MARVEL IMAGINES

STEVE ROGERS • Cinema blues

A/N: One of my favourites... ever.

The mid fall sunshine was finally coming to a close as the golden light shone through the doors of the theatre. It was busy, as it always was on a Friday night. Steve Rogers, awfully small in stature, was tucked away against the wall on an equally as small couch. He was most definitely out of the way of the people walking throughout the lobby; not that he minded though, it wasn't far from the normalities of a seemingly invisible man. From where he was sitting, he was able to people watch to almost perfection. That's all that really mattered to him at that point in time.

People watching was something that Steve did frequently. It was almost like clockwork; he would leave his apartment at 6 on a Friday or Saturday night, muttering his activities to no one in particular. "Going to the movies." He'd muster under his breath, locking the door behind him.

Steve would be lying to himself if he didn't feel the slightest bit awkward at times. The movies- just to his luck- was showing a movie that appealed to couples. So he witnessed what felt like thousands of couples entering and leaving the theatre. They would be holding hands, kissing or simply laughing... most dressed in coats to shield them from the impending winter.

This wasn't exactly what Steve was hoping for on this lonely night. The reason why he chose to people watch on Friday this week was that he needed a reason to not third wheel at the famous Stark Expo. Bucky had recently gotten a date to the exposition, and the last thing Steve wanted was to watch as they stared lustfully into each other's eyes. It would have been sickening.

Just as the sun was finally disappearing behind the buildings and the darkness was beginning to grow, Steve was preparing himself to leave... not that he had much to prepare anyways. He didn't take anything with him besides the keys for the apartment. So he stretched his legs, taking one final scan around the lobby. In that moment his life momentarily froze.

A girl entered the theatre, alone. She was inarguably stunning. Her hair fell around her shoulders gracefully as he pulled her coat tighter around her body. She stared down at her dress with a soft face of remorse, obviously regretting her choice of not wearing stockings. Steve had the small presence of a smile on his face as he sat back on the couch once again. This could possibly provide him with the entertainment he needed, until her beau would show up and lead her further into the theatre, of course.

The girl- woman, rather- seemed to have noticed someone watching her, as she turned to Steve quite slow but suddenly. They made eye contact, his smile not wavering at the slightest. And instead of simply looking away herself, she stared back at the boy. Her expression was unreadable, sending guilt and slight embarrassment to tear through him.

But with her eyes simply staring back at him, regardless of the expression, he felt something else twinkle inside of him. He knew- as stereotypical as it might sound- that she wasn't like everyone else. Her eyes didn't cast over him with a pathetic smile. She didn't disregard him and look away immediately. Her eyes stayed on him, reading him, seeing how he was going to react. It was so different to the usual that Steve knew that she was special.

Nevertheless, Steve eventually broke eye contact, willing himself to get up and leave. But for the second time that night, she managed to stop him. As he looked up to stand, he saw her beginning to make her way towards him. He couldn't remove his eyes as she became closer and closer. It was as if he was a magnet, and she was the metal. They were attracted. When she drew right before him, she spoke up.

"Can I sit?" She asked after a beat.

"Oh- uh," Steve was at a real loss of words. It wasn't this often he could talk to a beautiful woman, "Well, yeah, I guess."

She sat silently, "thanks."

In that moment, even after a short exchange, he knew that things would be looking up for him in the future.

—
Elle