Love Me (Steve Rogers Fanfiction)

Chapter 19

"Not anymore as much," I say, closing the book after carefully marking my spot. "I've been doing better these last few days. I just hadn't been sleeping enough." Luckily, Tony is smart enough to fill in the blanks himself, so I don't have to explain further.

"Well, that settles it. Grab a coat, change out of sweatpants, we're hitting the city."

"What? Where?" I was planning on a quiet afternoon reading, but that's all I've been doing. I could use a change.

"Not sure yet. I'll make some calls, you go put something fun on."

A grin spreads across my face. "Thanks, Tony."

I run off to my room to get ready. All I've been wearing around the compound is leggings because I haven't actually had to do anything. Skimming through my closet, I pull out a fitted red leather jacket. Red. Steve always says I look good in red. Black skinny jeans and black high heeled boots complete the look, and I pull my hair into a loose ponytail.

When I arrive back downstairs, Tony has a car pulled up. A sleek blue Maserati, to be exact. I hop into the back seat, excited beyond belief.

"Very nice," Tony praises, sliding his sunglasses on. "Hap, take us into the city, will you? Someplace fun."

"Fun for you or fun for America? There's a difference."

"Good point. Fun for her. A little bit of both might be preferred."

"You got it, boss."

The ride goes by quickly, and soon enough we're driving through New York City. The sun shines as I step onto the sidewalk, with Tony opening the door for me, which is surprising. The minute we begin to work our way through the crowds, cameras begin to flash. I duck my head, trying to avoid eye contact. Oh, come on. Not now.

"Mr. Stark! Miss Evans! A minute?"

"Over here!"

"Look this way!"

"Hey, hey, move it! Out of the way!" Tony yells, pushing me forward into a building. "Sorry about them, they follow me everywhere."

"That's okay. It's not your fault. Where are we?"

"MoMA. You like art, right?" My eyes must light up because he grins. "That's what I thought." 

Over the next few hours, we go all over New York. Museums, restaurants, shops. There's a lot of laughter and bad jokes and movie references. Tony even takes me to see Wicked on Broadway, and it takes all of me not to burst out in song throughout the show. Finally, we walk through this big display of Christmas lights set up in Central Park. It's one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen.

"I forgot how pretty New York is," I say as we walk. Light snow falls on my shoulders, and I catch a few snowflakes on my tongue. 

"Yeah, me too. I don't do this a lot. It's nice." He gestures to our surroundings. "And it's only mid-November, but in the city, it's already Christmas."

"I never got to thank you for a few weeks back. With the wedding dress? You shouldn't have."

"It was no big deal," he says, waving me off indifferently.

"But it was," I reply. "You don't need to pay for the entire wedding."

"I know. And I won't. I just kind of figured that you and Capsicle deserved something special for once."

I smile and give him a quick kiss on the cheek. Amazing how much I disliked him when we first met and he tried to get my number. "Thank you."

"You are very welcome. Hey, have you two picked a spot for your honeymoon? Because I can have my Malibu place vacated a few days after Christmas if you're interested. It's nice. Air-conditioned, right by the water-"

"Tony, really?" I gasp. "You mean it?" 

"Do I ever say anything I don't mean?"

"That's amazing! Thank you so much." I'm not a hug person and neither is Tony, so I don't hug him, but I do give him the brightest smile I possibly can. 

"You're welcome, kid. Come on, let's get back to the compound. It's getting cold and I want to bother Pepper a few times before the night's over." 

"Oh, she came back, too?" 

"No, but if I have FRIDAY call her over and over, she gets really irritated. It's fun." 

I shake my head, chuckling. "You and I have very different views on romance."

"I'll say. I'd never marry someone who was eighty years older than me." 

"And I'd never irritate the one I love to all end, but hey, you do you." 

He stops in his tracks, almost slipping on some ice. "I didn't say I loved her." 

"You didn't need to. It's kind of obvious, Anthony." I wink, causing him to blush. Tony Stark, blushing. I got him good. "Come on, Happy's waiting." 

On the drive back, I fiddle with my engagement ring. The wedding's really close, only a few weeks to go. Almost everything is in place. There's just one piece missing. The groom. According to Fury, they're supposed to be back in three days, but I find it hard to trust SHIELD (or whatever we left of it) anymore. 

I thank Tony for an amazing day before heading up to my bedroom. I shower while humming songs from Wicked and slip into cozy clothes before drifting off. Another night without dreams. Maybe things really are looking up. 

When I wake the next morning, I stretch with a smile on my face. It's early, so I might go on a run. It feels like it's been so long. I grin at the thought of running without limits, as fast as I can. Nothing is better than that moment of freedom. 

"Hey FRIDAY, anything interesting in the news today?" I ask as I pull on a pair of socks. I like to keep up with the current events. 

"Yes, miss. The number one trending article in the United States this morning is as follows: "It Looks Like America Evans Isn't Only Fast When She Runs."

I freeze. "What?" 

DRAMA. 

livescience.org, because I'm gonna be a good person and cite my sources