#captainquake

She managed to get a date a week later with a guy named Louis. He worked in the IT department for some major marketing company Daisy didn’t know the name of. Sparks weren’t exactly flying, but he was smart and told good jokes. Not to mention he took a damn good picture.

They arranged to meet at an upscale bar restaurant in Brooklyn. That place sure had changed since the last time Daisy saw it. She choose her favorite pink dress with matching pumps and curled her hair. Stylish, but not expecting anything. If she’d ever been a ‘kiss on the first date’ girl before, she sure as hell wasn’t now.

She got to the restaurant ten minutes late, thanks in no small part to her dick of a cab driver taking the long way to get more money. She gave him exactly what she owed, with an extra penny for his troubles. ‘Don’t spend it all in one place,’ she thought as he tore off to go inconvenience someone else.

Inside the place was packed. Amorous young couples and families with screaming kids all waited anxiously in the lobby to be seated. Daisy grimaced as she bumped five different people on her way to the hostess table. This was why she’d suggested pizza.

“Excuse me?” she shouted over a cacophony of voices. “I have a reservation!”

“Name please,” the hostess yelled back.

She gave her Louis’s last name and adjusted her purse as the woman consulted her computer. She read down the list and scowled. “I’m sorry, we don’t have a reservation under that name at the moment.”

Daisy furrowed her brow. “Are you sure you spelled it right?”

The hostess looked pretty sure, but she was nice enough to do a new search just in case. When it once again came up empty, Daisy thanked her for her time and retreated to the bar. There was a single vacant seat in between a woman screaming into her phone and a man in a baseball cap flipping through a small notepad. Daisy squeezed past them and took out her phone.

‘Hey, are you here? They couldn’t find our reservation. I’m waiting by the bar so hurry up and come get me. ;)’

She spent the next two minutes searching for Louis’s dark head in the crowd until her phone buzzed.

‘You actually went? Wow. Didn’t think you were that desperate. Sad.’

She read it five more times. Or maybe more. It was hard to keep track when her eyes were watering and she was fighting the urge to chuck her phone through the nearest window. She forced her phone back into her bag and put her head in her hands. Of course. Should’ve known her shitty luck would lead her to an asshole with a sick sense of humor. What did she expect, Prince Charming?

“Uh...miss? Are you okay?”

It was the man in the baseball cap. He was spectacularly underdressed for this setting, but one look into those incredible blue eyes of his, and he was the classiest guy in the room. No one else could hope to compare.

So awestruck was Daisy, she couldn’t stop her mouth from moving: “I was supposed to go on a date with a guy I met online but he stood me up and made fun of me in a text message… also I’m never using a wink emoji again… also you’re Steve Rogers.”

Steve almost smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Yes I am, but that’s awful and I can’t believe he did that to you.”

Daisy shrugged, hiding her tears behind a few locks of hair. “It’s not your fault. At least now I know to talk to a guy for at least a week before I accept his date offer.”

“Well, I’ll tell you one thing,” Steve said, smiling for real this time, “he’s the biggest loser this world ever spat out. He gets a chance with a gorgeous dame like you and this is what he does?”

He balled his fists as if contemplating what it would be like to use Louis’s head as a punching bag. Never before had Daisy blushed so hard in her life. Her face was so hot, there had to be steam coming out of her ears. “You don’t have to say that.”

“Just telling it like it is,” he said. “In fact, I’m liable to step in and show you a real good time tonight. If you’ll let me.”

Okay, this was definitely a dream. Daisy was definitely asleep, or else Captain America himself had actually just asked her out. She pinched herself. She didn’t even bother to hide it. Steve laughed deep in his chest. The sound was enough to melt panties. “I’m serious. Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?”

‘I’d like to do a lot of things with you tonight,’ Daisy’s head was spinning and she just barely kept herself from speaking that thought aloud. She coughed, putting on a facade of casualness. “I think I can put you on my to-do list, but don’t you have someone to meet here?”

Steve rubbed the back of his neck, “I was supposed to meet someone here, too, but he cancelled last minute to go on a date.”

Daisy snorted. They were just two peas in a pod already. Sliding off the bar stool, she looped her arm around Steve’s and led him out the door. “How about some pizza? This place is nice, but it’s a little too stuffy for my taste.”

Steve smiled again, for real this time. “Took the words right out of my mouth, Doll.”

He had been fighting someone, or something. He reached for the memory and nearly caught it before falling into a dark oblivion.

He woke up in a hospital room, his arm in a cast and his face bandaged. There was a mirror opposite him on the bathroom door and he couldn’t look at it for longer than seconds at a time. He was a mess. Bruised cheek, split lip, black eye. He remembered now what he’d done to get in here, and he only hoped Bucky had won when he took over the fight with that alien.

Daisy was asleep with her head on the nightstand. She snored softly. She never liked to hear what kind of sounds she made in her sleep, but to Steve they were the cutest little noises and he’d never be tired of them. He played with a lock of her hair, trying not to wake her. Instead, her eyes snapped immediately open and in the blink of an eye she was on her feet and fussing over him.

“Oh my God, Steve, thank God you’re awake. Do you need anything? Are you in pain? Are you hungry? Do you want me to get the nurse? Do you-”

What he wanted was for her to stop talking. He made that clear with a searing kiss, his one good arm around her neck to hold her. He pulled away to let her breathe and she sunk into his chest, content for the moment.

Steve listened out the window. There were sirens and heart monitors, everything you’d expect to hear in a hospital. There was no alien machine guns firing magic bullets into crowds of civilians, so either something had gone right or horribly wrong.

“Thanos retreated,” Daisy said, reading his mind. “He’ll be back. It’s just a matter of when.”

“We’ll be ready when he does,” Steve said, his determination already outweighing the dull ache in his bones.

“You’d better mean we as in ‘me and everyone else capable of fighting,’” Daisy said forcefully. “As in ‘everyone not recovering from a broken arm in the hospital.’”

“Daisy-”

“Don’t ‘Daisy’ me, mister.” There were tears in her eyes. Steve’s heart broke. He hated it when she cried. “You almost died out there. I almost lost you. If Bucky hadn’t saved you, I’d be standing over your coffin right now. Do you get that?”

“I get it,” Steve nodded. He tried and failed not to smile. Angry Daisy was just too cute. “So what? You’re going to block all the exits until I’m better?”

In response, Daisy dragged her chair to the door and plopped herself down in front of it. She folded her arms. Glared hard at Steve. “I have a full view of the window and the vents from here. So don’t even try it, Rogers.”

“What if I need the bathroom?”

“No backtalk. Rest. Now.”

 She used to wonder how a guy like him could be single.  Maybe he was just keeping his true relationship status on the down low.  Daisy recognized the face of his date, she was that girl who hung around with Dr. Jane Foster all the time.  A name was where she drew a blank.  This was why she should’ve tried harder to get through Tony’s firewalls instead of giving up after only six failed attempts.  Then she would’ve known everyone’s names.

 Steve and his date were talking to Natasha at the moment, her smile suggesting impish joy in whatever the topic of discussion was.  Daisy had come to fear that look.  That ‘I know everything even if you’re not telling the whole truth’ face Black Widow was so good at.  Steve’s date didn’t mind at all.  She chatted with Natasha like they were old pals, even after Steve slipped his arm out of her grasp and excused himself.

 He darted for the bar, stopping two seats away from Daisy and taking a breath.  The bartender ignored him and kept mixing drinks.  No point in serving a man unaffected by mortal liquor when they were all out of the Asgardian stuff.  

 “Fun party,” Daisy said casually.  She went to pick up her glass, but found only air.  The stupid bartender had taken it and left her to grope around like an idiot in front of Steve Rogers.  Great.

 “Yeah, fun,” Steve said, taking a deep breath.  “More fun than the last one Tony threw at least.”

 Daisy nodded.  “Yeah, Ultron… that was killer on my system.”

 “Mmm…”

 he silence between them felt endless, like the entire world had stopped and only Daisy was aware of it.  The bartender slid another drink her way, but while her throat was parched, alcohol was not going to relieve her thirst anymore.  “So, how’ve you been?”

 “Fine,” Steve said.  “Busy, but you knew that.”

Daisy smiled, inwardly smacking herself because of all the painfully basic and lame ways she could’ve kept this conversation going…  “You must be happy spending time with your girlfriend.”

 That was in no way a good alternative, but now that the words were out of her mouth, she couldn’t well go back on them.

 “You mean Darcy?” Steve asked with a laugh.  “No, she’s not my girlfriend.”

 “She isn’t?”  ‘Don’t sound so excited!  You’ll freak him out.  Tone it down.  Tone it significantly down.’  “I mean, that’s cool.  I just saw you come in with her and figured you were together.” 

“Well, she is my date for the evening, but that’s just to get Natasha off my back,” Steve explained.  “She’s still set on finding me a girl.  Darcy offered to help me out in exchange for a free trip to New York.” 

“That was nice of her,” Daisy said, failing to hide a massive grin, “but you know, if you wanted to save on plane fare, you could’ve asked me.” 

“You would’ve been my fake date?” Steve looked startled. 

Daisy shrugged, almost successfully feigning nonchalance.  If only she could stop smiling.  “I’m not busy.  Not with anyone either.  Would’ve been fine for one night.” 

“I thought, though, beautiful girl like you, you’d have been sure to have had a date!” 

“Steve Rogers, how long have we known each other? You know I’m not into casual dating. I’d have made an exception for you, though.” She tilted her head at him. “In fact, I think I’m personally offended that you didn’t ask me to be your fake date.” 

Steve gulped, the tips of his ears turning red. “The only thing is, Daisy… if I’d asked you, it wouldn’t have been fake. And it wouldn’t have been casual.” 

‘You say that like it’s a bad thing.’  She stood from the bar stool, and while she didn’t quite have the curves Darcy sported, her form fitting dress had definitely caught his attention.  “Then how about we try it for real sometime?” 

His ears got even redder, so red Daisy didn’t think it existed anywhere on the light spectrum.  “I mean, if you wanted… I wouldn’t say no.” 

“Only if Darcy’s okay with going solo.” 

They looked around and found her soliciting photos and autographs from an over eager Tony and a less than pleased Clint.  She waved at Steve when he caught her eye, then went back to taking selfies.  She’d be just fine. 

“Tell me about it,” said the waitress as she came over with Daisy’s sandwich.  Her nametag read ‘Beth’ and she had the kind face of someone who had never been touched by the true horrors of this world.  “I’ve lived here for three years, and I’m still not used to it.”

“It takes time,” said Daisy.  “I’ve lived in a lot of different places, but I always end up back here eventually.”  

“Some people have it in their blood,” a new voice spoke.  It was male and deep, coming from the man one table over.  He had his head down, flipping through a book.  A baseball cap covered his eyes and a brown leather jacket failed to mask his large arms and shoulders.  He was probably a good looking guy, but unfortunately for him, Daisy’s mood today was middling at best.

“Just like some people have interrupting private conversations in their blood, right?”

The man in the hat chuckled, closing his book.  “Sorry.  I couldn’t help overhearing.”

“And with all the many conversations going on right now, you’d think at least one would be more interesting than this.”

The cap’s visor was low over his face, so that all Daisy could see was a strong nose and a pair of full pink lips which were honestly kind of mesmerizing.  Not that Daisy was one to get carried away by a pretty face (she’d made that mistake one too many times in her life), but damn if his face wasn’t especially pretty.  “You seem familiar.  Have we met before?”

“I doubt it,” Daisy said.  If she was being honest, she could say the same about him.  She couldn’t quite place where she’d heard that voice before, but it must’ve been somewhere.

“You’re probably right,” he said.  “I’d remember a beautiful gal like you.”

Did he just say ‘gal’?  Who said gal anymore?  What did he think this was, the fifties?

“Is that all your mouth is good for?” she asked.

Beth squeaked, reminding Daisy that she was still there and had never left.  Daisy made a note to give her an extra five bucks with the tip.  Then the man in the hat smiled and got to his feet.

“Maybe someday you’ll find out.”  He left a fifty dollar bill on the table and nodded to Beth as he walked out the open gate onto the sidewalk.  

“Do you have any idea who that was?” Beth hissed at Daisy, her eyes bugging out.

“A guy who thinks really highly of himself?” Daisy guessed.

“That was Steve Rogers!”

Daisy burst out laughing, stopping only when Beth did not laugh with her or change expression at all.  She was serious.

“No way,” Daisy said, shaking her head.  “He wouldn’t just walk around in public like that.”

“Yeah, he would,” Beth said.  “And he does.  He’s here every Tuesday.”

The man in the hat hadn’t left yet.  He stopped walking after another man tore around the corner, a red handbag clutched in his hand.  A woman chased him, slowly losing ground and screaming that he’d stolen her purse.  The man in the hat waited until the robber was about to pass him, and then threw out an arm.  The robber had no time to stop and ran smack into it, falling backwards and clutching his neck where he’d been hit.

The man in the hat stooped down to get the purse and handed it back to the grateful woman.  He appeared no worse for the wear, except his hat had fallen off, and now Daisy could see blonde hair cropped fairly short, blue eyes that looked like they held the world in their depths, and that he was without a doubt Captain America.

“Oh, fuck me…” Daisy muttered.

Steve retrieved his hat after receiving multiple thank yous from the woman.  An off-duty cop took care of the would-be thief, so he was free to stroll back the way he came.  He had a long, powerful stride, but slowed considerably upon reaching Daisy.

“How about dinner first?” he asked.

Supersoldier hearing.  Right.