Never | Steve Rogers x OC

Chapter Twenty Three

"It's fine. I can take the couch." Steve assured him.

Clint clasped his hands in front of him as if he were victorious. "Good. That's settled."

"Can he at least help me with my things?" Bri asked.

"Nope." Her dad said and picked up Brianna's bags. "I can though."

Brianna attempted not to sulk as she walked up the stairs. She was trying to be respectful. This was her father's house, so it meant his rules. Even if she was an adult. It didn't mean that she wasn't going to let it go without a fight. She folded her arms across her chest and stared at her father with the same disapproving look as her mother.

Clint looked at her almost disgusted. "Don't look at me like that. You look like your mother."

"You're really going to make him sleep on the couch?"

"He's slept on worse I'm sure." He said with the shrug of his shoulders.

"He's your friend." Brianna pointed out.

"I understand, but I also know he's a guy and has...thoughts about my daughter."

"If I want to have sex with him, I will. I'm an adult."

Clint gagged. "Please don't talk about that. In my eyes you're still six."

"Fine." Her lips were set in a firm line. "We could sleep with the door open."

"Brianna...."

She raised her hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay. I'll stop. Now, I need to get ready. I promised Lila and Cooper we would go sledding with them."

Clint left with a shake of the head and a smile. She was so stubborn, just like him. Brianna sat on the edge of the bed and slipped on a pair of boots she had brought and threw on a thick, winter coat and hat. When she walked back downstairs, Steve was bringing a pile of wood in for the fireplace. He was already dressed to go outside.

"Are you up to sledding?" Brianna asked him.

"Of course. Lila and Cooper also want us to build a snowman with them." Steve informed her.

"Of course they do." She said with a smile as they walked outside. The crisp, winter air rushed at her face. Thick snowflakes fell all around them. Her younger siblings came running up to them with sleds in hand. Their noses and cheeks were red from the cold.

"Can I go down the hill with you, Brianna?" Lila asked.

"I would love nothing more." Brianna agreed and took the sled from them and they began to trek up the hill. Lila got in front while Brianna sat behind her. Steve stood behind them so he could push them. He pushed with a bit more force than needed and sent them barreling down the hill. Lila loved it though. She cheered the entire time even when they almost the barbed wire fence.

They stayed outside with her brother and sister until they couldn't even feel their cheeks. Steve helped build a large snowman as well as a fort so they could have a snowball fight. It was starting to get dark when Laura stepped outside and informed that it was time to start dinner. Per tradition, they always made homemade pizza for dinner. Everyone got their own pizzas to make however they wanted.

It was usually messy, but fun. While the pizzas cooked, Brianna helped Laura get everything ready so they could decorate gingerbread houses and cookies later. Occasionally, Brianna snuck glances at Steve who seemed relaxed. She was worried that being around three children would be too much for him, but he actually handled them well. He answered their eccentric questions. He helped them when they asked.

"Before we start decorating," Laura began after they finished eating. "We need to change into our pajamas."

In her hands were a stack of coordinating pajamas. It was another tradition Laura loved. She always bought them Christmas pajamas every year and they would usually take a picture in front of the Christmas tree together. This years pajamas were red and white striped and much more toned back then previous years. She handed everyone, even Steve, a pair of pajamas.

"Yes, you get them too." Clint told Steve with a smirk.

"Umm, thank you." He said unsure causing Brianna to giggle.

They all went their separate ways to change before coming back into the living room so they could take their picture. Brianna held Nathaniel in her arms as Laura set up the tripod. Every time she saw her youngest brother, he seemed to change more and more. It made her slightly sad since she wasn't able to spend as much time with him as she was with her other siblings.

They all gathered in front of the tree while Steve stood to the side awkwardly. Laura noticed him standing and waved at him to join. "You too, Steve. You're apart of this family."

He didn't protest. He knew that wasn't a fight he could win. He walked next to Brianna and wrapped his hand around her waist before turning to look at the camera. It took a few tries since it was difficult to get three young children to stay still. After which, Lila and Cooper ran to the kitchen table so they could start decorating. In the back of her mind, she knew Steve would do a good job. He was a talented artist after all. However, it surprised the rest of her family.

It was late by the time they finally got the kids to bed. After they knew the kids were asleep, they helped put out the presents from 'Santa.' Brianna said goodnight to everyone and went up the stairs. She had a plan though. Well, more like a request of Steve. It would have to wait until everyone was asleep though. She waited a while until she no longer heard anyone. She quietly walked down the stairs and cringed every time they creaked.

She found Steve sitting upright on the couch. He was staring at the embers of the fire starting to die down in the fireplace. She sat down next to him and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"You weren't very sneaky." He said to her softly.

Brianna giggled. "I know."

"Your dad is going to kill us he finds us together."

She drew her knees up to her chest and cuddled up next to him. "Possibly."

Steve lifted his hand and gently cupped her cheek. He ran his thumb along her bottom lip, enjoying the way the fire casted an orange light across her face. He leaned in to kiss her softly. She brought her hand up to the nape of his neck, sighing into the kiss.

"I have a request." She whispered as she broke the kiss, but rested her forehead against his.

"And what is it?" He asked curiously.

She stood up from the couch and opened the music app on her phone. The familiar cords for Bing Cosby's 'White Christmas' played from her phone. She held out her hand with a smile. "I want to dance with you."

He chuckled, but stood up. He wrapped one hand around her waist. The other hand held her's close to his chest. She rested her head on his chest and he pressed a soft kiss to her head before closing his eyes. He swayed her slowly, enjoying the moment.

Laura peeked her head out of the bedroom with a large grin on her face as she watched Brianna and Steve dance. Clint stood behind her, but not with a smile on his face. "I told her-"

"Clint." Laura stopped him. "Look at your daughter. Look at how happy she is. Look at how in love she is."

Clint swallowed dryly as his eyes fell on his daughter and Steve. Yes, she looked in love. He had never seen her look at any man the way she looked at Steve. Her eyes lit up every time he walked in the room. That didn't scare him. It was the look in Steve's eyes. They seemed absent. That was something he kept to himself. He prayed it was just his fatherly intuition wanting to keep his daughter safe and that Steve was, in fact, in love with Brianna.