Watching rom-coms became more frequent, in the light of the recent spur of love in the air. Tony patched things up with Pepper, Steve began inviting Sharon over to the movie nights, and even though they kept things casual Bucky and Nat were often found paying more attention to each other's mouth than to the movie plot. Even Wanda - who used to be your sofa companion - were these days more likely seen spending time with Vision in the lab or gym, supposedly working on their telekinetic powers Whatever the hell that meant.
Tonight, Sam was at his support group meeting and that left you all alone on the large sofa. To your left - Steve and Sharon, to your right - Bucky and Nat. Right in front of you - two movie characters seemingly finding love at first sight. Childhood friends reconnected after one of them found success in the city, the other still back in the tiny village they grew up. And WHO KNEW they would reconnect at a high school reunion?!
Yeah, it was cliché and way too sweet but one can only watch so many romantic stories before one craves some human affection of their own. It was you. The One was you.
For you, however, there wasn't a childhood crush you were longing to reconnect with, there wasn't a handsome stranger you always saw in your local cafe, there was no particularly shy co-worker who eventually builds up courage to ask you out at a work's Christmas party. No, it's because your life was not a rom-com. Your current reality was: occupying a massive sofa all by yourself, surrounded by two couples making out (three, if you count the magical kiss the movie characters shared on screen) when all you wanted was a cuddle. A small hug, even an affectionate shoulder punch. Hell, an over enthusiastic high-five would have done the trick!
You sighed deeply and pulled your legs to your chest, feeling a little cold all of a sudden. You looked around the room in search of a blanket and found Steve to be sat on it. The problem was, Sharon was sat on top of Steve and there was no way you were getting in the middle of whatever was going on there. You exhaled loudly, again, and decided to go to the kitchen to make yourself some tea - that should warm you right up! A couple of minutes later, a mug in hand, you headed back to the living room. You plopped yourself down on the sofa and kept the hot drink encased in your hands, extracting as much heat from it as possible.
The film approached a more dramatic moment - it turns out the characters changed over the years and reality is no longer as rosy as it had seemed at first. Horrible things were said and the two parted their ways. You chuckled lowly at this.
'People are stupid' you snapped your head back to where the sound came from, only to be faced with a gorgeous blonde muscly man. His shirt was too tight, his hair too long, but he was undoubtedly so so fine.
'Pietro, I didn't realise you were visiting!' you exclaimed in surprise. The two couples broke away from their embraces and quickly greeted the Sokovian. He looked around the room and decided on taking a seat next to you. Not just next to you, really close you - his left thigh brushed against yours and his arm stretched behind you on the back of the sofa.
'So stupid, they're clearly made for each other' he pointed his other hand towards the TV screen and then turned to you 'How can someone not see when they have someone perfect for them right in front of their eyes?' You froze in place at his question. Are you supposed to have answered that?! Now was not the time to be honest with yourself and admit you had a little crush Wanda's brother - understandable, really! - Pietro was devilishly handsome and spoke with a cute accent; he was incredibly strong and righteous, and way out of your league. You sent him a goofy smile and shrugged your shoulders.
'I don't know. Some people need more... encouragement' You swallowed thickly and sipped a bit of your tea, the warm liquid in your mouth somehow making you shiver.
'Are you cold?' you felt his breath on your ear as he whispered into it, the feeling made you close your eyes and inhale deeply.
'A little, I guess...' you muttered under your nose. Next thing you know, an arm wraps around your waist and you're being pulled closer to his body. You giggled a little and relaxed - you put your head on Pietro's shoulder and hummed with joy.
His hand continued on rubbing your arm but when you shifted your legs a little a fresh wave of goosebumps spread across your skin. And Pietro noticed.
'Hey, Captain, you think you two can stop eating each other's faces for a second and pass us the blanket?' you hid your face in the blonde's shoulder, unable to face Steve. You could only imagine Cap's face getting a little red with embarrassment. Then again, he had no inhibitions making out in front you all, he should have no problem having Pietro point it out to him.
You felt a soft thick fabric covering your legs. Pietro reached to take the now empty cup away from you and put it on the coffee table. He shifted a little - his arm still wrapped around your waist though - and pulled the blanket higher so that it covered your chests too.
'Better?' you smiled widely at him and nodded. He rewarded you with a wide grin of his own and you almost whimpered at how beautiful he looked.
I've messed up! I'm a changed man now, please forgive me. I love you!
'Ah, see! It's all good, he's sorry!' you heard Pietro whisper into your ear and you could swear you felt his lips brush against its shell. You snapped your eyes open and turned to look at him. He was biting his lip, either trying to suppress a smile or trying to kill you. And honestly, you would prefer the latter - at least you'd die happy, wrapped in the arms of the most gorgeous man alive.
Feeling a little braver you pulled your hand from under the blanket and pushed a strand of his hair behind his ear. He froze at your action and for a moment you panicked that you read the situation completely wrong. His eyes flickered frantically between yours and finally settled on your lips. You've been biting it for a few seconds now, ever since you realised you might have made a fool out of yourself.
'Oy...' he mumbled something under his nose, in Sokovian you presumed, but you couldn't quite make out what it was. He moved closer to you and pressed a chaste kiss on your forehead. You relaxed, relieved that it was still all good between you too, if anything the mood has shifted a little to your advantage.
You don't remember how the film ended - it didn't matter. The characters probably lived happily ever after. What mattered to you was you fell asleep in the arms of a handsome man. This was real, an actual physical contact you craved so much and for so many weeks. Even if nothing ever came of it, you were still going to count that evening as one the best ones in your life.
'You know, to say how fast he could be, he sure knows how to take things slow...' still half-asleep you heard Natasha chuckle lowly as she pulled the blanket higher over your and Pietro's entangled bodies. Bucky hummed in agreement and you heard them leave the room and turn the lights off. You nuzzled your face into the crook of the blonde's neck and drifted off to the land of dreams.
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