Destined: A Stony Fanfic - ON HOLD

Chapter 1

I wake up panting and sweating, aftermath from a nightmare. I sit up and put my head in my hands for a minute, then push the covers off. As I get up to go to the gym, I try to forget the nightmare, but instead find myself replaying the horror in my head. I hadn’t had very many like this lately, but ever since the mess with Hydra and finding Bucky, I can’t seem to sleep. Instead, I go to the gym to do the one thing I seem to do without messing up: work up a sweat.

 I pull up to the gym. Closed of course, but it doesn’t matter anyway because I don’t use the main entrance. The owner understands what’s been going on, so he leaves a back room available for me. I grab a punching bag and hang it up, eager to get started. I wrap my hands to protect them and, taking a deep breath, began working out all the emotion that has been pent up inside for the past couple of weeks. See, normally people try to tell you to go see a therapist or a counselor but I guess when you’re a super soldier, you’re expected to be able to handle yourself. Not that I want to talk to anyone; they wouldn’t get it anyway. Same reason I don’t date, despite Natasha’s insistence. It’s not exactly easy to find someone with shared experience.

Finally I start feeling some release in the sweat running down my back, staining my shirt. That’s when I realize I’m being watched. I stop the swinging bag and turn around to see Tony Stark, of all people, leaning against the wall behind me.

“I was wondering how long it would take you to notice,” he smirks.

I unwrap my hands, looking him up and down. When I don’t say anything, he straightens and continues.

“Look, I’m not trying to be creepy. Sorry. I just…was wondering if you would like a workout partner?” Then he notices the sweat drops splattered around on the floor. “Of course, it looks like you do enough exercise for two people. Still,” he says, “two guys unable to sleep, working up a sweat, might be quite a sight for anyone driving by.” With that, he walks past me to grab a bag of his own. As he hangs it up, I decide to speak.

“So how long have you seen me come here?”

“Not long. Actually,” he replies. “I didn’t know you came here at all until today. It was Fury, believe it or not, who told me I could find you here.”

“And why did you want to find me?”

He just looks at me. “Who said I wanted to find you?” He turns to the bag and starts throwing punches, speaking in between jabs. “Fury called me up into his office this morning, calling me out. Said he knew something was wrong and kept pushing until I fessed up and told him about Pepper. I told him why she left, how I hardly slept then and that I haven’t slept since. He suggested, well, he actually told me, to come down here with you. Figured we could have some sort of man-to-man talk or something. You know Fury. Is that a problem, Mister Stars N’ Stripes?”

I ignore his last comment and resume swinging at my own bag. For the rest of the night, we just hit, punch, and kick in silence, wishing it was our own minds we were beating some sense into.

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The next morning, I hear a knock at the door of the safe house, my new “home sweet home” thanks to the battle with Bucky. I get up and check the screen by the door that shows whoever is outside. Coulson. I just stand in front of the door, staring at the screen disbelievingly. I eventually come up with two possibilities, both equally ridiculous: either Loki escaped from Asgard and used some crazy disguise to visit, or whatever science kept Fury alive was used on Coulson as well. I take a deep breath and open the door a crack.

“Who is it?” I drop my voice an octave, hoping to throw off whoever it was posing as Coulson.

 “I know it’s you, Cap. Let me in. It’s me.” The familiar voice shocks me, but it’s still not enough to convince me. I hesitate, deciding on how long it would take to knock out whoever it is. Before I can determine the answer, the voice speaks up again. “Steve, who else would know which of over three hundred safe houses is yours?” I decide this makes sense and, keeping my other hand on my gun hidden in my waistband, reluctantly open the door. Coulson greets me with a small smile and a hand shake.

“Good to see you again, Steve. Last time wasn’t exactly under the best circumstances, was it?” He seems to notice my hand behind me and he stops. “There’s no need for that. Put it away and I’ll explain everything.”

Instantly wary, I don’t budge. “Including how you’re still alive?”

He nods. “Everything, even that, and why I’m here. Now, please?”

So what do you think? Is it really Coulson? Or is it Loki? Do you trust him? Comment below! :)