Lessons in Rule Breaking and Other Reader-Inserts*Steve Rogers*Reader*

In the Strangest Place (We Just Might Find Love) - Pt.2/2

You barely registered getting into and out of an elevator, being seated on a couch, having a blanket tossed over your shoulders and a cup of warm liquid pressed into your hands. You automatically brought it to your lips, only to be stopped by a hand curling around yours.

"Careful. It might be too hot," a pleasant voice warned you and you blinked, finally focusing your gaze, finding rather worried and very handsome face staring back. You glanced at the cup, surprised to identify the drink as his hand let go of yours.

"Is that... is that hot chocolate?" you asked, bewildered. Well, more like... astonished.

"Yeah. You're not allergic to milk or anything, are you?"

You looked up back to Steve's face, only to find him with his brows furrowed in concern.

"No! No. It's just... I didn't have one in years. Thank— thank you."

His expression cleared, evidently pleased with himself. "Good. You're welcome."

The words fell off his lips so easily. As if he just hadn't... hadn't saved your career. Or your mental health, really.

You eyed the table by the couch, setting the cup down, only to fully turn to him. He seemed a bit confused at that; but God, you had something important to say and since you didn't want to give up the blanket just yet, you decided to get rid of the mug at least to look less pathetic.

"No, Steve, I... thank you," you whispered sincerely, feeling tears in your eyes for like a millionth time that day. His smile widened a little.

"You're welcome. I'm sorry if I... if I scared you down there. It wasn't meant for you."

"You didn't-" you blurted out in attempt to deny it and make him feel better, only to waver as his eyebrow rose. It made you chuckle at yourself self-deprecatingly. "It's not your fault that I was... surprised by your little hulk-out. I guess I just didn't see it coming."

"Hulk-out, huh? Okay. How do you feel?"

"Like I just watched my life take a way better turn that I would expect... and I'm still only watching," you whispered honestly, which led to his face twisting in a grimace.

"Anything I can do?"

You couldn't help it; you looked around, realizing you were in something that looked fancy enough to belong to Tony Stark and was way too big to be part of an actual apartment. You ran your hand down the blanket covering your shoulders, reaching for the abandoned cup to blow on it softly and take a careful sip of chocolate. Steve's questioning gaze observed you while you did so and you smiled blissfully into the cup as the delicious rich taste caressed your tongue.

"You mean beside comforting me despite being a complete stranger, getting my harassing boss fired and scaring the hell out of him, taking me to-- here, giving me a blanket and making the best cup of hot chocolate I had in years? Give me a second, I'm sure I'll figure out something else," you babbled and Steve's smile grew. "Seriously, Steve. This is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me. I owe you. I- I know you're a hero and all that, but... yeah. I should be asking you that question."

"That's not-- I'm not-- ...you make a pleasant company," he said in the end as if he realized he couldn't deny any of the things you had listed. You lowered your gaze to the chocolate as his eyes twinkled at the statement.

"Ditto."

"Does that-" he blurted out and you tilted your head as he stopped abruptly again. "This is a terrible timing, but that's apparently an infamous quality of mine, because usually I wait too long, and...uhm..."

Your heart skipped a beat at the suddenly embarrassed soldier scratching the back of his neck, peeking at your through his eyelashes. Was that...? No, it couldn't be.

"Yeah?" you softly encouraged him to continue.

He wetted his lips. "I understand that it's the last thing you're thinking about right now, but... when you settle down again... and things are a bit calmer for you... would you- uhm, like to... maybe spend some more time-- with me?"

If he had blurted the sentence in one go, you would have dropped your mug in surprise. But he didn't so your brain had enough time to process the words slowly leaving his lips, one after another, bashful and hopeful. Your heart was speeding up with each of them, ready to burst when he finished with a tiny nervous smile.

Well. How could you possibly say no to that irresistible creature in front of you? You smiled into your drink.

"Yeah, I'd like that."

His face lit up. "Really?"

You wanted to chuckle at the pure surprise on his face, but it was just too endearing and you rather had to fight the urge to make an embarrassing sound like an aww.

"Yeah, Steve. I'd really like that," you repeated, hiding the teasing note in your voice. "But you've got to teach me how to make a chocolate that good, because seriously, it tastes amazing."

"I can't do that."

"Why not?" you demanded, a bit hurt. "I don't want you to give up your secret recipe right away! Just... in time."

He grinned at you boyishly, leaning a bit closer to you. You held your breath. "I could. But then I wouldn't get to enjoy the process of preparing it for you and your smile in return."

You stared at him for few moments, taking the statement in, wondering if he was teasing you or being serious. The corners of his lips were quirked up as if he was indeed joking, but there was a certain spark of honesty in his eyes.

You decided to play along, whether it was a game or not. Perhaps it was the relief of newly found freedom of a sleazy man in your life that plucked up your courage and woke up your jovial side.

"Aww, Steve, that's so sweet. Is that your way of telling me you're planning on spoiling me? Because then I would need significantly less time to... settle down."

He grinned a little wider. "Is that so?"

"Mm."

"Well then..." he brought up lowly, torturing you with anticipation when he didn't continue, only to watch you with a mischievous smile.

"...then?"

"What are your plans for Friday evening?"

Oh, you were so glad you were sitting, because otherwise the force of the moment in which Steve Rogers asked you out on Friday night would knock you down. You tried to think of an answer that wouldn't sound like an over-enthusiastic YES, but his blue eyes staring into yours made it very difficult for you.

Dammit, it was harder to talk to him when you could actually see-- you smiled smugly, raising an eyebrow in silent challenge.

"I'm hiding in a supply closet. Why, you wanna join me?"

He burst out laughing, throwing his head back, and the picture was so heart-warming it was unfair.

"Sure thing. Would you like me to bring muffins and coffee or do you prefer an actual dinner?"

You found yourself laughing too and you suddenly believed that your life would indeed get better. It already had, after all.

-----Notes:
The angst is dead, long live the fluff!

I'm not sure I like this second part much, but it exists, so...