You laughed at that, while Sam playfully glared. “Hey, it’s not my fault you’re built like a superhuman or some shit. I can keep up with anyone else.”

“Anyways,” Sam said, obviously getting to the reason he came to find Steve in the first place. “We were about to play a drinking game, if you want to join.”

“Sure.” Steve turned to follow Sam who had begun to make his way out of the kitchen, and looked back at you expectantly. “You coming?”

You nodded, maybe a little too eagerly, and quickly filled up your cup from the punch bowl on the counter before shuffling through the throng of people in the living room to where Steve and Sam had disappeared up a flight of stairs.

When you stepped off the landing, you were met with a much smaller group of people than were downstairs, including Wanda who was perched on Vis’s lap. She jumped up at the sight of you, practically throwing herself at you, and you could smell the alcohol on her breath.

“Y/N! I’ve missed you!” Her eyes were a bit glassy, and you laughed as she smacked a kiss right on your lips before making her way back to Vision. “Come sit over here.”

She waved you over, but her and Vision were crammed on a loveseat with Steve, and there was no space for you to sit. Surveying the room, you realized there wasn’t anywhere else for you on any of the other couches either, and your best bet was a spot in the floor.

Steve, however, was not having any of that, and let you have his spot. He settled onto the floor with his back pressed against your legs and you had to take a moment to calm the erratic beating of your heart. You were thankful for the drinks coursing through your system, otherwise you may have bolted for the door. Instead, you boldly ran a hand through his hair like you wanted to so many times. When your sober brain finally caught up to your drunk actions, you nearly snatched your hand back, but you realized he was leaning into you more, so you stayed where you were.

“Sammy, what are we playing?” someone asked, and Sam stood up, dramatically turning to make sure everyone was looking at him.

“This is why he’s the president,” Steve muttered low enough for just you to hear it. “Always has to be the center of attention.”

You giggled at that, while Sam announced that you would be playing Never Have I Ever and explained the rules - whoever’s turn it was would say something they had never done before and whoever had done that thing would take a drink. 

“I’ll start,” Steve piped up. “Never have I ever tried to make wings out of cardboard and broken my leg falling off a roof.”

Everyone else laughed while Sam booed at that, but took a drink anyway. The game went in a circle with varying degrees of crudeness - anything from never have I ever kissed my best friend to never have I ever hooked up with a professor which you gasped at when Wanda slyly took a sip. 

“What?” she said, feigning innocence. “Professor Levinson is fine and you know it.”

Finally, Sam’s turn came around and you could tell by the shit eating grin on his face that he was gearing up to get back at Steve for singling him out.

“Never have I ever had a massive crush on my lab partner.”

You nearly choked, and with a glance down at Steve you could see every inch of visible skin spread with a fiery blush. Then, to your complete and utter surprise, he finished the last of his drink and threw the cup at Sam before getting up from the floor and quickly walking out of the room.

Wanda smacked your arm as you watched him leave, and basically shoved you to follow after him.

He was pacing the long hallway outside of the room you had previously been in, his hair pointed in a hundred different directions because he had obviously been running hands through it. 

When he turned and saw you, you didn’t even get a moment to speak before he was crowding you against the wall, his hands a bruising grip on your waist.

His warm breath fanned over your face and your heart was pounding so loud that you could barely hear yourself whisper, “What are you doing?”

“Same thing you are, I hope.”

At a loss for words, you simply nodded your head and suddenly his lips were encompassing yours, his hands roaming your body. You melted into him, right there in the middle of the hallway where anyone could see you.

You started to protest when he pulled away, but he laced his fingers with yours and tugged you down another hall, pushing you into what you assumed was his bedroom. 

His lips were back on yours the second the lock clicked, and before you knew it, clothes were shed and his body rested, warm and heavy, on top of you. He kissed a line down your jaw, across your collarbones, stopping to graze his teeth over one of your nipples, which caused your hips to buck up against his.

It was then you could feel just how big he was, and you audibly gasped.

His usual sweet demeanor was replaced with something different - confident and a little cocky - as he hovered over you.

“Y’okay, baby?” You couldn’t answer, a moan catching in your throat as his fingers glided through your folds, spreading the mess you had already made.

“Want you, Steve. Please.” Your vision went white as his fingers were replaced by the thick head of his cock, nudging you open inch by inch. When he was fully seated inside you, you arched your bed off the back only for him to press a hand to your chest, keeping you flat on the bed.

Between the fuzziness of the alcohol and the euphoria he was making you feel, time passed by in a blur of pleasure, until his erratic thrusts became still against you. You vaguely registered him pulling away, hearing a whine that had to come from you as the heat of his body left you. 

The last thing you remembered was a cool cloth between your legs and you were asleep before you could feel the pair of strong arms encircle your waist.

-

​​

The next morning brought a hangover and an unfamiliar bed.

The initial panic you felt was dispelled when you saw Steve’s sleeping face, only for it to come back full force when you realized it was Steve laying beside you. You wracked your brain, trying to piece together what had happened the night before.

You remembered a drinking game, Steve getting upset about something and you following him from the room, and then suddenly you were naked in his bed. There was a lot of disconnect, nothing quite making sense in the middle, and you quickly scrambled from his bed, trying to get out and figure out what happened before he woke up.

Unfortunately, your legs were tangled in his sheets and you ended up crashing to the floor, your shoulder throbbing to match your headache.

The sound of your body smacking the hardwood must have woken Steve up, because when you finally stood, all your clothes in your line of sight grasped in your hands, he was sitting up in bed looking at you.

You felt suddenly, embarrassingly naked, even with the memories from last night flashing in your mind. You just wished you could remember how it happened, but the only solid memories were those of his hands roaming your body, and unfortunately those weren’t answering any of your questions. 

After you had turned away from him and put your clothes back on - sans underwear, which you were sure he would find in the depths of his room at some point - you finally forced yourself towards the door.

As much as you wanted a recount of what happened, your pride won out, and you couldn’t stand another moment in this room, knowing you were likely just another notch on his frat boy belt.

Your mind screamed at you to stop and think for just a minute. This was Steve you were talking about - sweet, careful Steve, who followed you around the lab like a lost puppy and brought you coffee after particularly rough lectures, even when it made him late. This was Steve and yet your panicking brain couldn’t decipher the look on his face. You were so sure that it would lead to inevitable heartbreak that at the moment he opened his mouth, you bolted from the room without a glance back.

You heard him yell after you, then a thud that was probably him getting caught in his own sheets and crashing to the floor much like you had. You could also feel the eyes of the handful of frat members that watched you dart through the living room and out the front door.

Thankfully, yours and Wanda’s apartment was only a couple of blocks from the neighborhood where the row of fraternity houses were, so within ten minutes you were trudging up the steps and to your own front door.

Where you promptly realized you didn’t have your keys. Or your phone.

After banging on the door for a constant minute, Wanda finally swung it open, wearing nothing but a t-shirt that was not her own and looking very annoyed. Though her expression softened when she took in your puffy eyes, and you realized that you had been crying.

She wrapped an arm around you, guiding you towards your couch and tucking a throw blanket around you before she disappeared into her room. You heard low murmuring and a moment later, Vision emerged, giving you a quick wave before leaving.

You wiped at the fresh tears threatening to well over your lash line, and your best friend finally came back with a steaming mug of coffee, just how you liked it.

“What happened?” she asked, petting over your hair like she knew you loved. Wanda was so good at taking care of you; she had a natural instinct for knowing exactly what you needed, almost like she could read your mind.

You spilled the entire story to her, setting your cup on the table and curling up with your head in her lap. She listened to you recount the bits you remembered, then let you cry it out when you were done.

“Oh honey,” she whispered. “You don’t even remember the most important part?”

“What’s the most important part?”

She told you about the stretch of time you previously had no recollection of, though it was starting to all come together as she spoke. Sam’s obvious jab at Steve, the way he had drained his drink at the indirect mention of you, the longing glances all night you had failed to see, but Wanda caught every one.

“I’m such an idiot,” you wailed, burying your face in your hands as you sat up. You were mortified - here you had been convincing yourself that Steve had simply taken you to bed out of convenience, when you had it all wrong. And you had just left him without any explanation yourself.

“Only a little,” she teased, and you wanted a whole to open up and swallow you right then. You were going to have to drop out of your chemistry lab, and retake it next semester. Then you would have to reroute your walk to campus to ensure you never passed frat row. This was the end of your life as you knew it.

You were just about to tell Wanda all of this when a knock sounded at the door.

Almost like you knew who was on the other side, you stayed hunkered on the couch while Wanda got up to answer it, and not even a minute late Steve fucking Rogers stood in front of you, with your phone and keys clutched in his hand, fidgeting as if he didn’t know what to do with himself.

“You can sit. If you want,” you said, and he nodded before setting your stuff down and settling down next to you. He was close enough that your thighs could brush together if you moved even a hair, and it awakened some hope that you thought died when you left his bedroom that morning.

Wanda had wisely abandoned you, and the silence stretched until you both broke it with apologies tumbling over each other. 

“What are you sorry for?” you asked, clearly confused since you were the one that was a total moron.

“I just,” he stopped, running his hand down his face - in either exasperation or embarrassment - before he continued. “You were drunk, and I took advantage of that. I feel like an asshole and I know I don’t even deserve your forgiveness after that.”

A laugh escaped you; you couldn’t believe what a ridiculous pair you two made.

“Well I felt like an asshole for disappearing on you. And for assuming you just hooked up with me because I was there and not because you liked me.”

His cheeks flamed at your words and he started something along the lines of I would never before you cut him off.

“I know. Now, at least. Wanda filled in the things I couldn’t quite remember, and I feel awful.” You took a deep breath, contemplating your next words. “Speaking of, if you had stuck around long enough, you may have seen me take a drink, too. Though not one quite as dramatic as yours.”

Though his eyes widened in shock, a grin to match split across his face.

“Really?”

You nodded, moving on the couch so you were facing him, your knees brushing against his when he moved too.

“Can we agree that we’re both a little stupid? And forget last night?”

“Well,” he responded, cupping your face in his hands and running his thumbs along your cheekbones. “There are some things from last night that I will never be able to forget. But I do think a redo is in order.”

Your cheeks heated at the implication, but you leaned forward, breathing him in. When your nose bumped against his, your breath hitched. And the moment your lips met, it felt like the first time all over again.

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Hi! Love your writing ☺️ I was wondering if you could make something with reader being overprotective of Chris. Thnx have a wonderful day 💖

A/N: Of course i can! I love this shit. Okay, i might love spice more but this kind of stuff hits different when i'm on my period and just want sickening fluff to make me feel happy. I hope you love what i've written, sweetheart. Thank you for requesting and for being super patient with my annoying ass.

Disclaimer: My work is not to be translated or to be posted anywhere else other than MY Tumblr, Wattpad and Ao3 without my permission. However, reblogs are welcome.

Pairing: Chris Evans x Fem!Reader

Warnings: Childhood friends to lovers trope, swearing (only slightly), fluff, angst, alcohol consumption, mention of Chris’s characters and confessions of love. None of which are warnings, just categorising.

Word Count: 7,672

GIF NOT MINE!!! Credit to @cevansbae go check them out❤️

That Way

For as long as you can remember, yourself and Chris have been joined at the hip. Ever since childhood, your parents have struggled to pull the two of you apart, not that they’d ever have really wanted to, you had a special bond from an early age, one that would be around for life. And even going into your early twenties, you stuck by one another.

Through breakups and heartbreaks, moving houses and losing jobs, the two of you have had each others backs. Thick and thin, you’re each others rocks, to say the least. 

And as old school as it may be, no one will ever come above Chris, not even a boyfriend. Hence why any time a man has come into your life, he’s been given a brief on how you are in regards to your friendships. You’ve always believed that anyone coming onto the scene should adapt to how things already are in your world and if they can’t then they can’t stick around. 

Chris is the same, he’s had girlfriends in the past that have disliked how close he is to you, as well as your friend Tara. But Chris never batted an eyelid, yourself and Tara were around before any other woman, so why would he ever even dream of distancing himself? Exactly, he wouldn’t.

You can probably even go as far as to say that this close bond has made the two of you very protective over one another, needing to look out for people whose intentions don’t quite add up or whose treatment of the other isn’t exactly what you’re both deserving of. 

See the thing with Chris is he’s very independent, he loves his own space as well as quality time with a girlfriend if he has one. He likes to be assured that if he’s busy filming either at home or elsewhere that his girlfriend will be preoccupied with other things. Of course the occasional surprise is great and it really makes him feel loved, but if a woman adopts his lifestyle and busy schedule, he’ll feel suffocated. 

He’s always been that way. 

However, he’ll also take any opportunity to spend time with a partner but if it’s not achievable then he knows he’ll have to make do with FaceTime calls and texting during breaks or before he sleeps. 

You’ve seen many women come and go during your friendship with Chris and it’s sad. Some of them were merely hookups that hoped Chris would change his stance on being in a relationship, while others were almost at the serious stage of a relationship but Chris had either ended it due to it not working out or he’d been broken up with due to always being too busy for them.

But that’s the fancy life of an actor, maintaining a regular lifestyle is and never will be easy.

Chris knows all too well.

As do you. Sure you’re not a celebrity, you aren’t flying to every country filming or touring and you don’t have thousands of followers on social media, but you work a full time job and that in itself can be equally as tiring. 

Anyway, enough background information on your friendship with Chris, maybe it’s time to get to the point that caused you to go off on a tangent in your own mind in the first place. 

Around two months ago Chris had informed you that he was seeing someone, he told you all of the basic information like her age, occupation and how they met. But you still feel like you know next to nothing about the woman who has seemingly stolen his heart, and despite you only being his best friend, this is in dire need of rectification.

So as his best friends, the duty to make her feel welcome has automatically been bestowed upon yourself and Tara. And what better way to do that than with a party? 

Tara’s annual halloween bash is just around the corner and for the last two months Chris has been planning his outfit, so he’s definitely coming and being that Tara extended his invite to his mystery woman too, she’ll have enough time to conjure up an outfit of her own.

Tara’s Halloween parties are the talk of the group for a month or so before and a month after, they always consist of lots of alcohol consumption and several failed attempts at karaoke. But what fun would it be if everyone could sing?

Being that you like to plan ahead with pretty much everything in your life, your costume is already set and ready to go. Last year you dressed up as an ex wife, like Cady Heron from mean girls but this year, you’ve gone down a different route... Lara Croft from the video game Tomb Raider. A game you love, it reminds you of a simpler time in life.

The rule of these Halloween parties is that no one can discuss costume choices, it makes it even funnier if two people or even three, get the same one. Plus it’s exciting waiting for everyone to show up, the guesses are always rife. Still, nothing will ever beat the year that yourself, Scott and Scott’s then boyfriend all picked a different version of Chris’s beloved character Steve Rogers to dress up as. You went as pre serum Steve, Scott went as post serum Steve and Scott’s ex went as nomad Steve. It was hilarious and even Chris admired the lengths and effort you’d all gone to, to get it perfect.

A little chuckle escapes your mouth as you sit opposite Chris at the breakfast bar in his mother’s kitchen. Lisa invited you round for dinner and after eating, the two of you just sat there unable move. That’s the best part about Lisa’s cooking, you’ll, never have to worry about unnecessary snacking afterwards, she’ll be sure to fill you to the brim, feeling so bloated that you both render on sickness. It’s a good feeling though, despite how it sounds.

“What’s so funny?” Chris asks, one eyebrow raised at you as you stifle more giggles, all over the image of him seeing his friends dressed as his character Steve Rogers.

A nonchalant shrug as you roll your eyes to brush him off fails as he pokes you in your side with the tip of his finger, the most ticklish part of your body. And as you almost fall off the stool due to dodging his hands, you try to call for mercy.

“Chris, stop” you cackle, snorting a little before slipping off of the stool in one piece, securing your safety before you run to the other side of the kitchen island. 

“Tell me what you were laughing at” he smirks, his fingers are mid air wiggling as he tries to approach you.

“It’s nothing, i just remembered the year me, Scott and Zach dressed up as different variations of Steve Rogers” your shoulders move up and down as signal of your amusement, Chris does the same as he buries his face in his hands momentarily. Before he stands upright and takes one of the photographs down off of the refrigerator, sliding it over to you for you to look at.

On the back it’s labelled Y/N, Scott & Zach (Tara’s Halloween bash) and on the front is a picture of all three of you smiling and posing dramatically. With Zach striking Steve Rogers typical hands on belt pose and you standing with a shy expression to embody pre-serum Steves awkwardness and lack of confidence. Then lastly Scott, who is dressed in the war uniform Steve had on during his battles with Hydra, the time he was falling for Peggy. His smile is cute as he poses with his back straight and hands at his sides. 

You can remember Chris taking that picture and loving every minute of the synchrony between three people he’s close to. 

“Fond memories” Lisa chimes in as she passes behind Chris, taking the photo from his grasp to assess it herself “those parties bring such joy” and you nod in agreement. Lisa’s always been so kind and family oriented, you’ve always loved the way she was able to make everyone and anyone feel welcome.

“So Lisa, have you had the pleasure of meeting this new mystery woman yet or are we all well and truly out of the loop when it comes to Chris’s love life?” you inquire, speculating what you’ve been suspecting, intentional secrecy. 

Chris loves his privacy, but usually he confides in you as well as his family about matters such as his love life. This has clearly gone out of the window with this new woman though. He’s never kept it locked away before, which as much as you’re trying to fight it, it is making you unsure of it all. Is she asking for a padlock on their newfound love and further allowing Chris to push you and everyone in his tight knit circle away?

You’ll have to meet her to find out, you’ve always been great at reading people.

“Funnily enough, no, i haven’t. Being his mother i would have hoped he’d have introduced the two of us but he’s been very guarded with it. It does worry me a little” she admits, shrugging as she puts the Halloween photo back onto the refrigerator and securing it with a magnet.

“Mom, come on. It’s not like that and you know it. Jasmine and I have just focused on getting to know one another and i didn’t wanna scare her off by introducing her to friends or family so soon. However, now we’re ready to come out of the shadows and you’ll all get to meet her next week at Tara’s party” he justifies, raising his brows and looking back and forth between yourself and Lisa who just looks at her eldest son with an understanding expression.

Lisa only ever wants her children to be happy, despite Chris being 40, he’s still her baby, always will be. So anyone that could potentially break his heart is a threat. She just wants to sus Jasmine out.

You shrug too, dismissing the subject altogether before Lisa leaves the two of you alone again.

Talk about an awkward situation.

----------------------------------------

One last look at yourself in the mirror and you’re certain this is the sexiest costume you’ve worn for Halloween in years. But it’s never been because you’ve not wanted to push the boundaries, it’s more that you don’t see Halloween as an excuse to dress sexy. You’re just yourself and this year you felt a gravitational pull towards Lara Croft, it just so happens that your costume looks sexier than it should. However, there are absolutely no complaints on your part.

You sit on the edge of your bed to put your boots on before taking a couple snaps in your bedroom mirror. Once that’s done you’re ready to go. Tara’s Halloween party better be ready for Lara.

Whilst you’re gathering your things before leaving, Chris is in his car, his new girlfriend Jasmine riding shotgun, a smile so big it’s ear to ear.

“Nervous baby?” he coos, looking over at her with adoration.

“Hm, not really. I guess i’ve sorta come to terms with not everyone liking me so i let myself go. All i can do is be who i am and not try too hard”

Chris intertwines their fingers before lifting their hands to place a chaste kiss to the back of her hand, a simple yet loving action that seems to be making Jasmine’s heart melt as she smiles with hearts in her eyes.

He can only hope that she gets along with everyone, especially yourself, Tara and Scott. If his mom shows up this year, it’ll be like a family introduction and he’ll never admit this out loud, but it already took a lot to convince Jasmine to meet his friends and brother. If she has to meet his mom too, it could potentially overwhelm her, and that’s the last thing he wants.

You arrive at the party a little after 8:30pm, a good half hour after the time stated on the invites, the golden rule is usually that the party never starts at the time stated. It always starts a good two hours afterwards. But you like to be early, it’s a curse. 

Whilst awaiting the arrival of the other guests, yourself, Tara and her husband Jason set up the house, preparing all of the finger food and placing all of the available drinks on the dining room table, including her signature spooky spicy punch. You’re not entirely sure what she puts into it but it tastes great and that’s all that matters.

The Halloween themed playlist starts to blare into the house, surround sound is a magical thing. 

Before you know it, it’s 9:15pm and everything is pretty much done, Tara and Jason left you to get first dibs on the drinks and snacks whilst the two of them went to put their costumes on. Tara always kills it and even now as you’re guesses of what she could be dressed as, you know it’ll be great.

Halloween is pretty much your favourite time of year, horror movies, kids trick or treating, costume parties and who doesn’t love an excuse to consume obscene amounts of candy? You know you do.

Footsteps on the stairs alert you of Tara approaching and as she struts into the room, causing you to pause midway through taking a sip of your spooky punch, you smirk.

“You didn’t” you say before bursting into a laughing fit “it’s genius” you compliment before standing next to her and looking into her living room mirror above the couch. 

“Let’s get this party started” she claps her hands together before turning the music up and posting the sign on the front door of her house to alert all guests to ring the doorbell as it sends a notification to her phone instantly. But right as she gets herself a drink and is about to sip it, her phone lights up. A cheesy grin fills her face side to side as she makes her way to let everyone in.

First to arrive is Scott and Steve, his new boyfriend. Although you were really close to Zach, Steve is equally as nice and the two of you hit it off instantly. He’s super friendly and he really goes out of his way to ensure that Scott visits family often enough, despite the fact that the two of them live in L.A together. It’s admirable.

You greet the two of them by posing like Lara Croft in the centre of the kitchen as they walk in, the two of them came as ghostbusters. Inventive and Halloween themed for sure. However, they aren’t the regular ghostbusters, but the female versions, they’re kitted out with wigs and everything, you can’t help but smile.

“Well well well, if it isn’t Miss Croft. Tell me Lara, is there a ghost you need help scaring away?” Scott says, girly voice to match as he pretends to spray an imaginary ghost.

“My saviour” you mock, hand on your heart before hugging them both, at the same time.

This night is going to be fun, yet again, as it always is.

An hour later and more guests fill Tara’s home, all in a wide variety of costumes from Pennywise the clown to the different spice girls. 

And although you’re having fun, the looming meeting with Chris’s new girlfriend is weighing you down. What if she is weird about your friendship? What if he acts weird around you to avoid upsetting her? What if he doesn’t want to be friends anymore?

Okay, okay! That sounds very overdramatic and pathetic, you already know, It’s just Chris has always been very clear with past girlfriends that you’re his best friend, alongside Tara, and if said girlfriend couldn’t move past that, they couldn’t be in his life, but what if he doesn’t do that this time around. Granted, Chris is a very loyal person, so there are high hopes that remain, you just have to continue to trust and believe in him. 

The doorbell rings as you walk past the front door upon descending the stairs, so you decide to get it for a change, giving Tara a break from the back and forth.

As soon as it swings open, Chris and who you’re assuming to be Jasmine stand there in their costumes, Prince Phillip and Princess Aurora. AKA Sleeping Beauty. It suits him, you’ve always told him he has the face of a Disney prince. And he clearly agrees.

You’re frozen in time just staring at the two of them until the sound of Chris clearing his throat brings you crashing back down to earth.

“Sorry! Hi, come in guys” you stand to the side momentarily whilst they scoot past you and into the living room, you take their coats and drape them over the back of the couch before turning to face the new couple.

“So...you must be Jasmine. I’ve heard so much about you, i’m Y/N” with your friendliest smile plastered on your face as you step forward, arms out ready to hug her, she surprises you by stepping back and giving you her hand for you to shake. Not the best start, you’ll admit.

“Nice to meet you too” Chris looks back and forth between the two of you, seemingly impressed with the pleasantries exchanged. But you sense an underlying tone of bitterness in Jasmine’s voice. Is she upset with you? No, surely not. You’ve only just met the woman.

“I see you switched things up this year, Lara Croft, i like it” Chris gestures to your costume as you twirl before posing again.

Next up is your turn to acknowledge their couples costumes, as cringed out as you are by them. It’s not that it’s a bad choice, you just never saw Chris as the type to pull that lovey dovey crap. But each to their own. Besides, you can’t fault him when he looks good as Prince Phillip.

“Prince Phillip and Aurora” you beam, as poker face like as you can possibly manage, it’s the only way you’re going to get through this.

“It’s Princess Aurora” she corrects, leaving you to refrain from speaking up, okay, you’re really starting to dislike her now. 

She moves forward, working her way through the room and into the newly renovated kitchen where the majority of the guests are, with the monster mash blaring through the speakers.

Tara glances over to see Chris, yourself and Jasmine, immediately rushing to hug your friend from childhood. The 3 of you have always been inseparable.

“Whaddup loser” Tara squeezes him tightly and as she pulls away, Chris bursts into a fit of laughter at her costume.

“Not again” he sighs but secretly, he’s loving it.

“Yes..again! Here i am, the one and only Mr Freezy. Ladies and gentleman, the baddest in town. Care for an ice cream?” she squeaks, pulling out a toy ice cream from her back pocket and holding it in front of Chris.

He claps his hands together in amusement before his signature boob grab comes out to play and we all join in, laughing like school kids.

“Babe, aren’t you going to introduce me?” Jasmine pipes up, worming her way into the circle you formed without realising.

“Oh, shit! Yeah, sure. Tara, this is Jasmine. Jasmine meet Tara, she’s one of my good friends”

“Good? Try lifelong friend. The three of us grew up together actually, so if you wish to dig up any dirt on Chris here, myself and Y/N are the ones to speak to”

Tara smiles at Chris before quickly excusing herself to go and refill her drink, leaving you alone with the loving couple. You decide you need a refill too and even use the moment to offer to get a drink for the two of them, to which they accept. Well, Chris accepted, Jasmine didn’t say a word, just walked through the room observing everything from the decor to the people. If she knew she didn’t want to come here, then why did she? She could have just declined, it’s a lot better than ruining Chris’s night. Or your night too for that matter.

She seems like too much of a stuck up princess for your liking, not really in it for her feelings and more of a clout chaser. You could be wrong, but your intuition is always right on the money, as Lisa always tells you.

Speaking of Lisa, she should be here by now, she always shows up for a little just to see everyone in their costumes. 

The song Cuckoo by Adam Lambert comes on and you immediately run to grab Chris for a dance, unaware of Jasmine glaring at you, boy if looks could kill.

Chris grabs your hand, spinning you around as you both start your dance off, pulling your weirdest moves, the biggest kids in the place by far. No doubt about it.

All of your friends gather around to clap the two of you on, wanting to see who wins this year, being as Chris took the title last time. You vowed to yourself to take him down this time. Midway through Chris killing it at the running man, Lisa enters the circle, joining in on the cheering. 

Suddenly Jason enters the circle, clearly throwing himself into the mix with who looks to be Tara behind him. Chris spins around to face you “is this a joint dance off?”

Jason steps forward “it is, you and Y/N vs me and Tara” the crowd cheers in excitement as you all prepare to dance. The song changes from Cuckoo to Circus by Britney Spears and now you feel prepared. All the years you made Chris listen to Britney and join in on the dances you made up are about to pay off. As soon as it comes on, Tara smirks.

Lisa cheers as she is handed a drink by Scott, and out of the corner of your eye you can see him introducing Jasmine, Lisa doesn’t look too impressed but she’s putting her best fake smile on. Or at least that’s how it seems.

Chris shimmies to you and you do it back before stepping on his thigh to get a leg up onto his back and without realising it, Chris naturally plays out the dance you made him learn when you were 12. Childhood memories fill you with a bucket load of nostalgia as he spins you around so that you’re face to face and then he moves forward to allow you to bend backward, doing a bridge with your body before jumping up and getting in Jasons face.

The noises coming from everyone are a clear indication that the move your old ass self just pulled off was impressive. You strut back to Chris, high fiving him, it’s abundantly clear he’s proud and impressed too. Not bad for one person who just turned 40 and another who’s 37.

In some ways the two of you most likely resemble Monica and Ross from Friends as they do the routine on that New Years Eve episode, and the thought of that alone almost causes you to crack up but Chris starts doing the robot in front of you so you quickly rush to his side to join in before passing the floor back over to Tara and Jason. 

A couple more rounds pass and it’s a tough choice on who is winning, although you’d like to think you and Chris have it in the bag, Tara and Jason have been pulling all kinds of moves out of nowhere. So it’s a close call.

Scott promised to be fair when judging with the assistance of Steve.

The look of Tara in her Mr Freezy costume whilst dancing for her life is too much to handle and you burst into laughter as the last round closes up. The cheers for all of you fills you with excitement. You’ve always enjoyed dancing.

Scott and Steve confer for a moment as Jasmine makes her way over to you and Chris, tapping him on the shoulders and forcing a strained smile on her face as he faces her.

“You have some impressive moves in your little bag of tricks babe, i loved watching you move” her flirtatious tone and wink make you want to shudder but you hold it back and turn to find Lisa, giving her a hug.

“I’m not stopping love, just thought i’d show my face, you know how much i love the costumes. I’m loving Tara’s by the way, she really went above and beyond this year” you second that before Scott interrupts to announce Chris and yourself as the winners

You throw yourself at Chris, his arms wrap around you as he spins you around for a second before putting you back down on the ground. “Knew those dances would pay off” your ‘i told you so’ is looming but Chris stops you in your tracks.

“Hey, this doesn’t mean those many long hours dancing in my backyard are ever going to be memories i wish to revisit”

You poke him playfully but as you notice Jasmine scoff quietly, you step back.

“I’m just going to the bathroom, remind me where it is again babe” her innocent face seems off to you, and you’re not sure why but it seems that from the moment you laid eyes on her, she gave you a bad hunch. Almost like she reeked of trouble, so you wait a while before wondering off too, to the bathroom of course.

As you approach the bathroom door, you hear Jasmine’s voice, she’s trying to be quiet, although the music is pretty loud.

“I don’t know, his money i guess. Have you see that mans net worth? It’s insane. Plus he was rumoured to have a nice dick, so why else would i talk to him? No, Peyton, obviously he doesn’t know. Well, because i wanna keep sleeping with him of course, he’s decent in bed and he buys me things. Besides, that new Chanel is about to drop and mama needs a new bag for her collection. Hahaha, yeah right. Anyway i have to go back down, his weird ass friends are boring me to an early death, but i’ll call you tomorrow. Okay, bye” 

What the fuck! Did you just hear what you think you did? Poor Chris is down there thinking he’s with someone genuine. He always expected to have women try it with him because of his fame and money, even you did. But you always thought he’d see right through them. However, he did refrain from introducing her to everyone, perhaps she convinced him she wasn’t ready and was anxious so no one could have a chance at seeing past her phoney exterior.

The toilet flushes so you decide to head back downstairs to join the others, managing to find Chris chatting to Steve about their dogs. 

“Hey man” you wrap your arms around him in a side hug, resting your head on his chest as you continue to remain like that whilst he talks more.

“What’s up?” he questions, concern in the tone of voice. You don’t want to have to tell him but she’s not the one for him, she’s fraudulent and rude. He deserves to know and he deserves better.

“Can i talk to you for a second, outside away from everyone?” you start to pick at the skin around your nails anxiously as he nods and excuses the two of you from Steve before pushing past everyone and into the garden.

He sits on the wall, tapping the spot next to him for you and you join, shuffling your feet to prolong it.

Chris watches as you walk over and take a seat beside him, his heart racing as he looks at you, you seem on edge, you have done the whole night and he can’t quite make out what could be bothering you. But whatever it is, he intends to get to the bottom of it right now.

“What’s going on Y/N?” his hands rest in his lap as you avoid looking at him. “Is this about Ja-”

“Jasmine” you finish for him, nodding your head to confirm “she’s not who you think she is Chris, i really don’t have a good feeling about her” the look on his face is one of disbelief and hurt as he shakes his head.

“Is this because of that kiss we shared a couple months back? When you visited me in L.A? Is it because i stopped it? Because if it is and this is jealousy Y/N then i won’t have any of it. Jasmine has tried all night and you’ve done nothing but make her feel unwelcome” 

Woah, is he serious? This isn’t how you saw this going down at all. You anticipated a little denial but not for him to throw all of this blame to you and refuse to even hear you out. “Chris, can you at least hear me out?” you plead, standing up and stepping closer to him. But he only stands up to step away. 

“Please, don’t even bother”

As you watch him near the door, his hand about to open it to walk back inside you know you have to get him to hear you out somehow.

“I overheard a conversation she was having just now with someone called Peyton” he freezes.

“Peyton is her best friend” he mumbles. Refusing to turn around.

“I don’t want to go into detail. But the short of it is, she’s with you because of your money and fame. She admitted it, i heard it for myself. And if you seriously think i’d ever fuck a relationship up for you because i want you for myself then you really don’t know me as well as i thought. But it’s fine, i’ll let you make your own mind up” you murmur, fighting back tears before heading inside for the annual Halloween pictures.

During the pictures you move away from Chris to distract yourself. The two of you have had some big fights in all the years you’ve been friends, but he’s never not believed you, ever. And it hurts, he assumed the worst of you and now you’re left feeling ashamed. 

So once the pictures are done you decide to call it a night, making an excuse about a headache before leaving and calling a cab. Tara’s house is only a 10 minute walk away from yours so you can just come back over to get your car tomorrow whilst it’s light out. For now though, you’re too drunk to walk that far.

Tomorrow is another day and you refuse to let Chris’s words get you down. Yes, the two of you had a moment a couple months back, it was after a night of drinking and it just happened, you don’t regret it but it’s clear he does.

You’ve never particularly viewed Chris as someone who’d ever be more than a friend but right now, you’re conflicted. Have you subconsciously always wanted him? Maybe, but it surely you’d have realised it at some point. 

Who knows at this point? You can barely think straight so this is something to be revisited in the morning on a fresh mind.

For now you really need some sleep.

----------------------------

Your intentions were good, they were pure, they were how they’ve always been when it’s come down to your friendships. You’ve always done nothing but prioritise those around you, and what has it all come to? Your closest friend dismissing you.

Thankfully the blinds are closed as you’re pretty certain the sun is blinding, and you’re feeling the hangover as it’s hitting you at full force. You have to walk to Tara’s today at some point, you’ll need your car back ready for work tomorrow morning, bright and early.

Your feet begin to kick at the duvet like it’s the enemy until it’s pooled at your feet, creasing it. You know you should probably get up to eat and shower, but sadness consumes, wrapping around you, every claustrophobic persons nightmare.

It’s like Chris is your platonic soulmate, granted you’ve kissed and that’s not very just friends of the two of you, but you don’t regret it. Every strong friendship with a man and a woman has to reach a point of testing the romantic waters, and Chris made it very clear he didn’t like you like that. You’re not even mad at him, you were a little disheartened that he was so opposed to it, especially at first, but you got over it. 

And you’ve had plenty of dates since then. He’s welcome to be with whoever we wants, even if it’s a stuck up, gold digging, clout chasing woman like Jasmine. Even the sound of her name in your head sounds awful, god she was really quite the woman. 

Eventually you manage to slip from the warm sheets on your bed and wander into the kitchen to make yourself some coffee. As you slide around the kitchen, your fluffy bed socks gliding easily, you decide that a shower is very much needed before you eat, you can still smell the alcohol on yourself and quite frankly it’s gross.

Lathering up the shower gel all over your body, you allow your mind to whisk itself away, however, you try to keep all thoughts positive, refusing to allow yourself to think of he who shall not be named.

He’s non existent today, and if he who shall not be named wishes to be friends again, it’ll be down to him to make amends. You know deep down that you did the right thing, whether he liked it or not. Even though it was abundantly clear he in fact heavily disliked the information you spilled to him.

But that’s his issue, not yours. 

After showering, changing and eating, you leave to go and pick your car up. You texted Tara to let her know you were planning to stop by, you left your car keys at her place. Thankfully she’s awake and feeling sorry for herself, hangovers are clearly rife within your friendship circle.

You walk up the driveway of her house as she opens the door, looking like hell with her Mr Freezy wig in disarray and it almost causes you to laugh but then your brain chooses to remind you of your fallout with Chris and the frown remains etched onto your face. A clear indicator to everyone that you’re not yourself.

Tara has yet to find out about it but you don’t plan on spilling that information just yet. You’d much rather speak to Chris, whenever he’s ready to that is.

Thankfully Tara isn’t in the mood to make conversation, so it’s easy for you to collect your keys and make your way back to your house as quickly as the speed limits will allow. 

But the dread of resolving things with Chris resurfaces tenfold as you pull up to your place and spot his car out front and the moment he spots you coming, he steps out.

The look on his face is similar to one you’ve been harbouring all morning, he feels exactly the same as you do, or at least that’s how it looks.

Slow and steady, you make your way over to him, palms sweaty with anticipation of how this interaction will go down. 

“Hi” he mumbles, voice raspy as he stands upright to greet you, but rather than making direct eye contact, you go straight to unlocking the door and giving him a quick hi in response. Being rude was never your intention but you’re assuming that it was a knee jerk response out of frustration.

Once alone in your kitchen, Chris stands one side of the island, with you on the other, neither one of you sure where to start. You’ll be honest, you really weren’t expecting to hear from him for a couple days, let alone see him in the flesh. Maybe, just maybe, he’s growing distant from his usually stubborn ways. 

“I don’t even know what to say to you, if i’m being completely honest” maybe not.

“Could start off by apologising” and it seems neither of you have matured in this area.

Neither one of you willing to back down or swallow pride.

But to your surprise, Chris lets out an exasperated sigh before speaking. “I broke up with Jasmine”

You go to interrupt, a rushed assumption that he was going to say something awful, but then it registers, the words he just uttered, he listened to you last night after all.

“W-what?” your stuttering problem chooses now of all times to act, why? 

Your spine is straight, your two hands are joined, fingers intertwined as your body aimlessly searches for ways to distract you from your anxiety.

“When i saw you were acting off and i suggested we went somewhere more private to talk, i thought that it was finally happening” huh? what does he mean?

Furrowed brows, eyes narrowed, more than what words could ever say as you silently urge him to continue.

“That kiss we shared, god, that kiss” he draws in a deep breath, taking his time before breathing out and bowing his head, clearly in need of a second.

In the entire time you’ve been friends with Chris, you’ve never seen him so worked up, his anxiety sky rocketing right in front of your eyes as he struggles to express how he feels. For a man with the entire world making assumptions, that he’s a confident man, he’s anything but. Their assumptions are so far from the real Chris, the Chris you’ve know since childhood. He’s gentle, anxious, scared, funny, shy and introverted. His confidence isn’t always 100 percent, it never has been and probably never will be. But that’s why you’ve always loved him.

Your eyes widen, your mouth opens in shock as panic floods you. Do you...do you love him? Is that what this is? Is that what this has always been? Perhaps it has, even when you didn’t know it, even if neither of you have never realised it. 

“I’d spent so many years in relationships that didn’t challenge me and excite me, relationships where i gave everything i could to make them work, to the point of forcing it and i could never work out why things never quite fit. But then we kissed. And everything clicked. I’d been searching for something that was right in front of me the entire time, for traits of you in other women when all along you were there and i just never realised until that kiss”

The pounding of your heartbeat against the skin of your chest is so loud right now. Thump, thump, thump. You’re certain he can hear it, can he? Can he hear how fast your heart beats, how every inch of your body aches for the lost opportunities, the chances you never took because neither one of you realised sooner.

“Realised what?” you manage to ask, voice barely above a strangled whisper, your voice unable to work harder than that.

“That i love you. That i’ve always loved you and i never even knew” his body carries him closer to you, his hand grazes yours and you’re still as you watch him and the way he touches you. The denial you’re so desperate to let out, the inability to believe he could ever feel the same way. The inability to believe that this is real, this invisible love you’ve felt for one another without knowledge of its presence.

So many questions fill your mind, racing through it and causing you to feel overwhelmed and dizzy.

‘When did it start?’

‘Was there a moment that it suddenly developed and bloomed?’

‘Did it grow overtime?’

‘Why now?’

“Why?’

‘Why did he push you away after that kiss, and act as though he didn’t feel a thing?’ 

Okay, let’s start with that question.

“Say something, please” his impatience is growing worse by the second.

“If this is all true, if this is all real. Why did you act like the kiss didn’t mean a thing to you?”

His face is blank, but his eyes tell you everything, he was terrified. 

“I didn’t want to ruin our friendship, i didn’t want to cross that line. But last night, seeing you walk towards me under the back porch lights, the way you looked at me, the protective nature you had and have always had, it hit me like a truck. And i’ve handled it all badly, i know. I just didn’t want to accept that yet another relationship had failed, before it had even began. I spent so many years burying my head in the sand, refusing to take a look at the root of why things were going wrong or even to take a look at myself. I guess in some ways i’ve always known it was you, it’s always been you. I just, i-”

The collision of your lips and his cuts him off before he can continue to ramble, you refuse to allow yourselves to waste anymore time when time is so precious. In the grand scheme of things, you only have one life, why waste it sitting on something so huge, when you could live your life and take every opportunity that comes your way.

His lips freeze at first before they begin to slowly move against yours, working together in a familiarity that corroborates everything that’s come to be what you’ve always known. It’s always been you two, your lips have been destined to meet, to move in a slow and steady yet heated rhythm as your bodies connect. Every single moment, every single longing and loving stare, every single late night phone call, every single text and memory that’s made up your friendship, it’s all come down to this moment. 

This is when it all sinks in, you never want to be without him, without his love, his touch, his heart. Just him.

He is everything and more. Everything you’ve been waiting for, not even just the superficial elements on your checklist or the non superficial elements, but him. You’ve waited for him.

Just him.

His breathing grows to be irregular and shaky as you both pour your entire souls into this kiss, into sharing how you feel. Actions will forever speak louder than words.

They speak more than words, words are useless when it comes to describing this feeling, one of true, unfiltered, unrelenting love and happiness.

Never in your wildest dreams could you have ever seen this coming. But clearly fate always finds a way.

As you break apart, the heavy breathing escapes, the gasps of pure shock yet satisfaction and pleasure, they all fill the space between you as your foreheads meet. 

“Chris? You really hurt me, y’know?”

“I’m so sorry Y/N”

“I know”

Silence once again.

But not for long.

His lips capture yours once more, but only for a brief moment.

“I knew your intentions were always good, and genuine. I was just mad at the situation, not you. But it came out like i was. And i’m so sorry for the things i said. I hated fighting, i hated watching you leave that party early knowing i’d upset you” he’s getting choked up.

“Shh, i know. I know. I believe you, i forgive you”

“I don’t know what i’ve been doing all this time, all the moments you’ve been around to protect me from shit and i’ve been too slow to realise it”

“You and me both. But we’re here now, surely that’s all that matters”

“It is” his lips pucker and press to your forehead before he pulls you to him, closing the gap. His strong arms wrap around you, the missing puzzle piece. A silent click of everything falling into place.

You’re home.

Chris feels his entire body relax, he’s home too.

-------------------------------

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Thank you for reading, i know it was a long one. If you’re name is in bold, please feel free to message if your username has changed so you can be notified when i’ve posted a new fic😘

the boston brute series: pt. 13 - bye, princess (dual pov)

The Boston Brute Series: Part 13 - Bye, Princess (Dual POV)

Pairing: NHL!Chris Evans x Athletic Trainer!Reader (female character)

Summary: When you graduated from Northeastern University, you had your sights set on the West Coast. And then you were offered a position with the Boston Bruins Athletic Training Department. And then you met Chris. A 6′3″, ruggedly handsome hockey player dead set on making your life a living hell by pushing every button and getting on every nerve. Despite your obvious disdain for each other and the ‘No Fraternization’ clause in your employee contract, you’re drawn together in a passionate, fiery love affair that seems to burn everything in its wake.

Warnings: Crude language. Lots and lots of angst. Crying. Brief smut, but nothing like graphic. Parental death mentioned. Please do not read this series if you are not a fan of asshole Chris or fics with a lot of angst. As always, let me know if I missed anything!

W/C: 9.3k

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. All players and scenarios are made up completely. This story does not reflect things that actually happen in the NHL or with its players. Additionally, I talk about Chris’s family in this fic. Again, work of fiction and is no reflection of his parents or grandparents in real life.

likes, reblogs, and feedback ALWAYS appreciated! ❤

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*immediately following part 12*

Reader POV

“Y/N,” Chris called out to you gently, his voice slightly muffled by the hand pressed against his mouth, eyes filled with concern. The nausea you felt rolling through your stomach was clearly visible on your face. “Come sit.” 

You nodded, swallowing again. Water. You needed water. 

With shaky legs, you walked over and took a seat in the chair next to Chris. 

Fuck. They know. 

Terry sighed, shaking his head. “Who wants to go first?” He smacked a tabloid magazine down on the desk in front of you. 

You eyed the magazine, then glanced at Chris, his expression unreadable. “Sorry?” You asked, turning your attention back to a very red-faced and frustrated man. 

Terry pinched the bridge of his nose, sitting back in the chair. “I don’t have the patience for playing stupid.” 

“I can’t play stupid if I don’t know what this is in reference to.” You responded, clearing your throat when your voice had a little more edge than you’d intended. Now probably wasn’t the time to lash out. 

Chris jerked his chin towards the desk. “Look at the cover, Princess.” 

Your pulse raced as you tentatively leaned forward. 

What the fuck?

Keep reading

Worthy | Steve Rogers

masterlist found here

pairing - Steve x reader word count - 3,160 warnings - instance of domestic abuse A/N - Takes place during the Age of Ultron party without Ultron ruining the fiesta. Also I know Sam wasn’t there during the hammer scene but that’s always bothered me so I put him there

summary - A celebratory party gone horribly wrong. Good thing you’re not alone

Another day, another successful mission.

Naturally, Tony wanted to throw a party: a victory party, and a farewell party for the members of the team who would be leaving (to Asgard and the likes).

You weren’t one to turn down a night in the tower with your friends, so you were keen on attending. Your boyfriend, however, was less than enthused. You told him multiple times that he didn’t have to go, but it seemed like the idea of not going bothered him more than the idea of going. You didn’t want to make him angry, so you just closed your mouth and let him make up his mind on his own.

You and Andrew started dating a little over ten months ago and things were pretty good. No relationship you had ever been in lasted that long, and you weren’t about to break it off because of a few bad moments. Besides, if you told anyone how bad the bad moments were, you’d look so weak. You were a SHIELD agent. Weakness was not in your blood. You could kick the asses of aliens alongside the Avengers but you couldn’t hold your own against your abusive boyfriend? As long as you could cover face bruises with makeup and hide your arms under long-sleeve shirts, you were okay.

There were good moments too, and those were what you convinced yourself to focus on.

You walked into the Avenger’s tower and made your way up to the party deck. Andrew kept his arm firmly around your waist, keeping you glued to his side. You forced a smile and looked up at him. He returned the smile and kissed the top of your head.

Good moment.

As soon as you joined the party, you spotted all of your friends. Natasha and Bruce were at the bar, Rhodey, Maria, Thor, and Tony were standing around with drinks in hands, Clint was talking with Margaret Cho, and Steve and Sam were playing pool. Steve looked up from his pool game and immediately locked eyes with you. He smiled brightly and waved at you but, before you could wave back, Andrew pulled you over to the bar. You swore you saw Steve frown before you were whisked away. “Hey Nat,” you said, hoping your voice sounded cheery when you approached your red-headed friend. You almost gave Bruce a hug, but Andrew once again held you back. His grip on your waist tightened painfully. “Can I get a gin and tonic?” you asked.

“You need to drive home,” Andrew said firmly. “Just drink some water.” Nat raised her eyebrow at you but you just nodded.

“Sorry, I forgot,” you said softly. “Water’s fine, Nat.”

“I’ll take a whiskey on the rocks,” he said to Nat. He didn’t even make eye-contact with her, which was good because Nat rolled her eyes at him. She pushed the drink in front of him and he downed it in one swallow and pushed it in front of her again.

“Is this your way of asking for a refill?” Nat asked, bitterness in her tone. “You might want to try Thor’s approach and shatter the glass. It’s a little more entertaining.” Andrew glared at her before he took your hand and pulled you away from the bar.

Bad moment.

Music blasted around the tower and, even though all you really wanted to do was chat to your friends, Andrew wanted to dance. When Can’t Feel My Face came on, Andrew pulled your body close to his and forced your backside against his front. You grinded against him, not really wanting to do so but knowing better than to argue with him. He already had a few drinks in his system and you knew how he got after a whiskey or two. Andrew started putting his lips on your neck, kissing and nibbling along your skin. Again, you just tilted your head and allowed him to do so, despite how uncomfortable you were feeling. This was your boyfriend. Why were you feeling uncomfortable? When you felt Andrew’s hand go up the front of your dress, you had enough. You pulled away from him and awkwardly tucked some of your hair behind your ear. “Let’s go talk to some people,” you said nervously. “I haven’t gotten to chat with Maria yet.” You could see it in his eyes that you had upset him, but you hoped he wouldn’t lash out.

“Why won’t you dance with me?” he asked angrily, grabbing your hips harshly and pulling you close to him again. He grabbed your ass roughly in both of his hands, and you put your hands on his chest to try and distance yourself from him.

“I just want to hang out with my friends,” you said. “Can we please go talk to them?”

“Why are you being so difficult?” he snapped. His tone made you wince and clench your jaw.

Not here. Not here. Not here.

“Please let me go, Andrew,” you almost whispered. He clenched his jaw and pushed you away from him with such force that you stumbled and fell, the back of your head hitting a table.

The next thing you knew, Steve grabbed Andrew by the shirt and pushed him up against the nearest wall. Rhodey and Maria were by your side instantly, helping you up from the ground. You rubbed the back of your head and tried to hold in your tears. “Get your fucking hands off of me!” Andrew yelled, trying to push Steve away from him.

“Don’t you ever touch her like that!” Steve said firmly. “You keep your hands away from her!”

“She’s my girlfriend!” Andrew shouted back. “I can touch her how I want to touch her!”

“Not if I can help it!” Steve said. You could tell Steve was about to throw a punch at Andrew, but Sam quickly stepped in and stopped him.

“Not here, man,” Sam said calmly. “You don’t want to do something you’ll regret.” Steve let go of Andrew’s shirt and stepped away from him. “Get the hell out of here,” Sam said to Andrew, nodding his head to the door. Andrew smoothed down the front of his shirt and looked at you.

“C’mon, (Y/N),” he said. “We’re going.” You could feel all eyes on you as you cast your head down and nodded, walking with Andrew to leave the party.

“No, you’re going,” Nat said, stepping in between you and Andrew. “(Y/N) is staying.”

“Like hell she is,” Andrew scoffed. “(Y/N), now. Let’s go.” Before you could take another step forward, Maria joined Nat’s side. Soon after that, Rhodey, Sam, Steve, Tony, Clint, and even Bruce blocked the path between you and Andrew. “You’re kidding me, right?” Andrew said angrily. “This is bullshit. It’s not like I meant to throw her against a table.” No one moved. “She’s my girlfriend. She comes with me or-”

“Please,” Thor said, joining the group of your defenders, “I beg of you to finish that sentence.” Andrew clenched his fists at his side and stared at you.

“You come with me or we’re done,” he said firmly. You felt your throat close up. You had to go with him, right? You didn’t have anybody else. Sure, Andrew was difficult, but he was the only person who had never given up on you. You owed it to him to not give up on him, right?

Just when you were about to take a step forward, you felt Steve gently grab your hand. At first, you thought he was forcing you to stay. Usually when Andrew took your hand, it was to dictate where you were to go. But once you felt Steve’s thumb brush your skin gently, you knew that wasn’t his intention. It was like he was reading your mind. Of course you had somebody else. You had the team. And you had Steve.

So, you planted your feet and held your ground. You couldn’t meet your eyes with Andrew’s, but at least you were standing strong. Andrew threw his hands in the air in frustration.

“Fine!” he shouted. “Fuck you too, then!”

Clint stepped forward but Nat stopped him before he could do anything stupid. Andrew turned around and stormed out of the tower, leaving everyone in stunned silence behind him. You felt like your whole body was shaking. You ruined the whole party, you knew it. Steve had let go of your hand and you lifted both of yours to tug your fingers through your hair. Your hands were shaking uncontrollably and your breath was quivering, but you didn’t cry. When you looked up again, the whole team was looking at you. “I’m sorry,” you whispered. “I’m really sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Rhodey said. “That wasn’t your fault.”

“I should’ve just listened to him,” you said with a shake of your head. “None of this would’ve happened if I hadn’t ticked him off.” You sighed and tugged your fingers through your hair, knowing you messed up the do’. “I probably look like a mess,” you groaned.

“Come on,” Maria said. “We’ll help you get cleaned up.”

“I just want to take a shower and get out of this stupid dress,” you mumbled.

“The party’s wrapping up anyway,” Tony said with a wave of his hand. “All these extras will be gone by the time you’re done, I guarantee it.”

“I’m sorry if I ruined the party,” you said.

“The party was already down the toilet before that happened,” Clint said. Tony slapped him on the back of the head and you couldn’t help but laugh a little.

“Thanks guys,” you said softly. They all nodded and, once you assured Maria that you were fine to go off on your own, you walked through the tower to the living quarters to take a shower. You took your time in the bathroom, using the shampoo you assumed belonged to Nat and letting the hot water burn against your skin. Still, you didn’t cry.

When you finally shut the water off, you wrapped a towel around yourself and opened the door. You planned to go to Nat’s room and steal an outfit. As soon as you stepped out of the bathroom, you noticed a pile of clothes sitting on the floor. You picked them up, assuming Nat had left them for you, but quickly realized it was Steve’s clothes. You felt yourself blush as you took them into the bathroom and slipped them on over your bra and underwear. His joggers were ridiculously large on you, but you bunched them up over your ankles so you wouldn’t trip, and his sweatshirt was just the right size to be comfortable. The sweatshirt smelled like him and you realized then how comforting you found the fact. Everything about Steve made you comfortable. You quickly snapped yourself out of your thoughts and brushed your hair before throwing it into a wet bun atop your head. You ignored your churning stomach and put on your strongest smile. It was extremely convincing thanks to how often you had to put it on for Andrew.

You rejoined the party hesitantly, worried that all the guests were still there. But, true to Tony’s word, the only people who remained were your friends. You immediately relaxed and sat beside Steve on the couch. “Thanks for the clothes,” you said softly while the others were chatting.

“No problem,” he said. He folded his arms across his chest and stared straight ahead, pretending to be invested in the conversation Sam and Nat were having.

“Steve?” you whispered, poking his cheek a little. The action usually made him smile, but he remained cold. “What’s wrong?” Steve looked at you and sighed but, right when he opened his mouth, Clint spoke.

“Whosoever be he worthy shall haveth the power,” he said sarcastically, motioning to Mjölnir. “Whatever man, it’s a trick!”

“Please, be my guest,” Thor said with a smug grin. It was a challenge and everyone knew Clint would never turn down a challenge. He stood up and approached the hammer confidently.

“Clint you’ve had a tough week,” Tony said. “We won’t hold it against you if you can’t get it up.”

After Clint tried (and failed) to lift the hammer, everyone else took a turn. Bruce awkwardly fake-hulked out causing everyone to laugh at his expense. Tony and Rhodes couldn’t even lift it with their combined mechanical powers. You were shocked when you noticed the hammer budge at Steve’s attempt. Thor also saw it, you knew, because his smile dropped for a fraction of a second. Steve, however, surrendered and failed to lift it completely. Everyone turned to Nat who just laughed. “Oh no,” she said, “that’s not a question I need answered. What about (Y/N)?”

“Yeah no way am I worthy,” you laughed.

“It’s not about being worthy!” Sam argued.

“All difference to the man who wouldn’t be king,” Tony said, “but it’s rigged.”

“You bet your ass,” Clint agreed.

“Steve, he said a bad language word,” Maria teased.

“Did you tell everyone about that?” he asked the team. You stifled a giggle and hid your mouth behind your sweatshirt sleeve and Steve shot you a playful grin.

“The handle’s imprinted, right?” Tony said. “Like a security code. Whosoever carrying Thor’s fingerprints is, I think, the literal translation.”

“Yes it’s a very, very interesting theory,” Thor said smugly. “I have a simpler one.” He tossed the hammer effortlessly in the air and caught it again. “You’re all not worthy.”

You didn’t care what everyone else said. You believed Thor. He came from the gods. It wasn’t so hard to believe that Mjölnir could only be wielded by someone deemed worthy by Odin. “What does it take to be worthy, Thor?” you asked softly. Everyone turned to look at you before looking at Thor.

“Well,” he said slowly, “I’ve never been told for certain. I believe part of it is knowing in yourself that you’re worthy. If you don’t believe it, you can’t lift it. But I suppose being worthy is wanting it for the right reason. There was a time where I could not lift Mjölnir. I believe it was because I was selfish and wanted the hammer for power or recognition, not for justice. Once I realized, I could wield it.” Everyone was quiet for a moment until Clint scoffed.

“I still think it’s a party trick,” he said. Everyone laughed and Thor grinned.

“Believe what you may, Barton,” he said with a shrug.

Soon after that, everyone began to part ways. Those who didn’t live in the tower departed and those who did ventured up to their rooms. You suddenly felt lost. You didn’t live in the tower, but you didn’t want to go home. Even though you didn’t live with Andrew, he had a key to your apartment and you didn’t trust him not to show up in the middle of the night.”

“(Y/N), there’s a spare room,” Tony said, almost reading your mind. “You can stay here as long as you want.” You nodded but didn’t look up at him.

“Thanks, Tony,” you said softly. As you started to walk away, he clapped you on the back.

“You know you always have a place here, yeah?” he said. You couldn’t find the words, so you just gave him a weak smile and nodded.

You retreated to the bedroom you knew you could call yours for the night and threw yourself on the bed. And for the first time that night, you cried. You curled into a ball under the covers and sobbed, your whole body shaking. It was like you could still feel Andrew’s hands pushing you or groping you or, if you didn’t fight the thoughts hard enough, slapping you or kicking you. Every time you thought you cried yourself dry, a new wave of sobs shook your body. There was a soft knock at the door, but you couldn’t stop your cries long enough to let the person in. They didn’t wait, instead letting themselves into your room. It didn’t take a genius to know that it was Steve. He quickly sat in bed beside you, wrapping his arms around you and pulling you onto his lap. “Shh,” he whispered, rocking your body back and forth. “It’s alright. You’re okay. Shh.” He continued to whisper calming words in your ear, holding you tightly to his body. You finally managed to catch your breath but kept your face pressed to Steve’s chest. Once the air between you felt less tense, Steve spoke. “He hit you a lot, didn’t he?” You didn’t say anything, just nodded and focused on swallowing back the lump that was rising in your throat. Steve sighed, “Why didn’t you tell anyone?”

“Because I’m a SHIELD agent, Steve,” you whispered, your voice hoarse. “I should be able to stand my ground and fend for myself. But he would come up to me and, and I couldn’t. I just let him do it time and time again because I’m, I’m just weak. I didn’t want to tell anyone because I didn’t want anyone to think it compromised my role on the team.”

“(Y/N),” Steve said gently, “this doesn’t make you weak. Even the strongest person can be blinded by love.”

“I hate what he did to me,” you choked out. “I hate how worthless he made me feel.”

“I know,” Steve whispered. “But you’re okay now. I promise.”

“I’m sorry, Steve.”

“What?” he said, looking at you clearly. “Why’re you sorry?”

“Because you’re, you have to see me like this,” you said, motioning to yourself in frustration.

“I don’t have to see you like this,” Steve assured you. “I’m choosing to be here.”

“I so don’t deserve you,” you muttered, your face buried in his chest again. Steve just shook his head and pressed a kiss to your forehead. He didn’t respond. You didn’t feel like he needed to. The way his arms held you tightly and his lips pressed against your skin softly, you knew he thought you were more than deserving. Surprisingly, right then, that felt like enough.

You looked up at Steve to see that his eyes were closed, his head resting on the headboard. “Will you stay with me?” you asked him softly. He opened his eyes and looked down at you.

“Yeah,” he said, brushing away a strand of hair that had escaped your bun. “Yeah, of course.” You pulled back the blanket and Steve crawled under it. As soon as he was laying down, you rested your head on his chest and threw your arm over his stomach. He kept his arm around you and held you close to his body. It had been ages since someone held you so securely. Andrew never enjoyed cuddling. The thought made you hold Steve even tighter. “You’re alright,” he whispered, rubbing your arm gently. “You’re alright.”

And somehow, you knew you were. Or at least, you would be.