EXECUTIONER'S SONG. ❪ Steve Rogers ❫ ✓

twelve

Steve shook his head. "No, she won't let Wanda near her and Tony isn't sure what to do. Besides, Natasha seems to enjoy her like this."

"What about you? You look like you're enjoying it."

"I'm...not. She just likes me, so I take care of her."

Sam hummed. "Sure, you 97-year-old virgin."

"Hey!"

In the end, Steve gave into Darcy. He compromised with her and ended up bringing dogs to the compound's garden so she could play with them. As she wanted, there was a beagle there. She was biased, constantly holding the beagle while playing with the other dogs.

Steve now owed Tony a favor since it was him who got all the dogs there. He sighed at that thought. Tony was an unpredictable person, yet predictable at the same time. Steve predicted Tony would do something stupid that involved dangerous weapons, but he didn't know what.

"You look like Steve-anator," mumbled Darcy into the fur of the beagle she was holding.

His tongue lapped out, breathing as he watched the other dogs with wide eyes. Darcy had completely ignored the other dogs and were leaving them for Steve to take care of so they didn't run off. There were only four other dogs there but they were enough to have Steve heaving slightly.

"Have you ever had a dog, Steve?" Darcy asked, tilting her head at Steve who was laying down after putting the dogs back in the pen.

"No, but I love them. Maybe not four at the same time," he added.

She hummed. "You look old. Aren't you old enough to have a dog? You know, Mama told me I can't get my own dog because I'm too young. You don't look young to me."

"I don't have the time."

"You look free to me," she retorted.

He sighed. "I think I'll get a goldfish."

"Do you have a girlfriend?" she blurted out.

"What?"

"Mama says if I get too close to boys, I'll get cooties, but I'm with you all the time, so do I have cooties?" Darcy asked.

"No, you don't have cooties."

"Do you?" she asked.

"I don't have cooties either. What is your mom telling you?" he questioned, eyes glancing over to Natasha who was debriefing a mission with Bucky in the see-through office.

Darcy shrugged. "That you have cooties."

Steve shook his head. "Don't listen to her. She's joking."

"Really?"

"Uh-huh."

"So if I kiss you, then I won't get cooties?" she asked.

Steve looked at her. "No..."

"Okay then!" she chirped, her attention making its way back to the beagle in her lap. "Oh!" she exclaimed. "You never answered my question. Do you have a girlfriend?"

"No. No, I don't. I did," he answered. "I mean, I think I did. Something happened before anything could happen."

"Huh?"

"Something got in the way before we could date," he rephrased.

"Oh, was it another boy? Was it Bucky? Do you want me to beat him up for you?" Darcy asked, getting fired up.

Steve laughed, imagining his best friend and the girl he was babysitting fighting with plastic swords. "No, it wasn't Bucky. It's all right, Darcy. Pay attention to Steve-anator."

"Okay," she answered, ruffling the beagle's fur around.

Peggy wasn't brought up again for the rest of the afternoon, but once evening rolled through, Natasha had a piece of information for Steve.

"Steve," Natasha softly called out.

Darcy, who was animatedly talking about Barbie movies, and Steve, who was eagerly listening, turned around.

"She's gone. In her sleep," Natasha informed.

Steve looked at her for a moment. "I have to go."

"Where?" Darcy asked.

"Sweetie, Steve has some errands," Natasha informed, walking over to place her hand on her head.

She huffed. "Fine."

"I'll be back," Steve promised.

"Promise?" Darcy questioned.

"Promise."