2. What a gentleman
The diner had quite an atmosphere and on any other occasion, you would have been fascinated, easily being pulled decades back in time. Today however, your attention wasn't on the decor too much. You had very different things on your mind; like a certain man with a built of a Hercules and a spine-melting smile – if a little nervous one.
"Is this place alright?" his soft voice snapped you from the space of your own head.
You gave a tiny nod, letting him lead you farther in. He picked a table in the back, away from the giant windows to the street; you were glad for that despite the nice weather.
You would have stayed outside to begin with, but Steve had asked whether you had been hungry and to your enormous embarrassment, your stomach had replied. To his credit, he hadn't laughed, only frowning a bit while he had clearly been biting back a smile; what a gentleman.
Your waitress appeared quickly, leaving with your order written down just as fast, and you found yourself alone... with your soulmate. Your 95-year-old soulmate. How crazy was that?
You had no idea what you say, finding him silently watching you; either he was unable to form words as well or he was waiting for you to gather your thoughts and wanted to let you speak first. Once again – what a gentleman.
You cleared your throat awkwardly. "So... uhm. You're... you're really 95."
God bless him, he only grimaced a little, not commenting on the stupidity of your statement. As far as communication with him went, you were being excellent.
'Oh no, there must be a mistake,' calling him mister instead of captain (then again, you hadn't asked if he was one just yet), your stomach answering his questions and now this. Where did your ability to talk go? On vacation?
"Uhm... yeah. I know this is hard to believe, but... yeah," he conceded, fidgeting. "I can explain! Also, sorry for being stuck with such words."
Well, speaking of being stuck with words...
"Well, Mr.Rogers-"
"Steve, please."
He had told you that before. Except yeah, it somehow stuck you all over again, that his was most likely the man who was remembered for saving many, many lives. You wondered if you should be kissing his boots or the pavement he walked on or something. So, yeah, calling him Steve seemed like a bit of a disrespect. If he was who you thought he was, of course.
"Feels inappropriate. Even the 'mister' does," you explained, testing the waters. You believed Ryan was right, but still...
"What would feel appropriate?" he asked, nervously fiddling with his fingers at the edge of the table.
Huh. Alright. Maybe you and Ryan were wrong and he was just a guy? A really, really attractive and nice guy? But why else the whole 'I'm 95' thing then? He said he could explain...
"Captain?" you whispered, immediately the tension in his shoulders growing even more intensely. Yeah, busted. You were sure now. Captain America was in a diner with you. Because he was your soulmate.
Oh shit.
"Guess I don't have to explain then..." he murmured, a worried wrinkle forming between his brows.
Before you could comment and tell him that you definitely needed him to explain, because what the hell, you hadn't exactly done your homework, how was the first American hero alive, just HOW?!, he continued.
"Look, I... I spent a good part of my life believing my... soulmate... you, would consider me a mistake," he sighed, "and-"
"Oh god, I'm so sorry!" you blurted out, instantly feeling even worse for the words you had told him. He had lived with the belief that his destined partner would resent him. Great job, me!
He shook his head, never minding the interruption. "And I'll... I'll understand if you do."
That gave you a stop. Wait. What?
"...what? Why would I?"
Why would you? He was... gorgeous, polite and so far so genuinely nice you thought you just made him in a dreamed-man-machine and as far as you knew, he was a superhero. So... if anyone should be considered a mistake... it was you. Your heart dropped to your stomach when your mind helpfully supplied you with that information. Was that what he thought? That you were unworthy? It would be perfectly understandable after all. How could you even compare to a man like him? You had told Ryan that this man was way out of your league and you hadn't been kidding.
"Unless that's how you feel... uhm, about me."
His eyes, previously focused on the table, snapped up sharply. "What? Why?"
Wasn't it obvious? You gestured towards your humble self. Wasn't it what he was saying?
"Well, I don't really think I'm considered a superhero girlfriend material," you concluded.
The captain quickly leaned it, his hand gently wrapping around yours. To say you were bewildered at the gesture would be an understatement. You were perfectly lost. And it felt kinda nice, him touching you.
Shut up.
"That's not what I meant at all!" he exclaimed with urgency, his eyes roaming your whole face, his expression seeming guilty.
Nope, you weren't quite following, though a bit of hope flickered in your heart; his hand didn't release yours. "You... didn't? I'm sorry, I don't... I don't understand."
"What I meant was... you do know who I am, right?"
"Y-yes. My... uhm, my friend figured it out. I- I don't know much..." you admitted, slightly embarrassed. You never were a fan of history classes. Like... memorising dates. Nope.
"Alright... I crushed a plane during the second world war..."
"That I do know. You saved millions of lives."
His cheeks dusted with a bit of pink as if he was bashful about it.
"I thought it was the end. And I woke up seventy years later..." he bit his lip, his fingers twitching on yours. He blinked in surprise when he noticed them touching you and the blush on his cheeks darkened.
When he tried to retreat, you caught his hand in return, noting the change in his tone. This was not an easy topic for him to talk about and you felt the need to comfort him. He looked at you in wonder at your gesture; you were shocked too, but it was simply an instinct. Bold action on your part, sure, but it still appeared right.
"That was only few months ago. I'm... not fully accustomed to this time." His eyes went strangely absent and you squeezed his fingers reassuringly. "Not to mention that what I do is... dangerous to say at least. I would understand if you rather stayed away."
Heavy silence fell on your table on the last note, interrupted by your waitress. You only managed to stare at Steve as he politely, yet absently, thanked her for your food, conflict all over his face as your hands parted in favour to make space for the plates.
Frankly, you didn't care for food in the slightest, too taken aback and having some serious trouble to process his words.
Now that took a turn you never saw coming.
"So... you wouldn't mind... me being me?" you asked a bit unsurely. You were starting to understand his train of thoughts and your brain was absolutely overwhelmed by it.
The captain – Steve – didn't touch his food either, his brilliant blue eyes with just a drop of green watching you sincerely, wondering what was going on in the head of yours. Good luck with that.
"I'm not sure what you mean, so I'll say no. You're... you seem like a kind person, you're a... very beautiful woman and-- I'd be lucky if you wouldn't reject me right away."
You chuckled incredulously at that, your heart picking up pace. Oh wow, did he just call you a very beautiful woman? What was the last time someone had done that? (Your mum didn't count.) Were you dreaming?
"Steve..."
He perked up when you finally addressed him correctly.
"I spent my life hoping that I won't meet my soulmate until I'm 80 at least, because otherwise it would be really creepy. I was hoping the number meant literally anything else than their age. And if I understand correctly, you believed you'd be a disappointment to me. I'm... maybe I can only speak for myself, but I'd say that this is the best possible turn of events I could wish for," you finished with something that resembled an awkward but delighted laugh, believing every word you said.
What better outcome this could have had? You were both young and healthy people and as far as you understood, neither of you were disgusted by the choice the universe had made when binding you. That was awesome, right?
He observed you silently for eternity, his expression unreadable, and you panicked you had read this wrong after all.
"I mean... I think we're soulmates for a reason. It doesn't always work out, I know, but we should at least try, right? Get to know each other? I mean, I know you're Captain America, but you're much more than some persona from the history books and I like to think this deserves a chance-.... Maybe I'm stupid, but-"
During your monologue, his lips curled up into the spine-melting smile again and he reached over the table to catch one of your hands that had been gesturing rather wildly; not that you had noticed until he stopped you.
For the second time that day, his lips brushed you knuckles, sending you into a cardiac arrest and warming up your chest at the innocence and sweetness of such action.
"I think you're amazing," he breathed out, looking into your eyes from under his incredible pretty eyelashes, effectively turning you into a lovesick puddle.
"You d-do?"
The incredible smile of his was back. Oh god. He was so out of your league.
He gently released you and you suddenly felt embarrassed and awkward under his undivided attention.
"I do. And I'd like to know you better too."
"O-okay."
A+ for that response. But could anyone blame you? Steve was actually watching you as if you were the eighth wonder of the world and it was impossible to accept that this was somehow happening.
"Okay," he echoed softly.
He gestured to the food then with one eyebrow questioningly raised and you had to blink, returning back to earth where you had actually come here to eat. You couldn't remember what it felt like being hungry, too overwhelmed with the turn this conversation took and the emotions it swirled.
He had called you a very beautiful woman. He had called you amazing.
Steve waited for you to start eating, only then joining in. What a gentleman. How were you soulmates with this man again? How could you ever deserve him?
You swallowed the bite of food hastily as you felt the sudden urge.
"Steve?"
"Yes, d- yes?"
Any other time, you would wonder what he wanted to say, but you had to get this out of your chest.
"I think you're amazing too," you admitted sheepishly despite the fact it was totally implied he was kind of a god.
You might even feel a bit silly for saying it out loud, but the twinkle in his eyes and the smile that lighted up his face assured you that you didn't misstep. God, he looked as if you just told him the best news he could ever get. It made you nearly choke on your spit.
He was so devastatingly handsome when smiling, radiant... when a spark of a mischief appeared in his irises, a promise of fun on top of the tenderness he had been showing until now, you were done for. That was it; he already owned your heart, just like that. Was it him or was it because of the... soulmate connection? You decided it was both and that it didn't matter.
"I'll try to maintain that cover then."
It took you a moment to realize what he was going at. Right. Soldier. Or a spy, whatever. And apparently a dork. You were such a lucky woman, weren't you?
"Uh-huh, what are like when you're not undercover then?" you played along, already knowing he actually was that awesome and he couldn't have been pretending this whole time.
He didn't miss a beat. "Me."
Your eyebrows shot up unwittingly. That was all he was gonna give away?
"Huh. I guess I'll just have to find out, aren't I?"
He charmed a lopsided smile that did something to you on a visceral level, which kinda startled you; you really were falling impossibly fast for him, in every possible way. And you realized you didn't mind at all. You trusted him for some reason, trusted him to catch you in your fall until you could hit the ground. God, you were turning into a complete sap.
"Guess you are," he confirmed cheekily and you smirked as a shot of confidence flooded your veins. Did he think he had the upper hand here? He had said that he hadn't been fully accustomed, right? There were things you were about to help him adjust to...
"Looking forward to it," you hummed and winked at him before you returned to your pancake with gusto. "Not sure you should feel the same about me, Mr. You. My secret identity might surprise you."
Steve watched you, not blinking, apparently not expecting you mirroring his attitude. He squinted at you playfully and you had to admit you felt the weight that had fallen on your chest earlier, when he had talked about mistakes, disappear into a thin air. You could actually see now that maybe, just maybe, you two could be a good fit despite the terrible differences in the social ladder.
"Are you saying you're trouble, madam?" he pried, something as if strict yet teasing creeping into his voice.
You wondered if it was how he talked to his co-workers and inferiors. He was a captain – he was bound to have inferiors, right? Was this his captain voice then? It tickled your fancy, to be honest.
"I guess you'll have to find out, Sir."
Steve chuckled and shook his head, finishing his food. "I can already tell you are."
"Is it... bad?" you asked, suddenly hesitant.
"No, doll. I actually really, really like it."
The casual slip of a pet name only accented his words and you were absolutely certain now. Oh yeah. You were truly looking forward to getting to know your soulmate.
Even if he was 95 years old.
-----Notes:
Exam time ahead. So, logically, I felt the need to turn off my brain...
This AU is still on my mind and I need soft Steve. And a bit of angst, but it will get better in the next part, promise ;)
P.S. I'm incorrigible. I know. Thanks for reading.