April 12th 2017
Avengers Compound
Why Steve was so nervous to talk to a girl he spoke to nearly everyday for the past several months, he wasn't sure.
Okay he was sure.
It's because his feelings for her were through the roof and every time he looked at her his heart began to beat out of his chest.
And apparently that wasn't normal.
He smoothed down his dress shirt and fought his way through the crowd.
"Captain Rogers." An agent he barley recognised stepped in front of him, but Steve didn't meet his gaze, he was still too focused on someone else, "How was your mission? Did all go as a planned."
"Not right now, sorry." Steve muttered, pushing his way passed the agent as politely as he could, the table which Ember sat at coming closer to him with every step he took.
He observed for just a second with a faint smile on his face, as he watched the girl stir the coffee she was visibly not impressed with.
He felt his heart drop slightly as he noticed her arm was still in a sling, and small butterfly stitches to the side of her forehead as a result of the accident; which Tony had pleasantly informed Steve that nothing of the sort would ever happen again, and that Coulson and his team had been thanked for their services, but would not be returning.
Steve was glad that Tony now also saw that Ember meant more to the both of them than some tool to be used during a fight just because they didn't have enough muscle.
"Dry bar tonight, huh?"
Steve grinned as Ember turned to face him.
He watched as her face lit up as soon as her eyes met his, standing up and throwing her one free arm around his neck into a tight hug. An affectionate action that she would one hundred percent deny later on, despite there even being security camera footage.
"You're back." She looked up at him, due to their height difference, with a grin on her face.
"Yeah, I'm back." Steve smiled back at her as she pulled away from their embrace.
"Imissedyou." She muttered quickly.
"What was that?" Steve teased, his arm draped lazily around her shoulders.
"Imissedyou." She said, still quickly, but slightly slower this time.
"Uh huh?"
"I missed you." She said, smiling as she hung her head.
Steve smiled down at her, the short blonde strands of hair falling to the sides of his face, just passed his eyes, due to the lack of hair gel.
"You're growing a beard?" She asked, laughing slightly, her fingers absentmindedly going to touch the side of his face in which the beard was growing out.
Steve's face displayed a faint smile as he remembered the night he heard a very drunk Ember tell him he'd look good with a beard— And that he was good looking.
"I also like your hands. And your face, your face is really pretty. I also think you'd suit a beard— You should grow a beard. Did I mention your face is really pretty?"
"Yeah," Steve smirked, "You like it?"
"I dig guys with beards." She grinned, elbowing in the arm, which is luckily the arm he didn't get shot on.
"You do, huh?" Steve teased her, as they both sat opposite each other at the small table, in the corner Ember always stayed at during parties.
"Yeah," Ember locked eyes with him, not even noticing how much he tensed up at the intense eye contact, "Maybe I do."
Steve cleared his throat, and broke the eye contact, his eyes accidentally falling to her chest before blushing slightly, and looking out the window.
"I like your dress." He looked at her again, the eye contact not as intense this time.
"You like my dress? Cute. I hate it. I liked the last one better that Natasha bought me. But I set it on fire to prove a point."
Steve shook his head with a light chuckle, clearly not surprised at her actions. "Do I even wanna know?"
"Probably not." Ember shrugged.
Steve felt so much every time he looked at her, every time he saw her smile, every time he heard her laugh.
It just ignited something inside him. Something he had never felt before. Not with Peggy, not with Sharon... Only with her.
"What?" Ember asked with a nervous laugh as he noticed Steve looking at her, with some sort of emotion in his eyes she couldn't quite recognise. She had always found Steve quite difficult to read.
"Nothing." Steve said, his eyes flicking to her lips, before back to her eyes, again tensing in his seat, not from the pain of being shot.
"Steve what is it?"
"It's just, uhm..." Steve swallowed the lump in his throat. "... It's really uhm, hot in here. I uh, I just need some air."
Steve quickly stood up out of his chair, and brushed off the non existent dirt from his trousers, before shuffling his way out of the room and into the open hallway, where he felt like he could now properly breathe.
He paced backwards in forwards, air coming and leaving his lungs at an unnatural pace.
"Steve?" Ember called through the crowd, pushing her way through, although more people parted for her due to her visible broken arm.
She caught up with Steve, who was still continually pacing in the long, open corridor lobby area, a stressed, almost hurt, look on his face.
"Steve what's wrong?" She asked again, trying to place her free hand on his shoulder, but he flinched backwards, turning to face her.
"Admit it."
"What?"
"Admit that theres something between us." He said, running a hand through his hair in utter frustration, "Back when you kissed me... It woke something inside of me up, Ember. I thought that it was just a phase. But every time I see you my feelings just grow. And I know you hate it here and you'll want to leave the first chance you get. But stay. Stay for me. Give us a chance. I know you feel something for me too. You have to feel something for me too."
Ember stood in complete shock, she opened her mouth to say something, but Steve wasn't finished.
"When I came out of the ice I couldn't find many things worth living for... And then I met you..."
"Steve..."
"No... Don't say anything, I don't think I want to handle rejection right now." Steve said quietly, turning away from her and headed down the corridor.
"Steve, wait." Ember chased after him, cursing the damn party for meaning she was wearing this stupid dress.
"Ember not no—"
Steve was caught off guard when Embers arm pulled him around to face her, as she used her only free arm to hold onto him as she moved herself forward, standing on her tip toes to crash her lips against his, her hand moving from his arm to grip into his hair.
Steve had a beard this time, so it felt very different from the first time they had kissed, but a good different. It only made Ember want him more.
Steve, firstly was taken aback by her action, his heart rate quickly increasing to such a speed he was sure it was going to beat out of his chest.
Or cause him to go into a cardiac arrest— Either were an option.
Although when his brain finally processed what was happening, what was finally happening for only the second time ever, he melted into the kiss, his hand travelling the skin her bare back which wasn't covered by her open back dress, and settling at the bottom of her neck, and the months of not being able to touch her, and hold her the way he wanted to was showing on his body, as his pants began to feel very tight after only a matter of seconds.
But then that wasn't enough.
He wanted more.
He spun their bodies around so that she was pressed up against the wall, and the way she pushed her hips forward, pressing against his semi erect cock.
But when his arm brushing against Embers sling was just a reminder that he couldn't have more, he'd just have to wait a little longer.
"When do you get your sling off?" He pulled apart and asked quietly, the huskiness in his voice being a serious turn on for Ember right now.
"T'morrow morning." She replied, slightly out of breath.
Steve smirked, his forehead pressed up against hers.
"Please let me take you out. And no backing out of it this time."
"Yeah." Ember said, biting her lip slightly to contain her smile, "Sounds good."
Steve grinned before pressing his lips up against hers again, his fingers held in her hair.
"Miss Rose. Tony Stark is requesting your presence at the bar. He says be quick."
The AI interrupted them, and Steve and Ember reluctantly pulled apart, each letting out a sigh of annoyance.
"I should go—"
"I'll see you later, yeah?"
Ember nodded, before running her fingers through her slightly tangled hair, thanks to Steve, and making her way back to the party.
—
A/N
you all know i'm a sucker for a slow burn lmaoo
anyways i hope you enjoyed <33